Armageddon

Six: Frenling City

Anthony placed their plates on the tables and waited for his saviors. It was Kimberly who first entered the kitchen with a broad smile on her face.

"Wow, did you do all of these?" she asked. Anthony nodded his head shyly and blushed. Kimberly ruffled his hair and smiled. Although it was a bit messy, Anthony surely poured his heart out while making food.

A minute later, Mira went inside carrying her katana, and a towel was dangling on her shoulder. Anthony fidgeted, watching every move she made. Mira breathed an exasperated sigh and looked at Anthony, who cowered in fear.

"Mir," Kimberly called.

"Okay, okay," Mira replied. She knows what Kimberly wanted to say. Mira got up and walked towards Anthony.

"I'm sorry for talking like that yesterday," she said. "I was agitated by what was happening around lately, and for that, I apologize," she added sincerely. Anthony's eyes widened in shock, and he ran towards Mira, hugging her in the waist. Kimberly, who witnessed all of it, was in a happy mood. The three ate in silence.

After eating, Mira scouted outside for the lurkers through the roof of the house with the binoculars she found in the drawer. When she saw everything was good, she went down.

"Mir, what is it?" Kimberly immediately stood up upon seeing Mira.

"We're good to go," Mira said. "Bring all the essentials you need. We should hurry to Frenling," she added. Kimberly nodded her head and grabbed the bag she would bring. They all went out of the house. While walking, Anthony looked back, and a sad smile escaped his lips.

"Anthony?" Kimberly asked.

"I'm coming, big sister," Anthony replied, which warms Kimberly's heart.

"We will follow this trail," Mira announced, and she pointed her finger ahead of them. Kimberly held Mira and Anthony's hands.

"Chief! What should we do?" As he backed away, Kaiser asked Mira.

"Where's Lucas!?" Mira questioned and slashed the lurker that was approaching her. Three months after the lurkers ruled the land of the living, Mira joined the force to eradicate the lurkers. Today, they had the task of gathering supplies, but they were unprepared for the overwhelming challenge.

"He said he's coming here now, Chief!" Leonardo said. Lucas is her closest friend in the force, and she was assigned to a different squad.

"s**t! He better be!" Mira whispered. She cannot die here. She hasn't atoned for her sins yet.

"Aaaaahhhh!" Kaiser shouted.

"Chief! A lurker had bitten Kaiser! Dustin yelled.

"Chief! "An armor-type lurker has arrived!" Leonardo shouted. Mira cursed. Why? Why is this happening to her? She slashed the lurker, who was attempting to bite her, and went to Kaiser. Her subordinate was bleeding badly. He was bitten on the shoulder and was starting to pale.

"C-Chief, kill me," Kaiser whispered. "I don't w-want to become a m-monster," he added, stammering and holding Mira's hand.

"Where's Lucas!?" Mira yelled, but her subordinates looked at her with hopelessness in their eyes.

"C-Chief... please," Kaiser pleaded. Mira's eyes brimmed with tears.

"Do it, Chief!" Leonardo yelled. Mira raised her katana and stabbed Kaiser in the chest. Kaiser vomited blood and smiled. Mira smiled back and closed his eyes with her hand. She was raging in anger. Mira attacked the lurkers who came her way. She even faced the armored type, but when she defeated everyone, all of her subordinates were already dead and became monsters. Mira kneeled on the ground. Her tears fell from her eyes as she once again failed to protect the people she cares for.

"Mira!" Lucas shouted. "Mira, do you hear me!?" he added while shaking her body. He looked around and cursed as he was giving orders. Mira was the only one who survived.

"Mir? Mir!" Kimberly called. Mira snapped back from her thoughts and looked at Kimberly.

"What is it?" Mira asked.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Mira was surprised when Kimberly wiped something from her face. "You're crying," she added. Mira didn't even feel her tears falling on her cheeks.

They were on a break after walking for hours, and Kimberly saw Mira dazed. When she went to her, she found her crying.

"Ah, sorry. I just had a sad dream," Mira answered.

"Whatever it was, I'm here. You're not alone," Kimberly said, holding her hands. Mira smiled and squeezed it lightly.

"Thanks, Kimmy," she said. Mira grabbed her back and breathed deeply. When she sees her subordinates again, she will definitely protect them. She will change their fates.

"Anthony, can you still walk?" Mira asked. Anthony stood and nodded his head. "Good, because we're going again," she added, strapping back the bag.

"Let's go, Kimmy," she said. Kimberly smiled and followed her, holding Anthony's hand.

Terrifying sounds echoed in the forest, causing them to halt. Kimberly felt her hair rise at the back of her head. Anthony clutched Kimberly's hand tightly while Mira looked around. She hoped she heard the sound wrong, because if not, then they were in trouble.

"Go! Go!" Mira ordered. Kimberly and Anthony ran at a fast speed. Behind them, a horde of lurkers appeared. Mira uttered a string of curses as the fast ones chased after them. She unsheathed her katana and sliced the lurker's body in half.

"Mira!" Kimberly yelled.

"Go! Don't look back and keep running!" Mira said. Kimberly pursed her lips and followed Mira's order. She turned around and dragged Anthony with her.

Mira swung her katana upward, and it hit the lurker's head, slicing off its body. The severed head landed on the ground, and blood splashed into her arm and katana. She ran as fast as she could to catch up with Kimberly, while the lurkers followed her. She can't die here. Not today. Not in five years.

"Mira, here!" Kimber yelled, motioning for her to run to the house. "Faster!" she said. Mira was huffing while running fast. She lost sight of the lurkers as she entered the house, panting heavily. Unexpectedly, someone pointed a gun at her head.

"Don't move or cause unnecessary action unless you want your brains to scatter to the ground."