.
It has been more than a week since Yuri and Jay left. At this point, the girls have lost count of all the days that have passed.
Lilianne and Sasha patiently waited as each day dragged on sluggishly. Despite the long wait, things have been running smoothly. There was enough food for both of them and luckily, they steered clear from danger's path. On one fortunate day, they came across a clothing store sitting directly across a parking lot. With that in mind, they were able to finally change their current fit for a better and more fitted attire. The clothes they were able to snag were much more convenient and comfortable compared to their old garments. Surprisingly, they haven't seen any Brillantes and the rest of their days were spent waiting for the boys' return.
With their companions' long absence, things have been rather dull. It began to make Lilianne feel anxious and doubtful. In contrast, Sasha felt indifferent. She remained still at times, and didn't have much to say. The woman didn't show any emotions while Lilianne constantly picked at her nails.
At first, the young girl felt uneasy around her. There was always an awkward silence since Sasha remained mute, holding her silence. However, after a while she started to get a sense of why she had been exhibiting such behavior. She felt a sort of sympathy towards her. It was evident that Sasha had been in shock since the night of the slaughter. From what Lilianne was able to witness, Sasha's entire family had been brutally massacred right in front of her eyes by a creature hideous beyond recognition. It wasn't expected that the woman would recover by just a mere month and that she must've felt guilty for their deaths, her grief swallowing her whole.
It surely wouldn't be easy to wipe their terrified faces, begging for mercy and to be saved. It was her own family; the ones she had grown up with, the ones who she had been raised with. All of that blood was on her hands. Perhaps it wasn't her that had done the killing, but she was there, and she beared to witness it. Yet when they had needed her the most, she lacked the ability to do anything. She could've saved them, if only she had moved. If only she had done something, anything.
It was strange. Why did they survive? Not in the sense that they shouldn't have survived. Perhaps the question was more of a: Why were those two spared when everyone else had faced a horrific ending? Lilianne found it unusual. When she had discovered the other bodies already rotting due to the Brillante's infection, it was odd how the two were the sole survivors. Though, she couldn't tell if Sasha had the same questions. She was hard to read. Her empty expressions never revealed much.
The young girl couldn't help it, her interest was piqued. She peeked over at the woman in front of her. It took all the energy she had to restrain herself from asking those questions. It was rather insensitive and it'd be prying too much, even if she was desperate for answers. Lilianne was aware of the consequences if she persisted with her thoughts.
Lilianne was sure the young woman wasn't always the way she is now. She figured she would ask Yuri once he came back. Until then, all she could do was sit tight and endure the overwhelming curiosity devouring her thoughts.
+
"They're in here." Emma told me, the woman who had given us the information needed.
The place the 'higher ups' were in was actually a coffee shop. It's not really a fitting place, for… -Well, when you think of a person who's trying to imitate a leader for a hierarchy you don't expect them to be hiding out in a coffee shop. You expect them to hide out in a more expensive, or fancy place. Like, a five-star club for example, y'know with those intimidating bouncers that tell you to fuck-off if you even look at them wrong.
My eyes immediately scanned the insides of the shop for anything to be aware of. It was covered in a soft light, very contrasting to how the tables were covered in various weapons. It ruined the welcoming atmosphere of the coffee shop. Who even suggested making this the hide-out? Clearly there's no organization here and nobody knows what a theme is. I'm not being picky, and I know it's the apocalypse, but I mean, seriously? I snapped from my pointless thoughts and saw that there were only a few people in the shop.
The most noticeable was a young man and his appearance reminded me of that dream in an instant. It was uncanny and I felt a sort of recognition. But I swear, I've never met that man in my life and I usually remember every face I come across. Is this what they call deja vu?
Fair golden hair pulled back into a ponytail, his short height giving him an adorable silhouette and his almond-shaped eyes expressed his youthful determination, he was truly a work of art. I can admit when a person looks pleasing to the eye. It would be a shame if he wasn't a model yet.
I blinked a few times. Ah, right. He was the boy that I had seen in my dream. It was hard to forget, considering I've gotten a glimpse of people I haven't yet known.
But why was he there? How is he here? Would he accept my offer and ally with me? Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself but I still held some hope. The sole thought filled me with thrill. It would be great to have another companion through these rough times. The more the merrier, you know?
I walked toward the closed door and one of the men outside approached me.
"You can't enter if you don't have what's required."
Made sense. I didn't exactly expect to waltz in there without any sort of security precaution. But it would've been easier if that had happened.
"And what is it that I need?" I asked, lifting my eyebrow.
He glared at me for an instant before speaking again.
"Why would I tell you? I don't have an identification from you and I don't know your intentions."
"I have no bad intentions. If you won't tell me, then how am I supposed to know what is required?"
I knew it wouldn't be that simple, but I was still irked from the stubbornness. As I went back and forth with the man, the blond boy inside the shop took notice of us and waved his hand. Next to me, Jay frowned. Did he somehow know him too? The boy then went to the door, opened it and spoke to the man. I could just barely make out what he was saying.
"It's alright, let me deal with it."
Then, in a friendly manner, he asked me:
"What are you here for, good sir?"
"I assume you're the one in charge?"
He chuckled and shook his head.
"Unfortunately, I'm not. I'm just one of the higher ups. However, I'm a good friend of his." The blond-haired boy then smiled at me and continued, "I suppose you want to meet with him… right?"
I acquiesced and asked my question again.
"How can I do that?"
"You need to be a 'superior' being."
What the hell did he mean? It was as if he could read my mind and guessed exactly what I had thought. He lifted his shoulders and shook his head again. He probably wasn't too clear on why it was worded that way either. What he told me next gave me a shock.
"Basically, you have to be an 'infected'."
My eye grew wide and I looked at my partner. He didn't make a sound, but gave the same reaction as me. I guess it was my lucky day.
The boy in front of us tilted his head in confusion as he asked what was wrong.
"Do… you happen to be an 'infected'?"
As soon as I nodded my head for a yes, his face brightened and he moved closer to me, making me take a few steps back immediately. But at the same time, something unexpected happened and I stood still awkwardly, my mouth slightly agape. Jay, who was carefully staring at him with a strange expression the entire time, cut in between the two of us and opened his mouth to speak.
"Don't you dare touch him or I'll break your frail bones, Dwarf."
The blond boy, obviously surprised by the sudden approach, withdrew back and made a strange face as if he also recognized the man confronting him.
There was definitely something going on between the both of them, but I was too surprised to say anything. I feel like I'm intruding on something. From what I've seen so far with my colleague, he wasn't acting like his normal self. He was much more reckless with his actions. We stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, when finally the shorter one spoke up to break the silence.
"Long time no see."
"Indeed." replied Jay, his voice having a slight shake to it.
My doubts were confirmed, and I couldn't think of anything to do other than to watch the scene unfold with a dumbfounded expression.