AN - This is my entry for Jonathan 81's Rori contest as well as a birthday present for him. I hope to keep on putting on more Rori but this just came to me and I wanted to put it out. Thought it up at work and thankfully remembered it by the time I was off. Remember I don't own anything and please support the official release
With television, movies and video games the world thought they were prepared until it happened. The only thing you needed to know to survive was how to identify the monsters that all the men in the world had become. As far as people could tell it effected men turning them into crazed creatures known as two different kinds of things. First off there was the sprinters, if infected by a bite and not completely devoured the returning monster would sprint after prey in order to bite and feed on the warm, living flesh. The first thing that the scratchers do when turned, for some reason, was they chewed down their fingertips so they had spiked bones used for scratching. If infected by a scratch you became a scratcher these were more docile and less likely to hunt for food, only eating what remained to survive. A scientist might have been able to tell you why this started, who it infected, if anyone was immune of course you would have to find a living scientist to actually ask.
Time meant nothing anymore, there was day and there was night but as far as Tori Vega could tell it had been four months since the world ended. At first she and all of her friends had bunkered down at her place. Beck and Andre had the idea to go to Beck's house to get the RV stating that it was bullet proof and was safer then a house with glass doors. Tori begged them not to leave but it was to no avail. They went out with shovels and an axe as Robbie sat in the corner comforting Cat, they couldn't stand to see their friends go. It wasn't until later that night while the three of them fell asleep in Tori's room that Tori discovered that she needed to be the strong one. Hearing something crash downstairs she was glad that Robbie had suggested barricading them all upstairs. Moving quietly Tori pushed aside one of the heavy book shelves and watched as Jade sat on her counter top eating out of a box of cereal. Tori almost called out until she saw her reach for a can of soda on the counter and saw the sharp, bones of her fingers. The crash came again and she cried to herself as she saw Beck darting about trying to locate them. Locking her door she crawled back to her remaining friends and began to cry.
The next day they made plans to leave since Jade and Beck hadn't left. Cat wanted to go down to them but Robbie, in a rare act of strength, told her that those things down there were not their friends. As they gathered supplies into their backpacks Tori helped Cat climb onto the roof. That was when she heard the smash of the book case coming down. Squeaking she tried to get Robbie to go first but he grabbed a shovel they had bought up and told her to look after Cat and he'd be there soon. Outside her window Tori watched as Sprinter Beck burst through the door and Robbie smashed his head in. In a rush of adrenaline Robbie threw the shovel down and rushed to the window as their other former friend came up. He was already outside and reaching for Tori's outstretched hand when Jade leap out the window and they both fell. Tori and Robbie's fingertips brushed each other for a second and then he was gone, fallen into some bushes. With Cat screaming Tori went to her and they escaped across the rooftops. The next house over was untouched but they had no time to search, instead Cat ran out to the truck parked in front of the house. Using knowledge that her brother had taught her Cat was able to hot wire the truck backing it up as Tori grabbed the medical kit from the bathroom. Moving quickly Cat informed Tori that she would throw out blankets and other things out the second story window into the back of the truck. Sitting in the front seat Tori was super nervous and now that she had a moment to herself it hit her, almost all of her friends were gone. Beck had been a great friend and even Jade was starting to come around. Andre was still missing but was probably gone too. That left Robbie who she was secretly harboring feelings for, happy when Cat asked him out and he turned her down. She had hoped that meant that he would ask her soon since she was the only other person that was really nice to her, she hoped that meant he understood what she wanted. But now, now he was gone and it broke her heart. A scream brought her back and looking up she saw Cat had climbed out onto the roof as Andre tried to get at her. Jumping down into the blankets she smashed the bottom of her leg on the side causing her to scream and the skin to break. Pulling away as fast as she could Tori realized that the scent of blood was drawing the Sprinters out around the neighborhood. A moment later she pulled around the corner and was gone.
Back at her house the bushes in front of her house started to move as Robbie pulled himself up. Pulling along the remains of Jade, who had broken her neck from the fall, he neatly laid her out on the lawn. Seeing the truck as it pulled away his eyes watches behind glasses that had one lens cracked tracking it as it went. Looking down at Jade's blank face one last time he started walking pausing at the corner of the neighbor's house seeing Andre smashing the inside of the house. As he walked on he lifted his finger to his mouth and began to chew something in his brain now telling him to do it, so he did.
Having grown up around here Tori knew of an old apartment building that was abandoned after the power plant next door opened up. The plant bought the building and stored generators in the bottom floors. Having come here with Robbie once while they were shooting a film for class, so she knew no one would be around. They got lucky and the managed to get into the second floor with all their things. Since Cat was injured Tori had to do it herself pulling large cabinets to block the staircase entrance, the other stairwell had burned down and been blocked off with no worries there. Cat was really brave as Tori tried to wrap her leg and as a reward they ate candy bars for dinner, for Cat it was her last meal.
There had been too much blood loss eyes full of tears Tori had wrapped and locked Cat's body in one of the rooms upstairs. Once that was done she sat down and cried. Her parents were gone, her friends were gone, her secret crush was gone, why was she even trying anymore? The one place that made sense to go to was back to school so because there was nothing else left for her that's what she did.
Standing at her locker she wasn't surprised to see that the lights were off, there hadn't been power in the school in a long time. Hearing a crash in a classroom she peeked inside and was both saddened and pleased to see Sikowitz milling about the classroom. Bloody streaks on the board as he tried to write with bloody claws of faded memories. Reaching for the handle to go into and let him kill her she heard a sound behind her and jumped with a squeak and her heart dropped. Standing there, swaying a little on his feet, his hair was unruly and she could clearly see what killed him, a bit of wood through his skull, probably when he fell. If anyone brought her to the undead side she was glad it was him, glad she could see him once more.
"Robbie I know you don't know who I am anymore but I have to tell you, I love you. I have had a crush on you since we did that film together. I just never had the guts to tell you and I'm sorry for that. I want to be with you forever and ever so," holding her hands out to give him more to scratch she closed her eyes. She could feel him get closer to her but after a few minutes of nothing she opened her eyes and saw he was holding something, a pair of worker's gloves. Looking at him oddly she could have sworn she saw something human in his eyes. Taking the gloves from him she watched as he held his hands up allowing her to slip them on. Now there was no way he could scratch her or anyone else and she knew that somewhere in there was her Robbie. Once the gloves were on his face contorted into anger and he charged. Crying out she was surprised as he pushed pass her and shoved the figure behind her, Sikowitz. He had gotten out and was about to scratch her too. She had never seen an undead attack another but this was something else. Robbie stepped down on him over and over until he wouldn't move again. He had saved her, her heart swelled as he stood back up and reached for her hand. Taking it firmly they walked towards the entrance of the school. The virus was new, it was unique and no one knew the extent of it. Movies taught them that the undead were unable to be cured. Looking up at Robbie Tori knew in her heart he would protect her no matter what. In turn, she would do the same.
They arrived at their new home, Robbie waiting downstairs while Tori moved the items away to let him up. Once he was up, he helped her put everything back. Sitting near each other Tori realized that she didn't know if he liked her back so she took out some paint and cleared a space on the floor. "Do you love me Robbie?" she asked. He looked at her blankly for a second before nodding, he understood and loved her even in death. Hugging him tightly she knew this was the best she would ever have with him but that was fine, she was happy just being with him. He never slept but she was never afraid of him hurting her so she slept like a baby, except on that first night. She could have sworn she heard fighting, but when she went to investigate she found Robbie standing at a window looking into the night. Hugging him, which he returned tightly she returned to bed. Once she was gone Robbie went over to the closet that Cat had been in and wondered if Tori would ever come back in here, she would find it empty. The bone and blood had covered the bite that Andre had given her before she fell. He wished that in life he could have protected her, but he sure as hell was going to do it in death, no matter what it took.