Author's Note: Good Lord this chapter took forever to write, but I finished it! I worked really really hard on this chapter so please leave me some reviews. I hope you enjoy this one! I know I did.
Melissa: "My name is…Melissa Rivers, and I know something…very important…" She said in a weak voice
Cliff: "Like what could have caused all of this?" He asked
She lightly nodded her head.
Meg: "Please tell us."
Everyone became quiet and suddenly began to listen in.
Melissa: "My father is part a…biological lab organization…" She paused. "He and his partner Marcus wanted to…create something that would supposedly cure all kinds of deadly diseases."
She began to cough.
Colt: "What kind of diseases?"
Melissa: "…Major ones like cancer…or even STD's…"
Rocky: "Cancer?"
She nodded and began to cough. She was clearly still in a lot of pain.
Melissa: "Yes…, but something must have went horribly wrong when they were testing the cure, and it must have became some sort of virus…(coughs)…I really don't know the details."
Cliff: "So basically your dad and his buddy are responsible for this." He said crossing his arms across his chest.
Melissa: "Yes but something doesn't add up. My father would never want anything like this to happen." She said defending her father
Meg: "We believe you. Is that all you know?"
Melissa: "There is…one more thing…a favor I must ask of you."
Meg was silent for a moment.
Meg: "What is it that you need?"
Melissa: "My little 6 year old brother…His name is Aaron. We were separated when we tried to escape, and…I think he's still lost somewhere in the city alone…"
She began to cough even harder, and this time she coughed out blood. Her eyes were beginning to turn pink as well.
Rocky: 'Man her cough is getting even worse. I don't know how much longer she has.' He thought wincing at her
Colt: "So what do you need us to do?" He asked
Melissa: "Please…find my little brother…"
Cliff and Meg looked at each other not sure if they should try looking for Aaron since the chances of finding him in the city alive were close to impossible. They were about to decline until…
Rocky: "We'll find your brother for you." He blurted out
Both Cliff and Meg turned and looked at Rocky as if he had lost it, but he ignored both of them as he went to kneel down in front of her.
Rocky: "What does he look like?"
Melissa gave him a weak smile reached down in her pocket. She pulled out a picture of her and her family.
Melissa: "This…is Aaron." She said pointing to the young brunette with her blood-stained finger.
She handed the picture to Rocky as he studied the boy longer. He finally took it from her and put it in his pocket.
Melissa: "…Thank you…" She smiled
Rocky: "Don't worry. We'll find him, and we'll keep him safe."
Melissa: "I…really appreciate it…(cough). Now…please…end my life…"
Tum Tum: "What?!" He exclaimed
Gracy: "Please don't say things like that. I'm sure that we can try and help you get through this." She said trying to negotiate
Melissa laughed to herself.
Melissa: "Don't be naïve. There's no need to beat around the bush…I don't have much time…"
Lita: "That means that you'll…"
Melissa: "Right…I'll be one of them soon…so please…kill me while my…conscience remains…(coughs)."
Rocky carefully looked at her again hoping there might be some other way, but he knew that it was impossible at this point.
Rocky: "Are you sure that this is what you want?" he said looking her straight in the eyes.
Melissa: "Yes. I don't want become one of them. That itself is way worse than death."
Rocky turned around towards Cliff.
Rocky: "Cliff?"
Cliff: "Gotcha kid. Alright everyone clear the room." He demanded while he pulled out his gun.
Everyone left the room leaving Cliff alone with Melissa…They watched him slowly close the door from the inside. Then a long silence came as they waited in the front of the restaurant.
Gracy: "Isn't there…some other way?"
Meg: "…I'm afraid not…, but don't forget. This is what she wants, and unfortunately this is all that we can do for her now…"
The silence was soon broken by a loud and single gunshot. Everyone flinched when they heard the loud noise. It was soon quiet once again until Cliff slowly came out of the room with a grim look on his face.
Cliff: "…She 's gone…"
(Silence…)
Gracy: "…So…Now what do we do?" She cautiously asked
Rocky: "We find Aaron."
Cliff: "Oh yeah, and that reminds me."
Rocky: "What is it?"
Cliff: "What on Earth were you thinking saying that you would find Melissa's brother? Do you have any idea how little of a chance we have of finding him in this city? We don't even know if the kid is still alive."
Rocky: "I know that, but…she was dying…Did you expect me to say no to her? It wouldn't be right, besides…, I know if I were in her position, I'd feel somewhat at peace with myself if I knew that my family was safe."
Cliff stared at Rocky for a bit until he finally understood.
Cliff: "Yeah. You're right…, and coming back here to save possible survivors was my main goal in the first place. So I'm game for bringing another along."
Rocky: "You serious?" He said surprised
Cliff: "I wouldn't fool around about something like that."
Meg: "Well if Cliff is up for it, then I'm in too."
Colt: "We're all with you Rock."
Lita: "Yeah. Let's find this Aaron kid together. Then we'll finally find a way out of here." She said with enthusiasm
Rocky looked down at Gracy who was still sitting down.
Rocky: "Gracy?"
Gracy: "I'm up for finding him too. It was Melissa's last request…It's the most we can do for her."
Rocky: "Thank you everyone for supporting my decision."
Cliff: "Right, but now where do we start searching?"
Rocky: "That's a good question. Maybe we should try-"
Tum Tum: "Wait!" He interrupted
Everyone turned to Tum Tum.
Rocky: "What's wrong? What is it?"
Tum Tum: "…They're coming…I can hear them. Can't you guys hear it too?"
Everyone became quiet and began to listen out for what Tum Tum was hearing. They began to hear the sound of footsteps…lots of them! They also heard the moaning of zombies get louder as they got closer."
Cliff: "We have to move. Right now." He said trying to remain calm.
Gracy: "Guys…" She whispered nervously
Rocky: "You alright? What's the matter?"
She didn't say a word. She just pointed out of the open door of the restaurant. Everyone slowly turned their heads in the direction and finally saw what she was talking about. It was a zombie on the other side of the street looking right at all of them. It was just standing there in a tattered business suit with large chunks of flesh missing from one side of his face and the other side covered in deep scratches. Everyone froze when they saw it.
Cliff: "Don't…move…a muscle." He warned
Everyone took his instruction and did so…, but the zombie took interest and began making its way over there anyway! It began to slowly cross the street with a limp keeping its eyes locked on all of them.
Meg: "…Cliff?" She said getting nervous
Cliff: "Just stay still…"
Rocky: 'Is this guy nuts? It's obvious that thing has already figured us out.' He thought to himself
The zombie was now halfway across the street, and it looked like it wasn't changing its plans about dinner.
Colt: "Cliff. Why aren't we running?"
Suddenly…
*BAM!*
A hole suddenly appeared in the zombie's head and it immediately collapsed as its head hit the curb of the sidewalk. Blood began to run profusely out of its head as it lied there. Everyone turned around surprised to see that Cliff had shot the zombie in the head. His gun was still aimed when they looked at him.
Colt: "Pfft. About time." He muttered
Lita: "Um guys? I don't think that was the best idea."
They all slowly turned back around towards the door and saw that even more zombies were standing in the middle of the road staring at them all. The gun shot must have lured them all there.
Tum Tum: "…Oh boy."
Then one suddenly started to slowly move towards them. Soon a few more began to slowly follow.
Cliff: "Okay everyone. Get ready to head for the back door." He said calmly while aiming his gun.
Rocky wasted no time running over to Gracy to help her up.
Cliff: "Move it, and hurry." He warned them
Suddenly one zombie went crazy and charged at them out of the crowd. Cliff spotted her coming and quickly put two bullets in her head. That made the rest of them got nuts! Their vicious snarls were heard as they began to violently run towards the entrance.
Colt: "Let's go!" He yelled
They all made quickly made their way to the owner's office and slammed the door and locked it. They soon heard a loud crash on the other side of the door. The zombies had slammed into the door and began to viciously bash on it as they tried to get it open. Cliff and Meg pinned themselves against the door to try and hold it. The door wasn't going to hold for long.
Tum Tum: "What do we do?! What do we do?!" He yelled in a panic
Rocky began to scan the room for anything that they could use until he heard Lita's voice.
Lita: "There!" She pointed
They all looked to where she had pointed.
Gracy: "It's a window!"
The window wasn't very big and was kind of high up, but not so high that they wouldn't be able to reach it.
Cliff: "Alright. There's your escape. Hurry up and get going!" He said while straining to hold the door closed
Rocky: "Okay guys. I'll go first to make sure that it's clear. Okay?"
Colt and the others quickly agreed with him as he made his way to the window. He hopped up to grab the sill and pulled himself through. Gracy was next followed by Lita, Tum Tum, and then Colt. The window led to an empty back alley that had no signs of danger. Cliff and Meg were the only ones left in the office holding the door shut.
Colt: "Cliff! Meg! Hurry up! It's your turn now!" He shouted
Cliff: "Okay. They're out, and you're next. Get moving."
Meg: "No!" She forcefully declined
Cliff: "What?!"
Meg: "You heard me Cliff! I refuse! I'm not leaving you again!" She shouted back
They heard the kids' voices on the other side of the window.
Rocky: "Hurry up you two!"
Lita: "Yeah! Get out there before it's too late!"
Meg came back to focus on Cliff and looked him dead in his eyes.
Meg: "We're getting out of this together." She said seriously
She got away from the door and ran behind the owner's work desk.
Cliff: 'What is she up too?' He thought.
She kicked the desk's chair out of her way and positioned herself behind the desk with both hands on it.
Meg: "MOVE!" She shouted
Cliff quickly got the idea and jumped out of the way as she plowed the desk towards the door pinning it shut. Cliff was still on the ground as he looked up at her. She offered him her hand.
Meg: "Told you we were getting out together." She smirked
Cliff smiled back and took her hand as she helped him up.
Cliff: "Let's hurry. That barricade of yours won't last long."
Meg: "Okay." She agreed
Meg was the first out of the window and Cliff soon followed after her shutting the window behind them. They soon met the others in the alley.
Tum Tum: "You made it!" He smiled
Cliff: "Yeah, and in one piece."
Cliff then looked at Meg.
Cliff: "Thanks Meg."
Meg: "Don't mention it." She smiled
They suddenly heard Colt call them further down from the other end of the alley.
Colt: "Guys! Down here quick!" He said waving to them
Rocky: "What is it now?" He said to the rest of them
They made their way to Colt to see what was up with Rocky being last having to help Gracy.
Cliff: "What is it kid?"
Colt: "That." He pointed down the road
There were now hundreds of zombies flocking the streets as they slowly and aimlessly wandered through the decimated city.
Lita: "Oh you gotta be joking."
Colt: "Really? Cause I don't hear anybody laughing."
Lita shot Colt a look.
Lita: "Colt. I'm serious."
Colt: "So am I."
Meg: "You two can save your little spat for later." She said quieting them both
Rocky: "And it's only going to get worse from here on." He added
Cliff looked down the opposite direction of the street and noticed that there were way less zombies in that direction, but the larger group was heading in the same direction.
Cliff: "We don't have much time."
Gracy: "What do you mean?"
Cliff: "What I mean is if we don't move soon, we'll be the next ones that get ripped to shreds because they're headed this way! We have to move soon."
Rocky: "Gracy! Get on my back! I'm going to have to carry you."
Gracy: "Are you sure?"
Rocky: "There's no time. Just do it." He ordered
Gracy: "O…Okay." She nodded
Rocky bent down a little to allow her to get on.
Cliff: "You two ready?"
They both nodded.
Cliff: "Okay. Let's go people!"
They all began to dart in the opposite direction of the horde and they were spotted! Now the large group was after them.
Cliff: "Damn! We have to lose them quick." He said looking back
They continued running further and further until…
Lita: "Cliff ahead of you!"
After hearing Lita's voice, he directed his attention towards the front and saw an even larger mass of zombies waiting for them. They all came to an immediate halt. They were trapped.
Colt: "Oh no."
Tum Tum: "Guys. We're trapped!"
Lita: "What do we do?"
Rocky began to aim his gun at the crowd.
Rocky: "Cliff there's too many. I can't take them all out. What do we do?"
Cliff: "I don't know…I…"
He suddenly spotted a small passage way in between two tall apartment buildings.
Cliff: 'Yeah…that has to work…I don't see any other way.' He thought
Rocky: "Cliff?!"
Cliff: "Okay I got it. See that small alley to the left?"
They all looked to see it.
Cliff: "It might be a tight fit, but we can squeeze through."
Gracy: "There?" She pointed
Cliff: "Yeah, but we have to be quick. It'll make it a lot harder for them to get us too."
Colt wasn't about to wait for a group decision. He knew that they all had to get out of there fast!
Colt: "Like we have a choice. Come on!" He said yanking Tum Tum along leaving the others behind. "Hurry up you guys!" He shouted back at them
Cliff: "Go. I'll bring up the rear."
Colt was first as he pressed the front of his body against the side of the building slowly pushing his way through. Following behind him was Tum Tum along with Lita. Gracy was next along with Rocky, and Meg and Cliff were last. They had all made it in between the buildings in the knick of time. Cliff looked back to see that the zombies were now struggling to get into the tight space and were unable to continue their pursuit. They were safe…for now.
Cliff: "Good. It looks like they can't follow us. I knew that would work." He said while moving
Colt: "Guys. We're almost there."
Rocky: "Good Colt. Just keep moving."
After a few more moments, Colt finally made it to the end and was the first one out. He frantically looked around to see that there were no zombies in sight. He let out a sigh of relief and helped the others get out safely.
Rocky: "Everyone alright?"
Tum Tum: "I'll live."
Gracy: "Ah!" She yelled in pain
Rocky turned around to see that she had fallen to the ground as she firmly grasped her ankle.
Rocky: "Gracy!" He yelled coming over to where she was sitting "What's wrong? Is it your ankle?" He asked
Gracy: "…Yeah…I must have put more pressure than necessary on it when going through there. I'll be fine though."
Lita: "Don't be ridiculous. That ankle needs to rest."
Colt: "But we can't rest. We have to get out of here."
Gracy: "Colt's right…I'll be fine…Honest." She lied
Tum Tum: "Are you sure?"
Gracy began to try and stand up on her own.
Gracy: "Positi- Ah!" She yelped
Rocky held onto her this time to keep her from collapsing.
Rocky: "Gracy. You're ankle is even worse from before."
Meg: "So then it looks like we have little choice but to rest…again."
Gracy: "I'm sorry everyone. I'm slowing everyone down."
Cliff: "(sigh). Don't be. It can't be helped anyway, and I wouldn't feel any better trying to push you hard with that injury."
Gracy: "…Thanks…"
Colt began to look around for any other signs of danger and noticed some movement in a small store across the street.
Colt: 'More of them?' He thought while observing the figure
The person soon came to the window and stood there. Then something about the person caught Colt's eye.
Colt: 'That's…That's a gun he's holding!' He thought
Rocky: "I might just have to carry you Gracy so-"
Colt: "Hey guys! I think there's another survivor here besides us!" He interrupted
Cliff quickly came up behind Colt to see.
Cliff: "What?! Where?!"
Colt: "There in that shop." He pointed
Cliff: "Where? I don't see anyone?"
Colt: "I'm telling you I saw someone in there."
Lita: "How do you know it isn't one of those zombies?"
Colt: "Because the last time I checked, zombies never had a real need for a gun." He pointed out
Meg looked up from checking on Gracy's ankle.
Meg: "Colt's probably right. We should check it out Cliff."
Cliff: "Hm. Alright. Follow me." He ordered
Everyone carefully followed Cliff across the street to the front entrance of the shop. He reached for the door and turned the knob…
Cliff: "Damn…It's locked." He said frustrated
Meg: "See if he'll open the door for us Cliff."
Tum Tum: "Yeah. Try that."
Cliff began to knock on the wooden door.
Cliff: "Hey! Could you let us in? We just need a place to rest for a bit."
...Nothing.
Colt: "Who does this guy think he is fooling? I know I saw someone in this shop hiding."
Rocky: "Colt chill. Just try again Cliff."
Cliff: "Okay." He nodded
Cliff: "Listen! We know you're in there, so how about you help us out?! We can work together you know!"
…
Gracy: "Still nothing?"
Lita: "Colt? Are you sure you saw someone in here?"
Colt: "I'm positive. I haven't gone completely insane yet."
Cliff: "Oh to hell with this."
Meg: "Cliff? What do you think you're doing?"
Cliff: "If he won't let us in, then we'll let ourselves in."
Rocky: "Are you sure that's the best idea?"
Cliff: "I don't see any other way. Stand back."
Cliff suddenly began to kick the door with full force. His first two kicks were unsuccessful, but his third kick made the door's hinges fragile and weak.
Cliff: "Okay. Here goes nothing!"
He finally used his body and rammed into the door with all of his might knocking it down, but Cliff fell down with the door due to his momentum. Everybody rushed in to help him up.
Meg: "You alright Cliff?"
Cliff: "Yeah I'm good." He said dusting himself off."
Lita: "You probably overdid it a little."
Tum Tum: "Yeah. Just a little bit." They both teased
Cliff: "Well…" He said turning a bit red
Everyone except Cliff began to laugh until they heard the click of a gun…Their laughing quickly ceased and they slowly looked up to see a older man with gray hair in about his forties or so aiming a rifle at all of them.
Man: "Get out of my store." He demanded
There was silence.
Man: "I said…Get out of my store." He stated again
Cliff slowly began to stand up.
Cliff: "Listen sir. We're not here to cause you any problems. We just need to stay in here for a little bit."
Man: "I don't give a flying shit what you need this place for. For all I know you were all probably bitten by one of those…monsters out there."
Rocky: "You got us all wrong. None of us were bitten."
The man then aimed his gun specifically at both Rocky and Gracy.
Man: "Then what's with that girl next to ya?"
Gracy: "Rocky?" She said getting scared clutching his arm
Rocky began to push Gracy behind himself.
Rocky: "She just has a sprained ankle. Quit jumping to conclusions." He said getting angry with this rude man's behavior
Meg: "Please sir. Be reasonable. All we need to do is-"
Man: "Just shut the hell up, and get the fuck out of my store!" He interrupted
Lita began to step forward a little to get next to Cliff.
Lita: "But Gracy is injured and she needs to rest! How could you be so cru-"
*BANG!*
Colt's entire world at that point went into a state of complete silence as he turned to see Lita's body falling to the ground…
Colt: "Lita!!"
Meg: "Oh my God! Cliff!"
Cliff: "Shit!"
Cliff quickly pulled out his gun and aimed it at the man. He saw Cliff aim his gun and tried to do the same, but Cliff was to quick for him as he loaded 4 rounds into him. The rifleman died instantly. Colt quickly ran to Lita's side and began to hold her upper body while he supported her head.
Colt: "Lita! Lita you're going to be alright! Okay?!"
Lita heard the familiar voice and finally noticed Colt over her.
Lita: "C…Colt?" She said in a weak voice
Colt began to let out a small smile.
Colt: "Yeah…It's me."
Cliff: "Meg?" He said putting his gun away
Meg: "I'm on it."
She bent down and began to examine the bullet wound. She gently began to turn Lita a little on her side with Colt's help and noticed that the bullet hadn't gone all the way through, but the bleeding was really bad, and the bullet itself was too deep. Meg stood up.
Meg: "I…I don't know if I can help her without the proper equipment."
Rocky: "What do you mean?"
Meg: "He must have hit a vital organ. She's bleeding too fast. I won't be able to stop it. I also won't be able to get the bullet out." She said in grief
Cliff: "If we get her to a medical facility of some sort, would you be able to treat her?"
Meg: "Maybe, but we have to move her quickly. We're running out of time."
Lita: "Colt?...What's…going on?"
Colt: "It…It's nothing…Just the same old nonsense, but you'll be alright." He said trying to stay keep them both positive, but Lita was feeling so much worse
Lita: "It…hurts so much Colt..."
Colt quickly grabbed her bloody left hand and held it tight.
Colt: "Shh. Don't talk anymore. I'm right here."
Rocky: "Meg I'm going to look for something that can help us. I first-aid kit. Anything okay?"
Meg: "Okay. Thank you Rocky."
Rocky ran past Colt and Lita and headed for the back of the store.
Lita: "…Colt…?"
Colt: "Yeah?"
Lita: "Why…are you crying?"
Colt became surprised as he didn't notice that there were a few small tears that escaped his eyes and made there way down his cheeks. He quickly wiped them away.
Colt: "I'm…fine. Don't worry about me."
Lita: "Hehe. You're…so silly." She smiled. "I'm…getting cold."
Lita's grip on Colt's hand was beginning to become limp, and Colt began to notice.
Colt: "Lita?! Lita stay with me!" He urged squeezing her hand even harder.
She snapped out of it and began to squeeze his hand back. He let out a fake laugh as he held back more tears.
Colt: "Hey. Don't scare me like that again."
Lita: "Sorry…Colt?"
Colt: "What's wrong?"
Lita: "I just…want to thank you…for being a…true friend."
Colt: "Lita. Stop talking like that."
Lita: "But it's true. Around you…I didn't have to change who I was…for you to accept me. Others always…rejected me...made fun of me…, but not you."
More tears began to come out of Colt's eyes now.
Lita: "You…accepted me for who I was, and you even rescued me the first time we met. I remember the time we met…like it was yesterday."
Colt: "Lita…"
Lita: "Thanks to you…I can honestly say that I have lived a life…truly worth living…"
Colt: "Lita…What are you trying to say?"
Lita reached up with her right hand and put in on Colt's cheek and stared deep into his eyes. Colt looked back into her eyes…
Lita: "…Thank you…" She whispered
Suddenly her hand fell down from Colt's face and hit the floor, and her left hand which Colt was holding onto lost all of its grip and her eyes remained opened staring at him as she let out her final breath…She was gone…
Colt: "Lita…?"
Lita: ……..
Colt: "Lita…?! Lita…?! Lita!!" He shouted trying to hold back more of his coming tears
Rocky came back into the front end of the store.
Rocky: "Hey Meg. I found a first-aid ki-"
He stopped himself once he found out what had happened. Rocky looked at everyone else to see Gracy crying behind Tum Tum who was also trying to fight his own tears. Cliff and Meg only watched on with heavy hearts.
Rocky: "…No."
He saw Colt on the ground mourning over the loss of his friend.
Colt: "Lita you can't leave me! You can't!" He said beginning to hug her lifeless body
Rocky slowly made his way over to his younger brother.
Rocky: "Colt…" He said kneeling down in front of him
Colt: "Rocky…why?" He said in tears
Rocky: "I…"
He didn't know what to say to him. It's not like he's an expert on these sort of things.
Meg: "Oh no…"
Cliff: "What's wrong Meg?" He said still looking at Colt and Lita
Meg: "They're coming. They must have heard the gunshots."
They all knew what had to be done.
Cliff: "Damn…We have to move."
Rocky: "Colt…?"
Colt: "No! I'm not leaving her here!"
Rocky: "Colt…She's gone…There's nothing more we can do for her now."
Colt: "…But I need her Rock…I need her here…She was my best friend."
Rocky: "I know…but we will all die if we stay here. You and I both know that Lita would not want that."
Colt looked down at Lita one more time and glumly decided.
Colt: "Okay…Let's move." He said in a bland tone
Gracy came up behind Colt and put a hand on his shoulder.
Gracy: "I'm so sorry Colt." She said sympathetically
Colt: "Don't be."
Rocky patted Colt's shoulder aswell and stood up. He went and jingled something in Cliff's face.
Cliff: "Are those keys? Where did you get those from?" He asked taking them from Rocky
Rocky: "In the back, and I think they belong to that car out front."
Cliff: "Good job. Now we don't have to worry about Gracy's ankle anymore."
Rocky: "Yeah." He nodded
Cliff made his way out of the store and went to the brown car that was parked in front. He used the key that Rocky had gave him…It opened!
Cliff: "Perfect! This is the right one! Okay everyone in now!"
Everybody exited the store and made their way into the car. Rocky and Colt were last two that needed to get in until Rocky turned around to see that Colt wasn't behind him. He looked back into the store to see Colt standing over Lita.
Rocky: "Colt!"
Rocky followed Colt and stood behind him.
Rocky: "Colt? What are you doing? We have to go." He said trying not to sound selfish
Colt: "I know Rock, but…just let me do one more thing…"
Rocky: "One more thing?"
Colt: "Yeah."
Colt bent down over Lita and put his hand over her face and began to gently brush down her eye lids closing them.
Rocky: "Colt…"
Colt stood up and walked past Rocky towards the car.
Colt: "Now I'm ready…" He said while walking
Rocky took one more look at the corpse of one of his friends for the last time and finally yet hesitantly got into the car. The engine started and they were finally off…
End of Chapter!
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