Zombie Apocalypse Whiteout

Zombie Apocalypse Whiteout - 7

EP 7. One Month Ago (4)

November 24th.

The sky above Big Island was clear, and the air was calm.

At 6 a.m., the temperature measured 4 degrees Celsius. Quite chilly for early winter, but the lack of wind meant it didn’t feel too cold. In short, it was the perfect weather for flying a helicopter.

“They’re really dedicated…”

Alex murmured as he stepped into the hallway and looked out the window. It wasn’t even seven yet, but on the research facility’s lawn, the returning joggers were already catching their breath.

Not once in the past three months had they missed a day of exercise. Like ascetics, they lived with diligence and determination, preparing for a fight against zombies that didn’t even exist on this island. Especially that man Jin-woo, always running out front with the dogs, he stood out the most.

“Well then, I should start my battle, too.”

Brushing back his light brown curls, which had grown long and unruly, Alex headed toward the dining hall. Perhaps his battle was the most important one of all.

“Good morning!”

He opened the dining hall door with a bright smile and greeted them cheerfully.

“Good morning, Alex.”

Terra, who had been leaning on a sofa and gazing out the window, stood up to greet him. Dressed in a black turtleneck and a short skirt, her slender figure instantly lifted Alex’s spirits. Yes… this K-pop idol truly was beautiful.

“No need to stand, princess. I was going to check your foot anyway.”

Smiling softly, Alex dragged over a chair and a low table, sitting across from her.

Slide.

Terra, without hesitation, slipped off her left slipper and rested her foot on the table. Wearing surgical gloves, Alex turned on his headset equipped with a small camera and mic, and began to carefully remove the bandage wrapped around her little toe.

“Alex’s log. Dressing, Day 108. Her ‘wound’ still hasn’t healed. There's little change from when I first examined it. According to her, it’s not much different from when she was first bitten by the zombie…”

In a clinical tone, Alex dictated the condition of her toe while adjusting the camera angle to capture a clear shot. The endlessly regenerating and deteriorating cells around this tiny wound were a precious asset that might someday save all of humanity from zombies.

“She amputated the toe herself right after being bitten, so it looks somewhat healed at first glance. But with the slightest pressure…”

When Alex gently touched the edge of the wound with sterilized tweezers, Terra winced and let out a small gasp.

“Ow…”

It wasn’t just dramatics. The flesh, which had been roughly cut with scissors, oozed blood from inside. On the nearby tablet screen, that small amount of red blood was magnified in high resolution.

“…it begins to bleed again. The tissue remains weak and unstable. We theorize this is due to residual zombie bacteria. They can’t proliferate inside her, but they haven’t been completely eradicated either, leading to these side effects. The unusual thing is that on other wounds she’s sustained since then…”

As he spoke, Alex gestured for her to show him her left hand. Terra extended her arm toward the camera and rolled up her sweater sleeve. Alex adjusted the lens to focus on the long, thin scar running across the inside of her wrist. Unlike her toe, this wound had fully healed.

“…we haven’t observed the same symptoms. Take, for example, this laceration on her left wrist. This wound occurred over a month after the bite, but the epidermis, dermis, muscle tissue, and blood vessels have all healed completely. No signs of bleeding or tissue instability remain. Even the site used for blood draws has regenerated cleanly. Thus, we believe the only area with incomplete cellular regeneration is the tissue surrounding the toe that was bitten…”

After finishing the recording, Alex gently wrapped a fresh bandage around Terra’s wound. Just then, Min-gu, who was on breakfast duty and watching with a less-than-pleased expression, asked her:

“That wrist… doesn’t it still hurt?”

Seeing the scar on her wrist always made Min-gu’s chest ache. He knew exactly how much courage it had taken for her to do what she did, to save him.

“No, not at all. It doesn't hurt anymore. So don’t worry too much.”

“I see… that’s a relief.”

He hoped she truly meant it. Every time he faced this small girl who had saved his life, even the aggressive instinct he’d lived with like a companion seemed to fade away. That’s how special she was.

“Yaaaawn. What’s for breakfast? Who’s on kitchen duty to, ugh!”

Stretching out a long yawn, the newbie pushed open the dining hall door, only to freeze at the sight of Min-gu.

“What’s he doing here…? Oh right… today’s the day we go out…”

He stammered, then slowly sidled toward the bar in the corner. His friends going to the mainland meant that Min-gu, who usually lived on a mobile oil rig, would be joining the team… something he’d momentarily forgotten.

“Slacker. I told you to exercise, didn’t I…”

Min-gu’s usually mild expression hardened as he narrowed his eyes at the rookie. Instantly breaking into a cold sweat, the newbie frantically waved his hands in defense.

“N-no, sir! I’ve been working out regularly! I swear! I’ve been running every morning! I just… uh… didn’t today because I’m not feeling well. I think I’m coming down with something…”

“You little…”

Min-gu walked over to the newbie and pinched the growing fat on his side.

“You call this the belly of someone who works out?”

“N-no! It’s just… it doesn’t come off easily. They say there’s this thing called a plateau, even when you’re on a diet, OW! Agh! That hurts, man! Ow!”

When Min-gu added pressure with his fingers, the newbie yelped in exaggerated pain. Min-gu didn’t care. He had no intention of letting the kid go. When he’d first returned from Chungju, the kid had been skin and bones. But after a few months of easy living and overeating here, he’d fattened up fast. At this rate, the kid wouldn’t last a kilometer before collapsing.

Min-gu had already warned him multiple times, but the guy never listened. He couldn’t understand how someone this lazy and lacking in resolve had managed to survive that hellish battlefield full of monsters.

“Listen carefully, you little weasel.”

Min-gu brought his scarred face close and spoke in a low voice.

“If you’re still like this next time I see you, I’m taking you to the rig with me. I’ll turn you into a proper human being out there.”

“I, uh…”

The newbie started to protest, then thought better of it and simply nodded. This guy, who suddenly joined the group after returning from Chungju, was seriously terrifying. Sure, the sheriff was one mean son of a bitch and a hell of a fighter, but this man… he was something else entirely.

There was just something about his cold, hard eyes that made you think, this guy could actually kill me. Tattoos on his back or the giant knife he carried didn’t even compare. It was those eyes that really made your blood run cold.

“Get your act together.”

With one final glare, Min-gu turned and headed back into the kitchen to resume making breakfast.

“Shit… he’s scary as hell. Starting tomorrow, I’m really gonna work out…”

The newbie wiped away a tear and let out a long sigh. Terra, who’d been watching kindly, offered some encouragement.

“You can walk on the treadmill with me.”

“Y-yeah! Let’s do that, Terra! Phew…”

Just hearing her soft voice and seeing her doll-like face instantly lifted his mood. He smiled like a fool.

If Min-gu, the sudden addition to their group, was the devil, then Terra was… the angel. When he first arrived at Big Island and saw her, he was hit with a shock not unlike when he met Jenny. Those delicate arms like a porcelain doll, those long legs, the tiny waist you could wrap your hands around, and to top it off, she even had a zombie antibody and Jenny-level kindness! She had it all. Well, except for her chest, which was way smaller than Jenny’s, but still…

“You want something to drink?”

The newbie cautiously opened the large fridge and pulled out a sweet café latte. He glanced over at Terra.

“I’ll get you something too.”

Terra, having just finished getting her bandages changed, smiled brightly and nodded.

“Yes, water please.”

“...Here you go.”

He handed her a small bottle of water, his hand trembling just slightly. Living under the same roof as someone like Pink Punch’s perfect member, and casually chatting with her like they were old friends, it really was like a dream come true. Every man’s fantasy, made real. The only problem? There was no one left to brag to. Most of the people he’d known had probably died when the zombie apocalypse began.

As always, soft classical music filled the dining hall. Alex kept it on low volume, believing it helped Terra’s mental state.

“...Mozart, huh.”

Standing next to Terra, looking out over the ocean and pretending to be thoughtful, the newbie attempted to show off a little.

But Alex, who was labeling the container of Terra’s used dressing with today’s date, heard his mumble and shook his head.

“Not even close. It’s Brahms.”

“What’s he saying, Terra?”

The newbie leaned toward her with a sheepish look, and Terra replied gently, a bit apologetically.

“It’s close, but he said it’s Brahms…”

“Ah… haha! I see! My mistake? No way… I could’ve sworn… da-da-da, da-da-da-da… that buildup, it’s just so Mozart… he probably doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

Red in the face, the newbie began sweating profusely and muttered ridiculous excuses under his breath.

Damn it, how’d he even understand that? I said it in Korean…

He cursed Alex silently. So embarrassing… He should’ve spoken more quietly. But at least Terra didn’t laugh or show any disdain.

She’s really kind…

Looking at her profile, he thought to himself. Watching her made him ashamed of how he once considered assaulting Jenny when they first met. Min-gu would scoff if he heard that, but… the newbie had changed a lot since last summer.

Soon after, the early morning joggers, freshly showered, poured into the dining hall, making the place lively and noisy.

“Hmm-hmm! Omelets and sausages today, huh?”

The taekwondo girl who’d pushed Gyu-yeong’s wheelchair inside sniffed the air with an approving nod.

“Take it to your table,” Min-gu said, laying out warmed frozen omelet plates on the kitchen counter.

Since he’d come of age, he’d never once cooked for anyone. But here, he willingly took on that role. These people, these kids, they deserved it.

“We’re heading out today, right?”

Jenny, sitting beside Yu-bin and munching on her omelet, asked.

Yu-bin nodded.

“Yeah. We still have time, but it’s better to go while the weather’s good.”

If strong winds picked up right before the deal, they could be stranded on the island. And once trust was broken because of a missed appointment, it’d be much harder to negotiate favorable terms in the future.

“Yeah, I guess so…”

Jenny tried to hide her disappointment but nodded in agreement. Every time Yu-bin and the others went to the mainland to exchange Terra’s antibody-infused blood and bullets, Jenny had to spend several anxious days waiting, fighting off waves of worry. On nights when fear suddenly struck, that maybe something terrible had happened out of her sight, she couldn’t sleep at all.

No matter how smart Yu-bin was, no matter how skilled the sheriff and Min-gu were at fighting, and even with the sharpshooter Jin-woo lending his strength… the danger never disappeared. The enemies they faced were just too powerful and numerous.

Armed soldiers and zombies, both terrifying forces that could snatch their lives away with a single mistake. In fact, several close brushes with death had already passed right by them. Yu-bin’s prosthetic arm, gripping a plastic plate just to Jenny’s right, was harsh evidence of that cruelty.

“Eat more. You won’t get to eat properly for the next few days.”

Jenny tore half of her omelet and placed it on Yu-bin’s plate. He sighed, looking uneasy.

“I can’t eat this much on the day I leave… I get kind of sensitive.”

“Quit whining! I’ll eat it, Jenny! Don’t be upset!”

The sheriff, sitting to Jenny’s left, stretched out his thick arm and stabbed a chunk of omelet with his fork.

Pluck!

He pressed down hard, and bits of egg and sauce splattered across the table toward the opposite side.

Splatter!

Min-gu quickly blocked it with his hand, saving Terra from the mess, but poor Sam-suk sitting next to her got an unexpected shower.

“Ah, Sheriff! You just splattered everywhere!”

“It didn’t! Shut up, you punk! It’s fine, food’s meant to get messy anyway!”

The sheriff paid no mind and crammed the omelet into his mouth. Sam-suk watched quietly as egg crumbs clung to his lips and shook his handsome face in disbelief.

“Well… manners from the sheriff? That’s a joke. Just don’t fart around him and I’m grateful.”

“Bullshit! When did I ever fart…?!”

The sheriff jumped up, but Sam-suk’s excited voice only grew louder.

“You did! And it was loud! Smelled like rotten kimchi! Back when Jenny and I first stayed at the welfare center together!”

“That was your fart, you jerk!”

“Ah, you crazy bastards! Could you at least keep the gross talk down during meals?!”

Jin-woo frowned with irritation. Even though he had no problem eating canned pupae right next to decaying corpses, somehow his friends’ constant fart jokes grated on his nerves. Either that or his civilized sensibilities were finally returning.

“Hehehe…”

Terra shyly laughed, clearly amused by the raucous chatter of the group. Watching the noisy, chaotic scene like a festival, Jenny’s anxiety returned once again.

She didn’t want to lose any of these people. They were too precious, and maybe that’s why the fear was even stronger. She’d often woken up crying in the middle of the night, haunted by nightmares she didn’t want to relive, and prayed desperately every day to a god she barely trusted.

Selfish as it might be, Jenny hated that Yu-bin and the others had to go out to the mainland to help people. How wonderful it would be if they could all just stay here together on this island, safe and well-supplied, happy forever.

Of course, she knew that wasn’t possible, and shouldn’t be. If her good friends had turned a blind eye to others’ suffering, she’d have already become zombie food last summer, and Terra would still be treated like a lab experiment in some building in Yongsan.

Besides, as Jin-woo said… if the zombie apocalypse dragged on, the world would inevitably perish from the collapse of nuclear plants. That deadline was getting closer every moment. So it was right for them to step up and try to save the world, and Jenny had to accept this selfless choice her friends had made.

No one can get hurt…

With sorrowful eyes, Jenny looked at Yu-bin and the others once more and prayed fervently. The only thing she could do for these people she loved was to pray, especially for Yu-bin’s safety.