[ Chapter 7 - New encounters ] 

Once Denma retreated from his cell, he was struck by memories of the past whilst looking down from the second floor to the dinner tables.

[ Denma ] "I was once beat senseless in that corner."

He glanced to the right corner under the balcony, where the entry way for the guards are located.

[ Denma ] "Extorted."

He glanced to the left corner under the balcony, where the bath's are located.

Denma closed his eyes and sighed with a faint smile while holding onto the railing.

[ Denma ] "At least, I have my memories of the future."

Denma's face frowned upon seeing a known bully at the dinner table below him.

[ Gerald ] You good brother?

Gerald seemed worried that Denma kept quietly murmuring under his nose while frowning.

He approached Denma from behind while patting his back.

Denma shook his head.

[ Denma ] I just hope there are no asshole's in this place.

Gerald's smile beamed upon hearing Denma's remark.

[ Gerald ] I wouldn't act like this if you didn't remind me of my deceased little brother!

Gerald's smile seemed to slowly faint.

[ Denma ] "Is that the reason why he had protected me in my past life?"

Denma's face slowly dimmed with realization of his past life's actions as he stared at the ground with a blank face.

[ Denma's memory ]

A city full of debris with dark clouds hovering the sky, Gerald and Denma are both out in the open.

[ Denma ] Gerald, take your shit and leave them behind!

Denma screamed at Gerald who is trying to rescue a family of three: one teenager, one father and one dog.

Gerald become more panicked as he tried to lift up the heavy father from the ground.

[ Teenager ] Dad, dad!

The teenagers crying only made Gerald's attempt of rescue even harder as a horde of undead were coming their way.

Denma stood in the front, ready to make a run for it if the undead came any closer.

[ Father ] Leave me, It's my fault for not taking care of my health, but please, I beg of you, take my children.

The father glanced at the teenager and the dog who was growling at the undead.

[ Teenager ] Dad, we can still make it!

The teenager sobbed while muttering his muffled words at the father.

The father let out a tear while looking at the ground.

[ Gerald ] I am not leaving any of you behind-

Gerald felt a shove on his arm.

It was Denma, he dared not to stare in Gerald's face, he was afraid to see the look Gerald would give him.

[ Denma ] We don't have any more time, go!

Denma shouted while gritting his teeth and pulling Gerald along with him.

[ Gerald ] Please, let me help them!

[ Undead horde ] *Groaning*

The undead horde grew close, while Gerald struggled to break away from Denma's hand.

[ Father ] No, please, at least take my son wi-

The father fell silent; he was bitten in the neck by an undead.

[ Teenager ] No!

The tears filled the teenager's eyes as he and the dog got swarmed by the undead.

The family of three got devoured before Gerald's eyes as he was running away with Denma.

Gerald gritted his teeth and ran with Denma, because he understood that the situation was hopeless.

Denma's eye's became red, small tears made their way down Denma's face, his nose red full of snot.

Denma closed his eyes and ran full force with Gerald in hand.

[ Denma's memory end ] 

[ Inmate ??? ]  Who the fuck are you staring at!

An inmate shouted down below at the second floor, snapping Denma back into reality.

Denma looked around confused and then looked down.

It was Bill who shouted, the meanest bully in the prison.

[ Bill ] You fucker, come down from the second floor and kneel!

Bill pointed at Denma, who was leaning against the railing on the second floor.

Denma looked at Bill who was pissed off to no means end.

[ Denma ] Who do you think you are, fucker?

Denma grinned while staring at Bill who was confused by the reaction.

[ Bill ] You talkin' to me?

Bill smiled and stared at everyone around him, forcing them to laugh.

[ Gerald ] What's so funny?

Gerald came and stood near Denma with a straight posture while crossing his arms and gleaning down at Bill who got scared of Gerald's huge size.

[ Bill ] "Is that the grim reaper?!"

Bill's eyes exclaimed his shock at the event of a huge inmate appearing near a new inmate he had set his eyes on.

[ Denma ] I dare you to try something, Bill.

Denma made a smug face while he stared at Bill.

[ Bill ] Don't think that I am afraid of you!

Bill was pissed at the remark of Denma's.

[ Denma ] Brother, let's make our way down.

Gerald nodded.

Denma and his new found brother turned to their left and went towards the stairs that led down to the first floor, where Bill was located at, other inmates too.

The inmates on the stairs made way for Gerald, they dared not to stare at Gerald's face, but they dared to stare at Denma with angry eyes.

Denma ignored them and continued on to the first floor and came up near Bill who was standing on the dinning table.

Denma looked up at Bill.

[ Gerald ] Sit, fucker.

Gerald got up close and personal with Bill, intimidating him with all he got while restraining his primordial senses to fight.

Bill looked down with clenched fists.

[ Bill ] 'Who do you think you are?'

Bill whispered.

[ Gerald ] Repeat it.

Gerald clenched his fists.

[ Bill ] I said, who do you think you are, you bitch!

Bill smacked Gerald in the chin while shouting.

Gerald stumbled back while covering his face with his huge arms.

Denma quickly ran to Gerald's left side and did an upper-cut on Bill's chin.

Denma grabbed Bill's shirt and pulled him towards himself, making Bill fall on the ground face first.

[ Bill ] Ugh!

Bill struggled to stand up, he shook ferociously.

Gerald stomped on Bill's back, making him cough up blood.

Bill's mouth and teeth were bloodied.

Gerald applied more force to his leg and pressed Bill even harder.

[ Bill ] Stop, stop!

Bill shouted, luckily for him the guards heard the commotion and ran over to diffuse the situation.

[ Guard #??? ] Get off of him!

The guard pulled his taser and held it pointed at Gerald.

Gerald put up his arms and backed away while other guards rushed in and took away the inmate called 'Bill'.

[ Guard #??? ] State your name!

The guard interrogated Gerald for his name to deal with him later.

[ Gerald ] It's Gerald, but you should know that it was him who started it.

Gerald stared at the guard with a bloody chin and emotionless eyes.

The guard felt the sharp tingling sensation nn the back of his spine warning him of danger.

The guard backed away because of it, but he did not take his eyes from Gerald.

[ Guard #??? ] Put your hands out, and if you dare to move, I will taze you!

Gerald put both of his hands out and let the guard place the cuffs on him.

[ Denma ] I'll see you soon brother.

Denma stared at his brother's back as he walked away.

[ ??? ] Get your grub!

Old lady shouted, grabbing the attention of every inmate.

Denma went to the old lady and got his plate of 'grub', with a long line forming behind him.

Denma turned back and headed to an empty dinning table and sat there, alone.

Any inmate that came close and took notice of Denma's existence, quickly backed away to another table.

As Denma prepared to take a bite, he sniffed the weird looking food first.

[ Denma ] "Wow, this still smells like rubbish."

He put a spoonful of food into his mouth while closing his eyes.

[ Denma ] "Yuck!"

Denma shed a tear while chewing the food.

[ ??? ] The food sucks here, doesn't it?

An inmate came by and sat down at his table.

Denma, wondering who he was opened his eyes despite the food still being inside his mouth.

The figure of the inmate was also familiar: yellow bleached hair, orange clothes, a sharp face.

Denma remembered who he was.

[ Denma ] "Cole!"

[ Cole ] What is it, why are you staring at me like that?

Cole seemed confused at Denma's reaction that it made Cole misunderstand.

[ Cole ] So you'd know, I don't swing 'that' way.

Cole leaned back from Denma in disgust.

[ Denma ] Woah, woah, woah, me neither, don't get any strange ideas!

Denma got flustered at the misunderstanding that was accidentally caused by him that he choked on his food.

Cole quickly came by Denma's side and started rubbing his back while Denma coughed the food out.

After Denma finished coughing he looked at Cole with exhausted eyes.

[ Denma ] So you'd know, I don't swing 'that' way either.

Cole froze upon hearing the same words he once repeated come out of the same strangers mouth.

[ Cole ] Pfahaha!

Cole quickly started laughing and wiping his tears upon hearing the same phrase used on him.

[ Denma ] Hahahah!

Denma also joined Cole, because he knew who he is and what his personality is like.

[ Denma ] "He's such a dumbass, he can't even handle his own jokes thrown at him!"

Both of the inmates laughed until an alarm was used to alarm everyone inside the prison for an upcoming catastrophe.