Dominion's End

V1C3: Aberrants

Dominion's End Volume 1: Raining Stars at World's End

Original novel in Chinese by: 御 我 (Yu Wo)

Chapter 3: Aberrants – translated by Elkin

The four of us leaned against the blockade, expecting violent pounding to start at any moment. I looked back at the window with the iron bars, but there were no tools on hand with which we could use to break them – the chainsaw we had bought at the department store had been stored in the basement. We had no way of getting out.

"G-Gē, did I kill the nurse? I-is she alive?

Shujun's entire body was shaking like a leaf in the wind, and bits of red and white stuff were even stuck to her delicate hands. She hadn't noticed at all.

I calmly replied, "Don't be silly, did she look alive?"

Hearing that, Shujun calmed down a little, but continued uneasily, "But she can move."

"That's not a person! You didn't kill her either – she's still moving out there! I said that you have to beat the brain to a pulp to kill them, but you only broke her skull, you haven't pounded it to a pulp." It is just that, with her skull bust open like that, she probably doesn't have much longer to live either.

Shujun made an affirmative "uhn" sound, her expression finally relaxing a little.

No matter how long we waited, there was a distinct lack of pounding on the door. Instead, there came the nurse's wail and some bone-chilling cracking sounds, followed by the sound of chewing...

Everyone's faces were pale, but I was inwardly over the moon. If Muscle Man ate the nurse, he would be so full he would need time to digest her, so we were safe for the time being.

Here, I slumped to the ground, completely drained of strength and with a burgeoning headache coming on.

Everyone else followed suit and collapsed to the floor. Uncle looked particularly bad, his face white from the blood loss.

Seeing his sorry state, I forced myself to crawl up, but when I stood, my ankle hurt so much my face twisted into a grimace for a moment. I prayed none of the bones were broken.

I found the medicine box and started to help Uncle disinfect and bandage the wound with quick, precise movements. I was very used to doing this in the past – after all, I'd been at it for almost ten years, so even if I wasn't a nurse to start with, I was at least half way there by now.

Come to think of it, it really was incredible that I had survived in times like these for a good ten years.

Auntie had originally wanted to help out, but when she saw how fast and professionally I was handling it, she gave up the notion.

"Xiao Yu, be honest with your uncle," Uncle asked, his face a ghastly shade of white. "Will I become a zombie?"

I shook my head. "Getting bitten is fine. You'll only turn into an aberrant if you die."

Uncle evidently didn't believe me as he pressed on, "Really? You're not lying to me?"

I immediately said without thinking, "I'll never risk Junjun's life."

Hearing that, Uncle breathed out and Auntie was so relieved that she started crying.

I, on the other hand, was astonished. When did I start caring so much about Jiang Shujun? She is Jiang Shuyu's little sister, not mine!

And there was Jiang Shutian too. Even now, I still couldn't believe that he was dead, and somehow felt that he wouldn't die. What is with this? How can I be so confident in a person I've known for less than a day?