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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Apocalypse (2)
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"Uh! Uh!"
The taxi driver, having seen the same thing as me, shouted in surprise.
It wasn't just the taxi driver.
Every driver clogging the road was in shock. Some were even getting out of their cars.
Beasts that looked just like people... chasing after humans.
Those beasts pursued people into buildings, into shops, and dashed down the sidewalks.
And some were leaping right onto the main road where I was.
The driver who'd stepped out of his car—what on earth was he thinking?—was filming the street with his phone.
A beast trampled over the cars and pounced on him.
A woman's scream and a man's scream erupted from all directions at once.
It was pandemonium.
My heart felt like it was going to burst.
I was too shocked to think straight.
"Ah, uncle! Let me out!"
I stammered as I bolted straight out of the taxi.
"Cu-customer! Wait! It's dangerous!"
That's exactly why I'm getting out!
I had no idea what to do once I was out.
All I knew was that I couldn't stay here.
My head was a total mess.
I could see the driver who'd been tackled by one of those human-like beasts. He was trembling as he slowly got back to his feet.
Dangerous.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!"
I dashed straight to the adjacent lane, weaving frantically between the cars. As I sprinted toward the sidewalk, people were surging past me to the left and right, all fleeing in the same direction.
"Argh!"
"Get out of the way! Fuck!"
"Kyaaah!"
Screams rang out around me.
I ran like a madman along the sidewalk.
The road ran alongside me.
To the right were buildings and shops; to the left, the massive road.
The big road was crawling with those human-shaped beasts.
I had no clue why I was running down this path.
I could just veer right and get away from the road, so why was I sticking to this route?
"Huff, huff, huff, huff."
I didn't know.
I didn't know a damn thing!
Something came charging up behind me with a rumbling roar.
"Uwaaah!"
Screams followed in its wake.
What the hell was happening!
I was watching the front!
What was going on back there!
I wanted to turn around and look.
But I couldn't turn my head.
I just kept running forward.
"Huff, huff, huff, huff!"
People whipped past me up ahead.
Some shot by my side.
Aimless feet churned across the sidewalk blocks.
Up ahead, an auntie on a kick scooter was barreling toward me with a look of pure terror. Somehow, even coming straight at us, she avoided colliding with anyone.
The auntie was in full panic mode.
A pitch-black shadow burst out from the road.
The auntie went dark.
No, not a shadow.
A person!
A person was biting into another person.
"Kyaaaaah! Aaaah!"
A man in a black suit was clutching the auntie to him, his face twisted into something beastly.
The auntie screamed.
She thrashed wildly.
Blood sprayed from her cheek.
Like a ketchup packet bursting.
Grrrrrr...
A grotesque noise.
A sound no human throat should make.
I couldn't even blink. I just ran forward like a maniac, taking in the whole horrifying scene.
A chill raced up my spine.
"Huff, huff, huff!"
I couldn't even scream.
If I kept going like this, I'd crash right into that blood-gushing auntie.
Right into the suit guy with his head buried in her!
An alley squeezed between a convenience store.
I whipped into it immediately.
And ran like hell.
I had no idea where I was headed.
I'd never set foot on this street in my life.
Sure, I'd rented a room in this area for school, but the neighborhood itself was brand new to me!
I tore through the alley like a madman.
My legs felt leaden. Sweat poured down in rivers.
I couldn't tell if I was running or just stumbling.
My heart was about to explode.
My mind went completely white.
I had no idea what I was even thinking.
"Huff, huff, huff, huff."
Run. Just run!
Keep running!
Shabby single-family homes crept up slowly.
They flashed by to left and right.
Suddenly, there was no one around me.
No screams. No footsteps.
Where'd everyone who was running with me go?
Why was it so quiet?
"Huff, huff, huff, huff!"
Where the hell was I running to now?
A utility pole came into view.
A little neighborhood Chinese joint.
Tiny paths linking alley to alley.
Man, if two cars met head-on here, it'd be a nightmare. One'd have to back up forever.
...That's what crossed my mind.
So I stopped.
My heart felt like it was exploding.
No clue how far I'd run.
Dizzy from the ragged breathing.
Legs so heavy.
"Hahk! Hahk! Hahk! Hahk!"
Couldn't stand.
Ran too fast, too far, too suddenly.
Braced my hands on my knees and stopped.
"Hahk! Hahk! Hahk! Hahk!"
Knees braced, body bent, I scanned around.
An old grandpa pedaled by leisurely on a bike, shooting me a "what's with this lunatic?" glance.
...What?
Why was that grandpa totally fine?
What the hell had I just seen?
"Haa, haa, haa, haa."
Ah, so dizzy.
Damn, breathed too raggedly.
Vision spinning.
I looked back down the path I'd taken.
Wandered so many alleys, no idea where I was. Guess I really hauled ass.
What I saw back there...
Not a dream, right?
Definitely not a dream?
I stared down the street for a moment, then turned away.
No way I was going back that way.
I shuffled a few steps, and a small neighborhood supermarket came into view. These days it's all convenience stores—old-school supers like this are rare.
Ah, thirsty.
Gonna die.
I went inside, grabbed a 500ml Gatorade and a bottle of water from the fridge, and headed to the counter.
"Three thousand won."
The auntie gave me a quick glance.
Probably 'cause I was drenched in sweat.
Pulled out my wallet from my Adidas backpack, paid, and asked,
"Haa, haa. Auntie. Any police substation or station around here? Haa, haa."
The auntie eyed me suspiciously.
"Why the cops? What happened?"
If something went down, was it you? That was the vibe.
Fair enough. A sweaty dark-haired guy shows up asking for police first thing.
I caught my breath and said,
"No, not like that. There was a huge accident up on the main road. People were running everywhere. Haa, haa. Where's the substation?"
"Just call 112 for that. Substation's that way—one alley over, there's a little one."
...Ah?
112!
Crazy...!
Why didn't I think of that?
Guess running my ass off blanked my brain.
Still feels all fuzzy, fuck.
"Yeah, thanks."
Out of the store, cracked open the Gatorade and chugged it, then pulled out my phone.
"...112? Haa, haa."
Substation's right there, fuck.
Better just go talk in person.
Whole body heavy, sagging.
Phone in one hand, I turned into the alley.
Right next to a little stationery shop—there was the substation.
Whoa, hadn't seen a rundown stationery like this in ages.
Makes sense. Neighborhood's pretty beat-up.
High-rises packed right above, but cross one road and it's straight-up slumville.
No police car at the substation.
Parking spot was there, though?
Out on a call, probably.
I strode right in.
"Haa, haa. Excuse me. Anyone here?"
Two cops at the desk, both middle-aged.
"Yes, what can we do for you?"
I pointed up the way.
"Up on that road, haa. There was an accident. Not sure if crash or what, but people got messed up bad."
The cop went "Ah" and said,
"That one? Got a report earlier, sent a team. Drunk guy causing a ruckus, they said. You from up there?"
Drunk?
I shook my head.
"Wasn't some drunk. Uncle, it wasn't a drunk—it was like an infectious disease or something. It's on the news. People biting other people, I swear."
The middle-aged cops looked at me like I'd seen a ghost.
"...Pardon? Biting? No reports like that. You saw it yourself?"
Ah, fuck.
Driving me nuts.
"Yes! I saw it. Up there—people biting people. Trampling cars, charging down the road. Oh, right! Fuck, one guy got hit by a car, neck snapped right around like this. But he popped right up and ran off!"
The more I talked, the more worked up I got.
At the same time, the more I talked, the more I doubted anyone would buy this straight-up.
The cops exchanged glances and tilted their heads.
"Neck snapped right around?"
"Neck... Alright, we'll log the report. It'll go straight to the team out there. First, your name, sir..."
That's when a car pulled up outside.
A police cruiser.
"Oh, they're back. Hold on."
The cops stood from the desk and headed out.
I followed and saw a massive streak of blood on one side of the police car—like someone'd slashed it with a giant brush.
Windows shattered, body all dented up.
Inside, a young cop gripped the wheel, gasping for breath.
"Huh? Park Soon-kyung! What the hell! What happened!"
The cops yanked open the door in alarm.
Park Soon-kyung just clutched the wheel with a face drained white, panting, saying nothing.
"Hey! Where's Young-mi! Why're you alone? Huh?"
"What happened to the car! Park Soon-kyung!"
Park slowly turned his head.
His face...
A ghostly white.
Never seen an expression like that in my life.
Park spoke.
"Se... senior. We got guns? Inside."
"Guns?"
The middle-aged cop who'd repeated it scowled and yelled,
"Guns? What guns! Where's Young-mi! Park Soon-kyung! Get it together!"
"She's dead! Young-mi is dead!"
The middle-aged cop stared at him in shock. Park said,
"Neck ripped open, bled out. That's her blood on the car."
Both middle-aged cops exploded at once.
"The perp! Who was it! Young-mi, fuck—there's a body, right! Where?!"
"How the hell do you know she's dead! You a doctor, asshole! Let's go get Young-mi first!"
Park leaped to his feet and hopped out of the car.
Then he yelled,
"I said guns! Guns! Fuck, there's a riot up top!"
Park stormed into the station. One of the middle-aged cops chased after him, shouting something.
"Riot...?"
The remaining middle-aged cop stared at the station with a grim look. He raised his phone like he was about to call someone.
A riot.
This wasn't some riot.
Nothing that simple.
This was...
"...the apocalypse."
I muttered it without thinking.