Already evening?
Taiga's heart raced as he stopped, seeing darkness creeping into the forest. He took a deep breath and continued sprinting through the dense woods, his footsteps silenced by the undergrowth. His breath echoed in his ears, a constant reminder of his physical and mental exhaustion.
He needed to find some shelter quickly for the night.
His legs ached with each step, muscles burning with relentless fatigue. Every breath felt like a desperate attempt to replenish some drained energy.
But it wasn't just Taiga's body that longed for rest. His mind was burdened by constant alertness, the ever-present fear that had become his unwanted companion. Every rustle of leaves or whisper of wind made his heart race, a reminder of the lurking danger.
Taiga's thoughts were consumed by the desperate pursuit of escape, a strong desire to leave behind the ruins of his once-thriving city, destroyed by FEDRA's merciless attack. The memory of his city's destruction haunted him, reminding him of the chaos and devastation that had shattered many people's worlds.
His mother's final words echoed in his mind, etched deep in his soul.
"Don't trust anyone, Taiga," she had warned, her voice a mix of fear and concern, despite her attempt to sound brave. "Escape and run. Don't look back. Just don't trust anyone."
Those words became his guiding principle, the mantra that drove him forward. The trust had become a luxury he couldn't afford, a dangerous vulnerability.
And so, Taiga ran.
He ran from the infected, their insatiable hunger driving them to relentlessly chase any trace of life.
He ran from FEDRA, their cold eyes constantly searching for survivors to subject to their cruel control.
He ran, fueled by a fierce determination to survive against all odds.
He ran for his life.
In a rush, Taiga's focus slipped for a moment. His foot got caught on a hidden tree root, and he stumbled, arms flailing to regain balance. He fought to stay on his feet, but the forest floor seemed to rise to meet him, and he crashed forward, tumbling into the ground full of dirt and leaves.
With a groan, Taiga pushed himself up, assessing the damage. His knees and palms throbbed, but the pain was nothing compared to the danger chasing him.
He couldn't waste time.
Ignoring the ache in his limbs, Taiga got up and kept running through the forest. His breath came in ragged bursts, and his muscles screamed in protest. But he pushed through the pain, focusing on the instinct to survive. The trees blurred past him, a mix of shapes and shadows. Time became meaningless as he ran, his mind fixed on the rhythm of motion.
And then, his eyes failed to detect the nearly invisible tripwire stretched across his path.
He stepped directly into it, and in a second, the trap sprang into action, the wire tightening around his ankle with such a force that surprised him. Shock and pain surged through his body as he was violently lifted off the ground, his world and vision violently making a 180-degree turn.
Taiga shrieked in fright.
In a matter of seconds, he found himself hanging upside down from a tree branch, maybe a meter above the ground.
The initial shock gave way to a wave of adrenaline as his mind struggled to comprehend the surreal situation. Blood rushed to his head, disorienting him further, while his heartbeat thundered in his ears. He tried wiggling in panic, but reaching out to the wire tightly around his ankle was impossible.
Taiga's thoughts swirled. How had he fallen into such a ridiculous trap? Shock and anger mixed with frustration as he realized his powerlessness; he was suspended like a marionette at the mercy of whoever had set this elaborate snare.
In the eerie silence of the forest, a bell somewhere in the background rang out, its sound both warning and piercing.
Taiga's heart skipped a beat as he heard approaching footsteps growing louder.
The realization that he was no longer alone sent a shiver down his spine, instant fear flooding his senses.
Was it FEDRA coming to get him?
Or someone - or something - even worse?
"Fucking hell," a low voice exclaimed in English, then switching to Japanese, filled with surprise and cautious curiosity. "I actually thought we had caught a clicker in our trap--"
"Listen up!" another voice barked in Taiga's direction, firm and commanding. "Don't make a move, or we'll shoot you down like a dog."
Taiga's heart skipped another beat as he observed the figures approaching, their rifles aimed directly at him. The fact that his vision was still upside down made the situation even more unsettling. He stopped moving as he was told to, placing his open palms against his chest to show he wasn't armed or dangerous.
The first figure was a tall and lean man, his seaweed-colored hair falling loosely around his face like the shadow of a seasoned warrior. His eyes held sharpness, perhaps a hint of weariness.
The second figure was a slightly shorter man, and his black hair framed a face with piercing eyes that seemed to take in everything.
Holding their guns tightly, the two men cautiously moved closer to Taiga, their fingers poised near the triggers. Neither one wore an army uniform or helmet, so Taiga quickly realized they were not from FEDRA.
The taller man with the seaweed-colored hair spoke first, his voice deep and rough.
"You've stumbled into our trap, stranger," he said, his words carrying the weight of experience. "Tell us, are you sent by FEDRA? And be quick. You have two seconds."
"No, wait, don't kill me!" Taiga could only shout in panic.
"Speak properly!" the tall man commanded.
"Urgh, just let me down!" Taiga's voice trembled with anger and fear, his words brimming with defiance as he tried to put together coherent sentences. Then he blurted out panicked words with a fast rhythm: "Okay, listen up, I'm not infected, and I am not with FEDRA! I've been running for months, fighting off those monsters and those power-hungry bastards! Please, I beg you, just don't shoot me! Let me go!"
"Oh, so you're not infected either?" the tall figure responded, his voice now tinged with skepticism. He stepped one more step forward, still holding a finger on the trigger.
"Geez, could you please put that gun away?!" Taiga exclaimed, staring at the black pipe directed at him. "It's kind of distracting, you know. And no, I'm NOT infected! How many times do I have to say it?"
His words rang out, bouncing off the trees in the forest as two men kept looking at him.
"I'll gladly prove all my words to you, but I can't do that hanging upside down like a bat!" Taiga added desperately. "Just don't kill me!"
The tall man glanced at his companion, who gave a subtle nod of agreement.
Slowly, they lowered their guns.
The tall man narrowed his gaze as he studied Taiga intently.
"Survival has many ways to turn many into monsters," he stated, still sounding skeptical. "Why should we risk releasing you?"
"Because if you leave me dangling here, you'll be no better than the scum I've been running from," Taiga spat. "Come on, guys, I promise I'm harmless! Just cut me down!"
Then the tall man couldn't help but let out a short chuckle. Then he exchanged another glance with the shorter one, their expressions revealing a mix of confusion and amusement now.
"Shintaro? Your decision. This guy seems pretty harmless," the tall guy said, "although I kind of like hearing someone pleading for us like that after a while."
The black-haired man stepped forward and poked his index finger firmly against Taiga's chest like a warning.
"Alright, we'll cut you loose, but let's have a little show-and-tell first," he stated. "You'll show us your bare arms and legs, just to be sure. And don't even think about pulling anything funny. We'll be watching you. One wrong move, and you'll be dead."
"Fine, fine, fine," Taiga promised quickly, a small relief already washing over him. "Now, if you don't mind, could you help me down from here? I'd rather not hang around all day."
The taller man extended a hand, and with some effort, they managed to lower Taiga back to solid ground.
As he rubbed his sore ankle, Taiga couldn't help but feel a strange gratitude for the two men who had just held him at gunpoint.
"Thanks for not shooting me," Taiga said.
"Arms and legs here," the seaweed-haired man commanded strictly. He clearly wasn't convinced yet.
Taiga rolled his eyes. Talk about manners.
"Well, there you go, gentlemen," he said sarcastically as he rolled up his sleeves and pant legs, then gestured towards his exposed limbs. "As you can see, no bite marks, no strange fungi growing out of my skin. I'm as human as they come."
"Very well," the shorter man commented curtly. He hesitated for a moment before continuing: "So, I guess we started off a bit strangely. We can just never be too careful. Care to tell us your name and where you come from?"
So, after all, maybe this wouldn't be the day Taiga would die.