4 4 301 Shortly after the main troop has evacuated, the ground quakes and reverberates due to some sort of explosion.
5 5 301 After the deafening noises fade away, the world goes quiet for another half a minute before the footsteps of a horde of Hetero-Creatures come from somewhere nearby.
6 6 301 They do not seem to notice the people hiding in the basement. Instead, they go straight across the conservation area and head for where the explosion took place.
7 7 301 AniZhuanchangBegin The footsteps continue for more than half an hour. Then, a few more loud bangs come from the distance.
9 9 301 AniZhuanchangEnd Trapped in the basement, the elders and the boy have no way of knowing what is going on out there. But they notice the Central Purification Filter has started glowing red after the footsteps of those Hetero-Creatures disappeared.
10 10 301 No one can tell what the red indicators meant. They only know something has stopped working.
11 11 301 Then, the malfunctioning Central Purification Filter starts sending in thick mists of the Punishing Virus instead of breathable air. It is no longer safe to hide underground.
12 12 301 The old woman helps Cali return to the surface, but then returns to where they were half an hour later.
13 13 201 1 500251 -400
14 14 201 2 500294 400
15 15 301 1 Old Lady All I saw out there was the Red Tide. They are like mud scattered everywhere on the surface. Some were even buried in pits. 1
16 16 301 She points at her leg. The part of her body below the ankles, covered in Red Tide, has started to fester.
17 17 301 Old Lady The pits are even deeper further out. We're trapped here. 1
18 18 301 Distressed, she sighs and sits on a stretcher. She cannot move her attention away from Cali.
19 19 301 Old Lady Old man, try to rest. 1
20 20 301 Cali ...Ouch... 2
21 21 301 Old Lady I know. I'm hurting too. I stepped into Red Tide just to find you a path forward. My legs are festering now. I'm afraid my time is coming soon. 1
22 22 301 Old Lady Rest now. When you wake up, the pain will have gone away. 1
23 23 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Trembling, Cali nods and lies on the empty stretcher.
27 27 301 It has been 5 hours after the main troop evacuated.
28 28 301 Judging by how fast they traveled last time, they have to be well on their way back.
29 29 301 At the thought of this, Stanley smiles. He raises his hand to rub Matches' head in an attempt to keep hunger at bay by feeling its soft touch.
30 30 301 The old woman sitting not very far away lifts up her pants and reveals a pair of legs that have been completely corroded by the Punishing Virus.
31 31 301 Before Liv leaves, she leaves behind two serums and a can from their scarce resources.
32 32 301 The three struggle to decide how to distribute these supplies, and eventually give the can to Stanley and let the old couple have the serums.
33 33 301 But Stanley doesn't open the can immediately. He plans to save this precious supply until the very last.
34 34 201 1 500411
35 35 301 1 Stanley ... 1
36 36 301 Now that the supplies have been distributed, the boy leaves the two elders and goes into the room next door for some sleep.
37 37 202 1 1
38 38 301 AniZhuanchangBegin As Cali falls asleep, the old woman still has her eyes wide open, seeming to be reminiscing something.
41 41 301 It has been 10 hours after the main troop evacuated.
42 42 301 Even dressed in the protective suit, Stanley can still feel the open wounds on her legs festering very quickly.
43 43 301 He doesn't know where to find a device to assess the concentration of the Punishing Virus. But judging by the purulence coming out of his wounds, he can roughly come up with an estimate.
44 44 201 1 500269 -200
45 45 201 2 500422 100
46 46 301 1 Stanley How much longer will they take...? 1
47 47 301 Judging by their speed last time, they should have returned here by now. But so far, they have heard nothing.
48 48 301 "Perhaps they are traveling slower this time because there are more people." Stanley tries to calm himself.
49 49 301 Stanley The people in City 044... 1
50 50 301 Before they left on foot, Stanley heard Liv mention the CPF of City 044 also malfunctioned.
51 51 301 But he believes Liv and Gray Raven will repair the Central Purification Filter. And he also believes what she said, that by planning "a safety route", they can stay away from the Red Tide.
52 52 301 But he is not sure whether he can find such a safety route himself.
53 53 301 Is the Punishing Virus in City 044 as dense as it is here?
54 54 301 He keeps thinking about these two questions, but so far he can only find a negative answer to them both.
55 55 301 Her legs ache as time goes by. He has to rip and pull at the sheet and pillow to distract himself from the pain.
56 56 301 Matches (Whimpers) 2
57 57 301 Worried, Matches keeps licking Stanley's hand, which keeps a firm grip on the pillow. This would have brought Stanley peace of mind, but the same trick does not work so well this time.
58 58 301 Nevertheless, he tries his best to raise his trembling hand and take Matches into his arms.
59 59 301 Stanley ...I'm glad you are okay. How I wish humans were just like animals. You carry the Punishing Virus... but you are not affected by it. 1
60 60 301 Stanley It's okay. I am sure I'll get better. Liv said so herself. She will return. 1
61 61 301 Matches ...Woof. 2
62 62 301 Tears stream down Stanley's face and drop on Matches' head, but the tears stop rolling down from there. Instead, the dog's fur sucks the tears dry. It is as if the dog stops the pain.
63 63 301 Stanley I will get better... 1
64 64 301 He struggles to put a smile on his face, and takes out the pen and paper the other boy gave him.
65 65 301 Stanley If I could realize my wishes... 1
66 66 301 Stanley ...I want to... leave this place... and find freedom... 1
67 67 301 Knowing it will end up in vain, he dares to dream all the same. In the corner of this paper that "makes wishes come true", he draws a pair of simple wings.
68 68 301 Stanley Take me to the sky... across and beyond the Red Tide... 1
69 69 301 Like a drowning person holding onto his life-saving straw, he thickens the lines of that pair of wings.
70 70 301 Stanley Together with my Matches... away from this place... to somewhere we belong... 1
71 71 202 1 2 1
72 72 301 However, tormented by hunger, agony, and the Punishing Virus, he struggles to see the wings clearly no matter how hard he thickens those lines.
73 73 301 In a trance, Stanley notices a series of crimson pearls drop on the pair of wings and blossom like a flower of despair.
77 77 301 After nightfall, the surface, now painted in red, is as dark and silent as the basement.
78 78 301 After 15 hours of waiting, there is still no news bringing hope from outside the gate of this conservation area.
79 79 301 Cali awakes several hours later in a daze. He approaches his partner and taps on her shoulder, but realizes she is as cold as ice.
80 80 201 1 500294
81 81 301 1 Cali ...Lina... 1
82 82 301 He struggles to pronounce her name, but this ice-cold body will no longer respond to his call.
83 83 301 Cali ... 1
84 84 301 Time is always one step ahead. He couldn't even say goodbye before she went gently into that good night.
85 85 301 In the dim light, the old man caresses her wrinkled skin and the festering wounds as if he is combing back through his memories and trying to recall the Lina he remembers.
86 86 301 They spent a long time together. Illness and aging took away many of his memories, but the remaining ones are all whispering the same name.
87 87 301 Cali ...Lina... Lina... 1
88 88 301 With tears in his eyes, he looks at the woman named Lina and holds her cold hands with his rough ones before leaning against her.
89 89 301 Cali Wait for me... We'll go back home together... 1
90 90 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Hunger, cancer, infection, aging... With these as his tickets to heaven, he will surely follow in her wife's footsteps very soon.
94 94 301 The cozy breeze travels across this land ravaged by disasters as the light of dawn shines.
95 95 301 But this beautiful view does not bode well for the boy who suffers from his festering wounds. The only thing keeping the pain at bay for him is the night when he is asleep.
96 96 301 It has been 24 hours since the main troop evacuated. The hopeless people waiting in this basement still receive no news from the outside world.
97 97 201 1 500269 -200
98 98 201 2 500423 100
99 99 301 1 Stanley ...What could have happened to them...? 1
100 100 301 Stanley Or... have they decided to abandon us...? 1
101 101 301 For the next few hours, he tries to fall asleep again many times, but time and time again he is awakened by pain or hunger.
102 102 301 He struggles to get out of bed, but realizes he is too weak to do so.
103 103 301 Stanley ... 1
104 104 301 Stanley Many people left with them... It would be bad... if anything happened to them... 1
105 105 301 Stanley But I... I think I'm okay with that... After all... I never enjoy living... 1
117 117 301 1 In a trance, he recalls what Liv once asked him. But the memory is soaked in a sea of nothingness and hard to recollect.
118 118 301 He only remembers that, before this ever-lasting, desperate night arrived, he thought he was not afraid of illness or death because of the pain he had suffered.
119 119 301 Stanley ...What did I say? 1
120 120 301 Struggling to recollect the fragmented pieces of his memories, the boy curbs his body, fighting hard to resist the insurmountable pain. The festering wounds torment both his body and his soul.
121 121 202 1 2 1
122 122 301 ...If life is so painful, he might as well embrace death...
123 123 301 But what if he could break free from the suffering and live somewhere peacefully without pain?
124 124 201 1 500269 -200
125 125 201 2 500423 100
126 126 301 Stanley ...No, that's impossible... 1
127 127 301 He tries to convince himself, but deep down, he still wants to give it a try.
128 128 201 2 500422 100
129 129 301 1 Matches Woof! 2
130 130 301 When all hope is lost, Stanley hears a sound coming from the gate of this basement. It seems someone is approaching.
131 131 301 AniZhuanchangBegin Stanley ...They're back! 1
133 133 301 AniZhuanchangEnd After hours of waiting, this glimpse of hope is like the injection of adrenaline, giving him enough power to fight off the physical pain and fatigue and struggle to stand up. Excited and happy, he staggers to find the old couple sleeping next door.
134 134 301 Stanley ...Cali... They are back! 1
135 135 301 Stanley Cali...? 1
136 136 201 2 500423 100
137 137 301 1 Matches (Whimpers) 2
138 138 301 Stanley notices the old couple not moving. Confused, he takes two steps forward and tries to tap on his shoulder, but realizes his face is pale white.
139 139 301 Stanley ... 1
140 140 301 He tries to resuscitate them, just like how an adult would do, but realizes their bodies have long grown cold and stiff.
141 141 301 He slightly lifts up their clothes and sees their skins have turned into the festered Red Tide.
142 142 301 ...Just like the wounds on his body.
143 143 301 Stanley Matches... Even they are... 1
144 144 301 Matches ... 2
145 145 301 Stanley It's okay. Even if we are the only ones left... we will make it out of this place... 1
146 146 301 His clothes are stuck to his sticky, coagulated purulence and blood. The slightest pull at the clothes brings him indescribable pain.
147 147 301 AniZhuanchangBegin But to find hope that lies beyond the sealed gate, he holds his cane firmly and heads for the outside world.
149 149 301 AniZhuanchangEnd With a deep, loud noise, the sealed gate opens.
150 150 301 The morning breeze carries a stench that floods the basement, heralding how he will find no salvation in the outside world.
151 151 301 What was the sound that he heard? And where did it come from? Was it the wind and ruins making the noises, or was his mind playing tricks on him?
152 152 301 Stanley Where are you?! 1
153 153 301 Mustering all his strength, he cries. The shout echoes through the wasteland of this conservation area. Eventually, only wind answers his call.
154 154 301 Stanley ...It must still be near, right? 1
155 155 301 Stanley The others are not back yet, but it just might be a Scavenger who accidentally trespassed this area... 1
156 156 301 AniZhuanchangBegin The boy does not want to give up hope. He takes a step forward and leaves the people sleeping forever in that basement as he starts climbing and searching.
160 160 301 He leaves the basement and searches the entire conservation area. But even now that he has reached the top of this building, there is not a single soul in sight.
161 161 301 It has been 28 hours since the main troop left.
162 162 201 1 500269 -200
163 163 201 2 500422 100
164 164 301 1 Stanley ...No one is coming back. 1
165 165 301 Stanley Everyone is dead. 1
166 166 301 Having lost all hope, he lies prone on the top of this building and looks down at its central courtyard below. He wants to cry, but there are no tears left to be shed.
167 167 301 Stanley ...Take me away from this place, please... 1
168 168 301 To search in this building that isn't very spacious, he has spent 4 hours moving around. With every step he takes, the wounds pain him. He has run out of stamina. There is no way he can return the way he came.
169 169 301 For more than a month, he and Matches have never had a proper meal. It is not just him. Even Matches has run out of strength and lies flat on the floor.
170 170 301 To most Scavengers, 28 hours is nothing but time that passes in the twinkling of an eye. It was like that to Stanley once.
171 171 301 But having been tormented by a month of hunger and illness, 24 hours of suffering and 4 hours of seeking are enough to nearly kill him.
172 172 301 The boy is on the verge of death. Silent, he looks at the can in his hand. That is his hope.
173 173 301 Stanley Will things start getting better if Matches and I eat this now? 1
174 174 301 The answer to that is no.
175 175 301 A half-full can will not bring back strength or heal wounds. The fact will not change: he is trapped on the top of a building in the conservation area, and there is no way he can walk all the way back.
176 176 301 Before long, he will be affected by the Punishing Virus. His body will fester and he will meet his end here.
177 177 301 To him, eating is pointless now. He might as well save it for another creature that needs it more.
178 178 301 The boy has made up his mind. He opens the can and places it in front of Matches.
179 179 301 Stanley Come... You can have it. 1
180 180 301 Watching as Matches chows down the food, he finds a smile on his face.
181 181 301 "Why am I still smiling?" He thinks to himself. Is it because the situation has improved? Of course not. This boy is smiling... because he sees Matches happy.
182 182 301 That alone brings peace to his mind.
183 183 301 Stanley Sorry... I couldn't find any supplies to feed you sooner... 1
184 184 301 He looks up to the sky through that pair of wings he drew on the paper. Some memories previously blurred to him are becoming clearer.
185 185 301 "I need Matches by my side. He's the only thing keeping me going."
186 186 301 "If I ever run out of supplies, I'll abandon myself—not Matches."
187 187 301 Stanley ... 1
188 188 301 Stanley ...I remember now. I remember what I told Liv... 1
189 189 301 Putting the paper back into his pocket, he grasps the delusional fantasy.
190 190 301 Stanley ...Matches... I'm happy I still have a can left for you. 1
191 191 301 Stanley ...So... 1
192 192 301 He has no regrets.
193 193 301 In his mind, the boy, nearing his death, grows a pair of wings on his back.
194 194 301 Stanley I'm leaving this place to soar in the sky. 1
195 195 301 Matches Woof! 2
196 196 301 Stanley Sorry, I cannot take you with me... Will you hate me for that? 1
197 197 201 2 500423
198 198 301 1 Matches ... 2
199 199 301 Stanley If you don't answer me, I'll take that as a no. Forgive me. 1
200 200 301 Stanley ...I'm sorry. 1
201 201 301 He struggles to stand up and slowly moves closer to the edge of the building.
202 202 301 Stanley ...Do you think... they are ever coming back? 1
203 203 301 Matches ... 2
204 204 301 Stanley I hope they do. But at the same time, I fear they might run into the Red Tide that surrounds this conservation area. 1
205 205 301 With his every movement, those festering wounds being pulled and torn bring insufferable pain, but he doesn't stop.
206 206 201 2 500422
207 207 301 1 Matches Woof! 2
208 208 301 Stanley If they do return... and realize there is no one left here, will they be sad? 1
209 209 201 2 500423
210 210 301 1 Matches (Whimper) 2
211 211 202 2
212 212 203 1 0.25
213 213 301 Stanley I guess I won't live long enough to find out... 1
214 214 301 He shakes his head to shake off the meaningless thoughts. But still, he decides to leave a message on the back of that paper.
215 215 301 Stanley I don't know if I'm writing it right... If only I had more time to learn. 1
216 216 202 1 1
217 217 301 With this little regret, he puts this paper scribbled with a barely intelligible message into the cleanest pocket of his shirt.
218 218 201 1 500390 -600 -550 550
219 219 201 2 500269 400
220 220 301 1 Stanley I'm leaving now, Matches. 2
221 221 301 Matches (Whimpers) 1
222 222 301 Stanley Stay strong and live. Even if you have to eat my body to survive, do it. 2
223 223 301 Stanley This is all I can do for you. 2
224 224 201 1 500388 -600 -550 550
225 225 301 1 Matches Woof...! Woof! 1
226 226 203 1 0.25 -400
227 227 203 2 0.25 700
228 228 202 1 2 1
229 229 301 He spreads the wings in his mind and, like a bird longing for freedom, he embraces the sky and looks up to chase the sunlight.
230 230 301 Stanley I'm sorry... See you in the next life...
231 231 301 AniZhuanchangBegin The boy jumps off the building.
235 235 301 AniZhuanchangEnd ...But as expected, a pair of spiritual wings cannot take flight.
236 236 301 The boy quickly falls to the ground and hits a pile of empty boxes.
237 237 301 If it was in a scripted story, his pain would have stopped right then and there. But reality doesn't have such mercy on him.
238 238 301 The pieces of scraps in those boxes have delayed his death. Grim Reaper didn't come to collect his soul and take away his pain as quickly as he thought.
239 239 301 He tries to move his body, but he is no longer in control. Now, all he can do is wait and see how things unfold.
240 240 301 The first thing he notices is the sound of flowing liquid.
241 241 301 Unlike the sound of raindrops falling on the ground or water streaming out of a tube, this is more like when you break a bottle and the milk inside starts leaking out. Though there isn't much difference, he can still tell the liquid is thicker than water. It is most likely his blood.
242 242 301 Later on, numbness and pain start seeping through his limbs and eating away his consciousness. When the feeling of pain fills his limbs, Stanley finally realizes he no longer has enough strength to shout.
243 243 301 Death... has never been just a number or name on a list of victims. It is a body that carries the weight of both the past and future, experiencing unimaginable pain as the mind gets ground to dust.
244 244 301 The agony of fractured limbs becomes almost eternal. Each drop of blood takes years to fall onto the ground.
250 250 301 His voice is muffled by the blood as it turns into bubbling noises.
251 251 301 His heart is ravaged by pain. Had he known this would be so tormenting, would he still choose to take his own life this way?
252 252 301 Death has never been easy. It is not a simpler way out.
253 253 301 Stanley Do I... regret this...?
254 254 301 Before this day, he had witnessed many people's death.
255 255 301 Many refugees would tell themselves, "The worst that can happen is death."
256 256 301 He remembers, when he passed by the conservation area, a conservation worker wearing glasses mentioned a term: Sustained Suicide Fantasy.
257 257 301 He said the thought might look pessimistic and negative, but it could help people find a way "out," and in that process, also find a little bit of courage to carry on.
258 258 301 Except that it isn't really a way "out." Once you step into it, things become a downward spiral.
259 259 301 The boy is being tormented by extreme pain that continues to attack his mind and soul. His throat cannot shout, so instead, his heart bleeds and wails and screams for him.
260 260 301 As it happens, a question to himself becomes clearer.
261 261 301 ...Will death really free me?
262 262 502 RImgBg1Shake
263 263 505 300 RImgBg1Shake
264 264 504 0.6
265 265 301 Stanley ...No...
266 266 301 An old man once told him that freedom was the ability to run free even when you were burdened with shackles.
267 267 301 If a man gives up life to chase freedom, he is but a slave of his desire, forced to give up on himself.
268 268 301 Every inch of his body is in pain and protesting his foolish decision. The agony is pulling at his mind, begging him to stand up and save himself.
269 269 301 ...So, did all this happen because he made a wrong choice?
270 270 301 Stanley ...No...
271 271 301 He struggles and utters the same answer he had given to so many questions.
272 272 301 From the very beginning, he thought about the possibility. The main troop might not return.
273 273 301 But even so, Stanley doesn't regret giving another person a chance to evacuate.
274 274 301 Stanley My regret is that...
275 275 301 Since he was born, he has suffered much pain and failed many people. All of it makes an idea very clear.
276 276 301 If he had a choice, he didn't wish to be born into this world.
277 277 301 This regret planted a seed in his mind that has been growing ever since, which is why he has always put others before himself.
278 278 301 But no matter how much he regrets this life, he cannot deny his existence. So, this child who resents and despises life so much, knowing death isn't a way out and that there is a heavy price to pay, has no choice but to face his tragic ending all the same.
279 279 301 "People who have not experienced love will spend their lives looking for substitutes."
280 280 301 This child, abandoned time and time again, has always wanted to prove somehow that he doesn't always have to be left behind.
281 281 301 Now that he has felt the pain and loneliness of pain, he finally understands the value of life. And he is more certain than ever that he has no regrets.
282 282 301 Stanley ...This is all I ever wish for...
283 283 301 Suffering the pain that is tearing him apart, the boy finds his answer and starts praying.
284 284 301 And when all the blood has escaped, the body becomes frozen in time.
285 285 301 Stanley ...
286 286 504 0.9
287 287 301 Though it was only a brief moment, Stanley felt it strongly.
288 288 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin ...His soul went through the ground and learned how to fly.
