Chapter 7: Journey to Foods
Splitting into pairs to search for supplies seemed sensible, but like everything in this new world, nothing was as simple as it seemed. Still a bit perplexed by my conversation with Laura, I was paired with Hana. Will and Tom formed a trio with Joseph, and Laura decided to search an area on her own, probably knowing that as the leader, she would have to look after us if something went wrong.
"What should I do if a creature shows up?" I asked suddenly.
"Run," Tom suggested, giving me a few encouraging pats on the shoulder. I think that was what he was trying to convey.
"Running is good, but always try to run through alleys. It's a great tip," Laura advised Hana and me. "Remember, our meeting point is the bridge northeast of here, okay?"
"But where is that?"
"Don't worry, Phil. You're with Hana; she knows where it is."
Hana and I started walking towards a street filled with small houses and abandoned shops. The atmosphere was heavy, with an oppressive silence that made every noise deafening. The house windows seemed to watch us, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was always lurking.
"So, Phil, tell me something," Hana broke the silence, trying to keep the mood light. "What did you do before ending up here?"
I sighed, trying to dispel the tension.
"I was an IT technician. Nothing as exciting as fighting demons and scavenging for food in a post-apocalyptic world," I replied, shrugging.
She laughed, and I smiled, grateful for any distraction that could ease the tension. We continued searching, going in and out of houses, but most were empty, just as Laura had said. However, some houses showed signs of recent activity—opened cans of food, clothes strewn about, and even some personal items left behind.
"Isn't it strange? Food, drinks, and objects just appear in houses and disappear," I said, staring intently at a mannequin with a realistic human face in the window of a dark store.
"Yeah, but we don't have many options," she said, walking a bit ahead.
I stopped looking at the mannequin and jogged to catch up with her.
"But what about you? What did you do before coming here?"
Always sweet and admirable, she replied, "I was a student, just a girl dedicated to studying."
"Hmmm. Let me guess… Stanford? Columbia?"
"No, no. You're aiming too high; I was at Duke," she said, smiling with slight embarrassment.
"Duke? That's a good university, especially for someone like me who didn't care much for studies during my college days."
"Hmm. People who project an image of being laid-back or carefree are often the opposite, you know?"
"Really? So, I wasted myself on booze and drugs, became a neighborhood photographer, and a failure for nothing? My dad wouldn't like to hear that I didn't become a failure by my own shortcomings, but by my own stupidity."
At the intersection, she looked toward a street on the right and, spotting a grocery store, she said, "There, a grocery store. Let's go."
Finally, we entered a small grocery store. The shelves were dusty and almost empty, but something caught my attention at the back of the store.
"Hey, Hana, look at this," I called, pointing to a shelf that seemed recently restocked.
We cautiously approached and found several cans of beans and some packets of instant noodles. It wasn't a feast, but it was better than nothing. We began filling our backpacks when I heard a noise behind us. I turned quickly, my heart racing.
"Oh, shit!"
It was Laura, carrying a backpack and looking relieved yet worried.
"I found you!" she said, out of breath. "We need to go, now!"
"What happened?" I asked, feeling the adrenaline surge.
"Gyakus! They're coming this way. We need to leave before they see us," she replied.
I didn't need more encouragement. Hana and I finished filling our backpacks as quickly as we could and followed Laura out of the store. We entered an alley and ran, trying to make as little noise as possible.
"Where are the others?" I asked, sweating nervously and keeping my eyes alert.
"They couldn't come with me. They had to head straight for the factory area."
Laura sat down, visibly exhausted, and we did the same. She then pulled three communication radios out of her backpack.
"Take one. We'll communicate entirely through these. Will and Tom each have one too; we were lucky to find them all together, tossed in a corner of the street."
I instantly remembered the earlier conversation I had with Laura about supplies mysteriously appearing.
"Laura, is this common? Finding important things for us like this? On the street?"
"Phil, you don't have to say that," Hana said.
"Yeah… I know it's not normal and can be dangerous, but what were we supposed to do? Ignore it? We have no choice," Laura responded, gesturing with her hands and looking noticeably nervous.
I knew that if I pressured Laura about being responsible with what we picked up, she might get too stressed. But I couldn't stay silent.
"I find it very convenient. How could communication radios appear on the street just when we were far apart? It's too much of a coincidence, and I hate it when there are too many coincidences because it makes me think of conspiracy theories, and suddenly I'm remembering the crazies on Reddit talking about aliens and the pyramids of Egypt."
Deep down, I knew there wasn't time to discuss conspiracy theories at that moment.
Chapter 8: An Unfortunate Visit (Or An Shit Visit?)
Laura let out a heavy sigh, indicating she was as confused as I was, but there was no time to discuss conspiracy theories. I put the radio in my backpack, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that we were being manipulated by some invisible force. Sensing the growing tension, Hana tried to lighten the mood.
"Maybe we have an invisible benefactor? Like an apocalypse Santa Claus?" she said with a forced smile.
I laughed, but I couldn't shake the knot of worry in my stomach. However, Laura was determined to keep us focused.
"Alright, everyone. We need to rest and then plan our next move. Stay alert with the radios and keep as quiet as possible. We'll take turns keeping watch," she instructed.
We settled on the cold ground of the alley, trying to find a comfortable position. I closed my eyes, trying not to think about the Gyakus that had hunted us earlier or the crazy conspiracy theories running through my mind. Exhaustion finally overcame me, and I fell into a restless sleep.
I was awakened a few hours later by static noise on the radio. Laura was whispering, trying to communicate with Will.
"Will, this is Laura. We're all safe, but we need to know your situation. Did you find a safe place?"
"Nice timing, Laura. You woke me up just as I was falling into a volcano," I said, stretching as I stood up.
"Shh! I'm talking to Will on speaker, so pay attention."
The response came through with some static but was clear enough to understand.
"This is Will. We're fine. Tom fell asleep so hard he wet Joseph, and he didn't even notice. We found a safe house and got some supplies. Just waiting for our fearless leader to give us the location?"
"That's a lie! I didn't pee on anyone!" Tom shouted in the background.
Laura sighed with relief. We were separated, but at least everyone was safe for now. She told Will, "Our location isn't great or safe. We're lying in some random alley, but stick to the meeting point. Head to the bridge. We'll meet you there."
There was a brief pause before Will replied, "Understood. See you when the damn sun that doesn't shine wakes up. Stay safe."
Laura turned off the radio and looked at us.
"Everything's set?" Hana asked, stretching her arms, still waking up with a hint of laziness.
"Yes. Now, let's rest as much as we can. Tomorrow will be a long day."
We all nodded, but before we could relax, a strange noise echoed through the alley.
"What the hell was that?" I asked, slightly alarmed.
"Quiet," Laura said firmly, stepping in front of Hana and me.
Something was approaching. We quickly stood up, grabbing our makeshift tools and weapons, ready for anything.
Through the reflection in one of the house windows in the alley, we saw a shadow pass over us. It was a strange bird with large wings, swooping down the alley toward us.
"What the hell is that?" I asked, trying to stay calm.
"I don't know, but it doesn't look friendly!" Hana replied, raising a metal bar.
"Hana?" It was surreal to see a sweet young woman, who didn't seem capable of harming a fly, suddenly holding a metal bar.
"Phil, get the bat!" Laura shouted, throwing a baseball bat at me.
The creature attacked, its sharp claws aiming for our faces. We dodged as best we could, throwing ourselves to the ground.
"We need to get it out of here!" Laura shouted.
"It's not going to be easy!" I responded, positioning myself offensively with the bat.
The bird flew in circles in the air, then dived at us with incredible speed. I'd never seen anything like it in my crappy life.
"Now! It's coming!" I was getting caught up in the excitement.
I swear I moved quickly, very quickly, but not fast enough.
Whoosh!
"What?" I missed the attack.
Slash!
I felt my right side get slashed.
"Phil!" Laura and Hana both shouted in concern.
Honestly, everyone, I felt nothing at that moment, just the sound of the bird's fast approach as it passed so close to me. After a few painless seconds, my right hand instinctively went to my side, where blood was flowing freely from the wound.
What impressed me the most was that in my hearing, only one thing was present: the slow, repetitive beating of the bird's wings, which echoed in my mind.
"What's happening?" I didn't understand why I was in this state.
Laura and Hana quickly pulled me into a shoe store with a glass-fronted entrance.
"Calm down. We'll stop the bleeding, just stay calm," Laura, with her leadership skills, reassured me.
But I was calm, very calm. The pain was so intense it became numb, almost like a joke about how the more you feel, the less you feel.
"It's not working," Hana said, frustrated with the difficulty of stopping the bleeding.
Suddenly, a static noise from Laura's communication radio caught our attention.
"Check it out. I'll take care of him," Hana told Laura.
Laura pulled her backpack close and took out the radio.
"I'll put it on speaker, okay?" she said before answering.
"Will? Is that you? Can you hear me?"
"Yes, I can hear you, but things are complicated here, Laura. We're trapped inside a warehouse, surrounded by lots of creatures—birds, I don't know—but they're here to kill us."
From his tone and the tremor in his voice, Will and the others were not doing well. Laura looked at Hana and me with an expression of uncertainty.
"Will, we're in the same situation. Phil, Hana, and I also have a creature on our tail, waiting for us to come out and kill us. It's probably the same for you."
Was there desperation? Of course. It was present in Will's usually cheerful, goofy voice, in Laura's stony-faced leadership, and in Hana and me, showing it more subtly.
In those few seconds, everything seemed almost reversible. However, with the prickling fear taking over, Laura stood up with the radio, speaking to Will.
"We'll figure something out, Will. Try to stay calm, okay?"
"Phil, I couldn't…" Hana said, suddenly hugging me, her tears soaking my shirt.
"You don't need to cry."
Stopping the bleeding wasn't enough, and my blood continued to pool on the dark floor of the store. Then, Laura spoke, slowly and with eyes frozen on what she saw outside.
"It can't be…"
"What is it, Laura?" Will asked from the other side of the line.
"No. No. No."
Hana and I looked at what had left Laura so stunned.
"Oh no."
Now there were five, six, seven, ten, or more birds circling in front of the store we were in.
The worst part? Only a glass wall separated us from them.
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