Volume 1 - Chapter 24

Well, What Now?

I drove with my pedal to the floor for multiple blocks. Dozens of zombies tried to give chase, but I easily got away from them.

After a minute we couldn't see them in our mirrors. Ryotaro and I both slowed down but we continued driving.

My heart was beating faster than it ever had.

I saw Ryotaro's van slow down again. He pulled into a lumber store parking lot on the left. I pulled in next to him and turned around so I faced the road.

Ryotaro did the same. We turned our engines off and we waited, looking and watching. I was still trying to calm my breathing.

I couldn't believe what had just happened. The adrenaline still coursed through my veins, making my hands tremble as I gripped the steering wheel.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to steady myself.

Ryotaro looked over at me, his eyes wide with shock. I shook my head, letting out another long breath, and he did the same.

We were in different vehicles but we both understood. What just happened could have been the end of us, and we were extremely fortunate we escaped.

I couldn't stop thinking about Aiko and the others. I was wondering if they made it from the parking lot okay.

Having no idea, my mind was already hard at work creating possibilities.

I took another deep breath and tried to focus on the present moment. I couldn't do anything about Aiko and the others.

We could probably circled around and meet up with them. Another option was that we could take these two vans back to the house and meet up with the women there.

If we didn't see them, we could then assume the worst had happened.

I shook my head again, accepting the new situation. It was awful. No matter what we did now we would break our word to someone. It was just a matter of who.

I looked around the parking lot and the front of the lumber store. Now that Komeri's parking lot was crowded with zombies we might have to get lumber at this place.

At the rate things were escalating, we might not live long enough to build anything.

The lumber store didn't look like it had tools. It was mostly lumber. Having no tools would make it incredibly difficult whenever we did start building.

The inside of my van was only a little more than half-filled. I saw stacks of different over-the-counter medications, soaps, lotions, creams, and leg braces. I was sure there was lots more, but I didn't care about most of it.

I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes, trying to relax. It wasn't easy, but I managed to slow my breathing and calm my racing heart.

I opened my eyes and looked over at Ryotaro again. He was staring straight ahead, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. I could see the tension in his shoulders, and I knew he was feeling the same way.

We sat in silence for a while. I was sure he was lost in his own thoughts.

There was nothing more I could do right then. I had to accept this and I needed to focus on our next steps.

I took another deep breath and let it out slowly. I could do this. I could survive this. I just needed to stay focused and keep moving forward.

The rifle I had brought with me was in the passenger seat. It had a full magazine. Between the two seats was the radio walkie.

"Damn!" I rolled my eyes at myself for not noticing sooner. "Of course!"

I picked it up and turned the power knob. It clicked to life. "Aiko, Chiemi, are you there?"

I waited, my anxiety flashing back to me in rapid waves.

Nothing.

"Aiko?" I said desperately, "Chiemi? Are you there? Please answer."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

I waited for the longest time, mind working overtime to think of a valid reason why they are safe but refusing to answer the radio.

It was impossible for me to imagine one. I feared they were not able to get out of the parking lot before the horde overtook their vehicles.

Ryotaro got out of his van and gently closed the door. He walked over to the passenger side of my van and climbed in.

I let out a deep sigh as Ryotaro settled into the seat. He didn't say anything for the longest time. We just sat in silence with each other's company.

"I'm sorry," Ryotaro said after a minute.

"For what?" The alarm?"

He nodded. "Yeah, the alarm nearly scared the shit out of me. It's a good thing I haven't eaten much recently."

I smirked, but it was hard to find humor in the moment. It was possible we had just lost four members of our group.

I wondered if it was Ryotaro's fault for whatever he did, or if it was my fault for sending them all to the other two vans. I had no idea.

"So what just happened back there?" I asked, shaking my head. "What set off the alarm?"

Ryotaro's expression was grim. "I didn't realize an alarm would go off when I broke through the gate."

"What gate!?" I asked, still not realizing the whole picture.

"The pharmacy gate at the pickup counter. I broke into the pharmacy part where they keep the good stuff."

"Ah!" I said, exhaling loudly.

At least it made some type of sense. That part of the building must have had a battery for the alarm in case the power went out.

"I didn't realize it would trip an alarm," the old man repeated. "There's no electricity!"

I shook my head, still angry but also understanding. "There's a battery in case the power goes out. Has to be. Probably because of controlled substances. But I thought the drug stores couldn't have those heavy prescriptions?"

Ryotaro shrugged. "Some do, like this one. I messed up. I'm sorry."

I tried to think of a valid reason why it was stupid to try and get behind the prescription counter. I couldn't think of one.

Without doctors in this new world, medications might be the only thing that could save our lives if we fell ill with something.

"It's not your fault," I replied, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice. "We all know it's risky out here."

"Still, I feel terrible about it," Ryotaro said, running a hand through his hair. "I just thought it would be worth it to get those prescription drugs. Chiemi and I agreed that painkillers and antibiotics might be important."

I nodded. "They might be. She's right. You're both right. I might have done the same thing."

We sat in silence again, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I couldn't help but worry about Aiko and the others. I hoped they made it out okay.

"Do you think they're safe?" I asked.

Ryotaro looked at me, then at the walkie in my hand. He said, "I don't know, but we can call them. Did you try already?"

"Yeah, no answer."

"Try again," the old man said.

I was scared. I tried not to let Ryotaro see I was afraid of not receiving an answer.

If they didn't answer then it would confirm to me no one was alive on the other end. I wasn't sure if I could handle that but I guessed I had to try.

"Aiko?" Chiemi? Are you there? Please answer."

We heard nothing. I leaned forward and put my forehead on the steering wheel, eyes closed in thought. We said nothing, and he let me linger in my nightmarish imaginations.

I was thinking they were dead. It was the only logical conclusion I could come up with.

Then the radio clicked to life.

For a split second I had hope, but then the man calling himself Genta spoke. "Hello?"

I exhaled in frustration and looked at Ryotaro. "Damn, has it been an hour already?"

The old man shook his head. "Maybe. My mind is all scrambled right now I can't remember how long it's been."

"Yeah," I said, thinking the same thing.

After taking an appropriate amount of time to calm myself, I collected my nerves and looked back at Ryotaro.

"Okay, well. We have to make some type of decision."

"I agree," the old man answered.

"Let's start with the choice of ignoring Genta and Haru. We might be able to find the women faster, and we won't be putting ourselves in any additional danger. We can drive around the horde and get a look of the other side of that parking lot or we can head back to the house."

I preferred my first option. Aiko and the other women meant more to me than some random man and a boy I had never met before.

Then again, something in my gut told me it was the wrong choice. We might end up being responsible for their deaths.

Ryotaro nodded. "This was my first opinion also. We don't know this Genta and Haru."

I looked at the old man. He looked back at me. I felt like I knew what his decision was, but he didn't tell me.

"But…" Ryotaro exhaled. "If there is even the slightest chance that Haru can be saved, I think I will need to try saving him. When I think of a nine year old boy, I think of my grandsons, and I cannot forgive myself if I let a boy die when I have the chance to save him."

I clenched my teeth and understood.

"Letting two innocent people die isn't a good choice," I said.

Ryotaro answered. "Yeah, that's not good."

“We are putting ourselves into unnecessary danger by doing this. We don't know anything about Genta and Haru. They could still be dangerous people."

Ryotaro sighed. I could see he was feeling overwhelmed. I was feeling much the same way. Where was Aiko to make a decision for me?

"This is a tough decision," I said. "I don't know what to do."

Ryotaro put a hand on my shoulder. "I know it's difficult, but we have to make a choice. Do we prioritize our own safety and the safety of the women, or do we honor our word and try to save two strangers?"

I took a deep breath, trying to clear my mind. "I think...I think we should try to rescue Genta and Haru. We can't just leave them to die. How long do you think it will take? We can have them in the back of my van in a few minutes, and then we can drive to the house."

Ryotaro nodded, looking relieved. "I agree. Fifteen minutes tops. It should be easy."

I laughed. "Easy?"

Then the old man laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, sorry. I know it might not be easy, but it should be."

I nodded, understanding what he meant. "Okay, we'll go rescue Genta and Haru. But we still don't know entirely what we're walking into."

I picked up the walkie and pressed the button. "Genta, are you there?"

After a few seconds the man eagerly responded. "Yes, are you on the way?"

"We are nearby," I said, "give us more details of your location and what you can see through any windows you have."

"Thank you," the stranger said, "I'm looking now."

I exhaled slowly, feeling a sense of relief. We had another plan. Now we just had to get through it without something bad happening.