Chapter 9 - Too Soon

We were headed to D3. After we arrive there, it’ll take us about a week to get to D2. Fortunately, we didn’t go very deep into D4, it wasn’t as big as D3 but it would’ve taken us longer to get there if it was. The sooner we could put an end to this, the less people have to suffer.

The District Officers haven’t found us yet either, they were busy dealing with the zombies. The alarms and warnings had turned into announcements, directing the citizens to the refugee camps near the warp gates. It was because of this that we opted to take the long way around.

“Before we go to D2 I’ll have to get authorization. In the meantime, let’s get your mom May,” Rina said as she glanced at me.

“Sure,” I smiled at her.

We finally drove through the gates leading into D3. I was prepared to face the horde of zombies that I had to get by a few days ago but they were gone.

“How come these gates are open?” I asked as I studied our surroundings.

“The guards are the only ones with authorization to operate the gates. If they died or left their posts, then unless someone else is assigned to them, the gates will be left as is,” Demi explained.

“You’re awake already?” I asked looking back at him.

“No thanks to someone’s driving,” he said irritably.

Rina flipped him off.

An hour or two later the surroundings looked more familiar, it seems as though we were heading to mother’s house.

My body suddenly jerked forward and I hit my head on the dashboard, “What the hell Rina?”

But she didn’t have to answer. Patrol cars and barricades surrounded mother’s house. They were waiting for me. Before they could notice us, Rina sped away.

She came to a stop in front of a tall company building, the area only had a few zombies roaming about so it wasn’t any cause for immediate worry.

“They probably found my watch and phone at that garage,” I said.

Before anyone could respond, someone knocked on my window. I was slightly panicked but calmed down when I saw a short, busty girl.

I was about to wind down my window when Demi stopped me, “Did you forget you’re wanted?”

Noticing this the girl typed something on her phone.

‘You’re May Zepher, right? Don’t worry, I’m not going to report you. You should come inside, they’re patrolling everywhere.’

We were all skeptical. But we knew that we couldn’t stay in one place for long. If the officers ever found out that Rina or Demi was with me, tracking us would be easier.

“Take this,” Demi said as he handed me a hoodie and got his gun ready. “Keep the hood up and follow my lead.”

Rina and I exchanged a glance. We didn’t have much options so I put the hoodie on and we got out of the car.

We followed her into the eight-story building. The End wasn’t giving me any warnings so it should’ve been okay, right?

As we walked to the elevator, I saw zombie corpses littered about the place. It looks like the people here can handle themselves pretty well. When we arrived at the top floor there were fifteen others there.

They eyed us carefully. Noticing my injuries one of the men spoke up, “What the hell Lia? The short one looks like she’s been infected.”

They raised their weapons, chasing me away.

Demi pointed his gun at them, “Why don’t we all calm down. That girl was the one who approached us.”

“That’s right guys, so please let them stay here at least for a bit,” the girl, Lia explained.

After a bit of talking, they came to an agreement that we could stay, but only on the seventh floor. So that brings us to where we are now, trying to figure out our next step.

I hadn’t expected D3 to be heavily guarded. From where we were, we could see patrol cars circling different areas. It would be dangerous to move now.

“We’ll have to go on foot,” Demi said, breaking the silence.

“Are you crazy? It takes at least a week with a hover-car, going on foot would take about eighteen days!” Rina looked at him as if he were indeed crazy.

The two of them argued for a bit while I sat there listening. It wasn’t that long since we’ve been together and decided on a mutual goal. I didn’t expect to encounter problems already.

I let out a sigh and got up. Their arguing was beginning to ruin my mood. It only brought back memories of mother. Rina had called out for me but I didn’t stop, this floor had a break room on it so I was heading there. I had a full night’s rest but I still felt extremely exhausted, hopefully there was an energy drink that I could use. Maybe it was because of my dreams and the constant running but I was getting a headache too.

As I was looking through the fridge Rina entered the room, “Hey, you okay? Do your wounds hurt? You haven’t been looking good since you woke up.”

“I’m fine,” I said dismissively. I appreciated her concern for me but it didn’t mean much if she wouldn’t believe what I say.

She fidgeted awkwardly, “Um, are you sure? Since we met up back you’ve been acting strange. One minute you seem like, well you. And then another, its like you’re someone else.”

“I don’t know,” I replied honestly, “Everything around me happened so fast that I didn’t even have time to process it.”

“That’s true,” she leaned against the doorframe, “I never would’ve expected something like this to happen.” She paused for a while before she continued, “May, did you know, those knuckles that I used back there. It’s actually not brass but cyber-steel. I always walked with them because it was a present from my dad. To think the first time I’d use it would be to kill a zombie…”

“At first, I couldn’t bring myself to kill them. Zombies were once people too. It felt wrong to kill them but at the same time they tried to kill me, I just wanted to survive,” I confessed, finally finding an energy drink.

“It doesn’t matter what reasoning we use; those people didn’t ask to become zombies. Those people were innocent, their blood is on our hands, even those who we left behind. It’s not easy for me either. We just have to live with that now, May,” Rina stated melancholy.

A brief silence washed over us but was soon replaced with my screams. The bottle dropped to the ground as I clenched my head in pain. Everything blurred together and I could barely make out what Rina was saying.

‘Do not doubt your actions thus far. You’ll only suffer.’

The End was kneeling in front of me as she spoke. The pain in my head was enough to make me pass out but I couldn’t. This felt different from the time I passed out and had that dream. My memories were mixing together, things that I saw in my dreams, the deaths I saw so far and even things from my childhood.

‘We must never regret. The dead can never come back. Your actions will always be right, no matter what anyone says.’

I had a vague idea of what she was referring to. My conversation with Rina made me doubt my actions. I thought I was justified when we abandoned those people, that it was their own fault for not listening to me but Rina thought otherwise.

I gritted my teeth as the pain subsided, “No…my actions…are justified…”

Rina looked perplexed at my words. Soon however, realization dawned on her and her expression changed from concern to anger.

Standing abruptly, she looked at me as I sat on the floor in pain, “Nothing can ever justify murder, May.”

With that she stormed out of the room angrily, leaving me behind. The head splitting pain had finally disappeared an I let out a sigh of relief.

“You okay?” came Demi’s voice.

I looked up, surprised to see him and Lia here.

“She was snooping around,” he said as my eyes landed on her.

“I wasn’t! I was coming to see if you guys needed food but then I heard screaming so I came to investigate!” Lia defended.

“It was just a headache,” I said.

Standing up I used the counter for support and Demi dropped Lia’s arm and crossed his, “Bullshit.”

I clicked my tongue and snapped at him, “Then what else do you want me to say?! I don’t even know what the hell is going on with me!”

It truly was hard to explain everything to others when you didn’t know how to. And when you do explain they don’t believe you.

“Then why don’t we try to figure it out now,” Lia said optimistically.

Demi nodded, “She’s right. I’m sorry May.” He continued “When you told me your story, I found something strange. The night you were attacked, you said you were injected with something, can you try to recall anything else that you might’ve missed? Maybe whatever they did to you is the cause.”

Lia was confused, “I’m not sure what you two are talking about but why don’t you try that May?”

I held my chin as I thought for a while, “Now that I think about it I-”

My world started spinning and suddenly I was falling. I could hear Demi and Lia calling for me but I couldn’t respond. The End stood behind them as she looked at me, I could barely make out what she said before everything went black.

‘It’s too soon, you’re not ready.’