TBWL#12: Meet another survivor
1357 Words
“Before starting work, always ask yourself three questions: why am I doing this, what the result can be, and whether I will succeed. Only if you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions can you move on.”
Chanakya.
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Calixto's Point of view
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All of us were exhausted due to the non-stop race, but no one wanted to stop. Of course, this is a matter of life and death. If only the sun had risen, then we could rest for a while. I was wondering if we are going to survive until the sun comes out. Suddenly two TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 768 s. 2030, blocked our way. It was an armored car launched two (2) decades ago. The Armored Toyota Land Cruiser 768 is designed to be a reliable off-road secure transport, especially on uneven terrains. Equipped with armoring solutions such as Hutchinson run-flat tires, armored rear bulkhead, and reinforced suspension, all ensure the peace of mind that the passengers kept from harm’s way. This vehicle is armored with an NIJ IV/CEN BR6+ ballistic rating, which can stop high-power rifle ammo if necessary.
"Wow!" Damn it. It is not the time to be amazed at such a thing.
Our eyes widen, big as owls, when a shoulder-type rocket launcher, glimpse from a window. We are scattered into two, letting the bazooka shots fire in-between spaces. Followed by a speed of light is the sound of an explosion. The bullet split into two; the other one failed to hit, thankfully the other half had hit the nightwalkers. Only four nightwalkers are following us.
"Hop in," says a woman with an eyepatch.
We do not know who they are, but it is not the time to be choosy. The best option is to leave this place since they will start hiding any moment from now. The four of us; Lore, Romer, me, and Anya, are in the first armored car while the rest are transported with the other one.
"Brace yourself. We are going to fly on the moon," says the guy sitting beside the girl with an eyepatch. He is holding the driver's wheel while his feet are on the gas pedal.
He was not joking when he said that. It feels like a roller coaster ride as if our intestines are entangling from our body parts. My brains might have crashed and pulverized.
One zombie blocked the front-rear of the van. "Damn this bony asking to be a double dead meat." Then she blows the head of the nightwalkers. After passing on an arch of Meycauyan, we are now entering another rural district. The district, as usual, lay in ruins, silence reigned on the dusty streets, abandoned cars filled the gloomy city, the stench of death and life came from the destroyed ruins. The evacuation left the district in a state of darkness and desolation. Signs of the disorder can be seen everywhere. From the sky, everything that could be seen was ruined. What was once a wide avenue leading to a thriving city is now nothing more than a dirt road covered in small bushes and bushes. The district looks more like a forest. Whereas, trees and gardens grow beyond what is now neglected. Many doors have collapsed as decay eats away at their edges. The wide-open doors that were once so welcoming are now a haunting and unwelcome sight.
"Glad to see other survivors. Are you guys coming with us to the Doroteo District? We are on the hunt for food."
"Thank you for saving us back then," says Lore.
"Do you know a nearby operating laboratory?" Romer asked.
"Laboratory? I doubt that. Probably all places here are infected. What are you going to do with a laboratory?"
"This might sound crazy, but have you seen a small creature inside the brain of nightwalkers?"
"Nothing in particular," the guy replied.
While listening to their conversation I saw a change of color in the sky. The sun blossoms not too far off, brilliant petals extending ever outwards into the rich blue. It is the splendid blossom of the sky that warms our days. It is the solicitation to another day, that dawn so standard unprecedented. Finally, the sun had risen, meaning we could relax for a while. I thought we would never see the sun welcoming us again. Last night was a hell of an encounter with nightwalkers.
"You guys seem exhausted, do you want a rotational sleep?" says the lady with an eyepatch. I could not stop throwing a few glances to where her eyepatch was. What happened to her eyes? I wanted to ask her but it would be rude so I just left it in my head.
"That's a good idea, I think ladies should rest first. Then after an hour, Romer and I will sleep. How's that?" I suggested.
"Alright, let's do that. Be sure to wake up, you guys badly need to rest too, got it?" Anya demanded.
"Roger," Romer replied.
"Do you have a plan to find the hidden village, I mean the Boulevard?" I asked out of the blue because our original plan was to go there after securing guns and food, however, a lot of disruption made it hard for us to locate the exact place.
"You mean the place with a gigantic wall? I heard they are not allowing outsiders on that place, except if you can pay or exchange valuable things with them," says the guy without batting off his eyes on the road.
What?! That place is still after the money? Even if there are survivors outside? What kind of evil incarnate runs that place? Seriously, money is still the issue even on the verge of pandemonium, an apocalypse, to be exact.
"Have you found where it is? Or perhaps you were once there?"
"Yeah, we were once there. It is a place with few privileges, it is a huge trash bin." Her teeth greeting and disgusted tone did not escape from my gaze. I can see that she must have had a rough life inside that place.
"That place must have had technology and laboratory," says Romer.
"Yeah, but they won't allow you to enter their laboratory. They are hiding a shady experiment and we are barely alive when we leave that place. We were haunted because they thought we were spying for the underground group."
Romer placed his finger below his chain. Based on his posture, he must have had thought of something important. This guy is obsessed with experiments and laboratories.
"Calixto, we are going to capture as many weird creatures as we can. I am sure they will be pleased to see them. We have to enter that place, it is the safest place right now."
I knew it, he really is after that thing. Well, he did not lie, if we would be accepted, we would have a place to hide against the nightwalkers. We can't be forever in the empty streets.
"For the meantime, we are going to join you, would it be fine?" says Romer to the person in front of us.
"No problem, but we cannot guarantee you safety."
"We had been a trouble to both of you already, watching ourselves is our duty."
"By the way, where can we get a sword? Are there places here that market swords before the apocalypse?" I cannot rely solely on bullets and bow and arrow. I need something that does not need to be reloaded.
I am going to fight! I will haunt the nightwalkers...
Few daywalkers started to aimlessly approach our car, but it was not a big deal. This sadist is committing a hit and run. We can feel the bumpy feeling every time we crush a body.
I took a few glimpses outside, then I saw a pool of red blood on the road, together with the scattered limbs and internal organs. We are safe inside this van; I wish they had extra gas because it would be troublesome to set foot outside.
"You have extra gas, right?" I asked nervously.
They exchanged stares and scratched their hair.
Don't tell me...
- Writer
