Глава 8

—Alina!

What's up?

I'm thinking about putting together an Infected education group. Would you like to run it?

Huh? Am I really the right person for that?

You have a much better reputation than me among the noncombatant Infected.

It'll be easier for me to introduce you to everyone.

That's not what I mean...

Knowledge is a means of fighting itself, Alina. I insist.

Well...

I'll leave the decision to you. I don't need to write up any speeches or anything, do I?

Oh, I can hear the applause already.

...Stop teasing me. Okay, I'll get going now.

See you later. Don't stay out too late!

That won't work. We need to hang them.

The captain isn't around right now, but I know that's what he'd order us to do.

Remember, guerrilla fighters. We are not an army. At least not yet.

It gives a bad impression. When they first joined us, it was because they trusted us. They only started having doubts because of hunger. That's the only reason they made this mistake.

It only happened because we didn't keep our end of the bargain.

What bargain? Feeding them what little food we have left?

We promised the Infected a place to stay.

...Not everyone came here for a noble end. That's not realistic.

We could've earned even more of their trust if we had the machines exchanged for the provisions sooner.

In any case, I cannot accept keeping them on the team.

Then let them go.

I won't tolerate any excessive violence. Also, give them enough rations for a week before you exile them.

Absolutely not! Not even our warriors get that kind of treatment!

We're not going to give in on this one. It has nothing to do with achievements or whatever. We simply can't abide by their behavior.

Fine. At least don't go overboard with the language. Don't chew them out too much.

...We can accept that.

Good.

Now that the patrols are trying to smoke us out to the west... we can't let them find the group of Infected there.

That's all the more reason to put these bastards over...

Hm? Someone's knocking.

Come in.

*Pant*...

Talulah!

It's the Patrol Unit! They're investigating the village that traded food with us!

Should we get out of here? If we leave now, we'll be long gone by the time they found out about us!

Draw the patrol unit our way. I'll ambush them somewhere close by. We must let the patrol squad think we're behind it all, even if we have to leave our tracks behind for them to find.

Talulah! Think this through again! The Fourth Army's sentries are just ten kilometers away. Once they get word from the patrols about us, they will definitely come after us!

If the villages are pillaged because they gave us a helping hand... No, suppose they didn't. If they come in harm's way because of us, the Infected, we'll never find another village willing to trade with us.

Then let's take it upon ourselves to keep the news from spreading.

That's exactly how word about this gets out!

Listen to me. If you try to put a lid on this by killing everyone there, the bodies will become evidence. If you then get rid of their bodies, then the deserted village will be evidence instead.

If you want to keep any bad news about us from spreading, then there's only one way to go about it: Don't let anything bad happen in the first place.

What we need to do now is to widen the path we have ahead of us, not just for ourselves, but also for the descendants of those who are following us down this path. Any questions?

No.

You have a point. Let's do that.

Let's go.

Right, what you said just now makes sense. Protect all non-combatants, and help them evacuate first.

We have a tough battle ahead of us. I'll be fighting alongside you, but neither FrostNova and Patriot are here with us; remember, one day, you may not even have me fighting next to you.

But as long as what you are fighting for is just and feasible, then we don't need anyone else by our side. You don't need anyone by your side.

Yeah!

Let's go.

You even defeated the reinforcements? I shouldn't have expected less from you, Talulah!

What about all the other Infected?

They all made it in one piece. The backup safehouse we found really came in great use.

Have you done a headcount yet?

I did. Some of the kids were crying about how one of the older girls hasn't come back yet...

It's sad, but this happens fairly often these days. *Sigh*.

Talulah! We found the rest of the patrol unit. Looks like they've just been running away the whole time.

Which way did they go?

East. Makes me wonder if they'll come across the folks we exiled.

—Talulah?!

H-Hold on! Talulah, where are you going?

Running

Running.

Boots soaked in freezing, chilling water.

Legs sunk in white, blinding snow.

Forgot to use the sleigh.

Forgot to use the snowmobile.

Melting all the snow.

Dashing in the mud.

A long trail on the earth.

A long trail in the snow.

Cold boring into the lungs.

Pain piercing into the brain.

Running.Running.

An endless snow.

An endless winter.

An endless world.

A drop.

Talulah stopps in her tracks.

Another drop.

Tears drip down the corners of her eyes.

She does not notice the drops she shed.

Alina lies there on the ground.

She grips firmly onto the empty basket in her hand. Her clothes are dyed red with her own blood.

The grass and the mud around her body, once pale white, have been dyed a dark shade no less intense or florid.

The snow keeps falling, relentlessly.

No... A... A...

Talu...lah?

Alina...!!!

I didn't... want you to see me like this.

Don't talk. Alina, stop talking... Just don't talk!

We need to stop the bleeding...! Just hang on...!

I'm... not bleeding anymore... It's just...

In that case... Let's go! We need to get you to the medics right away for a blood transfusion!

It's okay... Don't worry... It's just... the things I traded for...

Don't worry about those... They aren't important... Let's head back... I'll take you there!