Steelz

Hey guys, sorry for the hiatus. Throughout this time, I had been stockpiling chapters (don't expect a lot though) in my discord. The biggest reason for the delay was because I just wasn't keen on editing those chapters. I like writing but editing feels tiresome to me. Anyways, enjoy the chapter. I will try and post daily till it catches up to the stockpile (if I don't you can always join the discord for the 29 chapters *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*).

The awaited day has arrived. I have spent these last few days idling around, waiting for my judgement. Staying at home, meeting my bare necessities by eating some leftover food and having baths. I didn’t want to leave the house anymore. I can’t trust my own body, lest it befell misery to someone else. It is a weird feeling, being unable to trust oneself. I am unsure whether the decisions I was making were even mine.

A rapt knock echoes through the hallway. She must be here to serve out her vengeance. I gulp and head slowly to the door. My hands hesitate. Do I even want to see Susan again? What if I force myself on her like before? I never want to do that again. In that regard, Susan was much braver to face her rapist like this.

Isn’t she worried whether I will take advantage of her? It is even a bit reckless seeing it from her perspective.

I hear the knock again. Dwelling in hesitance will not do me any good now. I tighten my fists and slowly opened the door. It is Susan, like I expected. She looks gorgeous like ever, but her face is anything but happy. It looks apathetic, looking at me like I am lower than dirt.

“Follow me.” She says while turning around. I do as she says, trailing her quietly. My body is a bit hunched, making myself look crestfallen. It almost feels like I am a prisoner on death row.

I step out for the first time in a while. The air is refreshing and cool. I almost missed it. Sun shines upon and birds chirp happily, but contrary to the joyous scenery, our feelings are a saddening contrast.

Outside there is an armour-plated van. Something I didn’t expect to see. It is an odd taste for vehicles. Must’ve cost a fortune to get something like this. Susan could be from a rich household to be able to afford it.

She opens the door and gestures for me to get in the backseat. I follow along and slowly get inside. I wonder what punishment awaits me. Susan sits in the passenger seats and informs her driver to start moving. He turns on the engines and its revving sounds roar like the bellows of a monster.

The guttural sounds tone down as the van starts off. The scene going past the window feels hazy, like I am unlinked to the world itself. No memories of my past really lingered except for Kyle’s. I didn’t want to think anymore. My fate is already in Susan’s hands. It’s up to her on what she wants to do with it.

A few hours pass. I don’t know exactly how long I have been in this van. I took a small nap due to my tiredness only to be interrupted by a huge looming shadow. My eyes darted to it. It’s a behemoth of a wall, the very boundaries of our shelter. It’s the first time I have seen this so up close and personal. I can only stare at it in awe.

The van comes to a sudden halt. Susan gets out and gestures for me to do the same. I get it. She wants to me to die by the hands of the monsters we fear so much. Quite fitting for a sinful man such as I.

“Say your prayers while you can,” Susan says while leading the way. I follow her with my weak legs. The guards are all armed with guns and protective gear. Upon seeing Susan, they halt her and ask for identification. She pulls out her ID and the men’s treatment takes an abrupt change. Both of them immediately salute to her. I can notice the slight trace of nervousness in them.

Susan simply nods and goes past them. I follow along, the guards just stare as I go by. Just what is going on? Something smells fishy.

After we enter, I come to appreciate the architectural feat the humans have come to achieve. The entire wall actually has a base inside. It’s like its own facility. Everything had a neat and slick feel to it, something you will expect from sci-fi movies. Men and women move around in either lab coats or similar protective gear. Such a person in a lab coat also comes up to us.

“Hello, you are Miss Susan, right? We were informed about your arrival.” The guy speaks in a formal tone to Susan.

“Yes, please lead the way,” Susan replies.

The guy in response simply nods and guides us through the facility. As we walk, I am too distracted by all the wonders there are here to see, almost forgetting that I am very likely to die within a matter of mere minutes.

“Had your fill of gawking?” Susan interrupts me rudely. I quickly lower my head as to not embarrass her anymore. She just turns her head and resumes talking to the other guy.

After a while, we reach a giant room with a huge gate which looks something like a vault. It is very likely they were the gates which lead to the horrors outside. A bunch of young men were standing there tensely, sweating like anything. They are all new cadets meant to fight the monsters. It is likely that once they go out, they will never come back. I was likely to be like them in the future until all this mess happened.

They lead Susan and me to the other side of the room. Apparently, the windows are a one-way mirror.

“Wait here, I’ll just do something real quick. Don’t wander around.” Susan informs me before going with the guys in lab coats. As I wait for her to come back, a guy reaches out to me.

“Hey kiddo, still waiting for your girlfriend, eh?” The guy tries to make some idle chatter. I wasn’t in the mood for that, but I still entertain him, just to find out a bit as to what’s going on.

“No, she’s someone whom I wronged.”

“That’s weird, I am pretty sure she mentioned you’re her partner bud, she even signed you as one.” Partner? Why would she do that?

“Wait, what do you mean by signed in and partner?”

“Wait, fuck, don’t tell me… Listen kiddo, can you keep this conversation a secret? If this gets revealed than I woul- I mean we would be in deep fucking trouble.” He grumbles to himself first before trying to negotiate with me. Secret? Trouble? Just what did he mean by that? I am getting more confused by the second.

“If you want me to keep a secret, tell me as to what’s going on.” I was a dead man already. If I am going down, I at least want to know what’s up with this.

“C’mon man, don’t do this. My job is at risk! I got a family to feed.” He pleads me while holding onto my hand.

“Just what’s going on.” Susan has already come back.

“N-n-nothing, just trying to calm this guy here.” He quickly makes up an excuse.

“I hope you didn’t tell him anything unnecessary,” Susan’s eyes squint as she glares at him. The man looks back at me for help.

“Yeah, the guy was trying to make me comfortable around here.” I play along with him. Susan stares at him with doubt, mainly due to how bad of an actor he is.

“You can leave.” She lets him off. The guy gives an appreciative gaze before immediately stumbling away, not sparing a single moment more.

“Let’s go, we don’t have time to waste,” Susan says as she walks away. I am totally lost as to what is going on. His words echo in my mind. Just what did he mean by keeping this a secret? Just why did Susan refer to me as her partner? Is this something only close relatives of her can be permissible to do? Why not something else such as a good friend or a distant cousin?

“What are you daydreaming for? Come already.” Her sharp tone commands me. I snap out of my thoughts and swiftly come back to accompany her.

They bring us to an empty room with a desk and a glass plane separating the receptionist. She gives a kind smile and welcomes us both.

“Good evening sir and madam, please take a seat. You just need to fill these documents before your transfer.”

Transfer? Just what the hell is happening?

“Yes, thank you. Is it okay if I fill it in for him as well?”

The receptionist pauses for a second before nodding off.

“Uh… sure, sure. If sir doesn’t mind, then you can fill all the documents.”

Susan roughly grabs the paper from her hands and pulls it to her side. Without my approval, she hastily fills in both our forms while keeping it away from my sight. The receptionist lady looks troubled by the way Susan is behaving. It doesn’t even take half a minute before she is done.

“Here,” Susan thrusts the documents to the lady. As she receives the documents, the receptionist gives a discomforting smile.

“T-thank you, we will be done within a few moments.”

She turns around and becomes busy clicking away at her desktop. I idly stare at the clock as she takes her sweet time. Susan maintains her stoic expression, but I can feel her impatience from her behaviour.

“Here are your visas, please enjoy your stay.” The reception hands us both something that looks like a small booklet and pass. Wait, visas? Susan grabs my hand swiftly and heads off to another room.

Before I can ask anything, Susan abruptly speaks to me. “I am sorry!”