Page 26 of Dealing With Drak

What kind of question even is that?

“Show me.”

10

Anna

After Drak patiently shows me the exact way to “pet” his orb to activate the laser bomb, he lets me throw it twice and helps me call it back to us. It’s pretty fucking cool, and I’d shamelessly ask for one of my own if he had extra. For time’s sake, we get to searching quickly after the demonstrations.

We’re on the sidewalk now, leaving the invisible ship on high ground for safekeeping. The bank must have been locked up tight when the breakout started because it was eerily empty as we took the stairs and let ourselves out.

The city is in pretty bad shape. Crowds of zombies are stumbling around all the exits, trying to get as far away from Drak as possible. But as they clear out more, we’re able to get a clearer picture of the decay affecting this place. Buildings are plagued with overgrown vines, some of them are practically crumbling and definitely too unsafe to go in. The streets are painted with dry blood, some of it newer than the rest.

It’s… a mess.

“It is very gray,” Drak comments, getting a good look at our surroundings. “I prefer your home more.”

I don’t know whether he means the farm or the sorority house, but either way, I agree. This place is dull and essentially lifeless. The corner gas station has a fire truck stuck in the middle of the building, and I’m surprised there’s no sign that it blew up.

“I don’t like it either,” I admit, feeling out of place and uncomfortable. “My family wouldn’t set up camp here, but they’d come looking for supplies if they were desperate.”

They could have been caught up here too, pinned by the threat of undead. They could still be hiding if something like that happened… or worse.

“You don’t sense any humans, do you?” I ask, strapping my kevlar vest into place. It’ll add some weight to my shoulders, but not enough to deter me from wearing it. If someone shoots me, I want to live long enough to shoot them back.

“No hu-nims,” Drak confirms.

“We’ll start with the stores then,” I decide, eyeing the small convenience shop down the road. “And any buildings that look safe enough to walk through after that.”

“I will search however you wish, Mean One,” he replies fondly.

He’s looking at me in that weird way again, like being near me is the best thing in the world, and I truly don’t understand it.

We’re about to start walking to the store when a zombie crashes into a telephone pole nearby, startling me but awakening something in Drak. Without his eyes ever leaving me, he pulls a blaster from his belt, extends his arm, and aims with only his ears. With one swift motion, the zombie is dead, body collapsing to the pavement.

Holy shit.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen Drak do inhumanly impressive things before, but this? I have to clench my jaw so that my mouth doesn’t fall open after witnessing what he just did. He’s more than skillful when it comes to this sort of thing. I’d say he’s like a machine, but he’s better than any human-made hunk of metal.

“Your heart is beating very fast,” he comments, putting his weapon back into its holster. “Are you frightened?”

Far from it. “Yes,” I lie. I’d rather him think the zombie freaked me out than what’s really going on in my head.

Puffing his chest out, he pats my shoulders reassuringly. “I will protect you, An-nana.”

Why can’t I tell him to get his hands off of me? I’ve done it a thousand times before. Come on, Anna, shove his hands off and move.

“Why has your heart not calmed?”

Forcing myself to scowl, I shrug his hands off and start walking. “It’s just the city,” I grumble, brushing off his concern. “It makes me uneasy.”

“Ahh,” he hums, meeting my stride to walk alongside me. “You will like the cities on Aprix. They are still colorful and lively even with the buildings.”

I’m sure they are.

“I’m not leaving without my brothers,” I remind him.

“I know this,” he agrees, grinning. “This is why I help you to find them.”

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