Tire Marks

Vroom!

Sigh.

"Dear, don't blame yourself. We must respect their decision."

Mrs. Numee comforted her husband.

"I know, but I can't help it. I thought Yoon and Big Sister Chey would get fired up when we say we're going to rescue Big Brother Kuff."

In a luxurious backseat of a car, Mr. Zayf ranted to his wife.

The team heads out again the next day on another rescue mission.

This time, they are saving Mr. Zayf's second brother Kuff.

'Was it because of what happened previously?'

Mr. Zayf thought hard and long, why did his youngest brother and eldest sister did not want to join the rescue mission.

…

Yesterday night.

"Little Erza, what do you mean by joining you?"

The voice belonged to First Aunt Chey.

She always seems grumpy, but she loves her nieces and nephews like her own, as she is unmarried until her late age.

"Aunt Chey, we got in contact with everyone when the apocalypse happened."

He announced each of their statuses.

They were relieved when they knew a few of them are safe.

"If we work together, we can save them and bring them back here."

Rumble!

Bring them back here?

"Little nephew, y-you mean, to travel to their homes and face th-those monsters?!"

Aunt Chey chided.

Sixth Uncle's family did not dare to raise their heads up.

'I-I don't want to face those things!!'

Each and every one of them was reluctant.

They had witnessed themselves how their neighbors bit their own children.

How the neighborhood's Council Leader was mauled by tens of residents in the middle of the street.

Horrific and traumatic scenes flooded their memories.

"Big brother Erza! I don't want to! Please, please don't send me outside!"

A shrill cry of a young woman was heard.

It was Cousin Yie.

She has witnessed enough horror when she saw videos of people eating people on her friend's social media pages.

She did not want to end up like her friends.

"But Yie, we have enough armor and weapons for all ten of u-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Aunt Chey interrupted.

"Erza! I will not risk myself by going out there, you hear me?! Besides, the others are safe and could take care of themselves, why should we go and rescue them?"

Erza and his family were stunned.

"Big sister, how can you say that? For all we know, Big Brother Kuff might be running out of food!"

Mr. Zayf tried to negotiate with her.

"Kuff? Hmph! He's a stable man, he can handle himself! I don't even understand why did he make a big fuss over father's inheritance previously! He owns a few businesses in fact!"

A year ago, when Erza's grandfather passed away, the inheritance was divided in an unfair manner.

First Aunt Chey received a huge sum, while Second Uncle Kuff had a meager inheritance.

They argued back and forth on why their portions are justified or unfair in their point of view.

The fight made their relationship soured.

The atmosphere became colder.

They did not expect such answers from them.

"Big Brother Zayf."

A deep, timid voice spoke.

"I-I hope you understand. We just don't have what it takes to brave through this...apocalypse or whatever you call it. I just can't risk my family's life."

Sixth Uncle Yoon made his decision.

The air was silent as a graveyard.

After a few moments, Erza spoke up.

"Uncle Yoon, Aunt Kim, Cousin Wei, Cousin Yie, and Aunt Chey. Is this your final decision?"

They heavily nodded.

"Okay, I respect your decisions."

They just couldn't utter a single word.

"Then I would also tell you about my decision. I have decided that everybody has to work to eat. I can't have anyone not contributing. Of course, if you feel that my decision is something you disagree upon, you're free to leave here for the evacuation points or shelters. We'll even give you a vehicle, some weapons and a day's ration of food."

Erza's statement made them flabbergasted.

They wanted to refute, but then they remembered that Erza and his family risked their lives and rescued them.

After a few moments of silence, Sixth Aunt Kim spoke.

"Erza, can you give us some time to gather our thoughts? It's been a long day and we would need to discuss amongst ourselves."

Erza nodded.

...

A green signboard appeared.

'S-Town, 5 kilometers.'

Vroom!

The convoy pushed forward.

S-Town is a relatively bigger town than O-Town.

As a businessman, Second Uncle Kuff settled down in an Upper-Middle residential area.

"Big bro, it's a huge one."

Bucky pointed to the Marcedes' display screen.

"How many?"

Erza had a concerned tone.

Gulp.

"Two-two thousand seven hundred!"

Bucky revealed the number of Infected surrounding Second Uncle's neighborhood.

Hss!

Erza sucked in cold air.

All three cars gathered for a strategy meeting.

"How many beads are we looking today, Zeta? I'm looking forward to harvesting some more candies!"

Feera casually asked Erza.

But when he told the team the amount of Infected scouted, their eyes were wide open.

"I'm afraid we won't be harvesting this time. Remember our mission: to save Second Uncle!"

It is not possible to shoot 2,700 Infected with the limited crossbow bolts they have.

Erza only bought 1,500 bolts, 500 for each person.

'And every time we shoot them, we have to retrieve them back.'

"Blood-bait method won't work, Zeta?"

Bucky asked.

Erza shook his head.

"From the aerial layout of the town, it has too little open space. Even if we distract them with sound, the residences are adjacent to a shopping mall."

The proximity between Second Uncle's neighborhood to a shopping mall was just a stone's throw away.

Blaring loud sounds would attract more Infected to where they are.

"Zeta, I have an idea! Let's just bash through every single Infected's head with our fists!"

Suddenly, the atmosphere stifled.

The voice came from Big Mark.

'Was this how I sounded like when I said to big bro to push through with our powers? Yikes!'

Feera remembered that he was confident with his power and he could exterminate Infected with it.

Everyone's skeptical glare made Big Mark backed down in awkwardness.

"We understand that you recently discovered the powers that come from the Evolution Nectars...but can seven people continuously fight 2,700 Infected?"

Erza shot him down.

Humans have limited stamina, but Infected don't.

"We'll have to go with Plan B."

His tone became more serious.

…

"Five minutes! Five minutes and we're off!"

Erza screamed at the team.

Behind him was Kara, Mr. Zayf, and Mrs. Numee.

Bucky, Feera and Big Mark were standing by in their cars.

"Once we find them, quickly carry them into the cars and we leave!"

Erza's plan was a quick getaway plan.

They would distract the Infected to the furthest distance possible in the residential area, and rescue Second Uncle's family before the Horde could detect their presence.

As the only moving vehicles on the road, the car engines and movements cause sounds and vibrations.

"Yeesh!"

Erza adjusted his Super Strength ability to 15%.

Kreeeak!

He literally ripped open a black cast-iron gate with his bare hands.

"Girl! What are you standing there for? Hurry!"

Mrs. Numee pulled Kara's hand.

Kara was stupefied by Erza's monstrous strength, even though she is seeing it for the second time.

'I will be stronger!'

Her little heart whispered a burning determination.

Erza tore open the front door like paper.

The house was dark.

Windows were tight shut and the blinds were closed up.

Roaar!

'It can't be!'

Erza had to double-check.

Loud shrieks were heard from the back rooms on the ground floor.

Erza looked at his father.

A look of disbelief was seen in his eyes.

'No! No! It can't be!'

Zzt!

Mr. Zayf turned on the house's lights.

A pale cream door almost broke from frenzied knocking from inside the room.

"Zeus, Zarwi. Get ready."

With a glance, his eyes sent a message to his parents 'prepare for the worst.'

"Three-two-one!"

Bam!

As soon as Erza counted down, he blasted the door!

"Waaargh!"

Two Infected were struggling to get back up.

The force from Erza's punch broke the door and what remains of it were stacked on their lower bodies.

Once the dust settles down, it seemed like their nightmare has begun.

"No, no, no...this-this can't be happening-"

Mr. Zayf's words sounded delirious.

Erza and Mrs. Numee recognized the Infected's faces.

Mrs. Numee's knees went weak.

Her cheeks were drenched with tears.

Step.

Erza approached the pinned Infected.

They were aggressively clawing towards him despite being weighed down by heavy wooden pieces.

Erza stared at the gold chains on their necks.

It had the letters K & N attached to it.

Erza closed his eyes.

The letters symbolized their names, 'Kuff & Ning'.

'I thought those ten years would've steeled my heart.'

He saw countless close friends die during his past life.

He never thought that seeing his own uncle and aunt turning into an Infected would affect him emotionally.

Bucky's warning snapped him back.

He looked at his parents, who were sobbing uncontrollably.

"Zeus, Zarwi. We have to go. Before we do, say your final goodbyes."

He slowly pulled his parents up.

They looked at their relative and mumbled a few departing words.

"Let's end their suffering."

Just as Erza was about to step forward, his parent held him back.

"Son, please."

Mr. Zayf looked at his son with his wet, red eyes.

Erza understood.

Mr. Zayf and Mrs. Numee slowly crouched down to the roaring Infected, who used to be their family.

"I'm sorry, big brother. Please greet Mother and Father for me. *hic* I love you-!"

Bzzt-

A bright electric discharge shone.

Silence followed afterward.

Mr. Zayf had electrocuted his brother's brain, as a sign of his last farewell.

Uncle Kuff's wife, Aunt Ning was silenced by Mrs. Numee with a swift stab into her brain.

Swiftly, Mr. Zayf took his brother's and sister-in-law's chains as a memoir.

They ran back to their vehicles.

Rumbling of footsteps could be heard from behind.

Screech!

The only things they left behind were tire marks and distant memory.