Chapter 1

A few days ago, someone asked me what I missed the most from my life before the outbreak.

I hadn't really thought about it. Too busy trying to stay alive, I suppose.

I think I have the answer now.I miss the luxury of feeling safe.

The survivors that call this community their home still have that luxury.

The barricades and the guards towers keep them safe.

My job, the job of my brothers in arms, is to protect this sense of safety for them.

Day after day, we go out and risk our lives in order to bring back supplies.

But... we haven't had that much success, lately...

Lost in thoughts, I reach the Headquarters. It's eerily quiet outside, the chilly morning breeze creeping down the back of my neck, making me shiver.

I can't believe it's December again. How long have we been here..?

Soldier: Good morning, Cola!

Cola: Ah, good morning! Hey, have you seen anyone else from Jacob's unit perhaps? There's usually someone outside, but...

Soldier: Oh, they're in the conference room! Rumor has it that your team is being assigned a new mission.

Cola: I better hurry inside, then. Thanks!

Soldier: No problem, stay safe out there!

Curious about this new mission, I rush towards the conference room. Before I reach it, I notice one of my teammates leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

If anyone knows about this new mission, it will be Raven. I should ask him about it.

Cola: ...Hey.

Raven acknowledges me with a nod.

He's never been a talkative type... especially not in the mornings.

Cola: What's this about a new mission?

Raven rolls his eyes and shifts in place.

Raven: Another food trip.

Cola: They found a storage that hasn't been raided yet? That's a relief.. But I can see you're not too happy about that.

Raven: ... It isn't something I expect everyone to understand.

Sounds like he's worried about something.

Cola: We're teammates, Raven. You know you can trust me, right?

Raven: It's not a matter of trust. It's... I want to fight. I want to kill every last zombie in this wretched world. I want to take the wolrd back from them.

...Don't we all?

Raven: Instead, I have to sneak around, stealing food like a rat.

Cola: I share your feelings, Raven. I know you lost your brother in this war, and...

Raven narrows his eyes at me.

Cola: I..I'm sorry.

I look away for a moment, embarrassed. Raven stays quiet for a moment, but then his shoulders relax.

Raven: I shouldn't be surprised you know. I've not exactly been trying to hide how I feel about those monsters.

Cola: You're not alone, you know. We've got your back.

Raven: I know, Cola... Thank you.

Cola: Speaking of which, why are you out here all on your own?

Raven: Jacob isn't here yet, and the guys we're being too loud.

Cola: Ah... I better head inside. I hope I didn't bother you too much.

Raven: Not at all. I like your company. How should I put it...? Compared to the rest of those guys, you're...

Cola: ... More mature?

Raven: I was going to say "prettier". But that works too.

I feign exasperation, but I can't help smiling as I open the door to the conference room.

From the little I know about him, he was a loner before joining the community. I would be happy to be his friend, if he lets me.

Cola: Good morning, everyone!

Soldier: It's Cola!

Soldier #2: Mooorniiiing!

Soldier #3: Looking forward to our new mission, Cola?

Cola: Absolutely. We'll bring that food back for sure.

Soldier: Just so you know, I won't let you save my life again! I'll fight beside you without dragging you down!

I nod, bolstered by his determination.

Cola: I look forward fighting alongside you again!

Soldier #3: Dumbass. He's going to get himself killed trying to match our Lioness!

Laughter erupts in the conference room, and the soldiers blushes.

Before I can roll my eyes at them, the door opens again.

Jacob: Settle down, everyone.

Laughter dies down immediately.

Everyone takes a seat, eager to get the details of our mission from our beloved commander.

Jacob: Is everyone here? Good.

Jacob: Our scouts have found a food store for which we have a reason to believe it’s intact and unguarded. The catch, as always, is that it’s situated in an infested area.

I didn’t expect anything else.

These days, it’s almost impossible to find food unless it’s in a place swarmed by zombies, who have no interest in it.

Jacob: The Mayor has received instructions to send a small, stealthy team to scout the location. This team will determine the number of enemies in the area, and bring back proof of an existing food source.

Raven: …Tch.

I look around the room, But it doesn’t seem anyone else noticed his dissatisfaction.

Everyone focuses on Jacob, who slams the desk with his fist.

Jacob: I know you're all eager to fight back, but today is not a day for revenge. Hope! We need something to give people hope that we will survive the cold winter.

If only we could grow food inside the community, evrything would be different...

But the earth is barren. Cursed, some say, although i don't believe in such things.

Jacob: Raven, you will lead the team. Cola, I'm choosing you as his second in command.

Cola: Understood, sir.

Jacob: Here are the details of your assignment. Listen carefully, now. I have faith in all of you, but we're heading into unexplored territory, and that's always dangerous...

Half an hour later, Jacob dismisses everyone except Raven and me.

Cola: Sir?

Jacob: Ah, Cola. You're becomeing quite famous in our community. As expected of someone as brave and skilled as you!

Cola: Thank you, Sir!

Jacob: No need to be formal when it's just the three of us here. I've asked you to stay so that I can tell you not to get too careless in the battlefield. I hear they're calling you "the Lioness" these days!

That nickname again... It's driving me crazy! What could have possibly made them start calling me that?!

Raven chuckles next to me.

Raven: Lioness. It suits you.

Cola: I won't hear about it from someone whose given name is "Raven".

Raven: Have you considered that perhaps Raven isn't my actual given name?

Cola: I haven't. Even if it isn't, it suits you.

Raven: Why, than you, kitty.

Cola: ...Shut up.

Jacob's hearty laugh fills the conference room.

Jacob: I made the right choice with you two. You make an excellent team!

Raven: If you say so, Jacob.

Jacon: One more thing. Raven, we've talked about this before, but I feel like I have to say it again...

Raven: Here we go.

Jacob: You must not let hate affect your actions. One misstep, one small mistake can lead the death of your teammates, and yourself.

Raven: I don't care if I die as long as-

Jacob: As long as you take many zombies as you can with you, I know. But I care, Raven. Your teammates care. We need you to keep your head on your shoulders. You're in charge today.

Raven: I didn't ask for it. I don't want that responsibility.

Cola: Jacob is right, Raven. We must follow our oders. It's our duty.

Jacob: Thank you, Cola. Jacob... I'm your friend but I'm also your commander. I'm sorry. You have to do as you're told.

Raven: I never should have come here in the first place.

Raven storms out of the conference room.

Jacob: That kid... He's an incredible soldier, but he is obsessed with revenge. I'm worried about him...

Cola: I'm worried about him too.

Jacob: Maybe you should go after him. Who knows maybe you can convince him to change his mind.

Cola: I should prepare for the mission ahead. I'll talk to him once we leave.

Jacob: ...Alright. Hope he'll be okay. And Cola... Take care of yourself out there.

Cola: Always. See you soon, Jacob.

I leave the conference room. The hallway is bustling with activity, people running up and down, carrying paper work.

I better go to the armory. Though I doubt they'll let us carry much ammo...

I shouldn't complain. This is primarily a recon mission, after all.

Sometimes, I'm caught off guard by how used to this life I've become. No one on my team was a soldier before the outbreak. With Jacob's guidance, we've become a terrifying force.

We were forced to become killing machines in order to save lives.

Even those who naively believe the zombie could still be cured lost the empathy they had foe them by this point.

Still... they were human once. People like me, or Raven, with dreams of their own. And now we slaughter them like animals.

Elderly Guard: Miss..?Are you okay?

Cola: Huh...? Oh! I'm sorry, I was just thinking about something... I need to make a gear request.

Elderly Guard: Your ID and your mission detail, please.

As soon as he say that, I realize I left my ID card on my end table.

Cola: Do you really need my ID? I'be been here dozens of times...

Elderly Guard: Protocol, Miss. We must always follow it, lest we descend into chaos.

The elderly man narrows his eyes at me and taps his desk with a pencil.

We don't have many people of his age in our community...

The must vulnerble ones were the first to fall. The sick, the elderly... the youngest.

Elderly Guard: You're that Lioness lady. Saved my grandson's life that day at Widow's Creek. I'll file your request without an ID card, but onlt this time. Comeback in an hour.

I remember that fight.. We looked for water but the "creek" had dried out, filled with the bodies of the dead.

Cola: Thank you. I hope your grandson is doing well.

The man waves me away.

We leave after that afternoon. As I had suspected, we were given a limited amount of ammo, but no one said a word about it. After all, one bullet is all it takes to kill a zombie.

Raven: You know what our orders are. Let's move out!

He accepted his task, in the end...

It's been a while since the last time we were allowed use a vehicle in one of our missions.

Fuel is becoming a precious resource, so it's important to conserve as much as possible.

So we march.

I wonder if we'll be back by nightfall. The nights are getting colder...

Jacob chose eight of his deadlliest for this assignment, but here was a last minute addition.

A boy, barely eighteen years old, volunteered to go. I glance at him.

He looks like he's taking his first assignment seriously. His uniform looks crisp, and his gear... Wait what is he doing?

The boy pulls his gun out and points it to our left.

Young Soldier: There! I see one behind that fence! Permission to shoot? Permission to shoot, Sir?

The soldier repeats his question, but Raven doesn't answer.

Instead, he approaches him and pulls his gun out, aiming at the same zombie.

He's not going to do it... is he?

Raven: Three hundred and thirty one. If I took this shot, it would be three hundred and thirty two of my bullets lodge into the enemy's skulls.

What the hell are you doing, Raven?

Raven: Interesting, but not nearly enough. There are millions of them in the world. And hiw many of us here? Nine? How many back in the town? A few hundred?

Young Soldier: Sir, I don't... I don't understand. He could attack us.

Raven: If he does, so will others. It's a long road ahead. Can you kill every zombie on the way to our destination?

Young Soldier: N-No, Sir...

Raven: Then don't challenge them. If tou shoot this one, the others will hear it and swarm us.

Young Soldier: I haven't thought about that, Sir... Here, I'll put my gun away.

Raven nods and steps away from the boy. A sense of pride fills my chest.

He's going to be a wonderful leader...

We hide behind a low wall taking our first look at the location.

A supermarket stands in the middle of a wide, open space filled with zombies wandering aimlessly.

Raven: I can see why this place remained intact... We're goinh to need a distraction if we're going to have any hope of entering.

Cola: Do we have a Runner on the team?

Raven nods and call one of the soldiers over.

We have verry few Runners in our combat unit- the main reason being that it's very difficult to outrun a single zombie, a horde even more so.

Without them, we wouldn't have been able to pull off as many crazy things as we have, though.

The Runner leaves our group, fireworks sticking out of his pockets.

Good luck...

A few minutes later, the first explosion goes off far to the left.

As if fascinated by the smoke and sparkles in the sky, the zombies shamble towards them.

Raven: They're leaving. Our time to shine.

Jackpot.

Raven: Careful. The enemy could be hiding behind the shelves.

Soldier: The bags! Get the bags! There's so much food...

Raven: Only take as much as you can carry. Check for any sign of rats or decay before you decide to take something back.

For someone who doesn't want to be a leader, he sure fills those shoes as well... I'm so proud of you, Raven.

As I'm observing him, he notices me and shrugs.

Raven: I know what you're thinking. I just want this to be over soon, so I can get everyone home safe.

Cola: Because you care about us.

Raven: Of course. We're a team. I know I can't fight this war alone... We all need to rely on someone, right? If it's only to watch our back.

Cola: Exactly, Raven. We can be that for each other. Friends wo watch each other's back.

Raven smiles at me.

Raven: I'd like that.

Crash.

Young Soldier: AAAHH! He bit me! Oh God... ohgodohgodohgod...

Raven curses under his breathe, and we run towards one of our shelves in the back.Broken glass, whiskey and blood mix on the ground.

Our soldier clutches his foot as he takes his gun in the other hand and empties his magazine into a zombie crawling towards his neck.

The zombie twitches once, then stops.

Young Soldier: I'm a goner... lost all my bullets, too... end it, please, before I...I... hhnnn... grrr-

My heart skips a beat as Raven shoots the eighteen-year-old between the eyes.

I gag, and the urge to vomit almost overwhelms me.

Raven: Three hundred and thirty two.

Cola: You did the right thing...

Raven: It was what he wished.

Cola: Are you going to be okay?

Raven: Hmm?

Cola: The... the number. You counted him as a zombie.

Raven: He was one.

He's right... The transformation took place before our eyes.

Cola: Never mind. I just don't want you to...

Raven: Feel guilty? Too late for that. I should have-

Soldier: Incoming!

The sound of windows breaking signals the invasion.

Taking cover behind the shelves, the seven of us that are left rain fire at the zombies that advancetowards us.

Every shoot matters. I must stay focused!

Raven: Cola, look out!

Raven grabs my hand and pulls me behind him, shooting a zombie that almost got me from a point-blank range at the same time.

Raven: You know, when I said I's like to watch each other's back, I didn't mean right this moment.

Cola: Yeah, same. Funny how fate seems to be in hurry, huh?

Raven: Funny indeed.

Running out of bullets, we pull back through the supermarket until we reach a ware house.

In the confined space, it becomes easier to predict where the attack might come from, but it also traps us.

Cola: Out of bullets. Ideas?

Raven: Unless you can kill a zombie with a can of beans, none.

Cola: There must be something we can do! How many of us are left?

Raven: Four, I think. But we got separated, so I can't be sure.

Damn it... I'm sorry, Jacob..

Raven: Wait... What the hell?!

Out of nowhere, a lean shadow leaps at zombie, twin knives flashing in the darkness before they disappear in to the zombie's eye sockets.

Who could that be...?

The shadow dances from one zombie to the next, spilling their black blood with a set of elegant, practiced movements.

Those knives sliced through them as if they were paper thin...

When last of the zombies lies dead on the warehouse floor, the man stops for a moment and then he kicks one of the zombies.

???: Pathetic.

My heart feels like it's about to leap out of my chest. What's happening to me?

I take a step towards the man, but before a word can escape my throat, the deadly dancer points the sharp end of his knife at it.

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