ACT 3 THE R.E.D GUILD

The narrow corridor was cold and gloomy, the flickering dim light only worsened the atmosphere. As Abraham stepped inside, the sound of the iron door creaking shut behind him stopped with a loud clang, as if signaling that there was no turning back. In seconds, several rifle barrels were raised, aimed directly at his chest.

"Don't move!" A loud, commanding voice boomed in the air, freezing Abraham in place.

One of the men, his face smeared with dirt and wild eyes, closed the gap while pointing his rifle even closer. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice cold.

Abraham slowly raised both hands, trying to appear non-threatening. "I'm just a survivor," he said calmly, though his heart was racing. "I'm here to find a UV lamp and vitamin D deficiency medicine for my daughter."

From the crowd, a large figure emerged. His posture was straight, muscles clearly defined beneath the ragged clothes he wore. "Leave," he said coldly. "This place belongs to us."

"Please," Abraham pleaded. "I just need one UV lamp and some medicine. I can trade it for food and water. I won't take long."

The big man squinted. "You have no idea who you're dealing with, do you? The boss will be furious if he finds out you're trying to sneak into our base camp."

From behind him, someone spoke. "Hey, Dimitri. Look at his bag. Seems like he has plenty of food. The boss will be happy if we bring in more supplies. After all, UV lamps and medicine can't be eaten, right?"

Dimitri sighed deeply, his gaze cold but calculating. "Alright," he said after a pause. "You'll get the lamp and medicine. But in exchange, give us everything in your bag… and your gun."

Abraham glared at Dimitri. "Everything in my bag, and my gun? Are you trying to rob me?"

Dimitri chuckled softly, his voice low and threatening. "Yes, that's right. Actually, it would be easier to kill you right here and take everything without making any exchange."

Abraham was cornered, surrounded by ten armed men. One wrong move would mean death. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger rising in his chest.

"Okay," he said finally, his voice calmer. "I'll give you everything in my bag. But not my gun. I only need one UV lamp and some medicine."

Dimitri glanced at his companion for approval. The companion nodded slightly.

"Fine," Dimitri said, raising his hand. "Hand over your bag first, and then you'll get the lamp and medicine."

Abraham eyed them carefully. "No," he said firmly. "I want to see the lamp and medicine first."

Dimitri narrowed his eyes at Abraham, as if weighing whether to grant this request. There was a brief silence, only the sound of the wind whispering through the ruins of the city. Abraham felt cold sweat running down his temples, though the air was chilly and grim.

"Look, I don't have time for this," Abraham said, trying to appear calm despite his pounding heart. "My daughter is waiting. You can check my things after that. I just need the UV lamp and some medicine. Nothing more."

Dimitri remained unmoving, his eyes still locked on Abraham like a predator waiting for its prey to make a wrong move. But one of his group members, a thin man with a wound on his arm, seemed to be losing patience.

"Dimitri, we can't keep wasting time," he said in a hoarse, desperate voice. "We're out of stock, and if that little girl gets sick, can we still hope to find more medicine out there? Try listening to this man."

Dimitri turned his gaze to the thin man, then sighed deeply. He seemed to think for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"Alright," Dimitri answered in a heavy tone. "But remember, I'm giving you this chance just once. If you try to play games, we'll handle it another way."

Abraham nodded quickly, though his heart was still racing. Carefully, he removed his backpack and handed it to Dimitri. This bag was the only valuable thing he had, full of supplies essential for survival, and the only hope he could give his daughter, Anastasia.

"Follow me," Dimitri ordered briefly, his voice heavy and emotionless.

Abraham nodded and followed Dimitri as he walked with heavy steps down the narrow corridor into a dark room. When the door creaked open, the sharp smell of medicine filled the air. Rusty metal shelves were filled with medicine bottles, some broken and dusty.

"Find that medicine quickly," Dimitri grunted, shooting a sharp glance. "Don't waste my time."

Abraham didn't waste time. With trembling hands, he searched the medicine bottles that could save his daughter, while his eyes occasionally glanced at the dull UV lamp in the corner of the shelf.

However, Dimitri's low, menacing voice broke his concentration. "You know," he said quietly, his voice echoing in the small room, "The people I sent yesterday never came back."

Abraham stopped his hand, frozen in place.

Dimitri moved closer, his eyes sharp like a predator who had found its prey. "And now, I see their weapons in your hands. Isn't that a little too perfect a coincidence?"

Abraham straightened his back, meeting Dimitri's gaze with cold eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You killed them, didn't you?" Dimitri raised his rifle, the cold barrel aimed directly at Abraham's chest. Dimitri's finger slowly moved on the trigger, adding tension to the suffocating atmosphere.

Abraham remained calm, though his heartbeat was pounding. "I found those weapons lying in the street," he said flatly.

Dimitri grinned, but his laugh was cold. "You think I'll believe that weak story of yours?" His rifle rose higher, targeting Abraham's head. "In the end, you all just want to kill me."

Abraham swallowed, trying to stay calm despite the panic creeping through his body. "You're wrong," he said sharply.

Dimitri shook his head, his expression one of certainty. "Such a pity," he said, grinning wider. "You came to the wrong place. But thanks for bringing us supplies."

The rifle's trigger began to be pulled, the mechanical sound ringing out in the frozen air.

In a flash, Abraham reacted. With a lightning-fast move, he swiped Dimitri's rifle to the side. Bang! The shot rang out, deafening in the small room, the bullet hitting one of the medicine racks and scattering dust and metal shards.

Dimitri was startled, his eyes wide at Abraham's speed. But before he could regain control, a hard punch struck his temple. A sharp pain hit, blurring his vision.

Abraham didn't stop. With a strong kick, he aimed at Dimitri's knee, knocking the large man off balance and sending him crashing loudly to the floor.

Without wasting time, Abraham ran out of the room. His footsteps echoed in the narrow corridor, his breath ragged. Noise began to sound—survivors who heard the gunshot rushed toward the source.

"Hey! Stop, you!" one of them shouted, his eyes full of anger as he saw Abraham running away.

A survivor knelt beside Dimitri, who was still lying on the floor, holding his bleeding temple. "Are you okay?" asked the survivor anxiously.

Dimitri snorted in anger, his face flushed with pain and humiliation. "Chase him, you idiot!" he shouted, his growl echoing in the corridor. "Don't worry about me! Catch him now!"

Abraham ran down the dimly lit corridor of the hospital, his breath heavy, sweat soaking his temples. "Why do these people always want to kill me?" he muttered in frustration, his eyes scanning for an exit.

The sound of footsteps from behind grew louder. The distance between them closed, angry voices echoing in the corridor. Abraham quickened his pace, his heart racing with the fear mounting.

But suddenly, he stopped at the dead-end of the corridor. "Damn!" he cursed in frustration. Panicking, his eyes searched for another way. On the side of the corridor, he saw a locked door. Without thinking, he slammed his shoulder into it.

One... two... three!

With a loud thud, the door finally opened, revealing a dark, dusty emergency staircase. Abraham hurried down the stairs, his steps quick but cautious. Behind him, the survivors were in pursuit, their footsteps echoing down the stairs.

When he reached the ground floor, Abraham immediately ran toward the corridor leading to the exit. But his steps slowed as he saw a survivor standing guard at the front door, rifle in hand. The sound of footsteps from behind grew closer.

Quickly, Abraham glanced to the side and found another door. He forced it open, entering a quiet, dark room. The atmosphere changed to silence, only the sound of his own racing heartbeat filling the space.

Inside the room, a young girl stood. Their eyes met