13 Chapter 13 - Short girl

"And what level are you on right now?" I just tried to search for topics to talk about now, as I felt like that the conversation was slowly drying up.

"I am level 62.", she answered proud of herself.

"Wow, isn't that a lot for your age?", I asked, not really knowing what the ratio between age and Level is. But she looked super young and level 62 seemed pretty high, so I was surprised.

"It is, actually. Most people around 19 are around level 40."

"So you are 19?" I asked, now that she finally revealed her age.

"Yup.", she said casually, before turning to me with a strange look on her face. "Why you askin', tho?"

"Oh, I just wasn't sure how old you are, you could've been older, or younge-"

She suddenly interrupted me. "Is it because I'm so small?" She looked angered and raised her voice a little.

"No, not at all.", I did my best staying calm. I didn't want her to scream around or something.

"WHY IS EVERYBODY ALWAYS SHAMING ME FOR MY HEIGHT?" She suddenly burst out.

>Why is she so insecure about her height, holy. To me her height looks perfectly fine.<

"Why does everybody always have to shame me for my height!?" She continued to complain.

"Calm down, calm down. I bet there are mon-"

"CALM DOWN!?", she bursted out again. "YOU REALLY WANT ME TO CA-"

I suddenly jumped her, holding my right hand down on her mouth. She tried to resist but I was stronger than her so she continued to scream inaudible things in my hand. "There's a monster. Be quiet!" She completely stopped mumbling and resisting so I let her go. I put my index finger over my lips and signalized her to stop walking. "Do you hear that I whispered."

She held her breath to hear better. "No, what is it?" She whispered back.

"Footsteps."

She nodded. "Yeah, I hear them too." There was just silence for a few seconds. Just us both listening to the steps that were coming closer. "But these steps aren't coming from a Floodhang, though."

"How do you know?"

"Floodhangs wouldn't walk so patient. When we can hear one walk, he can smell us. No doubt."

"But what would walk around here otherwise?"

"Normally just one of the guards. But there's no one assigned for that area."

"Maybe he heard you scream and wan-"

"Just shut the fuck up, okay?"

I couldn't really tell if she was ashamed or annoyed, but I didn't even bother asking, as one solid light bullet would probably shred me into little pieces.

"Don't you have a Hunting System that can help us finding whatever we are searching for?"

"I couldn't really level up in a city where there's no need for a Hunting System, so no"

"I see." She said disappointed. "Well then, let's just search." She flicked her wrist, getting her light blaster in her hand, "I think it's coming from North-East", and started to walk.

As it started to get darker and darker outside the streets we were walking through became even scarier. The last few gleams of light that were shooting down from the horizon entered the destroyed building and were coming out of the other side, shooting down on the street that we were walking on, lighting up the torn asphalt and rusty cars.

It looked like a scene that was coming out of a zombie movie, where the badass would walk down this street while a horde of zombies would come running right behind him, just for them to get blown up by an explosive trap that he placed there beforehand or something.

The scene that was playing out in my head gave me the sudden urge to look behind me, checking for zombies.

"Is there something?", asked Ashes.

"No", I said hesitantly. "I don't think so." I turned again, walking right next to Ashes. I draw my blaster as well now.

"Please only shoot with that thing if I say so, okay?" Ashes looked at my blaster like it was some kind of baby weapon. "You can really hurt us with that thing."

I nodded.

>Hey, System?<

"Yes, Adam?"