Fight, Flight, or Freeze: The Healer's Story
Chapter 108: There Should Be Life Here

Chapter 108: There Should Be Life Here

As it always seemed to happen, the sun came up too early the next morning, waking everyone up as it streamed through the windows of the apartment.

"Someone close the fucking curtains," groaned Si Dong as he pulled up his sleeping bag and rolled over.

"The curtains are closed, you idiot," replied Ye Yao Zu, keeping his eyes closed as his arm came up to block out the intruding light. The two of them were sleeping on the floor of the living room while Fan Teng Fei took the couch. Bai Long Qiang and Cheng Bo Jing stole the two rooms first and refused to share.

"Then why the hell is it so bright?" demanded Si Dong, his nose buried into the base of the couch as if the object would be enough to block the sun.

"Cause it’s the sun?" replied Ye Yao Zu, his voice laced with sarcasm. He let out a long sigh and sat up, running his hands through his black hair.

"Still," grumbled Si Dong as he, too, gave up sleeping. "Yo, ATM, you awake?"

"With you two snoring all last night, it was impossible to sleep a wink. What do you want?" sighed Fan Teng Fei as he continued to stare at the ceiling. He was trying to remember the map of City Y he had seen before and if there were any martial arts families in the city.

They would have what he needed.

"You’re on breakfast duty," answered Si Dong, a smug look on his face.

"Fuck no," replied Fan Teng Fei as he rolled over to look at the two men still on the floor under him. "It’s Bai Long Qiang’s turn. And unfortunately, I have to go out for a bit, so I’ll guess I’ll have to go without breakfast."

"No! Please! You know that guy can’t cook to save our lives! He burns water, and his toast is so hard it chipped my tooth! You can’t leave him in charge of food! We’ll starve to death!"

Fan Teng Fei rolled his eyes but didn’t disagree with Si Dong’s statement. There was a reason why he was leaving before subjecting himself to any meal that Bai Long Qiang made.

They had agreed that it was only fair to rotate chores, but some people really should not be in a kitchen.

"Sorry. I’ll leave some of the MREs behind. Even he can’t mess them up that much." Fan Teng Fei flicked his wrist, and four MREs appeared on the kitchen counter behind them. There were even a couple of gallons of bottled water for them to use.

"You are really going to do this to us?" asked Ye Yao Zu as he looked at the man on the couch. "That’s cold. Even for you."

Fan Teng Fei shrugged his shoulders and got off the couch. If he ended up stepping on Si Dong, well... that was a complete coincidence.

-----

"Stop," growled the guard as Fan Teng Fei approached the checkpoint that separated the base from the rest of City Y. "Where are you going?"

"Out to get supplies," answered Fan Teng Fei, not really putting the guard in his eyes.

"You need permission from the base to do that."

Fan Teng Fei tilted his head to the side and turned his full attention to the man, barring him from getting what he needed. "Are you under the mistaken impression I give a shit about your base? I am getting supplies for myself and my team. I don’t need permission."

"You do if you want to come back into the base," sneered the guard. He adjusted his grip on his semi-automatic weapon, but he was an electronic salesman before the end of the world; he really didn’t know how to use it properly or effectively.

Fan Teng Fei smiled and approached the man. Before the other one could take in a breath, he had a knife pressed against his throat, just under his jaw.

"Here is what is going to happen. You are going to let me out to do my business. When I come back, you are then going to let me in. If there is an issue in either me leaving or returning, you will be paying for that in your blood. Nod if you understand."

The guard frantically nodded, not even noticing the blood running down his neck as his motions caused the knife to dig into his skin. However, since the blade was so sharp, he wasn’t able to feel it cutting into him.

"Good boy," smiled Fan Teng Fei as he removed the weapon and cleaned it on the guard’s shirt. "And if anyone asks, you cut yourself shaving this morning. You really need to be more careful."

There was currently one person in this world who could control him, and unfortunately for everyone, she was hiding right now. But that was fine. He would find her soon.

He played nice with the others because they were hers and much as he was. But the thread that connected them was much thinner than the others thought.

Not bothering to wait for the gate to open, Fan Teng Fei crouched down and jumped over the seven-foot fence.

Landing softly on his feet, he walked down the street away from the base. If he remembered correctly, there should be a store selling the produce of an old-school blacksmith. Even if he didn’t have the correct weapons he needed, he should be able to find something he could use.

And he would need to stock up on more food. Once Wang Tian Mu joined them, he would need to make sure that she didn’t lack for anything.

Huh, maybe he should add clothing, bedding, and towels to that list of things to get.

Now that he thought about it, he was technically setting up a house for his bride. He should plan accordingly and just get everything, including some of those cute his and her things.

With a new plan in place, he picked up his pace and soon entered the downtown core.

He stopped walking for a second and just looked around.

This would have been the heart of City Y before the end of the world. The streets should have been lined with cars as people darted in and out of traffic, trying to get to wherever they were going. The lights would have been blinding; the neon advertisements and business signs should have given him a headache. The low talking of thousands of people should have captured his attention in a thousand of different directions.

There should be office workers and teenagers. Families and friends. There should be life here.