The Swamp Chapter 0; Helicopter Failure

"NICK! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? THAT'S THE PILOT!" Ellis screamed as I began unloading my pistol shots into the zombie in front of us. He lunged at my from the side, grabbing my arms and forcing them in a different direction from the pilot.

"Yea, Nick! Do you have a death wish or somethin'?" Rochelle yelled from behind us as she continued patching Coach up with what first aid we still had from the Midnight Rider's concert stage.

"You really need to stop that shit Nick..." Coach managed as I tried wrestling away from Ellis, while trying to keep my eyes on the now zombie-pilot fighting to break free from the safety belt around him.

"ELLIS! Let go! You might not see it, but he's changed! He's not the pilot anymore! He's just a zombie now!" He just shook his head, holding onto me tighter. For a moment, just a moment, I believed he was actually scared. As though he just wanted the nightmare to end... like the rest of us.

Ellis snatched one of my pistols from my hands and aimed it at me at the same time I lifted my other gun and aimed it at the zombies' head. "I can't let you do that Nick. He's our only way out of here."

"Only way out of this shit hole or nightmare Ellis?" I snapped back at him, not taking my eyes off the infected pilot. "Look at him. He's almost ripped through that belt, he's drooling everywhere, his skin has already starting to mutate. Besides, he's not doing a very good job at flying anymore now is he?" I flicked my hand towards it as if I was showing him all my points. Ellis didn't move.

"... just can't let you Nick." I couldn't help but look him in the eye. I glanced back at Coach and Rochelle, who made it clear they didn't agree with me either.

Just then the pilot broke free of the belt, the helicopter system began beeping, and leaped at us. He had become a Hunter. "ELLIS!" My mind went blank for a moment, I had thought I would get used to this after awhile but it was as though I was at square one again. I pulled Ellis behind me, switching spots, and fired my remaining shots before I was pounced to the floor of the helicopter. "Arh! I'm down!"

Ellis bolted towards me and punched the Hunter off, unleashing all the rounds he had in the pistol. He extended a hand to me and attempted to pull one of my arms around his shoulder. "Nick! I'm not leaving you here!"

I swatted his hand away. "The choppers' already going down. Don't be an idiot Ellis. You don't have any time. I'll only slow you down. Grab the first aid packs from the choppers supply rack and go! NO! Leave the guns! There's... no time!" I yelled as he scurried around grabbing what he could in the increasingly shorter amount of time.

He shoved a container of pain pills in my face. "My buddy Keith survived a tornado by being numb all over his body... maybe you can too." I reluctantly took the bottle and swatted him away. Right before he jumped, he turned back to me "you better make it out of this!" I couldn't do anything but give him a cheap smile in an attempt to calm his worries.

The beeping became louder, signaling that it was approaching the ground quickly. I stared at the pills in my hand. "Might as well die without any pain..." I muttered to myself as I chugged the bottle. The beeping... the scene around me... the pain... had already started to fade away... Live Ellis