Chapter 14

The sun was setting. We exited the bridge and headed for the other side—the barren world. I came here years ago, and it was beautiful. It still is, but I cannot appreciate it for some reason. I sighed. I looked back to watch the girls bickering with each other. Aria is probably making choices on what to eat tonight.

Lucy was right behind me. She wasn't hiding her presence, and I could hear the sound of her boots hitting the ground. I am curious about how she doesn't make any sound when sneaking. Not to mention those massive boots, walking with that kind of weight and still being quiet, I have no idea. I guess she mastered her art of walking, but then again, it wasn't like she could be born with that ability. And even training her senses would also take a long time, which we didn't get after the outbreak.

I looked back at her. She stared right at my eyes, making me turn around.

"You ate a lot." She said.

"Yes, so it seems." I have no idea why she talked about something that happened a few hours ago while we had many more exciting things happen after that break.

"Something is strange!" She sounded unsure. I glanced back at her for a moment to see a scowl on her face. "You seem fatter than you were in the morning!"

I almost tripped in this not-so-flat road. "Why do you think so?" Now that I think about it, I do feel a bit heavier.

"Your steps are heavier than before. And more natural. As if you didn't know how to walk before. But now you almost do."

"I was an obese person just a few days ago." I didn't mind revealing some secrets that she might find out eventually. But what worried me most was my tight belly.

"Then how did you lose all that weight?" She was as emotionless as before. As if I was getting interrogated. This feeling almost made me not talk about anything but then again, how can I stay silent while those beautiful eyes were asking for answers.

"I got some strange powers. I still do not understand it properly." We soon walked into the residential area right outside the bridge. This area makes me feel so much safe compared to the city. As if I can breathe more easily.

"The world itself is strange." That was the last sentence she said until we found a house empty and with doors still intact. I sat down for a moment to rest, then took a patrol around the house. This part of the area seemed too quiet. The sun was going down. I wasn't too afraid. To be more precise, I was even a bit excited to exit the city. The pressure there was immense, always urging me to run. But here, I can take a breathe and hold my ground with confidence. I stood tall for a moment and felt the tight belly. It was great that I could have some fat for emergency use, but I will be fat again. Whatever, survival comes. First, I guess.

I came to the front of the house. I cannot smell anything funny. It doesn't seem like there was any ghoul nest nearby, which was a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. Ghouls were everywhere. Having a nest meant at least they were together in a place. Not having any, meant they could come from anywhere and almost everywhere. I am not afraid of them anymore, but not all the members of our little group could defend themselves.

I went into the house right before the sun went down. We chose a room in the inner section of the house, so any light or sound could not escape outside.

I returned to sit on the corner of the couch, partially occupied by Dana. She shook and moved a bit after my body touched hers—a stupid girl.

I looked at Linda, who was preparing to cook. For one thing, regardless of how her cooked food was, she at least brought enough food to last a month. And I felt as hungry as a ghost.

Regis kept flirting with Dana while Aria and Linda were whispering about something and then giggling while taking care of the food. I eat a lot this time too.

It seems like my body wants to go back to its previous state. It is too used to that weight. I didn't mind as I took it as stocking up emergency strength.

"So why do you guys keep on following us?" I asked as I took a spoon full of the porridge that Linda made. It was filled with ingredients and didn't taste all that bad. I kept my eye on the duo while taking another spoon filled with the emergency strength.

Regis looked at Lucy had a spoon in her mouth. She took a while before nodding at her brother. Regis sighed and looked at me before taking a sip at the bowl and finishing it all in one go. I guess he also had an iron tongue to drink all that hot food.

I kept one eating. Aria and Linda also stopped what they were doing and looked at Regis's eyes filled with anticipation.

"To be honest," Regis scratched his head and said, "We got lost!" Then he laughed out loud. Lucy also nodded her head still with that spoon in her mouth.

I could not help but narrow my eyes. It was too much to believe. But they didn't seem like bad people to me. So I kept the questioning face and kept on eating.

"I was supposed to take us home, but with that demon in there, I cannot sense our way home." Lucy looked a lot less cute without the spoon in her mouth. I wonder how she would sound if it were still in her mouth. Well, my thoughts went too far.

"You seem to be able to spy on that demon, so I hope we can work together to kill it. Then we can find our way home."

I nodded. Do I really want her to leave?