Note: Hi everybody. Sadly I lost my account. This is New edited version for the story. I'm going to cut out certain things to make it better.
Chapter 1 "Hellish night."
September 22, 1998.
From how much time changes things, it still can lead to stuff that is still all the more surprising. Like, small square contraptions that display images of people. Humanity choosing to divide itself but still enjoy the simple pleasures. It was still, so different but overall, interesting.
He never expected to smell the clean air of the human world ever again. Down to the lower section of his back, was a bit of tension. The kind that one can't just massage then for it to disappear. That irritated feeling, which would take a while to go away. He blinked at the sky as he took a moment to reflect as well as feeling the power pulse within him.
He lifted his head to look at the sky. It was half red with clouds which covered the moon. He pulled himself up and stared at his hands. "I'm back Eva." He said with a smile. Imagining how old his children are by now. They could be 16 or 17, all grown up and what kind of stories that they could tell him…
The man looked away from the sky as his lips straightened out.
It's been so long, he leaned up and rubbed his back. No matter what he could say, can be labeled as an excuse. Still he won't give up, he will explain to them what happened. He wanted to be there for his sons. He got back to his feet and brushed off the specs of dirt from his clothes.
The grass still had the morning dew gather on the blades of grass he passed. The smell was lovely but it faded as he approached the city.
A stink filled his nostril, a way too strong smell almost felt like slabbing him in the face. "What is that?" He continued walking through the grass until he reached a clearing. At the end there was a sign.
'Welcome to Raccoon city.'
The path stretched before him, it was almost green with trees covering the main street. The soles of his shoes scuffed from the asphalt. The walk would be about over an hour from judging the distance. Several strange chariots passed him with lamps that directed their lights forward.
Times really do change.
He sighed and continued to walk on the well maintained asphalt. During the walk, the man saw the golden lights of the large buildings that appeared to touch the sky. It was a great and strange sight to see. Only Demons in the past were able make such structures so high. It strangely enough he couldn't hear any sound in a supposedly a public street people use in traveling.
He stopped midway, when his nose caught a familiar scent. "Eva? Are you in that city?" With that he made up his mind and sprinted through the outskirts of the city, when he heard the sound of a metal chariot approach him.
A black and white chariot with a golden star on the side slowed down when it reached him.
"Need a ride mister?" A dirty blonde young man in a police uniform was inside.
"Thank you young man." He nodded and opened the door in the front. "What is your name?" The man asked as he sat in the seat next to him.
"Leon, a new officer in this town." The young man answer and hit stick to drive into the city. "My name is Sparda."
The drive was for the most part silent. The stench of death got stronger it's almost suffocating in the empty street.
Leon slowed the Jeep to a crawl and had planned to take a left turn, look for a restaurant or pharmacy, the horrible smell and the total absence of life were giving him a serious case of creepy feelings. Maybe he should stop and check things out, look around for any sign of life that could assure him yeah it's a just a weird night in the city.
"What is happening in this city Mister Kennedy?" Sparda after he looked that golden pin on his blue uniform. With Kennedy as his last name or probably was an honorary title. "This is abnormal, I remember that villages are lively places."
"I'm confused as you, I just arrived here." He answered and put the Jeep at halt in the middle of the street.
"I'm walking from here. Thank you for your help." Sparda uttered and walked out of the car immediately. Leon watched in front of him, where he could see, there was a human body in the middle of the road. Twenty feet in front of his car. Face down, the figure looked like a woman and judging from the red stains that covered most of the once-normal grey shirt, it wasn't some happy drunk woman who'd decided to take a nap in the street.
Some bastard killed her and then drove away. . . "Great, first day in the job." he whispered. as he knelt down to check on the woman.
Sparda let his nose lead him around, still he couldn't shake the feeling something is not right, he had seen a couple of people wandering around, but they were strange. Their movement were more like dancing, after an out of control drunk time. The whole place smelled wrong, like a wide battlefield.
At last he stopped in front of a restaurant, the building's glass front gave him a clear look at the well-lit, homey place, from the bolted red stools at the lunch counter to the padded booths, but still there was not a soul inside. Slowly he opened the door and stepped inside. Taking a deep breath, he called out hopefully.
"Eva, are you in here?" Though a sound of gasp made him look over the other side of the place.
A brunette young woman backtracked fearfully out of the side counter. "I'll just go out and see my business now," she babbled, fear evident in her voice. "I'm sorry I bothered you okay, just don't come any closer. . ."
There was a man in front of her, he staggered forward, his blind eyes glowing with a serious hunger like the eyes of an animal. That smell? It's coming out of that girl. Who is she? Sparda hurried and held her arm, getting her startled in the spot, but he didn't wait for her to say something. He pushed her behind him and draw twin pistols. The weapons named Luce and Ombra. "Don't move or I'll fire!" He said coldly. But the man in front of him didn't show any kind of worry, and continued dancing their way.
"What!?"
"I..." The terrified girl babbled again, he could feel her hands touching his shoulders. "He ...he killed someone."
The made a strange moaning sound, and he was way too close for his liking. He lowered Ombra and fired at the man's knee. The man staggered a bit, but to their surprise the man continued walking toward them. "He tore a man apart."
"It cannot be." Sparda whispered. The woman tugged on his arm, "Come on, lets get out of here." She said nervously and ran to the back door in the other side.
Sparda watched the strange man for a moment, a sight he never saw before. It was almost fascinating. The way that blood crested at its lips and moaned as if it wanted more to consume. He turned around and followed the girl.
He heard the sound of gun shots, and he saw the young man who drove him here. He moved faster and walked out of the road to see what was going on.
In the other side of his view there was a woman and two men following Leon. They were all bloody and the eyes so empty and hungry at the same time. "Why are you shooting them? Maybe they came down with a sickness. Stop it now!"
"They tried to bite me!" Leon shouted. "No matter what I do, they won't stay down..."
Sparda watched in silence, as the man aimed for the woman's chest and fired. Her movement were halted in a second, still she kept moving like nothing happened. Sure there was a new chest cavity, and he could faintly see light through her torso.
Another shot to the abdomen of the man next to her and still didn't affect him much. The last shot hit the right rib of the last man. "What would drive people to act crazy, at the same time?" The woman cried.
Sparda's eyes widened, and he pointed at them with his index finger. "They are not humans." He held the woman's hand and start running with her to the side, where these creatures won't catch them.
The two passed a former human over the body of a small cart. The entire seat was painted in blood with bits of flesh at the wheels of the cart. Sparda blasted its head away as they passed. Claire kept her eyes forward. Behind the two, was Leon as he caught up in no time at all.
"Head for the police station, its safer there okay? According to protocol, there is bound to be riot police making a stand." Leon called out to them. "I'll meet you there, I'm going to look for anyone else that can be alive."
Sparda, the woman and Leon stopped for a moment to catch their breath at a seemingly vacant street corner. Bodies littered the street with the calm exteriors of city.
"Look, I have no idea what is going on but there has to be operations in motion to save the city." Leon reached for his lower back. "Here, I'm glad that I decided to bring an extra radio."
Leon passed it off to the woman. "Thanks… why would you want to bring a spare. Got a partner?"
"No, I was on my way for my first day. I wanted to leave an impression." Leon shrugged. "Okay, about five blocks away on Verna Street should be the police station. Good luck."
"Okay." She answered. Sparda took a turn left to dimly lit ally and stopped there.
Sparda and the woman slowed their pace in case of dangers. "Thank you sir, who are you?" She said between her breaths... The man in front of her was good looking, she cannot deny that. His lovely cyan-blue eyes, a young face without a hint of fat on him and slicked-back white hair. Now she focused on him, he worn a purple Victorian outfit with a white cravat, a large red jewel around his neck, and a monocle over his left eye.
"My name is Sparda. Who are you girl?" his voice was calm and a bit high pitched, she couldn't recognize if he was concerned or bored out of his mind.
Sparda stared at her for a moment, there was something strange about those blue eyes. The woman could feel, he had the kind of piercing gaze like a very old cat.
"Stop it you're creeping me out." She said quietly, avoiding to look at his eyes. "My name is Claire Redfield."
Claire Redfield was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. The fact that her legs are seriously aching, begging for a time out for the last couple of hours wasn't helping matters much. Her only family in this world is missing and she'll do anything to get him back. She cannot handle loss not anymore. But first, she need to worry about what's going on in this town.
"In conclusion, your mind is clouded with sorrow." Sparda broke the silence. "Correct?"
Claire looked back at him, eyes wide. Wondering how the hell he knew that? Can he read minds? The best she could come up with is just body language, she did put her hand on her forehead then sighed.
"Do you know a woman that goes by the name, Eva Horton?"
Claire flipped the name in her mind for a moment. "Yeah, she is my father's cousin. Such a sweet woman, I do wish to meet her again someday." She answered with hints of sorrow in her voice.
Sparda touched her shoulders gently. "Can you tell me where is she now? I'm her husband."
"Wait, she's married? Well I never asked that in the past…" Claire noticed Sparda staring at her. "Sorry, I don't know where she is." Claire replied which in turn Sparda sighed defeated.
So much for hoping of a reunion here... He took off his coat and placed it on her shoulders.
"Ah thanks…" She said... She crossed her arms, allowing the warmth of the Victorian looking coat to comfort her.
"Where are your immediate relatives?" He asked.
Claire expression changed, and she looked down at the ground avoiding his gaze. "I see..." was his only answer. The two started walking in the ally, a path close to Claire's brother's house at least, where she can look for him.
"May I ask something?" She said looking down at the ground.
"Go on ahead."
"Why are you wearing these kind of cloths? They look so... Victorian. That monocle is strange, like one of these detectives or something." Claire looked over her shoulder and was relieved to see nothing there.
Sparda couldn't help but to smile at her words. If he had a coin for every one who asked him the same question.
Something crashed in the nearby trash can scared her. Another strange man emerged, even bloodier then the others. "No…" Claire shouted fearfully.
Sparda drew Luce and aimed at the dancing man. "What happened to you?" He said, hoping to get some kind of answer from him.
The man moaned at their direction, drool seeped through its teeth. In the shocking manner is that this creature did not have lips so it had a permanent smile. He could see pieces of skin and meat stuck between his teeth. He held his hand and reached out for the man. "I can help..." The man bowed a bit and bit his palm.
"No." Sparda shot the man clean in the forehead. The man fell on his back bleed with a blood squirting upward.
"My god!" she shouted." he tried to eat you, just like the man in the restaurant." Claire spoke behind him.
Sparda stood there frozen in the moment, looking down at the body. He rubbed his forehead. 'Why?' He wondered, but he knew he'll never get an answer in the street. He turned away from the body as Claire walked beside him.
.
"Stay near me." They could hear the song of the dead, getting louder, with each step they take to the street.
Claire gazed to the left side, a few meters away she saw total of five shadows dancing in the dark. Sparda saw in front of them, there was another five. Two young women trembling near a destroyed blue car, a middle aged man and a little boy over a house's fence slumped with a toy nearby. In the right side, there was more of them.
Two police officers, their hats and shirts were shredded. They were bending over another body, meat chewed within the remaining teeth. "I'm still in the demonic realm correct? All of what my sight had the displeasure to see is nothing but an illusion to hurt me?"
"You are still in what?" Claire said in a trembling voice as she walked beside him. "I think you are losing it. Not like this is normal either."
Together they walked carefully, the feast was still on offer but being part of the menu did not sound like the fun. "They are slow, we can walk by them." He whispered.
"I know where the station is." She replied. "Keep going this way." A sound of truck interrupted the deathly street, where the two can see their shadows in front of them. Claire's eyes caught a glimpse of Sparda's shadow... a loud gasp came out of her mouth involuntarily. Not sure if she should worry about getting run over or there is a monster standing next to her.
Sparda wrapped his arms around her and she felt herself flying, with the sudden rush of wind. In a moment she found herself standing upon a street light. Watching as the truck started to hit everything in its way. The zombies were falling one by one, their limps shattering in the process. Flesh crumpled and inners spilled out from the pressure under the truck.
"What the hell?" She shouted fearfully. "How...?"
"Being smashed by a runaway chariot doesn't make a good story to tell in the afterlife." Sparda retorted. Claire tensed holding unto him, her legs barely had balance over the thin street light.
"That is a very high jump, how the hell did you do that?" she screamed. Though she felt Sparda place one of his guns in her strap.
"I will put you down, and you run understood? I will be behind you shortly." He did not look at her but still spoke clearly.
"Why?" Then she heard a loud growling sound, meters away from them. She didn't want to find out what is that. Without a warning she felt herself falling fast on the ground, but she didn't slam like she expected. Sparda let go of her and turned around, looking at something behind them.
"Run now, and never look back."
THWIP! A lash came at the Sparda. He leaned away then back flipped to the ground.
Something growled from the shadows and the sound of claws against the ground grew ever closer. Several beasts revealed themselves with fangs and long tongues. They hissed hungrily. They looked like lizards but much larger than normal..
Sparda drew his pistols. "The one who will take them..." he sighed."without a taste, honestly."
One of the beasts lunged forward as Sparda clenched his fists then sidestepped the claw and brought the handle of one of his pistols down and had the beast roll down on their backs in pain. Some of their strange blood it had spewed out with as Sparda kept his eyes forward but put a bullet in it as it passed.
The shell casing was ejected out and before it could land. Sparda raised his left leg up and brought his heel down to smash another beast into the pavement. The third beast growled and lashed its tongue at him and Sparda endured the blow.
He grunted at the pain and dropped his handgun and as the tongue pulled back. He took hold and soon enough, the beast was reeling itself directly to Sparda. He kicked his leg forward so the gun he dropped could go directly above. The beast was close enough now and Sparda pulled back and over his shoulder so the beast could flip over him. He shot the tongue as the beast flew through the air smashed against a glass window of a store.
Sparda straightened his posture and caught his second handgun and aimed down the street. More beasts revealed themselves from the shadows.
"I got plenty more!" Sparda smirked.
…
Claire ran, snatching the heavy pistol from beneath her waist pack's strap, through the sick street to the next left turn. She remembered all the time she went to visit Chris in the police station, she hoped that she didn't forget the way.
The street was narrow and dark, she can see so much bottle and signs thrown around, with only one light shining over the place. There was a door locked with chains nearby. Claire took another sharp left as soon as she was in the next alley a large smoke welcomed her. Something was burning in the corner. She took a step forward, but stopped after she heard the unmistakable sound of dogs.
She froze in horror as dogs jumped out of the fire, barking at her. Their flesh were burning, melting slowly, but still they were not bothered by that. With a shaky hand she raised the pistol and fired one shot at the dog, the other two charged at her immediately. Claire knelt down and ran forward shooting another bullet at another dog.
Claire saw herself in a serious trouble, she ran and slide down avoiding another dog hungry for her flesh. She continued running toward the end of the alley. She kicked the door open, but a scream ripped through her as dog caught her ankle. She lowered the gun and fired none stop at the dog until it let go of her.
She went to the other alley running, ignoring the dull blossom of pain that enveloped her bruised leg, until she saw a room nearby. She opened the door and fell inside breathing heavily.
She crawled inside until her leg touched the door. Claire bit her lip and kicked the grey door close. Claire saw herself inside what it seems a very small storage room, there was a steel box in front of her.
"This was supposes to be a normal visit. How something out of movies become real." She cried... though she calmed herself down, she knew crying won't do anything. "I have to pull it together, if I want to find Chris and survive this hell."
Thank you for reading. Tell me what you think in a review. Special thanks to my beta reader The95will.