Phase 17 “The Day”
“Allen!” Kaien screamed the name in terror as one of the other soldiers sealed off the entrance. He quickly examined the man's arms and he was about to inject the vaccine into the man's vein when his hand was stopped by the man.
“Kaien, don’t worry. I'll be fine,” Allen gave his reassuring smile. “Remember I’m just like you...”
Kaien gave a phony smile and nod of his head as he assisted Allen in standing up. He helped Allen walk and remained by the man's side until they arrived at a tent, where medical professionals attended to Allen's legs. Even though Kaien was aware that the man would be fine and that the wound would heal on its own, he believed that the wound needed to be treated nonetheless.
“Kai, you also need to get treated,” uttered Allen while wiping Kaien's forehead with his sleeve. Kaien was unaware that he had a cut wound until it was pointed out to him. Although he did not want to part ways with Allen, he eventually consented and followed a nurse to the other side of the room. After completing the warp, Kaien informed Allen that he would be going on patrol and that he would not allow Allen to accompany him due to Allen's injured legs. ‘Silly reason,’ Allen thought.
Kaien left the tent and went on patrol around the area. For the time being, his comrade reported no trouble, so he made the decision to head to the survivor’s tent. When he spotted the yellow tent from a distance, he could not help but think about the poor boy he saved.
Just as he was about to reach the tents, people stormed out of the tents in a panic. Kaien rushed inside and saw the heartbreaking scene. One of the male survivors he saved before was lying lifeless on the pool of blood where the boy stood next to it, mouth covered with fresh blood.
When Kaien saw the boy staring at him with icy eyes and moving closer, he froze in place. He was completely unaware that the youngsters had been bit and infected. He could not believe he had been so careless as to miss it. He knew he only had himself to blame as the boy rushed and jumped at him.
Taken back, Kaien knew he would not make it to shot the boys. He was too late to take his weapon up and he could not bring himself to shot the boy. The boy reminded so much of him in the past. For the first time Kaien still thought a zombie as a human being and he knew he just deceived himself. Nonetheless, he knew nothing would happen to him even if the boy bit him. Maybe he deserved some punishment.
Before the boy could touch him, he landed on the ground with a bullet on his head. Kaien was startled as he looked to the tent entrance and he spotted Allen.
“Seriously, what’re you doing, Kaien?!” Allen was mad and Kaien knew it. He was careless and put everyone in danger.
He looked down, disappointed and angry at himself. “I...I...” before Kaien could explain, Allen hugged him, securing him. Kaien could not help but to slip a tear, which he wiped immediately.
“It’s not your fault...”
It’s like magic how Allen could read him and said the words he wanted to hear the most. Kaien wanted to nod and agree but he could not. Breaking out from the warm hug, Kaien forced a smile as he walked away, leaving Allen alone in the tent.
Allen sighed as he went out too and told some soldiers to clean the mess. He already told the paramedic to bring the survivors to his tent for emergency treatment. Some of them were wounded from the incident just now.
Sighing again, Allen stared at the cold gray clouds. He never regretted joining Kaien on the forces and fought those zombies but he regretted not being fast enough to get to the tent before Kaien. He knew he barely knew the man but somehow wished he could help Kaien. He wished Kaien would open up a bit and share his burden. At least, caring for Kaien was the only thing he could do after Kaien saved him two times in the past.
“Allen!” Dominique’s voice echoed through the air as he spotted the younger man a few meters away. He waved to Allen as Allen turned to look at his direction.
Allen knew their superior probably would ask some explanation from him because Kaien would hide somewhere and would not want to speak about the incident. Kaien was really stubborn and always kept everything to himself, putting all the blame on himself. Even their superior had scolded him many times, nothing they could do and they could not dismiss him too. They need him. Everyone needed him.
Allen sighed. He knew what he could do for Kaien, doing the explanation and talking in his place. He knew it was less than he expected to do for the man but he could only do so in the meantime. He just hoped Kaien would be fine. Perhaps, someday Kaien would tell him everything, anything.
Someday...