SOMETHING (en) √

Twenty-Three

They ran and ran until they reached another building, not so far from them.

“This place looks safe. Let’s wait here for a while,” Karn said.

All of them quickly sit down. They couldn’t believe that they left Nowa, Amber and Daniel back there, under all the structures. Sofea is the one who felt miserable the most. Instead of getting them, she ran out to help the one outside.

“Will they be alright?”, Mike asked while panting.

“We will never know,” Shaf replied.

They stay there until nighttime. Karn helps to set up a campfire while Daus and Sofea find something for them to sleep on. A few boxes are what they find.

“This should be good for a night,” Sofea said.

Daus hands out the boxes to each one of them. They surround the campfire, feeling miserable, scared and worried.

“Let’s take turns watching. I’ll go first,” Karn said.

“Okay. Wake me up after that,” Sofea replied.

They sleep for a while. Taking turns to watch their surroundings. Everything is good until Mike turns to take a watch.

“Wakes us up if anything,” Daus said.

Mike nodded. He sat at where Daus was sitting. The perfect place to watch everything. He heard something moving, not far from them but he thought he was just being delusional due to feeling sleepy.

But, he’s not. The moving thing is the Armed. It grabs Mike from behind. Mike manages to call the others. There’s lots of them surrounding this place actually, waiting for the perfect time to attack. 

“There’s a lot of them!”, Sofea said.

They tried. They did their best but it’s too late for Mike. The Armed is also one of the policies and soldiers so they have weapons with them. The one who grabbed Mike, stabbed him with a knife before Karn managed to shoot it dead. 

“Mike!”, Allan rushed to his body, ignoring the others.

The rest of them keep on shooting until most of them are dead before running to another place. After arriving at Berjaya Times Square, they check on Mike again. He’s bleeding all the way and there’s no way of saving him.

“Please, please stay with us!”, Allan said.

“Ngh, it’s okay. I know it well that I won’t survive this apocalypse since the first day… but-”, he coughed up blood.

“Shh, shh don’t talk please!”, Sofea said, trying her best to at least stop the bleeding.

“I’m fine… I’m okay. Al, I’ll take care of her for you. I will be able to do it this time,” he said, smiling.

“What? No! What am I supposed to say to Daniel?!”

“Please, hold on. You don’t have to take care of her for me. It’s fine,” Allan said, under his voice, hugging Mike.

And just like that, Mike left them that night. Allan is the one who’s most frustrated about it. Because of his last words. The sudden promise. Allan also didn’t manage to apologize since he blamed it on Mike. His blood is all over his body. He died in his hands. Everyone couldn’t believe their eyes. They thought three was enough. But, no.

^^^^^

“I’m sorry,” Allan said.

Daniel just listens to him talking about Mike’s death. He knows Mike won’t survive. Mike is not that strong. He’s so reckless, and careless. When Daniel was stuck inside the building, he already thought of Mike dying. And Mike himself already told him that he won’t survive. Being able to stay alive until it reaches this point is already a win for him.