Chapter 19: Low On Food
Translucent droplets cascaded from the silver showerhead, crashing onto Merek’s skin in a constant rhythm.
The water was neither warm nor cold—just enough to wash away the grime, the blood, and the stench that clung to him like a second skin. Around him, the muffled sounds of other survivors echoed faintly through the partitioned stalls of the high school bathroom.
Hushed murmurs, the occasional sigh, and the slapping of water against tile created a symphony of temporary peace in a world gone mad.
It had been three days since they’d claimed the gym as a sanctuary. In that time, no one had dared to leave. The air outside was thick with death and danger. Plans were being made, of course—there were always plans—but Merek hadn’t attended any of the meetings.
He could barely walk without pain screaming through his thigh and chest, both still wrapped in the white bandages Felicity had secured.
The truth was simpler and more humiliating: he stank.
Even his own nostrils had rebelled against the scent. He’d become a pariah in the gym, not because of his chilling undead aura, but because of the foul odor wafting off his body like a toxic cloud. People didn’t hide their reactions. They gave him a wide berth. Even Yuki—who lacked facial expressions entirely—had taken to standing slightly farther from him. Merek wasn’t sure how, but he knew she was judging him.
So here he was. Standing naked beneath a stream of water with bandages wrapped around his chest and thigh. The grime peeled away slowly, as if reluctant to release its hold on him. His light brown hair, now darker and soaked, clung to his forehead and cheeks. The sharp scent of disinfectant soap filled the air, mingling with the distant scent of wet concrete and mildew.
With closed eyes and a slight tilt of his head, Merek let his mind drift, sorting through the last three days. Most of his time had been spent honing his telekinesis, working to master its finesse and control rather than relying solely on instinct. In between, he’d studied armour schematics, hoping to craft a higher-tier set for Yuki. Her current armour was rated D—too weak. Every time she engaged in battle, she sustained damage, and he had to patch her up. He needed better for her.