Chapter 30
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The sound of the knocks in the door woke me up from my short nap. I groggily rubbed my eyes and looked around at the room.
It was a small room that Rahul had alloted to me. Although it was not very spacious, it had a lot of windows, thus I liked this room and settled quickly in it.
Upon opening the door, I found a girl of around my age waiting outside. She was quite pretty which surprised me in a way.
'Weren't all the beautiful women taken by to the army camp?' I thought but still smiled politely and asked "How may I help you?"
"I want to join your team." The girl said in a low voice.
Looking at her made me realize that she was feeling uncomfortable about something. I looked down and realized that my defensive suit had a lot of blood in it and I had still not cleaned it so far.
'The smell must have made her uncomfortable.' I thought with a bitter smile.
After living in the forest and going through several life and death situations in the past few days, I stopped caring about the blood in my defensive suit. After all, the defensive suit was very comfortable to wear whether there was blood on it or not.
As for the smell, I had long gotten used to it. But just because I was used to that smell doesn't mean that others were too.
"Sorry for the smell." I said "My brother's room is up there. Climb that set of stairs, take a left and climb to the roof of the next house. You'll find his room there. You should talk to him if you are interested in joining the team."
After saying that, I expected her to leave and turned around to close the door but she held the door before it could close it properly.
"Huh… Is there anything else you want?" I asked in confusion.
"Umm… that…" she held her dress as I looked at her curiously.
"Hmm?"
"That… I want… I want to join your team." She said with some effort.
"But I'm not taking in anyone." I replied. 'This girl is weird.'
"I… I know. But… I still want to join your team."
I looked at her face once again, but this time, I was trying to figure out what she wanted to do.
'She's not trying to seduce me for benefits, right.' I thoughts, but looking at her haggard expression made me feel that there was more to her than meets the eye.
"I am not really interested in forming a team you." I said "Specially if doing such a thing might cause any problem for big bro. You should really go and talk with him."
Saying that, I closed the door and went back to rest.
But when ten minutes passed by and I still didn't heard any footsteps. I lost my patience and opened the door once again.
That girl was still standing in the same place.
"Is there anything you want?" I asked. Although I was getting a bit annoyed by now, I was also a bit impressed by her.
If someone had rejected me like that, I would have left long ago. But that's just me.
She looked at me for a few moments before her eyes started to turn red.
'Oh no. Oh no no no… This is not happening…' I thought hurriedly but in the end, it happened.
Tears started rolling down her cheeks and she started to sob silently.
I became a bit frantic as I saw her crying. Shit! What the hell am I supposed to do with a crying girl.
I hoped others don't see us at this moment, as it would be really easy to misunderstand the situation.
'Oi Lily, what should I do now?' I asked in an urgent tone.
Other might think that I was over reacting but I really couldn't see her crying like this anymore.
'You fool. Tell her to sit down somewhere. And then ask what's wrong with her.' Lily said.
Alright. I held the girl's hand and took her to sit on my bed.
'Not inside your room you fool.' Lily's irritated voice rang in my ears. 'And definitely not in your bed. Do you even know what such an action means in the society.'
'Well, there is no other place to sit in here.' I said in a dissatisfied tone.
Indeed, there was no chair or table in the room. And she was the one who told me to do such a thing. I was feeling wronged now.
'You're such an idiot.' Lily shouted 'Well… forget it. Ask her what happened to her.'
"What happened to her?" I asked. "I… I mean, what happened to you?"
'Ugh… this idiot. Ask in a gentler tone. You're not interrogating her you know.'
'Alright.' I thought and then used the gentlest tone I could come up with and asked.
"Lady. What happened to you?" This time the girl looked up at me with a surprise.
'Oh my god. I really can't take it any more. How can someone be so bad at this. I'm really going to die of embarrassment here.'
'But… but… I was gentle as you asked me to be.'
'I meant gentle to a girl. Not gentle to a two year old baby. Seriously. Why is a person like you still alive.' Lily said in anger and then started cursing in the background.
The girl looked at my vacant expression and giggled.
'Oi! What the hell are you giggling about.' I looked at her fiercely and she jumped in fright before she started sobbing once again.
"Wait! No. I… that…" Ah! I really didn't mean to scare you. It's all because of that Lily. I should have never asked for her help.
'What did you say?'
'Nothing.'
"Now tell me. Why are you crying?" I asked once again, in my normal voice. I could hear Lily sighing in the background but I ignored her.
"I… You…" The girl wiped her tears and looked at me with sadness in her eyes "You don't remember me?"
"Am I supposed to remember you?" I asked reflexively. But when I saw expression crumble, I instantly panicked once again.
"No wait. That's not what I meant. I meant to say…" I saw her expression getting normal for a bit but…
'What the hell am I supposed to say now. God this is so awkward.'
'Ask her about her name.' Lily finally gave a good suggestion.
'Well the hell are you thinking. I always give good suggestions. It's you who always ignores or misinterprets them.'
'Yeah. Sure sure. What ever.' I said and chose to ignore her ramblings.
"May I know your name?" I asked in a gentle tone that I use to talk with Neha.
"Ashok… have you really forgotten me?" she said with a pained expression.
'Oh god. Isn't this story going in the wrong direction. Aren't I supposed to fight those Abnormals and grow stronger. Why the hell is there suddenly a girl in my room.' I felt like crying but had no tears to shed.
But then I looked at the girl once again and felt that she does indeed look a bit familiar.
But I really couldn't recall seeing her ever before.
'Is it really possible that I know her from someplace.'
"You do look familiar." I stared at her face closely. But perhaps I went a bit too close and her face turned red as she went back immediately.
'Idiot.'
"Ah… Sorry about that. May I know your name?" I asked immediately, to diffuse the awkwardness in the atmosphere.
"My name is Sera. Sera Sharma. Do you remember me now."
"Sera Sharma…" I repeated the name. It indeed seemed to be familiar.
'Sharma. Sera Sharma… Ahh!' I suddenly recalled everything.
"You're that skinny girl from back then. The one we scared away with the prank." I blurted out at once. But then, I suddenly felt ashamed at my own words.
After all, bullying a girl and then making her cry was really not something I was proud of. My face turned a bit red with shame.
Sera's face also turned red when she heard me say that and she asked "Is that how you remembered me."
"Ah! No… that's not what I meant." I could already hear Lily sighing countless times in my mind already.
"But… Are you really… Sera Sharma?" I scrutinized her face once again. Though she did have the same eyes as back then, hasn't she become a bit too… beautiful.
"Yes." She said and didn't speak anymore.
The room became silent and I felt that I should probably say something. But I didn't knew what I should say and I feeling a bit nervous as well.
'Normally, I could have asked about her family, or her studies, or her friends. But such topic in the apocalypse would only bring grief. Lily any ideas. The atmosphere is getting kinda awkward here.'
'Hmph. Very well then. Why don't you ask her how you can help her. I think she came to ask for your help anyway' Lily said with a snort.
'Okay.'
"Sera. Umm… You… How may I help you?"
"Me… I…" Sera got a bit flustered when she heard me ask her this question.
It seemed like she had forgotten why she was here in the first place.
"Ahh! I… I… I came to join your team." By the end of the sentence, her voice had become so low that I almost didn't hear her words, even with my enhanced Perception.
"My team. But I don't have a team…" I said.
"Hmm… I understand I'll go then." She said and turned to walk out of the door.
I was stunned for a few moment before I quickly came to myself and shouted
"Oi Sera. Wait!" I stood up and ran after her.
When she turned around I could see that her eyes were red and that she was already crying.
'You're such an asshole.' Lily cursed at me for the nth time.
'Why are you cursing at me? What do I do now?'
'You… Sigh! Don't say anything. Just take her in your team.'
'But… I'
'Do you want to use your Black watch again or not?' she asked in a stern voice.
'I… Alright. But this is the only time. And because she was once my friend. Do you understand?'
'Yeah.' She said happily.
"What do you want?" Sera said as she sobbed and wiped her tears.
"I'll… I'll take you in my team." I said in a dispirited manner. Sigh! I'm being forced.
But when Sera looked my dispirited expression she expression turned even worse.
She just turned around and left.
"Oi Wait! Where are you going?" I held her hand and tried to stop her from leaving.
"I don't want to join your team anymore." She sharply said and tried to leave but she could not free herself from my grip.
"What's gotten in to you?" I asked in confusion and with a bit of irritation.
'Why the hell does girls keep changing their minds.'
"Let go of me." She shouted in anger.
"Free yourself if you can." I also said in anger.
She turned around and bit at my hands but, I was wearing Basic defensive suit. How could she bite through that when even 2nd tier abnormals failed at the task.
But looking at her furious expression as she fiercely bit at my hand worried me quite a bit.
'Is she alright?' I asked.
'Does she looks alright to you, you idiot?' Lily rebuked and then explained 'Unlike you, she must have lost her whole family at the start of the apocalypse. After that, she must have lived every day of her life in terror.'
'When she saw you, she probably hoped that you would support her, or at least help her in some form. But you're so dense… I don't even know what to say anymore.'
'That poor girl is already traumatized by this whole experience. Why don't show some humanity and help her.'
'I… Alright… But, what should I do now.' I looked at her as she tried to bite through the defensive suit like a mad dog.
Tears were already streaming down her eyes as she sobbed but she did not stopped biting for even an instant.
"Leave me." She shouted furiously. "Leave me. You're no different from those men. Leave me. Leave me. leave me… leave me" she continued to shout but her strength decreased considerably with each shout and she finally dropped to the ground with her arm still held in my hand.
Looking at her expression, I felt a surge of sadness in my heart.
Some might say that the ones who survived were lucky, but what about those who had lost their entire families.
Are they really lucky to live in a world which robbed them of all their loved ones.
Is their even a meaning in living in such a world for them.
"leave me… leave me… leave me…" she continued to say in a trance as tears continuously fell from her eyes.
Looking at her condition, I wondered what my own fate would have been if I had survived the severe pain but Neha and Rahul hadn't. Just the mere thought of it left goosebumps all over my body.
If I had lost everyone, then… would I have still continued to live on?
I don't think so. My character had never been that strong and Rahul and Neha had always been my whole world. If they had died, and I had to continue to live on in this world, then I am sure I could not have done so.
Looking at Sera who continued to mutter the same words over and over again, I suddenly felt ashamed for some reason. At the same moment, I also realized something else.
She's not weak.
She might look like a weak person but anyone who survived so far under such conditions could not be called weak.
"Leave me… leave me…" she continued to murmur but I bent down and picked her up in and embrace.
"I would not leave you." As she heard my words, she finally lost all of her strength and fell asleep.
Maybe she was a bit too exhausted when she came here.
I went back to my room and gently placed her in the bed.
Then I sat beside her and continued to look at her.
'She is a pitiable girl.' That thought rang in my mind when I looked at her current state but now, I felt something more toward her.
'You know Lily. Ever since I faced the Severe pain, I always had this thought in my mind.' I said.
'What thought?'
'If… If Big bro had not told me about it, then I would never had survived that night.'
'No that's not necessarily…'
'Don't try to deny it.' I cut her off and said 'I know myself far better than you do. If Rahul had not told me about it, then I would have died that night.'
Then I looked at the girl lying on my bed. 'This girl may seem to be pitiable, but she is far stronger than me.'
'I… I want to be strong as well.' I then stood up and went out of the door at once.
'Where are you going now?' Lily asked.
'I'm going to become strong. I don't know how to become mentally strong. But I know how to become strong physically. So that what I'm going to do now.'
'I may not become as strong as Big bro. But that won't stop me from giving my best and trying to become as strong as I can possibly be.'
I looked at the Abnormals down below, but before I could decide what I should do next, I saw faint movements outside the town.
I looked in that direction and found out that those guys from the army had come once again. This time, there were six men in their team and they were making some preparations for something.
I frowned when I looked at them.
'What do you think they are doing?' I asked.
'I don't know. But probably not something good.'
'Hmm… Big bro said that they should have a limited supply of ammunition. In that case, they probably won't try to fight against these abnormals. But they still want to control this town for some reason. So at this point, these guys are most likely preparing to lure out the abnormals from the town.'
'So… Let's inform your brother about this.'
I looked at the soldiers scurrying about in the forest and suddenly felt anger rise up within me for some reason.
I never liked those filthy bastards in the first place, and now they want to destroy my brother's hard work. I suddenly felt an intense desire to kill well up in my chest.
'No… I can't always rely on Big bro.' I said with a voice filled with rage. 'This time, I'll deal with them on my own.'
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The sound of the knocks in the door woke me up from my short nap. I groggily rubbed my eyes and looked around at the room.
It was a small room that Rahul had alloted to me. Although it was not very spacious, it had a lot of windows, thus I liked this room and settled quickly in it.
Upon opening the door, I found a girl of around my age waiting outside. She was quite pretty which surprised me in a way.
'Weren't all the beautiful women taken by to the army camp?' I thought but still smiled politely and asked "How may I help you?"
"I want to join your team." The girl said in a low voice.
Looking at her made me realize that she was feeling uncomfortable about something. I looked down and realized that my defensive suit had a lot of blood in it and I had still not cleaned it so far.
'The smell must have made her uncomfortable.' I thought with a bitter smile.
After living in the forest and going through several life and death situations in the past few days, I stopped caring about the blood in my defensive suit. After all, the defensive suit was very comfortable to wear whether there was blood on it or not.
As for the smell, I had long gotten used to it. But just because I was used to that smell doesn't mean that others were too.
"Sorry for the smell." I said "My brother's room is up there. Climb that set of stairs, take a left and climb to the roof of the next house. You'll find his room there. You should talk to him if you are interested in joining the team."
After saying that, I expected her to leave and turned around to close the door but she held the door before it could close it properly.
"Huh… Is there anything else you want?" I asked in confusion.
"Umm… that…" she held her dress as I looked at her curiously.
"Hmm?"
"That… I want… I want to join your team." She said with some effort.
"But I'm not taking in anyone." I replied. 'This girl is weird.'
"I… I know. But… I still want to join your team."
I looked at her face once again, but this time, I was trying to figure out what she wanted to do.
'She's not trying to seduce me for benefits, right.' I thoughts, but looking at her haggard expression made me feel that there was more to her than meets the eye.
"I am not really interested in forming a team you." I said "Specially if doing such a thing might cause any problem for big bro. You should really go and talk with him."
Saying that, I closed the door and went back to rest.
But when ten minutes passed by and I still didn't heard any footsteps. I lost my patience and opened the door once again.
That girl was still standing in the same place.
"Is there anything you want?" I asked. Although I was getting a bit annoyed by now, I was also a bit impressed by her.
If someone had rejected me like that, I would have left long ago. But that's just me.
She looked at me for a few moments before her eyes started to turn red.
'Oh no. Oh no no no… This is not happening…' I thought hurriedly but in the end, it happened.
Tears started rolling down her cheeks and she started to sob silently.
I became a bit frantic as I saw her crying. Shit! What the hell am I supposed to do with a crying girl.
I hoped others don't see us at this moment, as it would be really easy to misunderstand the situation.
'Oi Lily, what should I do now?' I asked in an urgent tone.
Other might think that I was over reacting but I really couldn't see her crying like this anymore.
'You fool. Tell her to sit down somewhere. And then ask what's wrong with her.' Lily said.
Alright. I held the girl's hand and took her to sit on my bed.
'Not inside your room you fool.' Lily's irritated voice rang in my ears. 'And definitely not in your bed. Do you even know what such an action means in the society.'
'Well, there is no other place to sit in here.' I said in a dissatisfied tone.
Indeed, there was no chair or table in the room. And she was the one who told me to do such a thing. I was feeling wronged now.
'You're such an idiot.' Lily shouted 'Well… forget it. Ask her what happened to her.'
"What happened to her?" I asked. "I… I mean, what happened to you?"
'Ugh… this idiot. Ask in a gentler tone. You're not interrogating her you know.'
'Alright.' I thought and then used the gentlest tone I could come up with and asked.
"Lady. What happened to you?" This time the girl looked up at me with a surprise.
'Oh my god. I really can't take it any more. How can someone be so bad at this. I'm really going to die of embarrassment here.'
'But… but… I was gentle as you asked me to be.'
'I meant gentle to a girl. Not gentle to a two year old baby. Seriously. Why is a person like you still alive.' Lily said in anger and then started cursing in the background.
The girl looked at my vacant expression and giggled.
'Oi! What the hell are you giggling about.' I looked at her fiercely and she jumped in fright before she started sobbing once again.
"Wait! No. I… that…" Ah! I really didn't mean to scare you. It's all because of that Lily. I should have never asked for her help.
'What did you say?'
'Nothing.'
"Now tell me. Why are you crying?" I asked once again, in my normal voice. I could hear Lily sighing in the background but I ignored her.
"I… You…" The girl wiped her tears and looked at me with sadness in her eyes "You don't remember me?"
"Am I supposed to remember you?" I asked reflexively. But when I saw expression crumble, I instantly panicked once again.
"No wait. That's not what I meant. I meant to say…" I saw her expression getting normal for a bit but…
'What the hell am I supposed to say now. God this is so awkward.'
'Ask her about her name.' Lily finally gave a good suggestion.
'Well the hell are you thinking. I always give good suggestions. It's you who always ignores or misinterprets them.'
'Yeah. Sure sure. What ever.' I said and chose to ignore her ramblings.
"May I know your name?" I asked in a gentle tone that I use to talk with Neha.
"Ashok… have you really forgotten me?" she said with a pained expression.
'Oh god. Isn't this story going in the wrong direction. Aren't I supposed to fight those Abnormals and grow stronger. Why the hell is there suddenly a girl in my room.' I felt like crying but had no tears to shed.
But then I looked at the girl once again and felt that she does indeed look a bit familiar.
But I really couldn't recall seeing her ever before.
'Is it really possible that I know her from someplace.'
"You do look familiar." I stared at her face closely. But perhaps I went a bit too close and her face turned red as she went back immediately.
'Idiot.'
"Ah… Sorry about that. May I know your name?" I asked immediately, to diffuse the awkwardness in the atmosphere.
"My name is Sera. Sera Sharma. Do you remember me now."
"Sera Sharma…" I repeated the name. It indeed seemed to be familiar.
'Sharma. Sera Sharma… Ahh!' I suddenly recalled everything.
"You're that skinny girl from back then. The one we scared away with the prank." I blurted out at once. But then, I suddenly felt ashamed at my own words.
After all, bullying a girl and then making her cry was really not something I was proud of. My face turned a bit red with shame.
Sera's face also turned red when she heard me say that and she asked "Is that how you remembered me."
"Ah! No… that's not what I meant." I could already hear Lily sighing countless times in my mind already.
"But… Are you really… Sera Sharma?" I scrutinized her face once again. Though she did have the same eyes as back then, hasn't she become a bit too… beautiful.
"Yes." She said and didn't speak anymore.
The room became silent and I felt that I should probably say something. But I didn't knew what I should say and I feeling a bit nervous as well.
'Normally, I could have asked about her family, or her studies, or her friends. But such topic in the apocalypse would only bring grief. Lily any ideas. The atmosphere is getting kinda awkward here.'
'Hmph. Very well then. Why don't you ask her how you can help her. I think she came to ask for your help anyway' Lily said with a snort.
'Okay.'
"Sera. Umm… You… How may I help you?"
"Me… I…" Sera got a bit flustered when she heard me ask her this question.
It seemed like she had forgotten why she was here in the first place.
"Ahh! I… I… I came to join your team." By the end of the sentence, her voice had become so low that I almost didn't hear her words, even with my enhanced Perception.
"My team. But I don't have a team…" I said.
"Hmm… I understand I'll go then." She said and turned to walk out of the door.
I was stunned for a few moment before I quickly came to myself and shouted
"Oi Sera. Wait!" I stood up and ran after her.
When she turned around I could see that her eyes were red and that she was already crying.
'You're such an asshole.' Lily cursed at me for the nth time.
'Why are you cursing at me? What do I do now?'
'You… Sigh! Don't say anything. Just take her in your team.'
'But… I'
'Do you want to use your Black watch again or not?' she asked in a stern voice.
'I… Alright. But this is the only time. And because she was once my friend. Do you understand?'
'Yeah.' She said happily.
"What do you want?" Sera said as she sobbed and wiped her tears.
"I'll… I'll take you in my team." I said in a dispirited manner. Sigh! I'm being forced.
But when Sera looked my dispirited expression she expression turned even worse.
She just turned around and left.
"Oi Wait! Where are you going?" I held her hand and tried to stop her from leaving.
"I don't want to join your team anymore." She sharply said and tried to leave but she could not free herself from my grip.
"What's gotten in to you?" I asked in confusion and with a bit of irritation.
'Why the hell does girls keep changing their minds.'
"Let go of me." She shouted in anger.
"Free yourself if you can." I also said in anger.
She turned around and bit at my hands but, I was wearing Basic defensive suit. How could she bite through that when even 2nd tier abnormals failed at the task.
But looking at her furious expression as she fiercely bit at my hand worried me quite a bit.
'Is she alright?' I asked.
'Does she looks alright to you, you idiot?' Lily rebuked and then explained 'Unlike you, she must have lost her whole family at the start of the apocalypse. After that, she must have lived every day of her life in terror.'
'When she saw you, she probably hoped that you would support her, or at least help her in some form. But you're so dense… I don't even know what to say anymore.'
'That poor girl is already traumatized by this whole experience. Why don't show some humanity and help her.'
'I… Alright… But, what should I do now.' I looked at her as she tried to bite through the defensive suit like a mad dog.
Tears were already streaming down her eyes as she sobbed but she did not stopped biting for even an instant.
"Leave me." She shouted furiously. "Leave me. You're no different from those men. Leave me. Leave me. leave me… leave me" she continued to shout but her strength decreased considerably with each shout and she finally dropped to the ground with her arm still held in my hand.
Looking at her expression, I felt a surge of sadness in my heart.
Some might say that the ones who survived were lucky, but what about those who had lost their entire families.
Are they really lucky to live in a world which robbed them of all their loved ones.
Is their even a meaning in living in such a world for them.
"leave me… leave me… leave me…" she continued to say in a trance as tears continuously fell from her eyes.
Looking at her condition, I wondered what my own fate would have been if I had survived the severe pain but Neha and Rahul hadn't. Just the mere thought of it left goosebumps all over my body.
If I had lost everyone, then… would I have still continued to live on?
I don't think so. My character had never been that strong and Rahul and Neha had always been my whole world. If they had died, and I had to continue to live on in this world, then I am sure I could not have done so.
Looking at Sera who continued to mutter the same words over and over again, I suddenly felt ashamed for some reason. At the same moment, I also realized something else.
She's not weak.
She might look like a weak person but anyone who survived so far under such conditions could not be called weak.
"Leave me… leave me…" she continued to murmur but I bent down and picked her up in and embrace.
"I would not leave you." As she heard my words, she finally lost all of her strength and fell asleep.
Maybe she was a bit too exhausted when she came here.
I went back to my room and gently placed her in the bed.
Then I sat beside her and continued to look at her.
'She is a pitiable girl.' That thought rang in my mind when I looked at her current state but now, I felt something more toward her.
'You know Lily. Ever since I faced the Severe pain, I always had this thought in my mind.' I said.
'What thought?'
'If… If Big bro had not told me about it, then I would never had survived that night.'
'No that's not necessarily…'
'Don't try to deny it.' I cut her off and said 'I know myself far better than you do. If Rahul had not told me about it, then I would have died that night.'
Then I looked at the girl lying on my bed. 'This girl may seem to be pitiable, but she is far stronger than me.'
'I… I want to be strong as well.' I then stood up and went out of the door at once.
'Where are you going now?' Lily asked.
'I'm going to become strong. I don't know how to become mentally strong. But I know how to become strong physically. So that what I'm going to do now.'
'I may not become as strong as Big bro. But that won't stop me from giving my best and trying to become as strong as I can possibly be.'
I looked at the Abnormals down below, but before I could decide what I should do next, I saw faint movements outside the town.
I looked in that direction and found out that those guys from the army had come once again. This time, there were six men in their team and they were making some preparations for something.
I frowned when I looked at them.
'What do you think they are doing?' I asked.
'I don't know. But probably not something good.'
'Hmm… Big bro said that they should have a limited supply of ammunition. In that case, they probably won't try to fight against these abnormals. But they still want to control this town for some reason. So at this point, these guys are most likely preparing to lure out the abnormals from the town.'
'So… Let's inform your brother about this.'
I looked at the soldiers scurrying about in the forest and suddenly felt anger rise up within me for some reason.
I never liked those filthy bastards in the first place, and now they want to destroy my brother's hard work. I suddenly felt an intense desire to kill well up in my chest.
'No… I can't always rely on Big bro.' I said with a voice filled with rage. 'This time, I'll deal with them on my own.'
The sound of the knocks in the door woke me up from my short nap. I groggily rubbed my eyes and looked around at the room.It was a small room that Rahul had alloted to me. Although it was not very spacious, it had a lot of windows, thus I liked this room and settled quickly in it.Upon opening the door, I found a girl of around my age waiting outside. She was quite pretty which surprised me in a way.'Weren't all the beautiful women taken by to the army camp?' I thought but still smiled politely and asked "How may I help you?""I want to join your team." The girl said in a low voice.Looking at her made me realize that she was feeling uncomfortable about something. I looked down and realized that my defensive suit had a lot of blood in it and I had still not cleaned it so far.'The smell must have made her uncomfortable.' I thought with a bitter smile.After living in the forest and going through several life and death situations in the past few days, I stopped caring about the blood in my defensive suit. After all, the defensive suit was very comfortable to wear whether there was blood on it or not.As for the smell, I had long gotten used to it. But just because I was used to that smell doesn't mean that others were too."Sorry for the smell." I said "My brother's room is up there. Climb that set of stairs, take a left and climb to the roof of the next house. You'll find his room there. You should talk to him if you are interested in joining the team."After saying that, I expected her to leave and turned around to close the door but she held the door before it could close it properly."Huh Is there anything else you want?" I asked in confusion."Umm that" she held her dress as I looked at her curiously."Hmm?""That I want I want to join your team." She said with some effort."But I'm not taking in anyone." I replied. 'This girl is weird.'"I I know. But I still want to join your team."I looked at her face once again, but this time, I was trying to figure out what she wanted to do.'She's not trying to seduce me for benefits, right.' I thoughts, but looking at her haggard expression made me feel that there was more to her than meets the eye."I am not really interested in forming a team you." I said "Specially if doing such a thing might cause any problem for big bro. You should really go and talk with him."Saying that, I closed the door and went back to rest.But when ten minutes passed by and I still didn't heard any footsteps. I lost my patience and opened the door once again.That girl was still standing in the same place."Is there anything you want?" I asked. Although I was getting a bit annoyed by now, I was also a bit impressed by her.If someone had rejected me like that, I would have left long ago. But that's just me.She looked at me for a few moments before her eyes started to turn red.'Oh no. Oh no no no This is not happening' I thought hurriedly but in the end, it happened.Tears started rolling down her cheeks and she started to sob silently.I became a bit frantic as I saw her crying. Shit! What the hell am I supposed to do with a crying girl.I hoped others don't see us at this moment, as it would be really easy to misunderstand the situation.'Oi Lily, what should I do now?' I asked in an urgent tone.Other might think that I was over reacting but I really couldn't see her crying like this anymore.'You fool. Tell her to sit down somewhere. And then ask what's wrong with her.' Lily said.Alright. I held the girl's hand and took her to sit on my bed.'Not inside your room you fool.' Lily's irritated voice rang in my ears. 'And definitely not in your bed. Do you even know what such an action means in the society.''Well, there is no other place to sit in here.' I said in a dissatisfied tone.Indeed, there was no chair or table in the room. And she was the one who told me to do such a thing. I was feeling wronged now.'You're such an idiot.' Lily shouted 'Well forget it. Ask her what happened to her.'"What happened to her?" I asked. "I I mean, what happened to you?"'Ugh this idiot. Ask in a gentler tone. You're not interrogating her you know.''Alright.' I thought and then used the gentlest tone I could come up with and asked."Lady. What happened to you?" This time the girl looked up at me with a surprise.'Oh my god. I really can't take it any more. How can someone be so bad at this. I'm really going to die of embarrassment here.''But but I was gentle as you asked me to be.''I meant gentle to a girl. Not gentle to a two year old baby. Seriously. Why is a person like you still alive.' Lily said in anger and then started cursing in the background.The girl looked at my vacant expression and giggled.'Oi! What the hell are you giggling about.' I looked at her fiercely and she jumped in fright before she started sobbing once again."Wait! No. I that" Ah! I really didn't mean to scare you. It's all because of that Lily. I should have never asked for her help.'What did you say?''Nothing.'"Now tell me. Why are you crying?" I asked once again, in my normal voice. I could hear Lily sighing in the background but I ignored her."I You" The girl wiped her tears and looked at me with sadness in her eyes "You don't remember me?""Am I supposed to remember you?" I asked reflexively. But when I saw expression crumble, I instantly panicked once again."No wait. That's not what I meant. I meant to say" I saw her expression getting normal for a bit but'What the hell am I supposed to say now. God this is so awkward.''Ask her about her name.' Lily finally gave a good suggestion.'Well the hell are you thinking. I always give good suggestions. It's you who always ignores or misinterprets them.''Yeah. Sure sure. What ever.' I said and chose to ignore her ramblings."May I know your name?" I asked in a gentle tone that I use to talk with Neha."Ashok have you really forgotten me?" she said with a pained expression.'Oh god. Isn't this story going in the wrong direction. Aren't I supposed to fight those Abnormals and grow stronger. Why the hell is there suddenly a girl in my room.' I felt like crying but had no tears to shed.But then I looked at the girl once again and felt that she does indeed look a bit familiar.But I really couldn't recall seeing her ever before.'Is it really possible that I know her from someplace.'"You do look familiar." I stared at her face closely. But perhaps I went a bit too close and her face turned red as she went back immediately.'Idiot.'"Ah Sorry about that. May I know your name?" I asked immediately, to diffuse the awkwardness in the atmosphere."My name is Sera. Sera Sharma. Do you remember me now.""Sera Sharma" I repeated the name. It indeed seemed to be familiar.'Sharma. Sera Sharma Ahh!' I suddenly recalled everything."You're that skinny girl from back then. The one we scared away with the prank." I blurted out at once. But then, I suddenly felt ashamed at my own words.After all, bullying a girl and then making her cry was really not something I was proud of. My face turned a bit red with shame.Sera's face also turned red when she heard me say that and she asked "Is that how you remembered me.""Ah! No that's not what I meant." I could already hear Lily sighing countless times in my mind already."But Are you really Sera Sharma?" I scrutinized her face once again. Though she did have the same eyes as back then, hasn't she become a bit too beautiful."Yes." She said and didn't speak anymore.The room became silent and I felt that I should probably say something. But I didn't knew what I should say and I feeling a bit nervous as well.'Normally, I could have asked about her family, or her studies, or her friends. But such topic in the apocalypse would only bring grief. Lily any ideas. The atmosphere is getting kinda awkward here.''Hmph. Very well then. Why don't you ask her how you can help her. I think she came to ask for your help anyway' Lily said with a snort.'Okay.'"Sera. Umm You How may I help you?""Me I" Sera got a bit flustered when she heard me ask her this question.It seemed like she had forgotten why she was here in the first place."Ahh! I I I came to join your team." By the end of the sentence, her voice had become so low that I almost didn't hear her words, even with my enhanced Perception."My team. But I don't have a team" I said."Hmm I understand I'll go then." She said and turned to walk out of the door.I was stunned for a few moment before I quickly came to myself and shouted"Oi Sera. Wait!" I stood up and ran after her.When she turned around I could see that her eyes were red and that she was already crying.'You're such an asshole.' Lily cursed at me for the nth time.'Why are you cursing at me? What do I do now?''You Sigh! Don't say anything. Just take her in your team.''But I''Do you want to use your Black watch again or not?' she asked in a stern voice.'I Alright. But this is the only time. And because she was once my friend. Do you understand?''Yeah.' She said happily."What do you want?" Sera said as she sobbed and wiped her tears."I'll I'll take you in my team." I said in a dispirited manner. Sigh! I'm being forced.But when Sera looked my dispirited expression she expression turned even worse.She just turned around and left."Oi Wait! Where are you going?" I held her hand and tried to stop her from leaving."I don't want to join your team anymore." She sharply said and tried to leave but she could not free herself from my grip."What's gotten in to you?" I asked in confusion and with a bit of irritation.'Why the hell does girls keep changing their minds.'"Let go of me." She shouted in anger."Free yourself if you can." I also said in anger.She turned around and bit at my hands but, I was wearing Basic defensive suit. How could she bite through that when even 2nd tier abnormals failed at the task.But looking at her furious expression as she fiercely bit at my hand worried me quite a bit.'Is she alright?' I asked.'Does she looks alright to you, you idiot?' Lily rebuked and then explained 'Unlike you, she must have lost her whole family at the start of the apocalypse. After that, she must have lived every day of her life in terror.''When she saw you, she probably hoped that you would support her, or at least help her in some form. But you're so dense I don't even know what to say anymore.''That poor girl is already traumatized by this whole experience. Why don't show some humanity and help her.''I Alright But, what should I do now.' I looked at her as she tried to bite through the defensive suit like a mad dog.Tears were already streaming down her eyes as she sobbed but she did not stopped biting for even an instant."Leave me." She shouted furiously. "Leave me. You're no different from those men. Leave me. Leave me. leave me leave me" she continued to shout but her strength decreased considerably with each shout and she finally dropped to the ground with her arm still held in my hand.Looking at her expression, I felt a surge of sadness in my heart.Some might say that the ones who survived were lucky, but what about those who had lost their entire families.Are they really lucky to live in a world which robbed them of all their loved ones.Is their even a meaning in living in such a world for them."leave me leave me leave me" she continued to say in a trance as tears continuously fell from her eyes.Looking at her condition, I wondered what my own fate would have been if I had survived the severe pain but Neha and Rahul hadn't. Just the mere thought of it left goosebumps all over my body.If I had lost everyone, then would I have still continued to live on?I don't think so. My character had never been that strong and Rahul and Neha had always been my whole world. If they had died, and I had to continue to live on in this world, then I am sure I could not have done so.Looking at Sera who continued to mutter the same words over and over again, I suddenly felt ashamed for some reason. At the same moment, I also realized something else.She's not weak.She might look like a weak person but anyone who survived so far under such conditions could not be called weak."Leave me leave me" she continued to murmur but I bent down and picked her up in and embrace."I would not leave you." As she heard my words, she finally lost all of her strength and fell asleep.Maybe she was a bit too exhausted when she came here.I went back to my room and gently placed her in the bed.Then I sat beside her and continued to look at her.'She is a pitiable girl.' That thought rang in my mind when I looked at her current state but now, I felt something more toward her.'You know Lily. Ever since I faced the Severe pain, I always had this thought in my mind.' I said.'What thought?''If If Big bro had not told me about it, then I would never had survived that night.''No that's not necessarily''Don't try to deny it.' I cut her off and said 'I know myself far better than you do. If Rahul had not told me about it, then I would have died that night.'Then I looked at the girl lying on my bed. 'This girl may seem to be pitiable, but she is far stronger than me.''I I want to be strong as well.' I then stood up and went out of the door at once.'Where are you going now?' Lily asked.'I'm going to become strong. I don't know how to become mentally strong. But I know how to become strong physically. So that what I'm going to do now.''I may not become as strong as Big bro. But that won't stop me from giving my best and trying to become as strong as I can possibly be.'I looked at the Abnormals down below, but before I could decide what I should do next, I saw faint movements outside the town.I looked in that direction and found out that those guys from the army had come once again. This time, there were six men in their team and they were making some preparations for something.I frowned when I looked at them.'What do you think they are doing?' I asked.'I don't know. But probably not something good.''Hmm Big bro said that they should have a limited supply of ammunition. In that case, they probably won't try to fight against these abnormals. But they still want to control this town for some reason. So at this point, these guys are most likely preparing to lure out the abnormals from the town.''So Let's inform your brother about this.'I looked at the soldiers scurrying about in the forest and suddenly felt anger rise up within me for some reason.I never liked those filthy bastards in the first place, and now they want to destroy my brother's hard work. I suddenly felt an intense desire to kill well up in my chest.'No I can't always rely on Big bro.' I said with a voice filled with rage. 'This time, I'll deal with them on my own.'
