Nick covered his mouth, trying to force a frown and not finding the strength to do so. Ellis' smile was so bright, Nick just gave up. "Yeah, Ellis." He said, lowering his hand and they neared bleachers. "Yeah, I am."

-

"Shit, shit shit. Ellis, don't move." Nick came to a complete stop, hand moving to Ellis' chest to hold him back. "Don't speak, don't move... damn it, damn it..." He cursed, quietly. "Ellis... back up, back up." The boy didn't move. "Ellis, you're going to take three steps back or I'm going to move you three steps back."

"Why...?"

"There's a Tank. It doesn't see us yet..." The boy jumped back. Nick realized a bit too late what was going to happen.

Ellis hit the wall and fell with a loud yelp. The Tank roared, and Ellis' vision shook. "Awww, apologies, Nick..."

"Ellis, you're still injured, and yet you call the Tank?! I should shoot you, leave you for Tank bait!" He shouted over the roars, over the trembling Earth, grabbing Ellis by the hand and pulling him around the bleachers. There was a sidewalk that split into the parking lot, and Nick could see the cars, could see the potential for the Tank to just go bowling with them, but if they crawled over the Chevy... They'd be out of this school. "We're going through the parking lot."

"Nick, how many times have you been stuck under a car? No!"

Nick was pulling him, and Ellis contemplated stopping, but his eyes were shaking and he couldn't see... couldn't think, just run. "Once. That was on the bridge. You're the one who spent a minute pushing it off of me to keep me alive." Nick looked back to see the boy's flushed face, but he didn't bother to contemplate. The Tank roared behind them. Nick clutched the molotov and threw it at his and Ellis' feet.

"Ahh, shitshitshit, Nick, why'd ya DO THAT?" Ellis yelped as fire burned his heels, Nick gritting his teeth because the Tank was roaring in pain, now, which means he'd hit him. Nick tugged Ellis out of the fire, leading them around the cars and to that one truck. "Aww, I see." Ellis shifted and started walking backwards, as Nick pulled out his M16 to take care of the zombies he saw in their cars. The Tank came into view through the fire, and Ellis started pounding shotgun shells into the beast. It roared again, in protest.

"Turn around and climb!" Ellis turned, staring at the truck before the two started their climb over it.

The car alarm rang. "Awww, hell." Ellis hissed, inaudible over the loud noise. The Tank had stopped, looking around, and they used that to their advantage, hurrying over the truck. Ellis was reloading his shotgun, staring at the beast. The Tank flipped the truck and growled, throwing a couple more on top and successfully blocking their way back in.

And the others' back out. "Looks like it'll be just you and me, Overalls." Nick could see the horde in the distance, in front of them, and he reached for Ellis' hand. The boy squeaked. "We'll get separated if we don't do this. You can shoot a gun with one hand, so stick to it." Nick was staring straight at the horde as he held up his gun.

"A-Alright." Ellis fumbled with his shotgun in one hand, but Nick didn't let go, wouldn't let go. As the horde approached, Ellis realized he couldn't shoot a gun with one hand, so quickly fastened to his back and grabbed his axe. "The Tank ain't comin' at us?"

Nick looked behind him. "No." The Tank was just fumbling about now that the cars were stacked, looking for the rest of a team that wasn't there. The horde finally came at them, and Nick started shooting, Ellis raising the axe with one hand and wiping limbs clean off. "Keep moving, keep moving." Ellis' hand clenched in his, and Nick realized that a zombie's claw had grazed his side. Nick shot to his right, pulling Ellis away as the boy swung. "Reloading!" Nick let go of the boy's hand to reload.

Then he stumbled back.

His whole vision was green, his ears rung. "DAMN IT, ELLIS." He was reloading, still, fumbling with the clip. Ellis was still swinging his axe, turning around to push zombies away. Through the haze, Nick could see zombies coming at him. He shot, rubbing his eyes with his free hand to get the green from his vision. Ellis was swamped. Nick shot through about ten of them to get to the boy, who had rivers of red across his body.

Already.

"You're so reckless..." As Ellis chopped the last zombie in two, Nick gave the boy a once over. "The wound on your chest opened up. That shirt has bile on it, it'll get your wound infected. Hand it over." Ellis did, with little complaint. Red was pooling on the bandages, and Nick cursed. "Coveralls. On. Now." The boy untied his coveralls from his waist, wincing as he put them on the right way.

And he looked hot in them.

Nick swallowed, forcing himself to look away as Ellis neatly folded his shirt and attempted to tuck it under one arm. "Here, let me..." He held out his hand, taking the dripping shirt and sighing. "Let's just find some place to camp out and dry this thing... mine, too, while I'm at it." Nick stared at his suit with disdain. The thing was hardly white, anymore.

Ellis nodded, following the man. "Should we... hold hands again?" He murmured.

"No." Nick snorted, looking over at Ellis but looking away again. Parts of a tan chest were being showed, and the skin was such a beautiful color... no. "I'm not your mother, Ellis, I don't need to show you where to go."

"But... that's what you been doin' fer the past couple minutes."

Nick grit his teeth and held out his hand. "Whatever." Slowly, a warm hand slipped into his. Nick felt his cheeks flare, and looked away. "That car alarm cleared most of the infected nearby... the others probably heard, too." He paused. "Speaking of which, what's up with you and Francis?"

Ellis stopped, just for a second. Nick kept walking, though, so Ellis ended up being dragged along. He hurried in step, trying to find words that made some sort of sense. "Well... I don't... really know, Nick." He said. "Louis asked me that, too. Ion't really know what to say." Nick slowly moved left, and Ellis realized the man was edging him to the row of houses on the left. Still, the sudden closeness made his cheeks flush. "I think we might have somethin', though... maybe... kinda...?"

"You can't like him too much if you're willingly holding hands with me."

Ellis laughed. "Nah, 'cause yer just holdin' my hand so I don't get lost or wander off or get smoked too far away or somethin'..." He could hear a Spitter screech. "Ahh, one of those spittin' bitches..."

The ground in front of them turned green. Ellis jumped back, pulling Nick from the spit. "The fuck? Where is she?" Nick pulled out his M16 again, looking around. "I can't find her!" Ellis tugged him near one of the houses, pointing to an open window. "Suppose we're leaving her alive, then..." Ellis climbed into the window.

Nick was not staring at his ass.

Nick climbed in after, gun ready. He could hear the gurgle of zombies. After all, this was a home they had infiltrated. "I think, after this, we could be in the army and annihilate." Ellis spoke, merely to break the silence, reaching for his shotgun. They turned the corner; Nick saw one. He shot, and Ellis jumped when the infected fell to the floor. "I think the kitchen's right up ahead..." The boy stepped over the bloody, sick body, lighting up and heading straight for the freezer. "Awww, ice cream. Look, Nick. It's even unopened." Nick felt the smile across his face when he spoke, forcing herself to scowl. "C'mon, here, let's eat. When was the last time we ate anything fattening?"

"When was the last time we found a house with electricity?" Ellis was already pulling open drawer after drawer to find a couple of spoons. When he did, he pulled at the plastic covering on the French Vanilla Ice Cream, tearing it open. Nick pulled out his pistol and manned the door, finding another zombie running at them just in time to pound three pistol bullets into his skull. The infected collapsed. "Ellis, I think we should hold out here."

"Hmm?" Nick turned, covering his mouth and 'coughing' to hide another smile. Ellis had his cheeks stuffed with vanilla ice cream. There was a dribble on his lips, a white color. "Whut?"

And Nick laughed, finally. He chuckled, reaching over and brushing his thumb over the boy's lips. Ellis froze. "You..." Nick pulled away, brushing the substance on Ellis' coveralls. "You looked like an idiot." He reached for one of the spoons.

"M-Much obliged, Nick..." It grew quiet. Ellis took another spoonful. He turned, then, raiding the pantry and lighting up, again. He grabbed a box of mac'n'cheese, holding it to his chest and ignoring the pain that followed. "Nick, Nick, look~"

It was crappy food, but it was food. Ellis was overjoyed, eyes bright. "My god, kid, just look for a pot and stop giving me that look." The boy set the box down and went on a search through the kitchen; Nick found himself searching for a newspaper, a map, anything to tell him where he was and when. After about five minutes, Ellis was boiling water, and Nick had found it. He set down Ellis' shirt. "Lafayette, Louisiana."

"Whatchu talkin' bout Keith's sister for?" Ellis popped his head in the door, eyes wide and lips curled. "Louisiana was a fine kid... howdju know her name...?"

"It's the damned city we're in!" Nick found himself more exasperated than amused. "The next evac is in Austin, Texas. By the time we get there, it's going to be evacuated, most likely, so I say we go straight for California. The military should have a headquarters there, after all..." Ellis was fighting to understand. Already. "We're going to walk half-way across the country, Ellis."

"That'll take... days, weeks..."

"That's why we're going to find a car with some gas in it."

Ellis shrugged, turning to pour the pasta into the boiling water. "Whatever yew say, Nick." Silverware scattered onto the floor, and Ellis jumped. Nick turned in time to see the things on the floor. Nick sighed, standing up. Ellis was bent over, attempting to pick them up with fumbling, bloody fingers. Nick bent down to help. "Ah, ya don't hafta..."

"Ellis, shut up."

Ellis turned to stare, and that was when he realized that the boy's coveralls didn't quite fit right on the boy's frame.

The name tag read differently, too. "Ellis." He spoke, eyes narrowing. "Are those... Keith's?"


Pfff. I think I go on DeviantArt too much, 'cause I found this picture where Ellis was drawn with his coveralls on the right way. Sooo sexy. x3
Ahahha~ So I split 'em up. Yay. This one was hard to write,'cause I spent ten minutes looking for that map you find in Dead Center? Yeah. That one. It wasn't on l4dwikia, so I spent forEVER looking for it. I did. It didn't get me anywhere. I know the west part of the US was completely red-X-less, though, so I sent them west.
Keith's last name is officially LaFayette. I made it LaFayette since... ever ago, in stories I didn't put anywhere but my computer. So, when I see a city in Louisiana called LaFayette, what do I do? Freak out. Teehee. Louisiana is a name, It think, or it is in the south. So Keith has a sister named Louisiana, or Louise for short. She was sixteen, about seven years younger than Ellis. I made that up now. Unfortunately, she was one of the first to succumb to the Georgia Infection. Poor thing...

Anyway. Rate. Review. I don't know, but I realized I'm going insane checking on this story every day.