I didn't get what Steve meant.
"What do you mean he's not human? Is it an animal?"
"He is undead."
"You mean—the sound that came was of... undead?"
"Yeah. They're all around this area."
"Then, shouldn't we hide from them."
"No need. I placed talismans around this area. In case something happens."
"...Okay"
I didn't say anything.
The night passed and morning came.
I woke up and saw outside... But there was no one there. I asked him
"Steve— wake up. There is no one outside."
Steve woke up and replied with a sore throat.
"They can't stay in sunlight. When sunlight touches them, they burn."
"Really? I guess. You are just fooling around with me with some bullshit."
"Then, why didn't you go outside?"
"Well... I don't know."
Steve just made a joke about the situation that happened on the last night.
I knew he was just brushing off the incident with his joke. But I also didn't wanna talk about that incident.
He packed the bags and packed up the tent. And said.
"Let's go, honey."
"Coming."
As soon as we crossed the mountain. Steve's chest tightened.
Agghhh
He pressed his chest with his both hands to relieve the pain. But it didn't work. He lost consciousness.
"Steve. Stev... What happened! Hey! Come on get up!"
I splashed some water on him but nothing happened.
There was a town nearby. I carried Steve and went there. I left some luggage behind to carry Steve to the town.
I reached there while carrying Steve.
"Hey! Is there a doctor here?!"
But asking for doctor was pointless. There wasn't a single person in the town.
I went in a house while carrying Steve. I leaned him against a wall.
"Agghh"
Steve woke up. Shortly after reaching the village.
"Steve!"
"Thank God. I didn't know what to do after you fell unconscious."
He sat up after waking up.
"Steve— Take some water."
"Thanks"
He replied with a weak voice.
After that he didn't say a single word for few minutes. It was so calm nobody said anything. I don't know whether it was because of pain and suffering... Or was it because of relief and calm.
Then Steve broke the silence.
"Claire..., this town is cursed."
"Hey, don't mess with me right now. I am already sad cause you suddenly fell on the ground while touching your chest."
"I am not messing around. We need to get out of this town as fast as possible. Didn't you listen to the villagers? They said there wasn't a single house before the town we were supposed to reach."
"...The thing you said about that undead. Was it true?"
"..."
He didn't say anything. His face said what was the situation.
"So, it was true."
"I thought,... It wouldn't be a big problem."
He continued.
"But we need to get out of this town quickly."
His voice was serious. I never saw such a desperate look on his face before. He was always a cheerful and calm person.
"Steve..."
I looked at him.
"Ok Steve—let's go."
We stood up. We were ready to leave the town and the empty house where we had stayed.
It was twilight. The sun was almost set.
"Claire— move quickly. We need to get out before the night comes."
"What?"
"Don't ask, just move."
We moved... No, we ran to pass the town quickly before the night comes.
But it was worthless...
The night came.
Steve stopped running.
"Claire— something is around here."
"Chhhrrr"
Steve whispered.
"Did you notice that sound."
I nodded. I didn't have the strength to let a word pass through my head.
Steve grabbed my hand and moved to a cover.
It was a wooden plank with a small hole in it.
Then, he grabbed a stone and threw it at a faraway house.
The stone smashed in the house.
"Steve, what are—?"
He blocked my mouth. And with a finger on his mouth.
"Shhhh"
He pointed in the direction to show me what he was doing.
"Agghh. chhhrrr."
It was sight to be terrified about... There came a swarm of monsters where the stone was thrown.
I whispered to him. In a pale and terrified voice.
"What are these?"
"Monsters. These are monsters. When a curse is strong enough to take life it takes the form of a monster."
"But there are so many."
"I guess, There is more than one curse. I mean hundreds or thousands. I can't believe my eyes."
"Isn't it impossible for there to be that many curses?"
"It is. I never heard of more than 4 in a single place."
"What should we do now?"
"We need to go find a safe place?"
"Do you think there would be a place like this in a abandoned town?"
"There should be. In old times, people made secret passages to store items."
"There should be secret passages."
I didn't know he had knowledge about these things before.
"I will be in front. You stay behind me."
"Okay, but isn't it better to stay here?"
"Is it guaranteed. That monsters will not look for us here."
"So, will it be guaranteed that they will not look for us in the hatch."
"They won't be able to enter the secret basement. They have small hidden doors to enter in it."
"..."
We searched every door beside us. But there wasn't a single hidden passage in it.
"Where's the hidden passage?Sir Scholar. Which book did you read to gain this kind of knowledge."
"I definitely heard about from this from my grandma."
"Your grandma's mental health wasn't well for at least 40 years from what I've heard from your mother."
"She was just...ill"
He couldn't say anything.
Then I spoke to him in a fierce way.
"You won't ever say a word about the things you've heard from your grandma again. Dumb-ass."
"Ookk"
He said with a terrified look on his face.
"Steve—look a hatch is down there"
Krrrgghhh
The monsters heard us while shouting.
"Shit. They heard us. We need to go in the hatch."
"There is a lock on it."
"Wait."
Steve picked up a rock and smashed it against the lock.
"Haaah"
It didn't budge. He smashed again.
"Haah"
Again.
"Haah"
The lock opened.
"Claire—Get inside."
I moved in it.
He moved in right behind me. And said.
"Claire— I have a plan."***