Fifth Run

In the personnel room only, it has been two days. Both of them couldn’t do anything and had no food on their own. Thus, they decided to take some of the food outside into the storage room. Not long after they took some food, someone came in and broke all the glasses. This made them startled, and they locked the door. When the people looted all the foods on the island, their hearts were trembling in fear. Especially when they saw their guns and others. Luckily, when these people knew that there was someone inside, they did not go further and left.

The personnel room only offered both Liam and Lucas momentary sanctuary from the chaos inside. They heard a lot of people's voices going in and out of their store. However, to their luck, none of them tried to enter the room.

Sitting down on their long sofa in their resting area, they faced a small television screen that was mounted on the wall. For two days, none of the news was there. However, right now, there is already one. Despite the surreal events that happen right before their eyes, the people doing their reporting job feel even more panic when they’re in front of the camera.

Liam’s attention was focused on certain news. The headline was displayed in bold letters, which caught his attention. “Eldo Gripped by Unexpected Chaos: Unrest Spreads Across the City.” He sat down, leaning on his back, and took a deep breath. “It’s not only here in Eldo,” he added.

“With those crazy shits, of course, it wasn’t here alone. It will spread throughout the country and, soon, the whole world.”

Liam did not speak, but he silently knew that what Lucas said was right. It won't happen only in Eldo or in their country, but in the whole world. If this happens,  things will get even harder, not only for them but for all the people around the world.

Liam isn’t a fan of zombie stories; it was his brother who loved them. He never watched it, as he was a person who hated getting thrilled. He always screams whenever he’s watching zombie movies. If Liam knew that this would happen, he'd sneak right beside his brother and watch zombie movies as much as possible.

What a regret!

The news anchor, with his tone of urgency and panic, reported Even though his eyes said that he’s scared, he still did his work. Not after he spoke, flickering videos and censored images of people transformed into something like zombies flashed on the screen.

Liam wanted to mock the channel for censoring the images but not the videos, but it has nothing to do with him. However, for him, if things like this come to not being able to control, why bother censoring these things, right?

The air grew even heavier when they heard that Eldo wasn’t the first to have this kind of thing happen, but the city of LiA. The LiA city is full of opportunity, and with this, it has a high density of population. However, to Liam and Lucas’s surprise, they didn’t hear anything about it but heard that it was forbidden to travel there in the meantime.

Liam’s grip on the remote became tighter. His white knuckles revealed the intention of his heart. Two days later, he couldn’t reach his sisters and brother, which made him feel even more depressed.

“This is insane,” he commented. “How can this happen?” he added, full of disbelief in his voice.

Lucas, a manager of the store who is usually composed, calm, and full of smiles on his face, sighed. “Kid, sometimes there are things that are beyond our understanding. However, if we’re going to conclude to ourselves, maybe, just maybe, these things are all related to one’s research or something like that.” He then closed his eyes, trying to ease up his fatigue. “Right now, we just need to focus on surviving. When we finally get out, at least we can finally find and reunite with our loved ones.”

Reunite.

Who wouldn’t feel at ease knowing that there’s still hope to see their loved ones? None, right?

As they continued to watch the news, the room fell into heavy silence. No one talks to each other; they both focus on watching. As they heard the news report, they also heard those sickening growls outside. Since one of the windows was destroyed because of the looters, the noise from the outside could now be heard from their room.

The images on the screen were all pictures taken in different kinds of cities. Some of them were taken by drone, and some were taken by their own cellphones. Liam’s social media was full of it as well, and the anxiety of people posting could be felt by others.

Liam glances at Lucas. “You know we can't stay holed up here forever, right? We still need to go out and find our family.”

Lucas nodded his head. Even though it was risky, he himself wanted to reunite with his wife and daughter as well. Thus, when Liam suggested this, even when he could hear the hesitation, he nodded his head. He doesn’t want to stay there anymore, knowing that his wife and daughter are in their house waiting for him to come home. He doesn’t want them to worry about him.

“My apartment is near, and I have no worries about running. However, yours isn’t. Didn’t you need to take a bus to go home?” Lucas asked.

Liam bit his lip. “Buses were surely not available right now. However, I can go grab some cars on my way,” he said, not sure if his plan is correct but definitely not safe.

The room flickered as their ears were still on the news while talking to each other. Lucas, being the older one, could sense Liam’s restlessness. He knew that it was all partly because he couldn’t contact his siblings that he felt like this.

“Liam, I know you want to check on your family, too, but it’s too risky to go out right now. Let me go to my apartment first, get Shina and my daughter, and we’ll come back here. When we’re finally together, we’ll figure out a plan together, hmm?”

Hesitating, Liam bit his lower lip. He is torn between the urge to ensure the safety of his family and the logic of staying here to not let his family get worried. "But what if something happens to you on the way? What if I never see my family again?” he asked, panicking.

Lucas knew that it wasn’t easy to keep your cool if something was happening and you wouldn't be able to contact your family; he had already been there. Thus, he knew exactly what that felt like. It was like you wanted to die but couldn’t.

“We can't help anyone if we don’t stay alive ourselves. If you wanted to help your family members and wanted to see them again, then go and live first. I promise I’ll be back, and we’ll face whatever’s out there together. I will only go and get my wife and daughter first.”

Despite not being sure of what’s happening, Liam still nodded his head. He’s not sure if this person in front of him could go and pick up his wife and daughter safely or not, but there is nothing he could do about it.

He couldn’t shake his worries, so he said, “It’s too dangerous for you to go alone. What if I go with you? We can look for my family on the way as well. After all, your way to your apartment is my way as well.”

Lucas stared at the young man in front of him and sighed. Considering Liam’s suggestion, it wasn’t bad, but, “Kid, it’s too unpreditable out there. I may have married late and had a child late, but I still live my life longer than you do. We have a better chance if I go and pick up my family and regroup here. Shina and my daughter will be safer if I move quickly towards them and come back with them here.”

Liam doesn’t want to be alone, but he couldn’t see the hole in his manager’s reasoning. Everything is indeed right. It will only make Lucas feel the burden of bringing him with him when he picks up his daughter and wife. Not only that, while coming back here, they will be a group of four; it will not be easy.

“Okay, Manager Lucas. I’ll stay here and wait for you and Aunt Shina. But please, come back safely with Little Red.”

Lucas smiled, nodding his head. He squeezed Liam’s shoulder as he tried to make him feel reassured that everything would be fine. “I promise. We’ll get through this.”

With that, Lucas left the room they were in. Of course, Lucas left with a bag full of food and a baseball bath that was hanging as a decoration on the store’s counter. When Liam was alone, the television was still reporting the news as the light inside the room flickered. He felt terribly anxious, like he wanted to puke, but he calmed himself.

All he could do was wait for his manager’s return with his wife and daughter, praying that Lucas and his family would safely return and reunite with him. He doesn’t want this beautiful, lovely family to go and be with those zombies.

Liam started to pray not only for his safety but also for Lucas, his siblings, Shina, and that little red daughter of Lucas and Shina.