The Enigmas

Raymond briefly reveled in the relief of resolving the dilemma before being brought back to reality by the intense pain pulsing through his body. The cost of changing into this form was immense—he experienced a pain that he would normally dismiss. He was troubled as he stood by the intense pain of scratches and bruises that scarred his skin beyond the painful bite on his shoulder.

Raymond fell to his knees next to the small pool of the beast's melted remnants as he slowly transformed back into a human. The pain eased once he was completely human, and he stumbled to his feet before entering the structure.

He discovered the three survivors, Leopold, Calvin, and the soldier who was still unconscious, gathered in a safe spot within. On either side of the prone person were Calvin and Leopold.

"So, everything turned out well," said Calvin. "How are you holding up?"

"The pain's faded," Raymond said in response. "The creature's head decomposed just like the Crusher's, and its body did the same as it fell from the building."

"Is that so?" With a hint of interest in his voice, Calvin spoke. "I should get samples before the material deteriorates or becomes polluted. Stay there, you two; I'll be back.

Raymond was left to sit across from the unconscious soldier, facing Leopold, as Calvin left. His eyes, laden with unsaid tension, stared into Raymond's.

Leopold broke the silence by saying, "Tell me, what the hell was that?"

Raymond said cautiously, "I don't know what you mean."

"You understand exactly what I mean. When you grabbed that, I could see your eyes. Leopold trailed off, his face contorted with hatred. "You were no better than them."

"…It's not like—"

He urged, "You wanted to eat it, didn't you?" "I know that expression because I've been around those things and have faced them head-on. You nearly became one of them.

In response to his charge, Raymond became silent. Even though he had sworn he would never become like them, he was plagued by the same sinister impulses.

"There'll come a time…" Leopold pointed a rifle at Raymond and muttered, "...when I'll have to put you down too," in a tone full of hatred.

He squeezed the trigger, only to be unnerved by the hollow threat that was exposed by the click of an empty chamber.

He went on to say, "But not yet," "I… we might still need you to survive."

His self-preservation was evident in his statements, which were barely disguised as care for the group's well-being.

Raymond wanted to respond, to defend himself, but he was silent because doubt gnawed at his own situation. He sat there looking into the void of the skyscraper till Calvin came back with his samples from the roof.

"Hey, guys," said Calvin. It appears safe to go outside based on my observations. I propose that we meet up with a rescue crew on a clear roadway a block or two away, considering the condition of the roof. Let's get going."

He began walking down the hallway. Raymond, sensing that there would be no more conversation, stepped forward to help Leopold with the soldier, but Leopold pushed him aside without a word.

Leopold yelled, "I can handle it," and lifted the man into the air.

The streets were now slippery from the material the zombies had dissolved into when they emerged. The bodies of the uninfected dead were scattered about, automobiles crumpled against poles, benches and tiny shops smashed, and Raymond saw a glimpse of the city's lost society in this brief silence. But beyond these ruins was what really got to him.

"We'll head that way," Calvin said. "I've spoken with the rescue crew. In a few minutes, one of the backup pilots will arrive.

Raymond stayed behind while Calvin and Leopold continued on their way. Calvin saw his hesitancy after a few feet and turned around.

Gently, he said, "Raymond…" "Don't dwell on it."

He was unaffected by his statements. Drawn to take a closer look at the wreckage—the downed helicopter—Raymond moved gently toward it.

It was a terrifying sight up close. Although the flames had long since gone out, their mark was still visible. After the abrupt descent, the blackened, burned metal remnants had compressed into a twisted heap. A charred hand hung from the glass of the pilot's cabin, the rest of the body hidden by crumpled steel.

Together with Raymond, Calvin remarked, "He was brave," as they looked at the trash. "Even if he was a bit of an airhead, he always strove to be useful to us."

"Why did he die?" Raymond inquired, aware that no response would be enough.

"Destiny and death are enigmas," said Calvin. "But that shouldn't deter us from our goal."

Raymond was steadied by his reminder of their mission. Although he wasn't unfamiliar with death, he had hoped, albeit dimly, that he could serve as a lighthouse for others amid this maelstrom, despite his own doubts.

Calvin continued, "We'll have a formal funeral in a few days."

"…I don't want to attend," Raymond stated. If Martin was to become someone people could rely on in times of crisis, it was necessary to let go of these obligations rather than out of contempt for him.

Calvin put a hand on Raymond's shoulder and said, "Neither do I," before making his way to the pickup location. Not long later, Raymond came along.

With the exception of the low-key funerals for Martin and the other soldier, the day went pretty much as it had in the past. Despite his intention to remain aloof, Raymond was unable to avoid seeing the sorrow—everyone had been moved by Martin's friendliness. However, the world didn't stop for him; by the following day, life had returned to its unrelenting pace.

But for the soldier who was still alive, time stopped. He had survived the mission, but the shock of colliding with the billboard had left him in a mild coma. His condition defied their limited ability to assist, and he was confined to the medical room.

"Hey there," a voice said the following day as Raymond made his way down a hallway to his dinner. He turned and saw the girl he had seen a few days before, Helena.

"Hi, Helena," said Raymond. "How are you?"

She avoided his inquiry by saying, "You didn't get as worn out this time." "Good for you."

"Yes. Calvin informed me that I would no longer be sleeping as much, in case you were wondering.

Though Raymond left out the fact that these changes now made his injuries more severe, he had stated this.

"So," she added, "I've heard that you're leaving tomorrow."

"Yes. Before we move, a few of us will do some exploring in the city."

"Please be careful."

"Don't be concerned. We can move around the city without any problems. Would you please wait for us here?"

"…Okay," she whispered, lowering her eyes to the ground in her typical introverted retreat. Then she shuffled back the direction she had come after turning.

As he had instructed Helena, they went into the cleared zone the following day to look for any remaining zombies. Calvin wasn't sure that all of them had been caused by the explosion and the decompositions that followed. A former Sakurashi inhabitant who was now a soldier accompanied Raymond and drove them through the empty city.

"So, you don't know much about this sector?" replied the man.

"Not much," Raymond curtly answered. Small chat annoyed him, but he didn't despise him.

Although I didn't spend much time here either, I did come here once while on vacation. In fact, we went along this street.

Raymond looked around the city. He started to identify it as a commercial district, despite its state of disrepair.

According to the soldier, "Even back then, things weren't peaceful," which made one chuckle at the never-ending conflicts in the world. "However, we came for shopping and tourism. I recall purchasing dinner and delivering it to our hotel room for my children.

At the unwavering brightness of a broken red traffic signal, he came to a stop.

"It was on this street I turned right to reach the hotel," he stated.

His eyes filled with tears a few moments later.

His voice broke, "I'm sorry," he said. "It's just that…"

As he attempted to finish, he collapsed and started crying. Raymond noticed his distress and got out of the car to give him room. He had no idea what familial love was; he had no idea how individuals could develop such strong bonds despite disagreement.

At that point, Raymond wondered if his work was worthwhile. They had lost almost everything to this crisis, including this man, even if he had saved those who were with them. After they settled, would they ever really be at peace?

As these ideas raced through his mind, Raymond decided to forego his intended transportation and scout on foot. There were no zombie sightings in the city's center block during the day. Although they avoided regions where roads were blocked by debris, they nevertheless assessed other areas. Nevertheless, they encircled the well examined area—a safe haven for travel—with a wide swath and a little barricade. Although it was not as impressive as the HHD complex, it did have a sizable structure that could be used for landings. As usual, those in their immediate vicinity worked to improve the situation and make it marginally more bearable.

Raymond was given downtime for a few days, which made him feel like a caged beast that could only be let loose in danger. It did, however, present a unique opportunity to escape the daily conflicts that had characterized his life. Calvin came up to him during this break, as he usually did with serious issues.

"So, what now?" Raymond inquired as he looked out over the expansive city in the peaceful sunlight, a strange serenity descended upon him.

According to Calvin, "I've been researching the creatures we've faced," "Not the zombies, but the massive monsters we've encountered lately."

"Have you looked into where they came from? How creatures like that appear during an outbreak has been a mystery to me.

Calvin remarked, "That doesn't seem worth digging into," "Instead, I've uncovered something valuable for our current goal."

"What do you mean?"

"Even if our efforts have been successful, they have all been the incorrect way to handle this situation. Although clearing the city by tearing down buildings is effective, there are many problems with this strategy going ahead. I would want to talk about a fresh plan of action that I have developed.

His remarks signaled yet another change in Raymond's life, one that had the potential to alter their way of living and fighting.