"Hmm, let's try this," Shizuka said. "Kawasaki, you call Hikigaya here. I'll need his slimy finger."
"Ah." Saki flicked her hand and wiped it to clean the zombie blood. "Alright."
"Do you mind if I break into your cars?"
"Uh." Everyone looked at each other.
"I don't want to get in there. Fighting a zombie in an enclosed space is borderline suicidal. On the other hand, I might be able to do a few tricks and hotwire some of these cars. Probably not the newer ones."
Hiratsuka isn't an automotive specialist. And even tinkering with machines, she prefers dealing with significantly simpler motorcycles. However, she knew that most new cars come with tamper protection, which makes hotwire impossible.
It doesn't hurt to ask for a second opinion, though.
"You need me, Sensei?" Hachiman asked.
"We're carjacking. Which cars do you think would be safe to hotwire and hijack?"
Hchiman squeezed his eyes in disbelief. Like asking: "
Are you fucking kidding me?" wordlessly.
"These people wanted to escape, but I guess running your ass off in the middle of the night is unwise," Shizuka explained. "So we gotta help them because they have no keys, and there are zombies inside."
"Ah." Hachiman understood. "Most modern cars since the late 90s have a chipped key in conjunction with computer control. Hotwiring them isn't going to work. The keyless cars can be hacked open using FOB relay, but I don't think any Soubu kids have the skill."
"I figure that, I think picking the old cars might be a better option," Hiratsuka said.
"...There are some brands with fatal security flaws, though." Hachiman jammed a screwdriver and forcibly opened one of the car's doors with a heavy twist. One could hear cracks as the mechanism inside was forcibly destroyed. "Some cars had ignition system entirely bypassed like this."
"Do you have a past you're not telling me, boy?"
"This is a known issue on this particular brand." Hachiman winced. "Kids in America apparently made it a sport stealing these cars and took them on a joyride."
Shizuka could believe it when Hachiman casually turned on a car in less than a minute. It looked modern, too.
It was simultaneously amazing and anticlimactic.
"No one exploits this in Japan because, in Japan, most car thefts are done with luxury cars in mind, I guess." Shizuka laughed.
"Thank you!" The survivors bowed. Unfortunately, it was a four-seater car, and six of them squeezing in made it look clownish.
"Let's go. We need to treat our injuries and clean the blood." Shizuka waved.
She looked at the ski resort facility and sighed. That one will be an issue another day, but there's no need to recklessly antagonize a horde without preparation.
"Sakisaki!" Yui shouted. "You're hurt?!"
"Not much, just got a few bites and scratches." Saki brushed her off. "Just pour the damn iodine already."
"Just a few." Hachiman twitched. "You're a hair away from losing a chunk of your flesh. Just a few, my ass."
"Hush, hush. Onii-chan, please get away." Komachi pushed him. "We'll have to inspect them thoroughly."
"Right." Hachiman immediately left, shuddering.
They did have a few close calls. However, Shizuka and Saki protected their most vulnerable spot to biting attacks: their neck. One time, Shizuka had to pry the jaw of a Zombie to prevent a deadly chomp.
"
Is it just adrenaline, or is my body getting stronger?" Shizuka pondered. Shizuka always strikers herself as a physically strong woman (which unfortunately intimidates many suitors), but some of the things she does without hesitation today feel unreal.
Most of their injuries were superficial, easily cleaned, and treated with soapy water, iodine, and bandages. Shizuka and Saki also took a dose of ibuprofen, which will help with minor pain and swelling.
They have hundreds of ibuprofen tablets and half a liter of iodine. They're not exactly worried about their supplies, which will last weeks. Antibiotics remain their bottleneck for now and likely for the foreseeable future.
"We need a thicker clothing." Shizuka inspected her bandaged arm. "Zombies seem to have crazy jaw strength and enough to bite and claw through summer jackets like they were made of paper. That bite strength is flat-out inhuman. Hikigaya was right that we're lucky not to lose a chunk of our flesh."
"Is it?" Saki asked. "Are you sure our body isn't getting tougher too?"
So, Kawasaki also realized it... In that case, Shizuka could confidently say she surpassed her limit before the pandemic. Did the virus have anything to do with it? Perhaps even healthy survivors are affected in some way...
"Nevertheless, we need combat gear. We have the strength to survive and fight back, but we can't leverage this strength with summer clothes, sandals, and loafers."
"Do you know anything, Sensei?"
Even if thick clothing could not prevent injuries, they could mitigate it. They could try to loot the resort for winter jackets... but heat management will also be an issue. This is, after all, the Summer season. Wearing winter gear would kill them slowly from dehydration.
"Yeah," Shizuka said. "It's either a motorcycle shop or sporting goods store."
"Why motorcycle shop?" Saki questioned. "I can understand getting armor from the sporting goods, though."
"All-season jackets and riding armor," Shizuka said. "It's hard to find better equipment than motorcyclist clothing if you have to balance protection and comfort. It's not like we're under threat of gunfire."
"However... most of them are located in the urban area. Which means more zombies to fight our way through." Shizuka sighed. "Basically, we're gambling for an easier future through present hardships. That's why I don't want to force you or the other kids."
As Shizuka said this, she could see a hint of sadness. Saki has always been a stoic, rebellious girl. Shizuka was surprised that she was willing to join the camp's volunteer work. It must be because her little brother participated. Otherwise, she wouldn't be here.
Yuigahama Yui, the empathetic girl she was, didn't hesitate to lend her shoulder so Saki could hide her crying face. Komachi followed suit. Shizuka would've joined, but she felt there was not enough room, so she rubbed Saki's head gently to ease her pain.
This girl went through a lot.
...
"Hmm." Dr. Shimada Masako was surprised to see most Soubu students wide awake. "Looks like my diagnosis is on the clock."
Only Yukino was still struggling.
"Surprisingly, she had passed the critical point. Now that she survived the night, her chances of recovering are high." Dr. Masako said. "How about her urination?"
"...I think I urinated quite a bit," Yukino answered. "But I feel a bit sluggish."
"That's normal." Dr. Masako examined Yukino with all sorts of physical tests. Including a very gentle punch to the back of Yukino's waist. "You didn't feel pain here?"
"That doesn't seem to be the case." Yukino furrowed her eyebrows.
"No edema, no spasmodic movement, no seizures. Do you feel any numbness or cramps?"
Yukino shook her head. "Only splitting headache, and I feel a bit feverish."
"Her kidney is functioning properly. I'd say she more or less passed the worst period just fine." The doctor said. "And the rest of the kids are recovering well. You guys will be alright."
Yui hugged Yukino, briefly crying in happiness.
"If only everyone had the same luck." Dr. Masako sighed.
"Is the situation at the evacuation zone bad?" Yumiko crossed her arms and asked. "So much that you had to split it into two."
"For good reason." Dr. Masako said. "We put the healthy ones in school and the sick ones in community center. Guess what? Two hundred fifty sick patients died overnight. We had to dispose of so many familiar bodies. Morale is at an all-time low among the volunteers. Imagine what would happen if they shared a shelter."
The kids all grimaced.
"I really was in front of death's door." Yukino rested back, gloomily looking at the IV drip needle jabbed into her wrist. "Thank you, everyone... and I apologize for being a burden."
Though she survived death, it will take a while until Yukino can be a productive member of this survivor community. In a staggering contrast, Zaimokuza is all but healed and functional.
Everyone else is in the process of recovering.
"Shut it and go to rest. Your voice is grating." Yumiko chided. But her voice had no hostilities. She probably felt a bit awkward, even.
"Other than taking antibiotics for the next five days, do we need to pay more attention to the sick ones?" Hayato asked.
Dr. Masako dropped a couple of canned food. Specifically, non-human canned food.
They were for
cats.
"On the house." The doctor said.
"...Oh my." Ebina Hina gasped. "Do you mean... we need to eat those?"
Yumiko looked like she was about to vomit. Of course, just thinking about it would make most people grossed out.
"You guys might think I am joking." Dr. Masako smirked. "But cat food is proportionally inflated with protein, low food additives, low sodium, and some are lowered in phosphorus. That's because older cats often suffer chronic kidney failure."
"Your kidneys have been comatose for a day and are in dire need of recovery. At least for today, eat them with your rice. I don't recommend them for long-term survival, though. They're nutritionally unbalanced for omnivores."
"I see." Hina winced. "It can't be helped. At least they're human grade..."
Though it sounds like Ebina Hina was coping, the bespectacled otaku girl wasn't wrong. Japan was weirdly gung-ho in promoting trends of 'human grade' pet food, where pet food production shares the same ingredients and sometimes the same factory as human food.
Undoubtedly, this makes these gourmet pet food more expensive. However, the group never thought it would be helpful in dire times. Ironic.
"Tough body, tough mind. The longer we linger, the longer we're bedridden. I am ready to return to active service!" Zaimokuza shouted as he took one of the cans. "A mighty luxury unlike what you find in the trenches!"
This chuuni, I swear to God.
"Normally, doctors prescribe amino acid supplements to help restore kidney function. As you can tell, we don't exactly have a good supply of them. My pharmacy used half our inventory overnight to treat the sick and the wounded. By tomorrow, we might not have anything left." Dr. Masako packed her bag. "For now, please refrain from a high phosphorus, high salt diet. This means no prepackaged human meal. Unsalted tofu and chicken breast work, as are cranberries and some fruits."
Shizuka received a paper with diet recommendations. Among other things, cow-based products are verboten.
"Living like a civilized, modern person is a luxury in trying times. Be thankful that you're alive."
Living like a civilized, modern person is a luxury in trying times. Those words never hit them harder than this second. These kids, raised in a peaceful and prosperous family, might eventually need to live like animals to survive.
"But no matter what, you are the future of what's left of this nation." Dr. Masako gently smiled. "Please, cling to your humanity until the last second possible."
"Yes. Sensei!" The teens chorused.
Shizuka gave her an envelope with a few thousand yen inside as an examination fee in front of the entrance.
"To be honest, it is ridiculous that I'm still billing you in the middle of the apocalypse." Dr. Masako said. "Right now, even though fewer than five hundred people accounted for, everyone is clinging to the hope that things will be over quickly. I'm not an exception. We're trying to rebuild the local economy as we speak."
"Don't we all?" Shizuka grinned. "These kids were no different. They're fighting for their lives, hoping things will return to normal."
"...Right." Dr. Masako sighed. "Other than antibiotics, I think you might be able to purchase some things in the evacuation camp. Since you're currently a stranger, they might overcharge you. But if you could accomplish some favor and gain the trust of the locals, they'll start acknowledging you."
"Hmm." Shizuka rubbed her chin. "Rather than gifting rewards, we might get a discount. Is that right?"
That's a good idea. Shizuka has quite a bit of cash on hand. But also, they're limited resources unless she starts robbing ATMs.
"More or less." Dr. Masako scoffed. "That's why many stores have been emptied, but if you plan to loot around in low-danger zones, you might just find scattered leftovers. The more densely populated areas, of course, have more supplies. But going unprepared is a death sentence."
"I'll come back and check again near dusk. But if you need me, find me in the Community Center instead."
It's where they kept the sick survivors. Honestly, Shizuka felt amazed by her bravery. Hundreds of patients equal hundreds of potential zombies.
What's more, that means there are more than five thousand zombies in this region.
Shizuka will have to discuss things with the teens. Once they're all wide awake, anyway. For now, Shizuka also needs sleep.
DAY 2
07:00 AM -> 02:00 PM
CHAPTER 2 END
Individual Morale change:
Hiratsuka Shizuka (Leader) - Optimistic (+3)
Hayama Hayato - Optimistic (+3)
Miura Yumiko - Calm (+1)
Yuigahama Yui - Optimistic (+3)
Tobe Kakeru - Spirited (+2)
Hikigaya Hachiman - Calm (+1)
Hikigaya Komachi - Spirited (+2)
Kawasaki Saki - Calm (+1)
Zaimokuza Yoshiteru - On Fire (+4)
Incapacitated:
Yukinoshita Yukino - Sick
Ebina Hina - Recovering
Totsuka Saika - Recovering
Kawasaki Taishi - Recovering
[ ] Talk to the individual students about their thoughts, wishes, requests, and proposals
[ ] Gather the students for a meeting about the community goals
