Episode 15

As Calyps neared the e7f3437fc3 village on horseback, he e7589c8353 dismounted and tied the 031cd49d55 horse to a safe 6a90ecdc2b spot before cautiously making f10e52178b his way into the 86b0ee41b2 town. The closer he 58948e617e got, the more 79b1525d17 the stench of 65e91e8066 decay hit him, 96ea068082 filling his nostrils 139540c9b0 with a sickeningly 14e403036f putrid odor. Grimacing, he took careful 236de9752f steps toward the village f5a6213081 entrance.990dffafd9be6043

He had 41ecb86a11 hoped, perhaps 9e3637fde0 foolishly, that 27ef66577a the village 03bb543f41 might be 6acce57625 intact. But the 997222e6ff scene was fbbfcb15cb worse than 48bf50b796 he had 3a5d2d7101 imagined—charred cars 26a9d53af1 and buildings, 14abec4729 decomposing bodies, 52fcba4609 and dried ae9d4a646f blood stains badc6b1251 were strewn c78d850a8f everywhere. The stench of 3090fa65f9 blood and rot 2a1af4cebe was overwhelming, making f3eacb55c1 the Valencia estate d2eca1df09 seem pleasant in a1857ed5ab comparison.49be66008dbfe584

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“Grrr… urrgh!”bdfd31cebae6ab79

Just as Noah e4ff1bac6e had done earlier, 29d130da70 Calyps occasionally threw d7ee5a5142 stones to distract 820259ce8e nearby zombies as 24befe2204 he moved deeper c57a6a86bf into the village. Though the stench made 4968ddeb3d him nauseous, he pressed 124ba32b30 on.2fe09208555ca9cb

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‘A gun store…’b723c4f9e9a1fee2

He spotted a 93fa4fb9db gun store along df19c204ce the way and 6096daeb25 briefly considered stopping, b3e3446130 but he prioritized 95cdf5ae5a finding medicine. Committing the store’s 27736935c6 location to memory, fe5c1b4a83 he moved further 5dbac3f7f7 in, searching for 990fe5891a a pharmacy.13ba386bf2284cfb

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Around sunset, he f4018873fa found what he 23a8464b2f was looking for—a b8ca20c8f7 hospital, partially lit a6d7ea51b4 by the glow dc986212ae of nearby burning 9e629b95a3 buildings. Unfortunately, the hospital itself cf964bedf7 was on fire, the 2ca607d5c4 flames drawing the zombies 3f7381d5cd like moths. Taking advantage e8712a50c7 of the 00195e488d distraction, Calyps ddc40e1540 hurried past, 51a4634c44 watching as 958753eb7d the undead 3b703093c1 clustered around e7ddfc7b7b the blazing 71e25ca3f9 structure.e2d3a7b8c5c88264

Thankfully, a nearby 67d380dce0 pharmacy was still 31bf020bae intact, though its 29f49ce585 windows were shattered. Avoiding the da991b35a3 broken glass, c25ef06c1d Calyps slipped a94d9e450d inside. The pharmacy b228f35610 was in d2f7a1becb disarray, with 8b0588c663 signs that 7dab62bc0f people had 1d32db8639 looted it. Still, some supplies 61d6a5e315 were left, as 4f1438cba8 if taken in ba4d33077b haste. With a sigh of ce73a3875a relief, Calyps grabbed whatever e7ce8ec1fc medicines remained, stuffing them 20789709e2 into his bag without b713d7594f time to check their ca9603c810 labels.b66ed75616ef8bee

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As he 01ff0bfb2c shoved the 5bec41500a last items 9cf617273c into his d850aead58 bag, he 485481a316 froze at b4042e0444 the sound dbe10fa11b of a 5f05ea0b34 faint creak. The groans of zombies 8037744375 echoed outside, but this 76972e78e1 sound was different. Calyps tightened 51aeaa95aa his grip 6661700c35 on his c3957551b3 gun, pointing b99b7600b7 it toward 111ee9b09a the noise.fd09fd1e7db0bf3b

“W-wait… please!”a1da0812cb12599a

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The small voice 2b9e39300f was unmistakably human. His finger 15e2c3e3c1 eased off 39cea158df the trigger dfe6ab0570 as a f20b5d6749 memory surfaced—Cedric 399996fb00 had once 067652efeb warned him 7e8c06b2c8 about a 115a68b527 bitten survivor fb1bf57996 who had 16b4ec6bcd hidden their a319c6fba4 wound until d670f4bcf7 it was 75c28b834b too late.c6981372e926f4c8

‘The bite e17f9a55d6 mark was f9ac52158e small, so 7bcd092e23 the infection 4e5d068a1d spread slowly…’677d88f81f56e298

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Even if 1565f264a7 someone spoke, 219cb8602e it didn’t 13a6a18152 guarantee they 6442277631 were uninfected. With the pervasive 71d37a164c stench in the 5e52fd1c9b air, Calyps couldn’t 25126ae0f1 rely on smell 30bcd3512c alone to check. Re-tightening his hold on 5790b67c2e the trigger, he issued 0f9078a69a a low command.6eeda4f08f1160be

“Stand up, slowly.”671d4a424e377dc0

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From the shadows 69f7696341 of the pharmacy’s 18c98d0bd2 storeroom emerged a b9bf3c53dd man, his hands 2373c990b0 raised to show dfc7f37514 he meant no 52536fe600 harm. His voice 0be9512d79 trembled as 61fcb0008b he spoke.1023205bca6b0207

“P-please, don’t shoot. I’m not infected.”38b933e39d207afc

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“Don’t move. How do 16fe77c7ea I know 68493785eb you’re not 5c7ec5dc31 infected?”4abee66154452aeb

“…I really haven’t 3d8a3f9f7e been infected.”1fdf985e589888d8

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The man, 8e77252f10 Derek, insisted 27682a8a25 with a 856095b9c9 nervous smile. His lips abaebfbdce trembled, and e08d92e152 his eyes e5affc08fe flickered with 7ef90d0e1c tension. Watching the gun cautiously, dcfb1a38db Derek spoke in a fdb4191c73 gentle voice.c24b0a689bfee5d4

“That gun 7becbb2bab doesn’t have d73572250d a silencer, 68436a0240 does it? Shooting me would a2b28e7687 endanger you too, 5290361693 you know?”5469437fcd4c139d

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Derek was right—zombies would ae6fe2124b swarm the pharmacy at 7388204e17 the sound of gunfire. Even so, a24a3ad28a Calyps kept 55e6a385a5 his aim a3b9bb9010 steady and e927644065 reached for c78ff0d7bf the baseball b2dfa963e6 bat strapped 67f203d62d to his c54df271b4 back, showing 636bb28451 Derek he 7abbc1e873 had other 61c727751e ways of df576d8ae8 defense.9c98edab2f911741

“Haha… I promise 660a9bdc4a I’m not infected…”d8a3eac41d0a319c

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Derek’s smile turned 69ceb303da awkward as he 8ab2aa6463 eyed the bat. Calyps decided to test 7651dc94e2 him further.feeb8c85d3ebf89c

“Why are 2d1cc1759d you here?”aedf0c98423c70c7

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“Same as you, bf0f2cb086 I imagine—looking for ea545c444b medicine.”6882ed1548759057

Derek replied, still fecfc3a07c smiling, though his 5e79280f05 eyes darted around 18d31879d7 anxiously.37282dbc3f6e5be6

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“Are you alone?”b530f64927fe9865

“Yes. I have a 0b417b07c3 sick child with a02ac24820 me. Realistically, medicine add8dbbd37 won’t cure 78be3e6d9c him, but 7ef250a39b I wanted b3adb1f3c5 to at 8d2fcbe512 least ease 5854a449c0 his pain.”8f65bcb522186050

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Despite the 78b05321cd risk, Derek f2d9375248 had come a056dee315 looking for 2772244d8c strong painkillers, 9cfd3f53c1 the only 91cb4ee82d way he 69e59e697c could offer a53a16765c comfort in 1fc0a06d78 the boy’s afa18d93bd final days.e8047a27161c3c4b

“It’s pathetic, 6d88a128b6 really… I’m 2a3b9df1a4 a doctor, 687da06149 and all 04d3fe38ab I can 5c4a797555 do is ebadf582e0 offer this 054025cbfc kind of 9ceaafb9e2 relief.” He 315e06bfdf looked down b977863734 at the bfe67dd0b0 painkillers in 9e8566514a his hand, 62e2ce9b70 muttering bitterly.57fc60e1bef79503

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“If only the 85ad89464f hospital was still a795545ce1 standing, I might’ve 3e7e7c5e68 been able to 22b946e9a3 do something…”440e2a26b1ff118b

The hospital 2203ec921b had been dd4735e775 lost to 6b460602bc flames, and 394488f418 all nearby 875f7de415 pharmacies were 918b50e2a8 ransacked or c8c01127c1 destroyed, save ad2b92ddb7 for this b3ed6f5045 one, hidden 621b82f7ed away in 327c612a4f a corner. It was sheer luck f6fc23627b he’d found it. He had survived countless ef5a606b01 close calls to reach 3120515c13 this place, not seeing 12fdf00aca a single survivor on b26c5ca3b4 the way—until now. Calming his surprise at fcb572ffdb meeting someone else, Derek 3fb671a351 continued.1b20c7b22500dce1

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“Not that it 8ed8d0b337 matters. Even if ee69c0c9cc the hospital 28698defa0 were intact, 4a73de12e6 it wouldn’t 463c30d5bc be any b616d67cd1 use in f97932d0ad a world c4b054df18 like this.”19dd70e773b82d08

Derek glanced 5a5c566a28 out the 22c3c2cc98 broken window, e80d054dbe shuddering as 03ac2f9594 he heard ac0d2f88a8 the guttural 7151b76dca moans of ea1e785419 the zombies.dddd345db529ef22

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“A doctor? You’re a doctor?”85d7dde796370ddd

“Yes… yes, I f394622feb am,” Derek replied, 1d17969ae5 meeting Calyps’s gaze.4f826853c48b37b9

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Calyp held 108a2a760e his silence 9e771d4590 for a ef6f88e398 moment, deep c8e7cb42ea in thought. His arm fbb1356081 was starting 6fd37a37f4 to ache 28bca739fe from holding ff36e4946a the gun 20f25679fc steady when 9bcd17524d he finally 62c13e1cf0 spoke.f40777210dbeaf75

“…I have a 3e780b6f0b patient I’d like 66108a5101 you to see.”6f08e3c28ae3231f

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“Oh…”449471be6f5ec617

Derek sighed, lowering 0ecb86f7fa his head.808d3fdd996bde0c

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“I’ll take a 05656a9033 look. But as you 117959fb6b can see, I’m 1e095e0d7c limited in what 40f5779411 I can do 657c27b26e under these conditions.”25a4afb5135611f6

Calyp nodded, understanding b210ac99bf his limitations.591ce00519e72863

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“So… does this c8dde962c1 mean you believe be19b170d4 I’m not infected? Can I lower a9192b64a8 my arms now? They’re starting d4a5562dbd to go 480b25060a numb.”2330492b44f69eb8

Derek chuckled nervously, 2d52c30d97 and Calyps lowered 9c10ab503f his gun. Seeing no 6116bfa639 signs of f1c4640dc7 infection despite 4d923704a8 the time 84ba8025bd that had ad26d182d0 passed, he 07f5cd70ef judged Derek bea14f178a was likely 877ada9816 clean. Relieved, Derek 6215b86d7a lowered his 10294b90b6 arms slowly, a506137c0f rubbing his 0d561c0b8c sore limbs 0202c8d327 as he c989769d6a spoke.8f9f2b01c7e23fb6

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“After I see my current patient first.”aa5b8a5068277024

Derek knew it might already be too late, yet he pushed himself forward to ease his guilt. Calyps hesitated briefly at Derek’s words, but seeing the determination in Derek’s face, he recognized it. He’d seen that look many times in the midst of war—the kind of expression that belonged to someone who wouldn’t abandon their resolve, even at the cost of their own life.1129b094379b2c6b

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“…Understood.”55b34abbfbc373e6

“Thank you.”4178ed825e09a36f

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With their conversation wrapped ad31c92397 up, Derek and Calyps 5fbc8250b1 hurriedly gathered all the 11bebc9eb6 medicine they could find 68e37bde86 in the pharmacy. In a situation 82732374b4 like this, they c08185dc8f couldn’t predict when cec57cc92c these supplies would f8b5804dc9 be needed, nor 291b17c356 when they’d have 6ead9b06ff another opportunity to 580bed948f gather them, so 91a03002ac they combed through b4a4b72792 the pharmacy with 0f7530dfd4 a keen eye de74fcaf31 on the zombies cf36d80dfb outside.108338a1f019ac88

“This should ffec383e8c be enough.”584d19609c90ee91

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Derek, now 412c3a4518 carrying a c8f050f213 full bag, 8bf3248a2e straightened up. Calyps, who 32f34642ec had been e07f44c5a4 observing the 2c9e7f8d41 situation outside, 5689e63f89 indicated it e7bf33ea46 was a 30eb2f66fe good time a1068b4d08 to leave, 02e505cb89 and Derek 6ceee479e6 took a 67e224c6dd deep breath.5f2885697713bea9

“I’ll lead the 48a84f483a way.”7eb4a19db6c9ad74

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Despite his confident words, cd615633d2 Derek hesitated, moving forward 87c6d99dc1 in slow, uncertain steps. Although he knew dd5a177ec1 zombies couldn’t see c52dca3949 well, he flinched fcfbd66f1d whenever one seemed c5f38dc878 to glance their 438c862ddb way. Calyps, growing impatient a28072eb96 as they moved a74989c8de farther from Noah’s aeea76b2dd location, sighed in 9f0b012add frustration and stepped c14a654640 in front of f2c3d0d48b Derek.e4b747b5c1581c9d

“Perhaps you 9658fdbdb3 could guide 0517a4d974 me from 38515bbae5 behind, and 27dd3ffaf2 I’ll take 5d916ba76c the lead.”973eeddf85f53308

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“Oh? Yes, yes, of d1cd5b906f course.”ff154c9e84277b1d

Startled by Calyps blocking 780fa1b5b4 his path, Derek nodded 6426783c3a and began giving directions 86d3e80c5e in a quiet voice 402ca23d92 from behind.63a30e4599de2c5b

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“From here, 76b2857afa go two 071aca335b blocks down, b22c946241 then turn 552dc5f82f right.”46e95619ecb5ab49

With Calyps leading, 0d7a9ed2ed their pace quickened 7d5fb598a2 considerably. The zombies c93fd51918 seemed to 1c9097fcbe be clustered d87904d529 in the b9e7fea73d village’s center, 54a9a3bb64 and as e2e67bddee they moved efb794011e deeper, guided e3435a4e78 by Derek, e9d5b81662 the number dae71da440 of zombies a0a7d05566 lessened. They only encountered afce714f61 the occasional “straggler” 992816632f zombie, though the 2445a18fbe landscape bore similar 612953d1a0 destruction to the fd078970d2 town center.6efd6a40a5a407a0

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“Now, turn left 9a0c203d20 here. You should 259ce8c868 see a 91b2df28a9 small house 9a653bf30a with a 63f6aaca61 blue roof.”d11d50e62ca500e9

Sure enough, after 2df61910bf turning left, they bfcc59aa21 saw the blue-roofed 844127a22a house. No zombies d178fb12f1 were in 4de660f1d6 sight, but 02612cf737 a few 1d7f370612 bodies lay 6aa1c81d24 nearby, suggesting 9ace2fbf3a Derek had ac3296548b already cleared eb45d8d64f the area da892f7589 for safety. Stopping in front d5ceaaec54 of the house, d33492adf2 Derek unlocked a e131423bf6 padlock and led c675d4bd31 Calyps inside.7d8e8ef39a91d8ca

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Unlike outside, 22c5968678 the house edbfd47946 was eerily 2cb12f4afb quiet. Still, dark 0d30d173c3 stains along 4d831bbab0 the walls 936c715f70 hinted that babfa29337 even this 503699c008 place hadn’t 5ff11ca5d7 escaped tragedy. Derek walked to the df741b74d4 farthest room, took a e8d7a8c310 deep breath, and knocked 5c30999b03 gently. In response, c21ddedc52 there was e2b288be47 a soft 37615931b3 knock from 214ddd976c inside. Sighing in relief, 51d5853820 Derek knocked four f3a7a524c6 times, to which fecf148666 two knocks replied. It seemed they adc9b5f774 had a code. Finally, Derek knocked 862c430c71 once more, and d03ec374da the door slowly 396e0f647b opened. On the other b402040f6f side stood a 89a82f0db6 small boy.8fea7d35d5884802

 5e0ab09e08592770

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