Ch.44Chapter 6. The Price of a Name (9)

“Fire! Fire! A fire has broken out in the building! Please evacuate immediately! Fire! Fire! Please follow the emergency exits and evacuate calmly!”

The siren sound struck her ears, and the cold mechanical voice penetrated the gaps. The water gushing from the sprinklers with a whoosh made a sizzling sound as it hit the hot gun barrel and began to boil.

“…Ah.”

Her body was rapidly cooling down because of the water pouring from the sprinklers. Her already injured right wing joint hurt even more. It felt numb and hot, as if it had been struck with a thick hammer.

“…I can do this. I can make it.”

Camilla encouraged herself and surveyed her surroundings.

“Keeeee! Kuaaaa!”

“The bus, get back to the bus! Hurry!”

She knew that zombies were attracted to noise. But this was the first time she realized that when multiple sounds occur simultaneously, they go to the closest one first.

The gang members on the first floor seemed distracted by the sudden alarm and pouring water, apparently noticing the zombies breaking through the doors and windows too late.

‘I’ve sealed off the lower floors. Since I don’t know how long the zombies can hold them back, I need to break through the fifth floor.’

Camilla flung open the fire extinguisher cabinet and pulled out the coiled hose. She quickly turned the valve and gripped the hose again.

High-pressure water burst out forcefully. She almost fell backward but somehow managed to maintain her balance. She swiftly turned the hose toward where the bullets had come from earlier.

Crash! Bang! There was a loud noise of something falling over. The hastily built barricade had collapsed backward from the high-pressure water. Camilla drew her silenced pistol and leaped forward.

One shot, then another. Gang members fell. Blood from the sprinklers mixed with water and flowed down the stairs.

Camilla, about to pass by, stopped in her tracks. If the blood-mixed water continued flowing down the stairs, zombies would come up.

“…I’m sorry.”

The dead gave no answer, but Camilla dragged the corpse to the stairs and threw it down. She heard dramatic screams, angry shouts, and zombie howls. She threw down the other corpse as well.

“…I apologize. May the Goddess of Hunger watch over you.”

Loud gunshots echoed from the opposite end of the fifth-floor corridor. She tried to determine the direction, but the sound was too distorted by the water and sirens to hear properly. Assuming it was the sound of people fighting off zombies, Camilla moved forward.

Running, leaning. Her clothes clung to her more and more. Her stamina was gradually depleting. It felt as if dozens of palms and hundreds of fingers crawling up from the ground were tightly gripping her body.

But the same applied to the zombies and gang members. And Camilla was an athlete, specializing in synchronized swimming, known as water ballet. Even the cumbersome conditions were familiar to her.

‘I don’t need to be better than everyone in the world.’

She recalled what her coach used to tell her whenever she entered the pool.

‘Just be a little better than the person next to you.’

Camilla hadn’t listened to her coach’s advice. She thought it was just an excuse made by someone who had fallen behind in competition. Back then, she firmly believed that if she showed the world something unique, she could become the best.

But now, those words provided considerable encouragement. Among those here, only bullets could keep up with her.

“Coach, if you’re still alive, I’ll treat you to a cup of tea.”

Camilla smiled bitterly, thinking that her younger self would probably call her a sellout if she could see her now.

“Cough, cough! Haa, haaa. Hm.”

A sudden fit of coughing erupted. The pain spreading from her back now pummeled her entire body. Her heart pounded as if it would burst through her ribcage. She controlled her breathing by inhaling and exhaling slowly but deeply.

Beside her, she spotted a door securely locked with a bolt. It was labeled ‘Supply Room.’ She unlocked the bolt and pushed open the double doors.

Under the water pouring from the sprinklers, about twenty people were shivering, so starved that their bones were visible. Not one of them was properly clothed.

“P-please, save us.”

The frightened people were busy covering their faces. Camilla showed her palms and pressed herself against the wall next to the door. Keeping to the wall, watching the entrance, she gradually approached the people.

“It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m Elsa…”

She almost said she was from the Liberation Front. Reminding herself that it was a name she needed to abandon for now, she lowered her gaze.

And then she saw their ankles. Everyone had bandages wrapped around their ankles. The bandage on the person closest to her was about half unwrapped. With an ominous feeling, Camilla reached out and unwrapped the bandage.

“Ah.”

She couldn’t hide her expression or suppress her sigh. As a former athlete, Camilla knew well how to move and utilize the body’s muscles. She had also learned about injuries athletes could sustain and their severity.

That’s why she knew that the man before her had his Achilles tendon cut, and that he would find it difficult to even stand, let alone walk.

“All of you…?”

The people nodded, sobbing. Some showed similar marks on their wrists. Just as they had cut the ankle tendons, they had done the same to the wrists.

This wasn’t the first time she had encountered such a situation. But back then, she had teammates. She just had to carry people out one by one as instructed.

But now she was alone.

“Alright, everyone. Listen carefully. There’s a bus on the first floor of this building. Let’s just go there together. I’ll guide you.”

“…Just kill me here.”

Sobbing could be heard. Someone raised their wrist. Camilla tried not to close her eyes. It was a woman who had clearly suffered terribly.

Camilla approached her. People flinched and made way. The woman tried to back away frantically, but blocked by others, she couldn’t move any further.

“What’s your name?”

“…Andy.”

“Andy. That’s a pretty name. Do you like stew? Warm stew with chunks of meat that gives you strength on cold days?”

Surprised by the sudden talk of food, the woman nodded reflexively. Camilla wore a faint smile. The gunshots seemed to be getting louder.

“I like vegetable stew. It’s the cheapest at restaurants. My favorite was the one sold at the back gate of my school. It tasted like meat broth even though they only used carrots, potatoes, and onions.

Actually, I know why. They ground beef jerky into powder and boiled it in. But the kids were amazed, wondering how it could taste like meat when they only boiled vegetables.”

Andy laughed slightly. It wasn’t a laughing situation, nor was the content particularly funny, but Camilla’s thoughtful attitude had moved her heart a little.

“It’s a secret, but I’m not good at cooking. I’d burn the pot or fail to cook onions properly, things like that. But someone I met recently… made it exactly the way that restaurant did.

I started crying at the first bite. I should have said it was delicious first, but memories of good times came flooding back. Feeling sorry, I complimented them, asking how they could make such a taste. They pretended not to care but were secretly pleased.”

The noise grew louder. But Camilla focused only on the woman in front of her.

“Andy, do you have food like that? Anything you want to eat? Food you used to eat with close friends, or a restaurant you frequented.”

Andy’s eyes moistened.

“…Sandwiches. The ones my grandmother made. With bacon and fried eggs.”

“Ah. She probably fried the bacon first to get that salty oil, then fried the eggs in it.”

“Yes. My mother complained that it would make me fat…”

Camilla wiped Andy’s eyes and asked.

“Shall we go eat some, then?”

“…Yes.”

Camilla stood up.

But something was strange. It had been very noisy until just now, but now there was only the siren, the continuous falling water, and hurried footsteps. Something was coming this way.

“Don’t come forward. Understand?”

After getting their promise, Camilla carefully pressed herself against the wall by the door.

Splashing footsteps became more distinct. She thought she could see gang members through the gap in the double doors. Gritting her teeth, she raised her rifle, firmly bracing it against her shoulder.

Thud!

Both doors opened at once. The gun barrel, hit by the right door, was pushed toward the captives. Camilla raised the barrel toward the ceiling and fired.

“What the!”

The intruders were equally startled by the sudden sound.

She quickly shot one of them. One bullet to the knee to break his stance, then two to the face. She kicked the door and shot one more bullet each into the fallen man’s face and neck. The trembling gang member collapsed.

Click.

Her body froze. One thug had been hiding on the left side of the corridor. She turned her gun, but it was too late. There was a flash before her eyes. Bang bang, bang! It felt like fists flying into her body. Camilla fell backward.

She couldn’t see. Her ears were muffled. A high-pitched ringing filled her head.

Like the first time she entered a swimming pool. Like when her head was dunked in a pool filled with tear gas, the world became hazy.

– Not negative phrasing, but positive phrasing.

‘Why am I thinking of this now, at a time like this?’

It didn’t sting. It just hurt. Her entire body hurt so much that she couldn’t distinguish which parts hurt more or less.

Perhaps this was the path to eternal rest. If only she could let go. If only she could fall asleep deeply, as if going to dream…

“Aaaah! My eyes, aaaaargh!”

But somehow.

“I can’t, I can’t hear! My ears, my ears!”

Her consciousness was becoming clearer. White afterimages remained, but her vision returned little by little with each blink.

‘A flash grenade. But who…?’

Someone’s limbs kicked and struck her. Incoherent sounds flowed from Camilla’s mouth. Heavy weights pressed down on her.

“What? You were here?”

A familiar voice.

The surrounding situation gradually came into view. With each thing becoming clearer, the pain intensified. The first thing she saw was the captives. They were surrounding her as if trying to protect her.

“Jo-Johan?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Her heart felt like it was splitting. As she fumbled around, her fingertips touched something cold. It was a deformed bullet.

She flicked it away, and it fell to the wet floor without a sound. Thankfully, it had been stopped by her bulletproof vest; otherwise, she would have died instantly.

Johan approached with large strides and extended his hand. He was breathing heavily, and his knees were trembling. He seemed very tired, but somehow reliable. He had a rather large backpack on his back. Whatever was inside made it look quite heavy.

“How did you get here?”

She couldn’t help feeling glad to see him.

“Oh, I just realized you left your cell phone behind?”

“…What did I leave behind?”

“Your cell phone.”

Dumbfounded, Camilla stared blankly at Johan.

“Don’t tell me you came all the way here to bring that?”

“No. Why would I bring it here? I left it outside, so go get it. I’m leaving. Got work to do.”

And he really turned to leave.

“Hey, hey! Wait a minute!”

Heavy bag. Trembling limbs. But a bright smile like someone who had won the lottery. The face of someone who had already scored big.

“Yes, what?”

“…Didn’t you come to rescue me?”

No sooner had she spoken than the water from the sprinklers suddenly stopped. They must have used up all the water in the tank. Simultaneously.

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

Frenzied screams. Countless footsteps. Zombies were flooding into the building.

“Ah, I heard a sound that wasn’t made by me, so I came to see what was going on. Fortunately, there was a usable bus on the first floor. But now it seems I’m trapped too.”

For someone who claimed to be trapped, he looked extremely happy.