Chapter 47: Killing Is Best Option
"Ah, and talking about injuries... there are some injuries on some people that I would like your suggestions on, brother..."
Jacob steered the conversation in the direction that people felt antsy about earlier, but in presence of Fredrinn, they refrained from causing a scene.
Like a good leader, Jacob noticed and decided to take advantage of it.
"Injuries related to bites, Jacob?" Fredrinn looked back at Jacob with a faint smile.
He looked so easy-going and calm, that it was difficult to believe that this was the same man that ruthlessly killed humans and zombies without a change in expression.
"Yes. Some people have been bitten by zombies, and we do not know what to do now." Jacob shook his head.
Christine flinched hearing Jacob’s words, but remained seated besides Max who was looking at her with a complicated look in his eyes.
"If even a smart person such as you don’t know what to do, then how can I be of help, Jacob?" Fredrinn shook his head with a low chuckle, "I told the same thing to Jenny, but we do not know what really makes a person ’transform’ into a zombie, Jacob. Unless we know that, making a decision is quite difficult, no?"
Jacob stared at Fredrinn for a while, and noticed how the crowd was favouring Fredrinn’s words over Jacob’s.
Some of them had become friends over the time, and clearly, no one wanted to alienate their friends and treat them as enemies suddenly.
But of course, the nervousness and fear was still there.
They cared about their friends, sure. But humans were still selfish creatures and if their own lives were at stake, friendship meant nothing.
"I understand, but I don’t understand at the same time, brother." Jacob sighed, "Can you tell me what your own thoughts are regarding the ’infection’? Obviously movies aren’t actually reality, but we all have seen how a bite from a zombie can turn humans into them. It happened here as well. That unchosen guy, Adrian. He turned into a zombie."
Fredrinn nodded.
"If you ask my thoughts then..."
The crowd leaned in closer as Jenny also focused on Fredrinn, curious of what he would say.
Christine, the one directly related to the discussion, also had her all attention on Fredrinn.
"Obviously, killing them is the best option." Fredrinn said simply.
"What?!"
"Are you serious?!"
"No..."
Several gasps filled the air hearing his ruthless words, but Fredrinn merely smiled and continued.
"But obviously, that’s immoral and unfair."
Saying that, Fredrinn glanced at Christine right into her eyes.
She felt her breath stuck in her throat and her heartbeats began to gallop.
The way he looked at her was warm... but also colder than ice.
She couldn’t figure that person out at all!
"So Jacob, you’re asking me what I would do with the ones bit? Well... I would do nothing. Not today, at least." Fredrinn pulled out his pistol and casually pressed his finger on the trigger, "If anyone turns into a zombie... then I can kill them."
Max looked up from the floor and stared at Fredrinn coldly, "And you guarantee that you will be there to kill them before those turned humans could cause harm to others?"
"No." Fredrinn replied simply while putting his pistol behind his back, besides the revolver, "If you want, I am not against removing the root of all trouble."
He gave a meaningful glance at Christine.
Max clenched his teeth at the reply.
It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to do the same as what Fredrinn had said, but Max felt worried about what would happen if he failed to kill her in time.
If she unfortunately turned and caused more harm to the group.
Everyone will hold him responsible. It would be his fault.
He didn’t want that weighing down on his conscience.
"Well... since brother Fredrinn said he would take care of it, then we should leave it to him..." Jacob said hesitantly, staring at Fredrinn in awe.
None of them wanted anything to do with the infected situation, after all.
The topic was swiftly switched to deciding the fate of the unchosens that were alive and captured.
Everyone began to argue once again and Fredrinn decided not to take part in it, as he went around the crowd and approached Jenny, who was standing by the side and looking at him.
Andrea, Rhea and Naomi followed after him, but Rhea and Naomi decided to keep their distance and watch the discussions instead, while Andrea walked with Fredrinn.
"H-Hello, Fredrinn." Jenny stammered slightly, her cheeks appearing rosy but she still pretended to be completely alright.
She couldn’t erase his touch, his words and the moments during the fight out of her memories.
She could still feel his hand curling on her waist, prickling on her skin in a strange yet unforgettable way.
"Hey." Fredrinn nodded.
When she didn’t continue the conversation like always, Fredrinn smiled slightly and said, "The mood has certainly gotten darker, no?"
"Yeah." Jenny hummed absentmindedly, "It tends to happen after witnessing gore and death."
Fredrinn chuckled in response.
Both Andrea and Jenny glanced at him with different expressions.
Jenny felt awkward, while Andrea felt sympathetic.
"What did you use to do before the... apocalypse?" Jenny asked finally.
She had made several assumptions based on his temperament, but she couldn’t figure the answer out at all!
Andrea already knew of Fredrinn’s reply and it made her look forward to seeing Jenny’s reaction when he said...
"Me? Well, I don’t remember."
Jenny blinked several times. Her lips parted to speak, but then she closed them right after.
Was he actually bullshitting with her right now?
But seeing Andrea’s amused look and Fredrinn’s easy-going but serious face... that didn’t seem to be the case.
"... Are you serious?" She couldn’t help but ask after a long pause.
"Indeed. I lost my memories after I awakened." Fredrinn shrugged simply, "I thought it was related to the awakening, but it doesn’t seem to be the case for everyone."
"Well obviously it isn’t..."