Laura let out a heavy sigh, indicating she was as confused as I was, but there was no time to discuss conspiracy theories. I put the radio in my backpack, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that we were being manipulated by some invisible force. Sensing the growing tension, Hana tried to lighten the mood.
"Maybe we have an invisible benefactor? Like an apocalypse Santa Claus?" she said with a forced smile.
I laughed, but I couldn't shake the knot of worry in my stomach. However, Laura was determined to keep us focused.
"Alright, everyone. We need to rest and then plan our next move. Stay alert with the radios and keep as quiet as possible. We'll take turns keeping watch," she instructed.
We settled on the cold ground of the alley, trying to find a comfortable position. I closed my eyes, trying not to think about the Gyakus that had hunted us earlier or the crazy conspiracy theories running through my mind. Exhaustion finally overcame me, and I fell into a restless sleep.
I was awakened a few hours later by static noise on the radio. Laura was whispering, trying to communicate with Will.
"Will, this is Laura. We're all safe, but we need to know your situation. Did you find a safe place?"
"Nice timing, Laura. You woke me up just as I was falling into a volcano," I said, stretching as I stood up.
"Shh! I'm talking to Will on speaker, so pay attention."
The response came through with some static but was clear enough to understand.
"This is Will. We're fine. Tom fell asleep so hard he wet Joseph, and he didn't even notice. We found a safe house and got some supplies. Just waiting for our fearless leader to give us the location?"
"That's a lie! I didn't pee on anyone!" Tom shouted in the background.
Laura sighed with relief. We were separated, but at least everyone was safe for now. She told Will, "Our location isn't great or safe. We're lying in some random alley, but stick to the meeting point. Head to the bridge. We'll meet you there."
There was a brief pause before Will replied, "Understood. See you when the damn sun that doesn't shine wakes up. Stay safe."
Laura turned off the radio and looked at us.
"Everything's set?" Hana asked, stretching her arms, still waking up with a hint of laziness.
"Yes. Now, let's rest as much as we can. Tomorrow will be a long day."
We all nodded, but before we could relax, a strange noise echoed through the alley.
"What the hell was that?" I asked, slightly alarmed.
"Quiet," Laura said firmly, stepping in front of Hana and me.
Something was approaching. We quickly stood up, grabbing our makeshift tools and weapons, ready for anything.
Through the reflection in one of the house windows in the alley, we saw a shadow pass over us. It was a strange bird with large wings, swooping down the alley toward us.
"What the hell is that?" I asked, trying to stay calm.
"I don't know, but it doesn't look friendly!" Hana replied, raising a metal bar.
"Hana?" It was surreal to see a sweet young woman, who didn't seem capable of harming a fly, suddenly holding a metal bar.
"Phil, get the bat!" Laura shouted, throwing a baseball bat at me.
The creature attacked, its sharp claws aiming for our faces. We dodged as best we could, throwing ourselves to the ground.
"We need to get it out of here!" Laura shouted.
"It's not going to be easy!" I responded, positioning myself offensively with the bat.
The bird flew in circles in the air, then dived at us with incredible speed. I'd never seen anything like it in my crappy life.
"Now! It's coming!" I was getting caught up in the excitement.
I swear I moved quickly, very quickly, but not fast enough.
Whoosh!
"What?" I missed the attack.
Slash!
I felt my right side get slashed.
"Phil!" Laura and Hana both shouted in concern.
Honestly, everyone, I felt nothing at that moment, just the sound of the bird's fast approach as it passed so close to me. After a few painless seconds, my right hand instinctively went to my side, where blood was flowing freely from the wound.
What impressed me the most was that in my hearing, only one thing was present: the slow, repetitive beating of the bird's wings, which echoed in my mind.
"What's happening?" I didn't understand why I was in this state.
Laura and Hana quickly pulled me into a shoe store with a glass-fronted entrance.
"Calm down. We'll stop the bleeding, just stay calm," Laura, with her leadership skills, reassured me.
But I was calm, very calm. The pain was so intense it became numb, almost like a joke about how the more you feel, the less you feel.
"It's not working," Hana said, frustrated with the difficulty of stopping the bleeding.
Suddenly, a static noise from Laura's communication radio caught our attention.
"Check it out. I'll take care of him," Hana told Laura.
Laura pulled her backpack close and took out the radio.
"I'll put it on speaker, okay?" she said before answering.
"Will? Is that you? Can you hear me?"
"Yes, I can hear you, but things are complicated here, Laura. We're trapped inside a warehouse, surrounded by lots of creatures—birds, I don't know—but they're here to kill us."
From his tone and the tremor in his voice, Will and the others were not doing well. Laura looked at Hana and me with an expression of uncertainty.
"Will, we're in the same situation. Phil, Hana, and I also have a creature on our tail, waiting for us to come out and kill us. It's probably the same for you."
Was there desperation? Of course. It was present in Will's usually cheerful, goofy voice, in Laura's stony-faced leadership, and in Hana and me, showing it more subtly.
In those few seconds, everything seemed almost reversible. However, with the prickling fear taking over, Laura stood up with the radio, speaking to Will.
"We'll figure something out, Will. Try to stay calm, okay?"
"Phil, I couldn't…" Hana said, suddenly hugging me, her tears soaking my shirt.
"You don't need to cry."
Stopping the bleeding wasn't enough, and my blood continued to pool on the dark floor of the store. Then, Laura spoke, slowly and with eyes frozen on what she saw outside.
"It can't be…"
"What is it, Laura?" Will asked from the other side of the line.
"No. No. No."
Hana and I looked at what had left Laura so stunned.
"Oh no."
Now there were five, six, seven, ten, or more birds circling in front of the store we were in.
The worst part? Only a glass wall separated us from them.