FLIA 7

“I’m thinking of heading to the hospital now. I don’t really know much about medicine, but I should be able to find at least disinfectants, bandages, or painkillers, right? Or a pharmacy would be fine too.”

Chattering away, Yohan walked on. Other than yesterday’s attack from the frog monster, things had gone smoothly while wandering with Hyunmook, and that gave him a bit more courage. As they moved, he kept an eye out for buildings that seemed worth searching.

“Restaurants would be good to check too. Stuff like seasoning jars or utensils could be really useful! If we find a burner or butane gas, we could even cook. Oh, there’s a clothing store too! We could wear anything that fits and use the rest as bedding!”

Wandering through the ruins like that, it really felt like he had fallen into a zombie apocalypse novel. But unlike those stories, there were no people here, so supplies were abundant everywhere. Yohan found himself wishing there were more people to share it all with. …Was it really just him and Hyunmook in this place?

With that thought, he turned back, and nearly jumped out of his skin. Hyunmook had silently approached and was now right behind him. With a dark, brooding gaze, he loomed over Yohan and said, imposing,

“Keep talking. Ramble.”

Then he pressed Yohan’s lips shut with his thumb. The sudden and almost rude contact startled Yohan, and he stepped back in alarm.

“Y-Yes, I will. I’ll keep talking.”

Shrinking back, Yohan kept his chatter going, how it’d be great to find a department store or supermarket, or a place to get a tent and sleeping bags. Hyunmook listened in silence, seeming to simply enjoy the presence of a person talking, even if there was no real conversation.

‘How long has it been since he last saw another person?’

Pitying him, Yohan kept on talking until, finally, after nearly two hours, he found what he was looking for.

[AFTERLIFE HOSPITAL]

It was originally one of the better-known hospitals, called “Jeonghan Medical Foundation Sejong Hospital,” but some of the letters had fallen off due to the impact of the fall into the Abyss. Now, it eerily read “Afterlife Hospital.”

Yohan stopped dead in his tracks and took a deep breath before glancing at Hyunmook and stepping forward. As he feared, Hyunmook stepped in front of him, blocking the entrance. Then he gave him a gentle shove, as if telling him to go back.

“Is it really that dangerous inside?”

They had come this far, and Yohan felt reluctant to just walk away. Should he aim for a pharmacy instead and keep searching?

‘But most pharmacies were already looted after the Rift Disaster…’

After the Rift Disaster, the value of medicine skyrocketed in Korea and all over the world. On the way here, Yohan had checked several pharmacies, but they were all empty. Probably cleaned out by refugees, soldiers, or mercenaries who came in afterward.

But this hospital might be different. The black, tar-like substance coating the windows, the strange noises occasionally echoing from inside, everything about it screamed danger.

‘Let’s not risk it.’

After some hesitation, Yohan turned back. It wasn’t worth risking his life for medicine he didn’t immediately need.

***

And the next morning, Yohan thought:

‘I think I really do need medicine…’

His leg felt sore and swollen. When he checked, the wound on his shin looked infected. It must have been from falling into the Abyss, some piece of debris must’ve stabbed him. Far from healing, the wound was oozing and puffy. Hyunmook silently watched as Yohan, in desperation, used their precious bottled water to clean it.

“Ugh…”

How had he not noticed it was this bad? Tears welled up as he washed the wound and wrapped it with the cleanest cloth he could find. Then, weakly, he prepared breakfast and shared it with Hyunmook. But he couldn’t even taste the food, his mind was preoccupied with the infection.

They roamed through the ruined city, searching every building that looked remotely like a pharmacy.

But no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t find any anti-inflammatory drugs, or even disinfectant. Every drawer was either completely empty or filled with useless junk. The wandering only made the wound worse. By the time he returned to their shelter, he was limping badly.

He went to bed praying it would heal, but the next morning, it was even worse. The wound had turned a dark, reddish-black and was starting to swell with pus. When Yohan looked at it, he was filled with fear. Panicking, he tried to remember what little medical knowledge he had. What if his leg started rotting, or he went into sepsis?

As he sobbed, a shadow suddenly loomed over him. Startled, Yohan looked up, and found Lee Hyunmook right in front of him. His face was so close Yohan almost bashed his head into the wall.

“M-Mr. Hyunmook…? What are you…?”

His eyes, normally dull, suddenly shimmered with something strange. Unblinking, they followed the trail of tears down Yohan’s cheek. Within his pupils, a red glow flickered to life. Yohan’s face went pale.

When Lee Hyunmook opened his mouth, exposing his white teeth, Yohan recoiled.

“P-Please don’t… Ah!”

Lee Hyunmook had pressed his knee against the infected wound, and Yohan screamed in pain. He clutched his shin, sobbing loudly. Lee Hyunmook paused and looked down. He stared at the swollen, festering wound with a sour look, like he’d just seen rotten food. Yohan’s fear grew even worse.

“Y-You weren’t licking your lips at me, were you?!”

It wasn’t unheard of for severely corrupted people to start cannibalizing others. Lee Hyunmook’s behavior was seriously threatening. Trembling, Yohan crawled toward their emergency food stash.

“I-I taste bad… please don’t eat me.”

Tears leaking from his eyes, he opened a precious can of ham and offered it with both hands. Lee Hyunmook savagely grabbed it with his bare hands and started wolfing it down. Watching warily, Yohan debated whether to open another one. Fortunately, Lee Hyunmook just licked his greasy fingers and didn’t seem interested in Yohan anymore. Relieved, Yohan groaned and stood up again. He was going to try searching the nearby pharmacies one last time.

But again, there was no luck. After wandering around aimlessly for who knew how long, Yohan came to his senses, only to realize he had ended up right back in front of the hospital. He paced nervously beside a rusted car.

“My leg…”

Tears welled up in his eyes again. He’d always been a crybaby, his nickname had been “the weeper,” and even his brother used to scold him for crying too much. But here, he cried almost every day.

Then again, anyone would cry in this situation. If he went into the hospital, he could die. But if he left his leg untreated, he might die anyway. That morning, he had even started to feel a slight fever.

Was he going to die quickly and instantly, or slowly and painfully? Facing this cruel choice, Yohan wiped his tears on his sleeve and stared at the hospital. He was just about to turn away when Lee Hyunmook, who had been standing still, suddenly started walking.

“Mr. Hyunmook? Where are you going?!”

Yohan was startled, Lee Hyunmook had never moved on his own before, only followed him. Was he going to leave him here? Alarmed, Yohan limped after him. He had already been attacked by monsters more than five times. His nerves were shot.

“Please don’t leave me behind…!”

Yohan cried as he desperately chased after him. They’d already grown so far apart. In this hellish world, the idea that the only other person might abandon him shattered his spirit. Tears streamed down his face. His steps slowed from exhaustion, and he stopped to wipe his eyes, then froze.

“Wait…”

Lee Hyunmook had entered a building. Yohan’s eyes widened when he saw the massive letters on the wall.

[EM□GEN□Y ME□IC□L CENT□R]

Some letters were distorted, but it was unmistakable. An emergency room! Hope bloomed in Yohan’s chest. If Lee Hyunmook was going in, even after all his earlier warnings, then the hospital must be safe now. Beaming with relief, Yohan hurried after him.

Just as he was about to step into the entrance, something huge and dark came charging toward them.

Before Yohan could even register what it was, Lee Hyunmook calmly pulled his right elbow back, then launched his fist forward.

Thud!

Before Yohan could fully understand what was happening, something wet splattered across his face. A few seconds later, realization hit, and he jumped in horror.

“Uwaaah!”

He panicked, frantically wiping his face. The thing that had attacked Lee Hyunmook was a grotesque monster. It looked vaguely like an enormous wolf, but its swollen, bulbous head resembled a flashing red siren. After being struck by Lee Hyunmook, its body exploded into a mangled mess. Behind it, similar monsters were slowly approaching.

‘Red Heads!’