Chapter 3: Kola is Sweet

Bottle and Gesus continued to roam around. Gesus followed closely to Bottle this time. She wondered how Bottle always seemed to know his sense of direction. She has not seen him pull out any map or compass or anything, and yet Bottle seemed to know exactly where he was headed.

Perhaps Bottle has been at these places before. Or perhaps he memorized it from somewhere. As she thought more she realized she hardly knew Bottle. Rather she realized she hardly knew anyone or anything; other than killing.

To relieve her doubt she asked.

"U-um Bwttle?"

"Huh?"

"W-what is a THING? A-Are they safe to eat?"

Bottle kept walking but raised a smirk. "Of course they are!"

"As for 'what' they are…"

Bottle paused for a second perhaps he was thinking of a good reply. However, a gloomy expression washed over him.

"Dead man walking…"

"Anyway, we're here!"

Bottle pointed at the 2nd floor of an old apartment complex. It was an average looking building, but rather than concrete it was made with sandstone and wood, which gave it a warm tanned color. It was far enough from the Walls or the sky scrapers that light would gently rest on top of the building.

However, those were the only positives. There was trash everywhere on the 1st floor. The walls seemed damaged and even a part of the roof seemed unbalanced and was about to fall off. It was like a crumbling castle.

Bottle whispered to himself "Home Sweet, Home"

Taking the moment Bottle breathed deeply into his lungs, only to cough violently at the putride air that surrounded them.

(Cough!) (Cough!)

"Anyway, let's head inside."

There was a staircase outside on the side of the apartment complex which led upstairs. Which was beneficial as they avoided the majority of the garbage on the first floor.

"I-Is thwis your home?" Gesus asked.

Bottle was searching underneath some of the boxes in front of room 103.

"Something like that, ah! I found it nice."

Bottle found a thin plastic card of sorts. Gesus assumed the door had some kind of scanning feature, she knew her laboratory did the one where she stayed during the war.

But to her surprise Bottle slipped the card into the gap between the door, after a "click" the door was opened.

The girl walked into the room and the musty smell of old age hit her nose. The room was filled with cobwebs and the dust had settled on every surface. The floorboards creaked under her feet as she walked.

She looked around and saw that the room was filled with old antiques, a grandfather clock stood in the corner, its hands frozen in time. An old gramophone sat in the middle of the room and a record was still spinning on it.

Bottle walked to the window and pulled the blinders aside, letting the light in. The dust danced in the beams of sunlight and she could see the layers of grime on the windows.

Gesus noticed a painting hanging above the mantelpiece, it was covered in a thick layer of dust, but she could still make out the image of a group of sorts raising a flag of some sort like a victory pose. She could make out one of the individuals, it was Bottle.

The girl felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized that the room had been filled with heirlooms, war trinkets and other valuable goods. It was like stepping back in time, or being at a museum.

She knew that she had to be careful, the old building was unstable and the antiques were fragile, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and curiosity as she explored the room.

Upon a wider view the room resembled that of an office. There was an elegant wooden desk near with wooden chairs in the center of the room, the window was perfectly positioned behind the comfy leather chair behind the desk.

Bottle after opening the window sat on the leather chair seemingly relaxing and laid back; absorbing the time lost from not sitting on the chair.

Gesus continued to look around, but frankly there were so many things that she couldn't react to all of it at once. But what caught her eyes the most was Bottle. Or rather what he was doing.

He was drinking some black liquid from a bottle he pulled out underneath his desk.

The cold glass of Koca-Kola sweating in his hand. He took a sip and felt the bubbles fizz on his tongue, the sweet syrupy taste filling his mouth. He let out a sigh of contentment as he took another sip, relishing the familiar taste.

He had had a long day and the cool drink was just what he needed to relax. He leaned back in his chair and let himself get lost in the moment.

The man took another sip, feeling the cool liquid slide down his throat. He closed his eyes and let the taste take over, the familiar notes of caramel and vanilla bringing back memories of his childhood. He remembered the hot summer days, and cold Koca-Kola was the perfect refreshment.

As he finished the drink, he couldn't help but smile. There was something about the taste of Koca-Kola that always seemed to put him in a good mood.

As Bottle reopened his eyes, he could feel Gesus staring daggers at him. He tried to avoid eye contact but the bright green eyes were seemingly impossible to dodge. Like some watchtower searching for a ship at sea.

"W-What?" Bottle replied in a sluggish manner.

"W-what's thwat…" Gesus gulped as she tried to wipe the drool from the corners of her lips.

Bottle was no fool, they just ate a Burger he knew the hunger would give way for some savory drink. The problem was, he didn't want to share. In this world Bottle has collected all the Koca Kola bottles that he could and stored them up. He only had a few left now and he couldn't afford to share, not now or ever!

Bottle could feel the water drip onto his hand from the ice cold drink, mimicking as if he was sweating

"You know kid… we all have choices to make…"

Bottle quickly chucked the last of Kola down his throat devouring it like a monster compared to before.

Gesus retaliated by reaching for the Kola bottle before Bottle could finish. They both fell to the ground. The Kola bottle still had some contents but only that of a gulp or two.

Bottle pulled out his revolver, the barrel pointed towards Gesus who was lying across from him. He calmly cocked the hammer back and looked at the person, his eyes cold and emotionless.

Gesus's eyes widened in shock and fear; She tried to back away, but the man's gaze never wavered. He didn't say a word, but the threat was clear.

The room was filled with tension, no one dared to move or speak. The man's hand was steady as he held the gun, his finger resting on the trigger.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the man uncocked the hammer, put the gun back in his holster and stood up.

"Have a sip… You'll like it"

Gesus, who was shaking with fear, her eyes wide with anxiety regained her calm.

She looked up at Bottle and smiled. She was filled with gratitude and relief, her fear had vanished. And she hugged Bottle tightly and whispered, "Thank you."

The girl took a sip of the cold Koca-Kola and her taste buds were immediately awakened. The fizzy bubbles danced on her tongue and the sweetness of the syrup was perfectly balanced. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of pleasure.

As she continued to drink, she couldn't help but smile. She felt the thirst and the heat dissipating, replaced by a feeling of satisfaction and contentment. She knew she would always remember this moment, the taste of the Koca-Kola, the moment of pure enjoyment.

She opened her eyes and looked at the bottle, a feeling of gratitude towards the person who gave her the drink, washed over her. She took one more sip and put the bottle down, feeling refreshed and energized.

"So… how is it?"

"I-itws sweet!" she replied.