"Hey, Hank, you should eat something first," Mark patted Hank's shoulder and handed him two cans of food. "Thanks!" Hank smiled and eagerly opened one of the cans, devouring its contents.
Mark turned to the window, lifting a corner of the curtain to gaze at the pitch-black night sky, feeling a bit contemplative. "Sigh... The apocalypse came, and everyone has their hardships."
With Hank's explanation and Mark's observations since the appearance of the infected, Mark had come to understand that only a small fraction of people had survived. The virus had spread quickly and aggressively, turning most people into zombies. Humanity had been caught off guard by the sudden catastrophe.
"Brother, I'm finished," Hank called out from the dining table.
Mark turned to look at Hank; he had eaten one can of food and put the other back. Mark nodded without saying a word.
Checking his phone, Mark realized it was already 11 PM. "Alright, let's wrap it up for today. You should go to the guest room and lock your door."
"Sure thing, goodnight!"
"Goodnight."
Mark returned to his bedroom with his katana. Over the next few days, the two of them didn't venture outside. The food Mark had brought back could sustain him for over two weeks even with Hank eating, and he hadn't reduced Hank's portion. They ate two meals a day, and Mark had Hank eat as much as he needed. It was clear that Hank had a bigger appetite, but he never complained. In these dire times, having something to eat was a luxury.
During this time, Hank hadn't shown any ill intentions, which allowed Mark to gradually let his guard down. The only cause for concern was that the number of zombies downstairs had increased, indicating that the number of survivors in the complex had dwindled.
When their food supplies dwindled to only two days' worth, Mark decided it was time to take action.
"Hank, come on, let's have breakfast!" Mark woke Hank up one morning, and Hank, still half-asleep, emerged from his room shirtless.
After a few days of living together, their relationship had become less tense, bordering on that of good friends.
"Wow, brother, why is breakfast so lavish today?" Hank remarked, noting the several bags of compressed biscuits, two servings of instant noodles, and the last two cans of meat on the table.
Hank, drooling, moved closer to the table. "After we finish this, we'll only have a few biscuits left. Are we planning to go out again?"
Hank's question made Mark ponder. "Well... we should've gone out earlier. Do you know why I've been staying indoors all this time?"
"What could be the reason? We have enough food, and the indoors are safer than outside," Hank replied nonchalantly.
"That's part of it, but the main reason is that I've been waiting."
"Waiting for what?" Hank looked puzzled.
Mark took a bite of a biscuit and washed it down with some soup before continuing. "Primarily, I've been waiting to see if the zombies will disappear or if any military forces will intervene."
"Brother, isn't that highly unlikely?" Hank was skeptical.
"Well, I know it's unlikely. Hank, it's been half a month since the appearance of the zombies, right?"
Hank checked his phone's date. "That's correct, including today, it's been 17 days."
"This suggests two possibilities. First, the military is too overwhelmed and doesn't have the resources to rescue others."
"And the second?" Hank inquired.
"Heh, the second possibility is even more troubling. The situation has completely spiraled out of control, and the military has collapsed."
"What? That can't be true! They have guns and all sorts of weapons. The current zombies don't seem unstoppable," Hank reasoned.
Hank was intelligent, but sometimes Mark thought more comprehensively. "What if the zombies are infiltrating from within?"
"You mean the military is infected as well? That shouldn't be possible. Their facilities are well-protected, and even if a few zombies showed up, they should be able to handle them," Hank argued.
Mark had finished his meal, wiped his mouth with his hand, and continued speaking. "Well, I don't know for sure, but based on my analysis, if the military were still safe, they would have used heavy weaponry. Even if it meant destroying a few cities, it would be worth it."
"This period of complete silence suggests that there's no ability for post-disaster recovery anymore."
Hank was astonished by Mark's words. He hadn't expected Mark to think so comprehensively. The more he considered it, the more Mark's reasoning made sense.
"Anyway, let's not dwell on this. It doesn't affect us much. We need to figure out how to survive another day," Mark said.
Hank nodded. "You're right. No matter what's happening, whether the sky is falling or not, we can only rely on ourselves!"
After breakfast, Mark began packing his bag, the same one from before. Besides the remaining food, he added some extra clothing. The season was getting colder, and this time, if all went well, Mark didn't plan to return. He was packing everything he thought he might need.
"Hank, here's this bag for you. Put whatever you can fit inside. We're heading out soon."
Hank received the bag Mark tossed to him, and for a moment, he seemed to be in a daze. "Ah? Are we not coming back?"
Mark's words made Hank feel like they were moving away from home.