You could never know what it's like
Your blood like winter freezes just like ice
And there's a cold lonely light that shines from you
You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use
— Excerpt from "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John
"...—Mama~! Ooh~♪, if I'm not back again this time tomorrow~~♫♪, carry O~on, carry oo~n~♪, as if nothing rea~lly matters ~♫♪!" Sang the young man in an inordinately deep voice which, strangely stayed in tune akin to that of the original. He normally speaks in a light and carefree tone so if the deep voice is the product of nervousness or was just purposely doing it is uncertain.
He is called Martin Harvie and right now, he finds himself in a very difficult predicament. He just sang verses from a song from his world from a very popular band. This is to lessen the tension that was mentally building up from earlier and up to this moment.
There were constant gunshot sounds in the background along with the numerous grunts and groans produced by 'them' that they already grew used to by now.
"... I have to pee." Said someone in frustration. It was a young girl that looked to be at the age of 7 or 8. Currently, he does not know anything about this child aside from the fact that she seemed to understand the words I sang just now based on slight giggles I heard from her earlier.
I saved her earlier from being mauled to death by 'them' after seeing the father and daughter's cries for help in front of a house nearby to what he was currently staying right now.
He brought his trusty ax and borrowed a pistol from Hirano. He quickly descended down the stairs and used his newly acquired physical abilities to swiftly vaulted up the gate and immediately finished 'them' off.
I didn't even take more than five seconds before immediately departing from the spot and running in the direction of the father and daughter while attracting some of 'them' in the process.
The commotion he caused immediately attracted 'them' nearby and also alerted his housemates to check the situation on the balcony.
He might have heard someone cursing from the direction of their house before he ran.
He violently waved his ax to 'them' that came close and brutally executed them by swiftly chopping off 'their' heads, attributed to the fact that his strength and ability is quickly gaining an edge caused by the current circumstances.
By the time he saw the duo, the father was already lying on the ground, and 'they' were already gaining ground approaching the daughter that seemed to be protected by a small dog.
All of it's barking and growling however is causing the opposite effect and were quickly and steadily attracting even more of 'them'.
He quickened his pace and shortly, destroyed all the nearby monsters that were causing distress on the poor and crying young girl and her brave pet dog.
I quickly crouched in front of her while showing my back and promptly told her to hop on. We don't have time to dilly-dally!
She seemed to hesitate a little but she seemed to steel her resolve and rapidly climbed up my back. The dog followed its owner so I picked it up and put it under my clothes, with it showing its head.
I immediately climbed up to the wall that will take me in the direction of our shelter and steadily walked to our safety.
That was what happened earlier and now, I'm currently walking above a wall, surrounded by a sea of undead.
I was carrying the girl on my back and the dog was secured on my front. My hands are unavailable at the moment and if something were to happen, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to react.
Really, why did this happen to me? Why is this happening to me?
Did my brain somehow got infected by 'them' unknowingly?
I know I'm not the heroic type so why did my brain seemingly, automatically responded after seeing the father and his daughter?
I know I'm not like this type of person or at least, that's what I thought.
Don't tell me I'm this type of character trope all this time?
Don't tell me a world-ending scenario is what takes just to reveal my hidden character? Isn't that too ridiculous?
Maybe it's because of what happened before we get here? Could it be… I'm very easily influenced by other people?
Yeah... don't tell me I'm acting like this to remove their suspicion of me?
I'm not the calculative type so I don't think I did such a stupid thing for such a stupid reason.
Wait-wait-wait, it's not stupid if it's for protecting young girls and little puppies right?
However, that would just make me sound like a creep. What the heck!?
Right now, I got this urge to scratch my head and to just bang my head in a wall repeatedly.
5 hours ago.
Onbetsu Bridge, On the bus.
There was an intense face-off happening at the moment.
One was a group of a guy and three girls and the other was a lone man facing them. He had his hands up and head a bit lower as if showing them a mock gesture of surrender
He didn't know the culture and traditions of this country and only heard bits and pieces of what could be considered respectful here.
However, he did not take into account his posture and mannerism. He didn't realize that instead of showing them respect, he actually seemed to be mocking them.
The group, however, did not seem to realize it with one exception.
"... Let's just hear him out. He doesn't seem to want trouble." Said the only guy in the group in a calm tone.
Hirano Kohta immediately defused the situation. He immediately realized that the guy didn't mean harm.
Out of all of them, he was the only one who has some idea how foreigners (specifically americans) act.
He was trained in the art of marksmanship and gun handling by an american after all.
And this guy seemed more polite than all the foreigners he ever saw. He doesn't seem to have some kind of misguided view of racial superiority and he doesn't seem to be mocking them for their age. In fact, one of them was technically older than all of them though she doesn't act like one at the moment.
What he saw was a guy that looks to be genuinely concerned at least for their current situation.
He won't immediately trust the guy but showing him a little bit of kind gesture was probably better than immediately denying someone.
While Saya Takagi was annoyed for her outburst being interrupted, she couldn't help but attempt to cool her mind and try to assess the situation again.
After all, Hirano probably wouldn't have said anything if he did not see anything wrong with the situation, right?
Busujima was also skeptical of the situation. She also knows the guy earlier from his previous stunt but for some unknown reason, she couldn't but be put on guard the moment this guy appeared.
Nurse Shizuka was worried that the situation would escalate so she was relieved that Hirano spoke up because she doesn't know why they seemed on guard. He's just being friendly, right?
"Iyaa~, Sorry about that! My friends told me I can't read the mood so you'll have to forgive me. My name is Martin Harvie. Please call me Martin and also, even I don't know the situation I am in." introduced Martin in a bright manner. He that introducing himself in such a manner would lower their guard of him.
What he didn't know was his introduction only raised their suspicion of him. After all, who wears their uniform and claims to not know of their own situation?
'Is he an idiot?' Everyone who heard him thought at that moment.
Even Hirano was helpless in such a situation.
Who thought him to introduce himself in such a way? It's like you are begging to be suspected!
"Wait, guys! We don't have to do this right now, right?" someone intruded into the confrontation. It was Takashi Komuro.
After seeing the situation devolve into such an impasse, he finally decided to mediate between the opposing parties. Such a conflict might bring danger to their group considering some of them are still strangers.
*go-go-go-gO-GO-GO-GO*
Martin seemed to have conjured the 'sound of menace' in his head at the sudden drop of the mood. He doesn't seem to have realized that he just made a slip of the tongue until it was too late to take it back.
'Shiiiiit~!' he cursed himself in his mind. He thought he would be rid of his bad habit now that his intelligence has increased(slightly), however, it looks like that's not actually the case.
He suddenly remembered how his 'bad habit' of just blurting out what he was thinking when caught in an unexpected or awkward situation would always bite him in the ass.
Well, I certainly felt like it just gulped a big fat mouthful of his ass right now!
'Shit! If I'm not careful, these kinds of slips would really kill me down the line!' He cursed himself once again for his stupidity after remembering such bad memories.
However, before the confrontation became even worse for both sides, the overall situation suddenly took the worst kind of turn for all the people on the bus involved!
There were curses and screams heard outside!
Instead of seeing the typical slow grind of traffic outside the window, unexpectedly there was a sea of people that don't look friendly at all.
From their point of view, all of them looked murderous enough that if they made the wrong move, it felt like they would also be swallowed by the maelstrom of darkness they were projecting.
They were carrying all kinds of crude weapons and signs that seem to blame the government for the mess that is happening at the moment.
Such movement of people would, of course, caught the sight of the authorities.
It seems the government couldn't be bothered with observing niceties anymore as they immediately retaliated against such people.
They immediately aimed their weapons and their water hoses and proceeded to threaten the people with violence to enforce obedience and tried to return the situation into a semblance of order.
But the protesting people did not appear to have heard or seen the threats pointed against them as they still proceeded with their march against the police.
As if tired with such people acting stupidly in such a situation, the police hardened their resolves and readied their shields and fired away their weapons against the people who were abusing the fragile balance of society they were trying to protect.
The protesting people as if deranged had proceeded to charge at the people with reckless abandon and banged the enforcers' shields with their makeshift weapons and trying to overwhelm them while the police at the moment are trying to contain the situation that was until their circumstance took the turn for the worst.
The furious mob of protesters proceeded to step over their fallen brethren and managed to overwhelm the police.
They were able to bash their weapons into their opponent's bodies despite the fact that they were wearing protective equipment.
They also managed to steal some of the police equipment in the middle of chaos and proceed to further the chaos by shooting the enforcers with their own equipment and with their untrained hands, even shot some of their fellow protesters.
That was the start of the mass hysteria and it also quickly took effect on the other people in the immediate vicinity.
Suddenly, the previous boring afternoon had turned into a frenzy of riot and madness.
The people inside the bus were caught unaware of the state of affairs and suddenly, they didn't know what to do.
One moment they were just fighting inside on their own and one moment, suddenly the outside had descended into insanity.
Such a scene has left all of them afraid and flabbergasted!
At that moment, the only adult among them, Shizuka Marikawa stepped up to the plate and tried to take control of the situation.
"L-let's get out!" She said in a serious and nervous voice.
With one simple sentence and they were all brought back to their senses.
Although she slightly stuttered in her delivery, the people managed to keep their faces straight. It certainly was not the time for jokes and with the situation being like this, they wouldn't even be able to comment about the sudden bout of the courage of their usually timid and foolish teacher.
Honestly, they were all thankful to her for speaking up, or else, they might probably still stood stock-still in a stupor for a while.
"I agree. We should go. I don't think this is the right time for our petty squabbles." Said a serious Saeko Busujima. She let go of her guard against a certain suspicious man as, if the two people that she trusted despite their slight time together was able to speak for him would merit that she also drop her suspicion and at the very least, she trust Hirano and Komuro to check up on this certain Martin Harvie.
She was just wondering why she was getting a dangerous feeling from this man as if you just plainly looked at him, would give one the impression that he even looked nice enough. Although those sure don't look pleasant although she's not one to speak as some people told her that her glares looked like it could kill. However…
'It looks like I'm not the only one who had looks that could kill though. Takagi certainly doesn't lag behind in that department.' Saeko thought while she caught Saya Takagi still glaring daggers at the suspicious Martin Harvie.
'It's not petty if you caught someone checking you out.' Saya Takagi thought in a pout while still glaring at the suspicious man until she let it go after a moment. This certainly doesn't look like the time to have these kinds of arguments.
'Seems like I was able to escape that situation by the skin of my teeth' Martin thought to himself while scratching the back of his head in confusion. He doesn't know if he should bless the heavens for saving him from his own mess or to curse the devil for putting them even more into another trying situation. I guess you could also call this a silver lining for me. Haha.
Within the tense situation, Komuro took action and led the people by coming out of the vehicle first and securing passing for their group.
Fortunately, they are nowhere near the center of the Onbetsu Bridge, merely at the outset of the entrance so they were able to safely get away from the ensuing chaos happening outside.
They were still hearing the constant screaming and the gunshots ringing in the tense atmosphere so they were very careful with their movements.
After moving a comfortable distance away from the bridge, they took a little rest from walking on a nearby shade of a tree.
All of them were different states of exhaustion. Some of them don't seem to have put any effort at all like Rei Miyamoto, Saeko Busujima, Takashi Komuro, and lastly Martin Harvie. The others, not so much as some were sweating buckets like Kohta Hirano and Saya Takagi, to be followed by their only nurse Shizuka Marikawa. They don't seem to be used to such a long trek.
They made quite a distance from their former position, constantly switching from walking to jogging and vice versa. Nonetheless, they accomplished their primary objective of getting away from trouble.
After a few seconds of resting, someone spoke up.
"What now? I don't know this area very well." Saeko asked in an inquiry. Right now, they are in the middle of nowhere, and knowing their starting position is a step in the right direction to determine their next set of steps.
After thinking a little bit…
"First of all, let's make sure that Onbetsu Bridge is even crossable" responded Saya in a thoughtful manner. Certainly, knowing where they are right now is helpful but since they already know their destination, the method to reach it is the only problem right now.
"It's probably hopeless. There's never traffic like this here and you already saw those crazy people earlier." Hirano reminded them of the primary problem of such an idea. He's not opposed to going and of course, he trusts Saya Takagi but at the same time, he's also obligated to remind them that there might be some consequence in just going blindly.
Martin chose to safely keep quiet at the moment as he had nothing to add to the discussion, doesn't know anything of the area, and doesn't want to attract their attention again. It's better to be silent and passive for now as I'm sure I could find something to contribute to the group later.
"Should we try another bridge?" Rei Miyamoto offered another suggestion. Well, if this way is blocked, isn't it possible that there are other ways away? However…
"No, I think they're keeping everyone from crossing everywhere. Otherwise, there would be no reason for things to be 'this' crowded and crazy." Komuro immediately rebutted the statement. It's true that there might be other ways but if such craziness is happening here, it's only logical to also think that the other areas might be in the same state.
After a few minutes have passed...
"... We couldn't find any way across." without thinking, Saeko said in a vexed manner.
"What about upstream?" Saya however, suddenly had thought.
After thinking it a little, Komuro responded to Saya's inquiry.
"There are a lot of flood protection works around here so it's uncrossable, but on upstream it should be doable" Komuro explained in a careful manner as he seemed to have caught on to something.
"Remember there was a kind in elementary who drowned here? It might be shallower upstream, though" said Saya in continuation of her earlier thoughts.
"Oh... But I don't know. We've had a lot of rain, so the water level's higher right now…" said Komuro as he remembered the climate of the area in familiarity. They both lived on the opposite side of the bridge but he was more familiar with the surroundings he's certainly more outgoing than her.
However, that was when Shizuka Marikawa interrupted the conversation.
"Um... I think we should stop and rest for the day" She said.
They were not able to understand why they should stop right now. Even Hirano can't help speaking out in confusion and that was until Shizuka explained her reasoning while flushing at the sudden attention she was gathering.
"It will be getting dark soon. And if it's dark... It would be hard for all of us if suddenly ran into trouble." and then suddenly, understanding dawned on all of them.
After that, Shizuka offered a place that was, fortunately, just a short distance from their position.
Those are the words that led them to find shelter before the sun had gone down.
In response to Shizuka Marikawa's suggestion, Komuro offered himself to the job of escorting her. Martin could certainly do it but since he doesn't know the area, it's futile for him to even think about it.
From hereon after was just a matter of patience and luck.
After a while of awkward waiting, they heard the sounds of a roaring vehicle far into a distance.
When they caught sight of it of the vehicle and simply thought that it might be a response from the military against a riot happening on the bridge.
That was until it stopped near them and the people on the car got out.
They were suddenly on guard. After all, why would the military suddenly stop just for them?
Their cautiousness, however, was rewarded with a sudden impulse to retort!
Who the heck is Shizuka Marikawa's friend!?
Who the heck owns, of all things, a Military Humvee!?
Isn't that just too random!?
Anyway, after getting over the surprise over Shizuka Marikawa, or rather her friend, they quickly came aboard the vehicle while barely fitting themselves inside.
A certain pink-haired girl was even glaring against a certain someone, thinking why such an 'extra' was included in their group until the rest prevented her from making unnecessary remarks in such a situation, to which, she just pouted with her facing away from the subject of her ire. Martin was helpless in such a situation and chose to keep his mouth shut while remaining in the background.
Back to the present.
Right after, we cleaned what was going to be our temporary shelter and disposed of all of 'them' that managed to find themselves inside somehow. Later, the girls took the time to themselves while us guys found ourselves checking the house.
I properly introduced myself this time to both guys and fortunately, while they were still a bit wary, it seemed to me that they temporarily took aside their suspicions and introduced themselves in the process. The plump guy in glasses called himself Kohta Hirano while Takashi Komuro reintroduced himself just for formality. It looks like we're 'okay' for now.
I know I badly exposed myself a bit earlier but once I thought about it, that was not really enough for them to be hostile. It was really bothering me that Hirano and Komuro noticed that I've suddenly kept quiet in the middle of our investigation.
It seems that my brooding about what happened earlier had also stopped their progress. The two guys looked at each other as though in a silent conversation until Komuro suddenly scratched the back his head like he was troubled about a proposition, that was revealed immediately when he approached me to ask about the problem.
Normally, keeping quiet and denying the claim about a problem that I unintentionally let them noticed would have suited the situation just fine. After all, I don't think that letting other people, much less those younger than you or those you've only known for a few hours, to know your problem would be sensible.
This, however, is not the right approach at the moment as my problem also involves them including the others so clarifying this matter would benefit me in the long run or at the very least, while I'm staying with this group.
I immediately asked them why they were so cautious of me. Why just asking them would warrant hostility from them, etc.
That was where I found the answers (or at least a part of it) to my current situation. However, even I couldn't believe what they told me. After all, if someone told you that you were leaking some kind of 'dangerous aura' or that the moment I looked at them that they immediately thought that 'I was sketchy'. My goodness! Some of them even thought that I'm some kind of killer!
What the heck! I'm just a normal person, for fuck's sake! The only thing I killed are a bunch of 'them' of you probably couldn't even call that killing as they are already 'dead'!
I was speech beyond belief! And even they don't seem to believe the words that they were spouting just now!
I know that we just survived an unbelievable menace in unbelievable circumstances but saying such unbelievable words like 'dangerous aura', or 'killing intent', or the most improbable of their accusation was that 'I am sketchy!'
Nevermind, I actually believe that I am sketchy (right now) but I object to their other allegations!
For a few minutes, I've cleared my name and denied such accusations. I even told them a fake background that I was some kind of 'late transfer student' that got lost and any other setting that fits my hastily created past. While they don't seem to believe my story (I wouldn't), they just accepted my story in silence.
I better remember all of this shit I'm brewing or else, I might screw my self again down the line.
Before resuming our search and investigation, I reminded them once again to relay the message (or rather, my fake story) to the whole group. It's better than nothing, I suppose and I'm sticking to it.
And that was the most eventful part of the night better before this shit that I got myself in to.
Speaking of most eventful...
'It's fortunate Nurse Shizuka's friend got the right goods at such a right time.' Martin thought in passing after hearing the sounds of the gun fires that were resounding throughout the neighborhood.
Such loud noises would surely attract a horde of 'them', and logically speaking, I would probably be readying myself for such an outcome.
"...Onii-chan…" That was when I heard the young girl piggybacking on me, was again brought to my attention.
She sounded frustrated like what a kicked puppy would have sounded. She wouldn't have sounded like that if she were afraid of what was happening, right?
She doesn't even sound like this when we just started running away from 'them'.
So, what would it be—oh! Oh! I remember now! She said 'that', right? She said…
"... can you please say that again?" I asked nicely just to repeat what she said, not believing that what I've heard is right.
Evidently, in such circumstances, she was actually saying along the lines of 'Hurry!' or 'They're coming!', right?
That would fit the bill and it's also the only logical conclusion in this situation. Yeah.
"I have to pee…" This time I was flabbergasted. At this moment, I clearly heard it right. Even I would not be equipped for such an emergency.
Measuring the distance from our current position to safety, I can confidently say that I would not be able to reach it even if I were to hurry.
Such hopelessness, it was unexpected, but it looks like this time I have to bear with it.
However, I can't just give up! I have to struggle for one last time!
"Can you hold it in?" I asked again in a sugary sweet tone, totally not fitting the situation at all.
Instead of feeling secure, it looks like she instead felt intimidated by my question. What, I was asking nicely right? It seems even after all this time I still couldn't deal with kids.
"Umm, no" Now she sounded like she's about to cry. Once, a wise man said that "a man who doesn't know when to give will definitely be hated".
Actually, I don't know who said that but he really seems wise to have said such words. However, I refuse to believe that even he was able to encounter such a situation like this.
However, I don't want to be hated, and certainly not by such a sweet-looking young child.
"O-onii-chan. I-I can't hold it in anymore." Stuck deep in my monologue, I was not able to immediately respond.
Damn it! This bad habit really has to go.
"... Please go ahead. I promise I won't get mad." I said to her in resignation. I admit it, this is my loss.
Because...
A wise man once said, "Not all battles can be won".
