[PROLOGUE]

"I swear to god Ellis, if we end up being ambused because of your stupid fire, I'm going to shove my gun up your-" Nick was stopped by his partner Rochelle who stood between them.

Rochelle pointed to the tree stump not far from them looking at Ellis. Keeping himself from opening his mouth, Ellis walked to it and sat down glaring at Nick.

"Now you two knock it off. I know he pushed you in the trash but he was trying to save you." Rochelle put her finger in Nick's face. "He's trying to make up for it and your yelling is going to attract them more and faster so shut up and let him be."

Nick narrowed his eyes in anger at Rochelle. "I'd hit you if I could."

"Oh 'ey now don't be hitting no lady Nick!" Ellis got up from the tree stump ready to fight Nick if he had to.

Nick's attention went right to Ellis in a matter of seconds. "Shut up you stupid. idiotic. hick." Nick sat down on the ground. "You have no idea what I've gone through. You're a child compared to me."

Ellis loosened up when he heard Nick's statement. "What could have happen so bad to you-" Ellis stopped.

Nick shrugged off his dark blue dress shirt revealing the large slash marks across his chest, Anyone could look at it and tell it was from a Hunter, but could tell it was well taken care of and was now slowly working it's way into just being a scar.

Coach, being the one just watching the same thing repeat yet another night, stood up and grabbed Nick's shoulder turning him so it could be better seen in the light of the fire. "The hell you get this from, why you never let us see it?"

Rochelled as near in tears seeing it, her hand cupped over her mouth. "Nick...I..."

"Oh don't start getting tearie eyed and upset because of a scratch. And don't think I'll let you help me keep it cleaned and shit. I can do that myself."

"But, where'd it come from man? Why we never seen'n it?" Ellis asked almost pale from just the sight of the gash marks.

Nick pulled out the last of a pack of cigarette's he'd been trying to keep for as long as possible and lit it before tossing his shirt at Ellis so he could dry it with out it catching on fire. "Because, overalls, you all would pass out and I'd be on watch while I cleaned it. I got this long before anyone of you found me in the casino."

"Surprised you remember that, and there we found you alive!" Coach crossed his arms shaking his head. "Over half the bars in that casino alone were empty and you were almost outta ammo and even more on alcohol."

"Well when you'be lost everything, you try everything you can from shooting yourself in the god damn head." Nick took a long drag from his cigarette. "Can we not talk about this now? I'm fucking tired as shit."

Everyone nodded and Ellis took first watch letting everyone sleep. When he seen Coach and Rochelle's back's turned, Ellis pulled out a set of aviator sunglasses from inside his shirt and handed them to Nick.

Nick reared his head back before looking at Ellis and raising an eyebrow only to see Ellis' head turned away. "What's this for?"

"You don't wear a heat to keep the sun out of your eyes when there is some, and I found these so keep them. I don't like 'em." Ellis cleared his throat.

Nick took them and let Ellis take a few steps away before saying something. "If you really want me to tell you, we'll start tomorrow, bright and early." Nick laid down turning his back to Ellis and the sunglasses in his jacket pocket. -[April 9th 2013 12:00am]

Nick stood at the top of a dumpster looking out over the streets around them. He had the aviator glasses on and Ellis and the others stood not far from them. Ellis slowly and cautiously got closer to Nick with his sniper rifle in his hands. Nick hadn't said a think all mourning and it was Ellis, Coach, and Rochelle exchanging words all mourning, no storys from Ellis this time either.
Nick could see Ellis making his way over to him and when he'd actually turn his head and look at him, Ellis would stop dead in this tracks and just stand there looking at Nick.

"Are you trying to piss me off hick?" Nick raised an eyebrow at Ellis raising his combat shotgun to his shoulder and resting the barrel on it.

"Naw, just, you said you'd tell me the story. I havn't said a word all mournin' either."

Nick sighed heavily and rolled his eyes behind the aviator sunglasses. "I though you forgot about that."

"No sir. I want to know the whole story from start to finish! It's gotta be better then anything me or Keith ever did." Ellis lowered his gun from his hands and put it on his back with his medical pack and bloodstained axe.

Nick could tell that the southern wasn't going to let this go. Figures. he hardly ever let anything go, which in numerous cases caused them to physicaly fight with each other. The conman was in no mood to fight with him today.

"Why do you want to hear the story anyways? It's just a mark from a Hunter and I'm still alive arn't I?"

Ellis nodded. "Sure you are, unless your a figment of my imagination. I just want to know how you managed to get it. From the way Coach and Rochelle talked, it was a pain just to get in the casino so there couldn't have been that many zombies in there none the less any of those hoodie things."

"Fine, let's get to the next safe house and I'll think about it till then." Nick climbed down the ladder on the side of the dumpster, soon followed behind by the other three, Ellis last, and they all started making their way through the small horde of zombies on the street ahead of them.

After fighting what seemed like miles to Nick, they all reached just outside the safe house just inside the hospital when Nick felt a wet long tounge around his neck. Ellis was on it when he heard Nicks' screaming and aim'd his gun for the special infected's head. "Stop thrashin' or I can't save ya!" Ellis quickly pulled the trigger afraid he was going to loose his friend and watched at the infected went down with the bullet lodged in his brain.

"Nick!" Ellis dropped his gun and ran over to Nick seeing the bullet had grazed the side of his head. "Shit buddy, I didn't mean to, lets get you inside so we can tend to that."

Ellis nearly screamed seein Nick pull out his gun and point it at what seemed to be him. Ellis closed his eyes hearing the gun go off. When he didn't feel any pain, he opened his eyes to see Nick fall on his back breathing hard. Looking back over his shoulder, Ellis seen a Jocky laying on it's back with a bullet in it's head. Looking back at Nick, he threw the conman's arm over his shoulder and lifted him to his feet, helping him back to his weapon and picking it up fromt he ground. Ellis smirked slightly helping Nick into the safe room and setting him in a sitting up position as Coach shut the door and Rochelle helped him barracade the door.

"You alright Nic-" Ellis was cut short with Nick's fist in his face.

Nick touched the wound on the side of his head. "You stupid hick! You could have killed me!"

"I couldv' but I didn'. Your still here and it's because of me." Ellis looked back at Nick not in the least tempted to hit him back. "I think I earn that story now."

Rochelle walked over brushing her hands off against her pants. "Ellis dear I don't think you should bug Nick about that right now."

"No, it's alright." Nick sighed taking off the aviator glasses. "The kid wants a story, he's getting one. We're going to have to hold up in here for a while before we can move again anyways."

Everyone sat with Nick on the floor as Ellis started to carefully bandage the wound on Nick's head. Nick waited till he was done and away from him before he said anything to any of them.

"Well, since it's storytime now, I'll start at the beginning. Before hell broke loose." Nick turned his neck quickly both to the left and to the right cracking it.

"I was living in my apartment, ALONE, when I decided to go down to the casino and try my hand at some gambling before I played for money at the poolhall..." -[April 9th 2013 1:01pm]