Bab 15: I know you! (3)
"How come we haven't met any zombies yet?" Asked Jenny.
She kept looking right and left, searching for any signs of zombie activity.
Roland and Kevin did the same, they picked up that habit after the Doomsday two weeks ago.
They found it creepy and unnatural to walk relaxed through the streets like this without any zombie popping out of a corner, trying to kill them.
Benji knew the real reason why and smiled faintly, "Because you are with me. They avoid me as if I'm some kind of plague."
He glanced briefly at Jenny, she didn't look older than 17. She had short dark-brown hair and was a head smaller than Benji. Her body had already matured quite well, with nice curves and an above average face.
The trio stared at him like he was an alien.
Kevin gulped, "What did you do?"
Benji only needed one glance to know what kind of person Kevin was. Brown messy hair, a bit chubby and those glasses....A typical nerd.
Roland on other hand was a manly fellow, he looked like a viking warrior with long blond, full grown blond beard and a pair of magnificent blue eyes. He was taller than Benji, he guessed around 1.88 meters.
"I hunted." Answered Benji plainly, they would probably faint if they knew that almost all the zombies in the north were under Benji's control.
Roland observed Benji, "You don't seem to be part of die Jäger(1)."
Benji turned his head, "Die Jäger?"
Roland hesitated for a moment before nodding, "The group of madman that control South Dortmund..."
Jenny and Kevin paled when Roland mentioned them.
'Oh? Interesting.' Thought Benji.
"It seems that you know more than me, how is the situation in Dortmund?" Asked Benji, he was very curious.
"It's bad, really bad...the south is controlled by the bunch of madman that call themselves die Jäger. The west is even worse, mutated zombies roam there. They are many times stronger than the normal zombies and even more aggressive. The east is under the control of the survivors, they are lead by the allied forces of the surviving police and army." Explained Roland.
Benji was surprised but accepted it, "And Central Dortmund?"
Roland paled now himself, "This...no one knows, Central Dortmund became like a black hole, no one makes it out alive once you get in...It has become a forbidden zone that no one dares to enter."
'No wonder I lost a whole squad of my puppets when they entered Central Dortmund...'
"That sounds really bad..." Commented Benji relaxed.
"There was no information about the north that's why we fled here, hoping to find shelter...." Said Jenny.
Benji frowned, "Flee from what?"
"There was a huge attack a few days ago. Some of the soldiers and policeman teamed up with die Jägers, they killed everyone that resisted....the east became hell afterwards....We were the first ones to escape...." Spoke Kevin, his expression sad.
The mood grew heavy.
Benji sighed, he picked a red crystal from his pocket, popping it inside his mouth like a candy.
He had eaten so many crystals over the last week that he stopped counting them.
They became his main food. A crystal in the day was enough for his body, he found it quite convenient that he didn't need to eat or drink anything else.
There was a downside, he had consumed so many that his body stopped improving.
The trio gasped in shock when they saw him eating the crystal.
Kevin couldn't help but ask, "The thing you just ate....was that...."
Benji smiled, "You mean this?" He took out another crystal from his pocket.
The trio stared at the tiny red crystal in Benji's hand in fear.
Benji found it strange, "What's wrong?"
Roland gritted his teeth, "That thing is the main reason why the east became hell! Some people were chosen and forced to eat those things! We never saw them again!"
Jenny and Kevin nodded in agreement.
"Is that so?" Asked Benji as he became more interested.
"Yeah, those crystals appeared soon after the Doomsday, we don't know where they come from, the higher ups didn't share such information with us." Explained Kevin as he moved up his glasses.
'It's understandable, how would they keep the people in check if they all gained inhuman powers through the crystals...'
"They come from the zombies, they have these crystals inside their brain."
The trio were dazed for a few seconds before their expressions turned ugly.
"That's so disgusting!" Protested Jenny immediately.
Kevin moved his glasses, "It really is..."
"No wonder they didn't tell us where those crystals came from..." Muttered Roland.
Benji shook his head, "No, that's not the reason. They want you all to stay weak to control you. Let me tell you this, the only true way to survive are these crystals. The transformation might be painful but you won't need to worry about normal zombies anymore. Well at least if there isn't a horde hunting you down."
The trio stared at Benji, they connected the dots, coming to the conclusion that what Benji said was most likely the truth.
"We are here, this is my place." Spoke Benji, surprising them.
They entered his house.
"Everything looks so nice and clean..." Commented Jenny while looking around.
"So this is where Benjamin Krone lives..." Said Roland, acting again like a fanboy.
Kevin didn't say anything he only moved his glasses up.
Benji smiled, "Make yourself comfortable, there are enough rooms upstairs that you can take.
Jenny blushed, "Is there a bathroom that I can use?"
"Yeah, there are two here and the shower is upstairs." Answered Benji as he pointed in the direction of a toilet.
Jenny nodded, going towards the toilet with her backpack.
Roland and Kevin put down their backpacks, they finally felt safe and began to relax.
"Can I ask you a question?" Asked Roland Benji.
"Sure."
"Why did you suddenly leave Borussia Dortmund back then? I could understand it if you transferred to another club but did just disappear. I asked around, but no one could find you, what happened?"
Benji sighed, his mother had allowed him to join a football club after he begged her for years. He joined a local club first. But it became really fast clear that he was too good and he was scouted by Borussia Dortmund after a few months. He kept it secret from his mother, telling her that the club decided to let the players train on daily basis to improve them. It went well for some time...
His talent shone even on a higher level and the football world noticed it. His mother found it out when his club approached her to sign a contract that would make Benji a professional player ahead of time.
He was 16 and not allowed to sign a contract on his own. His mother snapped after finding out, she removed him from the club and pulled some strings in the dark so that no one could find Benji anymore. He was grounded inside the house until turning 18...
He shook his head, "Family happened..."
Roland nodded, he understood that it was a sensible topic that Benji wanted to keep secret.
Benji glanced at them and put three crystals on the table.
"I will be frank with you, I don't plan to become your babysitter, it's your choice if you want to stay human and be a prey, or change and become strong...."
"This..." Roland had a complicated expression.
Kevin stared at the crystals on the table, "Won't we turn into zombies ourselves after eating them?"
Benji shrugged, "Maybe, I don't feel like a zombie but I also don't feel that much human anymore...Let me show you what you might become..."
Suddenly Roland and Kevin felt like an invisible mountain crashed on top of their shoulders.
"Wha..."
They couldn't endure the invisible pressure that suddenly engulfed them, falling on the floor with no power to resist.
Just when they thought that the pressure would crush them, it vanished as fast as it appeared.
Benji stood there smiling at them.
The two stood up with difficulties, staring at Benji like he was a monster.
"What was that just now?" Asked Roland with fear in his eyes.
"A little demonstration...."
"That was so sick!" Exclaimed Kevin after standing up.
"I need to go now, it's your choice if you take it or not."
The two panicked, "Wait, where are you going?"
"I will visit the east..." Answered Benji a bit annoyed.
"You can't go there, they....won't welcome someone like you there..." Said Roland in a hurry.
Benji frowned, "Someone like me? Why wouldn't they welcome me, from what you told me they have people like me in their ranks."
Roland and Kevin showed a troubled expression.
"That's not what I mean...I mean they don't like people with your skin color....." Said Roland with an ugly expression.
Benji's mind stopped working for a second after hearing what Roland said.
He suddenly started to laugh, "Don't worry about it, I have my ways..."
Benji didn't give them any chance to speak, leaving them behind.
'Racist eh? I don't give a sh*t...' Thought Benji while feeling amused.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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sleepteddy (1) Die Jäger - The Hunters
Merry Christmas everyone :)
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