Chapter 4

Flashes of memory stitched together a fractured narrative in Kai's mind. Faces, screams, blood – a chaotic patchwork of his last moments with his family.

The boundaries between nightmares and reality were blurred, making it hard to tell what was real. Kai's mind became a labyrinth of memories and nightmares. He was running, always running but the faces of his parents now twisted and monstrous were never far behind.

Kai woke up, almost jumping out the bed soaked in sweat. Just then, a soft warm hand grabbed his own, he looked up to see a familiar face. She was one of the people who saved him.

"You're safe now," she murmured, her voice a gentle melody against the chaos raging in his mind.

Right then, a sharp pain kicked in jolting him back yo reality. He winced his hands instinctively reaching for the wound on his abdomen.

"You need to rest," Shiro insisted, her voice firm but tender. "Don't fight the healing process. Your body needs time."

The others who were previously in the room had vanished, leaving Kai and Shiro alone at that moment.

As Kai slowly took in his surroundings, his gaze swept across the white sheets and medical equipment scattered around the room. The muted beeping of monitors, the faint antiseptic scent in the air—all the subtle signs revealed that he was in a hospital setting.

When Kai tried to sit up in his bed, he groaned as a sharp pain surged through his abdomen. He turned to face Shiro, his expressions showing confusion.

"How long have I been out?" he finally managed to ask

"Four days" Shiro responded

"Four days?!" He repeated in disbelief before being forced to lie back down as the searing pain in his wound returned.

The room was silent for a while as Kai took in the gravity of the situation. The shock of losing four days made him disoriented, but the ache kept him grounded in the present.

"Four days," he said quietly, hardly audible. "Four days, and..." His voice trailed off, unable to express the remainder. His parents and sister were gone... He did not need to complete the thought.

Shiro's look indicated that she comprehended his unspoken remarks.

"We're not in the same world anymore," Shiro whispered quietly, resting a hand on his shoulder.

Shiro left the room giving Kai space to absorb his own thoughts.

A few hours later, a group of people entered the room.

He could recall seeing this faces but he could not recall the occasion.

They were hesitant to approach him, as if afraid he might slip away into unconsciousness.

Days turned into weeks. As Kai's health improved, his mind reeled with memories of that harrowing night. The pain both emotional and physical became a constant companion. He built a bond with Shiro, which provided some solace in the aftermath of his trauma.

During the turmoil of the Yomigaeri epidemic, the military had been forced to use unconventional. They focused on rescuing and protecting humans because they were unable to actively engage the creature. This dispersed survivors around Kyoto, resulting in various encampments, each with its own population of survivors.

The military personnel at Kai's camp, realizing that they were woefully outnumbered, began basic self-defense and weapons training for every able-bodied person within the hospital.

As Kai trained, his body rapidly regained strength and agility. Despite the constant ache of his memories, his determination never to be vulnerable again drove him forward.

As time passed and the hospital's supplies depleted, they realised they couldn't stay in their temporary shelter forever. The brutal reality of their situation became clear: they needed to go outside and search for food.

The initial expedition, which lacked a definite strategy, ended in disaster. The crew returned empty-handed, with material and human losses emphasising the importance of meticulous planning and caution.

Every trip, no matter how perilous, taught them more about their adversary.

> the yomigaeri were near-mindless. They had the limited ability to recognize hiding spots.

> They had the ability to track prey by sent.

> Direct sunlight seemed to slow them down.

> They were drawn to the tiniest noises

> They had the ability to tell the difference between footsteps of the infected and that of normal humans.

The crew, equipped with their newfound knowledge and courage, embarked on their most daring adventure to date.

The sun was just cresting the horizon, throwing golden beams across the devastated city.

The survivors slid into the shadows, their boots moving silently down the debris-strewn streets making an effort to replicate the steps of the infected. They smeared their skin and clothes with rotten food to hide their scent and planned a path that kept them in as much sunlight as possible.

As they made their way to the abandoned grocery shop, the Yomigaeri's low groans served as a continual reminder of their existence. But the survivors crept cautiously, matching their steps to the undead's uneven shuffling.

After what felt like a lifetime, the survivors arrived at the abandoned grocery store, their hearts beating. They moved cautiously through the darkened aisles, grabbing necessary goods before making their escape.

The sun was setting, creating ominous shadows across the city, but the survivors realised they were almost home. They had succeeded in their task, and more importantly, they had returned alive.

Back at the camp, the atmosphere was one of jubilation. The group who had ventured into the city returned triumphantly, laden with provisions.

Fueled by their first success, they embarked on several missions, braving the dangers of the city with greater efficiency.

They formed a team of adept scavengers, gliding with elegance and agility through the undead-infested streets.

Their survival strategies were honed with each mission, with each new challenge teaching them how to better escape detection, outmanoeuvre the Yomigaeri, and extract as much as possible from the city's decrepit remains.