So.. This is going to be really long... The story. Not this. Yes. A little about how this will work, the plan is to update every Saturday. Warnings will be added at the beginning of each chapter and if really controversial things pop up, we'll try to make an extra note to let y'all know. Aside from that, check the profile to find other stuffs written by the two insane peple behind this longer than average thing.
Warnings: Slight violence, slight gore. Oblivious Spaniard.
Arthur ran. He ran for his very life away from the stumbling creatures behind him. His hands were coated with the drying blood of his neighbor, a woman he had known for three years. Three years! All he had been doing was tending to his roses. The flowers brought him well needed happiness in his life when very little else did anymore. The woman had come stumbling into his garden with a series of low moans, and tried to bite him, scrabbling at his throat with clawed, dirtied fingernails and gnashing teeth. In a blind panic he hardly had enough time or sense to fend the crazed woman off with his sheers! He could feel deep gouges scoured into his arms and neck and, almost out of instinct, he slammed the sheers into her chest through her heart with a terrified, confused shout.
He gaped in pure horror and roiling sickness when the woman merely staggered back before picking up a cry of hunger with the discolored, slowly rotting throat, coming to lurch towards him again despite the blow that shouldn't have been survivable for any reason. A cry of terror split from his lips as he picked up his shovel from the ground, the metal glimmering in the dying sunlight, and drove the dull edged shovelhead into her skull. He shuddered as the woman slumped to the ground, completely still. Very slowly he backed away, feeling his stomach churning dangerously. "I... I didn't mean to... Oh my God." He rasped, before feeling a terrible wave of nausea roll through him as he lost the contents of his heaving stomach in the grass beside the corpse of the woman, her blood steadily seeping into the fertile ground. The only thing that had cleared his head from his actions were his other neighbors clamoring over the fence around his garden, all in a similar state as the woman had been.
This was why he ran. Ran for his very life. Lungs burning for air, terror forcing wave after wave of adrenaline through his veins. He ran for first one hour, and then a second before he saw the light of the inside of a room through a window to a simple looking house.
Antonio simply loved just sitting on his couch, playing his guitar. Even though he played the beat up acoustic the majority of the day in his little coffee shop, it was something he did every evening as the sun went down, looking out at the sky through his window as blue caught fire, melting into a beautiful rose and a brilliant peach. He strummed the last chord of a song he himself had written when a soft shudder ran through his spine. The street was empty. Silent. Still. It was still early enough that his street should have had people milling about with all the children in his neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. It was strange, the stillness. A hum of discontent buzzed on his lips as he stood up from his couch, resting the instrument in his lap to the side gently, and moved to have a better look out the window.
To his utmost surprise a man was sprinting toward his house and from the looks of his heaving chest, he had been running for an awful long time. He was so startled and confused by the desperation in the man's features that it took until he heard insistent, rapid pounding and a breathless baritone voice at his door, lilting with an English accent. The words weren't distinguishable until he had drawn closer to his front door. For a brief moment, his terribly confused emerald eyes flicked over to the hall closet, knowing his ax was hidden safe inside, but he told himself there was no reason to jump to such drastic conclusions.
Arthur continuously slammed his fist against the wood of the door, feeling sick with the thought that perhaps the man he had seen cross over to the door wouldn't open it to him. "Please!" He begged, glancing behind him as the creatures tearing after him groaned their protests and cried their screams of hunger as they pin pointed where Arthur stood. "Please... Please let me in... God... Please sir! They've all gone bonkers! They tried to kill me, please! Let me in!" He cried, trembling with fear and cramping from his hard run.
Antonio was curious, hesitant, and confused when he opened the door, peeking around the sturdy wood at Arthur. It was the absolute sense of relief that flooded the blonde's eyes that convinced Antonio to open his door the rest of the way and let the man inside. "Um... Amigo? Who have gone bonkers? I don't... Por favor, calm down!" He said in exasperated confusion. He glanced outside for a moment before his eyes went huge at the sight of a man with a monstrous wound in his neck. With a slight sound of surprise, he shut the door quickly and locked it, pulling Arthur further away from the door in his nervous apprehension. "What... What happened amigo?" He asked after a moment, giving himself time to calm from his shock.
"Oh thank God!" Arthur gasped once the door was closed behind them. He slumped to the floor with a harsh, shuddering sob, blood soaked fingers running through his ruffled, flaxen hair. It took him a moment to realize the tan, curious man above him was indeed speaking to him. "My... My neighbors!" He whispered after a moment, attempting to control his hysterical breathing. "They've been sick... For the past week or so, but... But I was in my garden and one of them... A woman I've known for three years... She... She tried to bite me." He explained in a shaky, terrified voice, eyes wide with terror as he looked up at the stranger whose house he had invaded.
"And there were others! Six...maybe seven of them...they...they chased after me! I've been running for two hours! I've been hearing gun shots and screams and...the city... it's gone insane!"
Antonio stared at Arthur warily, not entirely sure what to think. Was this man being serious, or was he crazy? He didn't know, but this man was making him nervous. Blood was splattered all over him and he was stuck in a fit of hysterics, but it wasn't like Antonio to run away from someone in need, even if they were crazy. After a moment he went into the kitchen and retrieved a dampened rag. Hesitant, he stretched out to hand it to Arthur, staying as far from him as he could. "Amigo... Are you on drugs? Should I... call someone to help?" He inquired, running his tanned fingers through his chocolate, wavy hair. Could people on drugs make something so morbid up? He thought so...
"I'm not on drugs!" Arthur snapped accepting the rag and furiously scrubbing at his hands. He felt like the blood of the woman was permanently ingrained in his skin no matter how hard he scrubbed "I've already called...but go ahead if it'll make you feel better. The bloody hot line is busy." He muttered, tossing his cellphone onto the ground and continuing to clean the blood from his shuddering hands. He hadn't just called 110, he had called several people, his friends, family... No one had answered. Not a single one of them. He hoped that they were all busy, sleeping, something, but deep down he knew he was wrong. Something was wrong, terribly terribly wrong, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
"Ah..." Arthur gasped and swore as he moved the blood stained rag over the jagged cut on his forearm. Light headed from the burst of pain coupled with his stress and fear, he glanced up at Antonio with tired eyes. "Do...do you have any gauze or something?" He asked shakily, looking back down at the wounds with wide eyes. It was strange, he hadn't really noticed he was hurt while he was running, but now the wounds were making themselves noticed.
Curious, Antonio dialed 110 on his phone while Arthur cleaned himself up, not believing the line was full. How could it be? "How can the emergency line be...?" He trailed off as he held the phone up to his ear and stared at Arthur with a gasp of disbelief; A pleasant automated voice informed him all the lines were full. "Is that even possible?" He whispered, slowing starting to think maybe Arthur was telling the truth as crazy as it sounded. "Amigo... I have a medical kit in my bathroom... but I think you need something to calm down..." Hesitantly he looked towards the bathroom, debating on whether to find something to calm the shuddering blonde's nerves or to go get the medical kit. "I'll go get the kit... but... try to make it to the couch before I get back si? Then you can tell me more about what happened..." Came his words, sighing from his lips. Whatever had happened to Arthur, Antonio was starting to believe.
Arthur looked up with an 'I told you so' look in his eyes, his usual gentleman-like personality lost in his fear and shot nerves. He didn't press the issue though, just glad that Antonio wasn't accusing him of being crazy, instead he sighed and nodded slowly. "Yes...I'll try to make it to the couch." He muttered, grabbing the door and supporting himself with a hiss as he struggled to his feet. A moment's hesitation was taken as he tried fruitlessly to stop the spinning dizziness in his head, but when it didn't go away he just moved forward slowly. Cursing, he lifted his hand up to his forehead and steadied himself before turning back to the living room and, stumbling towards the living room, shot a look over at Antonio with a shaky sigh. "Thank you...I...I forgot to say it...but thank you. I wouldn't have made it much longer out there with those...things." He whispered before continuing back to the couch and slumping onto the cushions with a groan, smugness long forgotten.
Antonio just nodded, not feeling the need to be thanked. He had always been raised to help strangers in need after all. Returning Arthur's shaky smile with a smile of his own, he went into the bathroom to retrieve his inadequate medical supplies. He had Band-Aids for every type of wound, a spool of stitching thread and a needle, an ace wrap and a few packets of gauze, but the was about it. With a sigh and feeling bad he didn't have something better to help, he brought another dampened rag out with him and handed all of his supplies to Arthur, eyes apologetic. "Here, amigo... I hope it is enough... Now you said... your neighbors tried to bite you? Why...? Why would they try to bite you? I don't understand..." He asked in a quiet voice, glancing at Arthur with both curiosity and wariness in his startling emerald eyes.
Arthur looked up from between his fingertips and groaned as he sat up, looking grey and ashen. "Thank you...this should be enough." He murmured, taking the new rag and dabbing at the already clotting wound on his neck. Looking up at Antonio, he grimaced as he eyed the needle and thread. At least he could stitch himself up... "I don't know why they would try to bite me...honestly...they didn't say anything! Their eyes... they were milky white and...Their skin was decaying! It was almost like they were...dead." He whispered, lifting up the needle and threading it with a practiced motion. His neck stung bad enough to make his eyes water. "She scratched my neck up pretty good...does it look...bad?" He asked with a grimace.
"Well... It doesn't particularly look good... But the scratches aren't too deep... You're lucky she didn't cut you jugular." Antonio commented, bending in closer to get a better look at the wounds on the man's neck. Long, jagged, bleeding and red, but hopefully not something to worry too much about. "They can't be... dead... si? I mean... walking corpses? Dios mio! Now I'm starting to sound muy loco... Crazy... Amigo are you sure? I don't know why you'd lie about something crazy like this... I just don't..." He trailed off unhappily and sat on the floor in front of the couch, eyes dark with confusion and worry as he watched Arthur stitch himself up. "If what you say is true... then we shouldn't stay here long... I have many neighbors amigo..."
Arthur smiled shakily at the crazy comment and shook his head. "No...I know it sounds crazy but it's what they looked like. They didn't say a word...I... I even stabbed her through the heart! She didn't...she didn't even..." There were tears falling from his eyes now. Cursing, he shuddered and set the needle aside, his eyes too blurry and he wasn't going to make much progress. "God damn it all...what's wrong with them? I...I had to kill her...before she would stop." He stammered, his sobs returning along with a small wave of nausea that he easily swallowed down. "God...this isn't...this has to be a bad dream is all!"
Antonio sighed and moved closer to Arthur until he could pick up the needle. He allowed Arthur to cry in peace as he continued to stich him up, thinking how crazy this all was, but he couldn't bring himself to call Arthur a liar, after all... the man clearly believed what he saw and that was good enough for Antonio. "I don't know what is wrong with them amigo... Lo siento... I believe you though... if that makes you feel any better..." He offered, a small, sad smile on his face as Arthur sobbed quietly.
Arthur looked up at him through tear filled eyes, wincing as the needle pulled through his skin. "Thank you...you've been so kind." He whispered, looking down at his newly stitched arm as Antonio finished sewing up his neck. "I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you...but I will...ow...think of something." He promised, glancing around the room slowly to keep his mind off the pain in his neck. The room, unsurprisingly, had a distinctly Spanish feel to it. Reds and oranges, very vibrant, bright colors. It was comfortable and lively. "My name's Arthur...Arthur Kirkland, by the way." He explained after a moment of admiring the room. "I guess you'd at least better know my name, seeing as you've been more than kind to me today..."
"What else was I supposed to do amigo? Leave you alone out there to die? This is nothing, Arthur. I only wish I knew how better to help you..." Antonio assured as he methodically stitched up Arthur's neck. "I am Antonio... Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. I hate to be rude amigo, but if you keep talking I'll never get these wounds stitched on your neck. Now... If what you say is true, I am sure there are more of these walking corpses... I don't know how safe my house will be for more than a few days..." Already he was thinking of where to go and what they would do. As far as he was concerned, Arthur was stuck with him now. They'd have far better chances getting out of town together than they would on their own.
"Nice to...ow...meet you Antonio." Arthur smiled shakily, his eyes watering fiercely as he struggled to hold still despite the awful feeling of the needle sliding underneath his skin. He listened for a moment to what the man had to say and sighed giving him a thumbs up as a confirmation that he understood. Honestly he didn't know what was going on, what these things were, or if this was something that would blow over quickly, but what he did know was that those things needed to be avoided at all costs. He didn't know how they would do that, but he did know that sitting in Antonio's living room probably wasn't the best idea with what potentially could be the living dead wandering around the streets.
Antonio finished his stitching after a few more minutes of prodding and cut the needle from the thread. He pulled away from Arthur after that and smiled shakily. "Well. It is nice to meet you as well Arthur. I'm sorry this happened to you, but I am glad you found your way here instead of dying in the streets. There is no point in going and leaving tonight with it getting dark... That is... If you are wanting to stay with me, amigo. I realize you and I probably have different ideas in what to do..." Strangely enough, Antonio was apprehensive at being alone if Arthur was telling the truth and corpses were roaming the streets.
Arthur swallowed heavily, glancing over at the window where, distantly, he swore he could hear the groans of the creatures. They were frightening and sickening, causing his already rolling stomach to be dangerously close to dry heaving. "Go out there? After dark? I'm not suicidal just yet thank you." He whispered his face paling noticeably, but then, remembering that he was in some stranger's house, he jumped and looked at Antonio, trying to hide the fear that flashed in his eyes. "That is...if you don't mind me staying here. Honestly it is your house and I could probably find somewhere to crash!" He stammered frantically, terrified at the idea of being thrown out. "Oh who am I kidding...yes please... don't make me go out there again. I can leave in the morning if you'd like but I really really don't want to go out there right now." He whispered, glancing at the door again and feeling sick when he definitely heard the sound the infected's groans.
"I am not heartless Arthur. I would never intentionally send a man to death... I won't kick you out... You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as it is safe to stay here. Breathe amigo... I won't make you leave!" Antonio felt like he had to repeat himself multiple times before Arthur seemed to understand what he was saying. The hysterics in Arthur's eyes made the Spaniard wary. He really was rather nervous about this stranger breaking down in the middle of his living room. Besides, he didn't really want to be alone any more than Arthur wanted to go back outside. "I just can't promise your safety even here." He said when Arthur seemed to understand what he was saying. It had only taken a few insistent reassurances on his part.
Shuddering violently, Arthur nodded, attempting to calm his breathing once again. He was so grateful for this man's kindness. "Thank you... in here is safer than out there..." He assured, though he wasn't even sure about that himself. It only made sense that the house would be safer though, considering the animated corpses, if that was indeed what they were, were outside. "I don't know what it's like out there now...but...when I was out there I could hear sirens...shouting...gun shots...everything coming from the city...It was terrible. Like some horror movie!" He explained shakily, wincing at a particularly loud groan from the street. "The streets are empty from what I could tell. Just a few of those things wandering around... I...I think we should be ok for the night."
"Lucky I don't live in the city... Lucky you came out towards the outskirts instead of going into it... I believe you amigo. I am sure this is something to worry about... I suppose if we stay quiet we might go unnoticed for the night..." Antonio agreed with a tired looking smile. How strange it was to know everything had gone to hell so fast. "Unfortunately I only have the one bed... You can take it, if you'd like..." He offered with a yawn. It wasn't that it was particularly late, he had just gotten up before the sun that morning. Sleep seemed like their best bet anyway while they were safe in the house.
"No no it's your bed...I'll sleep on the floor!" Arthur insisted, startled the man's kindness seemed boundless with the offer. "Please...you've already been so kind to me. You don't need to give up your bed." He insisted, not wanting to offend the Spaniard but also looking stubborn despite the simplicity of the request. "Do you have any weapons? Something? I know it's a weird questions, but if one of those things shows up I'd rather be able to defend myself." He muttered, eyes glancing nervously over the area, glazing over in anxious terror.
"I insist you take the bed. You are a guest in my home... as for weapons? I... have an ax... But apart from that weapons are limited in my home... I have a few knives in the kitchen..." Antonio tried, looking apologetic. He should have been able to give Arthur something more helpful, but there really wasn't any reason for him to own any weapons. "Ah... Lo siento amigo... Now stop being stubborn and just use my bed! I will likely be unable to sleep anyway!" He ordered firmly, looking just as stubborn at insisting as Arthur had been in refusing.
"I'd rather not." Arthur snapped, looking furiously stubborn and sounding completely flustered and exasperated. "I'll hardly sleep either... I insist that you take your bed." He ordered, crossing his arms over his chest and wincing as the stitches pulled. These gouges were going to be sore for a while... He could already feel the ache of a sore wound forming under the burning pain. "As for the weapons...give me a knife. I'll... Make do." He pointed out with a sigh, still stubbornly glaring up at the man. "I'll sleep on the floor thank you."
"Then you are foolish and the bed will go unslept in." Antonio growled, growing exasperated with the stubborn Englishman in his living room. He stalked into the kitchen and retrieved a couple different knives, none of which would be of very much help, seeing as they were all kitchen knives and didn't fold up. They really would have to do. After retrieving the knives, he made his way back into the living room and opened up the closet. Inside a majestic, war and scuffle battered battle ax leaned against the wall. He retrieved it with a proud look in his eye. "Stubborn man." He sighed, holding the ax in both of his hands, eyes roaming across ever dent and chip in the blade, knowing all of their stories by heart.
Arthur huffed as the man returned and pulled a face. "You're just as stubborn as I am! Honestly it is your bed!" He pointed out, following the man with his eyes with a small stubborn frown on his face. "That's...is that an antique?" Arthur demanded, impressed despite himself by the ax that the man produced. "It's handsome...I have an old musket set from around that time area..." He pointed out eyeing it quizzically.
"It's my house, but you are a guest in my house, therefor I have been raised to extend the upmost hospitality to guests! Now take the damn bed before I knock you out and put you there mys- My ax?" Antonio broke off, mid threat. He eyed his weapon proudly, a distant look in his eyes and a smile on his face. "Mi abuelo... He'd tell me stories... stories that his abuelo told him... Conquistadors Arthur... Spanish conquistadors... He'd tell me so many tales... journeys on the sea... battles against British pirates... This ax has been in my family for years and years and years... It is a good weapon."
Arthur opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by the man's proud tale. Chuckling at his enthusiasm over the ax, he nodded and smiled softly. "Grandfathers always have the best tales...mine told me all the time of our family's history. Not as noble as yours of course...we were the pirates that your ancestors hunted." He laughed lightly, momentarily forgetting the situation when he spotted the excited, proud look in Antonio's eyes. "Alright...I'll take the bed, on the condition that you stay there as well." He ordered looking firm in the statement. "I won't try anything and I'm sure you won't either...so there should be no problems, right?" He pointed out looking unwavering.
"Mmmm... Mi abuelo... He'd knock me over the head for letting a British man in my bed... But if that is the only way you sleep in a more comfortable place than the floor, then I will sleep there too... Try anything though..." Antonio's emerald eyes darkened a bit and his grip on his ax tightened noticeably, though a smile was still on his face. "And I will chop you to pieces with my ax... Comprendes?" He locked eyes with Arthur, intense but hesitantly trusting.
"Your grandfather has weird choices for people he finds to be untrustworthy... I for one, find myself quite harmless for the most part." He pointed out calmly. Raising an eyebrow, Arthur looked down at himself and back up at the man with an almost amused look in his eyes. "I'm...not sure I'm much of a threat at the moment." He laughed, a bit amused by the man's threat though he knew that he was serious. "I will not touch you...you won't even know I'm there." He promised, placing his hand over his heart.
"What can I say? He was a crazy old man..." Antonio said with a laugh and a fond light in his eyes. The intensity faded and he found himself easily trusting Arthur's words despite the fact that he was a complete stranger. "I promise you the same thing amigo. I will keep my distance. Now... Would you rather food first before we sleep?" He asked, not feeling particularly hungry himself, but unsure if maybe Arthur was.
"No...I'm not hungry. Thirsty...but not hungry." Arthur answered, thinking back to the food he had upchucked during his flight. "I'd...rather not risk food on this stomach." He pointed out with a small grimace, glancing up at the man with a sigh. "We should probably lock this place up...doors and windows and all that. I don't want to deal with those things sneaking into the house." His face was creased with worry at the idea of waking up with some creature sinking its teeth into his guts.
"Thirsty? I can fix that... Anything in particular you'd like to drink?" Antonio asked, not having a clue at what the man liked. He looked at the window in the living room with a frown and walked over to it, checking to be sure it was locked. As a side thought, he shoved a bookshelf in front of it, spilling most of the shelves' contents onto the floor. "That fixes one... We can maybe push the couch in front of the back door... It's almost completely window... The front door is locked and the other window in the living room... I don't know what to put in front of that one..." He thought aloud, looking concerned at the other window.
"Do you have tea? If not...water would be just fine with me." Arthur sighed, standing with a grimace and holding his hand up dizzily to his forehead." Damn it all..." He grumbled, resting his hand on the back of the couch to steady himself. He felt a bit nauseous for a moment, but he managed to gain control after a bit and sighed. "Do you have a table? You can place that in front of the window up front. That should hold them for the night." He suggested hopefully, moving to follow the man into the kitchen.
"You don't look so good amigo... should I give you some medicine or something? As for tea... I think I might have a few bags... I'm not a big fan of the drink myself..." He said apologetically after a minute of quiet thoughtfulness. He opened a cabinet in the kitchen and retrieved two tea bags with a triumphant smile. "This work?" He asked hopefully before glancing at the table. "Your table idea should work..."
Arthur looked up from where he had seated himself at the table and smiled shakily. "Thank you... that's fine...I feel like a terrible house guest." He chuckled bitterly as he placed his head in his hands. "I'm just...exhausted." He pointed out with a reluctant groan. "That woman tore me apart and then I ran cross country... I guess right now all I want is an ibuprofen and a bloody shower." He grumbled, leaning back in his chair. "Then again...I'm honestly just happy to be alive." His voice was a bit wary as he glanced over at the unblocked window only to jump to his feet with a small muffled shout. "Bloody hell!" He yelped, pulling Antonio back away from the window roughly and whirling him around. "They...they're in the bloody street! Look at all of them!"
Antonio's eyes widened in shock as he took in the fifteen or so things in the middle of the street. They all sort of shuffled around aimlessly, not paying much attention to themselves or anything else. Somehow he didn't think it'd stay that way. "Arthur... Do you think they'll try to get in the house? Do they even realize we are here?" He asked in a voice that was softer than a whisper. "I... let me get you an ibuprofen... I'm not too sure about the shower though... There are so... many..."
"I don't...I don't think they've seen us." Arthur whispered, pulling Antonio backwards towards the kitchen door. "Forget the bloody ibuprofen." He grumbled, his eyes locked onto the creatures. "Let's...let's just get upstairs ok? Grab a couple bottles of water and some food and we'll sit up there until they're gone." He ordered softly, afraid to speak much louder than his whisper. "There're so many...I barely managed to kill one I...don't think we can fight them all Antonio." His heart rate was rising noticeably as he struggled to fight against the panic rising up in his throat.
"Go upstairs. I'll be up there in a minute... I'll grab some water and food and meet you up there... Breathe ok? They haven't seen us yet... so we should still be safe. I promise you Arthur that it will be ok... but you have to stay calm and trust me... sĂ?" Antonio breathed before slipping away from Arthur's side to retrieve the items in question. If there was any amount of doubt in his mind before, it was completely erased by the sight of them. "Dios mio... Please keep us safe..."
Arthur remained frozen for a minute, the panic rising up in his chest. He looked up as Antonio spoke though and met his gaze with a shudder. "Ok...Ok..." He stammered raspily, moving backwards slowly, his eyes following Antonio cautiously. "Hurry." He all but begged as one of the infected turned towards the house, making Arthur flinch before it slowly turned away again. Swallowing heavily, he crawled up the stairs dizzily, his heart beat thundering in his ears until he located Antonio's room and staggered inwards. Sitting down beside the bed he shuddered and placed his head into his knees. "No no no...This isn't happening... this is a dream...that's it...it's a dream." He whispered, shuddering violently as he listened to the sounds of the creatures moving below him.
Antonio grabbed two bottles of water and a box of saltine crackers before he slunk back to the stairs, watching the unblocked window cautiously to make sure it was safe before daring to dart up them. He slipped into his room silently and frowned when he saw Arthur breaking down. "Hey... Amigo breathe... It'll be ok. It looks bad now... but it'll be ok." He attempted to reassure softly as he walked into his room and shut his door quietly. "Don't think about them..." He urged, drawing closer to Arthur and away from the door.
Arthur jumped about a foot in the air when Antonio entered the room. Looking up, he slowly unwrapped his fingers from around the kitchen knife he grabbed as a weapon. "Don't think about them? They're right there! They've pinned us in!" He stammered, pressing his face back into his knees once again. He had to pull himself together... It wouldn't do him any good to panic in a situation like this. Looking up at Antonio he took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "How are you... How are you staying so calm?" He demanded cautiously as Antonio moved into the room. "The dead are walking the streets, a stranger bursts into your house soaked in blood and rambling about his neighbors trying to eat him... And yet you seem as calm as if I were an old friend just stopping by for Sunday brunch."
"The way I see it..." Antonio began as he set his findings down on the bedside table and grabbed the blanket from his bed before wrapping it around Arthur with a sigh. "There is no need to panic while I am relatively safe. There is no point in freaking out about something I cannot do anything about... Once they start attacking us, then maybe I will panic... but for now we are safe and should hopefully stay that way for the night..." He smiled slightly at Arthur after a moment, looking a bit sheepish. "That... And I'd rather look brave and keep you calmer as well than have us both freak out..."
Arthur listened to the man speak with relative calm, finally managing to coax the tears out of his eyes as he smiled softly. "Thank you... I don't know how I managed to get so lucky as to run into someone like you." He whispered, wincing as a gunshot filled the air down the street but managing to remain in his near calm as he pulled the blankets around himself tightly. "I...I don't think I would have done very well by myself." He admitted smiling sheepishly and shivering violently under the blanket. "What are we...you going to do tomorrow then? It seems unlikely that you can stay here." He sighed, attempting conversation to keep his mind off of the creatures' moans downstairs.
"Not me. We. What are we going to do... You can't go off on your own, injured as you are. What we'll do is get out of the city... Far away... and try to find others." Antonio said firmly, leaving no room for question. He wasn't about to let this man, even if they knew nothing about each other, go off and get himself killed. Frowning when he saw Arthur shiver, he looked back up onto the bed, wondering if he should give him the other blanket as well.
Arthur looked back at the man in utter confusion. Why was he risking taking in a complete stranger such as himself for no reason at all? He was thrust at Antonio in a time of complete chaos as yet another burden and yet he didn't seem bothered in the slightest by him. "I...alright. Thank you...I don't know what I'm ever going to do to repay you, but when this is over I will...I will repay this kindness." He assured him, his eyes filled with determination as he glanced over the man's shoulder and frowned when he spotted a TV. "Hey...do you think...do you think they've said anything about what's going on?"
"You don't owe me anything. You don't owe me a single thing... There is a reason God brought you to me... and I think that was to give us a fighting chance..." Antonio said with a firm nod of his head and a smile. His green eyes flitted over the TV as well and he frowned. "They might have... It's worth a try in checking I guess..." He said, reluctantly going over to turn the TV on. The screen flared to life and they were immediately met with the back half of an emergency broadcast signal. "I'd say the chances of there being a report on this are high..."
"...mended to keep away from the infected citizens. Please remain calm...This is an emergency broadcast brought to you by your local government officials. A recent spike in the violently infectious disease, the Green Flu, has led to a shutdown of the broadcast system. Citizens are reminded to please evacuate to the local shelters and to remain calm." Arthur felt his blood chill as the automated voice filled the air. "What...is this?" He demanded, his shivering increasing dramatically. "I...they can't be...what's going on?" Arthur shuddered, his eyes flickering to the window again. "I don't like this at all."
Antonio didn't seem to be having the same problem as Arthur, for his emerald eyes fluttered as he tried to stay awake. For a few minutes it looked like he was completely asleep, but then an eye opened lazily and a grin quirked at the corners of his lips. "Now that I think about it... There's this guy who lives about three blocks in... He's some crazy military nut. Armored truck and machine guns... It might be worth checking his house before we bail tomorrow... If..." He paused to yawn rather noisily and his eyes fell shut once more. "He is still alive, he might help us... if not... at least his stuff is..." He yawned again and it took him a good five minutes to remember he had been talking. "His stuff is still there..." He finished in a sleep muffled voice.
Arthur looked over at the man with a small, hopeful smile only to find he was barely hanging on to consciousness. Chuckling despite his best efforts at the lazy smile on his face, he sighed and pulled the blanket up over him a bit tighter. "Yes... I suppose it would be worth a look. Now...I suppose we should try to sleep then... Good night Antonio." Arthur sighed, smiling when he found the man was already sleeping soundly. Chuckling, he rolled away from the man attempting to join him in sleep but quickly finding the process impossible. He sat awake for a good hour, listening to the sounds coming up from the street, but eventually he fell into a light, fitful sleep, his dreams plagued with the noises of the infected below them.
Antonio woke with a bit of a start in the early hours of the morning, the sun had yet to rise. It took a minute to realize what had woken him when he heard the strangest sound of something scrapping against the door to his room. It almost sounded like... nails. He sat bolt upright in his bed and had his ax in his hands within a few heart beats. Had he just imagined the sound? But no. There it was again and this time a low, gurgled moan followed after. With a trembling hand he shook Arthur, trying to wake him. If the zombies were in his house... but why hadn't they just broken down the door as they must've had to do to the front door... None of it made sense. "Arthur... Arthur amigo... wake up. Wake up!" And suddenly the scratching turned frenzied outside his door and shrieks sounded from first one, then two and then an entire group of mutilated, dead throats and his heart sank. They hadn't known they were there... but they did now... And they were trapped.
Arthur sat up with a small gasp as Antonio grabbed his shoulder. Confused, disorientated and in pain, he let out a small hoarse yelp and nearly tumbled out of the bed. "What...what...who!?" Arthur gasped, his hand flying up to his neck in confusion as the stitches pulled. It took him a minute to realize what was happening, his eyes frantic and disorientated, but when he finally did he felt his mouth clamp shut with a terrified shudder. His eyes flicked to the door where the sound of bodies slamming against the weak wood filled the air. "Oh my God... they've found us." He choked out, scrambling out of the bed and lifting up his knife. "The door...they're going to make it through the door!" He gasped, looking around the room for an escape route. "The bed..." He whispered, grabbing the bed and shoving it towards the door with a grunt. "Find a way out!" He ordered, wincing as his arms pulled slightly.
"Through the window... But we are on the second floor... Dios mio..." Antonio's heart thundered furiously in his chest as he helped Arthur shove the bed in front of the door just as the wood started splintering. He tried to think of ways out of his room, but the window was really the only thing he could think of... They'd have to risk it. He grabbed the blanket off the bed and tied it around the bar holding up the curtains before yanking the metal pole from where it was and resting it across the window sill. "You're just going to have to trust me amigo... I'll go down first to keep whatever is on the ground away from us... can you propel down the side of the house with the blanket?"
"If it's a choice between that and being eaten alive... I'll do whatever I have to." Arthur grumbled, his hand subconsciously fluttering to his torn up arms. Could he support himself? Just moving the bed he had nearly busted the stitches on his neck. "Don't worry about me...I trust you. Just...hurry please?" He whispered, lifting up the blade Antonio had grabbed from the kitchen and squaring off with the door as the frenzied scratching turned into screams of hunger as a woman peered through the hole she had created in the door. "Please hurry!" He begged, the knife shuddering in his hands.
Antonio nodded and without a moment's hesitation he threw his ax out the window, took a hold of the blanket, and started hopping down the wall. For a terrifying moment it looked like the curtain rod wouldn't hold his weight, but he made it to the end of the blanket without much trouble. Unfortunately there was still a good five foot drop at the end of the blanket, which wouldn't have been an issue, except an infected man had come tearing around the side of the house. Antonio stifled a cry of fury and terror as he dropped the last few feet and had just enough time to pick his ax back up before the man was on him and he was slashing away at any exposed inch of Antonio he could, trying to get a hold of him and snag a hungry mouthful of his living flesh. "Arthur!" He called in a higher pitched voice than normal, filled with fear and determination. "Oie! Amigo, let's go!" He called as he remembered what Arthur had said about going for the head and his blade sunk deep into the man's neck.
Arthur turned towards the window just as Antonio began his struggle with the infected and the door busted open behind him. Swearing, he wrapped his knife in his coat and tossed it to the ground below. The infected woman who had first burst through the door was tangled in the sheets on Antonio's bed as Arthur started to climb shakily out the window, but managed to break free and throw herself at Arthur as he grabbed onto the window. Yelping, Arthur looked up as the woman grabbed ahold of his arm and started pulling at him fiercely, her teeth reaching for his wrist. "LET GO!" He screamed, holding onto the sheet for dear life as the woman attempted to pull him back inside. Snarling, he pulled her forward attempting to tug her from the window while his wounds roared with pain. "God damn it!" He shouted, looking down at Antonio as the man dispatched his own infected and wincing when he realized there was no way for the man to help him. Tugging himself backwards he clenched his eyes shut and slammed himself forward crushing the woman's hand against the window pane and lurching back when her grip released. Yelping, he felt himself falling away from the window into open space.
Antonio glanced up at the window with worried, confused green eyes. Where was Arthur? But hearing his voice he knew the infected must have busted open the door. He whipped his head around, surprised there weren't any others on this side of the house, not expecting that to last long at all, but thankful for the moment at least that he was relatively safe. But... how to help Arthur? His heart sank when the man began to fall. Desperately, he lunged forward to try to catch him.
Arthur felt his heart sink as he fell. Was this how he was going to die? Falling from a window being chased by the undead? It wasn't fair...it wasn't...he felt himself come to a jerking stop, the sound of a grunt of pain and a body falling to the ground filling the air. Other than the feeling of pain as his stitches pulled, he didn't hurt. Surprised, he opened his eyes and found himself staring down at Antonio's strained face. "You...caught me?" He gaped in absolute disbelief, beginning to wonder if he had somehow managed to stumble across his guardian angel.
"Mmm... Si." Antonio grunted with a strained voice, his arms shrieking in protest as the muscles in his shoulders and back took in the impact of the blonde. He almost hadn't thought he was going to catch the man in time, but there was no point in dwelling on what could have happened, especially with the sounds of hungry, crazed infected fast approaching. He set Arthur down on his feet with a shaky grin. "Alright. Vash lives three blocks away. We got to out run these things for that long. Think you can make it?"
"Yes...I...I don't really have much choice do I?" Arthur smiled shakily, using Antonio's shoulder to balance himself before taking a deep breath and taking a few hesitant steps. "Yes I'll be fine." He insisted, jumping as a loud crash filled the air and the woman he had been struggling with came crashing down onto the ground, her head splitting open with a crunch as she hit the ground. "Bloody hell..." He whispered, shuddering slightly at the blood seeping from the woman's skull. "Let's go...quickly." He mumbled edgily, scooping his knife and jacket from the ground as he stumbled after Antonio.
"Follow me then." Antonio said before breaking into a run. He was comforted in seeing only a few of the stumbling, decaying bodies of the infected on the main street, though that didn't mean much. They could be hiding after all. He sent his ax through the skull of one as they approached it , just as one across the street screamed in hunger at their appearance. Three blocks... Just three... And just to reassure Arthur as well he voiced his thought. "Just three blocks... We can make it... We can do it, just three blocks." Just three blocks…
First chapter. Go! :D So review because those are fantastic and it is always good to know how much people hate... I mean... um... yea anyway just review. :D
Quick note: This is a co-lab story that gets it's very own account. Weeew! SO! that being said, the two people responsible for the madness have there own accounts. Check them out sometime ;) BubbleToes313 and AceOfSpades22.