Lost (2)

"Lieutenant Reyes, has Lieutenant De Guzman answered our call yet?"

"No, captain."

"Hays, I'ts been more than two weeks since the call was made, I thought we gave everyone a radio? Did we forget to get him one?"

"No, captain. It was me who gave Lieutenant De Guzman his radio."

"Well shit, how come he isn't here yet. Even though he isn't an official soldier, we need our best men right here right now. Does he still live in that apartment?"

"Yes, captain."

"Alright, get three people, fast runners, preferably good shooters as well, and get Lieutenant De Guzman here."

"Yes, Captain."

"He's probably doesn't know what is happening right now. Can't blame him, who wouldn't be..."

Lieutenant Mickey F. Reyes. He almost killed himself with his red dyed hair during one of the shootings downtown when his team was sent to rescue two families. There was an ambush down the highway which was hidden pretty well because of al the trees surrounding that area. It was a really good thing that the truck windows were bulletproof and that it was nearly night time or else he, his teammates, and the two families whom they rescued, would have died that very day from the hands of the terrorists.

It was in 1977 that the Philippine Army first faced the terrorists who called themselves the Moro Islamic Liberation Font, aka the MILF. It was a terrorist group based in Mindanao, the 2nd largest island in the Philippines, and was a communist group that seeked separation from the Philippine Government and wants to establish their own.

After nearly four decades of causing destruction and war, the Government of the Philippines and the MILF decided upon a truce. The Muslim communities in Mindanao and nearby islands were to become an autonomous region called the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the Philippine Government would acknowledge their presence as a separate government in the same country.

Both parties were very happy with the decision they made, but that was right until the war between the US and Iran happened, which blew the embers of the dying fire back into flames with the ISIS bringing wood to light back the torches.

The constant shootouts in the downtown area made it increasingly difficult for the official army to handle two fronts at once, leading to the decision of assigning the newly enlisted soldiers to assist the soldiers situated on terrorist front. The military advisers thought that it was killing two bird with one stone, the soldiers get real experience and at the same time they could help eliminate real enemies.

There was only one risk, and that was potential deaths.

Mickey's red hair then proved to be very deadly in the battle field, and it almost killed him. But his quick hands fortunately saved not only his but also his other passengers' lives in the truck that he was driving.

The Philippines fought two wars during the last Third World War, and was fortunate to have won both of them.

This was one of the reasons Captain Dante Soles chose Mickey to lead the search for Rando as he can drive a truck well..

The other reason was Mickey and Rando were both friends, and that Mickey knew where Rando lived.

But the reason Captain Dante even wanted to find Rando in the first place was Rando's mind. He wanted to refer Rando to his superiors as one of the strategist because he knew how well Rando was good in planning, especially if it was planning to escape.

Almost everytime Captain Dante leads a platoon, goes on a really dangerous mission, and encounters a life and death situation, it was Rando that always led them out alive each time. This led to Rando getting promoted early to a 1st Lieutenant.

Of course, Mickey knew that, too. He did take part in missions with Rando before, and has experienced Rando's great escaping techniques.

The world is currently in chaos after the appearance of the deadly disease and sudden rise of the monstrous existences. And so far, the only suitable weapons they found to fight against the problematic existences were grenades and molotovs.

They found that fire easily engulfed the humungous bodies of the existences. And although it doesn't kill them immediately, the army needs to save their dwindling supplies of grenades for a rainy day.

'And that rainy day might come soon.'

'And that damned day might happen sooner than expeected.'

Captain Dante and Lieutenant Mickey both thought.

'Even then, we need to prepare... I hope that kid is still alive.' wished Captain Dante.

He was worried, the world is fighting huge monsters now, and they need people like Rando the most.

____

Rando became a little stressed after realizing that the owner of the convenience store probably died by the hands of an existence, and he could have been the next one if he wasn't fast enough.

*ziiiiip*

Rando opened a packet of cup noodles, took out the spices, and poured the boiled water that he boiled earlier.

He wanted to eat. He wanted to escape even for just a little while the dread of the situation he was in. And so, he ate the stress away.

One may call what he is doing a waste of available resources, but Rando likes to call it "recovery".

Eating has always been a need for everyone, but Rando always wants to eat. Mostly because eating relaxes his mind and hastens the recovery of his bodily fatigue.

It was also even more effective than sleeping for him, but that depends on which food.

He always used to bring an extra slice of bread when he was still in school and even ate during class a lot. Of course, eating so much made Rando fat, but when he entered the last year of his highschool, he started working out immediately. Eventually, Rando was able to became muscular.

Rando was in no way near the league of body builders, but he became fit after working out just for a year. And his muscles further developed during the war.

But even then, he still ate a lot.

After he left the army, he slowly started to gain weight again. The fat in his body wasn't noticeably big, but he did became bigger than before he left the army.

However, after the incident today, he decided that he should start working out again.

*slurp slurp*

"Aaaaah, it's been a long time since I last ate these!"

Rando always kept packets of cup noodles in his kitchen cabinets, but he mainly cooks meaty food for himself. He does eat vegetables, but he's already ran out of it after a month in quarantine.

Rando took the cup noodles into his hand and ate while he went into his bedroom.

He opened a drawer and took a green notebook out from the pile of notebooks that he put inside the drawer.

It was the notebooks that he had used before, he only threw the pages that already has something written on it. All the notebooks there looked brand new.

Just don't look at the now yellow pages.

Rando also took a ballpoint pen and went back to the living room.

He took a sip from the cup of noodles and placed it on the table along with the green notebook. Rando then started to jot down notes.

He wrote down Abomination of Blood and Flesh on the first page and added an open & close parentheses Collector below it.

Rando thought more about the monster he encountered and wrote something else.

Abomination of Blood and Flesh

(Collector)

Appearance:

Looks like a giant red blob of blood with limbs and bodies attached to it

Attributes:

-Runs faster than normal sprinting humans

-Able to control the body parts attached to it

-Strong grip and hands

-Heavy

-Can't control speed when turning

-Able to heal over time

-Cannot climb

Weakness:

Cleaning agent applied directly on the blood

Note: Will kill you, hide or distract with cleaning agent

Rando then drew a rough sketch of the monster that he saw. He got a good look of it when he was throwing the water balloons toward the slime collector.

Rando then finished eating the cup of noodles that he has left and closed his green notebook.

What Rando just did was the start of a journal, a sort of survival guide that Rando made. A survival guide that will come and help Rando today, tomorrow, and as long as he needs to have it.

Of course, collectors aren't the only existences in the world, and what Rando encountered wasn't even an official LVL 1 Collector.

Of course, Rando doesn't know that yet, but that's alright.

"The world has always been a dangerous place, but it has gotten even more deadly."

Rando put his notebook and pen away before started planning on what he should do next.

"I should go check my neighbors."