The Monster In Me

The Unexpected Meeting

Zean settles behind the store shelves that are still standing firmly. Hiding his figure who continued to look around vigilantly. His hands were clutching a small knife which he carried everywhere. Zean always used it as a scissor replacement. Not a single bit did he intend to make it as a weapon, as it is today.

‘He doesn't look like a zombie,’ Zean thought as he crouched down and peeked behind a hideout. The figure of the man he was watching seemed to move more regularly compared to the zombies. Although still, the man almost resembles an undead from the many red patches that adorn the entire clothing as well as from the way crawling on the road. ‘Maybe he's undercover? Wh-wh-what for? I've checked, around here there are no zombies.’

Zean turned. Sit down for a while to rest and strategize. However, his body suddenly stiffened when he felt the tip of a sharp object touch his neck. A little bit of scratching left there. Zean's reflex raised both of his hands up, right next to his head.

“Do not move!” the stranger's orders, which turned out to be the young man he had been observing. “Who are you? Why watch me?”

Slowly, Zean stood up. The knife on his neck followed his movements leaving a painful scratch. Zean then moved his right hand, intending to grab the knife near his neck. “Please, relax. Just like you, I'm just being vigilant. Instead of attacking,” he said carefully.

Apparently, his words were quite believable, as the foreign man finally kept the knife away from his neck. Zean took a deep breath and let out a long breath. Swiping his neck that slightly spits blood.

“I Zean.” Zean calmly extended his hand.

The young man before him looked doubtful. However, he still welcomed Zean's helping hand after storing his folding knife into his pants pocket. “Adnan,” the answer is slow. “You're the first human I've met here.”

“Wow. Then I should be honored,” jokes Zean. However, suddenly his forehead creased. “Wait. You mean, I'm the first human you find after a zombie attack, right?”

“Not. I just came here after hearing of the terrible events that happened here.”

Zean widened his eyes in disbelief. “Wow. So, you came from outside? Justjust wonderful. Even the authorities seem to have not come a single person.” Zean keeps babbling. He did not seem like his usual self at all, but Adnan could not possibly know that. “Then, can you show me the path you took when you entered? As you probably already know, I really want to get out of this place.”

Hearing that, Adnan then scratched his neck in confusion. “Hmm .. like this. I came here without any preparation. Without a second thought I just jumped over every place I could jump to get here. Until finally ...”

“Finally?”

“Tens …. No. gabe. Hundreds of zombies are chasing me. I held on with all my might and tried to trap them by destroying the only path that got me here.”

After he finished saying all that, Adnan fell silent. Trying to notice the expression of the man in front of her. Adnan thought, Zean must have felt very disappointed to hear the explanation. Just like her who kept blaming herself for acting recklessly.

How does he get Adira out of here if he doesn't know the way out?

Actually, there are still some clothes that are quite decent to wear, but almost all of them are lying in one of the rooms with a very messy state.

“It seems like someone came here and picked up some clothes,” muttered Zean while approaching the pile. Completely unaware of Adnan who was still staring at him in wonder.

Adnan followed Zean's steps with eyes full of probing. “Why are you so calm? I just told you that the road that might be the only way out has been broken. You also act too relaxed, even though we just met.” Adnan pulled out his folding knife back and pointed it towards Zean. This time leaving enough distance so that the sharp edges do not touch Zean's skin in the slightest. “I could have stabbed you in the back.”

Zean finally turned his attention back towards Adnan. A slight murmur of a smile that did not make her face look more radiant at all. Quite the contrary, he now looked so pitiful with both eyes slightly glistened by tears. “There's no point in it for you to attack me. Anyway ...” Zean took a deep breath while looking at the pink flower petals that he had been holding ever since. “Again, I'm not afraid to lose anything else. Maybe even I look forward to the moment of my own death.”

Adnan's mouth seemed a little gaping before he finally kept his knife again and began to approach the pile of clothes that had stolen Zean's attention. “Quite reasonable. Everything you experience here must be enough to make you desperate or resigned to the situation. I don't know for sure. But let me tell you one thing.”

“What is it?”

“All these zombie attacks only happen in this place. People are still living in peace out there. At least on the surface. They do not ‘bite’ other humans literally and only hurt each other clandestinely, as usual.” Adnan crouched down and started looking at the clothes from the pile in front of him one by one. His face frowned after finding that there was not a single shirt to suit his taste. “I think I need to tell you, because as far as I can see, you have no way of knowing the circumstances beyond.”

Zean looked silent with eyes that blinked slowly. Adnan thought Zean was quite surprised by the information he had just delivered, until Zean finally opened his voice.

“I know that this only happens here,” replied Zean firmly. “That's why I want to get out soon, because the circumstances outside are much safer. Isn't that right?”

Hearing that, Adnan's face suddenly heated up a little. Apparently he had misjudged. “Alright then. I thought you'd think this mess was happening all over the country.”

“It's okay. Your information is useful to strengthen my guess,” Zean replied quickly. “But not necessarily other survivors think the same as me. Your words made me think there could be people who decided to give up because they thought there was no way out. What a pity the fate of such people.”

Adnan seemed to raise one eyebrow while looking at the strange Zean. “Do you always talk a lot?” ask her frankly.

Zean sniffed his shoulders and let out a long sigh. “No. But ever since I watched my brother take his life in this place, it seems like I was trying to distract myself by saying whatever came to my head.”

Hearing the word ‘adik’ made Adnan reflexively raise his hand. Asking Zean to stop talking for a moment. “I don't have much time to talk. I have to save my sister.”

***