The Monster In Me

Taka Games

Taka laughed satisfied to see the suffering of the brothers who will soon be trapped in the middle of a horde of zombies that although moving slowly, but able to corner them both. Taka himself has climbed the head of the turtle statue to avoid the undead while watching the suffering of Zean and Helsa. The young man had completely lost his humanity, because now he did not seem at all sympathetic, and instead enjoyed all the events that were clearly displayed before him.

“Don't be shy! Ask me for help!” yell Taka again. “I've spent hours just observing the zombies. No one understands them better than me!”

It was inconceivable how upset Zean heard that. He clenched his teeth hard, almost making his jaw grit. His brain was no longer able to think clearly. Had there been no Helsa, Zean just wanted to surrender and turn into a zombie in order to attack Taka without being deterred by feelings of doubt or guilt.

“Kak, how is this?” Helsa started sobbing beside him. Tiredness made him no longer scream loudly, even when his hands were repeatedly pulled by zombies. “What should we do? I don't want to stay here. Help me, Brother!”

Zean's heart aches are scratched by the request of his sister. It was times like these that always made Zean feel helpless. It seemed useless he spent more than half his life to slam bones looking for money, if in the end the money he had was not able to save his sister.

Feeling useless was not a situation that was foreign to Zean, but right now that feeling was attacking him with multiple times of force. Unknowingly, he called out to Taka.

“I'll give you!”

Taka smiled here while tilting his head. Showing one of his ears that is wide open. “What? You said what?” He asked even though he had heard Zean's words very clearly.

Zean never snorted so hard.

“Say I'll give you what you want!” repeat Zean one more time. His nerve fibers began to appear on the hands and neck. He was really no longer able to resist the encouragement of the zombies around him anymore. Some of the undead had even started to barge in through every crack of the stairs that became his defensive tool. “Take this backpack and all its contents! But help us, damn it!”

Both of Zean's eyes widened as he saw one of the zombies managed to pull Helsa's hair. The little girl screamed for help, while Zean himself could not move at all, or they would instantly be swallowed by dozens of zombies.

Their life expectancy seemed to have been lost, but just as Zean was about to close his eyes and turn himself in, he heard a ringing sound that was very painful to the ears. Zean opened his eyes and saw an event he had never seen before.

The zombies were writhing in pain while running away. However, most of them ended up falling and wriggling on the streets. With a body that continues to thrash and hands that move upwards either want to reach for what. Zean and Helsa watched as the undead shrieked in horror and wonder. It took them a long time to realize that Taka had been by their side. Take out their supply backpack with a smug smile.

“See? I am like their leader. Oh, no!” Taka pulled the pair to the other side of the road, where trees grew tightly. They had to walk sideways to pass through each gap that was narrow enough. “I'm a God! Those undead will never be able to defeat me!”

Zean blinked his eyes many times. Only then did he realize that his breathing was panting and his heartbeat felt too strong to hurt his chest. However, he ignored all of that and knelt down in front of Helsa. “Are you okay? Anyone hurt?”

Helsa shook her head. She quickly hugged her brother. “I'm fine, Brother. But I really don't like this guy. Can we get away from him immediately?” whispered the little girl.

Zean secretly glanced at Taka who was still busy boasting himself. Zean was also very uncomfortable with the young man. Had he had any other choice, he would never have exchanged words again with Taka.

“You are free to say anything, I don't care.” Zean finally stood up and responded to Taka's words that began to slur. “You saved me and my sister. I'll spare our backpack instead. So, we're already breakeven, right?”

“Yapc. It's breakeven,” replied Taka while checking the backpack he just got. His face seemed to have a lot of food and drink in there. “Let me ask one thing.”

“What is it?” Zean reflexes embracing Helsa. His vigilance again increased when he saw the creepy grin Taka had returned.

“Do you have no other valuables? Phone for example?” Taka pointed towards Zean's pocket as he stepped closer.

Zean was really suspicious, taking a step back. Although he knows that he is getting closer to the zombies who have now returned to target them. The movement of the zombies was only slightly restrained by a narrow gap. However, sooner or later they will soon reach the place of Zean, Helsa, and Taka.

“Nothing. My phone and my sister were damaged by falling and being hit by heavy objects.”

“Oh, okay.”

After saying those two words, Taka turned around and walked away. Do not forget to hum and a small jump accompanied his happy steps. Zean and Helsa exchanged glances to find the young man leaving just like that.

Despite that, Zean did not have time to continue thinking about his suspicions to Taka. He must immediately bring himself and his brother free from the zombie siege that returns to target them.

“The sound of the whistle only gives a temporary effect. Should the whistle keep ringing?” a sufficient Zean murmur could be heard by Helsa. Only, Helsa also did not know how she should respond to her brother's thoughts.

Zean had not stepped anywhere when suddenly Taka called back to him from a distance.

“Oh, by the way, the loud noise did make the zombies tormented for a while, but the sound also provoked other zombies that were in a further place,” Taka said while chuckling. “Good luck! Looks like you guys still have to fight for a while.”

Zean clenched both his hands in annoyance after realizing that he had been tricked. Although technically, Taka did save him, but all this was not worth the price he had to pay. Zean had given up all of his sister's supplies and medicines only to be stuck in a similar situation again.

He quickly found the best path he and his brother could take. However, both of his eyes caught something that looked even more interesting.

The dead body with the missing lower body seemed to be settling towards Taka without the young man knowing.

***