I think as of now I can no longer claim that it was the craziest thing ever in my life when I practically fell over Yibo and immediately kissed him as soon as he had entered my apartment for the first time back then. Our latest action had definitely outranked that. Now something completely new is at the top of the list.
One minute Yibo is telling me that he would definitely find a way into this huge mansion of presumably some celebrity, and the next minute he and I are climbing over an absurdly high gate onto the property, running up a driveway about 500 meters long to the house and around this fucking big house, only to climb up a thin drain pipe from the gutter to the top of the high roof and then enter the house through a narrow fireplace shaft.
When we finally got into this house, we were exhausted and looked like dirty pigs! But there was no time to shower, we had to find the key to the yacht!
As dirty as we were, we ran from one room to the next and soon lost track of which room we were already in. Because the house just had an overwhelming number of rooms that had probably never been used in their lives. They somehow all looked furnished the same and everywhere the owners were showing off their wealth by having gold plated decorations, faucets and even gold door knobs.
We had searched everything but couldn't find a key. There was not even a hint that the yacht belonged to the owner of this house. We knew we had to try the next house and we left immediately. This time, however, we left the house through the patio door, the only door with a key in it.
We had no choice but to run back down the long driveway to the gate and climb over that absurdly high gate again. Then we ran to the next lot, where we also faced another high gate. Yibo tried to open it by man power, but nothing moved. So we had to climb again.
Again it was a long driveway up to the house and then we stood there thinking, "Shit, not again!" Because we couldn't find any other access than over the roof and down the fireplace shaft. So much stress for a key! But what should we do? If we wanted to get out to sea, we had to find the key to one of the two yachts.
So we climbed back up onto the roof and into the house through the fireplace shaft. And? Well, we could have saved ourselves the trouble. The house was empty. And by empty, I mean there was nothing but dust and a few old cobwebs! So we had to go to the next house.
Knowing that we would only have at least an hour of daylight left, we got our car, which was still parked in front of the gate to the first house, and drove to the third house. The same as the other two houses awaited us. Climbing over an absurdly high gate, walking up a long driveway and entering the house over the roof and through the chimney shaft.
Unlike the previous two houses, this one had electricity. So Yibo opened the gate at a switchboard and went to get our car, after we also found a spare key for the front door in a key box. Just no key for a yacht!
We realized that we didn't have time to go to another house and look around, since daylight was already giving way to darkness. So we looked around the house and found a few cans of soups, sauces and even spaghetti and rice. There were also a huge number of different alcoholic drinks there. The evening was saved!
We went to shower in the house, the water was pitch black, put on clean clothes, cooked spaghetti with tomato sauce, drank a glass of wine with it and then went to sleep in one of the many bedrooms. For some reason, we felt so safe in the house that we slept really well. I fell asleep as soon as I got into bed. But maybe we were just so tired from all the climbing and running that we fell asleep immediately from exhaustion.
The next morning we immediately looked around from the terrace. But we found no evidence that any creatures had been there the previous night. We then had breakfast and went on to check the other four houses one by one. But the result remained the same, no key to any of the yachts.
Yibo assumed that the owners must have taken the keys with them or they always hired a captain who kept the keys with him. In the end, we don't know and could only make assumptions. So we had to find another way to be able to launch the yacht.
But for now, Yibo wanted us to rest in the house for another day or two and just look at the yacht for now and get our stuff there already. In addition, he would then also immediately look for a way to bring it to the launch even without a key. I agreed and since we were safe in the house at least for now, maybe it wasn't a bad idea to just rest and get familiar with the yacht first.
The next morning we drove up to the yacht. We got up to the yacht quite easily. But not to any room and not to the steering unit from where a captain normally steers the yacht. I think you can already tell here how little Yibo and I actually know about all this.
Since we don't want to destroy locks on the doors or windows on the yacht - after all, they also serve our protection, or rather are supposed to serve it - we first retreated back to our luxury house for the time being and thought about what we could do. In the meantime, we also had frequent contact with our parents, who are doing very well in the country.
Of course, they also wanted to know from us how we were getting on with our escape. They follow the media and watch all the reports, according to which the fighting in the city, or rather, in several cities is supposed to be fierce and the people hardly have a chance against the creatures. So they were relieved that we are long gone from the city and have a plan to go out to sea on this yacht.
And Yibo then explained to them our biggest problem. Yibo's father then told us that we had many more problems. Because these yachts, as beautiful as they are, are real gas guzzlers and we wouldn't get far without having to constantly go ashore somewhere and refuel. In addition, he explained to Yibo a little about the on-board technology of such a yacht and we realized that we had a good idea with the yacht, but would probably need a simple sailboat. But there was none of them on the beach.
So Yibo and I got into the car and drove around on the beach or rather in the vicinity. And the closer we came to the next harbor town, the closer we came to the fights, which now also took place during the day. Because these flying creatures are also active during the day and hunt their prey, the people.
Again and again we had to stop under tall dense trees and seek shelter when one of these flying monsters was near. We also saw these gray, hairless creatures lurking in the shadows of some alleys, ready to attack at any time. The port city looked like a war zone. And yet, according to our information, the creatures had invaded there only two days before.
We realized that this was probably the last trip to the harbor city and that we had to quickly find a sailboat and head out to the ocean.
As we passed a completely destroyed apartment building, Yibo suddenly told me to stop. I stopped and he jumped out of the car with a camping axe and ran toward the rubble of the house. He pushed some stones aside and then I saw what he had seen. A hand! I then jumped out of the car as well and ran to Yibo. Someone called out to us from under the rubble.
As quickly as we could, we pushed aside the chunks of stone, some of which were massive, and gradually freed the man who was buried underneath. Fortunately, he was not badly injured and only had a few lacerations on his head and hands. We practically dragged him behind us to the car as he stood horrified in front of the rubble of the house, not moving.
In the car, he thanked us and introduced himself to us as Liu Haikuan. He was, before all this started, a mechanic on a ship. Jackpot! We needed someone like him. He told us that he was actually just at home to get some things when suddenly something crashed into the house and exploded. Everything collapsed on him and he could only save himself under his table, which ultimately saved his life.
Haikuan told us that he found a sailboat in the harbor, which he wanted to take and sail out to sea with it. We were happy that he offered to take us with him as a thank you for our help. But before that he asked us for help again. Because his boyfriend was locked in a cellar nearby. The door had been damaged in an attack and wouldn't budge an inch, he had explained to us.
Since we needed Haikuan, we finally agreed to help him and let him describe us the way. When we arrived at the house where his boyfriend was stuck in the basement, we swallowed hard. Because one of those flying creatures was outside the house, scratching at the front door with its sharp claws.
We didn't have much time to think about anything, because we knew it would soon be dark and then the other creatures would come out of the shadows and attack us. They were already lying in wait for us and had been watching us ever since we drove into the harbor town. But what should we do?
While Yibo and I were trying to think of a plan, Haikuan suddenly jumped out of the car and ran toward the creature. Yibo grabbed his little axe and followed him. And when I also jumped out of the car and was about to run to them, suddenly there was this elf-like big creature standing in front of me, staring me right in the eyes.
In shock, I stood there, unable to do anything or call for help. Then the creature grabbed me by the shoulder, pulled me closer and sniffed me. It made a strange sound, as if it liked what it smelled.
I was so close to it that I could feel its body heat. I was only a few inches away from his muscular body. His long white hair fluttered in the wind and brushed my face. In a raspy voice and with a great deal of effort, he said to me, "Stay here." Then he pushed me back against the car and walked with big steps toward Yibo and Haikuan.
Only when he was there did I see that he had a silver spear. He pushed the two aside, who were already in the middle of a fight with the flying creature. Then he grabbed the creature by the chin, tugged on it, and plunged his spear into the creature's chest, which gasped as it flapped its huge wings. But this did not impress the elf-like creature. He only thrust his spear further into the monster's chest.
Meanwhile, Haikuan had entered the house and Yibo followed him. I still stood by the car, unable to move, watching the unequal battle between the two creatures.
Then, when the flying creature suddenly slumped and lay motionless on the ground, the elf-like creature came back to me. His face, his whole body was covered with blood. He stood in front of me, pressed his spear into my hand and grumbled out a, "Keep it.".
"Why did you help me?" I asked him.
He tilted his head as if trying to understand the question in this way. Then he groaned out, "You smell gooood."
"I smell good?"
"Yes. Like frrrriend."
"I smell like a friend? But..."
"Go back. Hide! Not safe!"
"I know. But my friends are still in the house. They're trying to free another friend. Can you help them? You're strong, aren't you?"
"Not my frrrriends."
"But I am your friend. And as a friend, I'm asking you."
He bent out toward me, blood dripping from his body onto me. He sniffed me, stroked my face with his big hand and pulled me to him again. I didn't resist because I was afraid he would then no longer consider me a friend. Then he pinched my neck with his teeth and I felt him run his tongue over the small bite wound.
I was horrified and slowly panicked again. Then he bit his wrist and blood dripped out of the wound. He pressed his bleeding wound to my mouth and said, "Drrrrink. Make you strrrrong."
His blood ran into my mouth and tasted metallic. I felt like I was going to throw up, but managed to hold it back. "Why?" I asked him after he finally let go of me again.
"I'm prrrrotecting you. You'rrrre getting strrrrong!"
"But..." I began, suddenly feeling a burning pain in my stomach. "What is it?" I whined as I held my stomach which was hurting more and more.
"You'rrrre getting strrrrong! You my frrrriend! I prrrrotect frrrriend! No one kill you!" He said.
The next moment I heard shouting from Yibo, "Zhan... damn... Zhan!!!" He yelled. The creature stroked my face once more and ran away. I looked at Yibo who came running out of the house with Haikuan and his friend and lost consciousness.