* * *
SUKI
As soon as the man enters the bathroom, I hurry and gather our things.
Duri cocks his head to the side. “What are you doing?”
“Getting ready to leave.”
“We can’t go.”
“We must,” I insist.
“Why? Is that man going to hurt me again? You said he had to.” Duri frowns. “I hate him!”
“We aren’t safe.”
I grab our backpacks from under the bed and begin shoving our things inside.
“That man hurt my leg bad,” Duri says.
“He helped your leg,” I correct. “I know it hurt, but it had to be done.”
“If he helped us, why are we leaving?”
I drop to my knees as hot tears roll down my cheeks. I’m exhausted. So very tired. If it weren’t for Duri and Hyun, I would have given up a long time ago. Years before the dead rose.
Moving locations is no easy feat. First, I must scout suitable places to inhabit. This can take up to a week, and when I finally find a place, I take a day to kill the dead in the area, so they can’t take us by surprise.
Then, I make a trip over with all the things I can carry. I go during midday, when the dead are still, and stick to the shadows. I the return to the boys and wait another day before I ever so carefully bring them. I strap Duri to my back and stroll Hyun to the next place, putting blindfolds over their eyes so they do not startle.
When Duri hurt his leg, we had been staying in a room that was ground level. It was stupid of me to stay there, but there were a lot of toys, and it was one of the only places that felt truly clean.
His scream alerted the dead, and they were able to break a window and enter the room. I was able to fight them off, but the room became unlivable, and we had to exit quickly.
And that turned out to be a big mistake. If Trent hadn’t come along when he had, we’d be dead.
Not that I trust him. Sure, he killed the dead in the area, which was needed, but who knows what he would have done next if I hadn’t knocked him out.
Men can be so cruel.
There’s no way I can move Duri and Hyun now. Not with all our things. I’m left at the mercy of Trent.
What kind of name is that, anyway? Although I come from Korea, my name is Japanese, because that is where my father was from. Trent looks like he could be Nordic. It wouldn’t surprise me if his ancestors were giant Vikings.
He had every chance to kill me, but he chose not to. That doesn’t mean he’s nice, though. He could be biding his time…
I take two swords out from under the kids’ bed. One belonged to Trent, the other, his friend.
Now, they’re mine.
I could rush into the bathroom right now and put an end to him. If he doesn’t overpower me.
Unfortunately, I need him, especially with Duri’s leg injury. He has more medical training than I do, and he could help in other ways during his recovery.
But why would he want to help? He’d have no reason to…unless something was in it for him.
I know what men want. It’s something very hard to find in times like these. Men are content when they’re fat and fucked, and right now, he’s neither. I can take care of half the issue.