The Collapse Omnibus

by V. A. Brandon

  Ethan nodded. “That makes sense, I guess. But how do we avoid the infected? As soon as they catch a glimpse of us, we’ll be ripped to shreds.” He gulped nervously, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “Have you seen them move? They’re freakishly fast. We’ll never be able to outrun them.”

  “Perhaps we don’t have to.”

  “Care to elaborate?”

  Min Soo gave the drab walls a cursory glance. “I’ve worked at the mall for fifteen years. And I know the staff doors for every store in there.” His brows furrowed in concentration. “Some of them are connected, which makes it convenient, but others aren’t. Luckily for us, the supermarket staff door is just a few steps away from the vending machines. We can slip inside and get our supplies.”

  “What if it’s locked?” Ethan asked, looking skeptical.

  Smiling faintly, Min Soo held up a large key. “One of the perks of being a cleaning supervisor – I have access to this entire mall.”

  Ethan grinned in return. “Do we have to pay for the supplies?”

  “Did you pay for those chocolate bars, candies, and beverages?”

  The young man inclined his head as if to say, touché. After a while, he added, “I still don’t know your name.”

  “It’s Kang Min Soo.”

  “Huh. Can I call you Min Soo?”

  Young people were so rude these days. If they were in North Korea, Min Soo would have punished him for his impertinence.

  “You most certainly may not.” He straightened to his full height, which barely reached Ethan’s shoulders. “I will be Mr. Kang to you at all times.”

  Ethan’s mouth twitched in response.

  “I mean it,” Min Soo insisted, his temper flaring.

  The young man gave a good-natured eye roll. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

  Chapter 5

  They quickly learned that the infected were most active at night. Carefully slipping in and out of the staff doors, Min Soo and Ethan gathered canned food, water bottles, fresh packaged fruit, boxes of cereal, toilet paper, medicine, first-aid kits, deodorant, a radio . . . basically anything that caught their eye. To Min Soo’s dismay, the young man even went to the pet store and valiantly rescued several guinea pigs that apparently hadn’t been ravaged by the infected.

  “Why do they squeak like that?” he asked in annoyance, watching as Ethan filled a small bowl with pellets. “What if the noise draws the infected right to our door?”

  “They’ll quiet down soon. They’re probably just nervous.”

  Shaking his head, Min Soo ambled to the other side of the room and picked up several cans of spaghetti and meatballs and a bottle of lemon tea.

  Ethan glanced over his shoulder, surprised. “Are you going somewhere?”

  “I’m having my dinner in the office,” Min Soo said, heading for the door. “Those mutant rats are making me nervous.”

  “They’re guinea pigs,” the young man corrected him.

  With a grunt, Min Soo stepped out into the corridor and hurriedly entered the next room.

  His office was filled with mop buckets, various cleaning products, comfy cushions, and blankets. Sighing in relief, he sat down and tucked into his meal. The bloated noodles felt like mush in his mouth, but he didn’t care; it was still better than fizzy drinks and candy.

  Once dinner was finished, Min Soo cleaned himself up as best he could and quietly lay down on a thick blanket. Despite the windowless structure of the office, he could still hear muffled hisses and snarls seeping through the tunnel walls. Or maybe they were filtering in from the vents. Either way, they served as an excellent reminder that it wasn’t safe to venture outside at night.

  On the other hand, Ethan was getting more reckless by the day. Rescuing the mutant rats was only one example. Earlier in the morning, the young man had mentioned something about retrieving his expensive camera. But the worse part? He’d had the temerity to ask for Min Soo’s help.

  The fool apparently had a death wish.

  There was a soft knock on the door, followed by the tall, lanky form of Ethan slipping inside the office.

  “What do you want?” Irritated, Min Soo sat up to glare at his young acquaintance.

  Ethan gave a sheepish smile. “Just wanted to talk, Min . . . ah, Mr. Kang.”

  “I’m tired. Go away.”

  “I’ve been thinking,” Ethan went on, deliberately ignoring the older man’s order. “A couple of days ago, radio station reports said that the infection spread from the first floor.” His breathing quickened with anticipation. “Now, I wasn’t there. I was on the second floor taking tons of pictures of the bustling crowd for my blog. But I think it’s possible that I snapped a photo of the culprit responsible for this infection. Heck, I might even have caught him in the very act itself!”

  A strange sensation spread across Min Soo’s chest, and he belatedly realized it was fear.

  “Are you certain of this?” he asked slowly.

  “Well, not really.” Ethan rubbed the back of his head. “But if I did, it sure would make one hell of an article for my blog.”

  Min Soo made a noncommittal sound and leaned against the wall. This was unexpected, to say the least. The last thing he needed was a “Have you seen this man?” poster plastered all over the city with a photo of him throwing the virus into Sun Hwa’s screeching face. He would never be able to leave and complete his mission.

  Ethan, you stupid fool. Now I definitely have to use you as bait.

  “Tomorrow morning,” he finally said, clearing his throat. When Ethan gave him a quizzical stare, he elaborated. “I’ll help you retrieve your camera.”

  A wide grin split the young man’s face. “That’s great. I really appreciate it, Mr. Kang.” He let out a jaw-cracking yawn as he stretched his tall frame. “Anyway, I’m beat. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow, then?”

  “You will,” Min Soo said curtly, lying on the blanket again. “Now leave so that I can get some rest.”

  This time, Ethan was quick to obey. Looking pleased with himself, he slipped out of the office and returned to the next room, probably to snuggle in for the night with his new furry friends.

  Min Soo’s distaste grew. Now he had to get his hands on the vaccine and that stupid camera. At this rate, he would be stuck in the mall for days, maybe even weeks. And it was all Ethan’s fault.

  It was time to get rid of the young man for good.

  ***

  “Rise and shine, Mr. Kang. Today is the day!” This hearty greeting was accompanied by high-pitched, incessant squeaking that worsened Min Soo’s headache. If he didn’t know better, he’d have thought someone was poking knitting needles into his eardrums.

  “Lower your voice, please,” he said, eyes still closed. “And don’t bring your rats into my office. Ever.”

  “Duly noted,” Ethan replied cheerfully. There was the sound of fading footsteps, followed by blessed silence that was soon broken by his noisy return. “Done! What do you want for breakfast? I can make French toast, if you want.”

  Min Soo snorted under his breath. French toast was for hipsters who squeezed their bodies into skinny jeans and whined about their first-world grievances. He wanted meat and kimchi and hot, steaming rice. But since that was next to impossible, he had no other choice.

  With a sigh, he made an impatient shooing motion with his hand. “Just buttered toast for me. And make a fresh pot of coffee.”

  “Will do, Mr. Kang.” Whistling, Ethan made a quick exit to get things started.

  Min Soo rose up, shuffling over to the small sink in the corner. After brushing his teeth and splashing bottled water on his face, he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He’d grown old over the years. He examined his balding gray hair with a critical eye, wondering if the receding hairline made him appear relatively harmless to strangers. Why else would people like Ethan let their guard down around him? Even Sun Hwa – his “wife” of seventeen years – had woefully underestimated him.

  After the two men b
reakfasted on toast, coffee, and fruit slices, they stepped into the semi-dark tunnel and quietly made their way up the concrete stairs. Crouching, they peered over the ground to see if the infected were nearby.

  “My camera’s still there,” Ethan breathed in excitement, pointing at the bench in front of the mall’s entrance.

  And I’m getting to it first, Min Soo added silently before leaning toward the young man. “I see a couple of infected lingering near the fountain. Here’s what we’ll do. You’re young and fast, so you should lead them away. Be sure to make them chase you, understand? Once they’re gone, I’ll go over and grab the camera. We’ll meet on the rooftop in about twenty minutes.”

  Ethan seemed unhappy with the plan. “But they’re so damn fast,” he mumbled. “I don’t think I can outrun them.”

  “Do you want your camera or not?”

  “Of course I do. It’s just –”

  “If you have another plan, I’m all ears.”

  “Maybe they could chase you?” Ethan suggested, a hint of hope in his voice.

  Min Soo’s lips curled in displeasure. “Or better yet, maybe you should do this alone. I’m going back to my office.”

  “Wait!” Ethan’s hand clamped down on the older man’s left shoulder to stop him from leaving. “Of course I’ll do it.” He drew in a shaky breath. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  “Very good.” Min Soo straightened and ran a hand over his thinning hair. “Well, what are you waiting for?” He gave Ethan a strong push from behind. “Go!”

  “What? I’m not ready to –” Ethan stumbled toward the light, all gangly limbs and incoordination. His surprised yelping didn’t help, either.

  The infected near the fountain stopped to stare at the flailing intruder. Snarls issued through their broken, bloodied teeth.

  “Damn it, boy, run!” Min Soo whispered fiercely.

  And so he scrambled up and ran for his life.

  Min Soo ducked as the infected chased after Ethan, their speed unhindered by their jerky movements. Fearful that they might hear him or sense his presence, he drew shallow breaths and remained hidden by the stairs. Only when he was absolutely sure they were gone did he finally step out into the sunlight.

  Well, here goes.

  He eyed his surroundings with trepidation as he hurried toward the camera. Ravaged corpses lay on the ground, torn limbs scattered here and there. He thought he saw a young woman’s face half-trampled into the sidewalk and felt bile rise in the back of his throat. Not even the brutality in North Korea could have prepared him for something like this.

  It was pure madness.

  Once Min Soo reached the bench, he bent down to swipe the camera off the ground. “Gotcha,” he muttered, feeling relieved and annoyed at the same time. The blasted thing was finally in his hands. Now he had to get to safety and delete the photos at his leisure. He’d ordered Ethan to meet him at the rooftop, but that was highly unlikely to happen. The kid was probably dead already, if not grievously wounded.

  It’s your own fault, boy. You brought this on yourself.

  Min Soo still decided to head for the rooftop, anyway. After all, it wasn’t a bad idea to check out where most of the infected were congregating at this time of day. And maybe, just maybe, he might catch a glimpse of Sun Hwa shuffling around the area.

  Get the vaccine and get out.

  His mouth set in a determined line, he quickly slung the camera strap over his neck and spun around, unwilling to stay out in the open for another minute longer.

  And then froze on the spot.

  Several yards away, a burly, infected man stood under a red-and-white-striped awning, a bloodied apron tied around his thick waist. Min Soo knew him fairly well. Or had known him. It was the butcher who used to work at The Meaty Lads on the first floor. A fitting name for the store, as all the men who worked there had been on the portly side.

  The butcher grinned or grimaced; Min Soo couldn’t really tell. His terrified gaze was fixed on the generous chunk of red flesh that had just fallen from the butcher’s gaping mouth.

  Beef . . . or human flesh?

  That last thought broke Min Soo from his trance-like stupor. When the butcher jerked forward, Min Soo turned and desperately fled into the mall.

  Back to the place where he had unleashed the virus.

  Chapter 6

  It was a good thing that Min Soo had brought his key. Stumbling his way around the streaks of dried blood and decaying body parts, he fished through his front pockets until his fingers closed over a large and familiar brass object.

  Relief washed over him as he pressed against the closest staff door. He could hear the butcher’s snarls growing louder. Ten more seconds, and Min Soo would be a meatless lad. Ground human meat for the butcher to take and feast on.

  “Shut up, shut up!” he whispered furiously, fumbling to shove the key into the keyhole. Now wasn’t the time for macabre thoughts. With a small cry, he unlocked the door and pushed it open.

  Three seconds.

  Min Soo bodily threw himself on the door, salty sweat stinging his eyes as the butcher did the same on the other side. A struggle ensued, in which the butcher had the upper hand due to his inhuman strength and size. Min Soo was so preoccupied with the door that he failed to notice the thick, veiny hand that had crept past the crack. It snatched at the air, missing his face by a couple of inches.

  He jerked back with a loud, startled oath.

  Gritting his teeth, he gave himself a stern order: He wasn’t going to die. Not today. Not when Agent Kang still had a mission to complete.

  Releasing a ferocious snarl of his own, he mustered all of his strength and pushed the door forward, rejoicing as the lock finally clicked into place. Then he blinked in surprise when something (or things, his mind belatedly registered) fell at his feet.

  He looked down, heart racing.

  On the floor lay severed fingers, their blunt ends tinged with brown blood.

  The butcher had just lost his fingers.

  ***

  By the time Min Soo breathlessly reached the rooftop, more than a half hour had passed. Ethan was nowhere to be seen.

  Collapsing on the ground, he forced air into his lungs and stared at the cloudless sky. He had almost died out there. Luckily, he had survived the ordeal, but what about the next day? Or two weeks from now? Would luck still be with him then?

  As much as he needed the vaccine, he simply couldn’t risk his life again. Not like this.

  With a tired sigh, he brought the camera closer to his face. He was about to press the “on” button when gasping sounds reached his ears. Alarmed, he whipped his head around and saw, with grudging wonder, Ethan’s cheery and rumpled form striding toward him.

  “You made it,” Min Soo said, unable to hide the accusation in his voice.

  Ethan plopped down beside him, wiping his sweaty forehead on his sleeve. “And you seem surprised by that.”

  Min Soo ignored the quip. “Looks like you had loads of fun running from the infected.” He paused, his eyes narrowing. “Please tell me you didn’t. Have fun, that is.”

  “What if I said I did?” Ethan said airily.

  “Then you’re incredibly brave . . . or incredibly stupid. I vote for the latter.”

  “You’re probably right.” Ethan stretched out his hand with a faint smile. “Anyway, thanks for retrieving my camera. Can I have it?”

  “Yes, of course.” Reluctantly, Min Soo handed over the camera and watched as Ethan carefully placed it on his lap. The young man seemed in no hurry to check his photos. Instead, he lifted the hem of his T-shirt and began polishing the smooth exterior of his prized possession with maddening slowness.

  “What are you waiting for?” Min Soo said, frustration gnawing at him. “I thought you were champing at the bit to find out who the culprit is.”

  “All in good time.” Ethan gently wiped the greasy-looking screen. “I have to take care of my baby first, don’t you agree?”

  Rolling his e
yes, Min Soo rose to his feet. He had no intention of sticking around to watch Ethan make love to his camera. Instead, he decided to head to the other side of the roof and observe the infected from there. He had to locate Sun Hwa’s whereabouts, and preferably soon.

  “I’m going to watch the infected for a bit,” he said, frowning down at Ethan. A brief pause, then he casually added, “And don’t look at the photos just yet. Wait until I return so that we can look at them together.”

  Ethan didn’t reply. He was too busy whispering sweet-nothings into the front lens.

  For the next ten minutes or so, Min Soo watched from the rooftop as the infected shuffled from one spot to the other – never leaving, but never staying still, either. He realized that he recognized many of them; some wore uniforms, and almost all had name tags pinned to their chests.

  Why don’t you leave? Why are you still lingering around the mall?

  The situation was a puzzle, really.

  And to make matters worse, Sun Hwa was nowhere to be seen.

  Tense and agitated, Min Soo made his way back to the other side, cursing under his breath when he noticed Ethan’s tall form ambling around in a directionless path. The young man was still holding his camera.

  But this time, he was staring at it.

  “See anything interesting?” Min Soo asked in a casual tone, coming up behind Ethan. The damn fool had purposely ignored his specific request to wait for him.

  “Just the usual stuff so far,” Ethan muttered. “Lots of happy shoppers. A couple of mothers pulling at their rambunctious kids.” He bit his lip, looking disappointed. “These photos seem so pointless now. I might as well delete most of them.”

  Best idea you’ve had all day, Min Soo thought, exhaling a sigh of relief.

  “Hang on . . .” Ethan came to a standstill, running a finger slowly across the screen. “I think I have something here.”

  “It’s probably nothing.”

  “Let me just enlarge the photo –”