Rain pattered against the window. The two brothers squeezed their clothes, soaked after running outside.

Abel glanced at Cain's knee.

"For the hundredth time, it's ok," Cain groaned. Abel jolted. Does he have eyes on his back or something?

"But it was dislocated."

"We've pushed it back. Problem solved."

Abel tore open a noodle pack. It is good that their cupboard is filled with noodle packs, but they have been eating only noodles for two weeks. If he's serious about it, they gotta eat something more to return to the orphanage looking decent – or is he? He must have planned something.

"Brother?"

"Hmm?"

"Were you serious about returning to the orphanage some day?"

Cain laughed.

"You weren't sure if I was saying the truth, but you still assured them?"

"You're my big brother."

"Oh yea? Then you better stop collecting girls you won't even text back, brother."

"That, I can't promise."

"Well, that, I can't say too."

"Oh, come on!"

***

"Father!"

Abel blinked.

"Ah sorry, I was thinking of something else."

Abel did say that they would flee the village one week ago, but here are they are, still in the same exact village.

First of all, fleeing when everyone could just live peacefully in the village felt unnecessary. There'd be some zombies here and there, but they often could just fight them off – no, to be exact, whack them off. Since they weren't hordes, Abel or whoever spotted them, would just ride a motorcycle full speed towards the zombie, hold a shovel on one hand, and swing as soon as they were a couple inches close. The zombie will instantly drop dead.

Or if they don't, because your hit sucks, you can just brute force there on.

The villagers themselves have been wondering why the zombies don't rush in. The first theory is that their flesh just tastes bad – but the more probable theory is that the zombies prefer going to the city, where there are much more survivors. Now that the survivors in the city seemed to have shrunk, their village have seen bigger and bigger hordes. Since their houses were mostly just made of boards, Abel have been sheltering them in the church. He made Brother Louis do patrol checks every hour, making sure each entrance is secured.

Does it mean the nearby cities have been wiped out? How about Cain?

Abel shook his head. He's in the special ops, and they probably have the highest military luxury.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Yes, but we can't decide on going to the city or the forest. They have been debating for a while and I tried to mediate but they were so fiery-"

Abel patted his shoulder.

"Brother Louis, problems like this have an easy solution."

"W-what is that?"

"Follow me."

Louis gulped. Is it diplomacy? He has heard that Father Abel was good at talking, but he didn't know he's this good!

God, thank you for stationing me here!

"I say we go to the city. Our supply is not going to last long, and we can survive better in cars and trucks too."

"No, the forest is safer. It's only a matter of time before the villages swarm with zombies, and we'll get trapped."

"Don't you hear what I said? We're gonna have to carry all these supplies and walk by foot if we go to the forest!"

"We have some cattle that can help us with the load. And I didn't know you are older than me, Granny Amelia."

"EXCUSE ME?? I'M ONE YEAR YOUNGER THAN YOU, AND I WALKED WAY MORE THAN YOU CARRYING POTATOES EVERY DAY, GRANDPA THEO!"

"Then, what's the problem?"

"I wasn't cooped up in my room all day, watching cars getting destroyed in zombie movies and developing paranoia."

"EXCUSE ME???"

Abel cleared his throat. Everyone fell silent.

"Ladies and gentlemen, do you know what a coin is for?"

Uhm... to buy something? They gaze as the coin flew up. Then, before the coin flipped, Abel muttered very quickly.

"Heads for city, Tails for forest."

Wait, what?

The coin fell to the ground. Abel clapped.

"Well, city it is!"

"Excuse me Father, but is this God's will?"

"Oh, you're right."

Abel clasped his hands.

"Dear God, please show us the better path through this coin. Heads for city, tails for forest."

Then, in front of the dumbfounded people and the even more dumbfounded Brother Louis, Abel flipped the coin.

Tails.

"Well, forest it is! Also, Amel and Theo, you are both still 19 for goodness's sake."

"Are you smiling, Father Abel?"

"Nope." Abel smiled. Maybe it was fate, but if they are going to go to the orphanage, they'd have to go through the forest.

"Prepare the livestock and small carriages."

He paused.

"Everyone should wear masks. From here on, don't take it off unless I told you to."

Brother Louis looked at him. It was rare that he sounded so stern.

"It'll slow us a little, are you sure?"

"Yup, just in case."

There are 35 people in their village: 10 elderlies, 10 kids, and the rest are in the middle. Abel prepared the carriages for them, but it turned out that he doesn't really need to worry except for the literal babies that were just born several days ago and three elders – one with amputated legs, one with osteoporosis, and another one 150 years old.

Brother Louis and Abel gazed at the scene around them. Mimi, who was born two months ago, were playing tag with the other kids, running up and down the mountain as the others hiked slowly. Mr. Li – who unlike Amelia or Theo – is a real elderly who'd wander through the town with his walking stick, is now even leaping through the rocks. He'd probably outrun a mountain lion.

Where is his stick?

Louis and Abel looked at each other.

No one knows.

They have seen the villagers going around carrying sack of potatoes for miles, but to be like this on a 45-degree incline?? Do they somehow get weaker as they enter adulthood and stronger as they enter the age of 60?

"Father, father! We found a large rock! Should we roll it down?"

Abel glanced at the npc zombies walking aimlessly below them.

"Yeah."

Louis' eyes widened.

"W-wait-!"

The kids laughed and pushed it down. Louis tumbled to the side, the rock missing him by inches. He flinched. The ground shook.

Abel squatted down, squinting his eyes.

"Nice! You almost scored a strike!"

"Can we do it again? Can we do it again?"

He laughed. Tumbling it once caught the zombies by surprised but tumbling it twice might give away their location.

"Nah, you're gonna crumble down the mountain. Brother Louis... you don't happen to enjoy sleeping at cliffs, do you?"

"It's not that - I think – ouch - I twisted my ankle."

"Hahaha, you must be lying-"

Abel's eyes widened. Nevermind!

"Come on, hold on to me. We're almost at the forest. We'll rest for a bit before walking towards our first stop."

"Can you please stop the kids from rolling random dangerous objects down next time?"

"The birds here sound pretty, don't they?"

"Uhm Father, are you deflecting my questions?"

"Yes, that one indeed sounds like a flute!"

"Father!"

Louis was very grateful that Abel was at least accurate at mapping the forest. They arrived at their first post before the sun set, and before dark, they have set up a campfire. When he was first stationed here and heard that the priest was from the metropolis, he never thought of Abel. Who knew someone from the metropolis hiked the mountain every day and knew the forest like the back of his hand?

Abel came back with the others, putting back their torches.

"No zombies in sight!"

They cheered.

"You can take off your masks now."

"Should we set night watches?"

"Ooh, right. If you'd like to volunteer, gather around after dinner!"

He approached Louis.

"How's your ankle, Brother?"

"It felt better, thank you. By the way, why did you use a torch instead of flashlights?"

"Nah, that's just in case."

"Can you stop being so ominous, Father?"

"If the red sea has a face when Moses lifted his stick, it'd probably look like yours, Brother."

"...is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"hehehehe."