MY RIDER SYSTEM

06. Trust No One

The monster struck so fast he barely saw it move, sending Kael and itself falling off the rooftop. Kael managed to grab the edge in time, the sudden pull nearly ripping his arm clean out of place.

He dangled over the side of the building for what felt like minutes as rain poured around him.

And below him, the creature snarled.

"Let go of me!" Kael yelled, his voice echoing his panic.

Rainwater soaked his hand, making the metal ledge dangerously slippery. His fingers slipped for one horrifying second before tightening again with everything in him.

Desperate, he kicked downward with his free leg until a final hard strike made the monster lose its grip, sending it falling to the ground below with a horrible thud.

Kael stayed hanging there for several seconds, gasping desperately for breath. Then slowly, painfully, he dragged himself over the ledge and collapsed flat against the rooftop. He lay there for a long moment, catching his breath and trying to calm the pounding in his chest.

“Still alive…” he muttered between ragged breaths.

*Ding!*

The sound came in his head again, followed by the return of the glowing blue screen.

【 Countdown Initiated 】

His breathing slowed.

Then another line appeared.

【 168:00:00 】

"No way—” Kael's eyes widened.

He pushed himself halfway up, staring at the screen in disbelief, only to see it change.

168:59:59... 168:59:58... 168:59:57…

"It's actually counting down?"

His pulse quickened immediately and he realized that this wasn't a hallucination anymore. Those didn't keep perfect time.

But suddenly, a scream came from inside the building below, and his eyes widened instantly.

'The others!'

Without thinking, Kael scrambled to his feet and sprinted toward the rooftop door. He rushed down the ladder as fast as he could, nearly slipping twice from the rain water dripping off his clothes.

The moment his boots hit the shop floor, his entire body froze.

The place looked like a slaughterhouse.

Blood covered everything from the broken furniture to the bodies that lay everywhere. Some were human, others less so.

“God…” Kael nearly gagged.

He couldn't believe what had happened. Just hours ago, the place held frightened survivors trying to sleep through another nightmare. Now it looked like hell itself had opened up inside.

A scream suddenly snapped his attention toward the far side of the shop. A woman was pinned against the counter while one of the monsters tore into her stomach.

At the sight of the creature, the thought "Run" echoed more than anything in the world at that point. But another thought trailed right behind it.

Would running even matter?

Those things were faster than he was, stronger at least.

And if he ran now... would he really be able to live with himself afterward? Leaving everyone else behind?

Before he could think any further, his eyes landed on a kitchen knife. He snatched it up from the floor and charged but before he could reach the woman, two more monsters burst through the boarded windows, tackling him to the ground.

He hit the floor with a grunt, the knife sliding just out of his reach.

The creatures crawled over him immediately and up close, they looked even worse. Their faces barely resembled humans anymore. Flesh hung loosely from their faces while their jaws were unnaturally wide.

"Get off me!"

Kael shoved against them, but they were too strong. Their claws ripped through his jacket while their sharp teeth snapped inches from his throat.

Desperate, he yelled, “Tucker! Selena! Help!”

The creatures crawled closer, their jaws snapping at him and then, in a flash of steel, everything changed.

Selena burst in from the side, machete raised high, and swung hard. The blade sliced clean through one monster’s neck.

From the other side, Tucker charged in, bringing his axe down with a heavy crack that split the second creature’s skull.

Upon the creatures' collapse, Kael flinched as dark, almost black blood splattered across his face.

“Judging from the blood,” Tucker said, pulling his axe free, “these ones were newly turned.”

Selena wiped her blade clean with a rag. “That won’t keep them down for long,” she muttered. Then her eyes darted to Kael, and she pointed her machete toward him. “Were you bitten?”

“I… I don’t know—”

“Were you bitten?!!”

“No!” Kael shouted instantly. “I swear, I wasn’t!”

Selena stared at him for several seconds before stepping back lightly.

Kael looked around the the ruined shop again. “Everyone’s gone. All of them... dead.”

Before he could say anymore, movement caught his eye.

A man stumbled out weakly from behind a fallen shelf. Kael recognized him instantly. It was Jonn, one of the survivors. He was the same person who had helped barricade the door earlier when Kael was first rescued. Now, he was clutching his arm, rubbing furiously at the blood that streamed down from it.

Selena’s face changed instantly.

“Jonn...?” she said softly, almost pleading.

Jonn shook his head in sheer desperation. “No, wait! Please... I can fight it! I’m fine!”

But Selena’s face hardened. Without hesitation, she lifted her machete in the air.

Kael’s eyes went wide. “Selena, wait—”

He was too late. The blade came down, burying itself deep into Jonn's shoulder. He screamed, stumbling back, while blood splashed across the floor, but Selena didn't relent. She struck again—then again—until Tucker stepped forward, finishing it with one brutal swing of his axe. His face was not spared from the blood of their lastest victim.

Consequently, Kael ducked behind the counter, trembling all the same. The sound of metal hitting flesh and the blood that poured from it, it all felt unreal. He wanted to look away, but he couldn’t. They'd just killed a man.

When it was over, Tucker wiped the blood from his axe with a tired sigh.

"That’s the last of them.”

Selena looked around quietly.

"And the survivors?”

Tucker only tilted his head toward the bodies.

"Shit," she cursed under her breath, wiping blood from her cheek. “Then we move. This place is compromised. More infected will be on their way soon after hearing the noise.”

She began gathering a few supplies, stuffing whatever she could into her pack. “Grab what you can. We leave now.”

Kael stayed hidden regardless, watching them through the tiny gap. Try as he might, his hands wouldn't stop shaking.

That was when Tucker turned and his gaze looked directly toward him.

Kael ducked instantly. He had hoped they wouldn't notice him. Maybe if he stayed quiet long enough, they might ignore him. But that's when he heard slow, heavy footsteps coming his way.

When he looked up again, Tucker was standing over him now, wearing the calmest, most friendliest smile Kael had ever seen.

“It’s all right, kid,” his voice sounded surprisingly gentle as he extended one hand. “You can come out now. Everything’s been taken care of.”

Kael hesitated, but he slowly accepted the hand. Tucker pulled him to his feet with surprising strength.

“Thanks...” Kael muttered while trying to steady his breathing. “I really thought I was done for.”

Tucker’s eyes flicked to his side, noticing the spot stained red. “Looks like you’ve been nicked pretty bad.”

Kael instinctively covered the wound.

“It’s just a flesh wound,” he said rather quickly, leaving Tucker chuckling under his breath.

“I’m sure it is.”

Not wanting to linger anymore on it, Kael forced himself to change the subject. “What about Selena? Where is —

His words stopped then. His eyes went wide.

Selena lay motionless on the blood-soaked floor, her weapon resting just inches from her fingertips.

“What… what happened to her?” he whispered, only to yet again realize something else. The man still hadn’t let go of his hand.

If anything, his grip had only tightened.

“Tucker?” Kael slowly looked upward.

Gone was the friendly smile. In its place was a cold, emotionless stare.

“I’m sorry, kid,” Tucker's voice came out soft. Almost regretful. “You shouldn’t have come here.”

Kael's eyes widened. He jerked back, trying to pull free, but Tucker was simply too strong. With one brutal motion, he yanked Kael forward and slammed his forehead into his own.

The impact was like being hit by a train, sending the boy crashing to the floor. What followed was pure, unfiltered agony.

“Why?!” he coughed, trying to crawl away. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Tucker said nothing. His boots crunched over broken glass and pieces as he advanced, his axe hanging loosely from one hand.

If Kael wasn't panicked already, he definitely was now. His breathing became frantic. Then, as if the universe decided he put up a fight this time against cruel fate, his hand brushed against a jagged piece on the floor. Acting on instinct, he grabbed it and swung upward, stabbing it deep into Tucker’s shoulder.

The man roared loudly and staggered back for a moment's breath. He ripped the glass out, blood streaming down his arm, then charged again.

Kael barely had time to raise his hands before Tucker tackled him to the floor. The impact knocked every ounce of air from his lungs. Tucker’s knees pinned his arms instantly, and his hands locked around the boy’s throat, squeezing tight.

Kael kicked and clawed, struggling to break free with everything he had, but Tucker's grip was iron.

“Stop… please…” he rasped, his voice barely a whisper.

But Tucker’s expression didn’t change. Not even slightly.

“Don’t fight it, kid.” he said with terrifying calm.

And beneath the mammoth of a man, Kael’s movements slowed. He felt his strength betray him with every breath. The world around him faded bit by bit until, finally, everything disappeared.