F3 (An army shelter in Sweab)
01:23 AM
The first military car had already transported the army, along with Vanessa and Owen. The shelter was made for military use only. There weren't any civilians, only the army, division leaders, technical helpers, and nurses. It was a secure place for them to stay without fear of zombies breaking in. The whole place was new for them, but there were some familiar faces. Fortunately for Owen, and it could be said, unfortunately for Vanessa.
"You're still afraid of the sun, blondie." The guy who was teasing Vanessa was Bruno, a tall man with a body as strong as a bear. He was a friend of Owen and Danny back in high school. Back then, he had always teased Vanessa with stupid nicknames or questions.
"And you're still as stupid as you've always been." Vanessa replied cold.
"You two will never stop." Owen sighed.
They were walking through one hall. Since Bruno recognized them, he was responsible for taking them to the room where they could stay. At one moment, they stopped because Bruno had to talk to the guy on guard. Vanessa stayed quiet, only thinking about Alex and why he was still not there. She knew he was okay and safe, but nervousness was all over her. The shivering in her body stopped the moment she felt a small poke near her ribs, making her jump back slightly. She knew who poked her after a long time of not doing it.
"Owen, I'm warning you," Vanessa threatened.
"Why are you under tension, Nessie?" Owen asked.
"I'm not," Vanessa replied.
"I may be stupid, but not that much. Come on, spill it. Just don't tell me it's because of your emo friend," Owen said.
"And of who else would I be thinking about if not about my friend?" Vanessa retorted with ignorance in her tone of speaking.
"Relax, Nessie. Alex is in good hands and not alone. Look, I saw Pablo there, so if Danny isn't enough 'protection,' Pablo surely is," Owen explained.
"Pablo?!" Vanessa exclaimed shockingly.
"Yes, the one you drunk-flirted with at prom when you told him, 'I'm Vanessa, but you can call me tonight,'" Owen teased her with braging the drunk prom night.
"Shut up. I remember him... Fuck, why did you remind me of that? So he is in charge as well. At least someone who can handle the situation," Vanessa sighed.
"Don't worry. I'm sure they will arrive soon," Owen calmed her.
"Okay, you two can go in that room. I'll send a nurse to—" Bruno began but Vanessa cut him off.
"And what am I here for?" Vanessa asked.
"A dentist," Owen replied jokingly.
Vanessa, at that moment, felt useless. She knew that Bruno didn't know what her position was and that Owen was joking. However, she felt like an arrow had hit her straight in the heart. Even before, when people tended to be overprotective towards her, she felt guilty and weak. At the beginning of high school, Alex had gotten into a fight with a jock from a higher grade after catcalling Vanessa. He was short-tempered back then, and in the end, he ended up smashing the guy's face against the wall, over and over again, until he was stopped by his classmates, who were frightened by what Alex was capable of doing if someone was bullying others. That day, Alex told her that he would protect her at all costs, as he had in previous attacks.
"Okay then, I won't make any decisions. If you need something, just tell me. I'll leave you now," Bruno added.
"Thanks, man," Owen thanked him for his help. Bruno left them, and the two of them stayed alone, still waiting for their friends to arrive. The ride had gone on, and it was past midnight. Both of them were tired; they could barely keep their eyes open. Vanessa took care of Owen's wounds caused by the attack. When he rolled up his sleeve, the large wound on his arm was visible. There was a lot of dried blood because of the time it took them to get to the shelter.
"The only good thing is, it didn't bite you," Vanessa commented.
"Obviously, I would have turned into one a long time ago if it had... But hypothetically speaking, would there be a possibility of the poison being removed from the body after a bite?" Owen asked. Vanessa stopped for a moment. She had thought about that question many times, but she had never really tried to come up with an answer.
"To be honest, I don't think there would be such a cure to get the poison out of the body," Vanessa answered.
"And is there any other way? Like, is there even a cure?" Owen asked again.
"Well, speaking from a medical perspective, there are always some kinds of ways. Mostly, it's to stop the poison at the beginning so it won't reach the central organs and heart," Vanessa explained.
"And another way?"
"It's necessary to remove the poison from the body or destroy it with something that isn't immune to it," Vanessa said. She was bandaging Owen's wound, and the words she had just spoken were circling in her head over and over.
"You okay?" Owen asked.
"Yeah, I got lost for a second," Vanessa said. She made a small knot with the bandages, and with that, Owen's wound could now start the process of healing itself. Some time passed, and she couldn't help but try. This time, she would follow her instincts and try to find a solution. She left the room and told Owen she was going to find a toilet. As she walked through the hall, she could hear someone talking. Better said, she heard some women talking. That meant the room from where the voices were coming must be the nurse's room. She stood there not knowing what to do. Should she enter and ask for help or keep it a secret? What would they think if she told them? Her questioning ended when she heard the door lock moving. She hid behind a closet. Four nurses came out of the room and left the door open. It was like a miracle had just followed her. She went into the room and started searching for something that could help her theory. Big gray cabinets were on the right and left sides of the room. She opened several drawers and looked at many shelves but found nothing useful for her until she opened one cabinet. There were a lot of papers and books on medicine, as well as some recent research on zombie infections. The book titled "Medicinal Chemistry" caught her eye. Without thinking, she unzipped her jacket and put it inside. The moment she zipped it again, the lights turned on.
"What are you doing?" an unknown voice asked.
Vanessa was still looking at the open closet and hadn't moved a centimeter. 'Should I turn around or just respond? Should I raise my hands? No, I'm not in trouble; he didn't see me picking up the book. Or maybe he did?' All these questions circled in Vanessa's head, but she had to choose. She turned around, even though she was unsure of her choice. There was no other way.
"You thought no one would see you if you turned off the lights. Not so smart of you, blondie," the voice said. Vanessa was already in shock when a military guy turned out to be someone she had known from high school. The second shock wasn't necessary for her; however, she got another one.
"For God's sake, it's you. Is maybe someone else also coming from fucking school today?" Vanessa said, now speaking face-to-face with Daniel Smithson, or better known as "schools tallest jock." With a nickname like that, you can guess that this guy was pretty tall. He was a close friend of Bruno and Pablo back in high school. She didn't have any special kind of friendship or interactions with him, although she found him irritating and twisted.
"I'll tell you after you explain your actions to me," Daniel said. He thought he could make some kind of deal with her for forgiveness. He always thought girls were crazy about him and that he could have any one at any time. He hit on all girls, even Vanessa. He was conceited and brave enough because he clearly knew that behind Vanessa were not only Alex but also Owen, who would beat him up if he came near her. But unfortunately for him, Vanessa was a good liar.
"I was searching for pills; I have a bad headache. Since no one was here, I had to find them myself," Vanessa said.
"In the dark?" He asked.
"I'm not that blind. Now speak up, who else is here from school?" Vanessa repeated her question again.
"You make things so boring. Well, I was searching for you instead of Bruno to tell you that Alex arrived a few minutes ago," Daniel answered with something that is more important to her then her previous question.
"Where is he?!" Vanessa asked urgently.
"He... well, in another nurse's room. That's why the nurses left this one. But don't worry, nothing happened to your friend. They got attacked in the middle of the road, which is why another division with two of them is late," Daniel explained.
"Tell me where that room is, and don't you even try to make some freaky plan with that nasty head of yours. I am warning you, Daniel," Vanessa said, now more than sure that her little theft was safe. Since Daniel hadn't even questioned her or made any guesses about her actions, she had nothing to worry about now. But she was desperate to see her best friend and make sure he was okay.
"Okay then, I guess you're not in the mood today; clearly, you haven't ever been," Daniel said. He went out of the room with Vanessa following behind him.
"Clearly, you are always keeping that smile of no shame," Vanessa argued.
"Shame? Huh, I don't know what you're talking about, Nessie." He laughed.
"Of course, the zombie must have eaten your brain since you don't remember your selfish and cold jerk plays."
"You must be pretty tired since you're saying nonsense. I only remember how many chicks I had next to me back in the old days. It was lovely."
"Cheap items are always attractive," Vanessa hit on his ego immediately.
At that moment, Daniel stopped. Vanessa was still about one meter behind him. He didn't say anything until he turned his head slightly to the right and spoke again.
"You've arrived, princess. Pay attention to your actions while you're still here." Daniel turned his head again and walked ahead, leaving Vanessa alone in the hall. She thought that he left her because his ego had fallen apart, but then she noticed a nurse's room on the right side. She was about to rush in, but suddenly the door opened, and the first person she saw coming out made her worries disappear. In the next second, Vanessa was hugging her best friend. The way she jumped on him made Alex fall slightly. No words, just silence; being apart from each other was the worst punishment for them. Vanessa then broke the hug and looked at her best friend. She grabbed Alex by his cheeks to check his scratches but ended up making him flinch from the pain of a fresh wound.
"Ouch, what's that for?" Alex asked.
"For being such a moron... HOW THE FUCK did you get such an idea! Locking me in the car while you're out there in danger? Are you mad?!" Vanessa yelled at him, moving his head left and right.
"It would be lovely if you stop now... now, more important information. Do you know that Peach is here?" Alex asked.
"You moron... of course, I know. I'm controlling myself," Vanessa answered on that code name.
"You should be. I don't know where Danny went; probably to take a shower,"
"A stinky rat like him will always stink like a drain no matter what," Vanessa replied with a smile.
"Vanessa," Alex looked at her with dead face.
"Facts and only facts," Vanessa replayed, holding her hand in air like 'it is what it is'.
Alex pulled Vanessa toward him and put his hand on her shoulder as he stepped forward.
"Come on, little miss angry. A shower is what we also need," Alex said.
"Yeah, however, I'm sure you would like to take part in a water-saving project," Vanessa said.
"What? Girl, what nonsense is that now? How can I save water during a fucking apocalypse?" Alex asked all confused.
"Go shower together with your stinky boyfriend," Vanessa replayed. She finished her sentence and ran straight through the hall because she knew Alex would kill her.
"You little..." Alex said.
After Alex and Vanessa were done running down the hall, it was time to rest. Before he went to take a shower in a certain bathroom—where the guards had directed him because Vanessa had been taken over by the nurses to use the women's bathroom—he met Pablo. Alex wanted to talk to him about everything that was happening and their next movements and plans. Although Pablo kindly told him that they would discuss everything in the morning and that he should rest now., Alex felt that sleep was necessary but his desire to do something and try to stop the chaos was stronger. He was in the room with the other three. Two bunk beds were enough for this small group. This shelter was actually very well-equipped to help civilians; they had everything and more than needed at a time like this. However, when Pablo talked with them in the van, they found out that there were about 12 civilians in the other part of the shelter, most of whom were children who had been lost or were the only survivors who escaped. The next tragic fact was that there were perhaps only 10% of civilians left near the Sweab region who could be saved. The conclusion was easy: there were a lot of supplies in the shelter because many people had died before they even reached it.
During the late night, between 3 and 4 AM, Alex left the room with his jacket. He soon saw guards and asked where the exit to the roof was so he could light a cigarette. A young guard led him to the stairs leading to the roof of the building. The roof was fenced off with a two-meter wire fence, with only a few small holes through which snipers could fire in case of an attack. Alex stopped at a spot that looked out over a valley in the distance. He took out his cigars and lighter and lit a cigarette. He always had the feeling that whenever he lit a cigarette, all his worries would follow the smoke as it slowly disappeared. But, of course, it wasn't like that. He just pretended it was. Acting like everything was okay was just like how he pretended about many things. However, it was always easier to hide emotions than to explain them—that was his theory.
The wind sang its song to the young man that late night. Alex often enjoyed his alone time in places like this. Since elementary school, he had started this habit. He was in 7th grade when he began spending his lunch money on cigarettes. His main hangouts in the city were the corner shop, an abandoned building near school, and the apothecary. Because of what had happened to him in school, he became stronger. However, now that was the reason he couldn't sleep at night. You can take a person out of trauma, but you can't take the trauma out of the person. His cigarette was halfway burned, but his eyes were now fully open. Another sleepless night had just begun, and Alex was aware of it. As Alex stood in dead silence, a faint shuffling sound reached his ears. He didn't move nor shiver; instead, he smiled.
"You wouldn't leave me alone for five minutes, would you?" Alex then turned back and looked at a tall man walking towards him.
"And you wouldn't sleep for one night without sneaking out," Danny replied, coming closer to him.
"Who, me? Silly Danny. I thought you knew me better than that," Alex replied.
"Well, I surely do, since this is your second time sneaking out of the room to go smoking,"
"Are you spying on me, Harding?" Alex asked jokingly.
"You may be little, but your footsteps are like elephants," Danny said. Alex smiled at this comment. Of course, he hadn't realized that someone could hear him even though he tried to be as quiet as possible. As Danny approached Alex, a small smile played on his lips, but concern weighed heavily in his heart. Sensing something amiss, he felt a need to reach out to his friend. The crack of the door had woken him up; he instantly knew who had gone out and that this time he wouldn't do nothing about it.
"Is everything alright?" Danny inquired softly, studying Alex's expression for any signs of distress. Despite Alex's attempts to brush off the concern with a forced smile and reassurance, Danny knew all too well that beneath the surface, something worried Alex deeply.
"Yeah, everything is just fine. Why wouldn't it be?" Alex said. He finished his cigarette and threw it on the floor. He looked at Danny, who had an expression like he wasn't satisfied with his answer.
"What now?" Alex asked.
"You won't quit smoking, even during an apocalypse," Danny asked.
"Oh, come on. I need them for my mental health," Alex replied.
"Yeah, to kill the only immunity that keeps you alive," Danny said, giving Alex's head a weak flick with his finger. But they were both used to it back in their teenage years; a lot of physical touches, mostly small kicks, were their thing. Silence settled between them for a while. Danny gazed up at the dark sky, his eyes sparkling as he looked up at the stars. He took small steps closer to Alex while still looking up, hands in pockets, and head tilted back, admiring the stars as he whispered.
"The stars are beautiful, aren't they?" he said, slowly looking down at his short friend. Both of them had a peeking smile on their faces. At that moment, Alex also looked up and admired the delightful view the night had prepared for them.
"Yes, they really are," Alex said.
"You remember every detail. Even after all these years?" Danny commented, his voice quiet but sharp. There was a pause, and then he spoke again, as if something inside him was forcing the words out. "I feel terrible now, but... I wished you were dead."
Flashback of:
October 11th, 2021.
High School of Sarbvurg City
09:17AM
It was a typical autumn day, the kind where the cold wind bites at your skin and the rain seems to come and go without warning. The streets were almost empty despite the weather. School had already started, and most students were inside, except for the few who snuck out to smoke under the trees, using them as shelter.
"Why are we always the idiots who pick the worst weather to go smoke?" Alex grumbled, dripping wet. He was soaked because Vanessa, shorter than him, was holding the umbrella at an awkward height, causing it to repeatedly bump against his head. He eventually gave up and let the rain shower him.
"As if you expected anything different from us," Vanessa replied, throwing the end of her cigarette into a nearby puddle and folding up her umbrella as they neared the school entrance.
"What's next subject?"
"Math," Alex answered while shaking out his damp hair, trying to get rid of some of the water.
"Ugh, hit me now. I can't handle two hours of math with that woman. She fries my brain, and now I have to sit in the front row because of you, you overachiever." Vanessa groaned dramatically, but Alex just shrugged, wiping his glasses.
As they made their way to the classroom at the end of the hallway, Alex reached out to open the door, but it suddenly swung open with force, smacking him right in the head. He staggered backward, clutching his forehead, but the moment he looked up, his annoyance vanished.
In front of him stood a tall figure, brightened by the light coming from the classroom behind. All Alex could see was the figure's long, golden hair, shining in the light. Then, the figure bent down, and Alex got a clearer look—a boy, his face filled with concern as he realized what had happened.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND, YOU IMBECILE" Vanessa shouted, her protective instincts kicking in immediately, even though she knew it was an accident. She stepped in front of Alex, ready to defend her friend from the "random guy" who had just hit him with the door.
"Relax, princess, it happens to everyone," It came from behind the tall figure. Of course, Owen, always the smart aleck, had to throw in a comment.
"Are you okay? I didn't expect anyone to be right behind the door," Danny, the boy with the golden hair, asked as he knelt beside Alex, offering his hand to help him up.
Alex chuckled despite the situation. "No worries, you couldn't have seen me." He took Danny's hand, still slightly dazed but smiling. This was the first time he'd seen this guy up close, despite being in the same school for over a month. There was no way he could be mad at him. Meanwhile, on the other side, Owen and Vanessa were already engaged in a war.
"I swear, if you don't shut up, you'll be the next one banging your head against a door!" Vanessa threatened, but Owen just laughed it off.
The bell rang, breaking the tension. Danny grabbed Owen by the sleeve and waved at Alex. As they walked away, Alex heard Danny mutter, "If we're late to Chemistry, we're dead, you jinx." Alex watched them leave, rubbing the bump on his head. Vanessa seized the moment.
"I didn't know you had a thing for blondes," she teased, noticing the red creeping up Alex's cheeks.
"What? No! You've got it all wrong."
"Mhm, sure. Then why are you the one blushing?" she smirked, before pointing to something on the floor. "By the way, looks like your Romeo dropped something."
Alex bent down and picked up a school ID card. It was Danny Harding's. Without this card, you couldn't do much in the school. He would've missed it if Vanessa hadn't pointed it out. He picked the card just as their math teacher called them into the classroom.
"Ugh, please knock me out," Vanessa groaned again.
"Shut up diva. I'm the one getting all your bad luck today," Alex joked, dragging her into the classroom and closing the door behind them.
After two long, grueling hours of math, the bell rang again, signaling the end of the class. Vanessa excused herself to the bathroom to reapply her lipstick—something their strict teacher wouldn't allow during class. Alex leaned against the wall in the hallway, waiting for her, when he noticed a familiar blonde figure down the hall.
Danny was standing by the window, rummaging through his bag, probably looking for the card he'd dropped earlier. Alex was about to go over when he heard a familiar, unpleasant voice. Kevin Maint, one of the school's jerks, was standing beside Danny, talking to him in a harsh tone. Alex stepped back against the wall, listening in on the conversation, or rather, Kevin's one-sided rant.
"Someone might think you're tough, but with that hair, you look like a pathetic little girl. I still haven't gotten my answer, Harding. Will you do it, or do I have to make you?" Kevin was clearly threatening him, but Alex couldn't figure out why. Danny doesn't look like a type to get involved in trouble.
"I'm talking to you, you little bitch!" Kevin kicked Danny, sending him stumbling sideways. Still, Danny didn't react, his face calm, almost detached. That is, until Alex's voice cut through the tension.
"Isn't that your nickname?" Alex couldn't just stand by and watch Kevin's bullying him.
Kevin turned, a malicious grin spreading across his face when he saw Alex. It was a bizarre scene—Alex, shorter and known as the school's emo kid, standing up to someone with a reputation for violence.
"Oh, look at that, the emo twink speaks. How cute. Maybe I'll take a turn only for you." Kevin's words dripped with cruelty.
"How about you bash your own head into a wall and leave him alone? Or should I help you with that?" Alex's calmness was unsettling, and Kevin's smirk faltered slightly as his anger grew.
"Listen, twinky boy, I'll give you 15 seconds to disappear before I hang you from the ceiling by your skinny neck and make your emo dream come true."
"Listen, you trash heap, you're either going to leave now or I'm going to put your head in that wall." Alex's voice was steady, but there was a threat in it that even Kevin couldn't ignore.
"In you I can only put a -." Kevin didn't have a chance to finish his disgusting sentence, his face was pressed against the wall. The speed with which Alex punched his face and caught him in a grip while holding his head against the wall was immeasurably fast. He never attacks first, but when it comes to a bully, he justifies himself.
"I won't say it again. Leave him alone." Alex's voice was low as he leaned in closer to Kevin's ear. "Or do I need to send those photos to your buddies? You wouldn't want that, would you?" Kevin's body tensed. He knew Alex wasn't bluffing. "Am I clear?" Alex asked.
"...Yes," Kevin mumbled, humiliated. When Alex let him go, Kevin stormed off, anger burning in his eyes, but he knew better than to retaliate. Alex wasn't so innocent, harmless kid he appeared to be.
Danny, who was still sitting on the floor, stared up at Alex, wide-eyed. 'Did this small guy who got knocked over by a door earlier really just knock over Kevin?' he thought. Alex extended a hand, smiling again. "Looks like you ended up on the floor this time."
Danny blinked, still processing everything, before taking Alex's hand and standing up. "Thanks... but you didn't have to... Why?"
"Kevin's a jerk. It was my pleasure to shut him up. Plus, I can't stand bullies." Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out Danny's student ID card. "You dropped this earlier in front of the classroom."
Danny took the card, looking relieved. "I thought I lost it. Thanks... uh, what's your name?"
"Alex, from A3. You're Danny, right? Haven't seen you much around here." Alex added.
"Yeah... I don't really come out in the hallways much," Danny admitted, still feeling awkward.
" DAN YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHO JUST GOT—Oh. Wait, you again? What is this?" Owen ran up to them, first addressing Danny but then noticing Alex and Danny talking like old friends.
"Explanation?" Owen demanded, pointing between the two of them.
"He found my card," Danny explained simply.
"Ah, so we meet again. But who cares? You won't believe this—someone beat the crap out of Kevin!" Owen exclaimed.
"I know," Danny replied calmly.
"What do you mean you know? He's still bleeding! How do you know before me?" Owen was confused.
"He did it." Danny pointed to Alex, his expression both proud and amused.
Owen's eyes widened as if he'd just seen a ghost. This news was too much to process. "You're kidding me."
"What? You don't believe me?" Alex smiled and held up his hand, revealing faint traces of blood on his knuckles. Just then, something unexpected happened. Out of nowhere, Owen was struck hard in the head, causing him to double over in pain. It was a white bag—Vanessa's bag.
"What the hell?" Owen groaned, clutching his head. Vanessa approached slowly from behind, her head held high.
"That's what you get for going into the girls' bathroom, you idiot," she said smugly, then glanced over at the surprising scene between the blond and the emo kid. With a mischievous look, she raised an eyebrow at Alex.
"I apologized five times," Owen muttered, still wincing.
"Not enough." Vanessa shot back, before looking around. "And what's this, forming a nerd club?" she teased.
"For the amount of time you spent in the bathroom, we could have formed ten clubs," Alex added with a smirk.
And that was the official beginning. A math classroom and a hallway bore witness to the moments that marked the formation of this unlikely crew.
End of flashback