2.9

[Warning: Sexual Assault, Murder, Gore]

After a few hours of walking, we thankfully stumbled upon a fairly clean-looking car. Blood was spattered on the bonnet, though there was no sign of whoever, or whatever had been hit.

Tire marks on the road leading up to where the car stopped showed that whoever had been behind the wheel had at least been trying not to hit it. A pool of dried-up blood a few meters away made me think that the poor bugger would have been better off having sped up and just kept driving.

Victoria showed off her valuable skills, hotwiring the car and beckoning us to join her inside.

By the time the winter sun was starting to set, we had only managed a few miles. We were all exhausted, hungry, and worn out. Seeing a sign for a picnic spot ahead Victoria took a detour, eventually winding up at a small carpark by a scenic river. There were no signs of other cars or people, alive or dead.

"We'll camp here overnight, tomorrow we'll head up to the meetup point, it's not far," Victoria explained, checking her gun over.

After waiting a while to see if any of the dead did turn up, we eventually lit a small fire nearby the car. Wrapping up in a musty blanket from the car boot, I tried to warm up in a daze beside the fire completely ignorant as both Victoria and Daniel wandered away.

Daniel surprised me just as the sun was finally shining the last of its rays, bringing some freshly caught fish. "Hungry?" He asked, then gave a satisfied smirk as I nodded my head alongside the rumble of my stomach.

"Know how to cook them?" he knelt beside me, placing the fish on some leaves he'd picked.

I didn't, but Hannah the little huntress did.

"Sure," I pulled a knife best for descaling them out of my boot, giving Daniel a slight fright. He chuckled nervously, then walked off towards where Victoria was returning to our makeshift camp.

Daniel shortly returned with a few bottles of water, allowing me to wash the freshly gutted fish. Then he skewered them with some clean sharp sticks. As they cooked I buried the fish entrails away from the fire and washed my hands, pulling some soap out of my dimension via my backpack. By the time I returned, Daniel had six fish pretty much cooked.

Victoria plopped down between us, picking up one and tucking in, no questions asked. "Thank fuck you guys knew how to do that," Victoria rubbed her stomach after finishing her second fish, "or I'd have been stuck with protein bars."

I smiled, glancing warily at the now pitch-black surroundings. Winter days were just too short, even with clear starlit skies it was too dark for me to keep watch even with slightly enhanced vision.

"Let me help you," System chimed in. I blinked a few times feeling my eyesight sharpen and then change. In the distance, I saw a rabbit peek out from the bushes.

"What else can you do?" I asked, pleased with my newfound vision I glanced all around, making notes at how far the treeline was.

"I'm stronger now, I can heighten your senses, and give you a much larger boost of speed or strength than before. I can even alter your metabolism," System began to drone on.

"Okay, okay, I get it you're all-powerful."

Overnight we took turns standing guard, excited with the new vision (which System warned was temporary as it drained my energy) I offered to take first. Leaving Victoria and Daniel to sleep inside the car as I sat on top of it, huddled in my blanket. We'd put out the fire, fearing it could draw them nearby.

After searching through all the stuff I'd placed in my dimension I found some mini hand warmers, which took the edge off.

By the time Victoria took over my shift, I was too cold to care less. I passed her the hand warmers and blanket and jumped inside the slightly warmer car. I was too tired to even care that I felt Daniel's eyes on me as I slept. Victoria was there, and so was System, I was safe.

At some point near dawn, I was woken by System saying Daniel had been away from camp for over an hour now. He was supposed to be on shift. I glanced at a heavily sleeping Victoria debating waking her up. She looked so peaceful and had done a much longer shift than me, so I simply pulled her coat back up over her and left the car to find Daniel.

After following System's directions of where he'd headed off, System answered back that he seemed to be fine and was heading in the direction of the car, letting me sigh in relief.

Once System confirmed he'd returned to the car, I decided to take a quick toilet break and clean up. The stream was so cold as I dipped my hands in. Though cold it was also crystal clear, I could see the silver fish swimming. Early morning sunrays reflected off their scales. I felt guilty at having eaten their brethren the night before.

Conscious of the sweat trickling down my back, despite the cold I felt the need to give a quick once over with a sponge and soap. Stripping down to just my t-shirt and underwear, ignoring my chattering teeth, I ran the flannel and soap around my body, then quickly rinsed it off.

System focused all my energy on heating up my body. It was great that it could do so much with my body but also scary. What if I pissed it off?

System tsked in response to that thought.

Very quickly I rubbed my skin down with a towel before putting back on my socks and pants. Just as I was fastening my boots System warned me that Daniel was nearby.

"Hannah?" Daniel called out, stepping out from the trees.

"Perfect timing," I smiled, standing up, "do you know how to attach this stupid harness?" The one Noah had fit to me still looked as difficult as algebra to me. Hannah had used guns but had never worn them like this.

"Sure," Daniel nodded, walking over. I grabbed my jumper, pulling it over my head. Whilst blinded by my jumper I felt hands grip my sword belt, loosening it, as feet knocked mine under me, causing me to fall onto my butt still blinded by the fluffy, light pink jumper.

"Daniel?" I called out, trying to lift the twisted jumper back off my head so I could see. As fresh air hit my face I noticed a weird look on Daniel who hovered above me, holding my swords.

"W-what happened?" I knew what had happened, but I wanted to give him an out. Hoping it had been a random impulsive move and he was hopefully regretting it.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I want," he laughed, tossing the swords aside, he knelt quickly before me, pushing my back firmly onto the frosted-over grass.

Sure enough, people were scum. Why had I so stupidly let down my guard around these strangers?

I went to push myself back up but felt a jolt of electricity shoot up the leg he now gripped.

"You," I scrunched my face in anger. He had electric powers, just like Noah.

"Where is Victoria?" I asked System, hopefully, she had woken up and would find us. If he heard her coming he would stop, wouldn't he? Or at least be distracted enough so I could reach for the gun still at his hip.

Why couldn't I have useful powers like his? So far all I knew to do was send things into my vast vacuum. If only I could send him over, let the air be sucked right out of him as he slowly died.

His hands roughly pulled the zip and tossed my boots aside. Slowly he began pulling away my pants. Whenever I so much as stirred he'd send a painful shock up my spine, making me call out in pain as he laughed rejoicing in my misery.

I remembered the last time I felt this weak and vulnerable, helpless under the influence of drugs, being watched by those formerly friendly eyes that filled with a sick sense of satisfaction as I broke down completely under his hands.

I'd promised myself I'd never go through that again, yet here I was, trusting a stranger when I shouldn't have.

"System, give me strength and speed, if I'm quick, could I break his spine?"

"There's a low predictability of success following that plan," System seemed lost in thought, "the virus is quite strong in him, he's been hiding his strength, and he almost matches Noah I'm unsure you'd win by normal means. At best you'll simply just piss him off."

Great.

"Take off the rest," he leaned back, sparks jolting from his finger to painfully caress my skin. I sat up, dumbfounded at his request. It wasn't enough he was going to force me, and now he wanted me to start doing all the fucking work.

"I'm not even sure I like this Hannah, how about we just bail and let a zombie Hannah eat his brains?"

System sighed, "if you want to guarantee to get back to the void after this life I need the energy from this dimension. We both do. The meteorites are rich in what we need, I can feel them all around us, leaking into the ecosystem, even just bathing in that stream behind you for a few hours could boost your power significantly. I really don't recommend we leave this dimension until last resort."

Easy for you to say.

System was wise, not tugging on my heartstrings like the last life, but instead using logic and the promise of power to lull me to behave. Though the whole reason I went through hell in my last life was to have the power to avoid hell in this one.

"You're not completely helpless," System interjected, "stop refusing the power you deem useless and use it to rip this guy to shreds. We're in a forest, surrounded by trees, you'd only need just one to take down this scumbag."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" I groaned, making Daniel think I was groaning in annoyance at him.

Another electric pulse ran through my body, this time it started at the top of my spine, finishing right at my core, making me unsure if it was painful or felt good. It was similar to how Noah had used his power. Shit. This was worse.

"Tell me what to do now," I demanded, trying to calm down. I was strong. I could do this. I was in control.

"Play along, keep him happy, lower his guard," System ordered back. I bit my lip with uncertainty.

"If I do as I'm told will you stop that?" I asked, my hands trembling at the hem of my shirt.

He laughed, sending another electrical shock directly to my core, making my knees clench together as I called out in a mix of pain and pleasure. My stomach churned.

"Hurry up," he gestured, more sparks darting around his fingertips.

"Your plan better work," I grumbled internally as I lifted the top over my head tossing it aside. Leaving me in only my sports bra, undies, and knee-high socks.

"Good girl," Daniel leaned forwards, kissing my lips roughly, eventually biting my bottom lip in anger at my emotionless state.

He pushed me back down, my bare back hitting the cold, frosty grass with a thud. Before I could catch my breath he was already spreading my legs.

"Dig your fingers into the soil, reach out for the nearest tree behind him, you see it?" System ordered.

"Yes," it sounded ridiculous, but still I obeyed. Rather be embarrassed at attempting to communicate with a tree than the alternative.

I clenched my eyes shut as my fingers broke through the hard soil surface. I bit my lip, trying to remain focused despite the front zipper of my sports bra being pulled open, exposing my breasts to the freezing air. If it weren't for System I was certain I'd have hyperthermia by now.

"I overheard the Clark's say you were a bit of a slut," his thumb and finger pinched an overly sensitive nipple hard, "but you're like a dead fish, useless."

Over and over in my head, I begged the tree in my mind to respond to me, to do something, anything to stop this. A tingle in my fingers spread through my body, the tree was really responding. I could sense all its roots in the soil, edging closer and closer.

"Great, now take control of the roots."

I did just that, feeling the tree's acceptance with the wriggle of my fingers matching the twitching roots now just behind Daniel.

By the time I opened my eyes, Daniel had already undone his pants and pulled them down just enough to release his member. After giving it a few strokes he leaned forward, fingers gripping hungrily at my underwear.

Mentally I focused on his body, remembering the anatomy lessons from Lex, where all the vital parts were on his body. I ensured each root avoided those areas as they pierced through his body all the way through.

Electric discharge hit the tree, but somehow though it hurt the tree, I felt its pain. Regardless, it was no more than what I'd felt before. So much less than what the sick fuck was feeling now.

Uncaring that I was now covered in Daniels's blood I pulled back up my underwear and crawled back until I had room to stand, fastening the zip of my bra. His wide, brown eyes followed my every movement as he let out a weird guttural sound from his mouth, unable to speak.

Over time his eyes slowly dimmed as his blood continued to spill onto the ground below. I relished watching him writhe in agony until finally, he drew his last breath.

My lips curled into a satisfied smirk. I had done it. I was no longer that vulnerable girl, helpless to change her fate.

I noticed his cold, vacant eyes began to move again as his mouth snapped open and closed and his body writhed more in the roots.

"Is he one of them now?" I asked System out loud, moving my hand amused at how his head turned to follow it.

"Yes, the soul has left the body, though it is still lingering, watching."

Instead of feeling fear at the knowledge of a baby ghost beside me, I smiled, enjoying the fact he was helplessly watching me mess around with his body.

"If only you had kept it in your pants," I sighed, twirling my finger as a root wrapped around his dick tightly, before yanking it off and throwing it aside in the direction System said he was.

"If I was you I'd cross over quickly, you don't want to see what I'll do next," I laughed, the roots were now twisting around his body.

"He is very pissed off," System reminded me.

I shrugged, "not the first pissed-off ghost we've dealt with, though aren't baby ghosts supposed to be weak?" I asked internally, thinking back on my past life and the knowledge gained there.

Ghosts would normally take decades to build up strength to affect the living world, even then it was only minor things. Wang Wei had been an exception because he was fueled by Lex.

It was a shame I hadn't picked up any useful skills from Jianyu. If only he'd treated me like Lex had, training me up, it would have come in handy.

"Is he still here?" I asked, glancing at the spot he was supposed to be.

"Yes. And don't worry he is useless right now."

Relieved I spoke out, "if you're lucky enough to move on to the next life, remember this karma, and be a better person." At the end of my sentence, the roots finally tore apart his flesh, scattering it everywhere. Leaving only the head at the spot he once knelt. Its eyes were now clouded over, unable to see, yet its mouth constantly snapped open and closed. I walked to my swords, picking up the ebony one to finally put the soulless creature out of its misery.

"He has energy nuclei in his brain, like the zombie from before, grab it."

Reluctantly I fished around his brain, finding a slightly brighter crystal than before. Uninterested I tossed it into my dimensional space and turned to wash at the river, eager to get his filth off me. I needed to quickly clean up and head back to Victoria so we could leave. The smell of fresh blood was dangerous.

Just as I reached the edge of the water I heard a young man gasp, "shit, mom and dad were right, you really are a crazy fuck."