Weeks passed. Maybe months. Time didn't seem to work correctly in this… whatever this city was now. Leo barely survived, wandering from ruin to ruin, flinching at the faintest sounds, gathering everything he could find.
Over time, he stopped flinching and actually listened carefully. He managed to distinguish between the sound of wind and mutant animals. But still no humans to be seen.
He made a bow. He thought he may learn a new skill that could help him survive.
Between now and then, he calls for anyone. "Betty! Yuki! Alex!" Anyone that could hear him. But he hadn't heard the voice of a human in a long time.
"Let's call it a day." Leo said as he put the old backpack on the ground. He found it while scavenging.
Won't you just give up already? Everyone is obviously dead. You killed them all.
"Shut up, Oel." Leo said to silence. The sound in his head didn't stop. He named it Oel. Sometimes it accused him nonstop. Sometimes it was quiet.
His body was full of injuries and bruises. He stopped noticing them until the bleeding was too much. One time, a mutated deer attacked him, and its antler slashed Leo's cheek in half, but he still managed to kill it.
"Almost done." Leo whispered. He liked to whisper to himself often. It reminded him of the warmth of Betty's voice, but he couldn't shake the memory of the kidnapping.
Pathetic. You couldn't even say that you love her back. How pathetic.
"I know, you don't need to remind me every time."
I should remind you. You are—
…
Rustling…
"Something is nearby."
Leo's hand flew directly to his bow, and he waited. The rustling grew louder and louder.
"This must be a giant…"
"This is no ordinary—"
The rustling stopped. It was here. They were here.
Two figures emerged from the shadows. Leo readied an arrow. Tip pointing directly to them.
They moved closer. They were…
Humans.
Leo stepped back. "Who are you?"
Silence at first, then a voice answer. Deep and grim. "Are you human?"
The figures caught in the moonlight. A man and a woman. Dressed in sewn scavenged fabric. But they weren't like any human.
"You don't look human." Leo barked. Almost releasing the arrow.
The two dropped their own weapons. "We mean no harm. We are just happy we found a blessed person."
"What do you mean by blessed?"
"Haven't you met the Strays? They are everywhere." The woman said.
Leo lowered his weapon. "What are these strays? And why do you like that?"
Like that. The man and woman didn't look completely human. They were… different.
"Why do you have horns? And why are your ears pointed?" Leo questioned, this time he actually stepped closer.
"We woke up like this. After the calamity, everyone changed. But you… you look normal." The man explained.
You bastard. Killing them was at least mercy. You changed them. You mutated them. You made them suffer.
"What is the calamity?" Leo whispered, completely ignoring Oel.
"You really don't know anything, do you?" The woman said, voice softer, almost pitying.
Leo didn't answer. He couldn't. He was seeing what he had done. Horns, ears. Did something worse happen? Who are these Strays?
"I'm Lilia, and this is Rio. Come with us. We have a camp of survivors." The woman's voice broke through his spirals.
Survivors.
"Do you know anyone with name Beatrice Rossi? Liam Mill? Alex Silva? Yuki Silva?" Leo asked frantically. His voice almost excited. But they just shook their heads.
"Anyone?"
"I'm sorry. But we didn't find anybody with the names you mentioned."
See. I told you. They are probably dead too. Maybe worse. Imagine that you deformed them so badly that they can't die and have to go through immense pain?
Leo clutched his head, but quickly composed himself after seeing the look on Lilia and Rio.
"What's your name, young man?" Rio said, putting his hand on Leo's shoulder.
"My name is… uh…"
Leo. Leo. Leo. Leo. Leo. If they find out you caused the destruction, who knows what they could do to you.
He can't give them his real name.
Think of something fast, Leo.
Any name would suffice. Why was he taking so long?
J-U-N-I-U-S
"Junius. My name is Junius," Leo blurted out.
"Nice to meet you, Junius." Rio patted his shoulder with a smile. "Come on, let's go. The camp is waiting for us."
Leo picked up his backpack without thinking twice.
Welcome to the Calamity, Junius.
…
The camp loomed before Leo. A scattered mess of tents and fireplaces, and people. Mutated humans. Probably around twenty.
"Listen everyone," Rio shouted to the camp, pushing Leo forward as he spoke. "We welcome a new survivor, Junius. He is a blessed, so please treat him like one of us."
Blessed. Is that what they call normal humans here? Matter of fact, there not a single normal human other than Leo.
And Leo noticed quickly. They are mainly two types of mutants. The ones with horns and pointed ears, and the ones who were hybrids. They possessed animal features.
"This looks like a fantasy…"
"This is what happened after the Calamity."
"…"
A week passed since Leo moved to the camp.
Each time someone called him Junius. Each time he saw someone. Each second passing…
You did this to them. And now you are living among them. Does your greed have no limit?
"But you suggested the name Junius. Why? You could have exposed me." Leo said to the night.
Pathetic.
"Oel?"
…
"Good night, Oel."
Night, Leo.