Mid day sun shone on their heads, turning his skin a slight shade pink. Hary combed back his damp blond hair behind his ears with a loud sigh. "This is hell... I feel like a roasted potato already." He glanced at his side.
Tian still looked calm and put together. Not even a bead of sweat was visible.
All of a sudden, his stomach growled loudly. "Hungry?"
"Not really,"
"I'm hungry," he pulled the heavy bag off his back and hung it on the small gargoyle statue.
"Don't hang it there. You might accidentally drop it,"
"It's very safe. I won't drop it." he pulled the bag to his lap and opened the zipper. Inside, a white bag popped out. "Marshmallow~" licking his lips, he took the packet out and tore it open.
The soft and spongy treat melted in his mouth.
"Ah heavenly," he placed one in his open palm and held it to the bright sunlight.
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to roast it. If the sun can roast me, it can definitely roast this,"
Tian plucked the marshmallow out of his hands and chomped on it. "That's not how it works, Einstein. Why the hell did you bring marshmallow, anyway? It takes up too much space in the bag,"
"I thought we would have a small bonfire and enjoy some tasty gooey marshmallow," he whispered, chewing loudly.
"We are not here for a picnic." Tian took a handful of it and ate it with relish.
He did not mind it, though. He handed her the whole packet. "I wished for one. But I bet that these zombies can see light easily,"
"They can. Even the smallest light at night attracts them,"
Hary looked below. The zombies on the ground had already started swarming, trying to climb up. "They can't even open a door, for goodness's sake. Yet they can smell you from thirty floors below."
"Baffles me even more..." Tian rolled the marshmallow packet and shoved it into his arm.
"Had enough? I have more candy,"
"If I eat another candy, I might puke..."
"Suit yourself." he placed it in the bag and took out a smaller packet of thumb sized Reese's peanut butter cup. "My baby, come to daddy..." he kissed the packet happily.
As he was zipping his backpack close, the bag slipped to the side hanging on its strap.
"Whoa, get a hold of it!"
"The statue is doing its job," Hary casually chuckled, patting the dusty gargoyle's head.
The head snapped, and the statue fell off, along with his bag.
"No!" he leaned down to catch it, but it was all too late. The bag had already fallen to the ground, caught by hundreds of hungry zombies.
They tore at it with a passion.
"My marshmallows...."
"That's why I told you not to...." Tian slightly glared at him. "Did you have any weapon inside that?"
He guiltily smirked.
"Don't tell me... you kept the whole packet of bullets and guns in there, didn't you."
He nodded with a soft sigh. "I messed up big time."
"It's okay. Check you inventory." She hurriedly opened her bags and checked its contents. As if now she had a few rounds of bullets for her machine gun. Handgun bullets counted to about twenty and the ak47 bullets counted to about ten. "I have enough to last a few hoards. What about you..."
Hary held up a machine gun, a revolver, and a Swiss army knife with a guilty smirk.
"Hary! How many bullets do you have?"
"Ten revolver bullets and only two in my machine gun."
Tian counted and gave him two rounds of machine-gun bullets. "Use it wisely. We don't have anymore,"
"Thanks Tian..."
"Don't thank me, you, idiot. Next time just listen to me. You and Yue are so careless sometimes," she grumbled, putting away all her weapons carefully in their respective holsters.
Harry glanced at her with a small smirk. "Hey do you have that sharpening rock that Yue had..."
"Yeah. Just a second." She handed it to him.
Hary just sat there sharpening his Swiss army knife. "Wonder what Yue is doing right now? Do you think he found that Fan guy?"
"I think so.. he must be hiding. When the zombie hordes pass the hallway, he might run out of his hiding spot along with that guy,"
Hary just sarcastically chuckled. "Run out with that guy? Yue would be the only person running. He would have ditched that Fan guy,"
Tian gave him a look. "He cried for him. Do you think he will leave that guy behind?"
"Not like that. Yue would be forced to leave him behind. That guy is in a coma. Even if he did wake up, he would not be able to walk,"
Tian's eyes narrowed sharply. "What do you mean?"
Hary just playfully pinched her puffed up cheeks. "After my accident, I was put in an induced coma for a month. I could not walk for almost a month after. It takes a while to regain motor skill after lying down for a long time. But Yue is a logical person. He must have realized that and given his last goodbyes to that person," he whispered, hugging the Reese's packet.
The plastic cover was not that easy to open. He was struggling a bit.
"No!" Tian shouted, accidentally smacking his hands.
The whole packet of candy got knocked off his hands.
"Tian! My candy!!"
"That's not important! We have to get to Yue! Now!" she anxiously stood up.
Hary grabbed onto her leg, making sure she didn't fall off as well. "What the hell Tian! Sit down!"
"No no... you don't understand, Hary. Yue is not logical when it comes to these decisions. He won't leave that guy behind!"
"You mean...."
"He could be lugging that guy over his shoulders as we speak! Oh, my god he is in danger! I have to do something."
She hurriedly opened her bag. Inside was the long rope that they had found on the previous journey. This one was not long enough to reach the ground, but it was very useful for other things.
She swiftly tied one end of it to her waist and handed the other end to Hary. "Hold on to it well. Don't drop me."
"Okay," Hary half stood up, leaning his back on the wall behind him. Slowly, he lowered her down.
Upon reaching the window, Tian did not try to break the window. This time, she placed a hand on the metal frames that held the glass in place.
The metal melted from the heat of her hand.
When this joint was just weakened, she kicked the glass in, pushing the two elderly zombies down.
"I'm in!"
Hary climbed down the ledge and simply swung himself in. "What's the plan?"
"Let's take the other emergency stairs, as you said. Upon reaching the top floor, all of them would be rushing towards me. Take that chance to go and find him." She whispered, untying the rope off her waist. She skilfully rolled it up and placed it in her bag.
"What about you?,"
"I can summon a final blast. I will destroy all those which come near me,"
"Wait, I don't like this plan," Hary gripped her hand.
"You don't have to like it. Just follow it." she yanked her hand out and ran to the door.
"Whoa wait, let's test one of my theories." He gently held her hand. The silvery liquid rolled off his hands onto hers. It swiftly coated her whole hand and climbed onto her face, forming a silvery shiny surface over her skin.
"What is this? I'm already fireproof,"
"Just wait a bit," he walked over to the zombies tight were still struggling under that glass. He held out his hands that were covered in that metal.
"What are you doing?!"
"Testing my theory,"
The zombie clutched onto his hand and took a bite out of it.
A bullet hit its head instantly. "Hary, you idiot! Take off that hand. Don't let that infection spread." She hurriedly held his hand.
But to her surprise, the hand was undamaged. The metallic surface felt like silk, but it protected his skin from the bite.
"I knew this would happen," Hary chuckled nervously. "My metal can shield you from their bites. It's an added protection,"
Tian touched the silken material covering her body. "It's a shield,"
"Yes... now go. We don't have much time. Your silly brother must be running for his life."
They both broke through the door, shooting and slashing the zombies outside.
A few floors above them, Yue was running with all his might. Even so, a few zombies caught up to him.
'This is bad.... I can't keep running...'
He hurriedly glanced around. In an inconspicuous corner, there was a map with floor's escape routes. But he did not even have the time to pause and read it.
"Fuck this,"
The man in his arms snickered, glaring up at him.
"What?"
"You can throw me," he said with a straight face.
"Are you crazy? That's not happening," Yue kept running towards the end of the corridor.
"Throw me and get to that elevator. That shaft will lead you directly down." Fan whispered softly.
Yue looked ahead. Just as Fan said, an elevator was just a few meters ahead them. "Sweet,"
He rushed to the elevator. He simply kicked the doors.
The steel doors slit open in the middle, leaving a small gap below.
"Bear with me," Yue whispered, pulling Fan Xui over his left shoulder. He leapt and caught onto the suspended rope and slowly slid down.
The zombies that were rushing after them crawled into that small hole and jumped down the shaft.
Yue swung the line to the side and jumped onto the ledge of the below floor elevator entry door.
"Are you okay?" he whispered worriedly.
Fan Xui did not answer him.
"Fan Xui, please answer me? Did you get hurt anywhere?"
"Why didn't you throw me?" a silent whisper came from behind.
Yue sighed and pulled Fan Xui and placed him on the foot wide gap.
He was able to keep himself upright with ease, but the man refused to look at him.
"Fan... look at me."
Yue pulled his chin up and peered into his dark eyes. "I am not leaving you behind or throwing you to save myself. You... you are someone very important to me.... and too many people..."
Fan Xui's eyes slightly went wide. But soon his eyes retained that cold glare. "As if I would believe that..." he snapped his head to the side.
From the small light coming from the gap of the elevator door, Yue noticed his flushed ears. 'Why is he so cute?...'
"Come on, we don't have time to waste. We'll go find my sister and Hary.." He lifted Fan over his shoulders again and burst through the elevator door.