Chapter 9. How to bake apple pie (2)

* * * * *

The power outage lasted longer than we expected.

An announcement was made telling people to get away from the window. As soon as those words came out, bullets started flying wildly, pinging, pinging. Fortunately, our room was fine, but many of the windows in the surrounding apartments were broken.

They are outlaws.

It was a crucible of confusion.

The outlaws started by throwing Molotov cocktails. The method was to burn down the first floor first, then climb up the ladder to the second floor. Building residents would stand at their windows and shoot them, but for some reason, they would shoot them from places that were neither outlaws nor building residents.

“I shoot for fun. “I heard it’s because I’m under a lot of stress.”

Even Camilla sighed.

“Doesn’t the National Military Police intervene?”

“I would only intervene when zombies appear. When real zombies appear, the outlaws also hide. The military police shoot anything that walks on two feet.

The military police is only focused on maintaining security in districts 1 to 9, i.E. The city center. It’s not just Hampton. It’s the same everywhere. On purpose.”

“So what do you get?”

“Give out-of-towners the right to live in a relatively safe city, and give out-of-towners the opportunity to move to safer central districts.

They say they guarantee safety in exchange for taking away everything from individuals, but… In that way, we naturally tame people and encourage them to become accustomed to control.”

In the meantime, I heard the tinkling sound of a bell.

The sound grew louder. It is a group of fanatics. She carried a statue of the goddess carved out of wood and chanted while holding a large glaive.

They were also showered with bullets. However, the fanatics took out police riot shields. The poor bullet could not pierce the shield. The fanatics walked with their shields strong like turtles, singing for peace.

Those who relieved their stress by shooting people instead of animals soon started shooting each other again and again.

The power outage was lifted late at night. The electricity came back on and CCTV in the street started working again.

The outlaws have disappeared somewhere. The fire truck sprayed water not on the burned house but on the houses around it. This was to prevent the fire from spreading further.

The streets were full of bodies shot dead. People holding ‘cleaner’ flags flocked in.

“What are those people?”

I asked Camilla.

“Chore workers. Did you see it on the way to the city? People taking corpses out of the city. These are people who build houses out of cardboard and live in them, cleaning up bodies and wiping blood from day to day.

The cleaning field is subdivided to prevent cross-contamination, and perhaps that is why the infection rate is low.”

Some of the cleaners returned to the hotel after finishing their work. I didn’t think they would be able to pay for the accommodation.

“Are you saying Hans was trying to set off a virus bomb in a place like this?”

In response to my question, Camilla pointed inside the city.

“It probably exploded in the center. Because the outskirts and the inner city areas are as different as heaven and hell. If heaven could be turned into hell, the devils would be happy.

He was probably trying to gain support that way. Not by changing the weak to the good, but by bringing down the rich. “Because it’s much easier that way.”

Bang! Bang! Another gunshot was heard from somewhere. Camilla and I entered the living room. It seemed like the red lenses of the CCTV were staring at us.

“… John.”

“Yes.”

“Even if the people in the center turn into zombies, I don’t think I will be very happy. In the end, everything becomes worse. “Why did Hans want to do such a thing?”

I thought I knew.

“Some people would rather see others brought down like them than to hope for the best for themselves. Hans probably wanted to impress those people. “It’s easy to provoke people like that.”

“… “I don’t know.”

Camilla brought her knees together and hugged them. I didn’t need to say anything more.

The CCTV light went off. Ugh, the sound of the machine running could be heard from all directions. The hotel has returned to its original state.

A violent groan was heard from somewhere.

As if someone died and their place had to be filled again.

* * * * *

10 A.M. The next day.

I wore a neat shirt, jeans, and a thin coat. Armed with one 1911 pistol and one spare magazine. Do not bring a rifle.

It was cumbersome to carry even a rifle in a situation where I had to carry two bottles of alcohol. Moreover, according to the city’s law, handguns can be worn openly, but rifles can be stored in a case or used only when ‘in extreme danger.’

It is better to run away quickly wearing light clothing.

Camilla decided that she would remain in the hotel room. She chose to keep valuable items, including jewelry. First of all, she felt like someone would have to remain in her room after experiencing a power outage yesterday.

“Are you okay being alone?”

Of course she wasn’t worried at all. Perhaps because she slept well last night, she seemed much more comfortable.

“For someone who cares, you seem so insincere?”

I say this, but we were thoroughly prepared. If I leave, Camilla will block the door with her chair, and if anyone tries to force their way in, she will shoot them with her rifle. I decided not to open it even if someone knocked, unless they contacted me through my cell phone or the counter desk.

“What’s wrong? “I just sell some alcohol, get some information, and come back.”

“… That’s right. I have a bad feeling. “Hold on a minute, let me fix your clothes.”

While I was waiting to see if there was something wrong with my clothes, Camilla untied the front of her shirt. Before she could say anything, she kissed her way down from her chest, and then she sucked my stomach.

“It tickles!”

Camilla stepped back, letting her flowing hair fall behind her ear. She had a clear kiss mark on her stomach. If you count the one on her chest, there are already two.

“What are you doing?”

I asked as I buttoned her shirt. Camilla pressed her breasts with her elbows and pressed her fingers to her lips.

“You left a mark saying it was mine, why?”

“I think I left it a little too hard.”

“Because I did it on purpose. Why? “Do you want to leave one more?”

Shaking her hair wildly, Camilla stuck out her breasts provocatively.

“… “I’ll see you when you come back, really.”

Camilla stuck out her tongue.

I also gave a little.

* * * * *

Area 13 was about 3km away. And 3 km in the city is different from 3 km in the plains. Moreover, in situations where you have to walk through a three-dimensional maze like in the Hamptons, the actual distance increases even further.

The city of Hampton was complicated. Maybe all cities in the world look like this. Because of zombies appearing in the alleys above ground, people built sky bridges between buildings.

The problem is that even during this time, the upper middle class and the lower class are divided. The middle and upper classes walked on higher floors and used their own skybridges. Compared to the lower layer, a stronger material such as H beam is used.

On the other hand, the skybridge on the lower floor, that is, on the floor close to the ground, is structured so that if you take a wrong step, you fall straight down. If the unlucky destination is a back alley, the homeless people on the street will rob you without leaving even a single piece of underwear behind.

But even they seem to avoid places connected to underground water pipes. It is a place where the entire city’s sewage system is connected, polluted water flows, and zombies wipe their saliva in obscure places… Such a shady place.

When crossing the skybridge, everyone took out their pistols. No one walked straight. I walked with a crab gait, sneaking glances at both sides. He seemed worried about what he would do if someone pushed him from behind.

aaah – !

Everyone was shocked and lowered their posture and raised their pistols. The bridge was shaking, so I held on tightly to the rope installed as a railing. Someone was falling from a sky bridge quite far away.

Soon after, the sound of a pistol being fired was heard. On the bridge where people fell, people were shooting at each other.

The people who were watching blankly bowed down and quickly crossed the bridge. He was worried that the person next to him might point a gun at him.

“I’m so anxious that I can’t cross the bridge.”

“But you can’t travel on the ground. “I don’t even have a car.”

“You have a car. That’s because there’s no oil. The price of the car or the price of gas… “

I guess life in the city is like this.

A pyramid built with a strange longing, constantly comparing places higher and lower than oneself, envying the top and looking down to gain a sense of superiority.

Maybe that’s why everyone is trying not to go down to the bottom. The only thing you can see from there are zombies.

But humans are better than zombies.

* * * * *

District 13 was a bit different from other places. Although it was divided into upper-middle and lower-class areas, it strangely felt cleaner than other areas.

When I looked out of the building, I thought I knew why. Even though this is outside Zones 1 to 9, the National Military Police are standing guard. The main road leading to the core district runs right through District 13.

The cafe in question was on the middle floor, that is, on the 8th floor. People lined up in a long line in front of the store door, and at first glance it looked like there would be enough room for about 100 people.

People in line are getting restless. That’s right, a sweet smell and the smell of baking bread are coming from inside at the same time. The sound of laughter, the clinking of glasses, the clear sound of a bell announcing that a new pie has been baked. The sight of risking one’s life crossing a skybridge outside a large building is like a different world.

A clerk with a blue glow was holding a checklist and handing out numbered tickets to people. Two guards holding K-47 rifles stood next to him, watching for any unexpected action. Actually, it looks like there were a lot of customers.

Finally it’s my turn.

“Have you made a reservation?”

“Yes. “I heard my friend made a reservation for apple pie.”

Thankfully, the apple pie enthusiast personally reserved a table. The clerk scanned the place with soulless eyes and nodded to the security guard next to him.

I entered the store with the security guard. The people lined up looked at me with eyes of envy and jealousy. I’ve never felt this way before, other than when I was crammed into a crowded subway car.

The security went much deeper than expected. I passed between the tables for 4 and 5 people and walked up one more floor.

“Wow.”

It was all glass. Even the floor. Because it is semi-transparent glass, you can see down from the upper floor, but you cannot see up from the lower floor. The air conditioner also blows cool air.

People here are especially well dressed. They weren’t even armed. Because each table had a personal bodyguard equipped with a rifle.

“I hope you have fun.”

The guard took me to the window and stepped back. A seat for two people. There was a clear view outside the window. Dazzlingly sparkling river water, armored vehicles stopped on the river, sandbags and machine gun batteries tightly built around the armored vehicles.

As I looked closer, I saw a large park. It is a park filled with trees, pavilions, and grass. Unfortunately, all the plants withered and died, but the people were alive and moving.

Among them, a withered goddess statue was seen in the corner of the park. A knight covered in her bucket was playing the guitar, and a group of guys wearing gas masks and carrying pistols were crouching next to him. It felt strangely like the end of the century.

“I… “Are you the one who made the reservation for apple pie?”

Finally, a buyer appeared.

“Yes. I showed it in a photo. “I brought it in a bag.”

I held out my hand, but she did not take my hand.

She was a very sturdy-looking woman.

Her shoulders seemed a little wider than mine, and I’m really sorry to say this, but her torso looked like it had been cut from the bottom of a log.

She wore purple skinnies under her short skirt, and her legs were so thick that they looked like a radish bag wrapped in purple netting.

The glasses were too big and flashy, and as expected, there were no glasses. These are camouflage glasses.

The lipstick was applied so thickly that it looked like a frozen cherry on top of a whipped cream cake. So, cherries that were just taken out of the can.

The only parts that are not decorated are the hair and eyes. Her hair was dark blonde, and her eyes were blue. A tear spot was noticeable under my right eye.

Excessive ball touching. A body that is too thick compared to the shape of the face. Awkward movement in many ways. It’s a disguise. The disguise is too much. I dressed up like a clown. Camilla would have decorated it much more naturally.

“Nice to meet you. Your name is… “

The woman tilted her head.

“You can’t call it apple pie, can you?”

The woman shook her shoulders and laughed.

“That’s true too. “What should I call you?”

I used the pseudonym chosen by the hotel.

“You can call me Caesar. “What about that one?”

From Noble mtl dot com

“Well, you can call me Letty.”

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