Chapter 3
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Although Iris wanted to explore the screen, she decided to hold it off until later. Right now wasn’t the right place and time.

 

She needed to get out of here. However, although the rain wasn’t locking her in place anymore, she was frozen. 

 

Too many options were weighing in her mind, causing her to not know what to do in the end. Not only this, the gunshots, screams, and beasts around her caused her to be afraid of moving. 

 

She took a deep breath. Calm down Iris!

 

She continued to take breaths to calm the palpitations of her heart. First, she needed to analyze the situation, although before she could do anything, the beast in front of her suddenly sniffed the air and turned to face her.

 

Iris stiffened up. She unconsciously held her breath from nervousness.

 

“Grrr….” 

 

The beast started to sprint towards her. Even though it was a few meters away, it had reached her in a blink of an eye.

 

Seeing the sharp fangs and claws, she closed her eyes in fear.

 

Please let it be painless….

 

“....”

 

The pain she was expecting didn’t come, and instead she felt a gust of wind blow by her. 

 

She cautiously opened one of her eyes. Seeing that the beast wasn’t in front of her, tears started to flow down her eyes.

 

She started to sob uncontrollably. She didn’t know if it was because she was happy that she was still alive, or because of guilt. Even without her being there, she could tell that the supermarket she was in was a scene of carnage. Despite her being far away from it, she could the hair sharp screeches of terror and pain. 

 

She wanted to see her mom, no she needed to go back. 

 

She wiped away her tears and stood up. She felt the stack of water was on her way. She needed to get back home as fast as possible. 

 

Iris bit the bottom of her lips. If only there was a storage…. Wait, if it was a system, it might have something. She decided to check the options tab, and if there wasn’t one, she would abandon the stack of water.

 

She didn’t know how much time she had already wasted being indecisive. 

 

She reached a hand forward to poke at the screen. A list popped up, and she skimmed it before finding an inventory tab. She opened it and another screen that was filled with cells popped up, just like a side scrolling game she used to play with a maple leaf. There were a hundred of them. It wasn’t that she counted it, but because there was a 0/100 counter on the bottom right corner.

 

Iris shoved the stack of water into the screen. She actually didn’t know if it would work, but it was worth a try. At worst, she would just feel more embarrassment. 

 

As if going through a portal, it sunk into the screen. On the top left cell, a miniature version of it showed up. It wasn’t cartoonish, but livelike. As if the stack of water was shrunk and compressed.

 

Iris then started to make a run towards her apartment.

 

It was hopefully safer than being in the middle of the streets. 

 

Please don’t turn into a strange beast…. 

 

The only thing that could console her was that the apartment would provide her mom shelter from the rain, which still hadn’t ended. 

 

Her speed was fast. The scenery flashed by her. Due to the sudden turn of events, all of the cars were stuck and the roads became jammed. The people inside were also in no condition to drive. In order not to see what was inside, she looked slightly higher. 

 

From afar, there were avian creatures flying in the sky. Even a harpy. It flapped its wings and flew off towards a certain direction. 

 

Birds and beasts weren’t the only thing. There were people who appeared crazy and deranged. Their eyes bloodshot as they roamed randomly on the streets.

 

Some of them were banging on the cars, trying to get the passengers inside of them. Iris steered clear of them and before long, she reached her apartment building. She fumbled for her key, her heart threatening to beat out her chest.

 

She didn’t know if it was because of the screen in front of her, or because they viewed her as one of them, or maybe both, as none of the beasts had attacked her. However, it did little to lower the thrill she felt.

 

It was like walking through a glass bridge thousands of meters high in the sky. 

 

When she finally took out her keys, she opened the door and ran into the hall. Unlike outside, the place was eerily silent.

 

She felt a shiver run along her spine. 

 

Iris quickly went up the stairs and started to open the door. 

 

Please be safe…. 

 

She prayed in her heart and opened the door. 

 

“Mom!”

 

She was on the floor, with Maria on top of her. Without needing to think, Iris ran forward and sent a kick. Due to her sudden scream and entrance, Maria had coincidentally turned to face her, causing her kick to land squarely on her face. 

 

Maria fell off to the side while holding her face in pain. From between her fingers, blood trickled downwards. The glaring red caused Iris to feel light headed. 

 

However, it didn’t stop her from going over and kicking her again, this time in the temples. She had actually wanted to do this in the beginning, since she felt it was the quickest and most efficient way she could think of in order to get her off her mom.

 

“Mom!” She turned around to look at her mom. She was groaning in pain while holding her stomach and gasping for breath.

 

What to do?!. 

 

“Take me over to the bed….” Her mom opened her eyes to see her daughter in a mangled mess. 

 

Following her instructions, Iris took her over to her bed. “Mom, what else?” 

 

Her tail behind her swayed restlessly.

 

She couldn’t call the police due to the mess outside. 

 

“....Pull down my pants, and grab a bucket of water… as well as a few towels.” Fortunately, her mom had researched the off chance of when she needed to give birth at home. “Also, make sure you call your dad, and do something about Maria….”

 

Iris held onto her breath as she pulled down her mom’s pants and removed her panties as well. She then ran out of the room before doubling back.

 

“Mom, which bucket?”

 

“The one in the kitchen, the blue one.” her mom rolled her eyes.

 

Iris turned back around and after fetching everything, she started to call her dad.

 

“The number you have dialed….” 

 

No response…

 

She called again, and was answered with an automated voicemail. She then tried a third time, and still no response.

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