It's Not Like It's the End of the World

Kacchan

The cold afternoon air lightly chilled their skin. Attacking any area that wasn't covered in cloth, suffocating the warmth from their bodies. Making their bodies shiver whenever a cool breeze blew their way, no matter how light. The need for shelter and warmth growing every second. For every day it's colder than the last. Soon winter will be upon them. Bringing the ever painful cold, and powdery snow. Leaving their bodies to smother all the warmth that is leftover from them. Growing numb from the bitterness winter brings, unable to move their fingers and toes. The lakes freezing over, leaving behind little creaks of freshwater. Animals, hibernating and migrating, leaving very few left to hunt. Making the struggle for water and food even more daring to do. Though this would be the third winter since the fall, the change of season is happening quicker. Forcing them to adapt quicker and wiser.

As they walk down the road the only thing they can be thankful for was the lack of snow. Letting their steps be silent, not disturbing the area or rather the things lurking around them.

The duo walked down the silent town street. A few cars littered the road, most already ransacked for anything you could find useful. Not worth wasting time on. The shops lining the roads already looted or meaningless for anything they could need. Walking down the road the leader of the duo decided to just move on to the next street, not finding anything of use. Though that was discarded when the younger of the duo spoke.

"Katsuki, look over there!" the girl, Eri, whispered. Having been in front the man turned around to see what she was pointing at. Now that the girl had his attention she continued, "Can we go get one? Please!" she asked, doing little hops of excitement, her backpack bouncing from the movement.

The man really didn't want to waste time, they haven't found a place to rest and it was going to be dark soon. Though he had to admit the six-year-old had nothing to play with unless you count sticks and rocks. It has always been that way since he found her. Not that he was keeping these things from her, she just never seemed interested. He feels wrong to not let her get the only thing she has really ever asked for. "Fine, but we have to be quick. Don't want to be out here once it starts to get dark."

The girl's red eyes shined at the answer. Her little hops turning into full-blown jumps, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Before he could respond she grabbed his hand pulling him to the shop, for a six-year-old, she has a lot of strength. She kept pulling him until they were in front of the store, unsurprisingly it was a toy store. With his free hand, he pulls the hammer off of his bag, where it was secured to the side by a velcro strap over it. Looking at the Eri he signals for her to stay back. Easier for him if he had anything to take out. With her moving away from him, he pushed the door open, the shopkeepers' bell ringing. Praying no one heard that he poked his head in, he couldn't see or hear any signs of lurkers. Assessing the room he can see two other doors, both directly across from him. Carefully stepping into the room, Katsuki makes his way across the room. The smell of dust and mold got stronger the deeper he walked in. Not the best smell but nowhere near the worst he's ever smelt. Making sure the place is secure he heads to the doors first. Placing his ear to the first door he tried his hardest to tune out everything around him.

The only thing to be heard was a small thump, of what he assumed were water droplets falling to the floor. It's not that hard to believe as it has been raining a bit the last week. And well, the structural integrity of the shop wasn't the best, the same goes for any other building. You were lucky if you found a place without any holes in any of the walls, let alone the roof.

Opening the door the smell was the first thing to hit him. Human feces and piss overwhelmed his nose, his face scrunched up as his body physically flinched. Quietly curing to himself he grabbed the handle quickly, shutting the door, trying to save his nose from the stench. Though he wasn't completely saved as the smell already seeped through the room, attaching itself to anything that would hold it. Well, there was no need to guess what that room was for.

Having enough of that he moved on to the second door. Which, hopefully, he would have better luck with. Pressing his ear up to the door, like the other one, he was able to hear quiet groaning on the other side. Getting his hammer ready in his left hand he swiftly opened the door with his right.

Seeing into the room the owner of the groaning was spotted. A Lurker was tied to a chair, feet secured with rope to their own chair leg and their arms bound to each armrest. It's not unusual to find Lurkers tied up, especially when it all started to fall to shit. What is staggering was how the Lurker looked. All fingers were cut off at the first knuckle and the feet, bare from shoes or socks, have all of the toes cut off. The biggest concern was the letters carved into its forehead, LOV. Seeing no injuries that would ultimately cause death the guy must have starved to death. Whoever the Lurker was before he turned clearly messed with the wrong people. No matter how curious who this LOV they probably weren't around here anymore. The Lurker's pale and peeling skin shows it has been here for a while, just sitting strapped to the chair.

He better hurry up and just kill it before Eri starts to get worried. Bring the hammer up he slammed it into the Lurker's head, cracking the skull open, blood splattering everywhere. Though the Lurker kept groaning, the hammer hadn't damaged the brain quite enough. Bringing the hammer back up he whacked it back down on the same spot as before. This time the Lurker was killed, though the hammer was stuck in its skull. Glad he wore boots, Katsuki placed his foot on the Lurker's chest as leverage as he yanked the hammer out. Blood and brain flying everywhere.

Having cleared out the area he moved back to the main room, closing the door behind him. Seeing Eri by the entrance he signaled to her it was clear. The joy on her face couldn't be hidden as she ran to what brought them here in the first place.

Katsuki walked up next to her, leaning on the wall, as she sifted through the stuffed animals. "We only have space for one of them so pick carefully," he teasingly warned the girl. A small grin crossed his face when he saw the panic flood her eyes.

She looked frantically before stopping suddenly, "I know which one I want!" Her bright eyes sparkle as she looks at him.

"Well, are you going to show me?" He stops leaning against the wall and crosses his arms over his chest, giving her his full attention.

She giggles mischievously before pulling out one of the ugliest fucking stuffed animals he has ever seen. It was, what he thinks is, a wolf. Though the saddest excuse for one he has ever seen. One of the eyes was missing while the other was barely hanging on by a thread. Its tan fur was tangled and matted from the collecting dust and dirt. To top it all off it was missing one of its hind legs.

Katsuki could only stare at her in disbelief. "Wouldn't you like something a little more... normal?" Her answer was clear when she glared at him, he doesn't even know where she could have gotten that from. Not wanting to get in an argument with a six-year-old he resigned before one could start. "Fine, kid, you can have it."

Her small squeal of excitement almost made up for how ugly the thing was, "You're the best Katsuki!"

And getting praised wasn't the worst either, "So, what are you going to name the thing?"

She smiled at him while hugging the plush close to her before proudly stating, "Kacchan."

He takes back what he said, he hates that thing.