Hello there! Lonessa here. I've wanted to create an account for so long and now I finally decided to sit down and make one, so here I am! I'm still fairly new to the site, so I'll be exploring all of the different things I can do here, but here it is, my very first story! I hope some of you guys enjoy it, since I myself had a blast writing this, and if not, that's okay. Tell me what I can work on so I can be better next time in capturing your interest!
Also, as long as the comment isn't... well, rude let's just say, I give all of you full permission to rip my story to PIECES. I'm not joking, you see something wrong with it or something you don't like or understand, tell me. I won't shy away from some friendly advice and pointers. I mean, I have to deal with my crazy English teacher every day, and I'm pretty sure she hounds me just so I can cry while writing essays at ten o'clock at night... hehehe, speaking of which I kinda have an essay to do and I did this instead. Oopsies?
Enough of me yammering, enjoy the chapter!
/~~~\\
Breathe in...breathe out...breathe in…breathe out…
Shattered glass blinked up at me, redness seeping onto the pretty shards as the evil things morphed my face, made it look like I was a monster. The glass had the nerve to use the sun to blind me, the closest thing it could simulate to a wink.
Breathe in...breathe out...breathe in...breathe out…
I heard groans, but my dark, dark eyes wouldn't leave the pretty, pretty glass.
Breathe…
I smashed the glass with the heel of my boot.
In…
A rush of air flying by me gave me the sweet scent of spilled blood, tangy, and I felt the phantom taste of copper in my mouth. I felt myself sigh, but the action was all but soothing to my lungs. My mouth began to water.
Breathe…
A crash. My grey, empty eyes flicked up. A dead one looked back at me.
Out…
It growled. I chuckled. Lifted my pistol. One shot had its stupid face in pieces, a disheartened hiss escaping the extra-dead woman as she fell to the ground, the beady yellow light of her dead eyes snuffed out again. Stupid little monster. You can't get me. I'll never be a monster like you.
Breathe in…
I ran my hand through my ebony locks, smiling when I felt the fingers run through smoothly, frowning when my rings snagged on a piece of hair. Bad. Don't be like that, silly.
Breathe out…
I wanted to giggle madly when I brought a chunk of hair around, letting my eyes see the beautiful, bright red soaking the ends of my hair, creeping to halfway up its length. I'll be sad when the dye washes away…
Breathe. Breathe.
Cassi.
SHUT UP!
I shot the stupid corpse again. Again, again, again. Stupid stupid stupid… keep quiet about Cassi.
Why don't you?
I do. You don't. Leave me be before you make Venus appear again. I wanna be alone.
You want to be a monster.
"No I DON'T!" A feral growl, one that I couldn't even recognize as mine escaped from my lips, cutting the stale air of Georgia. Stupid state, way to hot here…
Then why are you acting like this? Why push Venus out when all you want to do is–
"Stop talking…" I whimpered, scuffing my black boot on the concrete. The voice quieted, and I felt the world come back to me, zooming in and taking shape, chasing away the dark little place that I was in before. Hello world, remember me? I remember you.
I toyed with the black lace at the ends of my slip dress, skipping around the town. I felt my ponytail swinging with my movements, high on my head, and I grinned happily. I have absolutely no clue where I am, but I don't particularly care. The map CEDA had so nicely gave me a few weeks ago was only good for the town I had abandoned a long time ago, so it was ditched a week back with some other non-essentials.
I loved the weight of all my supplies on my back, the reassurance it gave me was more than one would expect. Strapped to my back is a lovely black backpack with a red rose etched in the center, a hunting rifle secured to the right of the pack, and a shiny new tactical shotgun on the left. I had yet to carve the word Rose into the shotgun, but when I find another one of those big red door thingies I'll get to doing that.
I huffed a sigh when I looked around the sunny road, dead people and huge blood stains smiling back at me. This place was getting kinda stale... maybe I should move on. My motorcycle was back at the front of the mall, where a lot of baddies were loitering since it used to be one of those CEDA checkpoints for evacuation - what assholes, lying like that, it wasn't very nice - and it would be a chore trying to move around that stupid tanker whose driver decided to be an idiot and block the way with. Having your window shattered by an undead missing half its jaw was in no way a good excuse to crash a damn truck. I had yelled just punch it in the face and keep driving, but he wouldn't listen. Maybe he didn't listen because he was screaming in terror too loud. Pfft, what a baby.
One less coward in the world.
Anyway, I guess I had no choice, so I might as well see if I can climb over the damn thing.
I kept to the highgrounds, playfully taunting the confused dead ones as I lazily fired a few shots from my Magnum at them. I didn't like the thing very much. Yeah, it did have a very satisfying BAM when I pulled the trigger, but it couldn't compare to the black and red hunting rifle or the shiny shotgun on my back. I'd probably ditch it later, after I used up all the bullets. Or, y'know, hand it off to the first person that doesn't try to fuck me over. Like that'll ever happen. It'd probably be safer to just cram this silver barrel down their convulsing throat and ending their misery when I find them, since their stupidness will kill them eventually.
Now that isn't the best way to go at things.
"I don't care~" I sang to the air, causing a few dead ones to turn to me. I frowned, "What? Got a problem with my singing?"
Then, POW POW POW! I heard gunshots, and so did the dead ones. They ran underneath the little bridge I was currently standing on, lunging for the people that were very, very close to me.
I didn't like that.
I stepped exaggeratedly to the other side of the bridge, kicking my legs out before slamming my feet back to the ground, stopping and lolling my head over the side to see that a door had been broken down, and four living people were running down some steps, utterly terrified, if I could read the looks on their faces right. Out front stood a bald black man that had a purple and yellow shirt with a small label that I couldn't read, and white pants. The next that ran out the door had black hair that was slicked back from his face, and a firm scowl was fixed on his face. He looked rather formal, since he was wearing a white suit with a blue collared shirt, it being slightly bloodied. It didn't look like his blood though. I silently applauded him on that.
The third was a short black woman, looking to be around my height, though she was probably taller by an inch or so. Her black braids were pulled into a ponytail, and she wore a pink short sleeved shirt with the picture of some band I didn't bother to recall. She looked rather pretty, with her big brown doe eyes and makeup still not rubbed away from her eyes.
The last was what I thought dressed like a mechanic, with a greasy yellow shirt and curly black hair hidden under a ball cap. I couldn't see his eyes from this angle. He was the dirtiest out of the bunch, with grease stains on his muscular arms and face, and a small blood splatter on the knee of his blue overalls. He looked like he was...smiling. He had a cute smile.
They moved as a unit down the street, passing under my bridge without a glance up. I followed, moving to the other side and watching as the suit began unknowingly backing up straight into a witch while shooting at some of the undead.
She wasn't perturbed as of yet, merely cradling her face in her hands as she rocked back and forth, and I giggled silently, madly. Then the suit made a snide comment towards the girl that I said was kind looking. I scowled, that wasn't nice of you.
"You… are better off dead," I concluded, convinced that the mean one was going to fall by my sniper shot. I swung it off my shoulder, running my hand along the barrel lovingly before cradling it in the crook of my shoulder while bringing the sight to my eyes. Hello there, suit guy. I'm your killer.
I centered it, the small reticule resting right on suit guy's forehead, and I grinned maliciously. Curling my finger around the trigger, I could already hear the wondrous bang of the rifle, the wet plop of another dead one, and I could visualize my survival odds upping–
"Stop!"
I blinked. No. NO!
"Go. Away. Cassiopeia," I growled. I didn't wanna, I didn't wanna–
I did.
I saw the softness of her gorgeous ice blue eyes, the choppy ebony hair that curled around her face. The panic in her posture as she reached a hand out in blind terror, the baby blue hoodie wrapping her snugly in a warm embrace.
"Hi Cassi."
"Hi," Cassiopeia said just as breathlessly, but for a different reason, "Please don't kill that man. Please."
I scowled, my vision contorting, time freezing as the world bled into grey. Stupid grey, "Why not? I don't know him, he could be bad."
"His death would still be on your hands," She swayed on her feet, her black flowy skirt blowing gently in the wind. I nearly cracked a grin at those little blue flats with the bows she still had on her feet. Cassiopeia. So innocent. So pure.
So not me. Not anymore.
"Other deaths are on my hands," I mentioned with a flick of the wrist, knee still bent to touch the ground, sniper still propped on the concrete barrier, finger still ready to make a single twitch, to let the gun fire.
"That's bad enough as it is," She breathed, pulling the hoodie around her tighter, "Those soldiers… you shouldn't have done that. You would've been safe."
"They would've killed me."
"No they wouldn't have. I saw the other path. You know I did. They didn't kill you if you took the other path."
"They deserved it."
"Well guess what sister?!" She suddenly roared, her gentle, innocent eyes turning angry and harsh as she pitched her torso forward, "I'M STILL DEAD!"
My breath caught in my throat. When she talked like this, I couldn't tell if she was actually visiting, or if I was just recreating her. Actually, I honestly didn't know at all, let alone when Cassi got passionate. Swallowing, I replied, shakily, "And I killed those responsible."
"That didn't make it better, sis!" Cassiopeia looked sad now, tears running down her cheeks, "I didn't want you to become this way because of me…"
"Not because of you, Cassi. Because of them. They killed you. They broke me in doing so."
"Then unbreak! Please!"
"It's not that easy," I said coldly, glaring at her now. It's not fair. I couldn't move to Cassi, or else the illusion would be broken, and she would be gone. The world would be back, less bright, less happy. No more Cassi.
"I didn't say it would be easy," Cassiopeia shot back, crossing her arms.
"Just find me."
The illusion didn't look stunned at the other voice. I was. I turned slowly.
"Vega…?"
"Find me, sis," Calm blue eyes, similar to Cassi's, stared down at me. Chocolate brown hair dipped down into her face, shielding her right eye from view. She wore the same clothing in which I last saw her, just like Cassiopeia. A hot pink camisole, denim jacket thrown over it with sleeves rolled up the the elbows and the middle button buttoned. Skinny jeans with stars stitched on, tucked into black ankle boots with pink soles.
"How?"
"How should I know?" Vega rolled her eyes, "I'm just an illusion made by your mind, remember?"
A grin cracked across my lips. Vega always could crack the obvious and make it funny. That's just how she was. Is. She's still alive, just...gone. Not here.
"Yeah? Well can I get at least a suggestion? Or direction?"
"Well, I'll tell ya this much," Vega took a step forward, and I wanted to beg her to come closer, just to touch her, hug her, but I didn't. That may shatter the illusion, "Killing Colonel Sanders down there isn't going to help."
My breath caught again. Cassiopeia stepped up beside Vega, nodding in agreement. I growled. Vega and Cassiopeia together were an unstoppable force. Well… at least against me they are. were. Fuck.
Damn their puppy eyes.
"Alright. I-...I won't."
Cassi looked happy, then worried, "One other thing, sis?"
I sighed, knowing that whatever it is she would ask, I wouldn't be able to say no to, "What do you want, Cassi?"
"Please save him."
The world rushed back, Vega and Cassiopeia rushing away and flickering in the wind, disappearing behind the doorway I would soon be using. I didn't bother to give chase. I tried to before, many times. They were never there.
But...save him? Why the hell did I have to save some asshole I don't even know? Cassi wanted me to though… dammit Cassi!
I heard the witch let loose a guttural cry, and I whipped my head around, already searching for her in the scope. I saw the glowing red eyes in a matter of seconds, and I felt rage build up in me. Fuck this bitch, fuck this virus, or whatever the hell it is. Just fuck it.
I barely took notice of the suit scrambling backwards and landing on his behind, trying to get his gun up but having the bitch smack it away with her talons. Fucking. Bitch.
I was curious as to how she would go about gutting a kill though.
Sis, please!
Dammit. Get out of my head, Cassi, I won't let the guy die. Don't you trust me?
Not when you're out of your mind like this.
Oh? Well get used to it, Cassiopeia Rose, because I ain't getting back on track anytime soon.
The whisper of Cassi vanished, and I tuned back into the world as the bitch began to raise her talons, mouth stretched into a grotesque smile as she readied to slash at the suit guy. He tried to kick at her bony legs, but those dead girls were tougher than they looked.
That's why I wasn't to happy in unloading a round in her head when it wouldn't even fucking kill her right away.
BAM!
The survivors below me let out yelps of shock, but I kept my focus on the staggering undead. Elegant black blood streamed down her face, making a glistening, pretty waterfall. If only I could take a picture…
BAM!
Oh well.
My lips curled into a smile as she fell to the ground, whimpering in those annoying high pitched shrieks. Seriously, how do the other special infected manage to not pound her face in? It's such a grating noise!
BAM!
Aaand dead. Happy Cassi? I sure hope so, because that was so not worth my bullets.
I stood to my full height, which I'll admit, is a rather unimpressive 5'5''. I decided to leap on top of the concrete barrier, looking down at the four gaping survivors with my sniper rifle cradled professionally in my arms. I might as well let them get a good look at me before I split, since they probably got the gist by now that I was not to be screwed with.
Oh yeah. Sending warnings in the apocalypse.
Dear lord, sis. You keep thinking like this, and you're doomed before you get within a hundred mile radius of me.
Shut up, Vee.
/~~~\\
"What the hell was– who the hell is–"
"Nick. Shut up," Coach growled with a tense posture, gripping his shotgun tightly. Ellis squinted up at the figure on the overpass, jaw dropping at the sight.
She almost looked like one of those strong heroine's in the movies. Black and red hair in a ponytail, billowing in the wind as she stared down at them with a serious look. No smile, no indication of emotion. A huge rifle in her hands, looking almost comical with the comparison of her own size. Black boots with no heel that reached her mid-thigh, dark red pantyhose and a short black dress with spaghetti straps and a foot of lace at the ends. A red rose was detailed at the bottom right of the dress, and he spied a backpack peeking out from behind her, along with another gun. A black belt with huge pouches was resting on her hips, a magnum in a holster on her hip. Lastly, a large strap that rested on her left shoulder and ended up looping back around her back at her stomach held a few vials containing Boomer Bile, along with one unlit molotov.
This girl looked ready to face a nuclear explosion.
"Uh, hello up there! We aren't a threat to y'all, just passing through!" Coach called up, letting no nervousness seep into his voice. Ellis had to commend the burly man for that, since he was shaking in his boots by merely taking a glance at the girl.
"I'm well aware."
Her voice had a soft lit to it, a slight British accent seeping through as she cleared her throat softly. Her voice didn't invoke the same fear her appearance did. They completely contradicted each other. Suddenly processing her response, Ellis blinked. She's well aware?
"Is she well aware of the passing through part or the not a threat part?" He asked lowly to the others, seeing Rochelle look at him with wide eyes and shrug helplessly, keeping herself planted in front of Nick, who has yet to stand.
"Both."
Ellis nearly jumped out of his skin. She heard him?
"Well… seeing as you seem to know what you're doing… would you like to join–"
"Goodbye," She cut Coach off with a simple word, swinging the rifle so it rested on her back and slipping the magnum from its holster, holding it in front of her casually as she sauntered to the right, balancing perfectly on the narrow barrier, before jumping back onto the bridge and pushing open what Ellis assumed to be a door.
"Hey wait! Maybe we can help each other!" Ellis yelled up, and for a moment she paused.
Only for a moment though, because in the next second, the door slammed shut.