Gunshots,
Over the past day, the sound had become something their little slice of heaven had gotten used to.
Of course, as close as the roar of a bullet can get to the morning call of a rooster.
Karin yawned with the enthusiasm of a grumpy cat. Her gaze distant, and her mind elsewhere.
Though, she supposed she had it better than most in the city. After all, she slept on a proper bed. Ate food that wasn't past its expiration date. And her companions had not stabbed her in the back.
Yet, that seemed to be a common trend with people who were overconfident.
She wouldn't be like them though.
However, she had to keep an eye out for the stray the doctor picked up…
The boy was hiding behind a dumpster, trembling like there was an earthquake.
Alas, the doctor had diagnosed the kid with withdrawals. A symptome to a much larger problem in child soldiers during the war. Something Karin herself had seen much of in her time on the front lines.
She's covered wars, and that was a fact she would proudly announce to all.
But, while Karin was hesitant to take the kid, Daan was insistent that they help him. And the journalist found it hard to object when it came to the silly looking doctor.
Then again, it had only been the boy's suspicious affiliations that prevented her from trusting him all that much.
But, it was also in the way that he looked. That distant stare that saw different fields. The way he flinched under gunfire. That eerie edge when things become too quiet.
Alas that bleeding heart pushed Karin to see past her prejudice, and to use her haminity.
Humanity, she warned Daan, would get them killed if they weren't careful. But that was neither here nor there. Perhaps she had been too guarded. So jaded after what she found in Old Town.
The bodies… She didn't want to linger more than her mind did. It was all the Kaiser's fault. The moon was only an actor in a much bigger play. No matter how many times that parrot bastard wanted to say otherwise.
Shaking her fist in the air, Karin deflated with a sigh. She needed some coffee in the morning if all this was going to continue to occur.
Climbing out of the basement bunker, she entered the main part of the bar they called home.
Dim lights greeted her, along with the solemn face of the Doctor polishing a glass, and Levi quietly fiddling his thumbs in the corner.
It wasn't luxurious, but it was safer than the streets. Much better than the streets, that was for sure. If the locals weren't the ones to kill you, then the moon's rays would drive anyone mad.
The creep smile was very off putting.
Heading over, Karin took a seat before Daan. A glass of coffee sliding towards her before she could even let out a word.
"Oh wow, aren't you awfully kind today," Karin's brow rose, lifting the cup to her lips. "Can't say I don't appreciate the work though."
"It isn't much," The doctor shrugged, pouring out another glass, but this one filled with milk. He then slid it over towards the boy. "But it gets the job done. Could hardly sleep with all the racket. So I spent the time planning how to fix the food situation."
"Food situation? I thought we had enough to last us three more days?" Karin would have spat the coffee from her mouth if she could. However, the situation made her think otherwise.
"Normally, you would be right," The journalist did not like the sound of that. Especially when the doctor went behind back, and pulled out a can.
A can that had seen better days. Torn and ripped like it had kissed a bullet. "I doubt we've got the normal kind of rat infestation. I was able to salvage a few cans from out the wreckage. But, our rations have turned from manageable down to shit out of luck."
Daan shrugged, his shoulders deflating as he threw the can where he found it.
"Which means we'll be forced to go on a supply run, huh?" Karin asked. After all, it was time she could have spent documenting the rest of the city.
The world needed to hear about this! This could not stay under wraps because the Kaiser made this place a deadzone!
Levi grunted, the boy staying quiet. Although, despite the silence, Daan nodded back like they were having their own conversation.
"Levi brings up a good point," Daan commented, refilling the boy's glass. "We also have to find more ammo for our guns. It won't take long before we run out."
Food and ammo. Both were essentials in situations like these. And with the infestation problem they had. It meant they would need a lot of both in the coming days.
"So what's this plan you've cooked up then?" Karin wondered, finishing the rest of her cup. "Thinking about hitting up the mall again like last time?"
Both Daan and Levi shivered at the thought. One that wasn't undeserved.
The doctor took a moment to steady himself. Pouring himself a shot of Vodka, before replying. "Yes, but we've not going into the basement levels again. If I remember correctly, there should be a military surplus store at the very back.
"The plan is to go there, grab a few bags, MREs. Then, we sweep the rest of the building from to back. Taking what we can along the way."
It was a sound idea. And on the surface, Karin found it hard to poke holes in it.
Except for the obvious question.
"What about those things… The ones we found hanging upside down on the roof."
Daan grit his teeth, mulling the question over. They were like bats, if memory served her right. They hung on the ceiling of the mall, and had the tendency to swoop down, and pluck anything they could get their claws on.
Their best case scenario was that they were now either sleeping or gone entirely. Seeing as bats were nocturnal, that sounded like the most likely case.
However, they still had to think of a worst case scenario. Just in case assuming would get them in deeper shit than they would have otherwise.
"Worst case, we shoot them down." Levi curtly answered, now clutching at his rifle like it owed him money.
Karin moved before hse could think, a hand already at the pistol on her holster. But, Daan beat her to the punch, a hand stopping her. "You aren't wrong, Levi. However, with how scarce bullets might be around these parts. We can only use them as a last resort."
"And I doubt others will be able to keep to themselves when they find out there's a fight happening."
Daan finished, his words cold as ice. Others were bound to appear if they were fighting. And more people meant more chaos. Chaos meant that the chances of them getting back safely were slim without finding more trouble.
It was a fact she would rather not think about. But she couldn't turn away from the truth of the matter.
Glancing at the clock, she found that it had struck nine. Already past her usual six AM wake up call. But it was something she'd ignore due to the busy day she had.
However, it meant that they were also killing daylight with every second they spent inside.
"Then, let's get our affairs in order. And grab what we need." Karin ordered. She stretched her shoulders, an audible pop resounding from between her aching back. "Let's make this quick, I don't want to spend all day now."
{---}
Preparations were quick.
Though, it wasn't like they had that much to pack in the first place.
Karin quietly thumbed the magazines inside her coat. One was empty, while the other was only half full with four rounds inside. All the while her pistol was full, with an extra bullet in the chamber.
Frankly, it worried her that they were running low. But if Daan was right about that surplus having ammo, Karin doubted they would be having the same problem for very soon.
Reaching the far end of the mall, they were able to get there unharassed. The path surprisingly clear for what was ahead.
Those bat things were awfully kind. Even if their eyes had this creepy glow in the dark.
The journalist couldn't help but think they were watching her, even if Daan had reassured her they were merely sleeping.
The store was right next to the other exit.
And while it looked untouched. That had been for a very good reason.
A metal door stood in front of the entrance. It was several inches thick. And the only thing preventing it from being opened was a lock on the floor.
A lock which looked like it had seen better days.
It was burnt, dented, and had the general appearance like it had been ran through.
And yet, it held firm. Doing its duty down to its last.
A valiant and noble duty. But one she would rather do without.
She and Levi aimed at the lock, their bodies moving before their minds. However, they were both stopped when the Doctor raised his hand.
The noise would wake up the bats. And breaking it via other means would do the same.
Although, with the trends of the city, Karin didn't believe the problem had just been that.
The lock was likely indestructible via conventional means. And the key was probably necessary.
Karin quietly cursed. Her fists clenching as her eyes narrowed into slits.
The group would need to find the keys.
However, before they could even do something, a figure leapt from the shadows.
Like a blur, it had grabbed onto Levi's rifle, wrestling control of the gun out of the boy's grip. All before the figure jammed the thing into Levi's mouth.
"Choke on it," It grinned, turning back to show a sadistic smile. "I love it when you do it like that!"
It… was not human.
An albino pale, it had the visage of a man, but her instincts warned her it was a predator.
Perhaps it had once been a man. But not it was only a facsimile. Those eyes had no pupils, and seemed to stare into the soul.
It was also naked. And clearly had no hair anywhere on its body. Bearing its "gifts" for all the world to see.
What a gift that was!
Karin drew her pistol, aiming for the monster's shiny head without a second thought. "Drop it, or we're all dying he-"
Bang!
"Pop!" It giggled, a chorus of high-frequency screeches accompanying it. "I sure do hate it when I get too excited."
Excited?
Excited?
"Die!"
Karin wasn't just a pretty face, she had covered wars.
And now, the cold chill of her training drilled her body into the right stance. Aiming for vitals for the monster nobody would miss.
This was for Levi!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three shots, each in quick succession.
For how much she wanted the bastard to die, it had swerved out of the way of the gun fire.
Somehow moving with a grace that defied how big it was!
It moved out of the way of her shots, getting clipped in the shoulder, and the ear as opposed to the kill shots she had hoped for.
The thing moved like it knew where she was aiming. Moving accordingly like it had done the same hundreds of times.
However, Daan wasn't one to stay idle.
The doctor had one hell of a hand, throwing a bottle with some kind of black fluid.
It struck the thing right as it was about to raise Levi's rifle, scorching it in a blazing inferno.
However, with the type of monsters she'd seen in Prehevil, Karin knew she would have to double tap the thing if she wanted it dead.
Before it could fire, the journalist got closer, aiming her pistol right in its face.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One after another, she unloaded what little she had in its face.
With only a giggle leaving the monster, as the fire subsided.
It stood. Burnt to shit, and smelling like hell.
But it stood, still smiling despite how cooked its flesh was.
"I'll make you scream too!"
That look in its eyes…
The thing kicked her, the force sending her flying back into the Doctor's embrace.
Only for both of them to skid to the exit doors. Their only way out of this mess, it would seem.
However, Karin still wanted her licks in.
Her pistol aimed for the thing as it turned away from them. An eye socket empty, and holes in its mouth. She just needed one more to make sure it was dea-
"Stop!" Daan flagged her pistol down. "It's running away. And we should too."
Karin wanted to argue back. But the newly awakened, and very grumpy bad colony dissuaded her from saying anything more.
That thing took Levi from them!
But, Levi wouldn't want them to die, either. Not here, and not like this.
The young boy…
Now just another name on a memorial somewhere.
She wouldn't forget. Karin would remember. She would remember another name on the battlefield.
Despite being on different sides, Karin respected Levi. But now she wouldn't be able to properly say that.
"I'm so… so sorry." She bit back the tears, wiping them away as she turned towards the exit.
"But we need to keep moving forward," Her chest felt heavy. But it was just another thing she would push down. "We still need to get food. However we can."
And just next to the exit, loitering near an alley….
A different figure stood.
Hands in its pockets, as the air grew heavier.
"I think I can help you there, madam."
It wasn't a person either.
But something closer to a human cat hybrid.
"Don't worry, I'm a friend. Afterall, the Pocketcat doesn't bite!"
Its grin grew past the border of its face. Somehow stretching into the air around it.
Goosebumps popped up all over her body, her gut twisting and turning into knots.
Prehevil was truly bizarre.