Chapter 12: Escape

The worst part was that, with the passage being so cramped, Theo had nowhere to move. He ended up pressed awkwardly against... her perfectly round butt.

That sensation...

Theo’s entire body went rigid. The fingers braced against the wall tightened until his knuckles turned white.

He closed his eyes, the long lashes beneath his gold-rimmed glasses trembling violently.

Stay calm.

He kept reminding himself.

Stay calm.

This was nothing more than a normal physiological response caused by being trapped in an unusually confined environment.

But damn it, why did that perfectly normal response make him feel like he was about to lose his mind?

BOOM!

One enormous foot belonging to the Tyrant slammed down outside the wall where they were hiding.

The entire structure shook violently, sending dust raining from above.

May startled and instinctively shrank backward, desperately trying to find even the slightest sense of security.

That single movement was disastrous for both men.

Her cheek rubbed firmly against Jack’s side. At the same time, her back pressed hard against Theo’s leg.

"Damn..."

Two tightly suppressed gasps escaped simultaneously from the darkness.

May immediately froze.

She could clearly feel that—

Help...

Are these two about to lose control too...?

Time seemed to stretch endlessly.

No one knew how long they remained trapped there before the roars and heavy footsteps outside gradually faded into the distance.

"It’s clear. Move."

Ray’s voice finally broke the suffocating silence. Everyone seemed to receive a pardon.

They scrambled out of the narrow opening as quickly as possible. The moment they emerged, Jack and Theo shot forward as though someone had lit a fire beneath them.

They were the first two out, moving so quickly they looked like streaks of lightning as they headed straight for the truck without looking back.

Ace helped May to her feet. She watched their fleeing backs, then remembered the utterly awkward experience of being trapped between them.

Her cheeks turned scarlet.

"Get in. Quickly."

There was no time to dwell on it. Ray grabbed her arm, and the entire group rushed back toward the truck at full speed.

"Floor it! Get us out of here! Everyone, hold on!"

Ray seized May’s wrist and dragged her toward the cab without allowing any argument.

The place outside the hospital had already become a living nightmare.

Broken bodies and pools of viscous black blood covered the ground, while the overpowering stench was enough to make anyone nauseous.

The Tyrant and the surrounding zombies roared behind them. Each heavy step struck the ground like a drumbeat, making May’s heart hammer wildly.

"Come on, hurry up!"

Alex and the others followed closely behind, weapons raised as they covered the flanks. Gunfire poured into the approaching zombies, carving a narrow path through the horde.

Just as Ray was about to pull May into the cab, a Ripper lurking beneath the truck suddenly sprang out. Its razor-sharp claws shot straight toward May’s back.

"Watch out!"

Ray reacted with incredible speed. He didn’t even have time to turn around, his body moved entirely on instinct. He yanked May into his arms and used his larger frame to shield her completely.

At the same time, he threw up his free arm to block the attack.

Slash!

The creature’s claws tore through his combat uniform and sank deep into his flesh. The sound was unnervingly clear even amid the deafening gunfire.

Fortunately, Ace immediately blasted the creature in the head with his shotgun.

Ray grunted from the impact, but didn’t pause for even a second.

He kicked the door open, shoved the terrified May into the passenger seat, and climbed behind the wheel.

"Your arm!"

May stared at the deep wound running along his arm, black blood steadily flowing from it.

Her heart clenched painfully. She couldn’t understand why––the injury wasn’t hers, yet somehow it hurt her even more than her own wounds had.

"Sit still!"

Ray didn’t even look at his injury.

With his uninjured hand, he grabbed May around the waist. There was no time to deal with his wounded arm.

He lifted her out of the passenger seat and settled her securely on his lap so she wouldn’t be thrown around while he drove.

"Don’t look." His voice remained tense. "This is going to get bloody."

May was forced into an awkward seated position on his lap, facing the shaking windshield.

Even through their clothes, his body heat seeped into her, leaving her intensely aware of his presence.

Behind her was his broad, solid chest, and she could feel the movement of his rib cage with every breath.

The truck’s engine gave two exhausted groans... Then died.

Outside the windows, countless decaying hands began pounding against the glass. Twisted, grotesque faces crowded around the vehicle, snarling hungrily.

In the truck bed, gunfire grew even more intense, accompanied by Mitch’s furious shouting.

"Damn it! Get us moving!"

"I can’t. This piece of junk won’t start."

Ray tried again, but failed. His injured arm had begun to weaken from blood loss. Dark liquid slipped from his fingertips and dripped onto May’s pale thigh, creating a stark and frightening contrast.

May stared at the dark stain, her eyes stinging.

Shit... He hurt his arm because he was protecting me...

Come on, you stupid car. Start. Please start, you piece of junk!

She clenched her fists, her body trembling slightly with fear.

Ray’s free hand reached over.

He covered May’s small hand where it rested near the controls, wrapping both her hand and the cold gear lever beneath his palm.

"Hold on tight."

He turned the key for the third time.

ROAR!

This time, the engine finally exploded to life. The truck surged forward as though it had suddenly awakened. The wheels rolled over the bodies scattered across the road with a sickening crunch.

The vehicle immediately began bouncing violently.

May was thrown around with every movement, rising and dropping with the truck, rocking back and forth.

It felt like she had somehow been strapped onto an enormous, malfunctioning massage chair.

Every time the truck lurched upward and downward, she was jolted firmly against Ray’s muscular legs.

Every time the vehicle swayed from side to side, she had to brace herself to keep from being thrown around.

"Ugh..."

May bit down hard on her lip to keep from making a sound. She could clearly feel the powerful muscles in Ray’s legs tensing whenever the truck jolted.