Return Before the Apocalypse: The Countdown Only I Remember

Chapter 12 - A Mouthful of Mercy

“Easy, Kil. Easy.”

Axel grabbed him at once to keep him from hurting Tristan.

Conrad helped Tristan up and told him to step back. Then, with a conflicted expression, he spoke.

“Please forgive him. We're exhausted. We've barely rested since everything changed.”

“That's when people show their true colors.”

Kil knocked Axel's hand away again and turned to leave. Axel stepped after him.

“Can we let them rest a little, Kil? They look worn out. If we just leave them…”

Axel stayed beside him rather than stepping back.

“I mean, I'm pretty tired after that fight, too. Why don't we rest here for a while?”

“Axel, you…”

Kil met his eyes, then looked back at the six survivors. This was already taking them off course.

“Forty-five minutes. No longer.”

“Okay!”

Axel's shoulders eased. Kil looked away before he could ask for anything else.

The six survivors also looked relieved.

They did not sit together. Each group kept to itself.

Kil sat against a wall, his spear across his lap, and closed his eyes. Axel took out a full bottle of water, roughly a liter.

After drinking, he whispered,

“Kil, they—”

“Do you have to meddle so much?”

“But—”

“Rest here. I'll give it to them. Then watch what happens.”

“What do you mean?”

Without answering, Kil stood and walked toward Conrad's group. All six looked startled by his approach.

They appeared to be eating. It was not fresh food, but compressed biscuits. Even though the food was made to keep, Kil could see traces of mold. Each person held one biscuit, except the two girls, who had only half apiece.

“D-Do you need something from us, sir? We have a little food if you'd like some.”

Conrad's voice shook. All six watched Kil's hands, as though expecting him to take what little food they had.

Kil took out a bottle of water, roughly a liter, like Axel's. He set it on the asphalt and said,

“Split it evenly.”

“Huh? This… what about you, sir?”

“I can ask Axel.”

“Wait!”

Felix, the man in glasses, stopped him. The other five immediately panicked.

“What?”

“If you don't mind my asking, where did you find clean water, sir?”

Felix's voice shook, but he held Kil's gaze until he answered.

“Oh? Interesting.”

Kil paused, then told him where to look.

“Actually, even though a lot of things have rusted and aged, you can still get clean water from water tanks. There are also cisterns and water containers on top of buildings. When you collect it, make sure to clear the surface first. Draw water from the middle, not the bottom, which is likely to be dirty.

“If there are none, spread some plastic in a safe, open place to collect dew. The dust from the collapse has settled, so the air is clear now.

“You won't collect much, but a few clean mouthfuls when you wake are better than nothing.

“As for river water, it doesn't seem drinkable, at least for now.”

Felix looked surprised. He bowed politely.

“Thank you so much for telling us.”

“I'm leaving.”

Kil turned and returned to Axel. After asking for a sip of water, he leaned back and closed his eyes.

Conrad's group watched him go. No one reached for the bottle at first.

“Well, let's divide the water.”

Tristan's words brought the other five back to their senses. They nodded, and he continued,

“Since there's only so much, let's split it according to our needs and roles.”

“Huh? What do you mean, Tristan? Didn't he tell us to share it equally?”

Briggs, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

“Of course we can't do that, Briggs. You carry the heaviest burden, so you deserve more.

“You, then Conrad, then me and Felix. Of course, Scarlett and Daphne will get their shares, too.”

“I do most of the fighting. That sounds fair.”

Briggs hesitated, then nodded. More water for him was hard to refuse. Conrad said nothing.

“But…”

Felix was about to object, but Tristan spoke again.

“If you don't want any, that's fine, Felix. Maybe now that you know how, you'd rather find your own.”

“That's not what I meant.”

Felix looked at the bottle, then at Scarlett and Daphne. His mouth opened once more, but no words came.

In the end, they divided the water that way. Scarlett and Daphne received only a mouthful each, and not even a full one.

Several meters away, Kil and Axel sat in silence. With their enhanced bodies, they could clearly hear the other group's whispers.

“Kil…” Axel murmured.

“You heard them.”

Axel looked at the mouthfuls the girls had received. “They were your rules, Kil. You told them equal shares.”

Kil watched Tristan lower the bottle. He had expected this; hearing Axel say it made staying seated less comfortable.

In truth, Kil and Axel still had another bottle of water in their packs. They also had boiled meat they had dried. But on Kil's instructions, neither revealed their “wealth” in front of the others.

“What happens to them isn't our business, Axel. For now, we can only survive.

“If you want to change things, get stronger first. Strong enough, at least, to form a group and make your own rules.”

“Then ours will be different.”

Axel put the cap back on his bottle, tightening it slowly.

“So where are we going?”

“Just follow me.”

Kil answered casually.

Forty minutes later, they stood and approached Conrad's group.

“We're leaving.”

At Kil's words, Felix returned the bottle.

“Thank you for your help.”

His tone was sincere.

“It's fine.”

Kil took the empty bottle without mentioning the spare in his pack.

“By the way, if you're traveling, could we follow you?”

Kil looked from Briggs to Tristan behind him. He suspected whose idea this was.

“We're separate groups. If you want to follow us, that's possible. But…

“You're responsible for your own safety. Don't rely on us, because we won't help you. You've got hands and feet, don't you?

“Then you can fight, too.”