Tinkering Admiration

The drug store is just around the corner.

Their feet stepped in harmony, one after another.

"It should be the one." Fein informed him.

"Are you sure?"

"There's no harm in checking inside."

They proceeded to enter the drug store, but stopped midway.

"Did you hear that?"

Fein turned over.

The noise of groaning and roaring entered his ears. The smell of blood was fresh where they stopped. It was, without a doubt, that the undeads took in the scent. They should be rushing their way any moment now.

"Let's hurry!"

Eudimor climbed on top of a cylinder and hammered the glass on top of the store. He jumped inside and stretched his hand out for Fein. "Climb on!"

Fein looked at his hand and his back in continuous intervals and decided to decline his offer.

"I'll come in from the other way around!"

"What?! No! You'll get eaten outside!"

Fein rushed to the front of the store. "Don't worry about me! You find the other two and escape from the back, from where you entered!"

"Fein! No!"

But Fein didn't listen. Eudimor had to follow his order instead of just sitting there in sorrow. He tightened his fist and dashed into the store. He decided to not let Fein's sacrifice go to waste.

Whatsoever, Fein didn't even think of sacrificing himself. If its only to protect himself, Fein could do that with his foresight. He could escape leaving Eudimor and his comrades behind if he wanted. Though he needed a few accomplices for gathering information and searching for his sister, he decided not to betray… already.

Fein rushed to the front of the store and pulled out his revolver.

If i remember correctly, this thing was still intact in my vision. And we fought right beneath it.

He pointed his SP101 at the billboard next to the store. It was a huge metal billboard and should weigh more than 75 kgs?? Targeting four pivotal points, he started to shoot.

"Tsk." A grunt of anger left from his mouth. "A barrel wasted because i can't shoot yet."

He inserted six more bullets and began to shoot at the same spot but with more precision. Thanks to the loud bang bang sound of his revolver, the undeads started to gather near him rather than the source of the blood.

"Fuck!"

He continued to shoot at the billboard, avoiding the rushing undeads.

"That should do it!" Hastily, he tried to glance back when someone, out of thin air, plunged on top of him and collapsed into the store.

"You must have a few screws loose in your head to be banging in space when there's undead right behind you!" The person who lectured just now in a single breath was Ran. Unknown to them, Ran had been following after them since the beginning.

"Fein! And Ran?!"

"Eudimor!" They moved away from each other and sat up. Ran looked a little startled when he saw the two people new to Fein. "Johan. And Nicole. I thought you two had died."

"It isn't the time, Ran. Nicole doesn't look very good."

Fein glanced from the top of his eyes. A boy rode on the back of Eudimor. He shouldn't be more than a year older than Fein. His feet were blood soaked. And of course it dripped fresh blood that tempted the undeads there. For being poorly taped on his wound, it wasn't enough to stop his bleeding.

His wound must be new.

"Did he get bitten?" Asked Ran.

"No. We came across a beast. Its claws caused his injury."

"Is the beast anywhere near?" Fein asked them.

"It followed us here. But stopped looking for us once the moon showed up."

"It was only for our luck that we didn't come across one on our way here."

"We need to take Nicole to the shelter as fast as possible. Kui and Hebero can treat him better." Said Eudimor.

"Let's go then." Said Ran. "The undeads are all flocking at the front. We can use the back route to escape."

"No. Wait."

"What's wrong, Fein?"

"Instead of going all together. I think it is better if we go in two groups."

Ran and Eudimor glanced at each other before looking back at Fein.

"I guess you're right. There's a high chance we'll get attacked if we all went together."

"Eudimor is a close combatant i believe." Fein turned to Johan. "What do you use as a weapon?"

"I carry an S130 revolver. It is empty though."

"If it's a revolver." Fein handed him all his bullets, keeping one to himself. "Take all these and depart with Eudimor." He took a few steps back so that he could see everyone's faces. "i believe Eudimor should escape with them since he's an expert. I and Ran will follow after a while."

Ran crossed his arms and spoke with a tone of uninterest. "Why did you think I'd protect you?"

"I'll be going along with you precisely because you won't protect me."

Eudimor was astounded. All these days he had only focused on strengthening himself and marching head on if he wanted to protect people. He met many people who shared a sense of horror and fear with him at times of danger. But it was the first time he met someone who'd think rationally in times of urgency and even strategize. A tiny ball of admiration for Fein was created in his heart. It shone brightly like the sun.

"Alright." He nodded in agreement. "I'll go ahead with Nicole and Johan first. Don't you dare die on me. Fein and Ran."

"I'll see you back at the hideout." Fein waved at Eudimor with a smile.

"So. What do you plan on doing now?"

"We'll wait." Fein's smile disappeared and changed his whole expression into a serious one.

"For how long?"

"Let's collect some disinfectants in the meantime."

"Hey! Why don't you answer me?!" Ran followed after Fein who casually ignored his existence. Ran felt like it was a payback for the time he completely ignored Fein when they first met.

"What are you collecting the disinfectants for?"

Fein grabbed a bottle in his hand and inspected it. "There isn't much left. Should we add water to them?"

He figured Fein wouldn't answer him for the rest of the time. To his surprise Fein suddenly asked a favour from him.

"You saw me shooting into the billboard, right."

"What of it?"

"When i say, please shoot at the bottom right corner, at the pivotal point."

"Why?"

"That's all." Fein trudged to the front and smeared some fresh blood at the opened gate.

"What the fuck?! Are you crazy!"

Fein stepped back and glared at the blood.

From what I've experienced, there seemed to be a whole food chain around here.

The undeads like fresh human flesh. And the dragons will eat anything, undead or not. I'm not so sure about the beast though. We can gather the undeads here, they'll be wanting to surround the store to eat us. The dragons that are always on hunt in the sky will definitely attack the undeads. It shouldn't be able to enter the store considering its size. And by off chance if we encounter a beast. Well crash the billboard on top of it.

"Fein!" Yelled out Ran. "Move! The undeads!" He pulled out his AMK47 shotgun and started to reload it.

"Don't waste your bullets on them Ran!" Fein opened the cap of the disinfectant bottles and sprayed it on the rotting bodies of the undeads.

As expected, it leaves an agonizing effect on their rotting bodies. It slowed them down.

"What?! But they'll!"

"Come on already!" Fein grabbed his arm and dragged him. That instant, Ran witnessed the inside of a large mouth. The distance of both the jaws were equivalent to the whole height of the store. 10-12 undeads could easily fit into it. If they hadn't moved, getting eaten by that monster wasn't out of question.

"Why the hell! A dragon!" Ran collapsed on his butt.

"There's no time to be panicking! We need to escape!" Fein struggled to pull him up.

To their accursed fate, the dragon was trying to break into the store without considering its size. It roared, stopping the two in their way. Waiting to eat and be eaten.