As the situation finally turned into our favour, I started to regain hope.
Although we are winning, I'm still sick with the idea of KILLING another human being. I understand they're trying to survive, but killing another people for that is unbelievable.
But it all is part of this world now, survival of the fittest. We must kill to survive.
Before we care about others, we have to take care of ourselves first. Which is what holding everyone back.
"Sir are you okay?" I heard the voice of one of the soldier from the other group.
"Yes, I'm okay. No, we are okay." I quickly changed my wording telling him that everyone in my group is fine.
"Sorry for the delay, sir. Infected were swarming us. I heavily apologise for that." He replied to me.
"It's fine." I nodded to him.
Soon after, the sounds of gun fire slowly started to stop. Raider that were injured or alive without any injuries was taken into custody. We can use a couple hand into building some defence in the base.
But I can't help but thinking, what is going on with Alice right now?
[Switching to Alice scenes.]
"I wonder how brother is doing..." I muttered a thought into myself.
It has been a while since the majority of the defence and scavenging group left. Leaving us with not much defense, but enough to counter any attack that is not too major to us.
"What are you thinking about Alice?" Reyes said to me as she corrected her glasses.
I didn't paid attention to her, as my thought was solely focused to Alan. Afraid that my brother safety might be at risk.
"Alice?" She continue to call me, I jump in realisation. Embarassed for not paying any attention to my surroundings.
"Oh, haha sorry!" I quickly apologise.
"Hey Reyes, do you think Alan is okay?" I said to her, a sense of worry was visible on my face.
"Alan you say? He is a strong man. I don't see any reason how anything could do harm to him." She continue saying as she drink a sip of her tea.
"But your brother is a good second-in-command. A dog that obeyed his superior, although he is a bit rebellious. Different from you. But he completed his tasks most of the time." She continue talking.
"Oh I see." As soon as I replied, Reyes continue talking.
"Let's just hope they won't come back empty handed. The camp probably won't survived if that were the case." Reyes continue talking, although she is keeping her poker face. It was visible that she greatly care for the citizen of the base.
I was ignorant, I haven't thought a bit about the safety of the citizen at the base. However, I have also managed to move on from my parents case. It's highly unlikely for them to survive. I wondered if Alan have also moved on.
"Yeah... Let's just hope they didn't come back empty handed... You made a huge gamble with your decision didn't you? Giving them a lot of resources in hope for Zone 12 still having a lot of supplies that can be of use to us?" I continue talking to her.
"Of course, I also requested for them to bring as many medicines as they can. Although, most of it will probably be expired, I'm sure some was recently issued before the apocalypse hit before us." Reyes continue talking, telling me every fact that she have calculated.
Indeed it was a huge gamble, but every gamble that was took by Reyes held a lot of risk. And Reyes knew that very well, but we couldn't take any safe approach now. If we continue with our safe approach into this situation, it will slowly kill us by depleting our resources day by day.
No one have taken notice yet, but although the chief of the camp Reyes didn't show any empathy and sympathy it was clear as day to me that she hold a huge responsibility. She is a great leader.
As we continue talking, someone suddenly burst in the office. It was a young woman.
"ALICE! Ma'am please! I'm begging you! Please treat my daughter! She is showing unknowns symptoms!" The woman suddenly kneel before me. Surprising both me and Reyes.
"Hey calm down! What's happening?" Reyes asked, she slowly stood up from her desk.
"PLEASE HELP!" The woman continue crying in agony her face tired from crying, pleading to me to take care of her daughter.
"Okay... Bring me to her!" Both of us quickly rushed outside of the building.
Arriving to the woman tent, I saw her daughter showing weird symptoms.
She was... Moving her body around like crazy, as if her brain was being control.
Although I was trying to deny it, I have quickly made my decision...
"Ma'am, your daughter is.... Infected." I said to her, my face looking down. Guilty to look at her daughter condition. It was such a horrible sight for a mother.
"No... No.... No... No.. NOOOO!" The woman was crying, she was losing her mind. Every moment that passed by doesn't matter to her anymore.
I couldn't help but gain sympathy for her, I couldn't even imagine how I would react if that were to happen to my family as well.
Although I didn't want it to happened, I quickly look at the guard outside.
He was holding a rifle, ready to shoot anything if the situation escalated.
The guard was held back, although the little child is infected. It still hold the appearance of a child, it is indeed a horrible sight.
"I'm sorry ma'am... But... Your daughter is... She's infected ma'am! Please step away!" I quickly warned the woman, holding her back from blocking the line of fire of the guard. To cover her from any danger upcoming.
"NO! LET GO OF ME! LET GO!" She quickly protested, not wanting to see her daughter being killed. She knew well that her daughter is infected. But the love of a mother prevent that.
"LET FUCKING GO OF ME!" She breaks free from my hold. Quickly shielding her daughter.
"M-mommy...?" As soon as we heard the voice of the child we were shocked.
"Ma'am get out from there! She is about to turned!" The guard shouted at the woman, warning her about the danger of the situation.
"Mommy... Mommy... It hurts mommy... Mommy..." The child began to tear up. Her face also began to have vein popping up. Showing the sign of her about to turn.
"Darling... Does it hurt? Where did it hurt? Tell mommy okay? Everything is about to be okay. It's okay." The woman wipe the tear from her daughter eyes while her voice is cracking from crying, assuring her that everything is fine... Which is... Not.
"Ma'am... Please. You are endangering the camp and yourself by staying close to... Her..." I choose a better word than a zombie. I wanted to be honest, but I couldn't. The love of a mother for her child. It was... It was... Unbearable.
I couldn't think of anything else.
But then, Reyes suddenly walked in. She quickly pulled out her revolver and shot the child right in the head.
"NOOOOOO!" The woman screamed, the camp was terrified. They were wondering where the scream came from.
"Y-you... Y-you... YOU MONSTER!" The woman quickly pulled out a knife, and rush to Reyes. But before she could do anything. She was shot by the guard beside Reyes. The woman drop do the ground.
"Reyna... Reyna..." The woman called her daughters name.
I couldn't look, the scenes before me was devastating. Hands trembling, shaking as if the never ending coldness that will never end. My eyes shaking, scared... Upset... Disappointed... Anger.... Everything. Everything doesn't make sense? Because of the apocalypse... Is it truly necessary for our humanity to be thrown out of the window?
"Reyna..." She began to crawl to her daughter dead body. The little child brain was splattered. No matter how you look at it, the ground was covered in blood.
As the woman was slowly crawling toward her daughter dead body. Reyes quickly took another aim.
But I quickly went in front of her line of sight.
"STOP REYES! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I asked her, my face was filled with question. Why couldn't I do anything earlier? Was I scared... Yes... I was scared. I don't want to die. And that thought filled my mind.
"Alice, go away. There is a chance she might be infected as well." Reyes coldly response, her aim didn't flinch from the woman. Her finger ready at the triggers.
"Reyna... My love... My love..." The woman began to cry, her voice was striking our heart. She hug her daughter closely to her arms.
I couldn't look, but I knew. I knew that I was a coward, I don't want to die...
Before I could have another inner though, Reyes quickly pushed me out of the way. She quickly took another aim, and fire at the woman.
I couldn't look, but I knew. Even Reyes was affected by the scenes before us. She looks away as she fire the shot.
"Clean the mess." Reyes coldly said as she leave the scenes.
I couldn't think of anything else, my face was left expressionless. As Reyes left the tent, the other survivor wondered what happened inside.
A few moment after that I finally leave the tent after the cleanup team arrived. My face showed no sign of anything other than shocked.
I couldn't do anything... I couldn't... I just couldn't.
The reality hit me, to ensure the safety of others. You must make a decision that is against the sense of morale. And that is the reality of our world right now.
[Back to Alan.]
We continue our scavenging, we have successfully counter the bandit or should I say raiders. Turned out, the raider also carries a bunch of food and water with them. We also "stole" their gun. Further enhancing our scavenging result. We didn't suffer any casualties other than the last attack. At Zone 3.
[Night after.]
"Hey Alan what are you thinking about?" Micheal said as he approached me with alcohol.
"Look at this! Alcohol! JACKPOT BABY!" Micheal said enthusiastically.
"It's rare to find those nowadays, you should drink!" He shove the alcohol bottle to my face.
"I don't drink Micheal." I said to him as I smile.
"I'll go to sleep now." I quickly leave as the words leave my mouth.
"Okay! But don't regret it later." He said as he happily poured a glass of alcohol for himself.
"HOOO BABY! THIS SHIT TASTE LIKE HEAVEN!" Micheal shouted, but the disturbance only caught the attention of the other soldier. And before I know it, they hosted a beer party to celebrate our successful hunt today.
As I went to bed, Kayla slowly approached me.
"Hey Alan." She said as she smiled while waving at me.
"What's up?" I said, but my voice is sleepy.
"I am just wondering. When will we get back to base?" She asked, her eyebrows twitch upright. Giving the sign of curiosity.
"In two weeks maybe." I said while yawning.
"And you why are you awake? Can't sleep?" I asked her, while stretching my shoulder.
"No... They're too loud. Can I sleep beside you?" Kayla asked, it caught me off-guard. A male and female sleeping beside each other? I am used to do this with Alice, but doing with someone else other than her is still unusual to me.
"Why is that? Aren't there other females at your room?" I asked her, my voice demanding.
"It's just... Nothing, sorry to bother you." She said as she quickly leave.
"Okay then, good night." I said to her.
"Yeah, good night to you too." She quickly leave. Leaving a small smile before closing the door.
I didn't think much of anything, I was very tired. I couldn't think much before I sleep. Except for Alice of course. I was worried whether or not she is doing fine without me.
"Alice..." I said faintly as I fell asleep.
And I was left wondering, if the world will ever change.
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Hello guys! Sorry for yet another day delayed! But at the same time, I delivered a long chapter to make up for it! Haha! I love you all and I mean it! Thank you to those who is a regular reader to this book! And to new reader, I hope you all enjoyed my writing! Oh, and my sleep have been getting better recently, I'm able to sleep for 8 hour. And I have really been motivated to write this chapter haha! Goodbye and thank you!