Yuhida pushed open the bar door with force, soaked to the bone.
The lively atmosphere immediately stopped, heavy suspicious glances turned toward her.
— Outside... there's someone!
Juty frowned, slamming down his glass.
— Someone?
— A man. He collapsed in the rain, right in front of the alley.
Without another word, Juty grabbed an old revolver lying on the table. Two of the toughest guys in the group stood up as well, exchanging a knowing glance.
The sound of boots on the floor echoed like a tolling bell, heavy and menacing.
They went out together, Yuhida behind them, clutching an old oil lantern.
The rain fell harder still, almost blinding. The flickering beam of the lantern cut through the darkness.
And there, on the muddy ground, lay the stranger.
A young man in a black coat, soaked, his face covered in blood and ashes.
His breath was ragged, his wounds deep. The rain mixed with his blood, creating a small reddish pool around him.
Juty spat on the ground.
— Who's this guy? Never seen him around here.
He crouched down and flipped him over with the tip of his foot.
Yuhida felt her heart tighten.
Even in this state, this stranger exuded a strange impression — a gravity, an ancient pain, almost mystical.
But for Juty and his men, he was just another vagabond.
They rifled through his pockets without a shred of shame. Nothing. Not a coin. Not a talisman. No trace of identity.
— Tss. Not even enough for a grave, grunted one of the men.
Juty snorted, disdainful.
— A poor devil. He probably got smashed up by the guys from the next village. Leave him there. He'll be dead before dawn.
He made a move to leave, but Yuhida stayed still, fists clenched.
Her gaze shifted between the man's battered face and Juty's massive frame.
— We can't just let him die like that... she said in a low voice.
The old man turned sharply.
— What? You want to pick up the first corpse you find now? He's a stranger, Yuhida!
— So what? she replied with a spark in her voice no one had seen before.
— Stranger or not, he's still breathing.
Silence fell, broken only by the sound of rain.
Juty stared at her for a long moment, caught between anger and disbelief.
Then he sneered, a cruel smirk at his lips.
— You want to die with him, huh? Fine. Bring him in. But if he brings trouble, you're the one we throw out.
Yuhida might have been the youngest in the group, raised among thieves and drunks, but she never had the heart of a killer.
Despite the harshness of her surroundings, a stubborn kindness burned within her — often forbidding her men to finish off those they robbed, sometimes imposing her pity as a silent law.
— We're not going to let him die here like a dog, she said softly but firmly.
One of the guys, Rey, gave a smirk and stepped forward to tease her.
— Oh yeah? You want to nurse him because he's a kid? he sneered. Look at him, he might be your age, Yuhida!
Laughter burst out, coarse and crude. The others enjoyed mocking the young girl; some openly joked:
— Yuhida is in love!
— The little one's trapped!
— Yuhida the heartbreaker!
A collective laugh, to ease the mood — a bubble of carefreeness amid the rain. Yuhida, cheeks flushed, looked down for a moment, then raised her head with a small flame in her eyes.
— When you're done mocking, she snapped, regaining her calm, help me carry him home. We can't take him to a hospital: we're wanted, you know that well.
Juty eyed her, incredulous and a little wary.
— Are you serious? You want to bring him home? You don't even know him, kid.
Yuhida shrugged, a sly smile.
— If you want, I can bring him to your place instead.
Old Juty grunted but let out a resigned smile.
— Listen carefully: be careful. Even someone you want to help could finish you off.
Yuhida put a hand on her chest as if to reassure him.
— Yes, I know. But I've already thought it through. I have a spot at home where no one will come searching. We'll put him on the old mattress, I'll clean his wounds, and tomorrow morning, if he's still alive, we'll see.
A silence passed, broken only by the steady pounding of rain.
Then, slowly, Juty nodded.
— Fine. But if it smells of trouble, you'll be the one responsible, girl.
Yuhida replied with a smile that chased away fear:
— Promise.
The men positioned themselves carefully, lifting the stranger with caution. Yuhida took the lantern, lifted her chin, and walked ahead, determined — as if, through rain and jeers, she had just chosen for good the path that separated her from the others.
The stranger was laid on Yuhida's old couch, still wet from the rain and covered in dried blood.
Out of caution, the young woman hadn't wasted time: she had tied his wrists, ankles, and even his waist, all tightly bound to the furniture with old hemp ropes.
— You never know, she murmured to herself. If he wakes up violent, at least he won't be able to move.
Juty, already ready to leave, turned with a mocking smile.
— Seeing how you tied him up, I hope you're not planning to do naughty things to him, huh?
The others burst out laughing.
Yuhida rolled her eyes, exasperated.
— Very funny. Now get out, everyone. I don't want to see your faces here anymore.
— Aye, aye, boss! Rey called before slamming the door.
When the silence returned, the house suddenly seemed tiny. Only the patter of rain on the roof and the weak breathing of the wounded remained.
Yuhida sighed.
— Well... all I have to do is heal him. Once he can walk, he'll leave, and I'll get back to my normal life.
She knelt beside him, lit an oil lamp, and laid out on the makeshift table a small collection of bandages, bottles, and herbs she'd once stolen from an apothecary.
When she took off the boy's shirt, her heart tightened. The wounds were deep — as if a titanic beast had sunk its fangs into his flesh.
— It's impossible... how are you still alive? she murmured while cleaning the injuries.
The blood had an unusual hue, almost black, and the skin around it seemed burnt from within.
Despite her doubts, she continued her work: disinfecting, compressing, dressing, covering. Then she pulled a blanket over the young man's body, set the lantern nearby, and stepped back whispering:
— We'll see tomorrow if you're still standing, stranger.
The night passed slowly.
In the morning, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the wooden shutters. Yuhida, still numb, suddenly sat up remembering the wounded man.
She rushed to the living room...
The young man was still breathing.
She approached and examined his bandages — then stopped, stunned.
The dressings were blackened, burnt at the edges, as if something had consumed them from the inside. Yet beneath the cloth, the boy's skin seemed already healed.
— But how... ? she whispered, placing a trembling hand on his forehead. It was warm, almost burning, but his expression remained peaceful.
She changed the bandages, applied new ointments, and stood for a moment watching him, pensive.
Then there was a sudden, sharp knock at the door.
— Hey, Yuhida! shouted a rough voice. We've got work!
It was Juty.
A merchant's van was passing through the village, a golden opportunity to rob the cargo before it reached the nearby town.
Yuhida cast one last glance at the stranger, still asleep, before sighing:
— Already work?
Juty, leaning against the door frame, nodded with a small smile.
— Yeah. No rest for the brave, my dear.
His gaze shifted toward the couch where the stranger still lay, covered in bandages.
— He still hasn't woken up? At least he's breathing?
Yuhida sighed.
— Yes, he's alive. But... his wounds are strange. It looks like a wild beast tried to tear him apart. The bites are deep, as if something wanted... to devour him.
Juty frowned.
— Bites?
She nodded, more serious:
— Large, clear marks, as if a giant jaw had closed on him. The teeth pierced the flesh...
Intrigued, Juty came closer.
— Let me see.
Yuhida hesitated a moment, then gently undid a bandage. The damp cloth came off with a sticky sound, revealing flesh still pink but closed abnormally. The skin bore the clear imprint of a bite — six huge, regular punctures, aligned like steel spikes.
Juty went pale.
— Damn... looks like he got bitten by a dinosaur.
Yuhida kept silent for a few seconds before whispering:
— Or worse... a mutant.
She replaced the bandage and stood upright. The air in the house seemed suddenly heavier.
— In any case, I'll have to keep an eye on him.
Juty looked at her for a moment, hesitating to joke, then gave up.
— Be careful, Yuhida. If it really was a mutant that attacked him, then whoever survived that... might not be completely human either.
Silence fell again. Only the soft sound of wind against the shutters marked their breathing.