APRICITAS [ENG] || Johan Liebert || Monster

Chapter 32 - The Scenery of Doomsday

The small town in the mountains was completely cut off from the rest of the world by the rain falling for hours, which led to the flooding of the river, cutting off even the railroad tracks. A thick fog was rising over the mountains, engulfing their peaks and slowly the entire landscape. It looked like the hand of death taking the last breath of life.

Through the thick forest panting Asian ran down the muddy path towards the town, all wet from the cold water falling from the sky. He knew he had to hurry. At one point, however, he stopped. In front of his eyes, on the marshy road lay a man, most likely already dead.

'The policeman...' Kenzo bent down and touch him by the sides. 'Someone took his gun...' He didn't finish his thought because another man appeared on the path from the city side. Tenma grabbed his own gun in one move.

"Don't move!" He shouted at the newcomer, but the other fell to the ground. He sheathed his gun and moved quickly to him, noticing that he was bleeding profusely from his abdomen.

"Please..." said the man "...save the city..." Kenzo knelt beside him.

"Who was shooting at you?"

"They're shooting... all over the town... At first some armed men showed up... Finally everyone in town had guns... and they started shooting at each other. I have to..." The man gripped Tenma's gray cloak with last of his strength. "I have to call for help... I have to save... the children... I have to..." Tenma observed with horror that the man breathed his last breath. He gently placed him on the road and ran towards the city, as fast as he could.

****

A faint murmur of the rain pierced one shot. Tenma leaned slightly behind the wall of the building, carefully observing the surroundings.

'A next shot.' Suddenly he heard some boots slapping against the puddles behind him, so he turned his head. He noticed a little boy who quickly ran into the tenement house around the corner. Holding the pistol at the ready, he followed the little one inside, looking for any signs of life.

"Someone is here?" He put the gun down on one of the adjoining windows and raised his hands up. "You see? I'm not armed." He opened the door and slowly began walking in, noticing two women and four children, tucked behind upturned furnitures as a shield. "It's okay." He began to calm them down. "Don't be afraid. I came to the rescue. Don't be afraid." A spark of hope began to appear on the faces of the women. "It's not safe here. You understand? You have to leave this town." Women and children burst into tears. "Stop crying! I'll take you to a path in the woods! Can you run?"

They all gathered as quickly as possible, then left the tenement house and ran in the direction Tenma had indicated. However, he himself remained to the side of the building, shielding them from unknown threats, with his own weapon.

"Run! You must live!"

****

A car was driving on the flooded road, trying to get where the trains couldn't. In there were two young women and a man at the wheel.

"Are you okay, Nina?" Rudy Gillen said, looking in the rearview mirror at the two girls huddled in the back.

"My memories..." The blonde grabbed her head. "...woke up. The darkest of them..."

" 'The darkest of them'? "

"The ones that... I don't want to remember. If only Johan... If Johan would remember these memories..." Emiko shuddered at these words and put her arm gently around her friend.

"That's why we have to help him... Only we can help him." She whispered.

****

Through the sunken path in the forest, among the falling raindrops, a group of children was walking along with an adult man, who led two of them by the hands.