I HAVE A GOAL NOW

A loud whirring sound of helicopter blades echoed throughout the indoor swimming pool. Takumi slowly opened his eyes, disoriented from the deep sleep that had taken over him.

He’d slept like a log on the cold, hard floor, and just like that log, he woke up stiff, with his back aching. He groaned and stood up, stretching to ease some of the tension in his joints. His gaze drifted to the window.

Outside, about three helicopters hovered, circling. They were probably evacuating, but the world outside had only gotten worse—darker by the minute. The mushrooms were still growing, though at a slower pace now. Their spread had become more sporadic and less overwhelming, but still, the air felt heavy with their presence.

Takumi pulled off his oxygen mask for a brief moment, wondering if the air had improved at all.

“Ughh…” he muttered almost immediately, his breath dry and shallow. “It’s really thin and dry.”

He quickly put the mask back on, the weight of reality crashing down on him once again.

“Is this all happening because I brought that mushroom from the military base? Is it my fault?” His voice cracked slightly as the guilt crept in. “Do I… do I have to atone for this somehow? How?”

His stomach growled, cutting through his thoughts, reminding him of something far more immediate.

Food.

Takumi had never been more grateful for a distraction in his life. It was the last thing he needed right now—a mental breakdown.

“Already up?” Haruto’s voice broke the silence. “Evening already?” he added, sitting up from the corner where he’d been resting.

“Yeah,” Takumi replied, his tone flat. “Feels like a dream... A nightmare, maybe. Todo’s out cold, and we don’t even know if we can help him….”

Haruto cut him off before the despair could spread further.

“Shut up, man. I’m too hungry to listen to this,” Haruto said, standing up stiffly, his joints protesting. “Let’s find some food first, and then we can complain all we want.”

Takumi couldn’t help but laugh—albeit weakly. “Rude.” But he quickly brightened, spotting a vending machine in the corner of the room. “There’s one there. If we can break it open, we’ll have a feast.”

They approached the vending machine, and together, they began banging on it with their fists—no luck.

Takumi scanned the area for something that might work. His eyes landed on a crowbar lying near a stack of old crates.

“This should do,” he muttered to himself, picking it up and walking back to the vending machine.

Haruto was still pounding away, the machine shaking with every hit. Takumi stepped up behind him and flexed the crowbar in his hands.

“You can stop now,” he said with a grin. “I found something.”

Haruto groaned in relief. “Finally. My hands were dying, man.” He turned to face Takumi but froze. The vending machine was suddenly tilting, tipping over toward him.

“Haruto, watch out!” Takumi shouted as he saw the machine falling.

“Huh?” Haruto turned, realizing the danger too late. “Oh, damn!”

He tried to scramble away, but the floor was slick, and he slipped, twisting his ankle. He struggled to crawl out of the way, but his legs were still caught under the machine.

Takumi reacted instinctively, diving toward him. He shoved the crowbar between the vending machine and the floor, creating just enough space to keep it from crushing Haruto’s legs.

“Get out!” Takumi grunted, his muscles straining as he held the machine up.

Haruto, panic in his eyes, scrambled out from under it, but Takumi’s head was still trapped beneath. His hands were shaking, veins bulging from the strain.

“Takumi!” Haruto cried, his voice choking through his gas mask, a desperate prayer for a miracle.

At that moment, Takumi’s mind flashed back to his time in the military. The harsh training, the bond he’d formed with his instructor—a man who had once bullied him but eventually became his closest friend. And then, his friend’s tragic death during a training drill. That was why Takumi had left the military, why he’d stolen the mushroom that had now unleashed hell on the world.

A tear slid down his face.

“Th-this is how I atone for my sins,” he whispered to himself, a sad smile tugging at his lips. “This is how I make it right.”

“Takumi! Come on, man, don’t just stand there!” Haruto’s voice cracked, pleading with him.

“Do you… do you want to die like this? What happened to the guy with all the dreams and hope? What happened to the guy who never let his thoughts drag him down?” Haruto’s words cut deep, striking a chord in Takumi’s heart.

The despair that had gripped him loosened, replaced by a surge of determination. With one final push, Takumi shoved the machine off to the side, sliding out of the way just as it crashed to the ground.

Takumi and Haruto both panted, each of them exhausted—one from physical strain, the other from sheer fear.

“Takumi…” Haruto said, his voice filled with relief.

“Haruto,” Takumi replied, still catching his breath. “I know how I can atone now. I’ll save whoever I can. Whether they’re as small as ants or as big as elephants. If I see someone die, I won’t let it happen. If I see someone in pain, I’ll help them. That’s the least I can do.”

“That’s the Takumi I know,” Haruto said with a smile. “And while you do that, I’ll figure out how to save the world. I’m a botanist, after all. I think I can come up with something. And maybe, just maybe, everything will go back to normal.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Takumi said with a grim nod.

They found a way into the vending machine, tearing open the back to scrounge for whatever food they could find. As they ate, they removed their oxygen masks briefly, taking a bite or sip, then putting them back on to chew. It was awkward, but necessary.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Dad?” Takumi asked, his voice thick with concern as he bit into an egg sandwich.

“Yup,” Todo replied, taking a sip of bottled tea. “I think I just passed out from exhaustion. Old age, you know?” He chuckled weakly.

“Well, I found more oxygen in the storage room. About five tanks. They’ll last us a long time.” Haruto swallowed his food and wiped his mouth.

“Then we go find your mother and your parents,” Todo said, determination in his voice.

“Yeah!” Takumi and Haruto shouted in unison.

Another helicopter flew overhead, its blades whirling in the distance.

“There’s so many of them,” Takumi noted.

“They’re probably evacuating,” Haruto guessed, looking up.

“But they passed by without stopping.”

Clank! A loud noise rang out from above.

“Anyone in this area, please evacuate immediately,” a voice crackled from a loudspeaker on one of the helicopters. “Please head to the nearest oxygen shelter. You’ll find everyone from this area there.”

Everyone fell silent, a new thought taking root.

“Could my mother and your parents be there?” Takumi asked, his voice filled with hope.

“Well, yeah,” Haruto said. “It makes sense. They probably picked up my parents and yours when the police came by. They were unconscious before the mushrooms spread too far.”

“That’s it,” Todo said, his voice filled with resolve. “We go to the shelter, find them, and survive. We’ll help each other, and then we can be together as a family.”

The words lit a fire in all of them.

Without wasting any more time, they packed up the medical oxygen tanks, swapped them for the scuba tanks, and carried the extra three in a suitcase they found. They suited up in the scuba gear, ready for whatever came next.

The journey to the oxygen reserve had officially begun.