Be Careful What You Wish For: A Zombie Apocalypse
Chapter 102: The Best Fighter

Chapter 102: The Best Fighter

Soon after Rip had left, the asshole who had gotten me with the cattle prod reappeared in front of me.

I briefly wondered if Rip had left because he knew he was coming and didn’t want to get caught with Wang Tian Mu or if it was just a coincidence.

"You look different," muttered the asshole, his head cocked to the side as he stared at me. "Are you sure you’re the same one as before?"

Was he seriously asking that right now?

"Maybe you didn’t see me properly the first time around," I growled, not impressed. "Because if I found a way to escape this cage, I can promise you, I’m not going to go back into it any time soon."

The guard took a moment to think about what I said before nodding his head. "Must have seen wrong the first time around.

It was official; the inmates were guarding the madhouse.

"You will have a choice for how you are going to earn your food," sighed the man as if he was contractually obligated to go through the rules and regulations of this place. I was pretty sure that we weren’t going to sue them for any breach of regulations.

Even if we could, I think I would much rather take my pound of flesh than take them to a court of law.

If those things were still around.

He raised an eyebrow at me as a maggot wriggled around his open wound. "Well?" he demanded, his pen poised over his clipboard as if he was going to write down my response.

"You never gave me my options," I answered him. Sure, Rip had told me, but that guy didn’t count. If this guy, this Reaver, was going to go by the books, he needed to tell me my options.

"Fight or fuck," shrugged the man. "Your choice."

"I’ll fight," I announced, only to hear Wang Tian Mu sucking in a breath as if she was surprised that I would pick that.

There was no way I was fucking. I wouldn’t have anyone else touch me in that way ever again. And if it came down to my death or theirs, then I would fight.

The Reaver’s pen hovered in midair as if he, too, was surprised at my choice. "Really?" he asked, turning his head so that he was staring at me from the side. "You want to join the rings?"

"I assume that was what you meant by fighting," I nodded. "I have a bad habit of killing people who touch me. I don’t think you want that type of reputation at your fine establishment."

Okay, so I have technically only killed one person who had touched me like that, but I was sure that I could easily develop the habit.

"Your funeral," shrugged the guard. "Here are the rules for the rings. We’ll let you out of your cage for your fight and your fight only. Each fight is to the death. Even if you refuse to kill your opponent, the zombies will finish him off. There are no second chances, no do-overs. The more money you bring in, the more money you will get when you leave Camp Hell."

Nodding my head, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. Was anyone really stupid enough to think that they were going to see any money from these fights? There was no way we were leaving Camp Hell alive, let alone with a pocket full of money.

"That’s amazing!" I squealed happily when the guard looked like he was expecting a different reaction to his statement than a simple nod. "With money, I’ll finally be able to support my mother and ten siblings! Thank you so much for this opportunity! I’ll make sure that I keep you in my prayers every night. You truly are a god among men."

Straightening his shoulders a little bit, the guard preened under my compliments.

And here was me worried that I had laid it on a little too thick.

"If you win your fight, I’ll see that you are moved into the fighter’s cages. There’s more room there. If you are really good, you won’t even have to share a cage after a few fights."

My face hurt from smiling so much, but I waited until he was out of sight before dropping all pretenses.

"Do you know who I am going to be fighting?" I asked, turning my attention back to the doctor. If she was the one who had to heal everyone after their fights, then she would know the other fighters best.

Wang Tian Mu hesitated for a moment before dropping her head. "I’m sorry," she replied. "They might not appreciate being forced to be healed, but I won’t tell you their weaknesses. I’ve betrayed them enough."

Ah, a Saint, then.

"I was more looking to see if they were human, zombies, killer clowns, or Reaver," I smiled back at her. It took all kinds of people to make the world go round, and that ’Saintly’ part of her reminded me so much of Elizabeth that I couldn’t hate her for her morals.

Still, I didn’t necessarily share them.

"Oh," replied Wang Tian Mu, blushing slightly. "For your first fight, they should put you against the humans. Only for the more experienced humans will they get a non-human opponent. And that can be anything from a zombie to a reaver to a bear. Whatever would bring in the most money."

"Thanks," I smiled at her. If our status was based on how much money we brought in, I would have to make sure that I put on a good show. But how was I going to be able to do that?

I spent the rest of the day trying to get comfortable and think of a way to survive what was coming my way. If I was allowed a weapon, it shouldn’t be a problem, but I couldn’t take one out of my space if it wasn’t offered to me.

Letting anyone know about Teddy was the last thing I wanted.

Stroking my wrist and the Teddy bear ’tattooed’ on my skin, I made a wish.

"I wish I was the best fighter in this camp."