Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 109: We’ve All Been Hurt By This

Chapter 109: We’ve All Been Hurt By This

As Kato devoured Austin and Jones, the group stood in stunned silence, their faces pale and horrified. The gruesome sounds of flesh tearing, bones crunching, and guttural growls of satisfaction filled the air.

The pungent smell of blood mixed with the damp earth hung heavily in the night, choking any words that might have dared to escape.

Scarlett watched Kato with an unreadable expression, her crimson eyes gleaming like twin embers in the darkness. She seemed to savor the moment, her lips curling slightly in grim satisfaction as though a long-burning anger and hatred had finally been satiated.

Ethan, by contrast, looked as if he might vomit at any moment. Though Kato had killed before, an old man who had attacked them, Ethan had been spared witnessing the act firsthand. Tonight, however, it was unavoidable. The gruesome sight before him felt like a macabre horror film brought to life.

Louise, pale and trembling, finally broke the silence. His voice wavered as he turned to Scarlett, his eyes pleading. "Is this really necessary? I know they did terrible things, but... this... this is barbaric." His words hung in the air, heavy with doubt and fear.

Scarlett’s gaze didn’t waver from Kato as she responded. Her voice was cool, almost detached, but there was a steely undercurrent of conviction. "I’m sorry, Louise. Truly, I am. But these two deserved this. They hurt Maya, and they would’ve kept hurting others if we hadn’t stopped them. Their cruelty demanded an end, and Kato... Kato is that end."

Louise swallowed hard, unable to reconcile Scarlett’s chilling pragmatism with the carnage before them. He wrapped his arms around himself as though shielding his own humanity from being swallowed by the darkness.

Ethan and Larry’s eyes shifted to Maya, who sat silently on a nearby rock, her arms wrapped around her knees. Tears rolled down her cheeks in quiet streams, each one a testament to the pain she carried. She made no sound, yet the weight of her anguish pressed on everyone like a tangible force.

Larry clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tightening as his emotions overwhelmed him. His voice was low, trembling with restrained fury as he muttered under his breath, "Those bastards. They deserve a hundred deaths. I hope they rot in hell for what they did."

His words faltered as a single tear escaped his eye, which he hastily wiped away. But the effort to compose himself failed. His shoulders began to shake as more tears followed, and this time, he let them fall.

"I failed her!" Larry choked out, his voice breaking. "I’ve been trying so hard to stay strong, to pretend like what they did to Maya didn’t hurt as much as it does. But it’s a lie. I’m a coward." He shook his head, his voice rising with desperation. "I failed her, Ethan. I failed Maya. I promised to protect her, and I couldn’t even do that. I let her down."

Ethan stepped closer, placing a firm hand on Larry’s shoulder. His own expression was stricken, but he forced himself to speak. "You didn’t fail, Larry," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him. "You’ve been there for her every step of the way. You didn’t let her down. Those motherfuckers hurt her. And they paid the price for it tonight."

Scarlett turned her gaze away from Kato and toward the others, her expression softening slightly as she took in their anguish. She spoke again, her tone gentler this time. "We’ve all been hurt by this. But tonight, it ends. They won’t hurt anyone ever again."

The night was still, save for the gruesome sounds of Kato finishing his grim task. For all their horror, the group couldn’t deny the dark truth in Scarlett’s words.

"Hey, bro. That’s enough," Louise said, his tone soft but firm. "Control your tears, or we might be dealing with more monsters soon." He moved closer to Larry, patting him gently on the back. "I know you’re the one hurting the most among us. I mean, we found you and Maya together, you two are so close. I can’t even imagine how much this is eating at you."

Larry wiped his face with trembling hands, his grief still raw but held in check by Louise’s words.

The group’s attention shifted back to Kato, who was finishing his gruesome meal. Though the initial horror lingered in their minds, a strange sense of satisfaction began to replace it. The once-terrifying sight now felt like justice served, a grim retribution for the men who had assaulted Maya.

As Kato wiped his bloodstained face with the back of his hand, the group stood in awkward silence, unsure of what to do next. Scarlett finally broke the quiet, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

"We need to keep moving," she said decisively. "We can’t stay here any longer. Kato, are you satisfied?"

Kato stretched lazily, his sharp teeth glinting in the faint moonlight as he licked his lips. "Yes, I’m full. For now, at least."

Scarlett nodded, her expression as unreadable as ever. "Good. Then let’s go. And from now on, we’re not joining anyone else’s organization, nor are we seeking out people with powers."

"What’s the plan, then?" Kato asked, raising an eyebrow as he casually began picking his teeth with one of his long, claw-like nails.

"We’ll build our own organization," Scarlett replied, her voice steady with determination. "But it won’t be big. Think of it as a safe haven, our own space to retreat to after hunting monsters. There are four of us with powers here; that’s enough security for now. Sure, we might come across others with abilities during our hunts, but we’ll deal with that when it happens. Our focus will remain on killing monsters, earning coins, purchasing resources, and helping survivors along the way."

"That sounds good! I’m in," Kato said, a satisfied grin spreading across his face as he placed his hands on his hips.

Louise chimed in, his worried gaze shifting toward Maya. "But what about Maya? We can’t just keep looking at her like this. She hasn’t said a word, and I can’t help but think she might do something to hurt herself. Sure, we’ve killed those men, but the memories... they’ll haunt her."

Ethan sighed heavily, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I already used my water element to help her, even though it’s weak. Larry and I combined our powers to clean her up as much as we could. We made sure to prevent any infections or... or a pregnancy. But it still doesn’t feel like enough."

Scarlett’s gaze softened slightly as she stepped closer, her voice calm yet reassuring. "You did well, Ethan. I sensed your efforts the moment I came to save you all. And don’t worry, what you and Larry couldn’t manage, I did. While untying her from the ropes Austin used, I cleansed her system with my own water element. She’s safe now, at least physically."

Her lips curved into a faint, weary smile as she continued. "But you’re right. We can’t let her spiral. It’s going to be hard, but we’ll all make sure Maya heals. We’ll help her find her smile again."

The group nodded in agreement, their resolve solidifying.

Suddenly, Scarlett’s crimson eyes sharpened, her heightened senses picking up the faint scent of humans and the muffled sound of footsteps. Kato, too, noticed the presence, his ears twitching slightly as he smirked.

"Are those more bad men? Do they want to get eaten?" Kato asked through their mind link, amusement lacing his mental voice. "They’ve been hiding in the bushes since I started devouring Austin and Jones. I thought they’d run, but they haven’t moved an inch."

"No," Scarlett replied, her mental tone tinged with exasperation. "Those are the remaining free citizens from Austin’s organization. They blame me for destroying their home and taking their leader. Maybe they’re frozen with fear after watching your ’performance,’ or perhaps they’re hoping to join us."

Kato’s smirk widened. "Join us? That’s rich. Are you going to call them out?"

"No," Scarlett replied firmly. "Let them follow us if they want. We’ll pretend we haven’t noticed them. If they can keep up, we’ll deal with them once we’ve found a safe haven."

"Fair enough," Kato replied, chuckling softly. "I just hope these ones have some brains. Stupid humans annoy me. If they don’t prove useful, well... you know where they’ll end up."

The mind link broke off, and both Scarlett and Kato turned their attention back to the others, who appeared deep in thought about Scarlett’s plan.

"Let’s get out of here, then," Kato said aloud, his voice serious for once.

The others snapped out of their thoughts and nodded in agreement. Ethan gently lifted Maya onto his back, her fragile frame feeling lighter than ever. Larry, Garvin and Louise flanked him on either side, their presence offering silent support. Scarlett and Kato led the way, their steps steady as they left the forest and its haunting memories behind.