----------- Carla's Point of View -------------
When I saw him for the first time in days, I was surprised to feel a sense of relief.
The same boy who had given me countless headaches for two years, that hurricane made flesh, had become the only constant in this ridiculous situation.
His mouth was still foul; his personality, worse; and his patience could only be measured in negative numbers.
He was still the exact same boy, the same incarnation of chaos. And that, in a world where everything changed from one minute to the next, was almost a miracle.
But the relief was short-lived. With Astrad, there's always tension.
["Astrad? You're Astrad, right?"] —I called out, though I already knew the answer.
After all, I know him well.
I don't dare say I know him better than anyone, but I'm definitely in the top 10.
And just as I expected, he pretended we didn't exist. Still, I insisted.
In reality, I didn't need to. I saw it in his eyes. Even if he pretends not to know me, he's definitely willing to let me join his incursion.
A mutual recognition born not of friendship, but of the involuntary cohabitation between a recurring inmate and his jailer.
The consequences of having been president of the disciplinary council for the same two years that this moron used our office as his personal room.
"Nya?"
["I've never seen them before, and don't look at them or they'll follow you."]
["Aren't you just admitting that you do remember us?"]
["Tsk."]
As always, terrible at lying. A person who speaks without filters never learns how to disguise the truth.
["Do you hate them that much?"]
["The rat kid has nothing to say about it. I'll be on my way. Don't see me and I won't see you."]
He said, but still gave a small signal with his chin. The meaning was clear: "we're leaving."
But as for my companions… They were not invited.
Then it happened.
As I was wondering how to convince him to take all of us, the first moron stepped up to reinforce Astrad's point.
["I see you're still as full of yourself as ever."]
I instinctively froze as the robust, familiar voice set off all the alarms in my head.
Roinel, a burly student who had taken on the role of the group's nominal leader, advanced towards Astrad with a dominant air, followed by his companions.
I could almost read, "See what I mean?" in Astrad's eyes.
And as they began to surround us, I knew this would end badly.
["Wait a minute."]
I wanted to intercede, but, as always, Astrad preferred efficiency.
"Pop."
["AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"]
He raised his rifle, and in an instant, the air was filled with screams.
Roinel, deprived of pain and his face turning blue, doubled over like a felled iron tower, his hands on his groin. The vibration of the impact was felt under my boots.
The shot was a clearer message than any speech.
And the reaction was immediate: the boys recoiled, the girls flinched. The tension transformed into obedience.
Not because anyone had "reasoned" anything, but because the violence had created a clear hierarchy in an instant. It disgusted me, but I understood it. Sometimes the truth of the world is uglier than any theory.
He's always been like this.
Contrary to what everyone believes, he's not the type of person to start physical confrontations for no reason or on a whim. But he doesn't run from them either. Nor does his hand tremble to use violence if he considers it the right answer.
He doesn't believe in cheap philosophies like "don't stoop to their level." He won't just stoop to your level; he'll beat the shit out of you right there, step on you, and then climb four levels higher to spit on you from above.
[[[[…]]]]
And as always, for better or for worse, his actions yielded the necessary result.
A principle as simple as it was effective: Confronting irrational violence with superior violence, without turning the other cheek, without trying to reach a consensus, without believing you're some messiah of reason come to save the barbarians from their ignorance.
His was a method of instant communication, with no double interpretations: The conviction to make a decision and the courage to face the consequences, whatever they may be.
"Nya…"
["Slander. The rat kid is the picture of eloquence. Don't you see how convinced he was by my argument?"]
And of course, as the tension became palpable, the one responsible for it all was as indifferent as ever.
No, it wasn't indifference. It was weariness.
Like the exasperation of a father who gets tired of explaining to his child that fire burns and finally decides to let him get burned to see if he'll learn.
["We're not looking for a fight."]
["And I'm not looking for a conversation. With that said, goodbye."]
And then there was me, who never learned… Still engrossed in helping as many people as I could. Once again, trying the impossible: to soften the catastrophe.
["The bridge is almost destroyed. There's only a small section left, barely wide enough for one person to pass."]
Instead of heeding his hints, I kept trying to find a way.
["And?"]
["I can give you all the information we've gathered. About the creatures in the area and the behavior of the light."]
So that this disobedient bastard prisoner.
["Police girl, how nice that you're okay. There's so much I want to talk about. Have a soda with the rat kid for old times' sake."]
Would cooperate for once.
.........…
.....................…
Ahhh, damn it…. Why does the world always have to show me its worst side?
["Ohh, what a peculiar group we have here."]
Why is this happening just when I had succeeded?
Everything was going so well. I got the idiot to help, even though I had to push the others a bit in the end.
[[hehehe]]
Ahhh, god… My only worry until a couple of weeks ago was university entrance exams and the resentment of not having experienced spring in my 17 years of life.
["Hey pretty thing, why don't you come have some fun?"]
["The kids can play over there in the meantime. We'll give them back later."]
And now I'm surrounded by a group of vulgar men who look like they're from one of those dystopian future movies.
["Maybe… It's not such a good idea to go with them…"]
Some of my classmates seem to be starting to understand the circumstances, and their faces turn pale. I'd like to say better late than never, but honestly, I don't have time for nonsense.
["The rat kid is wondering if he should cross and abandon them or go back and abandon them. The rat kid is hesitant."]
For some reason, the devil's voice becomes more and more convincing as this stupid apocalypse progresses.
["Could you give an option that doesn't include abandoning us?"]
["muu?"]
Still, I have to ask tentatively.
["We had a deal."]
["Tsk."]
And as expected, the only person who can do anything is fooling around.
["Fine, then go and spread your legs. I'll play around while I wait."]
[[...]]
["...You're… a 'Plan B'?"]
Someday I need to sit down with him and seriously talk about his defective sense of humor.
["Muu? It's the easiest option. The rat kid likes easy."]
["So, there are other options?"]
Even if there is an easy option, between dying and letting these pigs defile me, don't think there's a clear winner.
My first time must be with my ideal prince, and I'll have him or die a virgin trying.
["But they require effort from the rat kid. The rat kid saves energy. The rat kid is conscious, efficient consumption."]
["Make an effort, please make an effort. To hell with the planet."]
Ugh, I want to get tense about the situation, but this bastard won't let me. I don't know whether to thank him or hit him.
["AHAHAHAHAHA, Kid, you seem to have a head on your shoulders. What about the rest of you, you got heads too?"]
[[Hehehehe]]
The men laugh vulgarly as their apparent leader speaks.
The leader isn't particularly noteworthy in the group, nor does he seem the strongest, but he has an intimidating aura about him. He was probably the leader of these men even before this incident.
[[...]]
The members of our group don't speak. It's normal; we're in a terrifying situation. Some of the girls cling to their boyfriends, others can only tremble while casting pleading glances.
I technically belong to the second group, unfortunately. My pleading gaze is directed at the most obnoxious human being, who, instead of giving options, just keeps insisting with his eyes that we get out of here on our own.
Still, I can't blame him. The situation is a dead end.
And as I was thinking about what to do… I couldn't say if what happened next was unexpected or expected.
["I… I understand…"] —said Roinel, bowing his head.
["Wh-what are you saying…? No!"] —his girlfriend shouted instinctively, but he pushed her aside without looking at her.
["AHAHAHAHA, Good, we've got some good heads here."]
[[AHAHAHAHA]]
["Don't worry, pretty things."]
["We'll take good care of you, unlike your boyfriends."]
[[AHAHAHA]]
The gang members laugh at us as, one by one, the boys in my group step aside, abandoning us.
The girls can only watch wordlessly. There are no screams, maybe because of the shock and fear. Some collapsed in tears, and others had an accident.
["You guys, wait on that side. You can jerk off if you want, enjoy the view."]
At the leader's command, our companions walk to where they were told. Some shake their girlfriends, but none of them look at us… Only…
["Hey, you. Why aren't you moving?"] - The leader noticed the only boy who hadn't moved.
["The rat kid doesn't take orders,"] -Astrad replied, tapping the rifle against his shoulder.
[[...]]
That instant was an eternity. I could hear the hum of electricity in the cables above our heads, the dripping of water from a broken pipe, the irregular gasps of my companions. Everything was suspended, as if the world were waiting for the next line in an invisible script.
And everyone looked at him. In his eyes, there was no fear, no empathy, not even determination. Only a glacial indifference.
Yes… He is Astrad…
The strangest legend of our school.
A crazy bastard with a foul mouth, a sense of justice too rigid for his own good, and the courage to follow through to the bitter end for it.
To my misfortune, too much like my grandfather in the things I hate the most… And respect the most.