Yoan’s eyes practically sparkled with life as he spoke.
“See? I waited, and it woke up on its own. Good thing I didn’t hit it.”
“Even the dead would sit up and take notice after being stared so hard.”
“You think I only kill zombies?”
“Sorry. That was totally out of line.” Rob caught that little exchange and quietly made himself scarce.
Yoan turned his attention back to . “Didn’t know zombies could pass out.”
Yeah, well, neither did I.
“Why are you making that face? Like you just had a major revelation or sothing.”
Talk about sharp intuition…
“You really are one strange zombie.”
Tell about it.
“Gurrrrg.”
Sure, I couldn’t speak like a human, didn’t feel pain, never slept, and had all the usual undead upgrades in strength and senses.
But I also had no hunger for people, no aggressive instincts, and far too much brain activity for comfort.
Definitely not standard issue.
There had to be a reason for all this. So explanation.
Because dying naless as a background zombie? That’d be way too tragic.
It was ti to get serious about survival.
“You gonna keep lying there forever?”
Would that... not be okay?
“Gurrrrg... gurr?”
“Well, it’s break ti anyway. Make yourself comfortable.”
...Okay, is it just , or does he sotis actually understand what I’m saying?
“But hey, rember what we talked about earlier? Your na?”
Oh, right! That was important.
There’s that one poem about how when soone calls your na, you bloom like a flower, right?
Nas an recognition. Existence.
It’s the first step toward becoming again.
“Got one?”
Nope. Not that you can understand anyway, but I should probably pick sothing that fits this world.
“Grr. Grrrg, grrrr gregrr?”
“Hmm. Can’t rember, huh?”
Well… guess that’s kinda right.
“Want to give you one?”
Yes! Please! Anything’s fine!
“Grr! Grrrg.”
“Sasha.”
Sasha, huh. Simple. Easy to say. Nice ring to it.
I actually kind of liked it.
“Huh? Isn’t that the na of the dog you used to keep—”
“Shut it, Rob Pitt.”
Yeah, I already heard…
Naming after a dog? Really?
“How’s that? Not bad, right?”
I considered picking a fight over it.
But in the interest of basic diplomacy, I nodded.
Sasha? Fine. I had a na now.
***
“Why are you making that face? Don’t tell you want to sleep in the sa bed.”
I shook my head hard.
It wasn’t about the bed—it was about the room.
The shared room. Between a man and a female zombie.
Surely this struck soone as odd?
“Yeah, smart thinking.”
Yoan smiled cheerfully, lay down, and pulled the blanket up to his chin.
Then, turning his head toward , he added, “Just so you know, don’t try anything funny. I’m a very light sleeper.”
Yes, well, I’m a very uninterested zombie, so sleep away.
I pursed my lips and curled up quietly in the corner.
“You planning to stare at from over there all night? That’s creepy in its own way.”
Oh, co on! What do you expect to do, knit?
“Grr, grrrrk!”
“Are you getting mad right now?”
No! It’s just… you complain no matter what I do!
“Grrrrrgg... grrr.”
“The sofa’s better than the floor.”
Actually, given my dulled senses, they felt about the sa.
But I didn’t want to keep bickering, so I flopped obediently onto the sofa.
“See? I was right, wasn’t I?”
I just nodded half-heartedly, mostly to end the conversation.
“Well then, see you tomorrow, Sasha.”
He lay perfectly straight, eyes on the ceiling, and drifted off into slumber in no ti.
I sat on the sofa, watching moonlight slant through the curtains.
“Grahk. Graa…”
The occasional zombie grunts drifted in from outside.
The cabin looked shabby on the outside, but inside, it was surprisingly solid.
Apparently, zombies couldn’t get in unless sothing dramatic happened.
Phew.
I settled in, trying to calmly plan my next steps.
The night passed quickly. Before I knew it, morning had arrived.
The mont Yoan stirred from his sleep, he sat up, looked at , and gave a sleepy, husky-voiced complint.
“You stayed put all night. Such a good listener. Good girl.”
Technically true. But it’s not like I just sat there doing breathing exercises.
I’d actually gotten a bit experintal in the wee hours, like waving my hand right in front of his nose.
Light sleeper, my undead butt. He’d slept like the dead.
Which ant I had free movent at night. Noted.
“Let wash up and eat first, then we’ll head out again. Oh! Do you wash yourself too?”
Do I wash myself? Talk about rude!
But then again, I never heard of a zombie taking showers…
Yes, I’d like to wash.
“Grrk, grrr.”
“Figured as much. It’d be a bit strange for a zombie to want to bathe.”
I ant! I’d like to wash, man!
“Grahk! Grrrah!”
“Did you just yell? At ?”
Well, no. I an…
“Gurrrr...”
“Just kidding. Judging by your reaction, I guess you do want to wash. Do whatever you want.”
I swear, Yoan Keith is going to be the undeath of .
Still chuckling for so reason, he ducked into the small attached bathroom.
I paced a little, then cracked the door and peeked out.
Rob was sprawled on the living room sofa. I could hear kitchen clatter in the background.
Weirdly enough, it felt... peaceful. Like an ordinary morning. Was it always like this?
It turned out that even in a world crawling with zombies, it wasn’t always doom and gloom.
Rob sensed and shot upright with a scowl.
“Huh? Who said you could wander around? Did the lord give permission?”
Technically, no. But he also didn’t say not to.
“Grrr. Grrrk, grrrg.”
“I haven’t decided you’re safe yet. Don’t get comfortable.”
Y’know what? None of this is my fault. Your precious lord dragged here, rember?
“Grarrr. Grk-grk gurrr.”
“You’re still a zombie. And I know you can turn dangerous any mont.”
Oddly enough, it felt like we were actually conversing.
I got where he was coming from. I would’ve acted the sa in his place.
But why did I have to be the only one to be understanding? Even after proving I was totally harmless?
I shot him a vaguely rebellious glare. Rob narrowed his eyes in return.
Tension crackled between us like flint and steel.
Then Yoan walked in, toweling water from his hair.
“Why so tense? You two need to get along. We’ll be traveling together for a while.”
Hmph.
“Kek.” I snorted and turned away.
“Ha!” Rob scoffed. “That thing doesn’t like , apparently.”
“Sasha.”
“What?”
“Not ‘thing’—Sasha.”
“...Sasha doesn’t like .”
“Sasha has good taste, apparently.”
“What’s that supposed to an?”
Yoan just shrugged.
ssage received loud and clear. I smirked at Rob and gleefully trotted after Yoan into the kitchen.
“Oh, perfect timing!” Bliss set out plates on the rough wooden table.
Corn soup, toasted bread, and so at on the side.
I scanned the options and promptly claid a seat.
“Wow, would you look at that…!” Rob scowled in displeasure.
But Yoan patted my head like I’d done sothing delightful.
“At least there’s no worry of you starving to death.”
Naturally, I’d chosen the plate with the most at.
“Right? She’s basically human… if we could just understand her.”
Bliss offered a faint smile, her wary look from yesterday much softer now.
As we dug in, Yoan slid so of his at my way again.
Thank you.
“Grrrg.”
Normally, I would’ve politely declined. But I’d been getting hungry at weird intervals, and beggars couldn’t be choosers.
As I chewed away, Bliss quietly set her fork down. “My lord. You’re going to end up with nutritional deficiencies at this rate.”
I froze, mid-chew.
“Are you planning to give Sasha your at every al?”
“I won’t die from missing a few bites. But Sasha will.”
Ehh?
What is this… sudden at flirting?
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