(And we're back! Yes guys i've got the next chapter right here! I'll be quiet and let you get on, oh and the slow or fast zombie things has been settled! But you'll have to read on to find out which. And so without further ado! Here is the next chapter of...Code Red...)
3rd Hour
The passage lead down…down a flight of stairs into pitch black.
"This the only way Shinra?" Rikku had a sum of fear in her voice.
"It leads down into one of the old cargotracks, the trains haven't been running for years…so it might not be safe. As for another way…it's back up into the street or further down." His voice was it's normal analysing self.
There was a sudden crash of glass "I'll take down!" Yuna pulled a flashlight from a nearby broken emergency container.
"Guess we not got much of a choice…Paine. You go first" Paine threw a look at Buddy as she took her own flashlight.
"…Fine…" She mumbled flicking her light to life and taking the first steps into the black.
Paine's boot met the grit below as it crunched below her weight. She took careful steps, pistol by her side in her right hand. Her flashlight fought away the shadowy phantoms that lurked on all sides. All waiting for a chance to dash in went the lights faded and wrap her in their dark and fearful embrace. They walked on the lights the only sign of life in the dark. Paine stopped dead…something dashed away from the light of her torch. The wreckage of a cargo train was in front of them…twisted metal was everywhere…it sent a chill down Paine's spine.
The Gullwings started to move in weapons at the ready, Rikku opened one of the doors as Yuna covered. They saw the look on each other's faces it was a silent message, it read 'Keep quiet and watch your back'. Rikku wrenched the door open, Yuna checked both corners then nodded, Brother climbed inside Paine behind him. Paine tried to step lightly the metal floor made things hard for people who wanted to go unnoticed. Brother was heading to the back of the train…well cart it was just the top half. Paine came to the driver's compartment, the raised her pistol as her hand inched towards the button. The door slide open, Paine breathing deepening as the light pocked a hole into cabin. Her light came to a halt on a hand…she stood there frozen. Slowly Paine traced her light up the hand to the arm then further up…from the drivers face an eyeball fell from it's socket. Paine covered her mouth looking the other way, she flashed her torch three times back down the train, the others came on board. Paine closed the door with a repulsive smack on the button, she didn't want Yuna to see something like that. A hand came to rest on Paine's shoulder.
"You okay?" Yuna asked just above a whisper nearly causing Paine to wet herself.
"…Yeah…fine…" Paine uncovered her mouth trying not to vomit as Yuna walked off to check on the others.
Buddy and Brother where whispering about something. Brother jogged of to the bottom of the cart, Buddy started checking outside the windows on the other side. Her flashed down to where Brother had disappeared to once…the lights flickered, then came on. Yuna closed the door where they'd came in, Paine mentally thanked her for it.
Buddy and Shinra started checking something, from the whispers it sounded like they were discussing routes. Paine glanced behind her, the light was flickering in the drivers cabin…she turned back round feeling uneasy. Yuna and Rikku and found some bags of something and were stuffing their pockets. Paine gave a glance out the window…nothing. But why did she feel so uneasy? She glanced back at the driver's cabin…he wasn't there…an arm banged on the glass.
"Paine?" Came Rikku's voice
BANG!! Paine jumped turning to her right sharply, someone's bloody face watched her…Gippal's. He screamed at her his eyes white and mouth covered in blood, then pushed off running towards something, the handle wrenched left.
"RIKKU!" Yuna shouted grabbing hold of the handle and pulling with all her might. Rikku came right to her aid, the two struggling to keep the bloodthirsty Gippal from getting in.
"BROTHER!!" Brother's attention turned right to his sister he too grabbed the door. Shinra and Buddy started to arm themselves.
Paine took a step back, the glass of the drivers cabin shattered making her step forward again. The driver reached out for her casting a long moan, he thought he could reach her but was still behind the door. She turned her head back to the door, the three were struggling to keep it shut. Brother yelled something in Al Bhed and let go, he lined a clear shot at Gippal though one of the windows.
"Don't break the windows…" Paine was lost, Brother's finger moved to the trigger. "DON'T BREAK THE WINDOWS!!" Paine yelled reaching out, Brother stopped just in time.
Suddenly Gippal's form leapt from the door to the wall, he climbed up onto the roof. Paine took hold of her rifle aiming it at the roof, a force gripped her shoulders from behind. Paine swung her elbow into the person face hearing a groan, she spun round aiming at the driver who was staggering back. He straightened himself out taking small shuffling steps towards Paine both arms held out. Paine took steps back, her sights were trained on him but her mind refused to work. She pulled herself back closing her eyes as she pulled the trigger…there was a splattering sound followed by two thumps. Slowly Paine unscrewed her eyes to the silence that was around her, the driver no longer stood. Her eyes drew down to the half-headed corpse on the floor, crimson started oozing onto the floor. Paine stepped back…she'd killed one…her breathing started to calm slowly.
"Paine?" Yuna said slowly, she tentatively placed her hand on the rifle that was locked in place. "You're okay Paine…come on. Put the gun down" Yuna was relieved when Paine started to slowly lower the rifle. She then collapsed to the floor sitting down, Yuna kept next to her.
A soft thumping started to grow on each side of the cart walls, Paine finally stood to see. Sloping faces greeted her, a swarm was outside it was an undead see on both sides.
What a stupid way to die…we'll never get out of this…
"Got any ideas?" Paine said half in her own world.
"Well…" Shinra spoke. "There's an access hatch so we can get to the street. All we'd need to do is find a way to get over the crowd and to the hatch"
"Where is this hatch Shinra?" Paine watched him with a blank look.
"Just over there…" A small opening on ground level that looked like the set of stairs they'd used to get down.
"Uh Shinra? Just one question. How in Yevon are we meant to get over there?!" Buddy did have a point. One of the windows broke in.
"Well you do have me!" Rikku announced proudly. Everyone looked at her "I could toss a few grenades then we could just book it over there!" She smiled
"Do it Rikku!" Yuna bounced happily handing over two of her grenades. Paine pitched in one, as did some of the other except Brother who handed all his over.
"What if Gippal?" Brother quickly looked around expecting Gippal to crash through a window at that point.
"Don't worry! I saw monkey man jump away when Paine killed the ticket boy" Paine gave small smile, Rikku was trying to lighten the mood with success. "But we got a job to do" She added getting serious.
"Right! Let's get these windows out! Shinra! I'll carry you so you don't slow us down!" Paine had already broken in one of the windows before Buddy had finished.
"Ready?" Rikku asked looking back at her friends that were ready to run their hardest. "Okay…" Rikku pulled the pin counting down…"GO!!"
She threw the grenade just clearing the frame as I went off. Another followed as Rikku pulled the pin on her third. Paine leapt over the blasted out cart wall, she rolled when she hit the ground and started running. Her ears were ringing from the constant explosions but her adrenaline pushed her forward overriding her system. It was working! Rikku was cutting a wide path through the horde, she was first to reach the way out but stopped at the top of the first flight of stairs. The others came past as Rikku pulled the pin on the last grenade, it bounced down the stairs…but no explosion.
"Telr! Tot!!" Rikku quickly unzipped her side bag grabbing one of her own grenades. Things slowed to a crawl as Rikku pulled the grenade from it's place in her side bag. She tossed it the pin catching on her index finger and pulling itself, it flew, the cylinder turning end over end as it dropped inch by inch. Rikku took a huge step to the stairs pushing her body into a sprint, her heart pounding in her chest. There was a clink as the grenade bounced on the step, then another as it meet the middle of the frame…there was a roaring bang. Rikku felt the air contract then expand she sprinted faster fearing her foot would catch on a step. The stone rumble below as a single jet of flame roared up the first two flights of stairs. All that was left was the heavy breathing of the Gullwings and the pitter pat of grains of loose rock.
"Well" Rikku panted. "That wasn't so hard!" She smiled her face dirty from the dust of the rumble. Yuna giggled at patted her on the head, Paine laugh lightly.
The way back is closed…survival is not guaranteed…
(Yup! Gippal near made it...sorry to anyone whos a fan of Gippal, but hey! He's now really fast, agile and can climb on walls! But to anyone who's simmering under the collar...sorry! No really! I just thought it would be awsome for Gippal to be different from all the other zombies and he's unique from the rest, but still sorry. Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I'll start working on the next one real soon since everyone's liking this and i'm enjoying writing it! Feel free to leave a review! And see ya on the next chapter guys!)