Chapter 18. Trust (8)
* * * * *
A few days later.
Cassandra prepared a ‘meal’ to give to the zombies. It is a mixture of waste food and virus culture in a plastic container the size of a side dish container.
The Cro virus, which ‘turns living things into zombies,’ is different from the Limos virus, which ‘induces hunger.’
If there are no organisms that can penetrate Limos, it covers its body with spores, stops its activity, and waits. However, the Cro virus cannot last as long as Limos.
So, Cassandra said, ‘Choose foods that are moist and high in protein and fat so that the virus can survive for a long time,’ and Johan and Camilla actively recommended Cybele’s ‘Beef Stew with Tomato Puree.’ The reason was that ‘seafood smells fishy.’
When I mixed the leftover vegetables and spoiled preserved food into it, a considerable amount came out. There was enough food for each zombie out there to eat two meals.
“Whoa.”
The closed warehouse is sweltering, and the protective clothing sticks to the skin. Sweat from my forehead stung my eyes, but I couldn’t take off my gas mask and wipe it away.
The sealed warehouse was full of Cro viruses. Although the activity has been lowered, if the bacterial density is high, acute mutations can occur even if it is Cassandra.
“Huh. After.”
Every part of my body was wet and itchy. The feeling of fat sticking to my body was annoying. Cassandra held back and sealed the contaminated food container with plastic wrap.
The end.
Cassandra immediately opened the window. She turned on a fan connected to a rechargeable battery and circulated the air. A hot wind blew, but she didn’t feel as stuffy as before.
I picked up the contaminated food containers and moved them one by one into the trunk of the pickup truck. Every time I walked, my body made a creaking sound. The cold sweat between her breasts was particularly uncomfortable.
‘I want to take it off quickly.’
The group was told to gather on the rooftop, but not stand on the railing, as the virus could spread within the building. ‘There is nothing good about inhaling a virus that travels on the wind,’ she said, giving me a lot of fear. Cro virus may be a droplet infection, but it is not spread through the air.
I glanced up at the rooftop of the building, just in case. There was not a single gun muzzle in sight. Cassandra was satisfied. She walked towards the corner screen of the building. Sponges, water mixed with disinfectant, and sunbeds were prepared.
First, I thoroughly wiped the protective clothing with a sponge soaked in disinfectant. For the parts of my back that I couldn’t reach, I soaked a sponge in water, placed it on the nape of my neck, and slowly rubbed it starting from my shoulders. Hoping the running water would sterilize it.
‘There really is no one up there, right?’
After a final check, Cassandra slowly took off her hazmat suit. He was not wearing anything under his protective clothing. She feels like she’s cowering helplessly, but she has no choice.
If the place is properly equipped with a sterilization room and shower facilities, there is no reason to go to this length. However, there is only a simple shower here. I couldn’t wash in a public space while still being covered in germs.
So the option chosen was ultraviolet ray disinfection.
Clean water was slowly poured over the body. Because the day was so hot, it was lukewarm rather than cool, but it was enough to wipe off the unpleasant sweat. I wiped myself thoroughly with a dry towel and applied sunscreen on my body. Suddenly, I looked towards the roof of the building, but there was still nothing special.
The sunbed was also heated, so I sprinkled the remaining water on it. Cassandra lay down gently on it. It was under the shade and the sun had moved a little to the side, so it wasn’t blinding, but I still closed my eyes tightly.
A hot wind blew and dried her body neatly in every nook and cranny. She felt good. She felt just like when John touched her.
‘… ‘What are you thinking?’
I don’t have that deep of a relationship with John yet. Above all, he seemed quite close to Camilla. Although she felt a sense of injustice that she didn’t know why, she didn’t think it was a big deal.
But now that a new woman has arrived, her feelings have become more complicated. She’s not just anyone else, she’s bringing a soldier from the National Military Police. Even quite… Perhaps she seemed to have gone deeper than Camilla.
‘What about me?’
Establishing a relationship with someone. Cassandra was scared. Because I don’t know. I had no idea what that kind of relationship was. Before I met Johan and Camilla, I didn’t really know what friends were.
‘Friend.’
It was fun when we were together. Even when I saw the two people bickering, I didn’t show it, but it was fun. But sometimes, when I was alone with Yohan, I felt like spilling something out loud.
‘Desire… ?’
A vague concept came to mind, but Cassandra shook her head. Because she’s not in a relaxed state to think about such things.
‘But Yohan and the other women are good at it. I am?’
… Fat and ugly. Cassandra’s heart broke. Big enough to accommodate only her breasts. She definitely won’t like Yohan either.
‘… I’ll just be satisfied with this much. Anything more than that is too complicated. The other thing is, when all of this is over.’
The brilliant sunlight shattered here and there on her body.
* * * * *
Rooftop.
Me, Camilla, and Leticia came up carrying a map and a can of beer each. The beer was quite cold since it was stored in Cassandra’s compartment in her research refrigerator. Of course, I didn’t forget to wash the can thoroughly before opening it.
I had to decide ‘where to go’. There were quite a few places that I, Leticia, and Camilla all knew. So, I hoped that by exchanging opinions between the three of us, we would come up with a plausible alternative.
“What about here? It was used as one of the bunkers of the Central Liberation Corps… “
“It’s been a long time since you were subdued there, young lady.”
“Then what about here?”
Camilla pointed out a mountainous terrain. Leticia looked at me while flicking her phone. It means whether it is okay to search. I nodded.
“Um… That place has already been robbed by the National Military Police. 113 Detachment? Anyway, those people came and went. “It was more than six months ago.”
“Then I don’t know anything else. “Stop slandering me and tell me where you know!”
Camilla released her hand and glared at Leticia. After all, an ideal is only an ideal.
“Is that so? Okay. Here. Here, and here.”
Leticia quickly drew a circle on the map. All of them were located near main roads and far from the village. Camila moaned and tapped her cheek with her finger.
“… “What do we have here?”
“This is where the military facility is located.”
I answered first instead of Leticia. Both Leticia and Camilla looked at me in surprise.
“Independence Company Barracks, was this a checkpoint? I think so. Also, this seems to have been some sort of supply depot. Was it ammunition?”
“… No. Oil. This place was closed down before the zombie outbreak. “How did you know all this?”
“Can you tell me why you recommended the military base before, Leticia?”
You might be thinking something strange. Leticia explained in a serious tone.
“The military facility here was vacated when the non-protection zone was established. So there is a high probability that it will be very clean. And these places are quite well-equipped with defense facilities to respond to external intrusions. “So-and-so must have exploded so much?”
Leticia muttered as if teasing Camilla. Camilla was furious and didn’t stay still.
“Don’t be funny. You didn’t hear me out loud. “Innocent citizens and their families are forcibly captured, starved, beaten, and made to write fake confessions!”
“Oh, the people who died from your homemade bombs were all sinful people? “There wasn’t a single incident of accidental explosion?”
“This!”
Camilla tried to pounce on Leticia. I suddenly got between the two women.
“Hey, why don’t you two just put on boxing gloves and fight?”
“It will still be like that. Next time I go to the shopping center, I’ll have to stock up on some gloves. “I’m going to kick that bloated ass.”
Camilla was wheezing, but Leticia was still upset.
“The more I look at you, the more I feel, you really have a pretty face. Make me jealous. “I think I’ll like it more if I make her stick her nose down.”
“While you’re worrying about other people’s noses, take care of the elasticity of your sagging skin!”
“Hey! “You said everything!”
The two women rushed towards each other as if there was no need to speak. It was not just a rush, but a collision where the guard was raised tightly and the body was pushed.
When Leticia kicked Camilla’s ankle, Camilla slightly stomped her foot and jumped. She put her weight in the air and thrust her fist out. Leticia blocked with her left arm and extended her right arm. It was a standard straight line that stretched out her waist.
“Stop!”
I lifted Leticia’s right arm upward. “Huh?” Her left hand extended towards Camilla. “Approximately!” I didn’t mean to, but it crushed her heart. Camilla sat down, clutching her breasts. It looked like it was very painful.
“I’m going to kill you!”
Leticia tried to shake me off. Pretending to have misstepd, she cleverly walked her hind legs to throw off her center of gravity. Leticia, who had unknowingly taken a step back, finally reached her corner. Camilla was approaching, growling.
“Wait a minute, look over there!”
Turning Leticia to her corner, Camilla blocked her path.
“Get out of the way.”
Camilla took her standard pose. She’s in the kind of ready stance you often see in fighting games.
“I have to finish it today. Someone’s tooth broke, or the bridge of my nose sank. Hey, where are you looking, I’m right here!”
From Noble mtl dot com
Her last words were to Leticia. It’s embarrassing. She pushes Leticia onto her back, but just slides off to her side and lunges at Camilla…
“Where are you looking? “Why are you scared?”
A sound like assembling dinosaur bones came from Camilla’s throat. However, Leticia, who was facing away from me, did not move at all. She felt strange, so she turned around.
Leticia was looking down at her.
Her eyes wide open, her mouth slightly open.
“… And.”
What are you looking at?
Camilla also raised her eyebrows as if something was strange. She tilted her head slightly to mean ‘I will see’ and looked down after Leticia.
And she couldn’t take her eyes off her.
Not everything was visible. Because it was covered by a translucent curtain. But rather, it seemed like it was see-through.
“Wow.”
This is my first time seeing it under such bright sunlight.
“No, what is it?”
Camilla mumbled and came next to me. She seemed to be aware of Leticia and glanced at her, but when she saw Leticia not moving, she also looked down at her.
“… Oh.”
Camilla stepped behind her, covering her mouth.
“… I thought it was big. No, that, that, more than that. What on earth are you doing? Did you like that, Cassandra?”
“… She said she was going to disinfect it in the sun. “I thought it was just about clothes.”
“Disintegrate.”
Leticia could not bear to continue speaking. She barely took her eyes off him and stepped back. All three of us were speechless. She felt solemn because she felt like she had seen something she shouldn’t have seen.
“… “Let’s have a meeting.”
“Yes.”
“Sorry.”
Actually, if we had known what would happen in a few days, we wouldn’t have had to fight like this.