CHAPTER 40 DADDY ISSUES

CHAPTER 40 DADDY ISSUES

I buried the young girl in her backyard. She was small so it didn’t take long. I said a little prayer. Numb as I had already shed enough tears that day.

The last day and a half had gone by in a blur as I ran around the area. It took me that long to find them all. Given addresses and pictures, looking for homes took the longest.

I was able to reunite a lot of people. At least 40 people were saved. Wive’s, children, husbands, friends of about 15 of the people in the Takagi household. But I had buried another 20.

The little girl was the latest. I had looked for her in her home, but a glass door was broken and blood was everywhere. I found her about a block away wandering around. Putting an end to her, she wasn’t the youngest I had buried. But it still hurt. I wiped my nose and jumped to the roof. Looking around, the city was still in chaos. Fires burned and sirens blared.

Running, I jumped off the building as I made my way back. Zombies didn’t notice me. A few people did, yelling out. But after I stopped by a couple the day before I didn’t bother anymore. They always wanted me to get them supplies. Never risking it out there. I didn’t blame them. But I was busy.

I got back to the fortress and walked up to the man and his wife. He knew what was coming. Tears in his eyes his wife held onto him. I was able to save her, but not his daughter.

“How?” He groaned out.

“Zombie,” I admitted. Saya’s mom had told me not to tell them if they were dead. But I refused. They deserved to know. “I buried her in your backyard. She was holding onto this.” I handed them a small stuffed elephant.

They lost it seeing the small animal. Both clutching it I turned around. Hiding my own tears as I walked away. She had been in the care of a babysitter. Both parents at work it was not an easy thing for any of them to accept. But they would. They would falter or move on.

“You alright?” Saya asked. Concern in her voice as she leaned next to the door.

“No,” I admitted. I kept walking.

“My um dad wants to meet you,” she said.

“When did he get back?”

“A few hours ago,” she said. “Came in with a lot of supplies. Heard about what you were doing.”

“Fine,” I said with a sigh. “Can’t sleep anyway.”

She led the way. Quiet for a time as we walked through the halls. People nodded at me but I distracted myself by watching Saya’s legs move quickly. My eyes drifted up to her skirt now and then too. I couldn’t help it. There was a reason High School of the Dead was popular. Most every girl was gorgeous.

We stopped outside a study as Saeko walked out. She was caressing a katana. The weapon was long but looked very simple in the sheath.

“A real sword?” I asked, a smirk on my lips. I thought I remembered Saya’s dad giving Saeko one.

Saeko jumped. “Weston, thank god,” she said. Moving up to me she hugged me. The sword in between us as she did. “You were gone a while this time.”

“Sorry,” I said. “New sword though?” I didn’t want to talk about the most recent failure.

“Uh yes. Mr. Takagi gave it to me. Apparently my father asked him to.”

“You deserve it,” I said. “I’ll catch up with you.”

She nodded, cautious as Saya went into the study. “Be careful. He is very intense.” I nodded. No one around I kissed her cheek. She blushed as I walked into the room.

The study was rather large. Leather sofas facing one another. The man of the house sat behind a large oak desk. Saya moved to stand beside him.

“Weston Watanabe?” He asked. I nodded. “Sorry, from what I’ve heard, I expected someone older.” I nodded again. There was no real response to that. “I’m Souichirou Takagi,” he said.

Souichirou was a big man. 6 foot 3 inches tall he had dark black hair cut short. Tan skin he was all muscle. Wearing a black uniform like the guards of the household it was accented with gold seams and other minor ornate differences. He wore white gloves that stretched as he wrung his hands together. told you’re to thank for bringing my daughter back,” he said.

“There was this really bright light in the sky,” Kohta said. “Then the power kicked out.”

“Fuck,” I said. Looking up I missed the explosion.

“What is it?” Shizuoka asked.

“Nuclear bomb,” I said. “If done in high altitude it causes a giant Electromagnetic Pulse. Knocking out all electricity.” I listened. The sirens that had been going on for a couple of days finally quieted. Nothing with electricity was running in the city. That meant that the zombies would begin to hear us more easily from further away.

“No way,” Rei whined. She was next to Takashi as they looked around.

“Yes way,” Saya said. “Gamma rays from a nuclear explosion knock everything out. Was the light right above us?”

“Pretty close,” Takashi said.

“Damn, I guess clearing out the substations and dam is useless now,” Youichirou said.

“Guess so,” I said. I turned with the others as a large group walked in from the open gate. I noticed the teacher right away. Shidou looked about the same as when I had seen him last on the bus. He walked with a limp, a big smile on his lips as he looked around.

Rei bolted toward him. Her own rifle in hand there was a bayonet fixed to it. She was quickly on him, pointing the gun at his face. The greasy looking man wore a scared look for a moment then put on a cocky grin as we walked up to him.

“Rei, how good to see you,” he said. “Can you tell me what I did to deserve such a welcome?”

“You know what you did,” she spat.

“I can honestly say I don’t.” Shidou said. The students behind him were disheveled but looked at their leader, worry on their faces.

“You do, your dad the politician was under investigation by my father. And to warn my dad to lay off you held me back a year in school!” She yelled. Intense emotions in her voice I frowned. That sounded stupid as hell.

“I assure you, I did not. And what? Are you going to kill me?” He asked. “Become a murderer? That will make your father proud, I’m sure.” She still held the gun up to his face. Takashi was about to say something, but I couldn’t help but get involved.

“Wait, so did he kill your dad?” I asked, walking up.

She gave me a surprised look. “No.”

“He just made you repeat a grade?” I asked.

“Well, yeah,” she said.

“And you’re going to kill him for that?” I asked, with all the seriousness I could muster. “I knew there was something going on between you 2. But that? Whoopteefuckingdo. Maybe if you looked around you might have noticed that no one gives a shit what grade you are in.”

“Yeah but it ruined my chances at-”

“College?” I asked. “Look around. They’re fucked as it is. Put down the gun.” She had tears in her eyes, but deflated as she dropped the rifle. Shidou smiled widely as she did.

“Don’t worry. I’ll give you a real reason to kill him.” I pulled the Chikyugi Necklace out of my Status Screen. Putting it on they both looked at the turned heart emblem. I channeled chakra through it, but only drew Shidou’s mind in.

We were in a dungeon. Shidou strapped to the wall with chains he stared wide eyed at me.

“Where are we?” He asked. Fear clear in his voice.

“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “Let’s find your real sins, shall we?” I picked up a railroad spike. The man’s eyes widened as I moved closer. Then as slowly as possible I stabbed it into his abdomen. The greasy teacher screamed as it entered him. I didn’t stop until it was all the way in. The thick head level with his skin as he screamed louder.

“Shhh,” I said. Putting tape on his mouth I did it again and again. Then I really started torturing him. Slicing long lines across his body I flayed his skin. When that didn’t work I sent in 3 zombies. They ate him piece by piece. He cried out. Closing his eyes, but when he did that I increased the pain he was feeling. It took 2 hours but he spilled the beans. My gut clenched in anger as he did.