Zombie Kiss Vol.4 [Ch.1 The Labyrinth of Promises] 1

Prologue

Grey clouds, like fumes from an exhaust pipe, dominated the sky. The muddy grey seemed depressing, but at least after the rain, there would be a clear blue sky. Unlike her heart. No light had ever shone through to it.

“Looks like it’s about to rain. Nil, you brought your umbrella, right, sweety?”

The mother, sending her daughter off at the bus stop as usual, remarked.

“Yes.” Nilthepi, or Nil, answered. “I took it before I left the house, exactly as you told me to.”

On the surface, it seemed like any ordinary conversation between a mother and a daughter.

“Go straight to the university.”

“Yes.”

The same conversation, over and over.

The same conversation, every single day.

“Have you checked your belongings? Do you have everything?”

“Yes.”

Just like a mother and her middle school daughter, learning to get to school by herself.

The woman looked at her university uniform. A knee-length pleated skirt, a perfectly-fitting white shirt. It was not tight, but she felt suffocated.

No matter where one looks, the woman is the very definition of an obedient child.

“Oh my, what’s up with kids these days? They’re dressed like whores.”

Zombie Kiss Vol. 4 [Intro]

Zombie Kiss Volume 4: Friendship, Hope, Betrayal

<Index>

Our entire world is woven from thin threads called “bonds”

Bonds between human and nature

Bonds between human and each other

They say a strong bond makes a stronger man

But on the other hand, such bonds are easily broken

That is why I have never believed in something so transient

Only “death” is eternal

Until one day, a thin thread lowered itself into a deep, dark pit

The one, single bond I will never let go of

Absolutely…no matter what happens…

Zombie Kiss Vol.3 [Ch.3 The Hitchhiker] 2

2

The rain got lighter, and I stare at my reflection in the toilet, all alone.

How can I run? I don’t have a phone. I can’t call for help. There’s only one exit.

As if heaven had mercy on me, tour buses turned into the gas station and parked beside our car. A crowd got off.

I don’t let the chance go. I take off my cardigan and strip off my sleeves so that my shirt looks like a tank top. I pull out my hairpin and keep it in my skirt’s pocket, then walk among the crowd.

As I exit, I glance at my own car but see nothing but a mass of bodies. I walk the opposite direction from where the car is parked.

Those two might be looking for me…

Zombie Kiss Vol.3 [Ch.3 The Hitchhiker] 1

If in a car, there is one killer,

It could be called a ‘coincidence.’

But if in a car, there are two killers,

Then which one will be the ‘prey’?

“The Hitchhiker”

Why am I so unlucky today…?

 

Although today is our five years anniversary, I had a quarrel with darling. Darling even threw the present box containing the hairpin he bought for me right in my face. The corner hit me in the cheek, leaving a bright red mark.

From this, our planned mountain trip was cancelled.

I decide to drive off in the night. I don’t care even if it’s pouring outside, because my tears are pouring too. I feel so lonely and stupid for carrying that dumb present box with me, when it’s something he used to hurt me.

The traffic light turns red.

I can just drive through it, since there will be no cars passing through this provincial motorway at this late hour. Moreover, there are no cars on the road aside from mine. My attention is drawn to the hairpin. I reach out to take the box on the passenger seat, and take its content out.

A hairpin made from glass gleamed light pink, at its end hangs a chandelier of red stones in the shape of a beautiful bouquet. It seems really expensive. I feel guilty about darling.

Well, let’s try putting it on.

 

I tie my hair, which extends to the middle of my back, into a bun and put the hairpin on. I didn’t get a chance to perfect my appearance, when…

Knock, knock!

Zombie Kiss Vol.3 [Ch.2 Verdict] 7

7

 

No matter how much time had passed, I still remember that news.

The news reporter talked about a policeman who shot his wife dead in front of his son, shortly after he found out she was cheating. The policeman was mad and lost his mind before getting thrown into a cage like a beast.

Something so cruel was normal. I watched that news without feeling anything, even though I was only in elementary school.

“People are so heartless. Don’t they feel sorry for the boy? He’s only a bit older than you, Ariya. If that boy was Ariya, I would…”

Mother did not finish her sentence, but hugged me tight.

I did not understand a word.

‘Heartless’? What do you mean, mother?

Zombie Kiss Vol.3 [Ch.2 Verdict] 6

6

 

 

Lilith opened her eyes in a daze.

She fell asleep on the white tables in the committee room. The clock showed that it is a little past ten in the night. It was pitch black outside.

After that accident, everything was chaotic. Lilith felt as if she was a ball, bouncing around when hit. She was dragged to the hospital to dress her wounds and was interrogated (in which she offered no good information since she was in a shock).

She remembered that Jorn offered to take her home, but he asked to collect something in this room first. They took a taxi here, and as Jorn collected his belongings, Lilith fell asleep. Maybe it’s the accumulated fatigue that caused her to fall into a long sleep without knowing.

Lilith slowly rose up, aching all over.

Grandmother must be worried sick…

As she thought of a reason to tell her grandma why she’s late, Vich’s burnt face flashed in her head. Her tears welled.

Vich is dead…

Zombie Kiss Vol.3 [Ch.2 Verdict] 5

5

 

“Lilith!”

“Lilith, are you okay? Lilith!?!”

These voices…Jorn…and Vich…?

She felt someone shaking her shoulders. When she opened her eyes, Jorn and Vich were in her vision. A distance away was a piece of scrap metal that was once a motorcycle, crashed into the pole with hot smoke coming off from it. The wheels pointed to the sky, and a crowd gathered a safe distance away.

“Vich…are you safe…?”

“You moron! Think of yourself first!”

Vich yelled with worry, his body covered in cuts and scrapes, but was alright. Lilith was worse. She didn’t wear a helmet and her head crashed right into the ground.

But…at least Vich was alive.

I succeeded…

Lilith felt a tremendous amount of joy, but…

“I’ll drive you to the hospital.”

Jorn stood up, but Lilith grabbed his arm.

“Jorn! You can’t go! Don’t go!”

Zombie Kiss Vol.3 [Ch.2 Verdict] 4

4

 

Lilith did not even know how she got home.

She came back to her senses when her grandmother shook her shoulders frantically, since her granddaughter had been doing nothing but spacing out. Lilith was pale and her hands were trembling, and it appeared as if she could faint any moment. To top it off, she was covered in blood.

But because her grandmother knew Lilith well, she did not press for answers. She understood and waited for Lilith to open up. That night, Lilith asked to sleep in the same room as her grandmother, but was too afraid to sleep from fear of that darkness…

A darkness like a bottomless pit…

The darkness inside A—

“Lilith…”

Zombie Kiss Vol.3 [Ch.2 Verdict] 3

3

 

A moment after Ariya passed her by, Lilith’s head was filled with confusion. Her heart stopped as if frozen, and her eyes widened at the sight, trying to comprehend.

“Today, let’s trying stimulating the internal organs with electricity.”

Vakin said as he uncoiled the wire that held a pigeon, and Ariya put on a pair of rubber gloves, then picked up the carcass without a hint of disgust.

“I think…we should not do that.”

Lilith felt a surge of relief, but her hope was crushed a second later.

“Do you remember the last time you stimulated the carcass until it exploded all over the lab? I do not want to get dirty again.”

“This time I’m downsizing it. Are you afraid of blood at this point?”

“I’m not afraid of blood. I’m afraid of getting dirty.”

“Alright, alright. So who’s going to do the dissection? You…or me…?”

Zombie Kiss Vol.3 [Ch.2 Verdict] 2

2

 

 

“It’s all done, Jorn.”

After the chaos in the courtyard, Lilith returned to the committee room with a report for Jorn. The man sat in a white table piled with a stack of documents.

“I put those pigeons in a garbage bag, then disposed them in the incinerator. Then, I washed and sanitized the whole courtyard.”

“Eh…? I didn’t ask you to do that, did I…?”

“Don’t worry. It’s special service from me.”

Jorn looked up to see Lilith with her wide, playful smile, before a smile tugged on his own lips. His furrowed brows relaxed. Lilith used to feel tense around Jorn, but after working with him, she saw that he had a gentle side.

Suddenly, Lilith thought of Vakin.

Actually, is that person putting up a bad image to conceal his real self?