A/N So I started writing something on a whim as I was listening to some post-apocaliptic music. And when I started, I obviously couldn't stop anymore, so here we go. I hope you like zombies and humans fighting for survival becuase that's basically all there is to this fic. And love. Love's everywhere, even in the times of zombie apocalypse ;)
I'll try to post as often as possible. Feel free to leave reviews even if you just want to point out some mistakes. I always appreciate some good old constructive criticism. But for now, enjoy :)
,,It's almost dawn."
Emil flinches slightly when his companion speaks for the first time since they had left the town behind the wall. His thoughts, as usually, were far away from the body. He glances at the brightening sky, its thin line barely visible between two rows of high buildings.
,,Is it..." He turns his head ever so slightly to take a better look at the young man walking beside him. It's the first time they were sent on a mission together. Or had any sort of conversation.
His name is Leon, he lives on the eastern side of the river that cuts the town in half. He is somehow related to Kiku Honda, a genius researcher and Lien Chung, an extraordinary fighter and top class soldier. He doesn't show much emotion at first glance but has his expressive moments. He can be very straightforward and hard to read at the same time.
That's all Emil knows.
,,Why are you staring at me ?" Leon asks calmly. His face is covered with black fabric up to his eyes and Emil can't see his expression but the unusually light eyes hint on a smile, or more likely, a smirk.
,,Sorry." Emil averts his eyes, feeling grateful for the face covering to be a part of the uniforms. He always blushes so easily.
,,I don't mind it."
They walk for a while in silence, wary of every dark alley or gate they pass. Nights are relatively the safest time for the missions, however the danger is still high. Zombies do not sleep, ever. They only seem to fall into sleep-like states when they're not hunting or looking for the prey. And they tend to do so at night rather than during daytime. Some say it's what's left of their habits as humans. But a louder sound or the smell of a living creature can wake them up in a second.
,,We're here." Leon stops in front of a multi-storey block of flats. He slowly pulls out a gun and reloads it, then reaches up to turn on the helmet flashlight, which is dim enough not to alarm the zombies.
Emil does the same. The weapon he's holiding had saved his life before and somehow makes him feel safer now as well. The bullets alone wouldn't stop a zombie but the toxin paralyzes them in a matter of seconds.
,,Watch my back." Leon orders shortly as they enter the building. It's dark and stuffy inside, the smell of an abandoned place is stronger than in the hospital or laboratories where Emil is usually sent for the missions.
They climb up the narrow staircase without encountering any of the foul creatures. The corridors' entrances they pass are nothing but black squares and looking at them is distressing. When they finally walk into one of them, the darkness is like a dirty fog sticking to their faces. It's the combined fault of dust and the unfocused light they use.
,,It's here, flat 712." Emil whispers as soon as he notices a silver plate on the door. It's closed, unlike many others in the building, and Emil doesn't know if it's worse or better. And breaking the lock takes time they shouldn't be wasting.
To his surprise, Leon pulls out a key and inserts it in a confident manner. Then he enters the flat first and gives Emil a sign to close the door once they're both inside.
The place is small but tidy. If it wasn't for the thick layer of dust on everything and the oddly still air, it would look like the owner was to come back soon. But the man is dead, as is the two thirds of the Earth's population, or more. Emil bites his bottom lip, suddenly feeling sick.
,,Hey, what are you spacing out for ? You know what we're looking for, right ?" Leon barges in the boy's inner world, once again bringing him back to the present time.
,,Yes, I'm sorr-"
,,Just get to work." Leon doesn't let him finish the apologies but there is no irritation is his voice or the look he gives Emil, before walking into the living room.
Emil takes the bedroom. The thing they look for is a briefcase full of research-related papers. In regard to their confidential nature, the papers would most likely be hidden. Emil goes through the wardrobe and the nightstand, with no success. He is just about to look under the bed, when Leon shows up in the entrance.
,,Found it." he announces, raising the briefcase and posing like for a picture. That's it, Emil thinks, that's the slightly stagey expressiveness the guy lets other see once in a while. The reason Emil briefly remembered him even before being intorduced for the mission. That manner of his leaves a slightly odd impression when put together with composed look on the face.
Emil gets up from the floor and walks over to Leon. ,,That's fast." he comments and earns an obviously amused look of the amber-coloured eyes that says ,,were you expecting anything else?".
,,Hm. Let's go already." Emil turns away from the intense gaze. He pulls out the gun once again and opens the door.
He stifles a gasp as his eyes met someone else's. But the other ones don't really look at him with the presence of mind. They're misted with thick whiteness.
For a moment that feels like half of his life, Emil and the zombie stand still and stare at each other. The dead's face is permanently frozen in a sort of peaceful expression which only adds to the eeriness of his lifeless eyes.
,,Emil. Down. Now." Leon's voice is quiet and composed and Emil feels his body following the order in spite of the numbness. He falls to his knees and hears the quiet click of Leon's gun. Then he watches the zombie get hit in the chest. No blood comes out but as the toxic starts doing its job, the dead body shakes violently before falling down.
Leon wastes no time. He grabs Emil's arm below his elbow and easily lifts him up to a standing position. By that time, Emil has regained his full consciousness and breathing abilities.
,,I'm fine." he says unasked, his voice shows a dose of annoyance. It's the way Leon looks at him. Concerned, but in a patronizing way. That only makes Emil feel worse about his helpless reaction to the zombie. It's the first time something like this happened but also the closest he's ever been to one of the dead. More than close enough to get bitten and infected. The thought alone sends small shivers down his back.
,,Just one..." Leon says under his breath, looking out around the empty corridor, now rather dark grey than black. The morning means it will be ten times this risky to get back.
,,Lucky us." Emil murmurs and walks out of the flat. Leon follows him in silence. As they step over the unmoving zombie and his eyes seem to lay on them for that moment, Emil is struck with a sudden thought. The way the zombie simply stood at the door as if wanting to go inside just for the sake of it, not to get them...could this be the man who used to live here ? More so, because it didn't look like he was going to attack at all. Do they remember their lives ?
Emil realizes he said the last thing out loud only when he catches Leon's puzzled glance. ,,Some say they do keep shattered pieces of memories." he answers in a quiet voice. ,,In a part of the brain that no longer drives their actions. Possibly. No one really knows what drives them. It's all speculations."
None of them says another word and they reach the staircase. They get to walk one floor down when they hear that. The sounds a pack of zombies makes when they're out hunting. Muffled groaning and growls, shuffling of many slow walkers' feet and an occasional hungry whine here and there.
Leon says something in a language Emil recognizes as Chinese. They lean over the handrail and notice the dead on the ground floor, starting to move upstairs. Zombies are slower than humans but they don't get tired, so running away makes sense only as long as there's some sort of a shelter nearby.
,,There's so many of them." Emil whispers and looks up at Leon. ,,What do we do ?"
,,The roof." Leon whispers back and they both start almost running upstairs, careful not to make any thumping sounds in the echoing staircase. By the time they reach the top storey, Emil is nearly out of breath. He stays in a good condition, as every soldier, but the building has 21 floors.
,,Gonna take them a while to get there." he notices with snide satisfaction before giving the roof entrance a better look. It's a simple door and...
,,It's locked."
Leon gives him a funny look. ,,How would that be an emergency exit if it wasn't ?"
Emil makes a face which the other boy can't see through the face covering. He watches the other reach into his pocket.
,,I left it downstairs." Leon's voice is flat when he says the worst thing imaginable. Emil feels his face go pale and eyes widen as he stares at his companion in disbelief. Even his heart slows down at that moment, making him feel weak in the knees.
When Leon snorts with short laughter and opens a hand with the key lying securely inside, it takes Emil a second to process the whole thing. Relief and anger come at the same time and he barely holds back from yelling or even hitting Leon. Which must be clearly reflected in his eyes since Leon laughs again and lightly pats the boy's helmet. He isn't that much higher, bigger or older than Emil but that gesture makes him look like an adult. So do his next words, in a sort of way.
,,Don't worry, I'm a responsible partner. I wouldn't let you die here."
Emil can't help pouting under the mask, still mad at Leon. Pulling a childish prank and then ending up seeming so mature. Emil isn't sure what to think of his new mission companion. It's nice to have someone composed and capable by your side but if the person's personality turns out to be terrible like this...
,,I'm gonna push you off of that roof." Emil mumbles as Leon unlocks and opens the door. He passes the guy, who is obviously smirking under the fabric, and steps outside.
,,Oh." Emil breaths out heavily.
,,Yeah." Leon stands by his side and they both squint as the rising sun reaches their eyes. A new day started, making them even more stuck in this place than the zombie pack downstairs. Setting off is impossible until another night comes. If they manage to stay alive until then, that is.
,,I hate you." Emil says without any conviction. It's so groundless that Leon doesn't even bother replying. He seems to understand Emil's need to blame someone or something. Without sparing him a glance, Leon raises one arm and pats Emil's helmet again, letting the hand stay there for a while in an odd act of comfort. Probably.