Alex White, while keeping his wits about him, wouldn't dare touch the bottle beside him. But once his mind faltered, whether he was on his feet or crawling, the bottle would inevitably hit the ground.
The rooftop was expansive, and Dora Lin was resting in a far corner on a foam board, using clothes as a cover.
Alex White sat with his back against the wall, feeling the wind, strong and cool, sweeping across the rooftop.
The night was pitch-black.
In the deathly stillness of the city, there was none of the light pollution from Alex White's previous world. Only a smattering of stars dotted the sky, leaving the rest in utter darkness.
"If it weren't for the apocalypse and the zombies, this would be a truly romantic scene," Alex White sighed.
Night, rooftop, starlight.
A man and a woman watching the stars on a rooftop, surrounded by a ring of glass bottles as a gentleman's pact.
But the occasional zombie howls echoing from the distant streets shattered the illusion.
"Are there any survivors living in the city?" Alex White asked.
"Even if there are, they're few and far between," Dora Lin replied. "Surviving in the city means scavenging. It's doable for a while, but long-term survival is a different story. Maybe some have mastered the skills to make it work, but I haven't met any."
Alex White suddenly longed for the small courtyard. The deserted city felt too empty, too desolate.
"Get some rest," Dora Lin's voice floated over from her corner.
"Alright, I shouldn't miss anything if there's any movement," Alex White replied.
There was no more sound from Dora Lin's side. After a day's worth of travel, they were both exhausted. Alex White hugged his helmet and shut his eyes.
Living off the land in the small courtyard and spending a day pushing through the city were two completely different experiences. He found himself reflecting on whether the changing environments had any effect on him.
He still wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep or if he was just in a very light sleep, much like the zombies. Even in stillness, he could hear every sound.
The night slowly faded, and just as dawn began to break, Dora Lin woke up. The exhaustion from the previous day had significantly eased. She opened her eyes to find Alex White standing within the circle of glass bottles, stretching his muscles.
Dora Lin sat up, took a sip of water, and then stood, stretching her limbs.
"It seems you're quite stable," she observed.
Like Alex White, she wasn't entirely sure if fatigue might affect the infection. Even though Alex White usually bounced around doing his calisthenics, the mental and physical strain of city errands far outweighed that.
"Hmm… we still need to keep an eye on it," Alex White said, exhaling as he stopped moving, looking even healthier than she did, despite being human.
"Drink some water, eat, and be cautious in the city. If you run into other scavengers, just stand there with your helmet on."
Dora Lin put on her jacket and walked over, glancing at Alex White. To her surprise, with the helmet on, Alex White looked rather imposing. Covering up the zombie-like features, his tall frame and helmet made him more intimidating than some of the smaller scavengers.
If she encountered a scavenger like that on the street, wearing a helmet, she'd keep her distance. There'd be no way to gauge him—whether he was sane or crazy, timid or fierce—nothing could be read. The safest bet would be to stay away.
Dora Lin bent down to pick up the bottles arranged in a circle on the ground. Alex White noticed and asked, "Are you really going to pack those up?"
He looked around at the circle of bottles, still puzzled over what use this collection of junk could have. Surely she couldn't have known this day would come and prepared the glass bottles just for him.
But then he saw Dora Lin take two of the bottles to the edge of the rooftop and, with a powerful throw, hurl them far out towards the street.
Two sharp shattering sounds quickly echoed from the street below.
"Let's go," Dora Lin said.
They descended the mall's stairs and pushed the tricycle out.
Alex White glanced back and saw the old zombie that had followed the sound of the tricycle last night now wandering nearby. The zombie had just been drawn away by the noise of the glass bottles shattering in the distance. Hearing the tricycle, it tried to turn back, but was hindered by its slow pace and the distance.
"Scavenging really is an art!"
Alex White was doing his best to learn the art of human scavenging.
Even though the bottles had also alerted some zombies that hadn't been nearby, the tricycle was bound to make noise anyway. In the end, at least the zombies at the mall's entrance had been drawn away, and those that were startled would have been startled regardless.
In just one day, Alex White came to understand that Dora Lin's survival in this post-apocalyptic world was no mere stroke of luck.
"Here," Dora Lin said, retrieving a knife from the cart.
Alex White accepted it, eyeing her.
"There are dangers in the city besides zombies," Dora Lin added.
"Like what?"
"Cats, dogs."
Dora Lin casually mentioned two words that, under normal circumstances, would evoke a sense of endearment. However, these words made Alex White hesitate momentarily.
"Oh, and by the way, do you know if zombies would still try to bite you? How about you give it a shot?" Dora Lin suddenly suggested as she noticed Alex White readying his stick to strike a zombie that was slowly approaching.
Alex White quickly dismissed the idea. "That's a terrible idea. What if I get bitten again?"
"These are just old zombies. You could try circling behind one and see if it turns to follow you," she suggested.
"Maybe later," he replied.
Alex White thought if he were to experiment, it would be safer to use one of the old zombies near the village.
Dora Lin shrugged, got her bearings, and started walking towards the city center.
The deeper they ventured, the more frequently they encountered zombies. If she were alone, she would never bring the tricycle straight into the city. Instead, she would first scout out a safe path, ensure there was something worth collecting, and then return for the cart.
The last time she met Alex White was while she was scouting a route.
"See that? That's where I caught you," Dora Lin said, pointing to a distant intersection.
"You mean rescued me," Alex White, still wearing his helmet, cautiously scanned the area. He had long forgotten what that street looked like, the fever from his bite making him fuzzy back then.
"Caught."
"Rescued."
"Caught."
"Rescued."
"What's the difference?"
"Catching is for zombies. Rescuing is for humans. Obviously, I'm human."
Rescuing a human definitely sounded better than catching a zombie.
Once grand, the buildings at the end of the street now stood in ruins.
Alex White noticed a bank. If it weren't for the fear of zombies lurking inside, he would have loved to experience what it felt like to rob a bank.
"The bank vault should be absolutely secure," Alex White commented.
"Yeah, but if it's blocked, it's also a death trap," Dora Lin responded, her attention not on the bank but on some scattered papers on the ground nearby. The papers looked surprisingly new.
"Some other scavengers have been here recently," Dora Lin said slowly. "Could they be friends you got separated from?"
"I didn't have any friends before I got bitten. I'm certain of that," Alex White replied.
"Not betrayed and bitten afterward?" Dora Lin pressed.
"No. I know that concealing information can lead to unforeseen dangers, so you don't need to worry."
"Alright then."
Dora Lin moved forward, picked up a piece of paper, gave it a quick look, and was about to toss it aside.
"What's written on it?" Alex White noticed the text.
Dora Lin handed the paper over; it was just a brief message.