Dawn had broken.
A faint ray of light slipped through a small gap in the debris, catching Nozomi's eye. She grimaced slightly, then slowly opened her eyes, her consciousness returning sluggishly, as if emerging from a deep, dreamlike abyss.
The first thing she felt was Shion's warmth beside her. Her head rested on Shion's shoulder, and her friend, already awake, sat silently in the same position, not uttering a single complaint.
"…Morning already?" Nozomi mumbled, her voice hoarse with exhaustion.
Shion nodded, her gaze soft but tinged with worry. "Yeah. I kept watch the whole time. You slept quite a bit."
Nozomi tried to sit up, but her body was so weary that even a small movement sent a sharp pain through her back. Still, she managed a faint smile, looking at Shion as she said, "Thanks… for watching over me. I didn't expect to fall asleep like that."
"It's what I should do. You pushed yourself too hard last night," Shion replied.
They fell silent for a moment, savoring the first light of morning after a harrowing night. But both knew this wasn't the end. It was merely the start of a new day, filled with unpredictable dangers.
Nozomi slowly pushed herself up, turning to peer through the widened gap. Outside, a bleak grayness hung in the air, the sky shrouded in thick fog like a veil of dust, desolate and eerily silent.
She scanned the surroundings, then turned back. "The fog's gotten thicker…"
Shion stood, brushing off the dust clinging to her clothes. "What's our next move?"
Nozomi took a deep breath, her eyes sharpening. "We leave. This house isn't safe anymore. We need to find a new place to take shelter and… look for other survivors. If we're lucky, we might find clues about what's happening."
Shion nodded without hesitation. Though still tired and scared, she knew they couldn't stay still.
"But first, we need to get some food in us," Nozomi said, pulling two stale bread rolls from the backpack, scavenged the day before. They looked far from appetizing, but they had few options.
Nozomi handed one to Shion, and they began to eat. The bread was hard as stone, tasting like a mix of moldy wood and sand. Each bite felt like a challenge to their jaws, but neither complained, chewing the dry, gritty morsels as if they were a gourmet feast.
Shion winced slightly, struggling to swallow a particularly tough bite, then glanced at Nozomi. "Is this… actually edible?"
Nozomi kept chewing, shrugging. "Not sure. But it doesn't smell rotten. And as long as we can eat, we can live."
Shion sighed but continued eating. She knew Nozomi was right. They couldn't afford to be picky. Though their taste buds suffered and their throats burned, the meager calories were vital to keep them going.
After finishing the bread and sipping the last of their water, Nozomi stood, brushing her hands. "Alright. It wasn't great, but it'll do for now."
Shion gave a small smile, trying to lighten the mood. "If we survive this, the first thing I'm doing is eating a proper meal. Grilled meat, maybe…"
"Plain rice and a fried egg would be enough," Nozomi replied, her eyes flickering with nostalgia. "But today, we need to find more food, or we'll really be chewing grass."
Shion nodded. "Do you know where we should head next? If we just wander aimlessly, I don't think we'll last long."
"You're right. Let me think…" Nozomi tilted her head, considering. "If I remember correctly, there's a decent-sized supermarket a few blocks from here. We could check it out."
"Sounds good. I'm with you," Shion said with a grin, easing Nozomi's tension slightly.
"Let's go. Before those things come back." Nozomi took one last look at the room where they'd survived their first night. Then she grabbed Shion's hand, squeezing it lightly.
The two girls left the ruined house, stepping quietly into the dim morning light. The weak sunlight pierced through heavy clouds, casting a faint glow on the bloodstained, debris-strewn streets. The air remained cold and silent, with only the soft sound of their footsteps echoing through the wreckage.
Nozomi led the way, gripping her rescue axe, her eyes scanning every shadow, every broken window, every narrow alley where danger might lurk. Shion followed closely, clutching her baseball bat, her heart pounding but striving to stay calm.
They stuck to a small street lined with half-collapsed or charred houses. At times, they paused, listening for distant sounds—whether it was the wind… or the dragging of footsteps.
Once, as they turned a corner, they spotted a body sprawled face-down on the sidewalk, its arms twisted unnaturally. Shion quickly covered her mouth to stifle a gasp. Nozomi glanced at it briefly, then signaled for Shion to steer clear.
They avoided main roads, weaving through narrow paths and crossing a desolate playground where swings still swayed faintly, as if someone—or something—had just left.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the area. Both girls froze, quickly ducking behind cover to assess the situation.
Ahead, emerging from a cracked, abandoned house, a creature stepped out. Its body was gaunt, as if skin clung to bone, its back hunched, and its long, spindly fingers dragged along the ground, producing a faint, chilling scraping sound. Its skin was ashen, mottled with dried wounds, as if scorched by the sun or poisoned.
The creature lifted its head, revealing empty, sightless eyes, but its ears and nose twitched faintly, as if sniffing the air. Its steps were uneven, limping, but its movements betrayed a predator's vigilance, like a wild beast on the hunt.
Shion held her breath, pressing herself against the broken brick wall they hid behind, her hand instinctively gripping Nozomi's sleeve. Nozomi placed a hand on Shion's wrist, reassuring her, while keeping her eyes locked on the creature as it slowly scanned the playground.
It approached a still-swaying swing, lowering its head as if sniffing, then let out a low, dissatisfied growl. After a moment, finding nothing, it turned and shuffled back toward the dilapidated house, as if nothing had happened.
Only when the dragging sounds faded completely did Nozomi whisper, "It probably relies on smell and hearing… it can't see."
Shion nodded faintly, still not fully calm. She whispered back, "Good thing it didn't spot us…"
"Let's go, quick. Don't make noise."
Nozomi stood first, gently helping Shion up, but they hadn't gone a few steps when a small rat darted out from a hidden corner, scurrying forward. Startled, Shion flinched, her foot accidentally crushing a piece of glass with a sharp crack.
Instantly, the creature burst from the house with terrifying speed, its long arms and razor-sharp claws sweeping in a wide arc that tore through the air.
Nozomi reacted just in time, shoving Shion forward while staying behind. Both dove to the ground, dodging the strike. Debris and dust exploded behind them, the brick wall shredded to expose twisted rebar.
"Shion! Watch your back!"
A guttural roar came from the left. The creature didn't miss a beat, spinning around, its claws slashing down toward Shion's position. She scrambled back, swinging her baseball bat instinctively at its arm. The hit wasn't strong, but it forced the creature to stagger back a step, roaring in fury.
Nozomi sprang up first, pulling Shion to her feet while yanking the rescue axe from her side. As the creature lunged again, she sidestepped and swung the axe across its flank.
Clang!
The chilling sound of metal meeting bone rang out, black blood spraying, but the creature barely reacted. It swung its other arm at Nozomi, its claws slicing the air just inches from her face.
Shion rushed in from behind, gripping the bat with both hands and slamming it into the creature's knee with all her strength. The blow made it stumble, its leg sliding slightly, but it stood as if unfazed.
"Get back!"
Nozomi shouted, and both ducked as another attack came—this time from the creature's tail, a weapon they hadn't noticed before. It had deliberately hidden it for a surprise strike. The swipe smashed a nearby lamppost, the heavy metal crashing down, but miraculously, both girls dodged.
Panting, Nozomi backed away, her eyes darting for an escape route. The creature began to screech, its cries rising like an alarm, its chest heaving rapidly as if preparing to charge again.
"What do we do, Nomi-chan? I don't think we can beat it…" Shion retreated, her hands trembling but still clutching the bat. Her two strikes had been her strongest ever, yet the creature seemed unscathed.
Nozomi gritted her teeth, then nodded. "Run…! The alley behind!"
As the creature tensed for another charge, Nozomi kicked a pile of rubble at its face, obscuring its vision, then grabbed Shion and sprinted toward the narrow alley behind the playground.
The creature roared in rage and gave chase, its pounding footsteps thundering like war drums, urging their hearts to race and their movements to quicken beyond their usual limits.