Shit! I didn't think it'd want to break the whole fucking store!
Its huge mouth approached them. Their backs turned at it. Not wanting to see the horror of being chewed alive.
Fein paused and shoved a cart at its mouth. Sensing the sharp metal, the dragon roared and shook its head sideways.
"Ran! Shoot now!"
Ran recalled the clear instructions he was given earlier. Fortunately his shotgun was reloaded and the dragon was busy throwing out the cart from its mouth. He immediately pointed it at the billboard and shot with accurate precision.
The heavy weighted billboard fell on top of the dragon, making it immobile.
With the chance found Fein and Ran, ran for their lives.
The undeads were busy with the commotions at front thus the back route remained empty.
Their boots tapped against the pitch of the road. They ran with their dear lives.
It went all according to his plan. But Fein found one thing amiss. The beast didn't show up.
He stopped and wheezed. He hadn't run so much lately and it was hard for Fein to breathe.
"Would you like to wait until you catch your breath?" Asked Ran.
"Phh.. please.. I'd.. appreciate it!"
They rested inside the ruins of a building. The sun shone above their heads and the mist arised from the soil.
Fein unzipped his coat and slid it from his shoulder to dry his sweats, while still panting as he sat leaning against the wall.
"I wonder if Eudimor and the others reached safely."
Ran stood next to Fein with his palms on his waist.
"You're unexpectedly concerned for them."
"What do you mean by unexpectedly?!"
"Well.. my impression on you is dissimilar to your current attitude."
He sighed in an attempt to act the mature one. "Of course I'd be worried. When we could trust no one we've been watching each other's backs for months now. At such times there aren't many people you can count on."
"Are you perhaps… talking about yourself?"
Ran glared down at him. His hazel eyes shot darts at Fein's blood red eyes.
"What do you want to imply?"
"That your obsession for Eudimor was strange. You really don't care about Nicole and Johan, do you? I'm sure you're not latching onto him for mere survival." Their glares sent a string of current at each other, "What are you using him for?"
Ran pressed the tip of his shotgun against Fein's forehead. "Speak no more."
"My. I hit the bull's eye, didn't i?"
"Do you want your brain blown here? I'll just say that you were attacked by a beast."
Fein smirked. "Why? I don't think using others is such a sin. It is only a humane instinct. Everyone does that at some point in their lives. You aren't any exception either." He slightly scoffed. "I'm sure even Eudimor is using someone for his ammunition supplies."
Ran lowered his shotgun. "I was dubious from the beginning. Eudimor always restocked arms and ammunition from somewhere no one knows. He said he used to be a soldier so he had some to himself."
"And? You believed him?"
"It didn't sit right with me. I believe he's receiving outside help that he doesn't want us to know. That outsider might even be more helpful for us."
In the end, Ran is just looking for someone stronger than Eudimor so that he can cling onto them.
"How did you even know that i was using him? I've been living with them longer than with you and no one has found out till this date."
Fein stood up from the blanket of fog and leaned closer to his ears.
"They say only a scammer can recognize another scammer." He mumbled those words into Ran's ears and walked ahead.
"We should leave as well. I'd hate to run into a beast here."
Ran, who froze there flabbergasted with a whirlwind of thoughts in his mind, followed after Fein.
The question wouldn't just leave his mind..
Just what did he mean?!
He was convinced that Fein was plotting for something grandeur.
"I'm so glaaaaad that you guys made it back!!" Kuina jumped on top of Eudimor and Fein out of joy.
"I didn't expect that you'd wait for us outside the hideout." Said Ran.
"I was worried, okay!" Said Eudimor. "You guys were taking too long. I thought you ran into a beast!"
"I'm thankful for your concern-" Fein was being choked by Kuina who wouldn't stop hugging their throats.
"How's Nicole doing?"
Kuina alighted on her feet and nodded up and down. "Hebero gave him a blood transfusion. He's doing better than before."
While Fein coughed vigorously in the background, Eudimor left out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness we had a certified doctor with us."
Ran walked past him with a frown on his face. "Let's all scramble for today."
"Alright. I'll call Donna inside and seal off the pit."
The following evening, in a chamber deeper inside, Fein was called in. The chamber wasn't the result of the collapsed rubbles rather a fine made basement of a house.
While he travelled his way to that chamber, Fein looked around with speculation.
This place looks a bit too modified for a hideout made out of rubbles. I'm sure it needed a couple of engineers to design this safe place. It feels like it was planned.
He slouched lower and lifted the curtain to the chamber.
"I heard from Kui that you called me."
"Oh yes. I did." Replied Eudimor. "I know the survivors chamber is packed. Why don't you stay here with me for today?"
"I really appreciate the offer. Though I don't mind the survivors' chamber."
His eyes roamed around the chamber.
Unlike the survivors' chamber this place actually had a set of chairs and a metal bed. On top of the bed, two malnutritioned kids slept hugging each other. The room was brightened with a bulb light. It suggested to Fein that the house still had electricity under which the hideout was located.
How absurd. The survivors' chamber was brightened with fire lit torches. He could've extended the electrical wire if he wanted. Was it his discriminatory behaviour?
"I actually called you here for another reason." Eudimor shifted Fein's focus to himself.
"Yes. I'm all ears." Fein sat on the chair that was left empty for him.
"Do you mind scavenging?"
"You mean to go out armed and look for food?"
"Yes. In addition you'll be given better facilities than the rest of the survivors."
Going out in the disaster for scavenging is detrimental to my life. I don't want that. I want to avoid fights as much as possible and search for Rene foremost.
Fein opened his mouth to decline but the words didn't leave his stomach.
Putting my life at risk will trigger my foresight frequently. It'd increase my knowledge on my own ability. And i also don't want to sit ducks after i find Rene. I have to do something to survive in this world with her.
"I'd love to. But I'm not sure how much of a help i can be in battles."
"Oh no. You'd be a great help. We were just thinking that we needed more members who'd keep their calm and advise us during battles. As far as your fighting prowess goes. You can ask Ran to teach you to use guns. I'll provide you with the ammos. Don't worry."
"That's very reassuring." Also very suspicious. "Thank you for recruiting me in your scavenge team."
"No. It is us who'd be glad to have you."
"Then I'll excuse myself." Fein got up with a smile sticking on his face.
I'm one step closer to the person behind Eudimor.