Disclaimer- I do not own left 4 dead. These characters in my story are made up. This is my own take on events so flame elsewhere. Encouraging reviews are welcome. I was thinking about this story and after reading the first chapter of a nice story, I was inspired enough to try.
By the way, if you don't like slash, leave now. You hear me? That means MAN/MAN loving! I don't want to hear any shit. I'll just delete your post anyway if I don't like it.
Anyone who isn't going to be a bigot may review as normal. I appreciate it. *smile*
The special ones. Part one.
"MALACHI HENSLEY!!!"
Malachi growled to himself as he got dressed, ignoring his mother's screams from down stairs. As he dressed he looked at himself in the mirror. His body was lithe and flexible. All those years of forced gymnastics from his mother did it to him. (Which he'd never been grateful for.) His skin was lightly tanned from the boyish dreams of frolicking in the sun when he was younger. He brushed his dark hair into his dark green eyes before pulling on his hoodie and hiding his face from the world. His black baggy pants had chains that clanked with every movement. He placed his headphones in his ears and made his way downstairs.
"Finally!" A woman, who looked like Malachi exclaimed throwing he hands up in the air in a dramatic gesture. "When are you leaving?! I have a date in a few minutes!"
Malachi ignored his mother and took a piece of bread from the loaf and popped it in the toaster.
"Hey?! Are you listening to me, young man?!"
Malachi heard her alright. Not even the music blaring over his head phones could drown her out.
"I hear you." He answered with a grunt.
His mother scowled. "Stop mumbling. Your father always mumbled."
"I wouldn't know." he answered with a scowl of his own.
Then his mother adopted a wicked smile. Malachi hated that smile. That smile always meant trouble.
"Your principal called last night." She grinned.
Malachi knew the reason why but he decided to be a wise ass. "Why, he wants a refund from the blow job you gave him?"
His mother's smile fell and Malachi grinned under his hoodie. The smile didn't last though as his mother quickly pulled him by the back of the hood, wrenching his head free from the cloth just so she could smack him across the face. She busted his lip in the process.
"Animal! Just like your no-good rotten father! I hope the bastard is rotting! I wish I had a daughter! Not a rotten son like you! I wish I had an abortion when I found out I'd get a little asshole like you!"
Malachi spat blood into her eye. His mother screamed and dropped him. He landed gracefully and grabbed the toast and his backpack from the chair. He ran upstairs with all the gracefulness of a cheetah. He quickly emptied his back pack of books and replaced them with clothes and money he'd been saving since he was ten. He had about two thousand dollars in twenties and tens so he rolled them into a wad and placed them in the safe compartment of his bag.
He'd been planning to leave for awhile now. He was going to leave January first after he received Christmas and birthday money from his grandma on his father's side. (That's right. Malachi was born on Christmas. He wasn't too fond of the fact either.) From there he was going to go live with his father up north in Canada. He'd already wrote letters to his dad telling him of his plans. His father was worried, but Malachi reassured him that he could make it there on his own. He'd stop at the half-way point, his grandmothers in Maine. Hopefully from there he could bum a ride from her to his fathers. In case that all went south though, he had his father address memorized so he was pretty sure he could find him on his own.
He was sick of his mother abusing him for being a boy and acting like his father. All she wanted was Malachi out of her life and he was all happy to oblige her. All the years that he'd tried to move in with his father before had failed. His father was a recovering heroine addict and his mother had the law on her side when it came to Malachi's custody. This year though, he'd finally be eighteen and no-one could stop him from leaving.
He had to be careful though. He'd be leaving tonight after school. He wasn't eighteen just yet so the cops could pick him up. In fact the only reason he was going to school instead of leaving right now was because he didn't want his mother to call the cops when the school called to ask where he was. He wanted at least a day's head start on them. Usually by the time he got home from school anyway, his mother was already drunk, stoned, not there or all of the above. She wouldn't notice he was gone until tomorrow morning when he was screaming for him to wake up. When he wouldn't answer, she'd find him gone and Malachi hoped to be on a bus in Maine by then.
Malachi, with his few possessions stuffed into a small backpack, jumped from the second story window to the outside. He landed on all fours like a cat and sprung up just as fast. He looked behind him to see his mother glaring at him from the window. Malachi growled and ran toward school. Little did he know it was the last time he'd ever see his mother alive. And even if he did know, he probably wouldn't have cared.
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At lunch, Malachi got a large portion for himself. He usually didn't eat so much but he knew he'd be grateful for the food when he was walking to the bus station later tonight. The food was disgusting like most cafeteria food was, but he ate it all then pushed his plate aside before looking around the lunch room.
He sat by himself. He didn't have any friends. Malachi felt that they only held him back anyway. What was the point of caring for anyone other than yourself? In the end, all you could do is rely on yourself. After all, everyone dies alone.
A hand placed itself on Malachi's shoulder and he whipped around to see his school principal, Mr. Martin.
"Ah, Mr. Hensley. I'm sure you remembered your detention today correct?"
Malachi cursed to himself. He'd forgotten. Now that he thought about it, that was probably what his mother was going to throw in his face when she had mentioned his principal.
"Yea. I remembered." he lied.
"Good." Mr. Martin smiled and pulled Malachi's hoodie down so he could see his face. "Keep your hood off during school hours, Mr. Hensley. Oh, and if you duck out of your detention, I'll call your mother."
"Fuck." Malachi mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing." Malachi spoke louder. "I'll be there."
Mr. Martin patted him on the shoulder and took his leave. When he was out of sight Malachi cursed louder and put this hood back up. This was going to set him back about an hour! He couldn't risk his mother knowing ahead of time what he was up to, so he was going to have to go to the stupid detention. Humph. Who knew calling the English teacher a cunt would get him detention?
Somewhere across the lunchroom someone puked up their meal. They weren't feeling too well since that dog bit them. Maybe they had rabies…..
When school let out, Malachi grudgingly stayed behind for his detention. His adventure would have to wait. His detention was in room 301 in the north wing. After the long annoying walk up, he made note of the virtually empty halls. Weird. This place was usually still full of drama geeks and jocks. He didn't think too much of it because it was vacation and there was supposed to be a huge snowstorm tonight. He hoped he'd be on a bus before it started.
He walked into room 301 and saw four other occupants of this room. None looked like a teacher though. One of them Malachi instantly recognized. Joseph Silva. The quarterback for the high school football team. Malachi had gone through grade school with him and the pig headed asshole had made fun of Malachi taking gymnastics. He was a beefy kid that had a knack for pushing others around that were smaller than him. The bastard had dark hair and eyes to match his equally dark soul. Malachi was sure that he'd make a nice tank for the army some day. Rumor was that he took steroids and had anger problems. Malachi didn't doubt it.
The fattest of the bunch, Malachi identified as Peter Huffington. He took English with the kid in seventh grade. Peter had always been fat and extremely awkward when it came to anything. He had sat in the back of the class with Malachi the whole semester and yet Malachi couldn't think of a moment that they ever even spoke to each other. His hair was brown, bowl cut and un-brushed. His tiny brown eyes were squished in, like they were trying to hide in the layer of fat on his face.
When Malachi turned to look at the other two, he was amazed to find someone holding there hand out to him to shake. Malachi starred at him stunned. This was one of the most good looking guys he'd ever seen. His hair was short and blonde, his skin was as fair as the light of the moon and his eyes were blue as the sky on a clear day. He wore a black trench coat, blue jeans and a white button up with the first two buttons undone.
Now, Malachi isn't gay. He's more pansexual. If he saw something that peeked his interest, be it male or female, he went with it. And right now this stranger was sure peeking his interest.
The stranger got tired on waiting and clasped Malachi's hand to shake. Malachi shivered at the contact.
"Hello." a distinct English accent came from his perfect ripe lips. "My name is Rahab Valo. I just moved here from England with by baby sister Lenora."
Malachi managed to pry his eyes away from the beautiful stranger long enough to get a look at his sister. She looked a bit like him, but with none of his natural sophistication. She dressed like a whore, in other words. Short skirt with fishnet stockings, belly shirt, and large acrylic nails that looked like she couldn't do a damn thing in them. She had long blonde hair that was tied back and lacked Rahab's beautiful eyes. Hers were a dull brown but almost golden making them somewhat interesting. She looked like she would cry easily when teased. Although Malachi was more focused on the beautiful creature shaking his hand.
"And you are…?"
"Oh. I'm-"
"A big faggot!" Joseph spoke up with a mocking smile.
Malachi instantly glared in the jocks direction He tried to pull his hand free but Rahab held it firmly.
"Your name…" he repeated.
Malachi knew he should be mad at this guy's audacity to speak to him this way. Although he was being firm, not mean and in all honesty it was turning Malachi on.
"Malachi Hensley…" he mumbled finally ripping his hand away. Rahab had a nice grip. He could still hear Joseph's snickering in the background. Malachi wanted to rip his guts out and watch him die. Whoa, where did that come from?
"It's nice to meet you." Rahab smiled in a seductive way that made Malachi shiver inwardly. Malachi quickly broke eye contact and sat down with a defeated look on his face. He didn't need attractions or attachments. He'd probably never see Rahab again so it was best to just forget about him now.
"Where is the fucking teacher?" Malachi wondered out loud after sitting in silence for ten minutes.
Rahab was sitting by an open window looking outside. "There are still cars in the parking lot but I don't see anyone around. If that's the case, I'll have a fag."
Malachi almost choked on his own air. The jock lifted an eyebrow.
"Rahab! You're a homo!?"
'Oh great." Malachi thought to himself as he tried to regulate his breathing. 'He and muscle man are on a first name basis….awesome.'
Rahab laughed and it was a sweet as honey to Malachi. "Fag is British for cigarette." He spoke as he placed one between those tempting lips of his then lit it up.
His sister retaliated immediately….with tears. "Rahab! I thought you quit!"
Rahab looked at her generally concerned but un phased by her tears. "Lenora, stop crying. Then we'll talk."
She snuffled but it took her only a second to stop crying. Rahab then took a long drag off his cigarette.
"It's hard to quit. I fell back in with the stress of moving here. I knew you'd act this way so I hid it from you…But you know me…absent minded with my fags."
She nodded and looked down at her desk.
A half hour passed. Rahab and Joseph started to play cards that they had found in the teachers desk. Lenora was painting her long acrylic nails dark red and that left Malachi and fatty in the corner.
Malachi was growing a bit irritated at his presence because he couldn't stare at Rahab without Peter seeing him do so. (Even though he kept telling himself that he wasn't going to look at Rahab.) Malachi would have just got up and walked out but he knew the minute he left the room the teacher would come in and call his mother.
Malachi must have been unconsciously staring at Rahab because Peter brought it up.
"You stare at him a lot. Do you hate him?"
Malachi was slightly startled the sound of Peters' voice. "Hun?"
"You've been staring at Valo. Do you hate him or something?"
Malachi tried not to blush, but of course he did. He just had to hope that his hood covered his face enough. "No…I was just zoning out."
Peter seemed convinced and that was enough for Malachi.
When the hour was up, Malachi sprung from his seat and headed toward the door. He put his hand on the knob only to have it seized by Rahab.
"Where are you going?"
Malachi didn't care how cute this guy was, that question was inappropriate.
"I'm leaving."
"Doesn't bother you that a teacher didn't show up?"
"I could care less." Malachi pulled his hand free again. "I did the hour, now I'm out of here." Malachi turned to leave but bumped into something solid. The teacher?
He looked up into lifeless eyes with half of the subjects brain exposed. Malachi acted accordingly.
"WHHHHAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!" He screamed and fell backwards into Rehab. Rahab caught him and fell backwards onto the floor.
The creature moaned and moved with extreme speed to grab Malachi's leg. Malachi screamed again and clung to a very surprised Rahab. Rahab wrapped his arms around him and backpedaled to get them both away from the creature.
"SOMEONE HELP US!" Rahab screamed as he wrestled Malachi away from the creature that seemed to be attempting to bite him.
Joseph instinctively grabbed the creature and slammed it into the teachers desk. Lenora screamed and so did Peter as a sick cracking noise was heard when the creature's back made contact with the edge of the desk. It fell lifeless to the carpet. Joseph stumbled back and fell flat on his ass, staring at the dead creature in awe.
Rahab still had his arms wrapped around Malachi for a few moments longer before Malachi realized what position he was in. He pushed Rahab away and got up nervously staring at the dead creature. He immediately missed the warmth that Rahab's embrace gave. He was in a mix of emotions at the moment. Fear, defiantly being the dominate one present.
Lenora cried softly in the corner, hunched over in fear. Her big brother climbed to his feet and put a comforting hand on her shoulder before he kneeled down next to her. Peter kept staring at the twisted face of the dead man with his brain pooling onto the floor in wet squishy waves. It became too much and he ran for the open window so he could throw up.
"What the hell…" Joseph whispered and looked around at all the other occupants. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!?"
"No need to yell." Rahab spoke as he tried to soothe his sisters cries. "We are all just as freaked out as you mate."
Malachi felt emotionally drained and empty. Many thoughts rushed into his head quickly. Was this man really dead? Was this even a man? Then it suddenly hit him like running into a brick wall. "This guy…he was dead before he was tackled into the desk…No-one can live with half their brain exposed like that…."
"What are you getting at, Hensley?!" Joseph growled spitefully at the shorter male.
"I'm saying he's a fucking zombie!" Malachi snarled back. "Clear enough for you, ass hat?!"
Joseph sprung to his feet at grabbed Malachi by the front of his hoodie. "What'd you call me you little faggot?!"
"I called you ass hat." Malachi glared defiantly. "If you prefer I could call you a cock sucking whore!"
"Why you little-"
"That's enough!" Rahab forced the two apart. "Everyone needs to calm the fuck down!! NOW!"
Joseph and Malachi exchanged glares at each other before Malachi scoffed and turned his back on them.
"I'm fucking out of here." Malachi walked to the now open door to leave only to be stopped again by Rahab. Rahab reached out and grabbed his wrist tightly.
"Don't go! It's dangerous out there! What if there are more of those things out there?!"
"I don't care! Let go of me!"
Rahab frowned and held on tighter. "No."
Malachi was shocked for a moment. "Excuse me?!"
"I said no."
Malachi's eye twitched in annoyance. He began to struggle wildly. "HOW FUCKING DARE YOU?! LET THE FUCK GO OF ME!!!"
Rahab growled and seized Malachi's other hand before slamming them both into the wall near the door. He pinned both on Malachi's legs with his and held his arms above his head. Malachi squirmed, yelled and cursed Rahab's name. All the while Rahab took the insults with a plain face. Rahab looked over to peter who was standing pale faced in the corner.
"Shut the door please."
Peter rushed to oblige and quickly shut the door.
Rahab nodded. "Jolly good. Now barricade it."
Peter looked confused. "Why?"
Rahab struggled for a moment to keep Malachi pinned. "Because there may be more of those things out there and we need to stay away from them. Got it bloke?"
Peter nodded and started to grab chairs.
Rahab looked at Joseph. "Could you help him, mate?"
Joseph snickered as he looked at the struggling Malachi but nodded. "You got it." Then he went to go grab some desks.
"Lenora." Rahab called out to his little sister, who looked up immediately. "Please get on the horn and see if you can call the police."
"o-okay."
"And you-" Rahab turned his attention back to Malachi who was still fighting to get free. Malachi saw his beautiful eyes turn icy in anger. "-need to stop. Stop acting like such a little brat and cooperate."
"You have no right to keep me here!"
"Although you don't think so, I'm looking out for you. Your being selfish and putting us all at risk. This is not you rebelling against authority, this is staying alive. You called it a zombie. If you've watched the flicks and I'm sure you have if you were the first to say it was one, then you know what these things can do. They eat folks. You're staying here."
There was an uneasy silence between the two. All Malachi could think of to say was-
"I hate you."
Rahab's eyes went back to there normal charming ways and he let go of Malachi with a sigh.
"That's fine. Hate me if you must. It won't change a thing. You're still staying." And with that the conversation was over. Rahab went to help the other two males with making a barricade. Lenora was desperately trying to call the police on her bright pink cell phone and Malachi slumped to the floor in utter defeat. His plans were forfeit now. He was supposed to be on a bus to Maine by now with only a new life with his father to look forward to. But he was stuck in a smelly old school room with four utterly annoying occupants.
He rested his head on his knees and pulled his hood over his head so no one could see his face. He felt tears burn his eyes for the first time in years. He willed them away before any could fall though. He wouldn't cry. He refused to show such a ridiculous emotion, exspecialy in front of complete strangers.
Malachi sighed as he felt his adrenaline slip away and his eyes droop in fatigue from the day's advents. He was stuck here, so he figured he'd get some sleep…..