The scent of blood, raw meat, and decay filled my nostrils, triggering a ravenous hunger in my mind. My steps seemed to involuntarily move towards the zombies feasting on the ground. It took me a while to realize that this was just my imagination, in reality, I hadn’t moved.
The wind picked up.
Leaves rustled, and I looked up. Should I head in that direction?
I should go in that direction.
But in reality, I was moving in the opposite direction.
The scents and sounds gradually faded with the wind. I stopped, unsure of what to do. The road was blocked. Where would the person I was looking for go? After the accident here, would the person I’m searching for still be… alive?
And why do I have to find him?
The taste of loss is so terrifying. I don’t want to… remember this feeling.
Even though I have no breath, no heartbeat, and am technically dead, it feels like I’ve died again.
My mind was fuzzy, as if many things that had been gradually established were collapsing. Another gust of wind blew, and I irritably tried to get rid of the bloody smell that had seeped into my nose.
I continued walking a few steps against the wind.
The sky darkened, and a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, accompanied by distant thunder.
Is it going to rain?
If it rains, all these scents and traces will likely be washed away.
On the dirt road outside the street, tire tracks were chaotic. I couldn’t distinguish which were new and which were old, and I couldn’t figure out the exact direction. I couldn’t see any signs that told me what I was chasing.
The hunger was attacking my attempts to think little by little…
If… I don’t think about it… and follow my instincts… to search for food… flesh and blood… brain…
My mind was hazy, and the surroundings grew darker. In the void of darkness, I heard deep breathing.
My chest seemed to rise and fall, as if I was breathing. This realization made me close my eyes. When I opened them again, I found myself in what seemed to be a room, sitting on the floor.
Pain coursed through my limbs, as if my bones were being dismantled. I tried to move but was in too much pain, so I had to lean against the wall. Cold sweat dripped from my forehead down my cheeks, and on my bent knee was a bloody bite wound.
Outside the door were the relentless, terrifying groans and banging sounds. However, the door was blocked, and those things couldn’t get in for now.
But I knew my time was running out.
My vision was blurry, my body cold, and my color gradually fading. I couldn’t control the trembling of my fingers or the occasional flashes of biting desire in my mind.
It hurt so much… I needed to think of something to distract myself.
Hmm… If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have argued with that guy. I shook my head and laughed helplessly.
Well, I guess I don’t have to worry about work for now… Fool…
It seems a bit pointless to think about it. Over the years, I’ve been apart for work, and this time, we finally met, only to talk about separation… Now we’re really apart… Xu Lin, don’t be too sad…
Stubborn on the outside, soft on the inside. Can’t you be a bit harsher this time?
Since you said we should separate, don’t be sad for me anymore.
Ah Hao is reliable. He’ll take care of him and definitely persuade him. Although I didn’t get to say it, he must know to take care of this person.
So tired… Can I sleep for a while?
How long can the door hold?
…Please, please, hold a little longer. Being bitten to death is too terrifying. If you’re going to eat me, at least wait until I’m unconscious and won’t wake up.
Oh, right, Xu Lin, I was wrong. It turns out that your bites didn’t hurt much before. This is so painful…
And you, please, please… don’t come back.
I don’t want you to see a nearly devoured, unrecognizable version of me, or a version of me like these outside creatures. Especially the latter—if I were to pounce on you…
No, what if, what if he really comes back? What if he sees me as a zombie? What if I end up eating him?
Destroying the brain should mean a complete death. I’ve just tested that. Is there anything sharp…
I forced my eyelids open and looked around for such an item.
A pen might work, if fixed properly…
But human skulls are quite hard. A knife or something sturdy would be better.
Enduring the pain as if my bones were shattered, I slowly walked to the table in the room, but couldn’t find anything suitable.
Maybe I should bind myself. That way, even if I turn into that kind of monster, with limited mobility, I wouldn’t hurt anyone.
Then I realized with a bitter smile that it was actually quite difficult to completely end one’s life or confine oneself.
There were no ropes here.
…What if my legs were broken?
Limiting mobility… should also avoid hurting anyone.
My mind wandered, thinking of breaking my legs. With my current strength, breaking them wasn’t realistic. If I could crawl to a higher floor, maybe… But with the crowd of zombies outside, reaching the rooftop was truly challenging.
Damn it! Xu Lin, aren’t you smart?
It’s only foolish to come back to feed zombies. If you dare come back, I’ll bite you to let you know how painful it is.
My legs gave out, and I fell onto the floor, hitting my forehead against the edge of the table. Blood trickled down, but it didn’t hurt at all.
I probably… really don’t have much time left.
I want to hug him, tell him not to mention separation again. But there’s no chance anymore.
You must, must live well.
There must be a way to cure this. Even if it can’t be cured, the government’s power shouldn’t be underestimated. There must be a solution. No matter what, you must live. Living means hope. Only with life can there be a chance.
At my age, don’t play any tragic roles. This isn’t a movie.
I couldn’t help but laugh… My vision blurred more and more…
“Pitter-patter”
Water droplets fell on my face, one, two, three, and then more.
It’s raining.
I opened my eyes, and the raindrops seemed to be in my eyes. Maybe I should blink, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.
If I lost the ability to cry, does this count as me crying?
Damn… the endless bloody smell seeping through the wind.
Aside from the rain, only the bloody smell remains.
…Only the bloody smell.
No, that’s not right. When downwind, besides the bloody smell, there was also the scent of rotting corpses.
I turned my head towards the direction of the smell, feeling carefully. Besides the bloody scent, there was no other smell, no rotting odor.
…Is someone injured?
Because the smell here is so mixed, did these zombies not notice?
I glanced back at the cluster of zombies and quietly left the road, heading into the forest.
😭😭 oh this is so sad… he was thinking abt him and how he could protect him even after his death.. 😭😭