TAOTB) Chapter 11) Hypocritical (Patreon)

The sounds of screams filled the building as monsters went floor to floor, killing those who did not want to put up a fight. The sounds of their screams made me smile. I wondered just how many of these people were part of those who hunted me down or parents of children who had hunted me down.

Do I feel bad for their deaths? Not in the slightest. I would rather them all die here and now than have to deal with them later on. I sat by the open door and looked over at Chloe, who was now sound asleep. She really had been pushing herself past her limits. 

“Hey…. Why are you just sitting there!?” A voice came from my side. I looked over to see a man standing there with his head poking out of the door. “You were killing the monsters just fine before. Why are you not helping others now?”

“Why the fuck should I help those who are not willing to help themselves?” I asked sarcastically. “If you want to help people so bad, go fucking kill the monsters yourself.” 

“You!” The man probably did not expect me to say anything like that, but what do I care? He pulled his head back into his house and closed the door. So much for all his bravado. He just wanted me to keep him safe. Like, I care whether he dies or not. I raised my hand and flicked my finger at his door. A small ball of fire about as big as my fist formed, shot forward, and slammed into the man’s door, blasting it to pieces. I then got up, walked into my own home, and closed the door. 

I have no idea why I was sitting in the hall. What’s the point of being a target? I would have kept this floor safe, but that man ruined my mood. Just the idea he wanted me to protect him and the others pissed me off. Why should I go out of my way to save people who would ultimately turn against me?

I scooped Chloe up into my arms and walked to the bedroom, where we had already set up things for our daily needs. I placed her on the bed and tucked her in. I had only just finished tucking her in when a pounding came on the door. I snorted and walked to the door, and looked out to see the man from before. 

I opened the door and looked at the man lazily. It seemed he had not turned into any other race. “What do you want now?”

“You destroyed my door!” The man yelled.

“Keep it down. My wife is sleeping. If you yell again, I will cut your head off to keep you quiet.” I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword and looked at him with cold eyes.

“Fine, then just kill me! You already destroyed my door!” The man yelled anyway. I  snorted and kicked him towards the wall. I guess I might have used a bit too much strength since he went flying through the wall and out, through the room behind it, and then through the outside wall, flying and falling to the street below. “Ah… Well… Shit happens.”

“Umm…” A small, weak voice filled my ears. I turned to see a young girl staring at me with fear in her eyes through the newly created hole. She looked about ten years old. 

“Come here.” I waved the little girl over. While I might be heartless to adults and heartless to kids, I do not see. If I see them, I can’t just let them die. “Come in and rest for a while. I will make sure no monsters get you.”

“Really?” The little girl’s eyes lit up. I nodded, and she quickly climbed through the wall. Not even a second later, a woman started to push her way through the wall as well. 

“What are you doing?” I asked the woman, who I guess was the child’s mother, as I let the little girl past me. 

“You said you would protect….” I quickly cut the woman off.

“I said I would protect the girl, not the mother. Children have more sense of understanding of the situation than a lady who wants to ride her daughter’s coattails. They are innocent to a point. Since I was the cause of creating the hole in her bedroom, I will protect her. As for you. Get the fuck out of here. Protect yourself.” I then closed the door without caring for the look in the woman’s eyes.

“My mother?” The girl looked up at me with tears in her eyes. I only shrugged and said: “You can stay here and be safe or go with her. You might still live through this if you go with her. But if you stay here, you will live.” 

The little girl shrank back. But she did not move from where she stood. She stared at the door for a second before squatting down and crying. I sighed once more before kneeling down and placing my hand on her head. “I know your mother never treated you well. I could hear her yelling from time to time. She was not a very nice person. But if you want, I can teach you how to protect yourself in this new world. Whether you want to live and grow stronger is up to you.”

I knew why the little girl did not leave and also why she was conflicted. Her mother was a royal bitch. I had seen her punch the little girl before, but I had always kept mum about it. But since she chose to stay, I will do what I can to allow her to live a good life. Whether this will come back to bite me in the ass later on is another story. All I can say is I am a hypocritical bitch myself sometimes.