97 With the Horde Blocking the Way Back (1/2)

Day 3 – 2:59 PM – WCRonalds, Molino Road, Molino II, Bacoor City, Cavite

Mark stared at the three people who were huddle together unconscious.

”Gale, guard here inside. Make sure that no infected to climb up the stairs.”

Hearing what he said, the little girl nodded and attentively guarded the stairs.

Actually, there was not much need to guard the stairs as the infected was not too adept on climbing up on higher floors. Mark just did not want to make his daughter see the scene outside the door. Even if they were unconscious, three full grown adults huddled and sleeping together in their underwear was not a sight for children to see.

When went to her post, Mark approached the three unconscious people. He finally confirmed that the man who was in the middle was the person he was looking for, his younger brother, Carlo. The woman to his right was also familiar. If Mark was right, she was Carlo's girlfriend Sundra. Mark did not recognize the other woman though.

The faces of the three were reddish and their breaths were ragged. Kneeling down, Mark touched the foreheads of the three and confirmed that they were all in the same condition. They all had high fevers and their underwear was still wet. Mark found the clothes of the three hanged on one of the machines on the rooftop and the clothes had not yet fully dried up.

Mark looked around and noticed that there was no place to hide from the rain in this place. The place was filled with different machines that were bolted on the roof and the walls. If this was the case, these people might have been under the rain for the whole day yesterday. That situation would sure make anyone experience hypothermia. These three huddling closely might have been their last resort to the situation and keep their bodies as warm as possible.

These people surely have been stuck here in this place with more than a dozen of infected on the second floor. Mark turned at the two dead bodies. One of them just died and the other might have been dead several hours ago. They did not manage to handle their illness and had probably given up resisting. It was peaceful death if they died while being unconscious.

***

It seemed that touching their foreheads disturbed Sundra and she weakly opened her eyes. Turning her head slowly, she saw a man exuding a scary aura standing beside them. However, she did feel scared at all. She opened her mouth and said in a whisper like manner.

”Please, help us.”

The weak woman stared at the man but he did not reply. It was then that she felt worried that the man who just arrived had ill intentions. However, the man then moved. He took out a radio from his belt and spoke.

”Mei'er.”

”Gege! What is it?”

Sundra heard a female voice from the radio. The voice sounded like an angel, as it she was about to fetch them into afterlife. The man who was called Gege by the female on the radio replied.

”Tell Melissa to go inside the restaurant. I'll get Gale to fetch her. Bring three towels, medicine for fever and water that isn't cold. Also Mei'er, prepare some hot water and cook some porridge on the cooker. You can do that right?”

”Alright!”

Hearing the conversation, Sundra felt tearing up. How could she not realize that those things that the man requested were for them who were lying on the floor in sickness? Their hard days were finally over. Since the outbreak came too sudden, they were stuck in this roof without any preparation. There were actually eight people back then.

Knowing that they would be stuck in here for some time, the three tried to go inside the restaurant to fetch some necessities but never came back. Among the remaining five of them, only Carlo, her boyfriend, had the courage to volunteer to get food but she did not let him go. After sunset on the first day, they were tired and hungry. However, they had no way of getting food and other things. Then, the accursed rain fell. At first, they thought that it was a blessing since they could at least drink the falling rain but the rain did not let up until midnight last night.

After being drenched with rain and exposed to the cold for long, they all fell sick and their hunger further led them to fell unconscious. With the last resort, she and Carlo removed their rainwater drenched clothes and huddled together. With no choice left, the other female who was one of the staff in the restaurant huddled together with them. Still, the effect was not enough and they still lost consciousness after sometime.

Sundra looked at her unconscious boyfriend. His condition was worse than her since he used his body to cover her up from the rain. She raised her weak hand and touched his cheek with a weak smile.

***

On the parking area in front of WCRonalds, Mei who was helping Odelina to hold back the infected received Mark's orders and immediately complied. Odelina also heard what Mark said and realized that something must have gone wrong. She let Mei do what she was asked to do and was left alone to deal with the incoming infected.

Soon, Abbygale went out of the restaurant and escorted Melissa who was now carrying a large bag back into the restaurant. However, Mei did not go back to help yet since there were other things she was asked to do.

Unfortunately, Odelina was in a dilemma. The horde had finally caught up and the front of the horde was just a few blocks away. This was something she could not handle alone.

However, she must not let down her master. She must think of a way to hold these infected back. Looking around, her gaze fell onto the parked and abandoned vehicles. It gave her a good idea.

She punched a Biter coming her way breaking its skull and then, she closed her eyes to concentrate. At that moment, the lower part of her jeans was torn a slit on both sides. Next, a grey bony growth started to cover her feet and legs while the bone armor covering her hands started to grow and cover her forearms up to her elbow.

***

Back at the rooftop on the second floor, Mark waited at the side as Melissa administered medicine on the three people. Sundra was conscious but the other two was not, needing her help to ingest the medicine they needed.

”It's hypothermia, isn't it?”

Mark asked Melissa.

”Yes, the symptoms clearly showed it. However, this man's fever seemed to be something else. The temperature was too high and I could say that his high body temperature is the reason why these two women are still alive.”

”I see, so that's the case.”

Mark smiled which made Melissa baffled at his expression.

Sundra who was already helped to sit down and was given a dry towel to cover her body leaned on the wall behind her while drinking some water from the bottle given to her. Hearing the conversation of the two, she could not help but worriedly look at her boyfriend who was still unconscious and suffering.She weakly stretched out her right hand and held Melissa's arm getting her attention.

”Please, save Carlo.”

She said in a muffled voice.

To her plea, Melissa gently smiled and said while pointing at Mark with her thumb.

”You don't have to worry. Even if you don't say it, my boss there won't watch him die.”

Sundra looked at Mark who squatted beside Carlo and was checking his state.

”Thank you.”

Sundra said filled with gratitude.

”By the way boss, why do you seem happy when he is burning with high fever?”

Melissa turned towards Mark and asked.

”Just where did that ”Boss” come from?”

Mark replied with a question while looking at the nurse in confusion.

”Because you're the leader right? I'm not your servant so I won't call you Master like Odel so boss is just fine. Right, Boss? Also answer my question first.”

Hearing her reasoning, Mark shook his head. Though, her reasoning was right on point, somehow, he was reluctant to admit it. Furthermore, as if Mark would not notice that she was paying back for the fright she received when they tore through the horde.

”About his fever, it's likely that it is connected to his evolution.”

”Evolution?”