Jobless Man’s Zombie Survival Life - Chapter 12: The Lost, Lost Schoolgirl

Chapter 12: The Lost, Lost Schoolgirl

I shouted with all I had, but the zombies didn’t even glance my way.

This is stupidly embarrassing.

Damn, they’re that into female flesh?

…Wait, they’re all male zombies!

Do zombies even have a sex drive?

“Come on, you pervy zombies!!”

No use standing around, so I smashed the back of the outermost one’s head.

Swung again, nailing the next one.

Only then did they finally notice me.

One reached for me, so I cracked its thigh.

Felt it snap.

It hit the ground, and I dashed to make distance.

The forbidden man-slayer tactic again.

This time, I’m targeting legs.

Zombies don’t care about pain, but they can’t run with broken legs.

I’ll finish them after.

Too many right now.

Playing tag with ten zombies is too risky.

Can’t stop moving.

Swept another’s leg.

Smashed its knee from the side.

Zombies chase mindlessly, so if I stick to the pattern, I can handle a crowd.

It’s all down to my stamina! Go, thirties!

Next! Next!!

The downed zombies crawled, but they’re slow as hell.

This might work…

“Ojisan! Behind you!!!”

Who’s an ojisan—wha!?

Ow, ow, ow! Something grabbed my shoulder!

Damn, a new one!?

“Don’t… touch me!!”

I threw my weight back hard.

Felt its nose crunch through my helmet.

Thank god I wore it!!

Its grip loosened, and I lunged forward.

“Shi!!”

Thrust at the front zombie’s throat.

It fell like a bowling pin, and I stepped over it, charging ahead.

Smashed three more zombies—shoulder, right hand, left leg—breaking through!

No time to aim precisely!

I’m getting winded.

Kept running and jumped onto the bed of the girl’s truck.

Lucky it’s a mid-size!

Panting, I counted the remaining zombies.

Two new ones.

Of the originals, four still standing, four down.

“You okay!?” 

“I’m… fine. Just… need a sec…” 

Pretty embarrassing after saying “leave it to me.”

Caught my breath and stood on the truck bed.

Cracked the skulls of the chasing zombies like splitting watermelons.

This is easy!

“Eek!?”

Sorry, it’s gross.

But it’s easy, so sorry.

“…Last one!!”

Crushed the final crawling zombie’s skull.

Oh, crap.

The bokken’s got a bunch of cracks now.

Good thing I’ve got a spare at home.

Glad it didn’t break mid-fight…

Looked around.

No more zombies or newcomers.

“…Phew, you’re safe now.”

She climbed down from the roof.

She’s wearing a sailor uniform from a private high school in town—my friend’s sister went there, so I recognize it.

It’s known for strict rules.

Not too far from here.

Her hair’s in two braids, kinda rare these days.

“Thank you so much, ojisan. I thought I was done for… Really, thank you…”

Ojisan… yeah, to a high schooler, a thirty-something’s an ojisan.

I thought the same when I was her age.

Can’t be helped.

“I got separated from the people I was scavenging with…” 

“With others? You got a base somewhere?”

“Yeah, my high school’s a shelter…”

As expected, schools are shelters.

Figured.

“You got separated here?”

“Well… we were heading to a convenience store near school, but zombies spotted us. We got scattered while running, and I ended up here…”

“I see. How many were you with?”

“Three, including me…”

Hmm, looking for them now’s risky.

It’s about to pour.

If they were nearby, maybe, but searching for people with no clue where they are is tough.

“If it’s okay, I can drive you to the school. I know where it is.”

“Really!?”

“Your friends might’ve gone back there. I know I look sketchy like this…”

“No way! You fought so hard to save me! You’re a good person, ojisan!”

“R-really?”

“Really!”

What a sweet girl… I’m kinda touched.

Maybe humans aren’t all bad.

I almost left her to die… close call.

…But isn’t she too trusting?

I’m worried she’ll get scammed by some jerk in the future.

“Anyway, get in the truck. It’s gonna rain, and zombies might come back.”

“Yes! Thank you so much!”

I got in the driver’s seat, and she hesitantly climbed into the passenger side.

The truck’s small, but she’s petite, so there’s room.

“Um… I’m Ogahara Hina.”

Ugh, I wanted to stay the mysterious guy, but oh well.

“Thanks for the courtesy. I’m Tanakano Ichirouta. Nice to meet you, Ogahara-san.”

“Yes, Tanakano-san!”

I gave my real name.

It’s kinda weird, and I’m a bit self-conscious about it.

Ichirouta? Sounds like a Sengoku warlord’s childhood name.

My sister got a normal name—why, Mom and Dad?

Well, she’s about five billion times better than those idiot punks, so it’s fine to tell her.

…Wait, zero times anything is zero…

Thinking that, I hit the gas as the rain started.