Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Chapter 1
Ellis sighed as he walked on the dark nearly empty street. A few infected shambled around him making him nervous as hell. He held his sniper rifle tight in his hands, finger itching to shoot something that came after him. Once again he'd gotten separated from them. No wonder he kept getting jumped on and charged and puked on.
He glanced at the storefronts around him searching for that familiar safe room symbol. He spotted it spray painted onto the side of an old mechanic shop. The rolling door was open and at the very back was a dark red door left slightly ajar.
Ellis couldn't help but smile. Safety was only about thirty feet... Ellis groaned as he heard familiar crying, inhuman crying. He squinted and lifted his gun, the flashlight shone right into the witch's eyes. The crying infected woman let out a terrible shriek and ran at Ellis who could do nothing but back up and shoot, trying not to trip on anything.
"Get out of the way!" Ellis nearly jumped out of his skin at the shouting voice that flew through the air and landed on the handle of the steel garage door bringing it down. The witch screamed and clawed at the metal door. It only took a few seconds for it to break through the barrier blocking her from her prey. The woman who had shouted raised her gun and shot into the hole the infected had made, finally the flailing arm dangled limp.
"Thanks, I owe you one." muttered Ellis, not taking his eyes off of the woman that had saved him. She turned around to face him, and he sighed. She had long blonde hair that poured out from under her hoodie that only went down to a little below her breasts. Her bare stomach was tattooed a bunch of roses connected in a vine. Her black short shorts were held up by a spiked leather belt that hung a hand gun holster on each side. She shifted her feet, her black flats had tree spikes all around the front.
"No problem. Where are you headed to?" she asked and Ellis finally glanced up at the young woman's face. She had huge grey eyes that pierced through him and into his soul. She suppressed a shudder. She raised a eyebrow.
"Oh! I'm uh, headed to find m'friends. There somewheres out here. What about yew?" Asked Ellis. The girl smiled, her painted black lips were thick and full. Dayumn.
"I live in a settlement about half an hour from here. There are plenty of survivors there. I think I saw your friends; they're back there looking for someone. Is your name Ellis by any chance?" Ellis nodded vigorously.
"What's yur name?" He couldn't help but blush as he talked to the pretty girl. She took a few steps forward and raised a gloved hand. He smiled and took her hand shaking it. He looked down at her hand for a moment, it was almost like they were too long, like her nails were far to long for her hand...
"My name is Alice. You know like Alice in wonderland." The woman known as Alice imitated a curtsey before turning towards where Nick Rochelle and Coach were. Or so she said they were.
"It's nice t' meet 'cha Alice." said Ellis catching up to her fast walking pace.
"Ellis!" Exclaimed the dark skinned woman Alice had passed earlier. She quickly moved out of the way so the woman could hug her friend.
"So you're alive are you?" said the guy in the white jacket, shouldering his gun. The other guy pulled Ellis into a wordless hug.
"I wouldn't a made it if it weren't for Alice over here." Said Ellis sheepishly as the guy let go of him.
"Alice, how wonderful to meet you." Said the guy in the white suit grabbing Alice's gloved hand and smiling at her. Was he trying to pick her up or something? She kindly pulled her hand away. "I'm Nick, you look pretty...pretty for someone living in an apocalypse."
"Nice to meet you too Nick, and thank you. The village I live in is quite nice, we like to keep ourselves in tip top shape." said Alice showing him a kind smile.
"Village? You mean like with people like us?" Alice nodded. "I'm sorry, I'm Rochelle nice to meet you honey, thanks for saving Ellis."
"Yes, there are survivors there, plenty of them. We live a scheduled life, but a safe one." Alice reached her hand out to shake Rochelle's hand. The woman knocked her hand out of the way and pulled her into a hug. Alice felt awkward for a moment but then relaxed, hugging the woman back.
"Friends call me Coach. Is there any room for more in this village of yours?" Asked Coach shaking Alice's hand happily.
"That's why I'm out here. It's my job to look for stranded survivors. Luckily we're not too far away. My father will be glad to see that more lives are saved." Alice Smiled at the group and shouldered her Ak-47 before turning around. In her head she cursed herself. Her father always wanted ehr to be vile and cruel, but she wasn't that. She couldn't be.
"So this is it?" Asked Nick his voice dropping.
"Yup. This is our home." She stared off into the fenced off village. On the edge there were men with guns and just regular looking people, on patrol waiting for anything to come out of the woods. Alice walked up to a keypad and punched in a few numbers. Slowly and quietly a gate slid open. The four survivors followed the girl into the gate and it was shut automatically behind them.
"Ooh, look what the cat dragged in." Hissed a wheezy voice. Alice sighed and turned to a man who was walking around along the gate.
"Shut up before I rip out your tongue." hissed Alice her voice threatening. Ellis shuddered. They had talked a lot on the way there. He told her stories of Keith and all the fun shit they did. The guy laughed.
"You wouldn't hurt a fly! Who're you kidding." Alice glared at the man for a moment.
"C'mon guys. Let's get you registered and stuff." Alice said, her voice once again calm and cheery. They weren't approached by anyone else until they got to the door of a large grey stone building. Alice slid the door open and allowed the others to go inside.
"Alice! You're back where did you get to?" Called a booming voice. A man in a lab coat came down the hall with a smile on his face. The smile immediately dropped. "More survivors? You're a hunter. You're supposed to guard the walls, not go out there and play rescue!" His voice became harsh and stern. The group of four looked bewildered.
"Well, you'll get what's coming to you...You four! It's nice to have you here, safe and sound. I'm glad she found you. If you'll just stand in line here while we take your pictures get blood samples et cetera. You will be staying in here for a night until we can get you set up in your new homes with your new life." The man smiled and pointed to a long black line of the floor. Ellis put his guns down on the counter along with his stuff. He was scared now. The girl who ahd saved them. He called her a hunter, was she actually one? He shuddered. She could have killed him. But she could talk and stuff. She couldn't be a hunter.
Ellis flinched as the bright light flashed in his face. He stood there watching the clock as a woman came to take a small blood sample from each of them. Ellis almost laughed hearing Nick complain. He was just glad they had safety for the night.
"Alright guys, If you'll just follow me." Came a loud growl of a voice. Ellis turned his ehad and almost screamed. Standing there in the middle of the hallway was a tank. He wasn't deformed, but the sheer size and powerful look to it just screamed tank. Afraid to disobey Ellis followed the tank behind him Rochelle grabbed his hand, he could feel the cold sweat on her hand. She was just as scared.
"Alice, you're ordered to come too." Said the tank. Alice's shoulder's dropped.
"No." She stated angrily. "I'm not going back in there." Her eyes went wide and she shifted her feet so if she needed to she could run. Before she could move, a hand grabbed her around the waist. She let out a loud yelp. "Connor you bastard let me go!" The charger that had appeared behind her grinned.
"But daddy says I get to punish you." Ellis almost went to help the girl but the tank got in the way.
"Go." He stated. Ellis swallowed and took off down the hall stopping only when the large creature said he could. The tank opened a white door on the side of the hall revealing four beds, all with fluffy pillows and blankets. A small kitchen and washroom was on the far side. "I will come release you all in the morning."
"Let me GO!" shouted Alice still squirming in the charger's grip. It brought it's large fist down into the ground. Alice let out a strangled cry. Ellis was nudged into the room by Rochelle, who obviously didn't want to be near the tank any more. Nick and Coach followed.
"You can go with your little friends." Said the charger's deep voice. He lifted his gigantic fist up and physically threw the girl into the room. She flew across the room, narrowly missing Nick's head and smashing against the wall. The charger slammed the metal door shut.
"Alice!" shouted Ellis running to her side. She fell in a crumpled heap on the floor. Nick grabbed the kid's shoulder.
"She's a hunter. Watch yourself." He stated pulling Ellis back. Alice looked up at Nick. Her face was now fully visible since her hoodie fell. Silver bridge piercings lined her nose, eight all together, her thin eyebrows were pointed inwards, obviously she wasn't happy. Her black lips were pulled into a frown. The right side of her face was already bruising.
"She saved me." said Ellis pulling away from Nick, and kneeling down in front of her. "What is this place...really." Alice pulled herself up into a sitting position.
"This place is a safehouse for survivors, protected by the infected. Not your every day infected though. The original infected. My father was the scientist that came up with the formula to change people into more powerful beings. I was his first test subject. He found that the serum was too powerful, and did not alter my personality as much as he wanted. The personality thing varies. He perfected it though. He created a large task force of us."
"So your dad was responsible for this mess?" asked Rochelle
"No. He started none of this. The military liked his idea, but not the way eh had planned it. They took the formula and tried to change it. He tried to stop them but it was too late." Alice brought herself to her feel with the help of Ellis. "He made this place so people could be safe from the infected.
"Well, that's interesting." Said Nick with a yawn. "Now that I know you wont kill me I'm going to sleep." Alice sighed and let go of Ellis making ehr way across the room adn curling up into a ball onthe floor.
"I'm going to bed too, "called Rochelle, lying down on one of the beds. Coach sighed and lied down on another. Elis didn't move.
"Alice. Are you okay?" he asked going over to her. She looked up at him, he big silvery grey eyes entrancing him. She nodded.
"C'mon. Ya can share a bed with me if you 'd like I ain't gonna try nuttin, trust me." Said Ellis holding out his hand to her. A smile spread to Alice's face and eh took his hand, bringing herself to her feet. Never before had someone been really nice to her like that outside her small group of friends. Ellis Smiled and led her to the bed. He kicked off his boots and crawled into the bed, pulling the covers over him. Alice stared at the bed for a moment then slipped off her shoes. It was only sharing a bed right?
Slowly she climbed into the bed and relaxed. She listened to everyone's breathing relax and change as they fell asleep. She just stared a the ceiling. She had rescued many survivors, but none had welcomed her as much as Ellis had once they found out she was a hunter. Alice held in a yelp as an arm flung across her waist. Ellis had rolled over in his sleep.
Butterflies ripped through the girl's stomach. She smiled to herself for a moment than closed her eyes. She'd never slept with someone like this before. In the comfort of Ellis' warmth Alice finally drifted to sleep...
