2. Gone by Gun

Hecor

Our City was freaked out by zombies who are all oddly smiling. The zombies didn't only ruined our city, but even our hearts. As we lost a very important people in our life, in just a second.

I am down on my knees, my nails bore down to the sand as I afflicted in pain. It feels so heavy. Sobs we're unholdable as I let myself cry out.

Until a loud bang blares in our direction, making my heart dropped down into its deepest.

And saw Phil as I look up, standing on my side, slowly dropping his body on the ground. With a bloody hole in the middle of his forehead, he was the one who got shot. And it's hard to see, watch him slowly die just a few steps away from me.

"Gotcha traitor" came from a familiar voice. A very familiar voice.

Nari Ashikaga

One of our former assistants in montorium.

But... traitor?

My hands were now terribly shaking. And I can't stop it. As I try my best not to look at Phil's dead body lying down the ground beside me, soaking with his own blood. My hand uncontrollably moves to touch him, as I plan to carry him on my shoulder, away from these zombies coming ahead of us.

They're just a few steps closer, and we're done. We're now dying. And what's the point of living now? Soon, this city will eventually be invaded by them, and all of us will witness each other's death, one by one. It's more horrifying.

But then,

A white van suddenly came, hitting the upcoming zombies in front of us that made them instantly blasted away. I immediately stood up. There's still a chance of living.

"Joas! Hec! Hop in!" Conan showed up driving the van, Nari's friend, and also our former friend.

Before the zombies could ever get up again, I immediately pulled Joas inside the van with me. His head bowed down, silent as he's still in a shock. And I understand. He just witnessed the hilarious death of his sister. I'm the only one he can lean on.

Conan started driving the car fastly. And here I am, sitting beside the window, watching Phil got pested by tons of the undead. Thankfully, he cannot feel those pain anymore. As he was instantly dead. It's better than it kills you slowly. I can feel my heart wrenching even worse, as my eyes switched into Asiana's decapitated head, left alone in the ground like a ruined childhood toy. Tears shedding freely down my cheeks.

Why it has to happen?

What made Phil a traitor?

Inside the car is pure and devastating silence. Nari is also inside the van, seating in the backseat beside Yakun, also our former assistant and a friend. I saw Mihu sitting on a front seat beside Conan. Dumbstruck as the most of us. I wanna speak to her, but wanted to let her breathe in.

Until Joas decided to speak up after a long silence. I instantly turn to him sitting beside me.

"Her bracelet... what is it for" he uttered in almost a whisper.

Mihu turned to him with a hint of sadness in her eyes and looks on a window as she started to open up, "It is from my dad. I opened up to him about my suspicion towards your army friend – Werth, and Phil's closeness. Like they have that strange alliance that only involves between two of them. And I still wanted to protect you two even we've already part ways. You know, " Mihu pauses, the second she heard Joas inhales sharply as she talk. She look at each one of us as she spoke again,

"...okay, wait a second. I don't know where to start honestly" Mihu said, biting her nails, being quite nervous.

When Yakun, sitting in the backseat, suddenly spoke.

"I read his behavior," he said. He's a psychology student. They don't read minds, but the behavior is. He continues to explain."...he's not into your will. They are not into your will. They have their own will. And used your sister to start it as a manipulation."

"What? Wait" I asked in confusion.

"Oh come on, the bracelet, tell'im what is it about" Conan told in sarcasm, looking at us through the rearview mirror.

Mihu spoke again, "It has a hidden camera inside. And we've decided to put it to Asiana since we all know that she's just a kid. Phil might manipulate her. And we're... ended up right" her voice suddenly weaken, like in a verge of crying.

"Yeah, they killed her. Dropped her... from the helicopter, 50 meters high. If it's fine, we'll let you watch the footage when we arrived in a safe zone" Yakun told us again. Staring outside the window as we passed by on our City road, with people still fighting, running from the strange zombies for their lives.

"The reason behind is still a mystery to us. Do you have... any idea that could help?" Nari finally spoke, asking Joas. He just shook his head slowly as a response.

Mihu let out a heavy sigh before she speak again, "According to the news, the zombie outbreak started from Caldona, meaning to say, they not gonna reach Abroasia in just a day. You don't have to worry about your mom, Joas. But sadly, the whole Polian City was already invaded. City Dominic is our only safe zone, Dad will be waiting for us in his building to accompany us up there." Mihu explained, scanning her gadget. She's our only techy friend among us anyway, as her dad is a secret investigator, she got influence.

"Yeah, but it's too far..." Conan spoke, shaking his head in hopelessness.

"Don't think we could make it. We need to create a spare plan" Nari told.

"Like what?" I ask. All I can contribute to this team is asking questions. But then, I didn't expect that Joas would be answering me. As he said,

"Haunt down Werth" he told quietly. Three words, but leaves us a great impact.

"...stole his weapons, his helicopter, torture him... to forcefully let him confess" he continued, pain and eagerness in his eyes.

"No! We can't do that, what the **** is that!?" Conan belted.

"Just like what you said, he has weapons, how can we even counter him like this?" Nari spoke, being pessimistic again.

"... with your syringes?" she added like she's trying to mock Joas. Shit man, why can't she just understand him? Even yeah, they both got a point.

Joas didn't bother to reply, just ignored Nari.

"Calm down, it's just a spare plan, don't panic. Right, Joas?" Mihu told, trying to stop the quarrel of the three.

The silence wrapped us again, as he used it as his reply. We already know what it means.

"Tell us how!!!" Conan hissed, slamming the wheels as he broke the silence.

"... if you would insist, do it alone!" Conan yelled, from that moment, our car suddenly got bumped into something blocking the road, which made Conan lose control of the vehicle. Together with a violent wind blow contradicting our move direction.

"Conan, focus on the road! What the--!" Mihu started panicking as she grip Conan's wrist. Tires started screeching at this point, Joas lean over and took over the wheel. But it's getting worse, something has ruptured our car tires. It started swerving in a wrong lane, heading over into a dangerous cliff. Yes, we're not going to die from the zombies, but will fall down the cliff. Everything fears me now.

All of us were now hysterically panicking, as our bodies bump into the car wall hardly inside. Glass window started cracking. The crash sound is scary, I can hear the metal crumpling as it loses its track. Joas still trying to stop it.

No zombies around, but we're now on a verge of falling, I close my eyes firmly as I unlock the door to jump out. Car flying as we felt on our seat, having a bridge as my last view.

But then, a second passed, nothing happened...

I abruptly open my eyes as it suddenly stops moving, and It is a perfect surprise.

As the car's windshield glass suddenly shattered into us...

Blasting inside, leaving a loud cracking sound... the moment an unknown entity crash down on our car hood, in front of our window... one knee bended as she fall.

Turns out to be a terrifying girl figure hiding in a cloak. All we can see was her human eye, a small face, partially decaying like a typical zombie. Black long hair flowing by the wind.

She's stopping the engine, as she weighs down the car,preventing it from sliding down using her own body...

All of us can't utter any word. Extreme shock on our faces as we saw that unknown entity. She gazes at us sidewards, staring at one of us by the corner of her eye.

Her presence screams so much power, like a great protector.

Or... maybe I'm wrong.

As she suddenly thumps the broken windshield with her foot, shattering its glass even more, creating a huge hole. We're all taken aback. Mihu moves shakingly as she tries to find any weapon on her bag, Nari clocks her gun, I'm still frozen.

And in a blink of an eye, she had already clutched Joas' body sadistically out of the car, flipping him hard into the ground. We instantly move on our seats,

The unknown entity of a girl jumps off the car, approaches Joas.

• • •

Third-person

Nari let out a one, two, three, four continues gunshot directly towards the mysterious entity they're encountering. The loud bang rang out the whole area.

But then, they are all awfully went mute. Dumbstruck on their seat. Clueless as nothing happened.

As the unknown entity continues to walk out without even enduring any pain. No trace of blood can be seen pouring out from her body. She gazes down fiercely at Joas, as he slowly closes his eyes, vision of her gradually blurs as he completely lost his consciousness.

The unknown entity started carrying him into her shoulder like a sack. That made the other five instantly got alarmed, as they went out from the car panicking, signing her to stop.

"Please, no, what do you need from us?" Mihu begged, lifting her both hands.

The unknown entity turns to them as she draws out a sharp knife from her coat. Pointed it to the five, taunting. They slowly back away as they got more horrified, staring at their reflection from the silver, bloody blade the entity holds.

"Calm down, we're not gonna hurt you" Conan spoke, staring intently at the unknown entity in front of them.

Yakun followed, "We wanted to thank you for saving our lives, but.. please, bring him back to us. He's not your reward." he stated calmly, slowly taking a step forward. The entity tilted her head slowly, discrediting his lame statement. Ridiculed, yet face remained emotionless under her cloak, unseen.

"What are we gonna do now?" Hecor whispered to his friends.

"She's just by herself, why are you all scared of her?" Conan told, watching her.

Mihu answered right away, "She's an unknown entity, we have no idea what she can do"

The unknown entity purposely took a step back, like she's preparing for something, slowly trying to escape. That's when they realized something more dangerous. At that rate, they can already hear loud groans coming ahead from the area. Indicates that zombies are now their next dilemma, the root of everything.

The tension between each one of them gets heavier, as they stare at each other, eyes asking what to do.

And just right as they turn to her again, she vanished just like that.

"****!" Conan grunted.

Hecor runs quickly to check under the bridge, "There she is!"

They all automatically run just to chase after the unknown entity who captured Joas for no apparent reason. And from that, zombies had already spread around, started attacking their car.

They ran as fast as they could, they're getting farther and farther from where they came. As they passed by elsewhere unfamiliar to their eyes. They continue running. Until they went on a place where there's no longer any trace of people can be found, even a vehicle. Completely strange. Still, they followed her. Like they are being entangled into her curse, as they never lose her to their sight, no matter how fast she is. It's getting darker. They're all just hoping that this place is no longer reachable for zombies.

Until they reach the point she finally disappeared from their eyes. They quickly look around as they stop by a dark tunnel. They're all panting heavily. Had no idea where they gonna find the unknown entity who captured Joas. Unfortunately, they are now lost as well.

"What was that? Why she's after him?" Mihu said while panting as she rested her both arms on her knees.

"Can you track him?" Conan asked as he wander his eyes around.

"If we could track him from the first place, we shouldn't be chasing him until here" Mihu rolled her eyes in sarcasm.

"I need water" Hecor talking to himself before he walks away.

"What are we gonna do now? where are we?" Conan replied. Nari on the other side trying to clock her gun. Yakun staring elsewhere. Mihu started scanning her watch as she try to find their location.

"Error" she grunted, dropping her shoulder.

"... this is odd" she added, biting her nails.

"Mhmm.. guys?" came from Hecor's voice somewhere, but oddly can't see him around. They wander their eyes over the place. Turning heads left to right. But see nothing.".... can someone... help me.. up here?" he spoke again, extreme suffering can be trace on his voice. They started to became uneasy as they searches where his voice coming from.

"Where are y— ****" Mihu left terribly shocked. Frightening as she covers her mouth. Eyes widen. The rest of them finally saw him as well, sharing the same response, horrified.

As they look up to him.