Chapter 21: Snow Ice Cream

Snow Ice Cream

The morning felt cold, freezing, the usual weather in the capital, but none of those present noticed it for a moment.

Their minds and bodies were warm, moving, thinking, but still trembling.

"Rou... sset... W-We have... We have to..."

Jevo was barely able to stand up in front of his companion, falling back to the ground because of an arm that couldn't support its own weight.

"B-But what happened? Jevo, tell me!"

Behind them, they heard footsteps echoing between the four walls of the mansion, which frightened them both and forced them to turn around immediately.

It was Chase Termiane, and he wasn't alone; a young couple was helping him leave the mansion.

And a quiet little boy was peeking out from behind him, Paul Gauss. Rousset assumed they were other residents.

Aside from his companions, only three others managed to escape? He didn't know the answer.

"A-Are you all right? Uh... Is there anyone else inside?"

"You tell me! I-I don't know! Let's get out of here!" the woman replied. She was clearly too desperate to speak coherently.

I think it goes without saying that this was enough to motivate Rousset to return to the parking lot. After all, neither she nor the others, nor any sane person, would want to stay there one more second.

With both hands, Rousset helped Jevo stand up again, shaking hands.

She felt something strange about it. She didn't know what that crimson liquid was, oozing through her fingers after doing it, and she preferred to remain ignorant about it.

Desperately wiping her hands, she all quickened their pace, surrounding the mansion and reaching the parking lot.

"The one over there!" Rousset pointed at the spacious black car.

As they opened the doors and got in, they noticed there was someone else inside than those expected to be waiting.

"They're here. Shit... About time," said the fat Vines, in the front seats.

"You... When...?" asked Rousset in the seat next to him, putting on her seatbelt like the others.

"I tied some sheets together and used them as a rope to get out."

"Ridiculous," thought Chase. He looked too mentally exhausted to say it out loud.

"A-Anyone driving?! Someone?!"

Rousset turned around, showing the car keys.

"Me!" Earlene said, but she was next to the distressed Cadie; she shouldn't have been.

"That's my job! That's why I got behind the wheel, duh." Vines, catching the heat of the environment, snatched the car keys away. His demeanor was more annoying than usual, but ultimately useful. "I-Is this the right one, isn't it?"

While he was struggling to find the right key, one of the new girls pointed outside.

"H-Hey, hey! ... Shut up and look!"

From the windows on the second floor of the mansion, something was barely visible.

The shadow of the large columns didn't allow it; the dim light that reached the interior revealed a silhouette.

"Is it a person?" the new boy uttered his first words.

"Did we forget someone?" It was an idea that crossed their minds for an instant, just an instant, the very instant the invisible silhouette hid on the second floor of the mansion.

And at a window on the first floor, it appeared.

"H-How...?"

How had it moved from one floor to another in a jiffy? Were their eyes deceiving them?

They didn't know, and again, they didn't want to.

Before anyone could utter another meaningless babble, Vines had already shifted into gear and slammed the accelerator to the floor.

"We're off! Now, now! Now!"

Leaving a screech and a long tire track on the asphalt, the huge black car sped toward the mansion's exit.

"W-Wait, wait! The gate! The wall! GYAAAAAH!"

The girls screamed sharply as they watched the gated entrance approaching, but Vines didn't stop. Nothing would stop him. This was an emergency, and it didn't seem like the vehicle's owner was in any condition to file a complaint about it.

It wasn't like anyone was really worried about it anyway. Everyone wanted to get out of there no matter what, even if they had to drive over a passerby.

Fortunately, it didn't have to go to that extreme; there wasn't a single person in sight. They were lucky.

The doors flew through the air from the force generated by the imposing car. The way was clear.

They had left the Saggiatore refuge, the "oasis," behind and found themselves back in the “desert” without a compass to show them where to go.

Once again, back in the desert...

Had they really achieved anything?

From the moment they set foot on the streets of the capital, they hadn't encountered a situation other than escape.

Escape from the San Ramael Institute.

Escape from the family's shop.

Escape from the Saggiatore mansion.

Escape, escape, escape...

They hadn't made any real progress. None at all, other than saving their own skins.

But who would blame them? A group of young people who hadn't even finished high school... Young people who didn't think about a future beyond where they'd go drinking next weekend, badmouthing others, laughing at others mistakes, or finding out who had fornicated with whom, what would they know about a real emergency, and how to deal with it?

Said by their own Professor Henroy. In the same sense, with different words: there was no way for those who lived off fruitless pleasures to face real conflicts.

However, isn't that enough for people? To live?

They gained nothing, but they lost nothing.

The situation was different, but the essence was the same. They were stuck.

The desolate streets, the riots in the city, the massacre at the Institute, the silent neighborhoods, the bodies on the pavement, and the chase at the mansion...

They remembered everything and knew nothing.

The consequences of their actions. No more, no less.

How much pressure should a human being be put on to take control of their destiny? Should this continue?

To continue would be to take it too personally... A past forgotten in time.

The white bird flew overhead.

"That's enough... Gh..."

Their backs no longer twitched with agitation. They were stressed and quiet, but above all, tired.

For 30 minutes, their new car had traveled street after street without a clear direction, and when they finally felt safe, they parked anywhere.

Unlike their bus ride, now they needed calm. They needed a moment to think.

"..."

None of them said a word in the car. The new couple wondered why they were like this, which was why they went first.

"We're fine. We're safe," the man said softly.

Their state was understandable, but not to this degree. Their gazes were disturbed, beyond expectation.

What exactly did they see?

The woman couldn't remain silent like the little Paul, who was in shock. She thought talking would calm everyone.

"Did you see that? Did you see…? T-Those... Those things that were in the shelter..." she gestured with her hands. "Do you have any idea what they were? Zombies... Monsters... I don't know..."

"Dreamers..." Earlene murmured the curious word.

"Dream--- Dreamers... Right. That's a good name to give them. Yeah... Is this the end of the world?" she emphasized.

The rest of the group listened and turned to look at each other for a moment; the first time since leaving the shelter.

The boy appeared to be around 17 years old. His tall height, light dark skin, straight hair, and round face indicated he might have come from one of the northwestern provinces, Anima. He was wearing a buttonless coat and dangerously short shorts.

On the other hand, the woman's skin tone was completely black. Probably from the west; La Quilla province, or Seles. Her clothes were loose, with a long, light, silky gown. Her appearance was less shabby than that of their companion.

"Sopa and Edher, those are our names," the boy quickly introduced himself. "Sopa is mine."

"Ah..." Chase stammered.

Each of them only used their first name.

It wasn't a warm welcome to the group at all.

"So... Where are you going?" the new boy casually questioned.

"We must... We have an obligation to go to La Quilla..." Rousset announced, rubbing her temples.

"Why the hell would we go there?" Chase interjected sullenly. Not even anxiety could erase his terrible tact. Or maybe that made it worse.

Responding in kind, Rousset turned to look at him and pointed to the back seat.

There was the maid in white, Cadie, resting on Earlene's thighs. The first one's breathing was labored, so the second one ventilated it with a magazine she found on the car seats.

Jevo stared at her for a moment and silently returned to his seat.

Meanwhile, Chase assumed she was sick, so he continued with that belief.

"There must be a clinic nearby. Why bother going so far?"

"I like that way of thinking," Vines raised his hand and returned to leaning against the steering wheel, listless.

He would have to drive all those miles after all. It could be up to three hours of driving or more.

"Maybe the Matria Hospital... No. Forget it."

"D-Do you want to stay in Matria?" Rousset fussed. She paused for a moment to breathe and calm herself. "...And worse yet, go all the way to the core? No, right? At least I don't want to."

“…”

It rarely happens, very rarely, but Chase really didn't want to retort like he always did.

He just rolled his eyes, lowered his cap, and sat back in his seat. This couldn't mean anything other than 'do whatever you want.'

Everything pointed to Rousset having to take the initiative again. And she wasn't very good at it.

She lowered her head in an attempt to process some idea amid the chaos of her thoughts and muttered.

"I think... we should go to La Quilla before it gets late... right?"

"No no no. It won't work. It won't."

"Why?"

Vines refused from left to the right, then turned to look at Rousset.

"Not at all, lady. La Quilla is too far. Too far away. And you're telling us it'll be north. Even farther. This car won't go that far. I assure you. Listen and see." Vines pointed to the car's dashboard. "It's not enough."

He was right. The car indicated that it would soon need to recharge. It turned out to be a relatively modern electric car, but it consumed more energy than any other.

"Okay, okay," Rousset said, raising both hands. She was starting to despair at everyone's attitude, including her own. "Um, then we'll make a stop halfway. I once saw there was a gas station on the route. Have you never visited La Quilla?"

"To be honest, no. You're the only one. We are not rich"

The young woman sighed again and turned to look at the other brooding passengers to confirm what they would do next.

Vines didn't miss the opportunity to glance at Rousset’s distracted body. It was surprising that he was thinking such thoughts in the midst of a situation like that.

"Is it okay with everyone?"

"What? I didn't understand,” Edher, the new girl, asked her.

"We’ll go to La Quilla but recharge along the way. I think I remember where it was..."

"Well, that's fine with me. As long as we stay away from... How did you call them? Dreamers? Right? ...Do you know where they appeared from?"

"...If we knew, we wouldn't be going around in circles in the capital," Chase replied, not moving an inch from his seat.

"So---?"

"Can we go now? Shit... I don't want to talk about it..."

"...(How rude),” Edher raised one eyebrow.

Vines pressed the accelerator again and, following Rousset's guide, took a suitable route.

As soon as they arrived, they avoided traveling through the center of Matria at all costs. It was unthinkable; an isolated place beyond question.

Simply put, no one should pass through there, through its “core”.

The streets grew damp with every mile they traveled, and a light drizzle became more evident, spraying the car windows.

It wasn't especially dense; it came and went, leaving the scent of damp plants and trailing leaves everywhere.

This weather warned them that they were close, very close to the heart of the capital. They avoided it, but this didn't mean they wouldn't tread on its territory.

They had to, or it would take them twice as long to reach La Quilla province.

The Republic of Manecia, this nation, didn't have the staggering number of vehicles seen in other countries around the world. Traffic jams had never occurred, so not many routes would be built to different destinations, only long, poorly maintained highways. Neither Cadie nor anyone else inside the large car was in any condition to endure a long journey.

In fact, it was young Jevo Deems who broke down first.

The car came to a sudden stop, and the door opened, and Jevo hurriedly got out.

"Ghum..."

He used the turtleneck of his long shirt to cover his mouth, alternating between that action and waving his hands.

He wasn't throwing up, but he did have severe dizziness and an anxiety attack that made him shake uncontrollably.

"J-Jevo?! ...Are you...?"

"Fine... I'm... Fine... Tsk... Shouldn't you... be looking after her? Ca-Cadie?"

"Yes, but... Uhm... Take a deep breath... Yes, deep and deep."

"Ugh... I know... Ah... Gsk... Damn... Just give me a moment..."

"Take your time!" Vines said from the car window, one arm outstretched, banging on the door. "Looks like we're here, finally. This place was starting to reek of 'humanity.' And no, it wasn't me."

"...Fuck you," Chase said, tired. "No one's had time to take a shower. Neither have you, man."

"The only ones who smell good here are the women, heh."

"Even when they shit, they smell good..."

"Uhm... Thanks?" Rousset frowned and tilted her head. She was searching for something in the car's compartments. "I wonder how you know that, uh?"

"Heh..."

Chase had surprisingly let out a short laugh. Maybe because the comment caught him off guard or because he wasn't used to being answered. Probably both.

Either way, that laugh infected her too.

They needed it. They really needed it.

"...Let's just get out of here," Chase announced.

Everyone left the large, dark car, opening its Lambo-style doors. It was a fairly comfortable car, and they hadn't noticed until the moment they got out, ironically.

They stretched their arms and took a deep breath.

Looking down at the ground, it took a while for anyone to say anything.

"So... what did we come for?" Vines questioned, combing his Mohawk hairstyle with both hands. "Right. The car. The car. Why else would we be at a gas station..."

The others looked up and looked around.

They were at a gas station, with a large upper platform supported by charcoal-colored columns on a rather run-down street.

The place was basically abandoned, but recently. The fact that the lights on the roof were on surrounded by mosquitoes and rain beetles were proof of that.

There were no houses or other settlements attached except for a small building used for business administration and perhaps the sale of overpriced groceries. Nor were there any people or animals.

But not more than a mile away, an entrance could be seen between large buildings.

They would visit it in due time. The current concern was recharging the car.

Vines and Sopa took care of that, Edher and Rousset watched while they did so, giving instructions when needed.

On the other hand, Earlene and Jevo headed to the administration room, although Jevo wasn't feeling well and returned to the car, leaving the hesitant Earlene to go on her own.

Chase considered following her but noticed the boy lagging behind. Paul, who also returned to the car, entering it in total silence.

"Hey..." Chase said from outside the open window, tapping it with his knuckle. "...You okay?"

There wasn't really any real interest in the answer; it was more of a question asked out of 'duty and responsibility' from an older person to a younger person. That's how it looked. In reality, men tend to be cold on the outside, but the feeling is real on the inside. It's their way of living together.

"...Yeah," he answered.

He seemed distracted and confused, staring at the ground. He probably hadn't even heard the question.

What else could he say?

Chase had been through a lot, but he didn't know any more than the kid.

He didn't want to know.

Dreamers.

Something told him that the more involved he got in whatever they were, the worse his situation would be.

But is that really the case? Things don't work that way. The world doesn't turn that way. Not necessarily, because reality isn't that simple.

For a moment, the image of Izzy Rylee crossed his mind; The self-centered, know-it-all girl he last saw in the Acracia Mountains.

It wasn't as if he was concerned about her and her group, despite them being close classmates. They clearly didn't get along very well inside or outside of school. Nevertheless, he was interested. He was curious to know what decisions they had made and what direction they had taken them.

He felt that the point they reached at that desolate gas station was nothing more than the result of logic.

After all, Izzy had a screw loose, while he was sane.

This was their main difference and what caused them to separate on different paths in the first place.

Chase followed his instincts: survival. Not consciously, but according to the classification of his actions. There was nothing to regret or doubt. Getting as far away from the problem as possible was enough to fulfill that goal.

It had never failed before, and it wouldn't fail now.

And... what would come next?

Chase shook his head to dismiss unnecessary information, focusing back on Paul. He sighed and said,

"...I still owe you ice cream, don't I?"

"I don't want..."

"A kid who doesn't want ice cream? Ice cream!? Now that's a surprise." He forced a smile.

The kid's expression was no longer the same. He was getting frustrated, looking from side to side in denial.

"WILL YOU JUST FORGET THE ICE CREAM? SHUT UP, CHASE! SHUT UP!"

"...!"

Chase hadn't expected this kind of reaction toward him. From the kid. From anyone.

He pulled his face back from the window, and his eyes widened in surprise.

The others were alarmed and tried to listen from their positions.

If he didn't know what to say before, now Chase was mute.

“F-Fernando... Gsk... Tsk... Fatty...”

The boy continued shaking his head from side to side and repeatedly hitting his thigh. Tears and mucus trickled down his small chin. He wiped them with his other hand, but he couldn't stop them. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop them.

Chase assumed the worst. 'The children who were with him...' he thought.

A boy around 10 years old wouldn't know how to react to such a harsh situation. He wouldn't know how to proceed, how to respond, or how to live with it.

How much had he seen exactly?

He hit his thigh again and again until it was red, waiting for an answer that would never come.

Perhaps because of everything he'd been through, the resemblance to his younger brother, or the simple fact that he was such a young human being, seeing him like that affected Chase, his face scrunching up in sadness.

He looked away, at least for a moment, from the ground and to the side, regaining his composure. He looked at Jevo, who was watching Cadie in the front seats of the car.

He didn't say anything at all. No one did, because no one knew what to say.

Then he gave one last pat on the door and walked away.

"If you want some ice cream..." Chase cleared the lump in his throat. "I-I owe you, so I would get it for you."

To be continued…