Chapter 78 Death game II (Painful memories)

Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Death game II (Painful memories)

Luna watched the battle unfolding between the three survivors and the monsters that had trapped them at the front of the mansion. She was almost impressed that they hadn’t lost all hope yet. From everything she was seeing, it was obvious that the three of them were friends. Even with death practically breathing down their necks, they were still trying to protect one another.

"How cute," Luna said, her words coming out cold and completely devoid of emotion as she munched on her popcorn, her eyes fixed on the monitors.

Adrian, however, couldn’t stomach watching anymore. "This is sick," he declared, pushing himself away from the group. "I’m not sure I want to watch this." He started walking toward the other side of the room, but Luna didn’t say anything. She didn’t stop him either. Adrian made it only a few steps before he turned around. "Are you seriously going to keep watching this?" His voice carried frustration. "Come on, Luna. Don’t be like this. They’re dying out there. They’re going to be butchered right in front of us, and we’re just sitting here watching."

There it was. The self-righteous speech. The very thing Luna had hated throughout her entire life. She slowly turned her head toward him. "Just stay right there," she ordered, and Adrian stopped. She pointed toward the monitor. "Look at me while I say this." Her expression was cold. "No one apart from you four is coming into this house."

Adrian frowned. "And if anyone does enter," Luna continued, "it will be because they earned that right." She leaned back. "Or do you want to trade your position here with them?" Adrian went silent. "If you’re so kind and sweet that watching this makes you feel like the worst person alive, then maybe you should go outside and save them." Her voice became sharper. "You can take their place." She gestured toward the screens. "Go ahead."

Adrian’s face tightened. Luna continued, "It is already bad enough that monsters found my base. Bringing the government here would be even worse." She paused. "And honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the government knew something like this would happen." The others looked at her. "They could have sent those awakened here with tracking devices." Luna’s eyes narrowed. "Maybe they’re bait."

The room became quiet. "They could be trying to determine the nature of these creatures or locate whatever is causing the disaster," Luna said, shrugging. "So forgive me if I don’t feel like opening my doors because someone else made a stupid decision."

Kai had already taken a seat beside Rowan. At first, he had been disturbed by Luna’s actions. Watching people struggle outside while they sat safely inside didn’t feel right. But the more he thought about it, the more he understood her reasoning. The world had changed. Trusting strangers could get them killed. They couldn’t afford to open their doors to everyone who happened to appear. Especially not when the government was already searching the area. Luna wasn’t being cruel for no reason. She was protecting what belonged to them.

"Just sit down and watch," Rowan said, pointing toward the empty seat beside him. "Stop behaving like a child." Adrian looked at him, then glanced toward Ethan. Maybe Ethan would agree with him. But Ethan was sitting comfortably on the couch, chewing on a piece of corned beef while watching the fight on the monitor. Apparently, he was the only one who wasn’t bothered enough to argue.

Adrian stared at him. "You too?"

Ethan shrugged. "I’m hungry."

Luna grinned. "See? Nobody thinks you’re right." She popped another piece of popcorn into her mouth. "Maybe go take a bath and think about it. After all, we just got your wounds healed, and you’ve got enough blood stuck all over your body to make you smell like a dead animal."

Adrian instinctively sniffed his shirt. His face immediately twisted. "God." He hadn’t noticed it. The smell was terrible. Without saying another word, he walked toward the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

Then he leaned against it. His expression slowly fell. He slid down until he was sitting on the floor. He didn’t want what was happening outside to happen again. He couldn’t allow himself to become that person again. Because before the apocalypse, when everything was still normal, Adrian had been arrogant. Stupid. He had wanted to look tough. He had joined a group of boys who caused trouble around the city. They weren’t good people. But they had been his friends. The same people who had protected him when he was bullied. The same people who had made him feel like he belonged. And because of that, he had ignored everything wrong with them. Until the day he couldn’t anymore.

Adrian looked at the mirror. His reflection stared back at him. Then the memory returned. That old woman. He could still remember her helpless expression. They had found her alone one afternoon. She had been struggling to move because of her weak legs. She had begged them for help. And they had laughed. Adrian had laughed too. He had pretended it didn’t bother him. But he had never forgotten her face. Later, he had seen her again. She was lying in a hospital bed. She was completely unresponsive, surrounded by machines keeping her alive. The doctors had called it a deep vegetative state. They weren’t even sure she would ever wake up. Adrian had stood outside that hospital room and realized something that terrified him. He had been part of the reason she was there.

He covered his face. "Fuck..." The memory was still painful. And now three strangers were outside, fighting for their lives. People he could potentially save. People he could watch die. And the choice was bringing back everything he had spent years trying to bury.

Adrian stood and looked into the mirror. "Get yourself together," he said quietly. But his mind had already returned to that day.

****

It had been an ordinary afternoon. Adrian and his friends had been heading toward their usual hangout spot. Two of them were already waiting ahead. Adrian was walking with the worst of the group, a red-haired boy whose favorite hobby seemed to be getting into trouble. As they approached a street crossing, they noticed a woman struggling nearby. She was using crutches.

"Please," she said, looking at the boys. "Could you help me cross the road?"

Adrian looked at her. Even back then, despite everything he had become, he still liked helping people. He stepped forward. "Sure." But before he could reach her, the red-haired boy slapped his hand away.

"Why would you do that?" the red-haired boy asked. Adrian stared at him. "Come on. Let her cross herself." He glanced at the woman. "It’s not my fault her legs are too weak to cooperate."

The woman’s expression changed. She looked at Adrian, and he could see the disappointment in her eyes. "You seem different from him," she said gently. "Please. It’s just across the road. I have somewhere important to be, but I can’t cross alone."

Adrian stared at her. Her eyes were beautiful. For a second, his conscience screamed at him. Help her. Just help her. But the boy beside him scoffed. "I knew you were weak, Adrian."

Adrian’s expression changed. "What are you?" he asked.

The boy laughed. "A pathetic little helper who goes around lending his hands to everyone?" The other boys laughed. Adrian froze. He looked at the woman. She stretched her hand toward him. He could have taken it. He could have helped her. Instead, he pulled his hand away.

"I don’t know you," Adrian said, his voice cold. "I don’t help strangers." He forced a laugh. "Why don’t you dance your way across the road?" The boys laughed. The woman didn’t. Her expression shattered. Adrian could see it. He knew immediately that his words had hurt her. But he walked away anyway.

His friends continued laughing as they left. "You see, Adrian?" the red-haired boy said, slapping his shoulder. "That’s what real men do." Adrian forced a smile. "In this world, you need to look cool," the boy continued. "If you spend your life helping people, you become a shadow." He laughed. "And nobody notices shadows."

Adrian laughed with them. But inside, he felt sick. His parents had already started noticing the change in him. They were worried. But his friends had been there for him when nobody else was. They had protected him from bullies. They had made him feel important. He couldn’t lose them. So he kept following them. Until the day everything went too far.

One afternoon, the group was walking toward their usual hangout spot when the red-haired boy suddenly spotted a woman carrying a purse. "Watch this," he grinned. Then he snatched it. Adrian immediately grabbed his arm.

"That’s not right," Adrian said, looking around nervously. "That’s stealing. We could get into serious trouble." With his parents’ situation, Adrian couldn’t afford to end up in prison. Nobody would be able to help him.

The red-haired boy laughed. "Oh, pussy." He pulled his arm away. "Don’t be scared. Just follow my lead."

The woman realized what had happened. She screamed. Then she ran after them. Adrian looked back. "Stop!" But his voice was weak. The woman chased them into the street. None of them noticed the truck approaching. Then—BANG! The truck struck her. Her body flew sideways before crashing against a pole with a sickening crack.

Everyone froze. Adrian’s heart stopped. The purse fell onto the ground. The boys stared. The woman was alive. Barely. Adrian couldn’t move. He knew he could have stopped them. He knew he should have stopped them. But he had been too afraid. Too afraid of being called weak. Too afraid of losing his friends. And now someone was paying for his cowardice.

He eventually learned that the woman had survived, but she had suffered severe injuries. She remained in a vegetative state. Adrian visited the hospital once. He saw her lying there. Motionless. Machines surrounded her. And he couldn’t forget the sight. It had been his fault. Not because he had planned it. Not because he had wanted it. But because he had been too much of a coward to stop it.

***

Adrian opened his eyes. He was back in the bathroom. His hands were gripping the edge of the sink. His reflection looked exhausted. He slowly looked toward the door. Beyond it, he knew Luna and the others were still watching the three survivors. The same feeling from years ago had returned. He could help. He had an ability. He could potentially save them without Luna noticing. But if she found out, she could throw him out. Or worse. She could decide he was no longer useful.

Adrian clenched his fists. "Fuck this shit." He looked at himself in the mirror. "I don’t want to feel like this again."

He closed his eyes. Maybe Luna was right about one thing. The world had changed. But he didn’t know if he could change with it. Because if surviving meant becoming the same person he had been before the apocalypse... then what exactly was the point of surviving?