VII. Voice

Farrah’s eyes widened in disbelief. She subconsciously raised her voice, asking: “What did you just say? Laboratory?!” 

The moment she heard this word, she immediately thought of her father. Fear sprouted inside her heart, but Farrah forced herself to calm down. Looking at the fleeing residents, she fired another question. “… Where’s Mr. Luman and the other researchers?”

The soldier replied, “The researchers are fine! Please, madam! Leave this place!”

Farrah believed the soldier. Looking at the man’s eyes, he didn’t seem to be deceiving her. Even if she had doubts, Farrah had no courage to entertain negative ideas. She also trusts her father very much. He might get older, but he’s also an ability holder. 

Farrah looked in the direction where the laboratory was and gave it a look before running towards the place the soldier pointed. The soldier, seeing Farrah following his words, breathed a sigh of relief and went on his way to help the residents evacuate.

Because the laboratory was at the west part of the base, everyone fled to the east. The soldiers directly blocked the middle of the base. People were being examined before they could truly enter the east. 

It wasn’t clear how the two zombies escaped, but what made the situation worse was the fact that the zombie who escaped was a level-3 zombie. The higher their level is, the stronger the virus. The stronger the virus is the quickest mutation. It means if someone slipped inside the barricade and enter the east, they would mutate, not even after a few hours.

Having an infected person in a closed space filled with people would just be indirect genocide.

Farrah saw Eden helping the soldiers check people for any bite wounds and immediately went towards her. Looking around, she asked. “Eden, have you seen my father?” Her voice trembled, no matter how hard she tried to make herself calm. 

Eden heard her and gave her a tight hug, “Thank god, you’re safe! Don’t worry about your father. I’ve seen him around here, probably helping soldiers too.”

“Are you sure? Father is not bitten, right? Not injured?”

Eden patted Farrah’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, friend. I saw him earlier. He’s vivacious—cursing people left and right.” Eden chuckled, telling Farrah how her father cursed in anger.

“How did this happen, anyway? Is it serious?” Farrah couldn’t help but ask. It is the first time this has happened to their base. It rattled her with fear at the thought that their base might fall.

Eden  stared in the west's direction. “I don’t know what happened, whether it was simply an accident or someone wanted to kill us all. It’s not that serious, but not something to feel relaxed about. However, trust our ability-holders and soldiers a bit. We don’t lack any Level-3 ability-holders.”

Eden pointed the large metal gate at the back that would serve as the protection for the refugees in the east. “All we had to do was to prevent a bitten person enter that side, or else it would rea us in a perilous situation.” Eden sighed as if remembering something, her eyebrows furrowed. “Wait—Where’s DaeDae?”

Farrah smiled. “Don’t worry, he’s in a safe place.”

There’s doubt in Eden’s eyes, but Farrah didn’t explain. Soon, the soldiers took notice of Farrah’s presence. Since she was a doctor, she could help with the checking. It made it easier and faster for the people to enter the east.  

Gunshots would ring out after one another, and every time Farrah hears it, she would flinch. It wasn’t as if she never heard of it, it was just that every time that sound would stop, it means someone is either dead or on the verge of it.

It took several hours before the ability-holders finally eliminated the two zombies, with 23 people as casualties. She heard cries of agony throughout the night, yet no one dared to comfort them. In this world where having to live a day is a blessing, there’s no use of drowning yourself in agony. You must be strong, because maybe tomorrow—you’re the next one to perish.

Farrah understood them, but she didn’t want to be like them. As long as there’s a family waiting for her, she will move forward.

People will die. It might be tomorrow, it might be just a minute later—no one knows.

You just have to be ready to face it.

According to Mayor Hilton, it was the study-subject no.2’s father who infiltrated the laboratory and let his zombie daughter escape. He just didn’t expect that the Level-3 zombie could also escape. The man was bitten, and in order not to become a zombie, the soldiers killed him directly.

Most of the victims were the people living near the laboratory. 

It was a tremendous shock to the Base. Mayor Hilton didn’t dare to neglect the people and strengthened the security of the base. They suspended the study of the antidote because of the accident. Farrah’s father was not hurt, fortunately.

They passed another law that every day, soldiers will check someone for any bite wounds, to ensure the safety of the people. It was mandatory. They will not distribute food and necessities to those who will not follow. The security at the entrance gates was also tighter. If before, a civilian could go out of the base, now only the mercenary groups and the soldiers can go in and outside of the base, hunting resources and scouting any dangers that may pose a threat to the base.

When Farrah finally coaxed her son to sleep, she heard her father muttering in the kitchen. It was when she was near him that she understood what he was blabbering about.

“F*ck, I’m so pissed that I want to kick Hilton’s ass!” Farrah heard her father screeching like a banshee, slamming his palms on the table like it had done something evil to him.

As his daughter, she understood immediately. She can’t help but sympathize with her old man, for he had really suffered during these days.

Farrah sighed, watching her father vent his anger. “What do you plan to do now? Bring another study subject?” 

“Even if we bring another low-level study subject, it will not push the research forward, anyway.”

 “What do you mean? Do you need a higher-level zombie?”

Ferdinand nodded. As the research progressed, the data needed also increased. Those needed data, unfortunately, weren’t present in the study subjects they had before. Now the two study subjects were eliminated, it was even harder to collect data and continue the study.

Ferdinand is afraid they can only take back a higher-level zombie than before or wait for a miracle.

It was because the government finally couldn’t stand it and made it like a race for which base will be the first one to make the antidote. Whoever makes it first will receive a reward. Either with a monetary prize or other things.

It was precisely the reason Mayor Hilton was now trying to meddle with the research team. He wanted the rewards, and because it was like that, the accident happened.

“Tsk, I knew that kid was going to be a problem. I really didn’t expect that my thoughts would come true. Sigh, some innocent people even died...” Ferdinand sighed, leaning on his seat.

Farrah did not comment, buried deep in her thoughts.

*

It took days before everything finally went back to normal. Farrah’s working at the hospital like she used to be. A lot of things happened, but there’s no use looking back to what had passed. It’s time to walk forward and embrace the future.

“I didn’t expect that it would happen. Well, it would eventually happen, but I’m still in shock. Fortunately, not that bad. We’re still alive,” Eden laughed, combing her brown hair with her fingers. She looked at Farrah, then sighed.

“Perhaps God pitied us a bit and stopped the incoming disaster.” She then added after a few seconds of silence.

Farrah paused with her paperwork, looked at her friend, and chuckled. “Yeah, maybe He did. It’s probably because we’re good people.”

Serving people every day, Farrah thought it’s enough for her to be called a good person. She did no one evil, was a filial daughter to her parents, a virtuous wife to her husband, and a wonderful mother to David. 

If only it was really like that. Good people are the ones who survive... Then, Dior wouldn’t have died.

He was a good person.

Eden smiled, then, as if thinking about someone, she hummed. “That’s probably not it.” She disagreed.

Farrah’s eyes narrowed. “Hmm?”

Eden paused, stood up from her seat, and approached Farrah. When she was finally near, she whispered in her ear.

“... Cherry, she wasn’t a good person, why was she alive then?” 

“That’s evil of you, Eden.” Farrah shook her head, unbelieving how her friend could be so cold-blooded when saying those words.

Eden shrugged. “Compared to her, I’m still a rookie. Her? She’s the root of all evil in this hospital, I tell you. Do you know what she did?”

Farrah shook her head. How would she know? Her life didn’t revolve around someone she wasn’t even familiar with. They did not even consider her an acquaintance, so Farrah didn’t care a shit ton about her. 

Eden, however, looks so indignant. That woman probably did something during these past few days that pissed Eden into making her utter those unfeeling words.

“What did she do?” Farrah asked when she saw Eden’s eyes that seemed to say: Come on! Ask me! Ask me!

Eden harrumphed, crossing her arms on her chest. “That woman has been texting my boyfriend non-stop! That b*tch, even daring to call! Who the hell does she think she is?”

Boyfriend? Farrah’s eyebrow twitched, barely holding her laughter. She didn’t know what’s inside of Dr. Cherry’s small head, but it’s actually very interesting. All she did was to piss off someone, either it was Farrah or other people. 

Like a clown jumping around to attract attention, Farrah couldn’t find any greater example that could summarize Dr. Cherry’s personality.

But what surprised her the most was what Eden said. Boyfriend? She actually had a boyfriend?

“When did you start dating? Why don’t I know?” She questioned, with a bit of teasing in her voice.

Embarrassment flashed on Eden’s usually thick face, “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hide it from you but it was during those times that you were grieving for your husband’s death, so I didn’t dare to disturb you with my affairs...”

Farrah understood. Smiling helplessly, she said. “It’s fine. Don’t apologize. I’m happy for you, finally found yourself a partner. Introduce him to me ssometimes I would like to meet the apple of my best friend’s eye.”

Eden blushed like a young maiden experiencing her first love. Tucking her wild hair behind her ear, she nodded. “Alright. I’ll let you meet each other when we’re all free.”

“Is he a soldier?” Farrah couldn’t help but be curious.

Eden shook her head, denying Farrah’s words. “He’s a member of a mercenary group. A Level-3 Ability-Holder.” There’s pride etched on her smile. It blinded Farrah, making her remember she had been using that smile before, too.

It was when Dior was still alive.

Farrah has been nothing but a proud wife. She knew Dior was a person bound to shine, even before the apocalypse. That’s why she’s always been proud of him.

She also has that smile full of pride, and will probably still even until her own death. Because even if Dior had passed away, he will always be her pride.

“That’s great then. Powerful. I hope you’re happy with him.”

And hopefully, they wouldn’t end up the same as her and Dior.

Hours passed, and it was time to go home. David was probably asleep, coaxed by her father. It was already late at night, because of what happened, it was stricter inside the base. A soldier escorted Farrah home, not even hearing her opinions. She only shut her trap and walked home with a soldier trailing from behind.

It was silent. They could hear only their own footsteps. It was the buzzing of her phone that broke the silence reigning all over the place.

Farrah instantly had a premonition who’s calling. No one was calling her at midnight but that person. Farrah frowned, sighing at the incoming headache she’s about to face once again.

She didn't want to answer the call, but the buzzing never stopped. She could only accept it with a frustrated huff.

“What is it again?” She asked, with her tone high. 

As usual, no one answered from the other line. Nothing but suffocating silence.

“Until when do you plan to continue this farce of yours? What are you anyway? And what the hell do you want with me? Answer me, because if not, I’ll just block you.” 

Farrah often wondered why she actually never blocked this number. It was actually that easy to stop this madness, but she never did it.

For what might be the reason? She doesn’t know.

“I honestly can’t think of anything that might be the reason you’re doing this to me. Just say it. Spill your purpose.”

Still none.

“I’m so frustrated and stressed, I have no energy to play games. Can you stop this and let me have my peace? Just. Stop.”

No answers, just like always.

Farrah sighed, kneading her forehead. She felt like she was the one being crazy here, not nhis person. 

“Okay. Let’s stop it here. I’m going to block you, goodb—”

“F-Fae...”

As if a firework suddenly exploded inside Farrah’s head, all she could hear was the loud ringing of her ears. Her heart pumped faster, her blood boiled as her body stood frozen.

She felt the soldier behind her creeping up, worried, asking what happened, but Farrah could hear nothing.

𝙁𝙖𝙚...

Her eyes burned hot, for no such voice was unfamiliar to Farrah. It was the voice she had been longing to hear; it was the voice she’s been dreaming of.

She couldn’t believe it. It must have been an illusion. 

Farrah opened her mouth several times. “D-Dior?” She croaked, her throat sore, and her nose stuffy. 

There’s a rustling sound, followed by a voice. “F-Fae...”

This time, Farrah will believe it was real. She trembled. She didn’t know what it was she was feeling. Her chest undulating, the surrounding suddenly spinning, and before she realized what was happening—darkness swallowed her.

𝘿𝙞𝙤𝙧...