With astonishing speed, Arika began to move among the infected, her boots splashing on the flooded asphalt. She jumped and dodged attacks, using the debris around her to her advantage. She picked up a large piece of iron from the ground, rusty but sturdy, and pushed an infected person against an old bookcase that had been knocked over in the middle of the street. She heard the sharp crack of bones upon impact and didn't stop.
One of them grabbed her wrist, pulling hard to drag her to the ground. Arika growled in anger, spun violently, and pushed him away. Without missing a beat, she stabbed him in the neck with the iron bar and pushed him backwards, causing him to collapse onto the sidewalk.
—Is that all you've got? — he muttered mockingly, his breathing becoming increasingly agitated.
But they didn't stop. Every time he knocked one down, two more appeared from the shadows and the rain. His world had become a whirlwind of rapid movements and sharp blows. The echo of her footsteps mingled with the growls and the constant sound of rain falling on the cracked pavement.
She wasn't going to stop. She couldn't. Survival left her no choice.
The iron flashed in the rain as she pushed another infected, yelling at him as she shoved him into a barrier of debris. Her body ached, her wounded arm throbbing, but momentum kept her on her feet.
Around her, the gray lights of the sky mingled with the reflection of the puddles, creating a gloomy scene. The dampness and the smell of wet earth, rust, and rotting flesh mingled in the air.
he jumped onto a pile of rubble, spinning in the air. As she landed, she swept her leg out at an infected creature that was trying to surprise her from behind. The creature fell sideways with a growl, and Arika didn't hesitate to crush its skull with her heel. Its chest rose and fell, its breathing becoming shorter and shorter.
Another infected ran toward her. Arika bent her knees, braced for the charge, and pushed him against a fallen pole. Without wasting any time, she plunged the iron under his chin. The creature fell lifeless at her feet.
There was no respite. Not yet. In the distance, more staggering figures began to approach, drawn by the noise and echo of the fight.
Arika clenched her jaw, soaked by the rain, her hair stuck to her face.
—Tch… how many more?
She forced herself to stand tall, her fingers tight around the makeshift hilt. Her gaze swept the empty street, searching for an exit, a refuge, anything.
Deep in her mind, one thought repeated itself insistently.
Reize... where are you?
With a quick turn, Arika knocked down another infected, but as she moved, her foot slipped on the wet asphalt. She fell to her knees. It was only a second, but it was enough. A creature lunged at her, knocking her onto the flight attendant. She managed to push it away with a sharp blow, but not without consequence.
She felt a sharp burning pain in her left leg. A piece of splintered metal, protruding from the debris, had pierced her just below the thigh as she fell. She let out a gasp of pain, but there was no time. Gritting her teeth, she pulled her leg away from the blade, warm blood quickly running down her torn pants.
—Damn it... —he spat, staggering as he stood up.
His leg hurt, but he refused to give in. Leaning more on his right side, he unleashed all his rage on the last enemies. Each blow was fiercer, driven by pure determination. The iron whistled through the air, sinking in again and again with a wet, macabre sound.
One fell. Then another. And another. Until finally, the street fell silent.
Her shoulders rose and fell, her breath coming in gasps. She dropped the iron bar, which fell to the asphalt with a dull thud. Her hands trembled slightly, stained with blood and rain.
She stood still for a few seconds, her chest still heaving, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.
Then she heard it.
—Arika...?
Her head turned immediately. That voice. That way of saying her name...
—Reize... —he whispered, her voice barely a thread.
Through the curtain of rain, she saw silhouettes approaching with quick but cautious steps. Ethan was in front, shotgun in hand, scanning the surroundings with a sharp gaze. At his side, Koen advanced with his jaw clenched, his eyes scanning every corner until they finally settled on her. Behind them, Elion covered the rear, his expression serious as always.
Arika held their gaze, still breathing heavily, but with a faint, defiant half-smile.
—You're a little late... —she joked, her voice hoarse but her eyes lively.
Reize, seeing the scene in front of her—the bodies of the infected scattered across the dance floor and Arika, barely standing, soaked and covered in blood—felt the air escape from her chest. Without thinking, she ran towards her, her voice breaking in the wind and rain.
—Arika! What on earth did you do? —she blurted out in a scolding tone laden with anguish as she grabbed Arika's shoulders tightly.
Without wasting any time, Reize looked down at her injured leg. The torn fabric revealed a deep cut that was bleeding profusely. He frowned deeply as he searched his backpack. He knelt down beside her, took out a clean bandage, and, while continuing to apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding, began to bandage her leg with quick, decisive movements.
—Why did you do something like this when you're not feeling well? —he muttered through clenched lips as he secured the bandage—. You should have waited.
Arika barely reacted, her breathing heavy and her face pale. Reize then hurried to check the bandage on her arm; the cloth was soaked, a deep red. He changed it deftly, gritting his teeth every time Arika shuddered in pain.
A few feet away, the boys watched the scene in absolute silence. Ethan kept his shotgun lowered, but his gaze was fixed and serious. Elion, however, could not hide his amazement; his eyes moved between the corpses of the infected and Arika's exhausted figure. He had never seen anything like it. So many taken down, without a single shot... only with strength, speed, and pure will. His expression was a mixture of disbelief and silent respect.
Koen couldn't take it anymore. He approached quickly, his jaw tense and his gaze fixed on Arika. He stood in front of her, his voice trembling as he broke the silence.
—Arika... are you okay? What happened? —he asked urgently, his eyes scanning her face and wounds with a mixture of anger and concern.
Arika barely looked up at him. Her voice was hoarse and tired, but she managed a weak smile.
—I'm fine... I'm glad to see you again, Koen.
But Koen didn't smile. He leaned closer, his brow furrowed tightly and his lips pressed together.
—Why are you putting yourself in danger like this? —His voice was low, charged with a tension that almost hurt—. Do you have any idea how worried I was? Do you really want to die? If anything happens to you... I... I couldn't bear it.
His words hit home. Arika looked at him for a moment, but something in her expression broke. A sharp pain shot through her head. She closed her eyes tightly, breathing raggedly. Fleeting images flashed through her mind like lightning. Koen's voice, but at another time, in another place.
—Are you really going to risk it like this?
And her own response, dry, inevitable.
—I have to. There's no other way.
The headache intensified, mingling with the burning of her wounds. Her body couldn't take it anymore. Suddenly, her legs gave way, her shoulders slumped forward.
—Arika... —Koen whispered just as she fainted in his arms.
He held her tightly, keeping her from falling to the ground. Reize, alarmed, moved closer, trying to wake her, calling her softly while patting her cheek.
—Arika, hey... hang in there... wake up.
But she didn't respond. Her breathing was slow, her body limp.
—We can't stay here —Ethan said firmly, looking around alertly—. It's dangerous to stay out in the open like this.
—There —Elion said, nodding slightly toward an abandoned house a few meters away—. We can hide there. It's not in ruins and seems safe for now.
Koen nodded, his jaw tense.
—Let's go. I'm not letting go of her.
Carefully, he carried Arika in his arms. Reize followed close behind, never leaving his side. Together they made their way to the house, crossing the street cautiously as the rain continued to fall. Once inside, they made sure to block the entrances and set up basic surveillance.
Koen laid Arika down on a makeshift mattress. She was breathing calmly, though her face was still pale and contorted with pain.
Koen didn't leave her side. He sat down next to her, his hand resting gently on hers, his gaze lost on the floor.
—Not again... —he murmured softly, almost to himself.
The rain continued to tap softly on the rusted roof of the abandoned house. Arika's breathing, calmer now, filled the small space with a steady rhythm. Koen remained by her side, motionless, while Reize adjusted his backpack and checked the magazine of his gun with a distant look on his face.
Several minutes passed in silence before Reize, without looking directly at him, spoke.
—It hurts me to see her like this... I don't know how she can bear so much pain. —His voice was a low whisper, barely audible above the murmur of the rain.
Koen didn't respond immediately. He just looked down at Arika, his eyebrows tense, his jaw clenched. Finally, he exhaled slowly.
—She's strong. Stronger than any of us can imagine —his fingers gently brushed the bandage on her arm —. But sometimes I think she forgets to protect herself.
Reize closed the magazine with a sharp click and crossed her arms, leaning against the wall.
—She took too many risks today. She could have died.
Koen nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on Arika. His voice was a little deeper when he spoke.
—That's what scares me the most, Reize —he looked up at her, his serious gray eyes filled with something deeper —. That one day she won't calculate correctly. That one day she won't come back.
Reize watched him silently for a few seconds, noticing the way her friend looked at her, the way his hands remained resting on Arika's, as if he needed to make sure she was still there, tangible. Her expression softened a little.
—You care about her a lot, don't you? —she asked bluntly.
Koen swallowed, looking away toward the dark window. His breathing slowed, controlled.
—That's right —he finally admitted, in a low voice —. I don't know when it happened... but... if something happened to her... I... —his jaw tightened —. I don't know if I could bear it.
Reize looked down, her lips pressed together. She was silent for a moment before moving a little closer and placing a hand on Koen's shoulder.
—Then make sure she knows it. Not just with pretty words when she wakes up, Koen. With actions. If you want her to stop taking risks on her own, show her that she doesn't have to carry everything. That we're here. That you're here.
Koen looked up at her, his expression filled with renewed determination. He nodded once, seriously.
—I will.
Reize smiled slightly, withdrawing her hand and returning her gaze to the window. Her expression hardened again, always alert.
—Get some rest. I'll go with the others. If there's any movement, I'll let you know.
Koen glanced at her gratefully but did not move from Arika's side. His hand, firm and warm, remained on hers. He had no intention of leaving her alone again.