Hope

"But how are you so sure that no one is alive?" Joel asked.

"Well, I'm not like, really sure but that is what I think. Look, in these past 5 years I wasn't just sitting here in Japan. I traveled out. I had wandered around most of this world and wherever I went I either found zombies or dead bodies with their head smashed. No sign of survivors anywhere."

"Did you come to Russian?" Joel asked.

"That was my first destination where I went after leaving Japan."

"But you didn't find me means there could be some more survivors out there just like me."

"But the chances of anyone being alive is very low. I don't have a slightest clue why those suckers left you live but they certainly didn't leave anyone else. I saw there massacre, just outside of the Tokyo wall, they killed everyone dude, everyone."

"I refuse to give up," Joel said with resolve in his eyes. "Ever since that day 5 years ago, when that monstrous zombies killed my remaining crew, I had wandered off everywhere in Russia in search of a single survivor. Enemy, friend or any stranger I didn't care anymore I just wanted a hope, a survivor. And, today I found you means there are still hopes left for this world."

"Well, can't do anything about your resolve I guess," Raiden said with a sigh. "There must be someone in this world who survived the massacre 5 years ago and now, is waiting somewhere to meet both of us, right?" He said with a smile.

"Right," Joel smiled too.

Raiden stood up, pushing his chair backwards. "You must be hungry by now so let's get moving and eat our lunch."

Joel had forgotten about his hunger during all this talk. When he was reminded about the food, he found sharp pains stabbing his stomach, which groaned, aching for food. He put his hunger aside and stood up to ask, "Where are we going?"

"To my base, I have bought a big apartment to live in easily." He made it sound funny.

Joel didn't laugh, maybe because of the sudden urge of food.

"I hope your apartment has good food services."

"You can check for yourself."

Then they both left the cafe, hanging their bags on the back.

It was still noon but sun wasn't right above their heads. They walked side by side the big buildings in the shadow.

"No zombies at all," Joel remarked.

"My base is much closer from here so I make sure that no zombies roam around near it at the night. You know, don't wanna say good morning to those filthy zombies when I wake up." Raiden said with a smirk.

Joel looked at him with a smile. He was really happy. Being able to meet someone in these past 5 years, he considered himself lucky. But still he couldn't believe the thing about the B-7. It all looked too bizarre to him.

They walked for almost 2 hours. Turning left and right they made their way to the base. Huge buildings still surrounded them, giving them the shadows which they most needed in this scorching sun. They didn't talk about anything during their walk maybe because of hunger and heat.

Now, their destination was just ahead. A huge building with several apartments. The same one in which Raiden spent his night the previous day.

As Raiden said, there was no sign of any zombie in their vision. The entrance to the building was wide open from which they had entered inside.

Raiden led the way to the top most floor then to the room they were supposed to enter.

1503

It was the number written on the number plate. Raiden took out a bundle of keys from his bag and separated the 1503 number key from the bundle.

As Raiden unlocked the door Joel pointed towards their left and asked, "These two rooms are open so why not go through them?"

"They are already used."

"Already used? What does that mean?"

"Nothing. Just come on in." Raiden pulled the door out for Joel to enter first. Joel entered and didn't ask any questions meanwhile. He wanted to grab the food as soon as possible.

That room was the same as the previous two. Raiden brought a big bag in his hand from the room in which he slept last night - room number 1504 - and entered the room 1505 then closed it.

The bag was full of canned food. Raiden sat opposite side of Joel on a dining table. Joel was surprised as he saw large amount of cans all at once. But something else surprised him more so he asked.

"So these things are here too? They were also in Russia."

"Yes," Raiden replied. "You can find these all around the world. They were made just right before the apocalypse, to be used in wars. These were large in quantity and easy to make. But the best thing about them is they won't expire in the next 10 or so years."

"Well, these cans made things so handy for us," Joel said as he took one of the cans and opened it.

Raiden also grabbed his one and they both started eating. They both had been eating the same food for over 5 years but they enjoyed it to their fullest. It tasted delicious.

As Raiden took a spoon full of beans from his can he asked Joel, "So how things went for you in Russian after the B-7 attack?"

Raiden noticed a sudden sign of hesitation on Joel's face after hearing the word B-7. Raiden understood that Joel could not forget the death of his comrades by the hand of a B-7. Joel had an anger stored inside him for the B-7.

"Well, I was freaking out at the beginning. I searched all around for any sign of life. At first I thought they all just evacuated but that world looked too quite for that. I took shelter then stored food. Moved from one city to another. I searched ever part of Russia in a hope to find anyone. But all I found was zombies and dead bodies with their heads smashed, just like you.

In these five years I had explored every part of Russia. At some times I didn't move at all for weeks and just laid down and slept. Those were the time when I had almost lost all hopes but somehow things worked out and I decided to come back to Japan."

Raiden couldn't help but laugh. "We both did exactly the same thing but the only difference was I wandered around the countries. And, in the end I decided to come back to Japan too."

Joel smiled as again reminding him how happy he was to find a survivor. Raiden gave him the same look too.

"So what's now? We are heading to Japan?" Raiden asked.

"Yeah, but before that I have some business here in hokkaido."

"What business?"

"Well, I should go and pay respect to my dead parent's grave at least." Joel said as he smiled and enjoyed the good old memories of himself with his parents.