Chereads / The Survivor's Talk / Chapter 7 - Neighbors at My Door

Chapter 7 - Neighbors at My Door

7

 

The internet was sporadic over the next few days.

I spent more time collecting and organizing information.

Being sharp was crucial for survival. In the forest, there's no clear distinction between hunters and prey—put down your gun, and your role changes.

Holding my phone, I didn't realize when I fell asleep.

 

In a daze, I first heard a commotion, then loud banging on the front door.

I woke up instantly.

The living room was pitch dark. I crouched and moved towards the door.

Listening to the noises outside, I fumbled for the hammer on the shoe cabinet.

There were about five or six people outside.

The hallway's sensor light was broken. They were using flashlights, taking turns knocking on three apartment doors.

The middle-aged man leading the group stood silently with his arms crossed.

The man in the jacket seemed confident, "I'm sure of it. You saw it too, right?"

The woman behind him nodded repeatedly.

Despite the commotion, no one opened their door to respond. The hallway was silent except for their hushed conversations.

 

Who were they looking for?

I pulled out my phone and checked the residents' group chat, scrolling through previous messages.

"With so much water, they can donate some for everyone to use. We should help each other during difficult times!"

Another fist banged on the door, startling me and almost making me drop my phone.

So that's what it was about. I tensed up immediately.

I had indeed stocked up on a lot of drinking water.

But with over 90 households in this building, how much would I have to share, and how long would it last?

Avoiding trouble was better.

More than that, I worried about exposing my stockpile of food during distribution.

I pressed my lips together and stayed silent.

As long as the other households didn't cooperate, they couldn't pinpoint me.

 

After some discussion, the group moved to apartment 901.

This time, the only woman in the group knocked on the door.

She spoke kindly, "Little girl, I know you. We didn't want to disturb you so late, but these are special times, and we're all neighbours. Please help us out."

I recognized the woman as the cleaner from downstairs.

"I know the owner of 903 well, and 902 moved out a few days ago. You're the only one left on the 9th floor. We'll need to help each other a lot in the future..."

She was about to say more when the door of 901 opened.

I felt my heart clench. The hallway was so crowded that I couldn't see what was happening, but I heard a girl's voice.

Despite the situation, her tone was calm.

 

"Hey... don't you guys know what time it is?" she said.

"And I don't understand what you're talking about. If you don't leave, I'll call the police." Only then did the group react.

"Auntie was just discussing with you. You can't be so selfish. Don't you remember we've given you vegetables before?"

"Everyone needs to contribute to the community. Didn't your teacher teach you that?"

A man was about to get physical, but the others quickly stopped him.

"Alright, I'm going to sleep now," the girl said, ignoring their chatter. "Goodnight, everyone."

Before they could respond, the door shut again.

The man, enraged, wanted to bang on the door, but the others, more rational, dragged him away. The hallway fell silent again.

 

Back in bed, I stared at the ceiling, my mind racing.

I tossed and turned until dawn.

After a sleepless night, I made a decision.

November 22nd, 6:23 AM, the sixth day of the lockdown.

I knocked on the door of apartment 901.