Chapter 1: Those Granted to Hell III

Nikolai finished talking to Holly when he went to the room where Ashley was. When he entered, he could see that the young woman was cleaning her wound because it was bleeding again.

—Ashley? What are you doing? Let me help you.

—That's not necessary, you don't have to... ah... well... whatever...

In vain she tried to push him away, as Nikolai was already trying to find new bandages in the first aid kit, as well as some hydrogen peroxide, but he had already run out of the latter.

—Gotta find some more. We don't want it to infect. How are you feeling? As far as I can see the bandage is already stained with blood. We couldn't go to the pharmacy... it's too far away, besides... we met a few more people in our way.

—I talked to one of them... Mia, isn't it? She told me she woke up locked inside a room in some clothing store. Don't you think it's a little scary that she was kept prisoner?

—Prisoner?

Nikolai looked doubtfully at Ashley, as she wiped herself with cotton balls.

—Ouch... it still hurts a little.

—Megan told me... she said you wanted to talk to me about something. What's wrong? Of course everything is wrong... sorry, stupid question...

—Ah... no, no, no... don't worry... I know it's a pretty fucked up situation. I... wanted to talk to you... well... you know... Rocky was one of the few people I ever loved in my life. He's not here now... I didn't even have time to say goodbye. We were thinking of traveling to India next week... it was supposed... things were supposed to be different. Now... now I'm thinking that maybe my friends died because they found out something they shouldn't have. That's why they were killed.

—Friends? Those reporters were your friends?

—We didn't want to make it so obvious, and we didn't want to scare you... more than we should have. I actually decided to come here with everyone because I want to thoroughly investigate their deaths. Kelly told me they were doing a big investigation... the day they disappeared I was invited to come here, but I declined because I could FEEL something... something was... off... I know it sounds stupid but... I felt like something deep in my mind told me not to come with them.

—Do you think the epidemic had something to do with their deaths? They were investigating a town virtually cut off from the rest of society.

—They may have been investigating "something" that could be related to this event. Nikolai... I would like to ask you something. Now all my friends are dead, Kelly, Michael and Mackenzie were my friends since kindergarten... and having to go to recognize the remains of their bodies... and the rest of their belongings they left with them was... chaotic. Now, my boyfriend is dead, he died in front of me and I can't do anything about it now. I've inadvertently sent you like cows to the slaughter....

—Don't say that, Ashley... because of you we are here and we have had the opportunity to rescue other people, and now that we are here we will get to the bottom of it. We will find answers and find out what happened to your friends and why.

—You seem excited about the whole thing... even though we're in a life and death situation.

—It's the least I can do here. We all need to work together on an escape route...

—By the way... Nikolai... uh... everyone I've ever known in my life has died. My parents passed away last year, I had to attend to funeral arrangements... the only one I have left is Jason. I see Jason looking at you with those eyes.. .I think there is something very strong in the two of you, something that binds you together. Please... protect him. Jason is my friend, he's not a bad guy, he's someone very lonely and... well, a little bit weird, but it's not THAT bad... So... to see that your presence alone makes his eyes shine...

—Ashley...

—Crying won't bring me back Rocky, my parents or my friends. Please... protect Jason... he is a gentle soul, and I can clearly see that he loves you. Now that I got that out of my chest... I see that girl, Megan, she watches the cameras all the time. Maybe I could help her report the appearance of more people alive?

—You would be a great help to her, maybe you could see things she can't see through the cameras. I am very surprised by your strength...

—Lying there, realizing that death is so close... I can feel it, breathing behind me... I can... feel it breathing on my neck... I realize we don't have the time or the life guaranteed. Rocky is dead, and I'm sure he wouldn't want to see me like this. Yesterday I couldn't even sleep well because I woke up crying. You don't know how much my head hurts. What I wouldn't give for some painkillers.... Couldn't you go to the pharmacy?

—I couldn't... as I said before. Spring Plaza occupies a whole ass square by itself, it's not connected like the others. I have to go through the park to get there.

—Oh well...

—I'll do my best to get there. Besides... we need a lot of medicine, hydrogen peroxide, bandages... anything to treat the wounded. If I could go to the pharmacy...

—You were mentioning the pharmacy? —Megan entered, holding a cup of coffee. —There are a couple of men on the roof of the coffee shop in the park. I saw them leave the pharmacy, but the dead chased them and surrounded them.

—You must go, Nikolai. There are more survivors who need you... —Ashley said.

—There is a problem, Nikolai. Last night the pharmacy was full... it was still full this morning. Apparently during our sleeping hours, more people came in and robbed it. If you check the cameras, you can see that there are only empty shelves.... —Megan was very sorry about that.

—Perhaps these men are the last chance we have to get medicines and resources... in any case I will go to the pharmacy on my own to take everything that has been left behind.

—Go carefully, Nikolai! —Ashley commented, wishing him the best of luck.

—Do you think you can help me by setting off the alarms, Megan?

—Unfortunately, the park cafeteria is far away from the buildings. An alarm will be useless, as due to the distance separating the squares... I think you'd have to find a slightly more effective way to do it.

—Effective... I know... I've got it.

Nikolai prepared to leave, it was time to act.