When Boran and Riven appeared from the upper floor, the noise inside the mall stopped for a moment.
Footsteps.
Heavy breathing.
Fear-filled gazes colliding with one another.
The crowd behind them…
Forty people.
When Riven's girlfriend saw him, she froze in place.
Then she ran and hugged him.
"You're alive…" she said, her voice trembling.
"You're really here."
Riven calmed her.
"I'm here… don't worry."
Boran scanned the crowd.
He frowned.
"Man," he said,
"I thought maybe two or three people would show up."
"What the hell is this."
"This is a whole human herd."
Someone laughed in between.
A nervous laugh.
Riven spoke up.
"They gathered on the way."
"They were alone."
Karel looked at all of them without speaking.
Silence.
And in the back…
Two people left in the shadows.
They were standing side by side.
Their heads leaned toward each other.
Whispering.
Thug-looking.
One curled his lip and muttered.
"He's armed but alone."
The other clenched his teeth.
"One opening is enough."
Karel noticed.
But he didn't show it.
The trio stepped aside a little.
Riven whispered:
"This many people is too much."
Boran sighed.
"If we leave them, they'll die."
Karel spoke briefly.
"A decision will be made."
"Who stays…"
"Who goes…"
Karel stepped forward.
His voice was calm but cold.
"Listen carefully now," he said.
"If anyone wants to leave…"
"You can leave now."
No one moved.
"Staying here means safety."
"But it has a price."
He paused for a moment.
"I have rules."
The silence grew heavier.
"Those who don't follow the rules cannot stay."
Twelve people slowly stepped forward.
Karel looked at Riven.
"Take them."
"Close the door."
"Do not open it again."
As Riven took the people away, Karel turned to those who remained.
"One more thing," he said.
"You can't survive here just by following rules."
He took a step forward.
"Those who are useful stay."
"Those who aren't…"
"Become a burden."
The two thugs in the back whispered again.
"Now?"
"Now."
Karel continued speaking.
"The price of betrayal is heavy," he said.
"And I won't let you die easily."
BANG!
A gunshot.
One thug fell to the ground.
BANG!
The second one too.
Blood spread across the floor.
Screams rose.
Boran shouted:
"BRO WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
Karel looked at him.
His voice was calm.
"Let it go."
"Don't interfere right now."
Boran thought to himself:
He must have a reason.
"Alright," he said.
Karel turned back to the crowd.
"If anyone has been bitten," he said,
"say it now."
A man trembled while hiding his arm.
Boran noticed.
"He's bitten."
Karel fired without saying a word.
Then he spoke:
"I don't like lies," he said.
"Zombies either."
He didn't stop.
"Now listen."
"The selection isn't over."
"There are tasks for those who want to stay."
"We don't really need much else."
"Useful people are enough."
"Those with strength…"
"Will be trained."
"Doctors, mechanics, cooks…"
"Step forward."
People stepped out one by one.
Selected:
- 2 doctors (husband and wife, one female, one male)
- 3 cooks (2 male, 1 female)
- 3 mechanics (2 male, 1 female)
Total: 8 people.
Then the count was done.
There were 40 people at the start.
12 had left.
2 thugs were killed.
1 bitten person was killed.
Remaining: 25 people.
Of these:
14 women
11 men
Karel looked at all of them.
"Those who aren't useful," he said,
"are cleaners for now."
"You won't do it alone."
"It has to be fast."
"We'll help too."
"Those who can't touch bodies…"
"Grab mops and brooms."
His voice hardened.
"Don't try to take food and run."
"Don't think you can hide somewhere and lie in a bed."
"I know every corner of this place."
"There is nowhere here you can hide and survive."
"Understood?"
No one spoke.
Riven arrived at that moment.
He saw the bodies.
"What the hell happened here?"
Boran pulled him aside.
Explained briefly.
Riven went silent.
He said nothing.
The bodies weren't taken out through the door.
They were carried upstairs.
Taken to the glass side.
One by one…
Thrown down.
The sounds echoed.
The blood stayed below.
Cleaning began.
And Karel said one last thing:
"Those who follow the rules…"
"Live well."
"Your safety will be ensured."
"Those who don't…"
"Won't last long."
Karel looked down through the glass.
Shadows were moving below.
And he smiled.