SWY 34

Blood began to pour again, not just from his thigh, but from his side as well. His neck, side, thigh – everywhere Parel’s dagger had touched throbbed with pain. He must have lost quite a bit of blood, because his vision was beginning to blur.

‘This is bad.’

With his wrists tied behind his back, even keeping his balance while running was a struggle. Lestel was doing everything he could to pull Sharhan along, but it wasn’t easy. If he yanked too hard and Sharhan fell, the chances of him becoming those things’ next meal would skyrocket.

“H-Hurry up!”

Derry called anxiously from ahead when Sharhan and Lestel began to fall behind. Even the people who had appeared screaming and panicked were now running right past them. They must’ve thought the same thing as Sharhan’s group, just get to the cabins.

“We just have to make it to the cabin! Hurry!”

“Please, save me!”

Thud, someone collapsed. A middle-aged woman. She cried out desperately for help, but though some of the others hesitated, they quickly ran on. Everyone knew: the moment you stopped to help, you were as good as dead. In the end, nothing is more precious than one’s own life.

“Help me!”

The woman clenched her teeth and tried to stand with a face full of despair, but twisted her ankle and fell again. A walking corpse leapt on her immediately, grabbed her ankle as she tried to crawl away, and sank its teeth into her thigh.

As it raised its head, a thick chunk of flesh dangled from its mouth. Its jaws were crimson, and blood gushed to soak the ground.

“Aaaagh!”

Her scream echoed across the wasteland. Several more corpses rushed in to join the feast, while the rest continued chasing fresher prey.

“H-Hurry!”

Derry had reached one of the cabins and was waving desperately, crying. Cursing under his breath, Lestel suddenly grabbed Sharhan around the waist and slung him over his shoulder. One of the corpses lunged and grabbed at Sharhan’s clothes, startled by the sudden lift.

But Lestel’s strength won out as he kicked off the ground and sprinted. The corpse that clung to the fabric couldn’t hold on and was dragged face-first across the dirt before crashing down with a dull thud. The others trampled over it, crushing flesh and snapping bone as they charged on.

Even so, the downed corpse clawed its way forward across the ground, black, sticky fluid trailing behind it.

“It-it’s locked!”

“Then break it open!”

A few people stood helpless in front of the cabin Parel had entered. They banged on the door, rammed it with their shoulders, but it wouldn’t budge. Despite its worn-down appearance, it was surprisingly sturdy, and those who tried only ended up cradling their aching shoulders.

Others who had reached different cabins quickly slammed their doors shut. The only one still open was the one where Derry stood.

“Damn it, shut the door!”

“No!”

“Close it!”

People screamed for him to shut it, but Derry held on stubbornly.

“I said no!”

“Shit, then die alone! Ahh! T-They’re almost here!”

The corpses were now just a few feet away from the cabin. Lestel and Sharhan were even closer, no more than a few inches. If the corpses stretched their arms, they’d touch them. In fact, several already had, brushing against their clothes with their blackened hands.

Just as someone snapped and shoved Derry aside to shut the door, Lestel shoved his foot into the doorway just in time. The door thudded against his boot and stuck.

Derry quickly pulled the door open wide again. The three of them dove inside at once. The person beside the door slammed it shut just as the corpses crashed into it with their bodies.

“Go to another cabin!”

“Q-Quickly!”

The people in front of Parel’s cabin finally tried to flee, but it was too late. They didn’t make it more than a few steps before the corpses surrounded them.

Agonized screams and blood-curdling shrieks followed. The survivors inside the cabin covered their ears, trying to shut out what was happening outside. Some buried their faces in their knees and wept.

“Shit, they’re going to break it down!”

Boom! Boom boom boom!

The corpses hurled themselves against the door, and each impact made the entire cabin shudder.

“What–what if it breaks?!”

“I’m scared.”

“We’re all going to die. We’re all going to die in here!”

Two people stood bracing the door with their backs even after locking it, still unable to feel safe. The rest were in a panic, barely able to function. Someone clung to a forgotten god in prayer, another sobbed uncontrollably. Some huddled together, trying to suppress their fear.

But Lestel wasn’t paying attention to any of them. His focus was solely on Sharhan. He helped him sit against the wall and examined his wounds. The gash across his neck was long and deep. When he lifted his shirt to check his side, it was just as bad. But the worst of it was the thigh wound, blood still streamed from it in steady gushes.

“Damn it, I swear I’m going to kill that bastard.”

Lestel’s face twisted with rage as he tore his own shirt to bind Sharhan’s thigh. The bleeding from the neck and side had started to slow, so they could be left for now. He wanted to wipe them clean, but using dirty cloth might cause infection, so it was better to leave them be.

“Are you okay? Wait, of course you are. My heart’s fine.”

Sharhan gave a crooked grin, which only made Lestel angrier.

“You can still joke?”

“Would you rather I cry? I’m in pain, so don’t start a fight. I don’t have the energy.”

“Fuck.”

“See? Swearing’s second nature now. Lestel, untie me. I’ve got a dagger strapped to my ankle.”

Lestel rolled up Sharhan’s pants, found the dagger, and untied him. Then he cut away the blood-soaked fabric stuck to Sharhan’s skin. If it dried and hardened, it would only make things worse later, ripping it off would hurt, and could reopen the wound.

‘Only one outfit, and that bastard ruined it.’

Sharhan muttered to himself as he looked down at his wrists. Red marks and drops of blood dotted the skin where the rope had cut into him.

‘Shit. No wonder it hurt like hell.’

He tried to roll his sore shoulder, but pain shot through his neck and he let out a sharp groan. Lestel clicked his tongue.

“Damn, this really hurts.”

“Lean on me.”

“No. I’m not that bad.”

“Lean on me, damn it! Just this once, listen to me for once. Do you even know how pale your face is? If you collapse and start rolling around, that’s going to be a real pain in the ass.”

“Oh yeah? And you look like a bouquet of roses? You can’t even breathe properly.”

It would’ve been hard enough alone, but after carrying Sharhan on his back, Lestel’s face was paper-white. His breath came in ragged gasps, and sweat soaked his face.

“I’m about to die from exhaustion after running with you on my back. So shut up and lean on me. Consider it repayment for saving your life.”

Lestel forced Sharhan’s head onto his shoulder, then rested his cheek lightly against Sharhan’s hair. To a stranger, they’d look like close friends comforting each other, maybe even a little too close.

It was embarrassingly tender, but Sharhan didn’t push him away. Honestly, he didn’t have the strength. They were both drained. Rest was necessary.

‘And… I’m grateful.’

He could only imagine how hard it must’ve been for Lestel to run while carrying someone over six feet tall.

Sharhan cast a sidelong glance at Lestel, who was still breathing heavily, and shifted slightly so they’d both be more comfortable. Then he looked around the cabin. Derry sat slumped nearby, leaning against the wall and looking nearly dead himself. His rod was gone, he must have dropped it while running.

Lestel had also tossed aside his axe to carry Sharhan, so there was nothing in the cabin that could really be called a weapon. Sharhan had his dagger, but it was only a hand-length long, just enough for a last-ditch surprise attack, not nearly enough to kill a walking corpse.

‘If it comes down to it, I guess I could use it to end myself before getting eaten alive.’

He thought bitterly, then glanced to the side. James was also in the cabin. Sharhan hadn’t noticed before. He stared blankly at the air, probably paralyzed by fear. He looked like he wasn’t fully present.

Aside from James, there were five more. They seemed to be villagers too, but all of them looked completely lost in despair. No one spoke. Every time the thudding noises hit the walls, they only trembled harder.

The predators outside never gave up. The banging didn’t stop. They snarled hungrily, as if they knew there was food inside.

“This place won’t collapse… will it?”

Sharhan had recovered just enough energy to speak and strained his ears. What was surprising was that the walls of the cabin were still holding. From the looks of it, the whole thing should have collapsed long ago under their weight, but somehow, it held.

Still, they couldn’t relax.

If the cabin gave way, all that awaited them was death.

Sharhan stared hard at the wall, body tense.

Thud, thud!

The louder the pounding grew, the faster his heart raced. His palms were drenched with sweat where they curled into fists. He turned his head. He saw Lestel examining the wall closely, that sharp profile lit by faint light.

Sharhan clenched his teeth, then spoke grimly.

“If those things break through the wall… leave me and run.”