Highschool of the Dead: Fanfiction Darkpenn

Chpter 10: Tagshan

New World: Tangshan

Looking for more survivors on the mainland, the group has to think fast and work together.

"So the Yellow Sea actually is yellow," said Rise, at the controls of the Archangel, as he steered the boat into the river.

"Silt from the Yan plain, apparently," said Kemi, who was reading the Japanese-language version of The Lonely Planet Guide to Northern China. "According to this, it got dark green at one point, due to industrial run-off - I'm not sure what that means - but I assume that that stopped with the Outbreak. Back to yellow."

Since leaving Bostovich and his group in southern Russia, they had not encountered any more survivors. As they had made their way southwards down the Korean coast, they had come across a series of fishing villages. They were all deserted, but in several places they had been able to find fuel, which had allowed them to keep going. They had stopped every second day or so to explore and gather food, and to make sure the horses stayed exercised. But their excursions inland had not revealed anything, aside from occasional evidence of zombies.

Nozomi was looking at one of the maps in Kemi's atlas. "This river takes us close to the city of Tangshan, which is marked here as being pretty big," she said. "What does your book say about it, Kemi?"

Kemi leafed through the book. "Large industrial centre, surrounded by agricultural land," she said. "Population 7.6 million. History going back for four thousand years. Area prone to earthquakes and tremors."

"Sounds like a wonderful place for a holiday," put in Kazuki.

After a few hours on the river, their way was blocked - by a concrete damn. Once, it had probably produced electricity, but those days were passed. It was cracked and falling apart in places, but nevertheless there was no way past. They moored the boat at a landing and unloaded the horses. There was a road leading west from the damn, and they followed it.

"Do you think the boat will be alright there?" said Kazuki, as they rode along. "I have to say that I'm getting a bit attached to it. You don't think anyone will steal it?"

"They'd have a hard time going anywhere without this," said Nozomi, taking a metal part from her pack. "Fuel regulator valve. Easy to take out, easy to put back, and absolutely essential. Momma taught me about things like that."

"I wonder what parents taught their kids before the Outbreak," said Rise.

"My mother said that it was mainly about clothes for girls and cars for boys," said Kazuki. "I'm not sure she was serious about that. And hair. Apparently, people used to spend a lot of time on their hair."

"That, I understand," said Kemi. She was trying to push her hair, now growing long again after their several months of travel, back and out of her eyes. She took a long clip from her pocket and pinned it into place.

"You sort of stand out with that colour," said Rise. "You could dye it black, you know."

"I could, but I'm not going to," said Kemi. "This is my mother's colour, and I got it from her, and I'm proud of it."

"Could be worse," said Nozomi. "Momma used to dye hers pink when I was little. For ages, until the supply of dye ran out, I thought that it was her natural colour."

The others laughed.

"I kind of wish I knew more about the Seven and what they did," said Kemi. "Saya and Kohta and the others actually didn't talk about the time between the Outbreak and Sheroda much."

"Hmm," said Rise. "Well, take look at this." He took something from his pack and handed it to Kemi. It was a photograph, faded and creased, of six people and a dog. "This is them, soon after the Outbreak," he said. "Except Shizuka, who took the photo. Alice gave it to me. She said that I should take good care of it. It's important, she told me."