Chapter 6. The price of the name (9)

『Fire! Fire! The building is on fire! Please evacuate quickly! Fire! Fire! Follow the emergency exit and evacuate without panic!』

The sound of the siren hit my ears, and the cold machine sound cut through the cracks. The sprinkler shoots—and the pouring water touches the hot barrel and boils.

“… Ah.”

My body cooled down rapidly from the water pouring from the sprinkler. My right wing, which was not feeling well, started to hurt more. It tingled and heated up as if it had been hit by a thick hammer.

“… You can do it. I can do it.”

Chamilla encouraged herself and looked around.

“Kiyiyi! Aagh!”

“Bus, back to the bus! Hurry!”

She knew that zombies were attracted to noise. But this time she knew for the first time that when several sounds are heard at the same time, she goes in search of the nearest one.

The gang members on the 1st floor must have been distracted by the sudden alarm and the pouring water, and it seemed that they had lately discovered zombies breaking through the doors and windows.

‘The downstairs is sealed off. I don’t know how long the zombies can hold them, so I have to break through the 5th floor.’

Camilla flipped her fire extinguisher compartment wide open and pulled out a coiled hose. I whirled the valve and grabbed the hose again.

The high-pressure water came pouring out. I almost fell backwards, but somehow I managed to balance. I swung the hose in the direction the bullet had come from earlier.

Kwakwakkwak! I heard the sound of something passing. The barricade that was clumsily built by the high-pressure water fell backwards. Camilla drew her silenced pistol and jumped up.

One shot, another shot. Gang members fell. The blood from the sprinklers mixed with the water and flowed down the stairs.

Camilla, who was about to pass by, stopped her steps. If bloody water flows down the stairs like this, zombies will come up.

“… Sorry.”

The dead don’t answer, but Camilla drags her corpse up her stairs and throws it down. Loud screams, furious shouts, and zombie howls were heard. Another body was also thrown away.

“… I’m sorry. May the goddess of hunger watch over you.”

A loud gunshot was heard from the other side of the corridor on the 5th floor. I tried to figure out the direction, but I couldn’t hear it properly because the sound of the water and the siren was so distorted. Thinking of defeating zombies, Camilla stepped forward.

Run, lean. Her clothes are getting stuck. Her stamina is also gradually declining. She felt dozens of palms and hundreds of fingers crawling up from the ground, pulling her body tightly.

But that goes for zombies and gang members too. And Camilla was an athlete, and her major was synchronized swimming, also known as underwater ballet. Even her cumbersomeness was familiar to her.

‘You don’t have to be better than everyone in the world.’

Every time she stepped into the pool, she remembered the story the coach had told her.

‘I just need to be a little better than the person next to me.’

Camilla didn’t listen to her coach’s advice. She thought it was an excuse for someone who was eliminated from the competition. Back then, she firmly believed that if she showed the world something of herself, she could be the best.

But now, those words have given me quite a bit of encouragement. Of all her people here, the only thing that can come after her is her bullets.

“Coach. If you’re alive, I’ll treat you to a cup of tea.”

She said that when she was young, if she saw herself now, she would probably curse her for being a snob, Camilla suppressed her wry smile.

“Cool, Cool! Ha ha ha ha flaw.”

Suddenly, a cough broke out. The pain spread from her back and now assaulted her whole body. Her heart pounded as if it would break through her ribs. Her breathing was slow, but she controlled her breathing by inhaling and exhaling loudly.

Beside it, I saw a door that was securely bolted. It was marked as ‘goods warehouse’. I unbolted the bolt and pushed open the double door.

Under the water pouring from the sprinkler, starved people shivered to the point where their bones could be seen. About twenty people. No one was wearing a proper set of clothes.

“Buy, save, share.”

The frightened people were busy covering their faces. Camilla showed her palms and snuggled up against the door. She stuck to the wall, she inched towards the people, guarding the entrance.

“It’s okay. I have no intention of harming you. I’m Elsa….”

She almost said she was a member of the Liberation Front. It’s a name she’ll have to give up for the time being, she swears is Camilla, and she lowers her gaze.

And I saw their ankles. Bandages were wrapped around everyone’s ankles. The bandages of the person closest to him were about half off. Foreboding, Camilla reached out and undid the bandages.

“Ah.”

I couldn’t hide my expression or hold back my sighs. As an athlete, Camilla knew how to move and use the muscles in her body. She also learned about the injuries a player can suffer and the extent of the damage.

So I know that the man in front of me has a severed Achilles tendon, and that this man will have difficulty even standing, let alone walking.

“All of you… ?”

People sobbed and nodded. Some people even showed such marks on their wrists. Just as he cut the tendon in his ankle, he did the same thing to his wrist.

It wasn’t the first time I’d been in this situation. But then there were colleagues. All she had to do was carry one person on her back and leave as she was told.

But now I am alone.

“Good. Everyone. Listen to me. There is a bus on the first floor of this building. Until there, let’s go together. I will guide you.”

“… Just kill me here.”

I heard sobs. Someone raised their wrist. Camilla tried not to close her eyes. She was a very rough woman.

Camilla approached her. People flinched and moved out of the way. She tried to step back like a woman in a fit of fuss, but was blocked by the others and couldn’t move any further.

“What is your name?”

“… Andy.”

“Andy. That’s a pretty name. By any chance, do you like stew? It’s warm, the meat is just floating, and it’s a stew that gives you energy on a cold day.”

Suddenly talking about something to eat. The bewildered woman nodded her head awkwardly. Camilla smiled lightly. Her gunshot seemed to sound louder.

“I like vegetable stew. It’s the cheapest thing you can buy in a restaurant. Among them, I liked the one sold at the back gate of the school the most. Even though I stir-fried only carrots, potatoes, and onions, it tasted like meat broth.

Actually, I know why. The fact that pieces of beef jerky were powdered and boiled. But the kids were intrigued. They said, “How can I boil only vegetables and it tastes like meat?”

A woman named Andy Pitt, she laughed away. It wasn’t something that made her laugh, and it wasn’t something like that, but Camilla’s thoughtful attitude moved her a little.

“It’s a secret, I’m not good at cooking. I burned the pot, I couldn’t cook the onions, or it was strange. But I met you not too long ago… Bun, it was cooked exactly the way the restaurant did.

Tearing just one bite, I started to cry. I had to say it was delicious first, but without knowing it, I remembered the good times. I’m sorry, I praised you for how you can make it taste like this. Even though I pretended not to be interested in it, I secretly liked it.”

The noise got louder. But Camilla was focused on the woman in front of her.

“Andy has that kind of food too? Anything she wants to eat? The food she used to eat with her close friends or the restaurant she frequented.”

Andy’s eyes got wet.

“… It’s a sandwich. What her grandmother used to do. It had bacon and fried eggs.”

“Ah. It seems that the bacon was first baked, then the salty oil was added, and then the egg was finished.”

“Yes. Her mother said something about being fat, but….”

Camilla asked Andy as he wiped his eyes.

“Then, shall we go eat?”

“… Yes.”

Camilla stood up.

But something was strange. She had been very noisy just now, but now there is only the blaring siren, the steady sound of dripping water, and the hurried footsteps. Something was coming this way.

“Don’t step forward. OK?”

After accepting her promise, Camilla carefully stuck to the side of the door.

The sound of stomp, stomp footsteps could be heard more clearly. It seemed that gang members could be seen through the cracks in the double doors. She gritted her teeth and raised her rifle, resting it firmly on her shoulder.

Puck!

Both doors opened at once. The muzzle, which had been pushed against the door on the right, was directed towards the captives. Camilla raised her gun to the ceiling and fired her gun.

“What!”

The intruders were also surprised by the sudden sound.

She quickly shot one. One shot to her knee knocked her down and two shots to the face. She kicked the door open and fired single shots into the fallen man’s face and neck. The shivering gang member collapsed.

Clap.

My body stiffened. There was a guy hiding on the left side of the hallway. He turned his gun, but it was too late. His eyes flashed. Bang bang, bang! It felt like fists were flying through my body. Camilla fell behind her.

From noble mtl dot com

I couldn’t see the front. Her ears are deaf Beep-yee-tinnitus fills her head.

Like the day I first entered the pool. Like when you plunged your head into a pool filled with tear gas, the world went blank.

– Positive, not negative.

‘Suddenly, why am I thinking like this at a time like this?’

It wasn’t hot. It just hurts. My whole body hurts so much that I can’t even tell where it hurts more and where it hurts less.

Maybe this is the way to rest for the rest of my life. If you just let it go Just like going to a dream, if only I could fall asleep…

“aaa! My eyes, aaagh!”

But why?

“No, I can’t hear you! My ears, my ears!”

Consciousness is getting clearer. A white afterimage left behind, but every time I blinked my eyesight returned little by little.

‘It’s a flash grenade. But who… ?’

Her someone’s limbs kicked her and slapped her. A nonsensical sound escaped from Camilla’s mouth. Her heavy weight weighed on her.

“What is it? Were you here?”

A familiar voice.

The situation around me came into my eyes little by little. The more one thing became clear, the more painful it was. The first thing I saw was the captured people. They surrounded Camilla as if to protect her.

“Yo, Han?”

“Ugh, that’s me.”

It hurt like my heart was splitting. As she groped, something cold caught on her fingertips. It was a dented warhead.

With a quick blow, it landed on the wet floor without a click. Fortunately she was blocked by a bulletproof vest, otherwise she would have died right away.

John, who had strode forward, held out his hand. He was breathing heavily and his knees were shaking. He seemed very tired, but somehow he was reliable. It was because he had a rather large backpack on his back. It looks pretty heavy with what you put in it.

“How did you get here?”

Still, she couldn’t help but feel welcome.

“Oh, I forgot too. You left your cell phone behind?”

“… What did you leave behind?”

“Cell phone.”

A dumbfounded Camilla stared blankly at John.

“Did you come all the way here to get it?”

“No. Why do you bring it here? I put it outside, so take it. I’m going. Look at work.”

Then she really turned her body around.

“Hey, hey! Wait for a sec!”

Heavy bag. Trembling limbs. But a bright smile like someone who won the lottery. It is the face of a person who has already taken a part.

“Yeah, why?”

“… Weren’t you here to rescue me?”

I was afraid to speak as the water from the sprinkler stopped dripping. It seems that all the water in the tank has been drawn. At the same time.

“Kiyaaagh!”

A frenzied howl. The sound of countless footsteps. Zombies were pushing into the building.

“Ah, I heard what I didn’t make, so I came here because I was curious about what you were doing. There was also a bus that could be used on the first floor. But now it seems that I am also imprisoned.”

For a person who was imprisoned, he seemed very happy.

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