Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up, I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid, Or am I just stoned?
— Excerpt from "Basket Case" by Greenday
In the middle of the night, on a particular street filled to the brim with 'them' was a man trying to pass through such horror above the walls that protect the homes of some of the people still living in the neighborhood.
He was carrying a young girl at his back and a little dog was tucked in the front of his uniform. He was currently feeling an unusual warmth in his back and a little bit of sadness in his heart. While he was carefully making progress in escaping his current predicament, he heard a commotion and just at the right moment, caught sight of the military humvee rapidly approaching his direction.
Above it was Saeko Busujima in rather risque clothes while proudly standing with her wooden sword ready on a moving platform in an incredible feat of balance and below her was Kohta Hirano clearly sporting a carnivorous grin with a sniper rifle while pointing to the front.
The military humvee directly plowed through the crowd of zombies and attracted the remaining in the process.
It stopped just before a turn in the street, right at the back of Martin who immediately turned around and immediately hastened his pace, almost running above the walls.
Kohta Hirano made a room for them by clearing the remaining zombies approaching below.
Once near, Martin immediately made the jump on the vehicle while securing his own passengers in the process.
And that was how they escaped the first night of their seemingly never-ending nightmare.
It was the morning of the second day.
Our ride is currently submerged in the water while crossing the Onbetsu River to get to the other side.
We chose not to cross the bridge and instead braved the shallow water in this area.
It seems the police can't watch everywhere so we made our own way.
I was sitting shotgun at the moment while nurse Shizuka is the one driving the vehicle.
Truly, a woman of many talents.
Besides us, there were three other people awake at the moment.
One was Saya Takagi, the one who really hate my guts but right now she's being quiet about it for the sake of cooperation. She's currently on scouting duty, using the binoculars which direction to go and which direction to avoid.
The other two were Kohta Hirano, also on scouting duty, and currently sitting on top of the vehicle along with the young girl I rescued, which we later learned the name to be Alice Maresato. I currently hear them singing a botched version of a nursery rhyme and seemed to already be such good friends already.
Other else was resting.
The dog, who was named by Hirano as Zeke, was comfortably resting in my arms. He seemed so active the night before so right now I was thankful that he's very quiet.
Rei Miyamoto (yes, I now know her name) and Saeko Busujima (hard to forget her) was also currently sleeping at the backseat while leaning on nice guy Takashi Komuro.
Such a lucky guy, he's karma is probably through the roof. It's also obvious that the two girls have the hots for him.
Speaking of karma…
'Status!' Martin called out in his mind.
[STATUS:
Name: Martin Harvie
Race: Human
Level: 0
STR: 1.9
CON: 2.1
DEX: 2.3
INT: 1.4
WIS: 2.2
PER: 2.5
KARMA: 1220]
'Hmmm, is this to be expected, or is it unexpected?' I can't help with having such a thought.
After all, the common sense was that you can't improve in just one night, however, seeing my status would put to shame the former me by quite a margin.
Now… to check my other harvest.
'Mission Board!' I called out in my mind.
[Main Mission: Survival!
World: E-484F5444
Term: 3 Days
Description:
You have been selected as a potential player by the Nexus. All new players are sent to a different world for initiation and are given a mission appropriate to their level. Please prove yourself by completing the main objective.
Background:
You are currently a student of Fujimi Academy and it will soon be overrun by a horde of zombies. Your time is limited and if you do not escape, you will certainly die.
Main Objective:
- Earn (1120/1000) Karma and survive for (28/72) hours.\
- Reward: 1000 Karma.
Bonus Objective:
- Kill as many zombies as you can (92).
- Reward: ???
Conditions:
- 1. Karma must not fall below 1000 before the mission ends.
- 2. Completion of all the Main Objectives.
- Penalty: Death.]
My main objective is already finished aside from the fact that I still need to live in this world for less than two days.
As for the bonus objective, I would try to increase it as much as possible. I had a hunch that the reward would not be so simple.
We've crossed to the other side of the Onbetsu River.
While the girls are changing (they cleaned their clothes in the safe house), we guys instead chose to pick our babies.
I picked a pistol called SIG Sauer P226R which according to Hirano was a standard issue for JSDF. Seeing it was like meeting a long lost brother or finding one's own soul mate… enough, I'm just exaggerating. I just really like it. A lot.
Once Hirano saw my eyes, it seemed like any barriers that existed between us was immediately gone.
Right now, he was explaining to Komuro how to use the shotgun however it seems like his explanation was snubbed in the process.
What the heck? Komuro-kun, that's not cool~!
Komuro looked kind of frustrated but that's not a reason to that rude, right?
However, Hirano did not chase after him. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
That was when the girls came out and I couldn't help but comment.
"Tsk. I have to say, the girls really do clean up nicely" Martin said with his hands unconsciously stroking his chin, as if a connoisseur examining a masterpiece.
Hirano couldn't help but let out a laugh in a sleazy manner while Komuro as if nothing had happened, was astounded enough that he had nothing but laugh in a helpless manner.
He seemed to like what he was seeing though.
After their short intermission, they proceeded to check the road before departing in a certain direction.
Before boarding their transport, they decided to head in the direction of Higashi Hill, where Saya Takagi's house was located as it was the closest checkpoint for them at the moment.
As they were driving to their location, there was a noticeable absence of 'them' on the road however at the same time there was also no indication of flight of aerial vehicles that were present the previous day.
The most perceptive of their group couldn't help but take such as a bad omen, their minds restless.
A while later.
Their travel now started showing signs of unease in the form of 'them' on their sights as they quickly and steadily approached the area of Higashi Hill.
Martin Harvie still situated on the passenger seat can't help but have a bad feeling so he immediately had Takashi Komuro and Rei Miyamoto get inside the transport as a measure of safety and effectively squeezing them in the transport.
He had Shizuka Marikawa slow the speed of the car for the moment as the bad feeling he was having was still not over. Some of their members including the driver were bewildered at such a request, that was until they caught sight of something that was shining in the reflection of the light on the middle of the road as they continued to plow 'them' in a moderate speed.
It was a steel wire barricade.
As even Shizuka Marikawa was able to notice the barricade, she was able to adequately maneuver the vehicle, however, the blood and guts from their previous victims of hit-and-run had caused the vehicle to slide out of the lane.
It was fortunate that one of them was a quick enough to notice the problem as Kohta Hirano's suggestion had won them precious time as they were able to get out of their current predicament, successfully escaping from ramming their transport on the steel wires.
Their troubles were not over yet as after their near-accident was another as driving along the barricades did not give them enough space to maneuver. Their earlier stunt had backfired as the car's acceleration had eliminated the time to make the appropriate action.
In such a situation, the driver's only expected action was to 'brake' and stop the car, as such, that was what Shizuka Marikawa did, immediately stepping on the brake pedal to stop their advance and plowing even more of 'them' in the process.
Inside the car, the condition of the things and the passengers could only be described as chaotic. Some of them were groggy, some were injured, some were crying, and some of happy just for surviving the ordeal, but, the most prevalent emotion present in all of them was shock and relief so they had stayed as such for a few seconds.
However, 'they' would not wait to catch their breath as the noise had attracted a lot of 'them' and immediately congregated in their direction.
Some of them have noticed the movements outside the car which instantly alerted them. Some had immediately composed themselves and armed their guns, switching the safeties off in the course of action.
The first to come out was Saeko Busujima, swinging her wooden sword at the immediate threats.
Right after came out Takashi Komuro, Kohta Hirano, and Martin Harvie, shooting their guns to which most dangerous area their sights have landed.
Next to come out was Rei Miyamoto and unexpectedly, Saya Takagi while brandishing their own firepower in the process.
Such a situation took a couple of minutes however to them, it seemed like a couple of hours as the tension was high, and their bodies and mind are exhausted.
Some of them had already lost their weapons but worst of all was that some of them had already lost hope.
Even Kohta Hirano had set in action to, at the very least save Alice Maresato, only to fail due to the later's refusal as she was reminded of the tragic times when her late father had sacrificed his life just to save her.
However, in such a trying circumstance, one of them had still not lost the fight but rather, akin to a fish set into the water, seemed to be thriving in such a situation.
Martin Harvie was only an ordinary person before he was thrown into such a world beset by an apocalypse that transforms the people when infected by into something akin to an undead. He was only a sad man who was to change his life for the better.
He'd always thought he doesn't have any redeeming qualities. He'd always thought no one cares for him. He thought he doesn't have any talent. He'd always thought such life was worthless.
That was why, even if it was just a joke, he still answered the call to change his life!
After coming here, he felt something he would ever feel before. Something that seems to be missing before he came here. This 'something' seemed to have awakened when he killed his first zombie.
Dangerous situations seemed to trigger it… this 'something'
When he had it, he always felt more alive. As if his life before was just a lie and the life he was living right now was his true life.
'Is this what it means to have a 'life'?' Martin thought in self-reflection.
Right now, he was feeling good to the point he had already forgotten his own surroundings.
He had already lost his bullets a long time ago and was holding the barrel of the gun while using its butt bash of whatever turns up in his eyes. As long as he does not recognize it as a friend, he would bash its head in a splatter of blood and gore.
Quickly and steadily, he was racking up points, however, that was not the thing that's on his mind.
Only the pursuit of that 'something', only to be felt by taking such dangerous risks that would freeze a sane man for taking one's life's with such carelessness to appear suicidal.
He was so absorbed in such a feeling that, the people that were just about to lose hope before are now coming back to their senses while they're staring at him in amazement.
Their eyes, which were lost in hopelessness are now filled with vigor!
Inadvertently, such a powerful display of prowess has lit the light in their once extinguished souls!
Once, Martin was only helping them but at this moment, they were the one that was now helping him.
Akin to that of river flow, it's only logical to go in the same direction as to where the water current flows, following the path of least resistance!
While having high morale is good, it still doesn't change the fact that their lives are still in grave danger.
However...
"EVERYBODY, GET DOWN!!"
Fortunately for them, an unexpected help has arrived!
