Endel stared at the girl, feeling a cold grip on his thoughts. Her voice sounded surprisingly calm, almost cheerful, yet the meaning of her words was horrifying.
"A nice policeman uncle killed them… because they were weak…"
These words echoed in his mind. How could a child say something like that with such… ease?
Her gaze remained motionless, her empty eyes drilling straight through him. She didn't move from her spot, just stood there, tilting her head to the side, as if assessing him.
Endel tensed even more, keeping his rifle raised.
— Are you alone? — he asked, trying to make his voice sound firm, though inside he felt a mix of distrust, fear, and pity.
The girl nodded.
— And how long have you been here? — he continued, interrogating her to gauge how dangerous the situation was.
— Long enough to see you, soldiers, and the policeman uncle killing each other—or rather, he kills them, — she replied, smiling even wider.
Endel felt a cold sweat run down his spine. Her smile was terrifying, as if she enjoyed her own words. Yet his gaze caught an important detail. If this "policeman" killed soldiers from the armored vehicle, how was that possible? James had claimed he was the sole survivor of his 76th army. But then he lied? But why? Was he hiding something?
Instinctively, Endel glanced at the armored vehicle's hull and noticed the inscription on the side: "This was the 48th army." He exhaled quietly, realizing he had been unfairly suspicious of James, always thinking he was withholding information about the current situation.
He looked back at the girl.
— Are you injured? — he asked, eyeing the blood covering her clothes.
She looked at herself, then back at him, shrugging.
— It's not my blood, — she said matter-of-factly, as if commenting on the weather.
— Damn, — he whispered to himself, realizing the situation was becoming stranger by the second.
He studied her, trying to decide what to do next. The girl didn't seem hostile… but in a place where even an army couldn't survive, any strange behavior could be deadly.
— What's your name? — he asked.
— And what if I say I don't have one? — she tilted her head again, as if playing with him.
— Why? Everyone has a name, — Endel replied.
She laughed, but it wasn't a child's laugh—it was cold, empty, as if this child hadn't known joy for a long time.
— The policeman uncle said weak people can't have a name… but if you want to know mine, then call me… Alice, — she finally said, taking a step back.
— Fine, Alice, — Endel said slowly, trying not to make any sudden movements. — What are you doing here alone?
Her smile vanished, and something flickered in her eyes, making him grip his rifle tighter.
— I'm waiting.
— Waiting for what?
— For people like you.
— Why? — Endel replied curtly.
— Until you decide I can be trusted, and pity me, like the soldiers yesterday. The ones I led to the policeman uncle, — she said with a detached tone.
Endel tensed, feeling his heart hammer in his chest. He couldn't tell if she was telling the truth or if this was a cunning trick. Yet somehow, he found himself feeling pity for her.
— Why should I go with you? — he said, trying to convince both himself and her.
— Fine, — she said, shaking her head. — Then we'll go together.
Endel froze in surprise. She… was definitely not right in the head… But he still asked:
— Where are we going?
— Where you're going. You want to know what happened to this vehicle and the people, right?
— How do you… — he began, but she interrupted him.
— I know a lot. I hear a lot.
Her voice sounded confident, as if she truly knew more than he wanted to know.
Endel hesitated. Leaving the girl here alone felt wrong, but taking her along was potentially deadly. And yet, he wanted to know what had happened to the soldiers; maybe she could provide more information about the invasion.
His inner voice screamed that this was a trap. But he also knew he couldn't simply turn and leave.
— Alright, Alice, — he finally said, lowering his rifle but not putting it away completely. — But if you try anything stupid…
She smiled again.
— I know what you'll do. You'll kill me like the policeman uncle.
Her words sounded like a challenge, yet at the same time like an acceptance of their strange alliance.
Endel turned and moved forward, feeling her silently follow. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had taken along not a child, but something far more dangerous.
They had been walking for about half an hour. The girl occasionally indicated the direction, pointing into the dark streets. The night, though heavy with silence, was lit by remnants of the once-great capital: street lamps, shop signs, and rare flashes of electricity in surviving buildings created a grim contrast with the destroyed city. In the distance, blows, monster howls, and distant gunfire could be heard. Every rustle made Endel keep his weapon ready.
He kept his distance from the girl; his survival instincts screamed that she was dangerous. Endel knew that with his [Berserk] skill, he had a chance to survive even an unexpected encounter. The skill had already saved his life, allowing him to defeat the E-rank monster barehanded, but that did not reassure him. The girl… was too strange.
Lost in thought, he suddenly heard a quiet laugh behind him. His muscles tensed instantly, rifle immediately aimed at the girl.
— What's so funny? — he asked coldly, his voice firm, though inside his heart raced.
Alice was unafraid. She merely smiled, barely tilting her head.
— You can try to kill the policeman uncle. You're not weak, — she said with such calm, as if it were a simple fact.
Endel felt his throat dry. The girl seemed to read his thoughts, and that scared him more than anything else. Or perhaps she simply spoke the first thing that came to mind.
He silently stared at her, but Alice seemed unfazed by his reaction. She simply turned and walked ahead, not looking back.
Endel followed, rifle still at the ready. After a few minutes, Alice stopped in front of a massive building. It was a tall residential building, 21 floors, though most of the windows had already been shattered. The facade was covered with deep cracks, and in some places, scorch marks hinted at laser weapon damage.
— The policeman uncle lives here, — said the girl, pointing to the building. — He said I should bring strong people to him.
Endel felt a cold sweat run down his spine. The place didn't just look terrifying—it literally radiated death.
— What does he do with the people you bring? — he asked, narrowing his eyes.
Alice turned her head, her smile widening slightly.
— The weak… don't survive, you know? Uncle says they're useless… — she replied with absolute serenity.
The words sounded like a sentence, confirming Endel's worst fears: the "policeman uncle" was a psychopath, a maniac, simply a killer.
Endel's gaze shifted to the building. He felt as if someone behind the shattered windows was watching him. He didn't know if he should go inside, but refusing meant losing potential information about the enemy and what had happened to the surviving soldiers.
— Don't be afraid, — Alice continued, sensing his doubt. — The policeman uncle doesn't kill strong and special people.
Endel frowned. Her words sounded reassuring, but he knew he couldn't trust her. Yet somehow, he believed her.
— And if I'm not as strong as he thinks? — he rasped, still staring at the building.
Alice laughed, her laugh light, almost childish, but chilling.
— Then you'll die, like everyone else.
Endel clenched his teeth, feeling his anxiety rise. Leaving now would be an admission of weakness. But going to where a killer awaited was tantamount to suicide.
— Will you go? — Alice asked, tilting her head, curious how he would decide.
Endel took a deep breath. Every fiber of his body screamed that this was a bad idea. But he knew that if he didn't enter, he might miss something important. Perhaps inside lay the key to understanding what had happened or the chance to find any surviving soldiers who knew.
— You'll go first, — he said, squinting.
Alice giggled, saying nothing. She simply turned and began ascending the stairs toward the entrance. Endel followed slowly, keeping his rifle ready.
Approaching the doors, he felt the air grow heavier. It was as if the very atmosphere of the building was soaked in death and fear. The entrance door creaked open slightly, revealing a spacious lobby. Once likely serving as the residents' reception, it was now destroyed: furniture overturned, glass shattered, and the floor covered with dried blood.
— The policeman uncle lives upstairs, — Alice said emotionlessly, heading for the stairs.
Endel looked around. His gaze landed on fresh bloodstains leading to the stairwell—signs of a struggle, perhaps very recent.
— And why did he call soldiers here? — he asked, keeping his voice calm.
Without turning, the girl replied:
— To see who among you is strong. Only the strong have the right to live.
The words echoed in Endel's mind. He realized that this "policeman uncle" used people as tools for his perverse games.
On the sixth floor, they stopped. Alice pointed to a door slightly ajar, a faint light glowing from within.
— He's there, — she said, smiling again.
Endel raised his hand to stop her.
— You'll stay here.
— Why? — she asked, genuinely curious this time.
— Because I said so, — he replied coldly, his eyes flashing with resolve.
Alice shook her head but obeyed, sitting on the stairs.
Endel stepped forward, standing in front of the door. Inside, it was quiet, but the silence didn't calm—it made him even more tense.
He pushed the door, and the dim light blinded him for a moment. What he saw inside made him freeze…