SOMETHING (en) √

Thirty-One

The next day, Admiral Mika would like to meet them again.

“Good news, some of the other scientists that are managing to save their life, will be coming here to help with the making of vaccines and antidote gas bombs. We need to move the survivors from this camp to another camp. I think we will be fine about that. I just need your help to make it as smooth as possible,” Admiral Mika said.

“Okay. I don’t think we can’t since we cleared almost everything. So, where should we send them?”, Karn asked.

“That’s what I need to know. During your visit to  the big safe camp, which one of them is not crowded with survivors and can fit more of them?”

They’re all taking their time to think. All of the big safe camps are already crowded. And the small safe camp, it's impossible to add more of them.

“I saw an empty land when we were going to Ampang. We can create a new safe camp there,” Nowa said.

“Good! We’ll be moving some of the stuff to create a new safe camp base before transferring them,” Admiral Mika agreed.

They are helping the other to gather the stuff to create the base for the safe camp. A few tents, pillows and blankets for them. Some medication and food for a few days before they bring more of it. They head to that area first thing first to set it up. They don’t face any problems along the way. Everyone seems to have already been affected by the antidote gas bombs.

“We need another team to clear the bodies before we can take the survivors,” Nowa said.

“Yep. I’ll be telling them,” Karn replied. 

“I think that person is still alive,” Sofea pointed out.

Only now that they’ve realized the people who manage to stay alive are either walking or crawling there for their lives.

“And we need another team to take the one who is still alive. They look ruined,” Amber said.

“I know this sounds sensitive. Do you think Bella is still alive out there?”, Radz asked.

Nowa and Daniel’s faces become sullen. There’s no chance that she’s safe anywhere. It stabbed them deep inside, where no one would be able to reach it.

“She got transformed into the Carrier. No chance,” Nowa said.

They suddenly became silent. Allan rubbed Daniel’s back. He feels fine with it. It will be alright. He had someone else next to him now.

“But it would be good if we can have Bella’s body anywhere,” Nowa added.

“Yeah, if anyone sees her. Please tell them to let us know,” Daniel said to Karn.

“Will do.”

“And Mike… if we can get back inside KL, and at least take anything left,” Daniel added, playing with his finger since he felt like he was asking for too much now.

“We’ll try our best. Don’t worry.”

^^^^^

Not long after that, they arrived at the empty land. They set up their small base first before enlarging it.

“Amber, help me hold this,” Karn said, giving out some barricade to Amber.

“Alright, give it here.”

Allan and Daus are helping Karn with setting up the barricade. Well, it's not necessarily needed. But, they still need to be cautious. Nowa and Sofea are setting up the tent. Radz and Shaf are tidying up the area that is full of bushes, making a lot more space for the survivors in case more of them will come. Sofea and Amber are setting up the cooking and medic spaces. Meanwhile, they didn’t allow Daniel to do anything as he still had not fully recovered yet. They’re being nice by letting him tag along and that’s it.

“Come on, let me do something!”, Daniel whined.

“Not a chance. You stay there,” Nowa said.

“I’m fine already! I have my left arm, full at service!”

“You're sure you’re good?”, Allan asked, walking to him.

“Yep, come one. Let me do at least one thing.”

Allan pinchs at one of his ribs.

“Ergh! Why?!”, Daniel asked, rubbing his ribs.

Allan kneeled in front of him, giving his sinister smile.

“Well, we did give you a thing to do. Which is to stay right here. And you’re not healed yet,” he said.

“Damn, I hate you!”

“Yep, stay there.”

Daniel ended up sulking his way, sitting on the tree truck with one of his hands supporting his chin while looking around. He suddenly noticed a sudden movement from the bushes, a bit far from him. He looks around, everyone seems busy doing their jobs. Daniel then walks slowly to the bushes area.

He stares at it for a long time. Something is indeed behind the bushes. Not long after that, something jumps to him, causing him to fall on his butt. He didn’t scream. His mouth shut suddenly, not allowing him to shout to his friend. He’s scared. 

“The Runner? How come?”, he said in his heart.

He knows for sure it’s the Runner. It’s got black marks on his legs. It is so close to him. It’s his mistake not to bring any weapon with him when he walks to the bushes.

“Where’s Daniel, Allan?”, Nowa asked him after noticing that Daniel was not where he was supposed to be.

“He was at his seat. Where else?”, Allan said.

“Yeah but where?”, Nowa asked again.

Only then did Allan take a look at where Daniel was supposed to sit.

“Daniel?!”

Meanwhile, Daniel, heard them calling for him but wouldn’t dare to respond. His eyes are battled with the Runner that is right in front of him. 

“Daniel?!”, they are all calling for him.

Not long after that, Radz saw him after seeing the bushes around it moving.

“He’s there!”, she said.

Allan rushed to get him but stopped midway after noticing the Runner in front of him. 

“Runner,” he said.

They feel a bit weird since the Runner didn’t react to anything. It rather looks more clueless than ever. Kinda a good sign.

“It didn’t react to anything. Seems like it loses some of its senses from the antidote gas bomb before,” Daus said.

Amber rolls the gas bomb right to the Runner. Allan slowly gets to Daniel. He was shocked by his sudden touch.

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s me,” Allan said, calming him down. 

He seems to be in a panic attack after all that happened to him. As soon as the antidote gas bomb took place, the Runner slowly fell to the earth. Karn checked on it. It seems dead, not able to survive.

“It’s okay. I think it just walks past, clueless,” Karn said.

With that being said, they continue to do their work. Daniel sits even closer to them as they want to keep their eyes close to Daniel. The memories about what happened to him are still fresh in his mind. The moment the Runner rushed to him when he was about to help Karn and Daus. The pain he felt. The ringing in his ears because he lost his earpiece and needed to deal with the Siren’s scream. He almost lost his hearing from that. Luckily, he survived.