Apocalypse Tyrant

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Kyaaaaaaah—!

The screams that had gradually faded as time passed became frequent again.

I stared at the sky while sitting slumped to block the iron door.

The night sky where the sun had set and the moon had risen without me noticing.

I was listening to the endless screams echoing in the hazy Seoul sky without a single star visible.

—Hyung, will it really be okay?

Together with people whose faces I didn’t even know.

—I told you it’s fine, Youngjin. The night might even be safer for us than the morning.
—It doesn’t seem that way with so many people screaming. Ah… I think this is a bit—
—That’s because they’re stupidly trying to escape outside. We’re not trying to go outside, are we?

Voices flowing in from the department office on the floor below.

Beyond the department office window, a voice full of worry and another voice comforting the owner of that voice could be heard.

—Our department office is right next to the store, Youngjin. You just need to quickly grab some water and a few snacks.
—…Ah. Still, this doesn’t seem right, hyung. Let’s just quietly hold out until morning. The police or army will arrive by morning, right?
—Any new news?
—…No. There’s been no news since they announced they’d declare a state of emergency.

A delicate voice answering the voice that had been comforting the guy called Youngjin or whatever.

Ah, I thought they suddenly stopped talking, but the girl was looking for new information.

—You heard what Jihye said, right? It’s clearly not something that will end in just a day.
—Th-then. How about we quietly hide for today and think about it again tomorrow? Rescue teams might come tomorrow, you know.
—If we wait and rescue teams don’t come, it’ll be too late.
—Wh-what will be too late, hyung? It’s not like the store is going to run away.
—Haa… Think carefully, Youngjin.

The voice full of irritation continued speaking to the voice full of fear, suppressing anger.

—How many stores are there in our Humanities Building?
—…Two.
—No. Only one is left now. The one on the first floor was under construction to change from a store to a convenience store because people complained that our Humanities Building was already old and didn’t even have a convenience store like other colleges.
—…Ah.
—The only store left in the Humanities Building is that one right next to our department office. If rescue teams don’t come in the morning, what will people who were quietly hiding in this building worry about?
—…Water or food.
—Yeah, you idiot! Do you think people who were hiding will draw numbers and head to the store? What do you think will happen?

The situation naturally came to mind following the voice of the one who seemed to be the eldest.

The unknown obstacle of people we would meet again even after crossing the huge obstacle called zombies.

—There could be a huge commotion and zombies might swarm, or the first bastard who went might completely loot the store and run away.
—Still… Haa… Jihye. Stop looking at your phone and say something to the senior.
—…I don’t know either. Youngjin’s words seem right, but the senior’s words also seem right. And… I can’t contact my mom.
—Ah… S-sorry.
—…It’s okay. Everyone here is in the same situation, so…

The voices suddenly became dejected, as if realizing the gloomy situation.

And as if to change that atmosphere, the sound of someone patting shoulders follows.

—That’s why we who are left need to stay strong. I’ll go carefully and check it out, so Youngjin, you wait by the door and quickly open it when I knock. Got it?
—…Yes.

After those words, a few rustling sounds could be heard.

As if they had finished their preparations, the voices leaking from the department office stopped with the sound of the door opening very carefully.

A tense time passed, I don’t know how many minutes.

—Why isn’t he coming back? …Youngjin.
—Shh!

The people in the department office, and I who was eavesdropping on their conversation from the rooftop.

We all quietly waited for the next situation.

Perhaps that’s why we could hear it so clearly.

Along with the sound of something collapsing—

Keeeeeek—

A chilling monstrous sound.

—Uwaaaaaaah! Open the door! Open the door, Seo Youngjin!

Bang—! Bang—! Bang—!

A terrified voice and violent fists pounding on the door.

—H-hyung! What happened?! Wh-why are there zombie sounds?!
—Just open the door first, you bastard—!
—Y-Youngjin. What are you doing, hurry…
—W-were you not bitten?
—You fucker! I said open the door quickly—!
—N-no. You need to show proof that you weren’t bitten…

Keeeeeek—!

—Uwaaaaaaah! I said open the door! Open the door, you fucking bastard—! Open it before I die—!
—That’s why! That’s why I fucking said we shouldn’t go—! I fucking said we shouldn’t go, you son of a bitch—!

The department office instantly falling into chaos could be clearly heard.

The sound of trying to open the door with cracking noises and the sound of somehow trying to hold out while grunting.

—What do we do?! Wh-what do we do, Youngjin—!
—Eeek—! He was bitten, h-he was definitely bitten—!
—Uwaaaaaaah—! You fucking bastard—!

At that moment—

A loud sound of something breaking with a crack rang out.

—Keeeeeek—!

And the roar of a zombie leaking in without any barrier.

—U-uwaaah—!
—Kyaaaaaaah—!

I could tell what happened to the department office door without seeing it.

The sound of something breaking and shattering followed with a crash.

At the end of the sound of men and women fleeing while screaming—

—Uwaaaaaaah—!

A man’s pain-filled wail began.

—Run away! Aaaagh—! Run away, Jihye—!
—Wh-where! Where should I go—! Wh-where—!
—The rooftop! Run to the rooftop! Go there and get help—Uwaaaaaaah—!

After the man’s last words, only pain-soaked screams and zombie roars reached me through the window.

The rooftop.

He must be talking about the Humanities Building rooftop where I’m hiding, but there was no need to deliberate.

No, I sensed the fate of the woman who fled without time to deliberate.

Keeeeeek—!

The roars of zombies echoing through the gaps of the iron door I was leaning against.

There was no way the zombies wouldn’t react to this pandemonium.

Kyaaaaaaah—!

High-pitched screams spreading from the Humanities Building to the university.

The screams of someone I had been hearing all night now leaked from the Humanities Building as well.

—Huk…! Pl-please save me—! Anyone, please—!

A desperate plea soaked with moisture.

—Uwaaaaaaah—! It hurts—! It hurts—! Mom—!

I tilted my head up as I listened to that desperate SOS.

…This was the scream I heard most today.

—Mom—! Mom—!

Not “save me” or “help me”

But “mom.”

Does everyone cry out for the person they relied on most just before dying?

…Then.

Who should I cry out for when I die?

—Aaaaaaagh—! Don’t bite—! Please— Don’t bite—!

I envied them so much.

Children who have what I never had since birth as if it were natural.

Children who obtain with simple tantrums what I had to bow my head in gratitude to receive—

Grateful for the support of the state, local government, volunteer organizations, schools.

“I will study hard without fail.”

Children who don’t need to add “I will definitely succeed and become someone who helps children like me.”

Without having to shake hands and take photos like a zoo monkey, becoming a trophy of good deeds—

I envied all the children my age who enjoyed everything simply because of love.

The class divide inherent from birth.

A life better than mine from birth.

While they went to and from university with iPads and tuition from their parents, I bowed my head hiding myself with worn notebooks and part-time designated driver jobs.

And I lived like that as if it were natural.

Tightly hugging the immobile ‘status window’ that was for the first time something solely mine, not someone else’s.

I had lived acknowledging and envying the privileges they had.

“…One day.”

In just one day, all the privileges they had disappeared.

They have to overcome this apocalypse with their own strength, without protectors expressing infinite affection.

University student, adult.

Not the ambiguous standard by which society allows alcohol and tobacco based on age—

The moment when they suddenly had to take responsibility for everything themselves had come too abruptly.

—Gurk—! Guuurk—!

Amidst the sound of zombies crunching and chewing raw flesh, the last breath leaking out quietly.

I quietly looked up at the sky as I listened to that rough breath, perhaps due to the heart craving air until the moment of death.

Helicopter, fighter jet, or even a small passenger plane—

The hazy Seoul sky without any flying objects in this most serious disaster situation ever.

The certainty that rescue teams would come soon was diminishing.

The state that should protect its citizens was losing its function.

But strangely,

Even in this desperate moment—

I wasn’t afraid or sad.

Just—

I no longer envied them.

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