Chapter 0 - What would you do if you found two strangers on your bed?

I am hungry and now there’s 2 strangers on my bed.

After getting chased away two times in a row, Jack headed to the border between the commercial district and the old industrial district to look for cans. He didn’t find anything, and decided to go home empty handed.

It sounds like they’re watching a movie.

They hadn’t spotted Jack yet.

What should I do? They look like they’re about my age and size. And they look homeless as well. At least I’m sure they didn’t steal anything – because I don’t have anything worth stealing. But I’m pissed they’re sitting on my bed. What should I do? Fuck this!

Jack pulled out his knife and confronted them.

“Get out of here or I’ll fucking kill you!” Jack said.

No way I can sleep here anymore. Nothing is stopping them from coming back while I’m asleep and slitting my throat.

Immediately, both of them jumped and pulled out their own knives.

God damn it! Please give me a fucking break! No way I’m fighting two guys with knives. Should I run now?

Everyone stood still with their knives drawn and staring at each other.

Besides threatening people with it, Jack had never used a knife before. Except for the time he stabbed that disgusting man in the neck.

He was scared of his knife slipping out of his hand because his hand was so sweaty.

I should have put some tape or something on the handle so it’s harder to drop.

The only thing he could hear was the sound of blood thumping in his ears and his strong heartbeat and the tightness from holding his breath. His entire body was dripping cold sweat in the winter night.

“Jack?” one of them said.

Jack almost didn’t hear it and couldn’t understand what the guy in front of him was saying. He was one millisecond away from either taking a step in front of himself and stabbing one of them in the neck or turning around and fleeing.

“Jack? Jack Stonewall? It's me, Brian.”

What?

The man in front of him relaxed the grip on his knife and his posture. Though he did not put away his knife or leave himself exposed.

Jack also reflexively relaxed and took a moment to look at the familiar face in front of him.

The third man, however, was still tense and took a step back while holding his knife.

“Oh shit! Brian, what the fuck are you doing here?” Jack said.

“We were just taking a break. Sorry I didn’t know this was your spot. Long time no see, how are you?”

Brian put his knife away. And Jack was just about to do the same, but then looked at the other man with his knife out.

“Lucas, put it away you idiot. This is Jack Stonewall, one of my childhood best friends. He saved my life once.”

…

“Yeah, so the plague also reached us and took out my parents and siblings. I was the only one out of all of us who had the Positive Gene,” Brian said.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Jack said.

Jack, Brian, and Lucas were all standing outside the abandoned warehouse.

“Me and Lucas met in highschool not long after you moved away,” Brian said. “It’s fun to see you still have a quick temper,” Brain said and laughed.

“Sorry, I haven’t eaten in 3 days, that’s all,” Jack said.

“Shit, really?” Lucas said and looked surprised.

“Oh shit, that sucks. Let’s go to the store now. We have some cash. Don’t worry, it’s on us,” Brian said.

“For real? Thank you. I’ll pay you back,” Jack said.

“Don’t sweat it,” Brian said.

They walked over to the local grocery store and chatted while walking there. They bought a loaf of toast. And as soon as Brian handed over the money to the cashier, Jack opened the package and started eating in front of everyone. Brian and Lucas laughed.

They were now standing in front of the grocery store and talking while Jack was eating.

“How do you two make money? I have no idea what to do. I ran out of cash yesterday and now I’m trying dumpster diving and recycling cans,” Jack said.

“Oh, we sell drugs and rob homeless people,” Brian said.

“Dope,” Jack said, and happily ate his toast.

“Why did you leave Redtown?” Jack asked them. “We ran into some trouble. We got robbed and couldn’t pay back our plug. Had to bounce. We just came here yesterday,” Lucas said.

“I see. You can crash at my place. Thank you for this toast.”

All three of them had smartphones. But since the warehouse didn’t have a charging port, Jack took them to the local spot in the mall where you could charge your phone for free.

“Hey, you wanna join our gang?” Brian said.

“Fuck yeah!” Jack said.

“Yo, you have to join us in this crazy shit we’re planning,” Lucas said.

“What? We gonna rob somebody?” Jack said

“No, no not that. Look at this,” Brian said and showed Jack the ad on his phone.