ZOMBIE SPREE

"Put your hands up in the air" a cool whisper sounded behind her ear. Ai stopped moving and slowly raised her hands.

"I don't mean harm, really. I-I'm just getting chased a-and the door is open..." 

Ai felt the muzzle get slapped down by someone else. "Kei! You can't do that! She's a human, not a dead walking monster!" a soft voice whisper-shouted at the man.

She tried to look behind her as the two started to whisper and argue. The woman on her left has black medium hair, wavy and tied in a half ponytail. Her eyes were deep violet and her nose was cute as a button. And her lips were light pink, plump and...

"What's your name?" her violet eyes turned to Ai. Ai closed her mouth that she didn't know was opened. "A-a I'm... my name? My name is Ai" she replied blushing red.

"Hayashida Minori," The girl replied reaching out her hand. She glanced at it but did not take the offer. Left hanging, Minori clapped her hands and pointed at the man beside her.

"My brother, Hayashida Kei"

She looked at the man and nodded. Silence filled the room in an instant as Ai stared down at her boots. Meanwhile, the two started whisper-arguing again. Ai sighed at herself.

Honestly, she didn't know how she became a teacher much more, a professor. Every time she is with a crowd, she gets quiet. No matter the vibe, or the time, she always makes the room uncomfortable. She tried to talk, tried to converse however she always just gets left out.

Maybe, it's because when she talks about her lessons she forgets all of those uncomfortable things. She gets the feeling of being heard. All she does is talk about her favorite lessons and answer some questions. No... Maybe it's because she is always in control. The center, is that what she really wants?

"Hey," a low voice sounded. "Yeah?" she immediately replied raising her head. "Give us some stuff and we will let you go," He said staring at her tossing the gun around. "S-sure," she said taking out two cans and 3 instant noodles.

"That's all I can give," she said looking at him straight in the eye. Honestly, she is scared. She can't give out much. She also needs to survive. She needs to stand her ground.

"That"s enough. Thank You" Minori said rubbing the bridge of her nose, clearly stressed. "I am sorry about this, really," Minori said looking at her while giving a light kick to her brother who was taking the food. 

"You can stay with us for the night," Minori said, her eyes twinkling with interest. "Night?" Ai said voice pitched. Minori surprised quickly covered her mouth with her hands, pushing Ai into the wall.

"Shhh, quiet," Minori said eyes, darting around.

Ai's eyes widened as she stared at Minori. Her hands smell like coffee and cream. Having a close look at the woman made Ai blush furiously. Noticing her stare, Minori looked right at her and flashed her a smile revealing her white pearly teeth.

Slowly taking off her hand, Minori smiled apologetically. "Yes, it's nighttime already, look." Minori walked to one of the boarded-up windows peeking at the gap. Just like she said, the sun has already set. She just didn't notice.

Ai looked at Minori and nodded. "Thank You," she whispered. Now free, she looked at her surroundings. They are in the kitchen of a house. "Is this your house?" she asked looking at the pictures on the countertop.

"No, we were walking toward the mall when the outbreak happened. We narrowly escaped and well, someone let us in. She said she's going to look for her daughter and, she hasn't come back yet." Minori explained, pouring Ai a drink.

"The gun?"

"My brother took it from a dead cop..." Minori said glancing at her brother. "We didn't kill him of course, he was... Well, we were trying to save him."

"I understand," Ai smiled trying to stop the rambling Minori.

"Take your rest and leave tomorrow morning. Oh and also you sleep in the living room" Kei interrupted Minori who was about to speak again. He tossed her a single pillow.

"Thank You," she replied hugging it close to her body.

Minori frowned and went to talk to her brother once again. Kei signalled the general direction of the kitchen and she nodded as the two once again started to whisper-argue. Seems like Minori is mostly the one doing the talking.

She walked to the living room and spotted a corpse in an instant. A foul smell attacked her and she couldn't help but slamp her nose.

"I can't sleep there," she said entering the kitchen.

"Well you should even though you can't and don't even think about a bed," Kei replied his eyes narrowing. His cold aura spread across the room making Ai nervous.

Ok, it's fine she can deal with it.

NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! WANT ME TO SLEEP NEAR A DAMN CORPSE?! FUCK NO!

Ai did not reply, conflicted. Minori looked up at her brother eyes flaring in anger. She sends a mighty smack on his head dissipating his aura. "You listen to me Kei! Be upright for once! Either clean the damn living room or she sleeps in the guest bedroom!". With that Minori took Ai's hands and stormed off upstairs.

"You can stay here till he decides," Minori said opening the guest room. "Mm," she sounded as a response. Minori looked at her, smiled softly then went down.

Ai sat at the bed. Her body was sore and her eyes almost closed. She could and would pass out right here, right now if she was feeling safe but no. She feels threatened.

Sure, that girl Minori can't do anything to her but not her brother. She took off her bag and went to lock the door. Opened the closet, looked under the bed, and searched the drawers. Finally feeling secure, Ai hugged her bag and drifted off to sleep.

THUD

THUD

THUD

Ai woke up feeling like she was beaten black and blue by a boxer. Her head spinning Ai held her head. She took the water bottle and drank some to quench her thirst.

"What time is it?" she muttered looking outside on the window. She searched her bag and opened her phone. 3 am. Gosh, it's still too early. But the right time to move.

Countless thuds can be heard of zombies trying to enter the house. Something that she can't tune out now. So might as well try something. 

Crystal Cores.

She hasn't been able to check the validity of this information. She was so busy running away yesterday that she forgot all about it. According to the Guide. Level 0 zombies have a clear crystal core in the middle of their skulls.

Putting on her backpack, Ai walked outside of her room. She tried to walk quietly down the stairs when suddenly...

"Already awake?" a cold voice sounded. She can feel his hateful stare behind her. Trying to look cool, Ai looked back to him who was leaning on the rails of the stairs. "Yes, couldn't sleep right," she mumbled continuing to walk downstairs.

She entered the kitchen listening for his footsteps, in case he followed her. None, Phew. She entered the living room, and there was the zombie corpse. It's not just one corpse, oh no. There were 3.

Her doubt about the siblings flared and she hurriedly started the job. She took out the boxcutter and started opening the brain. Weirdly, the heads of these zombie corpses are soft, like bread with mold and blood.

Ai couldn't help but gag.

Her hands reached in and searched about. Ai tried to not puke and gag. Her body shivering with disgust. Finally, she touched something round and small. She took it out and put it on the carpet. She repeated the process two times on the other zombies.

Ai took the three small marble-like balls and brought them to the sink, Her face pale and tears streaming down her face. She washed them clean and low and behold, the crystal cores.

2 of them are clear with one of them cloudy with a slight green color. She gulped and realized that the information on that guide seemed to be true. She stared at them before putting them inside her bag.

"I'm going," she muttered to no one. Box-cutter in hand, she opened the backdoor. Zombies thumping on the window turned their attention to her. She swung her blade on the nearest one and plunged it at the other. She started to run. There is a trail that not many people go through here.

It connects to an old highway which, might be dangerous but not as much as the city. But that would mean a lack of resources... Never mind, she can pass through some small gas stations after that.

It's better to be away from civilization. I just hope I can meet Minori again. Ai smiled.