But the problem remained the same: she was currently trapped in her room. Fortunately, her phone rang as if to release her from her long wait, and she hurried to grab it.
Mathis:12:13: « Yumiel, are you okay? I just saw your message. Have you seen the crazy stuff happening outside? »
Yumiel: 12:14: « I'm fine, I'm okay. Yes, I saw it, it seems the world is about to undergo some changes. »
Mathis: 12:14: « I'm glad to know you're safe. Did you see my messages? My father is barricading the house; he also doesn't want me to use my phone. He says it could be dangerous. »
Yumiel: 12:16: « Given the shit happening everywhere, I don't think it will make much difference. »
Mathis: 12:20: « You know I can't disobey my father. I hope all this will be resolved quickly. I have to go, order of my father xd. Can you call Morgane? She's not responding, I'm worried. »
Yumiel: 12:22: « I'll call her right away. And I'll keep you updated. »
Closing the chat with Mathis, she searched for Morgane in her contacts. After several moments of imagining the worst-case scenarios, she called Morgane.
The ringtone felt heavy, as if the weight of the world was about to collapse. For Yumiel, Morgane was more than a friend, she knew her well. Since high school, they had shared meaningful moments.
After a few seconds, she reached Morgane's voicemail.
« You've reached the voicemail of the most beautiful girl in London. Please leave me a message; I'll call you back as soon as possible. beep »
« Morgane, it's Yumiel. As soon as you hear this message, call me or send me a message. Mathis and I are worried. »
Damn it, she swore inwardly. She took a deep breath and lay down on the bed, curling up, trying to sleep through the day.
After long, very long minutes, she suddenly jolted from her bed and grimaced. Yumiel had forgotten one thing: a vampire never gets tired.
« What can I do? »
She started pacing her room like a lion in a cage. A long reflection followed.
Should I ask the system more questions? Hmm, no, I don't think I'll get a better answer before I've increased my rank. Or should I try to close all the windows upstairs? Could I cover myself with clothes? No, too dangerous. But yes.
Rummaging through her second huge accessory closet, she pulled out a multitude of equipment. Her room was so empty that she didn't have another table to put all she had taken. Searching here and there, an idea came to her.
« In life, you have to be resourceful. »
And that's exactly what she was going to do. Retrieving the door she had removed and yanking the handle off with a sharp pull, all that was left was to push the door into the wall to create a table.
Once her equipment was laid out on her new table, all that was left was to start working. She dismantled each of her gadgets to extract gunpowder.
Her goal was to create a bomb she could throw in case of danger, at least in theory. She ended up making three talismans filled with gunpowder; a single one was enough to kill a human or maim them. She would have liked to make grenades, but she lacked both gunpowder and containers to hold them, and she only had two detonators already connected to the charges.
It kept her busy. She wasn't a professional bomb-maker, but she did quite well. The sun was about to set.
Sitting in her chair, rolling to her PC, she opened the news. Nothing much new, except that China claimed to have the situation under control and was creating an order to fight the evil. Apparently, they distinguished two types of transformation: those who need to harm others to become stronger, and those who simply need training. Yumiel read the article published by China before reflecting.
« That must be an excuse to eliminate the transformed people they find "problematic." »
She finished reading the article.
« Therefore, we can definitely classify the people undergoing this strange transformation into two categories: the first belongs to the monsters, those who massacre millions to become stronger; the second, the Seraphims, who only need training—we can call them the protectors of the population. »
« So? That's what we are to them? MONSTERS!! »
Yumiel slammed her desk, breaking it in one blow, knocking everything on it to the floor. Furious, she paced her room, reflecting on this announcement that could change the face of the world.
« SYSTEM! WAS ALL THIS SHIT PLANNED? »
-------
Each decision made after the population's transformation belongs solely to you, just like the names you choose to give yourself.
-------
After some time, she finally calmed down. The system had nothing to do with it. It never took sides. Why would it now? It even assured that it would help absolutely no one. Lost in her thoughts, the sun set on the horizon. It was time for her to go out.
So she went upstairs and blocked every source of light as quickly as possible. The sun's rays were weak, so it burned her but caused little damage. Once every source of light was blocked upstairs, she proceeded to do the same in the rest of the floor.
The house was plunged into total darkness, but she didn't mind. She stayed upstairs to go into her father's office. Once inside, she had to find a mechanism hidden in the bookcases around the room. Her father had shown it to her, though she had forgotten—probably a genius's syndrome. After more than twenty minutes of searching, she finally found the mechanism.
« Luckily, I had an idea of where it was. It would have taken me hours otherwise. »
The mechanism activated, and the wall turned, revealing a weapons rack. Some submachine guns, shotguns, and pistols—Yumiel had never learned to shoot, but her father had shown her this weapons cache in case something ever happened. Unfortunately, that day had come.
She grabbed a Colt 45, two magazines, and a holster, then went back downstairs. She placed everything on the kitchen table.
She quickly took a shower, then put on a black suit, black tights, black shoes. The suit was flexible, allowing her to move freely. She stored the talismans in an inner pocket of the suit, then returned to the living room.
She crossed the living room and entered the kitchen. She opened the fridge and took some meat to cook. Yumiel was hungry; she felt her strength diminishing, but more importantly, her body was screaming for food. Once the meat was properly cooked, she served it. She devoured it in a few forkfuls.
« Mmm, very good. »
She enjoyed eating the steaks. But for some reason, as inexplicable as it was, her hunger persisted. She stopped eating, leaving the little that remained on the plate.
« So… I won't really have a choice. »
Frozen, staring at her piece of steak, she swallowed it in one bite. Determined, she equipped her gear.
The sun was only minutes from disappearing. Standing in front of the door, her heart raced. Everyone else would have been nervous. The problem was, she wasn't. She was like a hunter ready to pounce on her prey. Yes, the excitement surged through her veins. Chest puffed out, smiling face.
Was this her? Or the thing inside her? The system says this is our reflection. What we truly are. Does it really matter?
Right now, she was too hungry!