CHAPTER 0: The End for a New Beginning

I guess.. This is it for me. I'm sorry everyone for wasting the life that you have sacrificed for.

[ 8 Hours before the end ]

I woke up to realize that I have no supplies left for me to live through the day. I am starving. I am stressed, I have no one to talk to. My mind is not working as I wanted it to. I am desperate to talk to someone. But I have no right to do that.

This is the fruits of what kind of person I am. I made my life this way so I have to go through it.

I have decided. I shall be alone for the rest of my life. I don't want someone to die infront of me because of my own foolishness.

But.. I realized that..

It is really hard to keep up in this kind of environment if you are alone.

If.. If only I was better.. Right at the beginning.. This wouldn't happen at all..

I start the day by packing everything I need.

Knife

Binoculars

Pistols

Grenade

Map

Flashlight

I don't have any firecrackers..

I was really tired even if I have just woken up. So I didn't paid attention to my most important item at all.

I started going out, walk through the ruins of the past civilization. Its like those videogames where humanity has been wiped out and everything has been destroyed. Except that this is the reality.

Buildings destroyed, roots growing at the tiny cracks of these buildings. Convenience store that has literally nothing on it. Road that looks like will split apart and anytime will fell to my demise. While I am talking to myself, I noticed something.

I think I have scrounge everything in this area.

I let out a sigh, because I realized that this will be a long day ahead.

From afar, I saw someone standing aloof. It is a strange movement, but I cling to that little hope left in me that it would be a person. I mustered my courage to get closer. Only to find out that..

It was that thing.

I decided to walk past through it without making a sound.

I need to conserve my strength incase of an emergency.

[ 5 hours before the end ]

I saw a building that looks like.. A market. Great me convinced myself that there was something good in it, it should be. After all it is a market. And so I marked in on the map. I secured the entrance, so that it would be easy for me to run through from inside while it is hard to get in.

As I was venturing inside the building, I noticed that I have encountered a handful of them. I entered a room, I secured the area and decided that I should take a break. Im thirsty.. Im dizzy from hunger. Its really quiet, flashbacks came to me at the wrong moment. I broke down as I remembered everything in the past.

If only I was stronger back then, I would not suffer like this.

I was a burden to everyone, and they have died because of me. I always hesitated, I am slow to make a decision. I am a coward.

That is my biggest regret in my life. Not being able to save someone but rather, I am being saved.

I am naive, weak willed, and a scaredy cat who can only rely on someone. I am a fool that not only destroy the foundation of our team, but also destroy other lives.

I wanted to die already but I am too scared of that idea of dying. I can't kill myself.

I continued to go upstairs, only to find unnecessary things that I don't need for my survival.

I found the emergency exit, I immediately investigated the area. I knew that this can be useful for my escape. But.. The stairs are blocked by something. "they" are gathering in a single area. I knew what it was but decided not to look further into it.

I ventured to the third floor. Looks like a lot happened here. I turned my flashlight on because I can hardly see anything here.

I found a backpack full of supplies. I opened it and checked what's on the inside. Food, water, medicine, vitamins. This is good for 3 days. I lifted the bag, there was a note underneath the bag.

"If you successfully retrieved this bag, please avoid overstaying. This area is very da-----.

It was covered in blood. I can hardly read it anymore. But I knew what it was trying to say to me. I am not the protagonist in this world, I should leave and be thankful for this gift.

I stood up. I checked my surroundings. And.. They are there.

It's possible to count their numbers.. There's too many for me to handle. I must leave without making a sound. I successfully left the area and closed the door. I am really getting weak.

Its cold and dark. I am tired, so I sat down and decided to eat whatever is in the bag. It was canned goods, chocolates, soda, mineral, and some instant noodles. I ate the canned goods. Thankfully it was one of those that doesn't require reheating it. I finished my meal. And I wanted to leave immediately. But...

Something terrible happened.

I noticed that I dropped my knife, and the sound of the metal echoed through the whole building.

I immediately run back to the first floor so that I could escape. It was risky but it was worth giving a shot. But it seems like that kind of luck won't happen to me.

It was full of "them" flocking towards me. I ran back as far as I could. There was "them" infront of me as well so I dodged through them.

swoooosh~

Thud.

BANG! BANG!!

Shots fired. I had no choice. They all flocked towards me, I threw my grenade on the first floor..

BOOOOOOOM!!!

The whole building shakes for a while, giving me a chance to escape. I ran as far as I could, as high as my legs can take me. Some of "them" are falling from the stairs, I dodged them. Taking sidesteps along the way.

I didn't knew what floor I am now, but the stairs are now blocked, I suspected that is the rooftop. They are now catching up to me. I dont have enough time to barricade the doors in this floor. I ran and found an emergency exit, I saw that there is more stairs and this building has 5 floors. I decided to go up. I now have plenty of time to barricade the stairs. I took everything. Chairs, tables, and a bunch of heavy stuffs. I saw them crawling over only to fall at the ground.

This should hold them up for a while now..

I did not noticed this but this place is amazing. No traces of "them", and also, there is shops and bar that surrounds the whole floor. I can finally cook something, but as soon as i checked the inventories.

There was nothing. Only a handful of drinks from the bars.

I opened my bag, I reheated my canned goods from the gas stove, luckily there's still gas in it. I drink a lot of water from the faucet. It was so refreshing.

I ate something again, this might not last for 3 days at all. But that is fine, i'll look for supplies tomorrow again.

As soon as I finished eating, I opened a beer from the freezer, and of course. It is not cold. There should be a generator from this building but.. I don't think it is necessary for me to do more work.

I started drinking.

It started raining as well.

It has been so long since I felt this. I am probably too relaxed. After all, these things dont come by anytime. I looked over the edge. I muttered to myself,

"This city is the abomination of fear."

Everything was destroyed, I imagined my life before this hell has happened.

I remembered my past lover, dear friends, bestfriend, and my family. I cried hopelessly, thinking if there was a way for me to correct everything. I joked to myself that I am the strongest if ever I will have a redo.

I imagined that evacuating, saving lives, living, and tactics against "them" would be very easy for me.

But things like that only happens in fictions.

As if things would be very convenient for me...

[ 5 minutes before the end ]

It is almost dawn, rain shows no sign of stopping. Rain drops are too loud, it looks like they won't leave me here yet.

I checked the barricade to confirm it.

And yes, "they" are there. Waiting for me. Looks like the durability of my barricade has worn out already. So I decided to smash some heads to loosen up the tension in my barricade.

I mustered my strength to go near them.

But..

They have already breached in my area.

I ran as far as a could. In a minute, they would surround me. They are slow, but strong in numbers.

I had to think fast, but it was inevitable

My escape is no longer anymore. I looked around, there was no hope.

I guess.. This is it for me. I'm sorry everyone for wasting the life that you have sacrificed for.

I jumped down. I wanted to die as a human. As my final moments arrive, I muttered to myself.

"If I could go back to the past, I will be the strongest that could protect those who are close to me."

I closed my eyes. I waited for my death.

.....

....

...

This is taking too long for a jump from the rooftop.

I got tired of waiting.

So I opened my eyes.

"What.. Is this?"