New choices, new chances
"Daddy, I can't run anymore"
"Come, Sevannah. You need to keep running"
"I can't"
"You can!"
"I can take her, if ya want to"
"I don't need your help, Overalls!"
"Daddy!"
Nick looked back to meet the green, tired eyes of his little girl. His heart sink when he saw how tired she actually was. But they had no time to stop! Those fucking zombies were chasing them, and his arm was bleeding because of an attack from a Hunter. Shit, he really wanted to put Sevannah on his back, so she didn't have to run. But he couldn't. And he didn't want help from people he didn't know and trust.
"We are almost there, sweetie" Rochelle said when she heard the tears in the little girls voice. "Just a little further and we- JOCKEY!"
Coach pointed his gun at the crazy laughing infect. But he was slower than the Jockey and the zombie jumped on Rochelle's shoulder and started to scratch her face, and leading her to the zombies.
"GET IT OF!" she yelled and let her weapon fall on the ground, when she tried to push the Jockey off of her shoulders. But like they knew, she couldn't do anything to safe herself. "GET IT OF!"
Ellis, was the first one who moved. He grabbed his fire axe out of his bag and run to his teammate. He shove the Jockey off of her shoulder and smashed it head with the weapon. Blood was coming in his eyes and he rubbed it away with his hand. But he was not worried about himself. "Ya okay?" he put a hand on the woman's shaking shoulder.
Rochelle, couldn't say anything and just nodded, holding her face in her hands. It hurt so bad!
"We need to go further!" Coach yelled while he shoot a zombie. "NOW!" he took the lead again and run to the door that leaded to the staircase.
Nick, tighten his grip around his daughters hand. But even with that, he felt the hand slipped away from him.
Sevannah let out a scream when she felled something slimy around her chest and she was dragged away from her dad. "DADDY!" she yelled out already noticing that she couldn't breathe that good as normal.
"Smoker got Sevannah!" Nick yelled while he started to run after his daughter, looking were the infect one was at the end of the tongue. But he couldn't find it.
"Damn it!" Coach turned and run after the man in the suit. "Rochelle, Ellis ya two are gettin to the safe room. Now!"
"Hell no!" Ellis mumbles and run after the older man. He was faster than the other. "Ya go to the safe room with Ro. I'm faster!" without waiting for an answer he took his fire axe in both his hands and sprinted as fast as he could.
Sevannah tried to get free from the tongue. But whatever she tried, it wouldn't work. He fear grow when she felled that she was dragged up into the air. Her back hit the wall hard and she let out a sobbed yel. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she closed her eyes tightly, focusing on her breathing. 'Please daddy. Save me!'
Nick let out a scream when he saw that his daughter was hung in the air he wanted to shoot the tongue, but Sevannah would fall on the floor from a high distance. She could break something. Or even worse. "Fuck!" he felt helpless. He saw his own baby girl straggling to dead by a fucking zombie! That was now how he planned his life. And that from her.
"Nick!" Ellis voice broke his toughts and he saw the young one running past him to were Sevannah was hanging. "Shoot the tongue! I'll get her!"
Nick, a little shocked pointed his gun at the tongue.
Ellis throw his weapon on the ground and looked up to the girl and made sure, that he was standing on the right place to catch her. "Now!"
Nick shoot at the tongue and in one try it ripped in half. He couldn't help but smirked a little.
Sevannah felt the pressure going away before she could pass out fully. But she started to scream when she felt she was falling. But two strong arms catch her gently and she put her own arms around the others neck and hide her face in his neck crying.
"Ain't worry Sevannah" Ellis said while he patted her hair. "Ya save now" he tight his grip around the girl and started to run when he heard a horde zombies coming his way.
Nick heart the same thing, and even he didn't like the idea of not holding his girl, he let the hick carry her and he turned around. "Hurry up, Overalls! We need to go the damn roof"
"Ya ain't need to tell me that!"
The two of them run back to the place where they left Coach and Rochelle. But when they were there, the other two weren't there. Are they already on the roof? Or did they hide somewhere for the zombies.
Nick slammed a zombie with his gun and look around him for the other two. "Were the fuck are they!"
"Nick! A littl help here!" Ellis yelled out when he tried to push away a zombie with one free arm, while he still hold Sevannah close against him.
Nick shoot the zombie in the head and grabbed the hicks wrist and pulled him with him when he started to run again. "Where is the staircase, Overalls?"
"Jus' up ahead"
A loud howl was heard behind them and both survivors knew that they needed to go somewhere safe. Now! So, without looking, or letting go of Ellis wrist, Nick lead them to the point where the younger one told him.
A door slammed open and Coach started to shoot on the Charger . "Hurry up, young'un!"
Rochelle stood next to him and started to shoot the zombies who were coming to close to her teammates.
"Where, in the fucking world, were you two!" Nick yelled angry at the two. "We could be death!"
"We are" Ellis said when he looked over his shoulder for a moment. "Thos' zombies are getting closer!"
Nick let go of Ellis wrist and turned around to shoot some zombies. But the Charger was slamming away the zombies to make a path to the survivors. There was nothing more to do than just run. So he did, making sure that the hick and his daughter were fallowing him.
Coach and Rochelle shoot all of their bullets on the Charger. When the other three run past them, into the staircase, they stopped and run after them. Coach closed the door behind him and they run up the stairs. Scared that the Charger will slam down the door. But when they didn't hear any zombies or Chargers, they stopped and took the time to calm down.
"That" Rochelle started while she sit down on the floor. "That was to close"
"Were, in the fucking world, were you two!" Nick said. He stroke his hair back when they were hanging before his eyes. There go's his look.
"We were waithin for ya in here" Coach answered and he rubbed over his bad knee. "But we ya didn come, we were commin to look for ya"
"O well thank you" Nick said sarcastic.
"Be happy that we helped you, Nick" Rochelle said while she looked angry at him. "We could just let you be there"
"I don't give a shit if you guys leave me for that" Nick yelled out. "I only care that Sevannah is save!"
"If ya all scream like that, she ain't gonna be okay" Ellis said from the stairs where he was sitting, with still the little, scared girl in his arms.
Soft sobs were heard when nobody said anything anymore. Guilt came up in the three older people in their team. Sevannah, just escaped an attack from a Smoker. Of course she was scared. But the yelling make it even worse.
Sevannah, who was hiding her face in Ellis' shoulder, pushed herself closer to the mechanic and tight her grip on his shirt. She didn't want him to let her go ever again. She felt safe with Ellis. Even more safe than with her own dad. And that made her feel guilty.
Nick stared at the hick with his little girl in his arms. Why did he saved her? He was her dad, not that fucking kid. But, if it wasn't Ellis, Sevannah would be death. He sighs. How he hate this. He didn't want to thank him. That was something he didn't do to stranger. Hell he ever did that to someone he know. Except to Sevannah. But, that was his little girl. She was everything for him. And it was the only best thing, he got from his ex-wife.
"Let's just move on" Rochelle interrupt his thoughts. She stand up and reloaded he gun again. "Maybe, there is still a chance that they could save us"
Coach sighs and stroke his hand over his face. "I don think anyone will save us. But" he fallowed the woman's moves and started to walk up the stairs. "the only way to find out, is to look"
"Yea" Ellis said when he turned to look at the others with a smile on his face. "Maybe we can go on the helicopter. I ain't ever been on a helicopter before! How about ya, Sevannah?"
Sevannah looked up at the boy and smiled a little. "One time. But it was more an airplane. Together with daddy. Right, daddy"
"Yes" Nick answered with a sigh. "Yes we did"
"I remember that one time Keith wanted to fly. So he was standin a a high buildin, wanted to jump. Man, his mom was craaaaaaaazy! She grabbed him by his ear and pulled him down the stairs! I ain't never heard his scream like that!"
Sevannah giggled when she heard the story. All the stories Ellis told her were funny. She didn't known him for a long time, but she knew that she like the stories. "Do have another story?"
"Well, there was this time that-"
"Young'un" Coach interrupt him. "Tell the story when we are safe"
Ellis stood up and started to walk up the stairs. "Okay, ain't got a problem with that"
Rochelle shook her head smiling and fallowed the boy. Coach just mumbles something and when up as well.
Sevannah wanted to fallow them, but her dad stopped her and she looked up surprised. "Something wrong, daddy?"
"I just want to know" Nick started and kneeled down before her. He took her face in his hand. "if you are okay"
Sevannah smiled and tears were coming in her eyes. She placed her hands on the ones who were holding her face. "I'm okay, daddy. I'm just" she sighs and stares at the ground. "I'm just scared"
Nick felt a pain of guilty going throw him. The last time she told him that she was scared, was when his ex-wife was yelling at him and throw stuff to his head. He promised her that she never had to be scared anymore. He hated it that he couldn't keep that promise. He was just a fucking, bad father.
"Daddy?"
The conman looked up to his daughter and pulled her into an embrace. "I'm sorry that I couldn't save you faster, from that Smoker"
"It's okay, daddy" Sevannah said while she tight her grip around his neck. "You did safe me. Together with Ellis"
Why does he have to bring the fucking hick up!, he thought annoyed. But what he didn't like the most was that she was right. If Ellis didn't come back, Sevannah would be... "Yeah, your safe now"
Someone cough behind them. And when Nick looked back he couldn't help it but pull up a brow when he saw the hick. "What?"
"Ro and Coach wanted me to get ya" Ellis said with a gentle smile. "Ain't worry. I tell them ya commin" he turned and walked up the stairs again. "Ow, Nick" he stopped and looked at the older man.
"What is it, Overalls?" Nick asked when he stood up.
"If we r on the roof, we need to stich ya arm" he turned and run up the stairs.
Nick looked at his arm. Then he felt the pain. Fuck, he totally forgot about that. But, why did that hick have to tell him that? He should be worried about himself. "Let's go"
Sevannah nodded and started to run up the stairs. Nick fallowed her. Hoping that they will safe. But, when he walked up the last stairs, he could hear the helpless voices of the other survivors.
"Come back!" Rochelle yelled while she jumped up and down with her arms above her head. "Come back!"
"We r here!" Ellis screamed while he run to the end of the roof.
"They were supposed to safe us here!" Coach said while he leaned on his gun while catching his breath.
"Looks like there is a change in plans" Nick say pissed while he looked at the little black spot in the air, that was getting smaller and smaller.
"W-what are we going to do now?" Sevannah asked while she hold Nicks hand tightly.
"I don't know Sevannah"
"This can't be happening" Rochelle mumbles while she fell on her knees and hide her face in her hands. "This can't be happening!"
"Damn, we were so close!" Coach said while he sat down against a wall.
"Ain't we got anythin to get their attention" Ellis asked while he run to the table were guns, first-aid kits and other stuff were laying on.
"What's the point of that, Overalls?" Nick yelled annoyed. Sevannah jumped away from him surprised, but he didn't realize. "Those fucking bastards left us behind. For dead!"
Ellis ignored what the older man was yelling to him. There has to be something that they could use to bring the helicopter back! It was their only chance. But the only thing he find was: some shotguns, handguns, first aid kit, some ammo and water. There was nothing there to get their attention.
"Shit!" he pulled his cap from his head and stroke his hair back, to put his cap on again. He let his bag slide from his shoulders and sit against the wall. "What now?"
Nobody know what they had to do now. Their last hope was flying away from them. So the silent what was coming up between them, hurt like hell. Because they all knew that they didn't survive this for long. At least: not long to be saved again.
Nick sighed annoyed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So this means that: we are going to sit here, and wait for our fucking dead"
"If ya have a plan" Coach started annoyed by the attitude from the gambler. "then share it with us"
"If I got a plan, I wouldn't be here with you all"
"It' not that ya have to be with us"
"I would be happy if I could leave you guys"
"Then why don' ya move ya fuckin ass-"
"Stop it you two!" Rochelle screamed out while she jumped up and look at the two man pissed. "This is not helping! We need to stick together now! We need each other!" she looked at Nick. "Do you really want that Sevannah get eaten by those zombies?!"
"No. Of course- "
"Then shut up about leaving and shit!"
Everybody stared at the mad woman before them. Nick then realized that Sevannah was not standing beside him. He only could think of one person, where she would be with. He looked at the hick and saw him and Sevannah talking quietly. Some tears were streaming down her face, but Ellis rubbed them away with his finger. His annoying feeling grows and he stamped to the two young people.
"Sevannah!" he yelled and the two looked up surprised at the angry man. "How many times do I have to say: don't go somewhere without me knowing it!"
"But.. But daddy" Sevannah started while tears were coming in her eyes again. "Y-you and Coach w-were yelling a-and-"
"I don't care!" Nick yelled and gripped her arm. Rougher than he wanted to. "Even if I was eaten by a fucking zombie-"
"Nick, chill out!" Ellis interrupt him while he stood up. "She was with me. Ya ain't have to worry 'bout it, if she is with me"
"You not her, fucking, dad, Overalls! You not even family!" he glared at the younger, ignoring the hurt in the hicks eyes. "I'm the one who takes care of her. I don't need your fucking help!" he looked at the others. "None of yours"
"You need our help, Nick" Rochelle said with a sigh. "Sevannah would be dead if Ellis didn't catch her!"
Nick wanted to say something about that: 'she was not right' and shit like that. But, he couldn't. because she was right. And he hated. He hated that someone that he doesn't know saved his girl. God, he hated so much. Two small arms were coming around his waist, and when he looked down he met hose familiar green eyes.
"I'm really sorry, daddy" Sevannah said and hide her face in dress shirt. "I didn't mean to make you angry"
Nick sighs and patted her hair. "No I'm sorry"
"Let jus get back to a safe room" Coach said and stood up and took some ammo to put it in his bag. "We'll see what we gonna do there"
"That's the best we can do" Rochelle said and put a first-aid kit in her bag.
Ellis glance one more time at the gambler and the girl, before he walked to the table and put his bag on the ground to put some stuff in it. He really felt upset over the words that Nick said. He was starting to see Sevannah as a little sister. He wanted the same thing as the gambler wanted: that Sevannah was safe. They could do that with the four of them. But with Nick's attitude, it will never happen. Yes, they didn't know each other. Only each other's name. But, that didn't mean that they could help each other. He put his bag on his back again, grabbed his shotgun and walked to the staircase. "I'll see if there r some zombies down there"
"Maybe that's not a god idea, Sweetie" Rochelle said but Ellis ignored her and walked down the stairs.
"Ain't worry 'bout him, girl" Coach said and put his own bag on his back. "He'll be fine"
"If you say so" Rochelle sighed and looked at Sevannah with a smile. "Should we have some girl talk?" she ignored Nicks glare and reached her hand out to the girl.
Sevannah looked at Rochelle and then looked back to her dad. Should he think it's fine that she would go with Rochelle? What if he gets angry again and starts yelling at her again? So the only thing the little girl could do was, grabbing her daddy's hand and force a smile. "I'm okay, Rochelle. I want to be with daddy"
That ass, Rochelle tought angry while she let her eyes slide to the conman. Because she know that Sevannah was a little scared that Nick was starting to yell at her again. But she will not just let the child dragging away from other people, because her dad was asshole. So she smiled.
"I think your 'daddy' thinks it's okay that you come with me for a second. He could help Coach than with some stuff" she glared at Nick and warned him without words that he could better agree with her.
Nick, saw the warning and he glared back at her. Why are these people trying to take his little girl from him? That's why he didn't trust anyone. They only trying to get her away from him. Just like his ex did. But he didn't want to make a whole scene about something stupid like this. So he sighs and looked at his little angel.
"It's okay, Sevannah. You can go with Rochelle if you want to"
"Really?" Sevannah asked, not really sure if her dad was meaning it yes or no. But when she saw him nodding. She smiled a wide smile and run to Rochelle and took her hand.
"We could get to know each other better" Rochelle said while she leaded the girl to the stairs. "And we could see if Ellis is okay"
That fucking bitch!, Nick screamed at himself pissed. She's been planning this the whole time. Saying nice: 'let's have some girl talk' and then going to that fucking hick! Why did he not just shoot them and go alone. Because he couldn't. Because Sevannah would hate him. And they would be dead.
"The hell did ya say thos things to the boy" Coach said, still focusing on getting some stuff in his bag. "He jus' want to help ya"
"I don't need help, Coach" Nick said while he pinched the bridge of his nose. Damn, that fucking headache was coming back again. "I don't need any help with Sevannah"
"Ya wrong, boy" the older man said looking up a little bit. "Do ya really think that ya can do this alone? Hell no ya can!"
"Listen, I'm taking care of Sevannah for seven years now. And most of the time I did it alone" Nick said getting a little pissed. "So I can do this alone too"
Coach shook his head and walked to gambler. He laid his hand on the other shoulder and squeezed gently. "Nick, ya ain't alone anymore. And in the time ya took care of her, there weren't any zombies. It' different now" his grip tight a little and then let go of the shoulder. He walked back to his bag and put it on his bag. "I know that ya don' really like the kid. But" he looked one more time to the gambler. "Sayin that he ain't a family, when he lost his own family" he shook his head and fallowed his other survivors down the stairs. "Damn stairs!"
What was he supposed to do now? This whole situation is fucked up! There are zombies everywhere. His 3000 dollar suit was getting ruined. And, he hate it to admit it, he was getting jealous of the hick. Because Sevannah always smiled when she was around him. More than she ever did when she was with him. Was that the reason why he hated the kid, even if he didn't know anything about him? It must be. He didn't get any other reason. Well, the stories about that hick friend of him are getting annoying with the minute.
He tough back about what he said to the hick. "You not her, fucking, dad, Overalls! You not even family!" He sighs. Maybe it was a little harsh. But it is the truth! He stroke a hand throw his hair and put his bag better on his back. He picked his gun from the ground and walked to stairs. Maybe, he could give the others a chance to win his trust.