“Don't look at me like that, it was a fair price!” Ethan shrinks under the judgmental stare of Dana.
“I am not saying it isn’t” she states and keeps on walking forward, the same small smile tugs on her lip, never leaving her face.
“Now groceries!” Ethan spills out over excitedly.
Leaning his palm on the new fancy knife, now a straight 50cm wide and pointy piece of premium metal, sheathed on his belt a dagger that could be debated about being a short sword more than a knife.
Turning to him once more with the same look on her face, she burst out laughing looking at how he held the handle of the knife.
“You love it, you are truly enjoying the world apocalypse” the realization falls upon her as she facepalm herself giving out a small laugh.
The two, walking leisurely in the shopping center, laughing and talking quietly while the floor below them is still a bloody mess and post traumatic people trying to wrap their heads around how things come to be.
They both didn’t want to tell themself what they really think, staying untruthful to themselves but killing so many creatures and even humans, in Ethan’s case ,must have dulled their sensitivity to this matter faster than they would like to admit.
Walking around carelessly earned them two kinds of extreme emotions, one was a look of pure admiration and reverence amazed by their high mental resilience and crazy show of power and courage they gave, the other gaze, filled with intense jealousy and hate, blame for not being there in the first place to save a loved one.
On their way to the supermarket they became quieter trying to draw less attention, but a man stood in their way holding a metal bar, his face full of desperation. In today’s events, he lost a few loved ones. his eyes, sends unbridled hostility, he is about to attack.
“Why haven't you come earlier?! What took you so long?! You two are walking around on a date where we just lost our families and loved ones!” He blames Ethan and Dana, his shouts draw a lot of attention.
Dana lowered her head, losing her mother a few hours earlier, her mental state is still broken, it is just that she has been through so much to a point she managed to somewhat mentally patch it up, heck, Ethan felt that It is not the end of this.
Moving forward to the man, Ethan start to speak, “you are right, we were disrespectful for you who mourn here, for that i apologize,” Ethan gives the man his 2 cents of courtesy and continue, ”But, your incompetence and inability to save the people around you, is your own, not our”, taking the depressed Dana by a gentle hand hold, they move past the angry man, the closer they went past him the tighter Dana’s grip was on his hand, and her face drooped.
Just as if the event almost diffused, the man roared “It you fault!” a broken metal bar swung toward Ethan.
Ethan moves to the side pulling Dana closer to him. He was ready for such a case mentally noting that if it was Dana, her lowered gaze and mental attack the man caused, she would’ve easily gotten hit by that.
Ethan gave the man the benefit of the doubt assuming this man just witnessed some intense horrors for the first time in his life, he stayed cool headed, broke contact with Dana and started walking towards the man.
“Missed, This is your final chance, you suffered enough. You should have had this fire when the goblins attacked, now give up, this is a new world you can use your grief and emotions as a lesson and come out of this stronger and quite Literally, evolved, or take another swing and get your arm broken.
Take an advice, no one take a cripple as a companion in a world like this”
Standing in front of the man, Ethan locks his gaze with the man, not even trying to hide his disappointment.
“I will make you pay for this one day! I will make you lose everything!” The man turned and was about to leave as he felt a hand tugging his shirt.
“You just have to spout that last sentence? Give me a reason not to make you not want to see my face in the future? I have companions and family you know…” pouring Salt on the man’s fresh wound, he comes as close as a fist range from the man.
Maddened by Ethan’s calm demeanor, he points and starts shouting again “I am not scared of you! You can only talk! Killing a monster made you so fuc-”
A sudden click sound and the man's voice turned into a high pitched shriek, his forearm now with a bone poking out of it, he fell to his knees.
“dare say another word” Ethan offers with a smile, getting somewhat tired of his own polite etiquette.
Dana takes a few steps back from the surprise, her face is a mix of emotions.
In front of a thrashing, screaming man Ethan and Dana exchange looks, her jovial cynical smile is gone, replaced with a contemplating grim frown.
“Dana, was I wrong to do what I did?” Ethan looks pitifully at the man twitching on the ground holding a gruesome wound in his arm.
She kept silent and turned away as they kept on walking.
After a moment of consideration she answers, “In a way, you have, you are now far above the liking of him, taking such a foul actions will just burden your soul and create more enemies for yourself, as if that’s what we need right now. This is quite very literally what you warned me when you asked me to join you - ‘don't get all murderous and evil on us’” She shook her head copying his words
“You are now super strong but your power will not only draw reverence and respect, it will also draw jealousy and hate. Are you so weak in your mind that bugs annoy you? The store owner I understand. It was funny, and we do deserve some better equipment by hook or crook, but this man? He is but a grieving man” she let out a sigh, “He was annoying, but he just needed an outlet, this what makes you different from the thugs from the streets. Why do I follow you without a second of hesitation? your motives feels like it came from somewhere else, let’s not become a group that kills people for no reason, I will not turn up like him” a tone of melancholy paints her last words, as her fists clenching.
“Let's move” Ethan lowered his gaze, her words struck true. He looks at two people run past them to the man worriedly their eyes are of fear and disappointment.
A few minutes later they are at the supermarket, on their way the amount of people now looking at him with disappointment increasing by the moment, as the action he took against the man was made known.
Ethan was viewed as a savior, as a man who cares, but he happened to mangle up a man well known around this area - this man was a nice and kind family man, his family came to visit him and help him close his business, the things he saw today, they broke him, he was not a bad or evil man, Dana was right, he was just lost in grief.
That’s the gist of what he heard, and Dana’s words came to his mind, playing on repeat.
A moment before arriving at the supermarket Ethan stopped walking with a sad and contemplating look in his eyes. Turning to him, Dana tilt her head confused by his sudden stop. After a long moment of awkward silence, he speaks.
“Please, stay by my side, I need your guidance, forget the teaching stuff you wanted, I need some tutoring myself it seems”
Looking down dejectedly, A moment of silence passes, as he was expecting to be declined by her. He was at a loss for a moment.
As he was recalculating how to move next on his own, being distanced from a strong ally, a warm and comforting hug caught him by surprise, his heart racing.
“Let's walk the new world together, we can teach one another how to do it” she rested her head on his chest, “we shall speak of it later, now we need to go and do some shopping, might as well get some medicine to help the old man when we head back” she smiles at Ethan.
“I like That idea”. Got carried away by the moment he was about to Give her a kiss On her cheek, but froze and jumped back, his adrenaline rushed male brain took control in a moment of weakness, he checked her out.
She had A nice set of bright green sharp eyes and bright brown hair that complemented the player complexion of her skin, a very fine body proportions, ‘C, bordering D’, intrusive thoughts took over. Overall she was on the better half of the beauty scale, to say the least.
After noticing he was checking her out, she tilted her head shyly.
“This is not…I…Sorry”, he apologized and jumped backwards almost as if afraid of escalating a situation he just narrowly saved.
He was too obvious checking her out, breaking eye contact and kept on moving forward, he heard her mumbling something to his back but left it be, ‘not time for this right now, gotta stay focused!’ He mentally slapped himself hoping she would take it positively.
The two kept moving in awkward silence for a short while, a large crowd at the supermarket’s entrance made them realize That they were on a scavenger hunt in the apocalypse swinging their focus back, annihilating any disturbances from the few moments of embarrassment they had been through.
They steeled their gaze nodded to each other, getting Ready for an obvious situation gone wrong once more.
“What's your bet? I'm going with bullies with weapons trying to become the overlord of the area by using foods” Ethan returns to his cynical ways.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“You can't bet on serious things like this,” the judgmental look visible on Dana’s eyes, “and if you do at least don't take my guesses”.
“If I go too far, stop me” Ethan asks her, lowering His eyes.
“You were not Completely wrong back there, he was lucky to meet you and not someone who straight up killed him in the streets” she states her experience speaks in volumes.
“Thank you, really” he raised his head, confident Somewhat recovered.
Laying low the duo blend in the crowd, a Group of five, two holding handguns, The rest holding knives, in front of them a guy Getting beaten and kicked.
“Hey, please tell me, What's the Situation?” Ethan asks a random guy next to him.
“The moment the trio came And killed all the green little dwarves, those five made a run for it and showed off the handguns they stole from the bodies of two security guards. They are not letting anyone in” he states angrily not even looking at Ethan.
“And what do they want?” Ethan inquired farther.
“subservience, looking for lackeys and women, what else” he murmured.
“food is already a currency? Ah?” Ethan let out a chuckle.
Hearing the chuckle. The man turns to see who is the crazy man he is speaking with, and pales.
“Dana, your opinion?” Ethan ask
“They are practical douchebags” she shrugs, having nothing else to add.
“I'll disarm the two guys holding the guns and find a new nice and capable leader around, is this acceptable? Maybe the broken arm dude, everyone seems to speak quite highly of him” Ethan casually offers, looking for approval from Dana.
The pale man who explained the situation still frozen, paled even more, ‘How can they casually speak of it like this?!’.
“I have a mission for you,” Ethan addressed the pale random guy, ”go to the one with the broken arm, you will figure out really fast on whom I am speaking, tell him the chance to start a new is right here and now, and he needs to send someone he trusts and he considers a reliable person” now go.
Nodding dumbly, the man flees to carry his task.
“Dana, you remember how we met? Let's raise a show” Ethan grinned.
In response, Dana shakes her head and disappears in the crowd with a V gesture, not saying a word.
‘I will have all the fun for myself again’ Ethan sighs and makes himself known.
“Hello there, are we becoming overlords? Can I ask in?” Ethan distanced himself from the crowd moving closer to the group of five, his hands held up in a surrounding gesture.
“Get back, freak Or else we will shoot!” the guns pointed at him.
“Okay, first, Not too polite. Secondly, two guns on one man, not smart, what if I work with someone who aims a gun at you right now?” stopping his speech for a moment he let his words create some distrust and paranoia in his opponents.
“Third, what about exchange, I offer important knowledge, for some food” Ethan said innocently, “If one of you strong people with guns dare come forward and speak with me, it would be nice”.
The two kept speaking, considering the situation.
“Okay…Dana, hold my knife” He approached her in the crowd and gave her his knife.
She nods and walks back, disappearing in the crowd. His remark about an accomplice aiming at them, makes them look for her in the crowd anxiously - it worked.
“Are you still too scared to speak? Are you that shameless” He calls towards the two men, letting everyone hear that, for extra emotional Damage, his handgun is hidden in his belt with a jacket.
When changing clothes before coming he picked an easy and comfortable training set, black and blue in color, with the option of easily hiding his gun in mind.
‘How does he dare you use this word?!’ Dana internally wanted to flip off a table.
After a few more discussions, one of the men approaches, using inspect in that time, Ethan figures the weaker one came, like the melee thugs, he was, lvl 1, as the one further distancing himself, is level 2, probably the leader.
Upon seeing them sending one of the guys armed with knives he interjects, “Not happening the least you can do is send one of you scary people with a gun to speak with me and not those small fries”
In response they speak amongst themselves once more until the lvl 1 gunman moves forward.
“Are you up for a small talk or you just want to act coy until you'll manage to get what information I have to tell you?” Ethan asks straightforwardly.
“I..th…this is not what We want, if you show you don't have weapons and enter we can speak?” He stummers.
“I will tell you but I want you to come closer, I don't want anyone else to hear” Ethan feints defeat raising his arm, turning 360 fast enough for the untrained man to not notice the gun, hoping the gesture will lower his guard.
Five steps from one another, Ethan whispers Something incohesive on purpose, making the man step forward, he turns his head to hear better, and this is the money shot.
Ethan use the man's lower guard and how he tilt his head to the side to hear better, he draws the gun quietly and say to the guy, “it's important for you not to move because I have a gun aimed at you private area, if the next move of yours is not lowering your gun, I will take the shot, Do you not want to take your child to school...oh there is no more schools, never mind, You have three seconds, lower your gun”.
The obviously untrained man fell for his scheme, his eyes filled with fear, he looked at the hand He was tilting his head away from and saw Ethan was not lying - a gun was pointed at his crotch.
“Two” Ethan counts.
Throwing the gun to The ground, the man fell to his knees, begging to be spared.
“Just Join the crowd over there, idiot…” Ethan orders the now unarmed man.
As he was about to speak to the man who is most likely in charge, a sound of commotion started to erupt from behind him, the man disarmed by Ethan just now getting beaten by the crowd.
Laughing out loud tears started to form in Ethan’s eyes, meanwhile the man at the supermarket entrance, still holding the gun started cursing, his face reddening and vein bulges, he lost a man and a weapon.
“Now, shall we speak or you still think the gun is going to make you the big scary boss? Seriously? Lackeys and women?” Ethan asked the reddening man with disgust, dual aiming the two guns at the man.
“Why do you even care? What do you even know?!” he asked
Holding the gun, trying to focus with his skill- spirit of a warrior, Ethan figured there is no special information, Knowledge or techniques about the handgun or shooting it, ‘are firearms excluded by the system? My skill should’ve helped me somehow…no way guns are not a thing...maybe the system knows another shape and mechanism to them’
Finishing his inner monologue he replies, “What is there to know you think you are the fitted ruler and you want the food, the place, lackeys and women. How complicated can it get? The first thing you need to do is arrange some free food to those people, not looking for employees like a dirtbag” Ethan answers annoyed, his sense of injustice tickles.
A burly man arrives with the scared man, Ethan sent to the search and deliver mission.
Pushing his way through the crowd, the burly man looks at Ethan with a mix of emotions, hate and anger are clearly evident, there is also a bit of confusion.
“Oh you came in the broken hand man’s name?” Ethan casually asks.
The man with the gun, standing in the entrance stands there dumbfoundedly, ‘he didn't even let me answer…’
In front of Ethan the burly man starts to get mad, “my name is Rown, and the man you broke his arm is my cousin!” he comes fearlessly to Ethan holding two guns.
“I am glad” Ethan states casually .
Rowan's face twitches in anger, “how dare you?!” he shouts.
“Calm down, I heard he lost his family members and seeing that he has someone like you, a fearless and capable man, it relieves me, Also I'm sorry, I let my anger get the best of me, him insinuating he will come after me or my family made me over protective over them and my companions and I over reacted” Ethan answer vaguely.
Rowan's face turns into a carousel of emotions, none is simple to read.
“Tell me, this man over there, he took over the supermarket and he tries to use men and women for food, what do you think of that?” Ethan riddles the situation.
“I…what….” Rowan Short circuited, so much information, ‘He is apologizing? Normalizing what he did to Jamey? What am I supposed to do with this man aiming a gun at us?!’
“Get rid of him, he is not better than the goblins that tried to use us” a woman joins from the crowd, her hair color is black, just like Rowan and although she looks somewhat prettier the resemblance makes it an easy guess, they are related.
“and you are?” Ethan asks the new arrival.
“I'm the sister of the slowpoke over here, Rina, nice to meet, I heard what you said to him, I can't completely accept it but we will cooperate for now” she introduced herself.
“Rina, you two are the new leaders of this place, wait here with your brother and discuss how you gonna do it” Ethan whispers to the brother-sister duo.
Turning back to the armed red faced man, Ethan leaves the two to think of their new roles without even letting them a moment to dispute or decline his offer, he places himself where there is no crowd behind him, still dual wielding the handguns.
“Now you,” Ethan addressed the supermarket bully ”last chance, will you leave or stay?”
His plans ruined, ignored, defamed, embarrassed, looked down upon, raising his gun. his actions are too predictable, he takes a shoot.
Ethan moves behind a concrete pillar he was walking towards since he left the black haired siblings, the rest of the people scattering and screaming.
Dana takes a strategic hideout with Eye contact to Ethan, and gestures to him a throwing movement pointing at her knife and the man hailing bullets on the concrete pillar Ethan hiding behind in a slow and calculative rhythm.
She counts to ‘3’ with her fingers. Reaching three she shouts “a knife!”, and throw the knife unsheathed aiming for the supermarket Bully, making it spin wildly. can't ignore a flying knife coming his way the bully turn to it, Ethan use this and sprint at full power, in a moment he is about 13 meters away Starting to shoot the man haphazardly dual wielding the handguns, Ethan is not a marksman, but 4 bullet each gun, 8 bullets in total, he is not that bad.
2 bullets hit the man.
One hit the right calf, the other the left shoulder, as the man dropped the gun, the 3 armed lackeys ran away in terror as Ethan kept on sprinting towards them dual wielding two guns.
Keep on sprinting he secured the third gun, Ethan stands above the supermarket bully, his gun under his shoes.
With a small theatrical bow, “and, a scene”.
“Rina, you here?” Ethan ask the hiding crown
Rina and Rowan, makes themselves known, Dana already approaching him holding the knife she threw.
He gives them one of the fancier knives each, “this store has whatever your cousin needs to somewhat recuperate, send him my honest apologies, I'll fill 4 bags and will be on my way, are you okay with this?” Ethan ask,
“Of...course” Rina answers dumbly, Rowan short-circuited once more didn't answer
Entering inside the supermarket, Ethan and Dana fill four backpacks to the brim.
When they left the supermarket, groups were already organized to take from a table what looked like rations.
“You did great, it's up to them what will happen next” Dana stated.
“Thank you for the assist over there, let's go and give Leah some of the medical things she need for her Husband” Ethan replied with a smile, for a second he felt her trying to hold his hand but withdrew after a moment.
‘It’s better like that, we shall first arrive at Leah’s place. A romance, three and a half hours into the world apocalypse is too rushed. it's a bad idea’ he smiles to himself moving forward.
