By 2 pm work ended, the shutter arrived with the next shift of workers.
"First shift, take the bus. We shall drop you by the barracks." The old general said, walking up behind them.
"No, we shall walk back home.. it's quite close. Just fifteen minutes' walk from here," Yue rejected his offer kindly.
"Your wish, don't be late for tomorrow's shift," the old man merrily patted their back and got into the bus.
Fan Xui looked down at him curiously, taking a hold of his hand. "Something in your mind? Did those girls' words bother you too much? I shall go back and do something about it…."
"Not them... it's something else..." he touched his chest. His heart was slightly unsettled. Somehow, he got the feeling that something was not right. "Let's hurry home. I feel homesick already."
He walked back briskly.
All the time he left home he was so busy running away from the zombies he barely had time to think of his parents he had left all alone in his house. Now that he was not that tense, his mind was completely occupied by them.
'Wonder what mum and dad are doing? Are they bored? Will they be safe with that bai liWei staying close? What if something happened?'
"Fan... don't get too close to Liwei." he blurted it out loud.
He did not speak out about this before because he did not want to sound like jealous boyfriend, but that Liwei really gave him the creeps.
"You might not believe me, but he is dangerous. He...."
"I know," Fan Xui stopped midway, cupping his face ever so softly. "I won't associate with him anymore. Okay.."
"Thank you," Yue gently kissed his chin.
****
Zou Nui hurried along, securing the house by latching the windows and the doors. "it's almost time Yue came back home. What if he gets into danger? Gasp, Wei, what have we done. We have put our whole family in danger."
"I'm sorry... I did not realize the magnitude of the situation. As of now, let's not panic. I will defend the house and you with my life," Zou Wei stood by the door with the baseball bat.
"Husband! Who wants you to sacrifice your life! Gosh let's find a way to fight back without causing any danger to lives okay?" his wife shouted picking up a frying pan.
A sudden knock on the door startled them still. After a second, the knocks became banging. The door was slightly trembling from the force.
"Honey.....they seem to have weapons..." Nui gripped his hands tightly. "Let's go hide... let's not fight..."
"It won't end well even if we hide. You... you go to Yue's room and lock yourself in." He pushed her off of him. "Go,"
"No,"
"Please Nui, just listen to me, go and wait for me. Okay, everything will be okay. I promise."
His wife whimpered, holding on his hands with her trembling ones. "I- I don't want to... I don't want you to get hurt... let's hide... Wei.. please.."
"Nui. Please go," he dragged her back to the room and pushed her onto the bed. "stay here, it. it will be fine,"
"No! Wei! Don't!!"
He locked the door tightly and pushed the heavy sofa barricading it.
The banging on the front door was becoming too loud. "come on, why are you guys even trying to break a steel door. Pick the lock, darn it,"
"Meow..." Blackie, who was sleeping on the sofa, stretched lazily. Sensing the Weirdness of the situation, she stood up, frisking her fur.
"It's okay.. you.. you go somewhere. Run. Don't stay here. It's not safe. Take the chickens and Trexa with you," Wei hurriedly plucked Trexa, who was sleeping on the kitchen counter, and placed her on Blackie's back. "Go!"
Blackie just stood there, blinking her beautiful green eyes.
"Gosh darn it! Fucking run!" he screamed.
Even so, she just blinked at him.
Trexa, on the other hand, looked at him nervously.
Right then, the door banged open and four men walked in. One had a part of his hair bleached red and also had a Mohawk. He seemed to be the leader of the gang. He confidently walked in, picking up the photos from the shelf. "Nice house,"
Zou Wei held his bat tightly. "Who are you?! Get out of my house!"
The man combed through his bleached red hair and chuckled dryly. "Your house? It's our house now, old man." He moved close.
"hisssss!!" Blackie went on defense, hissing and scratching at the floor, warning him not to come close.
"Oh, would you look at that, fresh meat! men! We are eating meat today!!" the Mohawk man smirked widely, twirling around his hand knife.
"Blackie go! Don't get in the way!" Zou Wei tried to push her out, but she insistently stood there, hissing. "Just go darn it!"
"Whoa! There are chickens and quails! Score!! Boss this house is a treasure trove!" one of them shouted, chasing after Bakbak.
The Mohawk man glanced at Wei with a nasty smirk. "well... there seemed to be more in this house," his eyes focused on the door that was barricaded behind him.
"It's my wife... she is sick.. it's not good to get near her. She.. she seemed to like biting." Zou Wei bluffed to deter them.
"Wife? I like older women!" one of the men laughed like a fucking hyena approaching the door.
"Don't get close!"' Zou Wei swung the bat. "I will hit you!"
The men glanced at each other, and after a second, broke out into loud laughter. "you? old man, you can barely hold that bat straight. Boys, deal with him first. I want to see what else he is hiding in that room."
"No! I won't let you!." he swung his bat again. This time, one of them caught it mid-swing and pushed him away to the side.
Blackie growled loudly, charging at them. Even Trexa jumped onto the men's head and scratched and bit violently.
"oy get the cat!" the leader of the gang took out a gun and shot her in the stomach. "Meat! Meat!' the hooted laughing....
The other one just tossed Trexa away.
"Blackie! No... no....." Zou Wei crawled close picking her up gently.
One of them kicked him down again.
"Che. Oldies are so easy to take care of. Why didn't we know such a house existed till now." the men mumbled, walking closer to the door. They pushed the sofa away with ease.
"No Nui!..... no..." Zou Wei struggled to stand up straight. "I'll kill you... I'll kill you all!"
His shout echoed in the house. All of a sudden, everything started to shake.
The intruders all froze in shock. Something swiftly suddenly caught their feet and pulled them all under. "w-what's going on? Boss?"
"Old man.. What did you do..." the bleached guy looked his way in horror.
All the vines that were spread on the floors moved like snakes wrapping their bodies tightly.
"Die!"