7
I was still drowsy when I opened my eyes, but at least now I remembered everything.
Both Ariya and Lilith were gone without a trace. Just a small pool of blood as a memento. I didn't know what happened between them, but there was one thing that was certain…
'Ariya's struggle hasn't ended.'
What about mine?
When my eyes adjusted to the dark, I snatched the gun and phone that was beside me.
One bullet left.
I left to search the rooms again. On the fourth floor was Ken's and the other's pile of parts, on the second floor was Wasant's halved body, and when I peered down at the first floor, I saw Kanatorn laying on the ground with staggered breath. Ignoring him, I walked to the other side of the first floor.
One person I haven't found.
In the corridor was a closed door. When it was opened, I saw tons of empty cardboard boxes piled up at a corner. A somewhat familiar-looking shoe poked out.
"Yam…"
I called out to the woman who curled up in that corner. The face that dug into her knees looked up at me. In an instant, terror filled those eyes.
"Tee…no…please…don't hurt me."
Yam shook like a weak animal.
"It's alright. Come on out."
I reached out for her arm slowly.
"Please, Tee… I'm begging you…spare me."
She put her palms together in a gesture that shows respect, but in this case it's submission. She cried so much her face was distorted. The slightly selfish and sometimes childish side was what I love about her. No, used to love.
"Yam promises to tell no one. Yam won't tell that Tee killed everyone. We'll get back together. Yam won't leave Tee anymore. Yam will be together with Tee forever. Please! Please spare my life."
I tilted my head and thought about her request. I did not kill anyone here. Kanatorn was on the brink of death but not dead yet. I could just put the gun down and leave with Yam.
A smile unfurled on my lips. I looked at Yam, my eyes overflowing with love.
"Yam, you talk as if you don't know me."
Even now, I love her with my whole heart.
"You know I never quit halfway."
Then I pressed the muzzle to her forehead.
All that's left on my hand was soot.
Soot that would never wash off for an eternity…
"Hello. I would like to inform you of a murder in an abandoned factory…yes, the district is…"
I used Wasant's phone to call the police. My hands felt sticky. Maybe Yam's blood…
"…Did I see the killer's face? …Yeah I did…hurry up and come, please."
Wait, I had no bullet left. What should I do about Kanatorn? Oh, yeah, I still have that axe…
I smiled.
"Come quick, I'm waiting for you…"
Then I hung up.
At the back of the factory was a hidden door. The small metal door was wide open. Ariya lied about it. He entered through this door.
I walked outside. The morning sunlight was so bright my eyes teared up.
It's useless to be a good son.
It's useless to be a good brother.
It's useless to be a good friend.
It's useless to be a good lover.
It's alright…it's alright…maybe I just haven't tried hard enough.
Because of that I had to set an even higher goal.
Then I saw a news article on the internet. It was quite old, but people still talked about it. It was clear his struggle was widely recognized.
[University massacre. Culprit is brutal medical student.]
Maybe…I could be a good killer…
Then people would finally see my efforts.
Epilogue
"Choose. Live or die. You only have two choices."
Vakin repeated.
I stared at Lilith who was still on the surgical table. We connected the smashed bones and stitched her gaping wounds. Then we stuffed the organ that spilled back inside.
But there was only one thing we could not do.
That was to bring her back to life.
"With this drug…she'll come back to us, just like we promised."
I stared at the syringe in Vakin's hand. Inside was a drug synthesized from Brugmansia. A blue drug with white petals floating inside…
A drug to revive the dead. Some people call them 'zombies'. It was a product of me and Vakin's experiments. Honestly, I did not wish for the dead to come to life, but I wanted to see new types of death.
Unlike Vakin. He wanted every human to struggle to stay alive… Even death could not stop human's efforts for survival.
I never felt disturbed by death. You could say I like it to the point of obsession. Every time I looked at death, I felt I was staring at a masterpiece no human artworks could ever compare.
Death was not a sadness to be mourned, but a justice more absolute than any court on earth. And all us humans will go on trial in the court of death one day.
But when I saw the corpse of this woman in front of me, I felt mournful.
All these times I believed she was my light… a light that shone through the deep pit in my heart.
But now, the light had gone out and only darkness remains.
If Lilith could come back…
If I could bring her light back…
I nodded to Vakin's question, before leaning down to whisper to her softly even though she will not be able to hear.
"The three of us will be together forever…"
But our promise of being together…was already shattered.
That day… the day our paths, friendship, and bonds split into different ways.
The day I stabbed her over and over and over.
I stabbed her 49 times.
But she…did not die…
She still screamed her breath out. Eyes filled with bloodlust glared at me.
This is not what I want.
What I wanted was…
In the thick grass outside the factory, I sank down to the ground. My body felt like it was in tatters.
I pressed a hand to my shoulder. Luckily the bullet went straight through, and my first aid stopped the blood a long time ago.
I did not know when I fainted, but when I woke up I saw nobody but an amnesiac.
Lilith was nowhere to be found.
'That guy' must had taken her away. Somewhere far away from me.
"Ariya…I…"
Lilith's voice echoed in my ears. I kept her voice tucked safe in my memories and replayed it over and over like a nostalgic song. How long had it been since she last called my name?
Was it just like what Vakin told me? That Lilith still retained a shred of her former self? If the drug was successful, Lilith could become a wholesome human being again.
If Lilith were to get back to normal…
My thoughts stopped there, and I nodded with hopelessness.
That thought was nothing but wild fantasies.
I once believed in the drug, but it was a mistake.
I picked up my knife and stared at its shiny surface. My goal shall not be shaken because of some stupid insecurities and 'if's.
As long as Lilith exists, my struggle will not end.
Wait for me, Lilith…
I will definitely kill you.
Vakin's Epilogue
I like to see human's struggles.
Especially those who struggle for themselves.
To be 'better than others.'
To 'stay alive.'
To 'seek attention.'
Everyone had something to live for, even him.
…He who struggles to 'kill'.
Should I stop him?
Nevermind… My struggles to 'revive', if 'death' is not an obstacle…
Isn't that no fun at all?
Zombie Kiss Chapter 1
-End-
[Comment: We're done with chapter 1! This is the longest portion of the book, so the remaining 3 short stories shouldn't be as long. And we'll finally get to meet Vakin in person soon enough! So stay tuned for more…]