A/n: okay guys, here is the next chapter! Just letting y'all know, (stop saying y'all, Nikki!) I'm going to be out camping in the middle of nowhere this weekend without any cell service or anything, so I won't be able to update until Monday:(
I'll be leaving early Friday and returning Monday! That'll give me time torewrite a big chapter! And btw, I'd appreciate it if you could review my story!
One last thing, yesterday I hit 1,000 views on this story! Eek, I've decided to reward you guys with a one shot coming up:)
Commence reading!
Scarlett tapped her hand on the glass end table nervously, staring at the clock with a blank expression. The clock slowly ticked on, Scarlett swearing it moved slower than normal. She sat in the lobby of her father's hospital, wearing a pair of ripped up jeans and, you guessed it, a Nirvana tee. She cracked her neck as she slowly looked around, noticing a small child. She was playing in a glass room labeled "Contagious", playing with a train on the ground. Her skin looked waxy and yellow, and her eyes were slightly sunken in. Scar looked away, instantly repulsed. Was that little kid going to die? She didn't want to know.
Scarlett turned her attention to the large grey reception table, watching the receptionist with a wary eye. She was a dirty blonde, and looked to be around her age. Her name tag read Holly, a girl who was probably part timing after school. She had on a pink blouse and wore dark eyeliner, probably to hide the fact she had a large scar trailing up her cheek.
"Do you need something?" She said, a little too rude for Scarlett's liking.
"Umm, no. I was just admiring your shirt." Scarlett quickly backtracked.
"Oh! Thanks, I bought it from Hollister."
Ugh. That was the one thing she wasn't good at. Girl talk. She'd rather drown in a pool of noxious acid than gossip about boys and clothes. Scarlett smiled warmly back, trying to hide her disdain. The girl was obviously an airhead, the way she popped her watermelon gum and twirled her hair proving Scar's thoughts correct.
She turned her eyes back to the ticking clock, sighing lazily. The clock read six thirty. That gave her a half hour to talk to her dad. Scarlett was going off to college in two weeks, deciding to give Oregon State a try. Scar had already bought a green polo shirt with the Ducks logo, and grudgingly bought her sister a sweatshirt. Chloe was sixteen, and as crabby as a hormonal teenager, Oh wait, she was one.
A handsome doctor walked out of the double doors behind the reception desk, holding out a wooden clipboard. He wore thick glasses, and had a devilish grin on his plump lips. She noted the Rolex adorned on his wrist, knowing he was rich as hell. Not that all doctor's weren't, but a doctor in Oregon?
"Ms. Perrin?" He called, Scarlett rising at the formal name.
"Scarlett. Call me that, please." She said smoothly.
"Hi, Scarlett. You're here to see your father, Alexander, correct?" He asked, pulling out a pen.
"Yeah."
"I need you to sign the visitor's guest list." He held the pen and clip board out, Scarlett messily signing it.
Scarlett never did like her signature. It was feminine and girly, fitting her like a pencil skirt. It didn't. She ran her hands though her messy black hair, remembering she forgot to straighten it. Scarlett hated her hair, mainly because it fell in curly waves down to her back. She hated long hair with a passion.
"You're fathers been moved to the ICU. He had another seizure today." The doctor informed.
"How many has he had this week?" She asked quietly, following him to the elevator.
"Seven. He's getting a lot worse, Ms. Perrin."
"Scarlett."
"Scarlett. His heart's having a hard time working, and we think the transplant was a, well, bad idea." He frowned slightly.
"How long."
"Excuse me?"
"How long does he have left?" She cocked an eyebrow, leaning on the walls of the elevator.
"A week, at most."
Scarlett sucked in a breath, forgetting to release it. She knew her father was on his last stretch, but she didn't know he would be leaving her so soon. A tear began to form in her right eye, Scar wiping it away before the doctor could see.
He led her to his room, a much darker, monitored room than she was used to. Several machines were hooked up to him, the beeping sounds slightly annoying. She waisted no time pulling up a chair to sit next to him, grasping onto his hand.
"Hey, dad." She whispered, running a hand through his balding silver hair.
"Hi, kiddo. Perfect timing coming to visit me, we have lots of things to discuss." He coughed slightly.
"Oh, like what? I didn't touch your sniper, I swear."
"No, not that. I want to talk to you about what happens when i'm gone." He frowned, coughing again.
"Dad-" Scarlett started.
"No, let me finish. Scarlett, I know you're going to college, but I want to make sure that you're safe. You're mother had told me she'd take care of you, but I don't want you to get close to that woman." He narrowed his eyes.
"Why not?"
"You know what she does when she gets mad." He raised an eyebrow.
She gulped, tracing her forearm where her mother had bruised her. Dad would try to get her away from her mom, but she had gotten full custody of her, Chloe, and Alex Jr. after the divorce. She had always skipped classes and visited her dad.
"Dad, i'm going to be at college for four years."
"I want you to leave. Go somewhere where your mom can't find you." He began to cough violently.
"What?"
He began to seize, one of his monitors screaming like crazy. Doctors and nurses streamed into the room, pushing her out of the way. She screamed, tears spilling out of her eyes as he shook.
"Run... As fast... As you can!"
Scar shook the memory out of her head, whimpering as she watched her boyfriend in the water. Scar knew she could swim, but not in the condition she was in. She turned around, slamming the butt of her AK into a skull, grimacing as blood spattered her face. Something pushed her aside, too strong to be an infected. Ellis had pushed her to the side, diving into the water fully clothed.
"Ellis, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Scarlett screamed, her eyes widening.
"We ain't losing anyone tonight, Scarlett." He groaned back, picking up the dead weight that Nick had turned into.
Scarlett whipped back around, right as Josie lobbed a pipe bomb into the thick of it. She had thrown it too close to Serenity, slightly spraying her with gore and blood as it exploded. Scar couldn't tell if it was by accident or not. Probably not. Coach and Rochelle had gotten onto the ferry, Phoenix close behind.
"El, hurry! They're going to leave without us!" Scar called.
"I am doin my best, hon!" He replied, trudging onto the shoreline.
"Hon?" She cocked an eyebrow.
She couldn't help but laugh at Ellis' blushing face, Nick thrown over his shoulder like a sack of wet potatoes. She grabbed Nick's gun from the ground, running into the ferry after Ellis. Ellis dropped him on the wooden ground, beginning CPR on him. She pushed him aside, cracking her fingers as she remembered the classes she took at a Boys and Girls club.
She ripped open Nick's dress shirt, pushing his white jacket off his shoulders. She blushed slightly at the hotness she was staring at, running her fingertips on his neck. He had a light pulse, feeble and fading fast. She then pressed her ear to his lips, feeling no breath tingle her ear. Scarlett plugged his nose, angling his head up before blowing air into his lungs.
"What is she doing?" Phoenix whispered to Rochelle.
"Rescue breathing." Rochelle replied.
"C'mon, babe, start breathing." Scarlett sighed in between breathes.
"Is he going to be ok?" Serenity said quietly.
"Shush." Josie snapped bitterly.
"Jose, calm down." Ellis said from next to her.
She stopped to feel his pulse again, smiling as his pulse was stronger and normal. She pressed her ear to his lips again, his hot breathe tickling her earlobe. Nick shifted under her straddle, making Scarlett slightly blush.
"Nicholas, can you hear me?" Scarlett asked, looking into his acid green eyes.
"I would be surprised if he didn't!" Coach chuckled.
"Don't you ever do that again!" Scarlett growled, slapping his cheek playfully.
"Do what, babe?"
"Scare the hell out of me like that! You almost died!" She exclaimed, feeling the ferry pull to a stop.
"You've died on me twice. This is me getting even." Nick laughed quietly.
"No, this isn't a game."
"Scarlett, we've got to go. So, could you kinda get off Nick?" Serenity was already pacing.
"Oh, yeah." She said, blushing even harder.
Scarlett got off of Nick's hips, feeling her strength return from her adrenaline rush. She held her hand out to him, helping him get up. She buttoned his shirt together as Serenity began to aim down her gun, shooting off the stragglers that dared to come close. Nick slung his jacket over her shoulders, kissing her bandana. Scarlett sighed as he once again made her blush crimson, cursing the things he could do to her.
Scarlett raised her AK as she walked out of the ferry, her vans slapping on the wooden boardwalk that was raised above the swamp lands. Weeping willows obstructed her view, a hunter crouching behind it. As soon as she rounded the corner, the cat like infected pounced her, slamming her into the ground with a shriek. She screamed, slamming the butt of her gun into his hooded head, pushing him off of her. She kicked her foot into his skull, blood staining her grey shoes. She snorted in disgust as she pushed the body off of her, Nick rounding the corner.
"Oh my god, are you okay?" Nick exclaimed.
"Yeah, this scrawny little bitch played with the wrong littler bitch." Scarlett grunted, pushing the body off of her.
"Scrawny little bitch? That's my line." Nick helped her up.
"Well, as your girlfriend, I get to use your lines." She replied, pecking him on the cheek.
"Ugh. You guys are disgusting." Josie groaned, rounding the willow.
"What crawled up your ass, Josie? You're acting like a royal bitch." Nick snipped.
"Nicholas!" Scarlett exclaimed.
They waited for the rest of their team, Scarlett playing target practice with the wandering infected. She heard a girlish scream, cursing herself as the she had startled the Witch.
"Shit! I pissed the bitch off!" Scar screamed, shooting at the grey girl.
The witch was closing in on her, the infected's mouth open with a loud shriek. The three shot at her, the Witch finally dying at Scarlett's feet, her head colliding with her shoes. She sighed, kicking the head in with a final crush. She turned to her two comrades, nodding in silent thanks.
Coach, Rochelle, Ellis, Serenity and Phoenix were quick to catch up to the other three, Josie giving Serenity a bitter look. Scar wondered why Josie hated Serenity, and then it hit her like a train. Josie liked Ellis! And obviously, Ellis liked Serenity. Damn, this zombie apocalypse was getting better and better. They slowly continued, running into a road, er, swamp block.
A ripped in half plane laid in the murky waters, lined with dead bodies in a pile. Most of them were not infected, their rib cages ripped out and left as hollow cavaties. She sighed at the gore, knowing how much Melvin would of hated this. Melvin. She swallowed down her sadness, the cool murky water beginning to reach her calves. She needed to be strong, for Phoenix.
"How are we going to get past the plane?" Scarlett asked, slowly stepping in the mushy ground.
"Let's get out of this gross water first." Coach replied, kicking his feet around.
Scarlett boarded into the plane, her vans now destroyed with mud, swamp water and blood. She searched in between the seats, finding a Molotov. Why would planes carry Molotovs? She shrugged and hooked it on her belt, turning around and accidentally slamming into Nick.
"Woah, didn't see you there." She grabbed onto the seat, vertigo hitting her head.
"No problemo, Babe."
"Babe? That's a new one." She cocked an eyebrow.
"okay, we have to open this hatch to get to the other side. It's going to alert the horde, so we need all the pipe bombs and Molotovs we got." Coach was inspecting the door.
"I've got a Molotov." Scar held the bottle up.
"Pipe bomb!" Serenity said.
"I've got both." Ellis replied, holding both bombs up.
"alright, y'all ready?" Coach asked, his hand on the door.
"Yessir." Scar replied.
Coach popped the hatch open as Ellis threw out a pipe bomb, the lighted bomb soaring well out into the trees. Scarlett grasped for her lighter as she held her machete out, signing triumphantly when she found it. Scarlett lit the white cloth and lobbed it onto the wing, sealing off the infected with a wall of fire.
"Nice shot." Nick commented, slapping her ass.
"Nicholas. Don't tempt me to drown you." Scarlett narrowed her eyes.
"You know you like it." He wagged his eyebrows.
"Shut up and shoot the zombies, Nick." Scarlett snorted, ripping her AK of her back.
The fire had burnt out, and Infected were launching themselves at the eight. Scarlett felt the butt of her gun kick against her shoulder as she shot, the contact reassuring her she was alright.
She turned her back for a second, and that gave the smoker hiding in the trees enough time to shoot his tongue out at her. She gasped, feeling the purple tongue grab her in an area that was illegal before the infection, wrapping his tongue around her waist and, well, you get the picture. She screamed, feeling violation in everyday possible, as he dragged her across the wing.
"Oh, no you don't!" Nick yelled, chasing after Scarlett to break the tongue.
"Ugh, gross. I feel so violated now." Scarlett groaned, picking herself up.
"That little bastards not going down without a beating." Nick growled, popping his knuckles.
"C'mon, you don't have to be that protective." Scarlett laughed, watching the others slowly file out onto the wing.
"I think I see the safe room!" Phoenix said, pointing out into nowhere.
"Says the one with one eye." Josie snorted.
"Miss, I don't think I like your attitude." Coach narrowed his eyes.
"Ugh, whatever. I am so done listening to everyone's bitching." Josie groaned, hopping off the wing.
"Jesus, she's hormonal." Nick grunted, grabbing Scarlett's hand.
"She likes Ellis, and he obviously is fawning over Serenity." Scar giggled, looking at Ellis talking to her with a crimson blush on his cheek.
"Wow, this day is getting more and more interesting." Nick chuckled, waiting for Scarlett to hop of the wing.
"Well, wait until tonight." Scarlett purred, jumping off of the planes wing.
"Oh, really?" Nick said, one of his eyebrows shooting up.
"I found a whole can of whipped cream in one of the houses. I have some ideas up my sleeves." She said, pulling a pistol out of her bag. They did come in handy when you only had one usable hand.
"Kinky." He muttered, jabbing her in the ribs playfully.
"Is that the safehouse? You have got to be kidding me." Josie wrinkled her nose.
The safehouse was nothing more than a rusted drainage pipe with the trademark red door attached to it. Scarlett rolled her eyes at Josie, before trudging along into the drainage pipe. She crinkled her nose as the smell of dank water and mildew hit her nose, grateful the ground was boarded up. Sleeping bags were strewn on the ground, along with a bottle of Ibuprofen and Tylenol. Scarlett quickly searched her backpack for her pack of cigarettes and lit up, the butt illuminating the small room.
"This is a, cozy place." Phoenix said, idly reading the spray painted letters written on the pipe.
"Back in my hometown, not even bums would live in drainage pipes." Josie snorted, plopping down on the sleeping back.
"You aren't from around here, are you?" Serenity asked, slightly shrinking as she addressed the Aussie.
"From Australia."
"What's your name, from Australia?" Serenity leaned against a table.
"Names Josie. And yours?" She said snidely.
"Serenity. Serenity Rombin. I also have another addition, if you'll let him stay." Serenity said, pulling a large backpack off her shoulders.
"Who, you're boyfriend?" Josie snorted.
"This." She gasped as she picked up the creature. "This is Flame."
Scarlett gasped as she saw the large tabby cat, his eyes darting around the safe house. He had a tubby white stomach and bright green eyes, along with ginger whiskers. He let out a shriek, jumping out of Serenity's arms.
"You brought a cat in the zombie apocalypse? Are you serious?" Scarlett sighed, smoke clouding the air.
"He's my best friend. You can't just leave someone you love." Serenity rubbed the cat on the jawline, a huge purr erupting from the cat.
"Aren't you guys going to introduce yourselves? I'm Phoenix, by the way." Phoenix was kneeling to pet the cat, earning a hiss and slap of his paw.
"Y'all already know who I am." Ellis grabbed the brim of his cap.
"Call me Coach, and that's Rochelle." Coach introduced.
"Hi guys. So what's it like in Australia? Is it like, always sunny?" Serenity sitting down next to Josie. Scar could tell she was bristling.
"Its always hot, not always sunny. Look, whatsyourname-"
"Serenity."
"Serenity. I just want to let you know, don't mess with me. Aussies are tough. I've survived poisonous snakes, floods and alcohol poisoning, and we aren't pleasant when we get pissed off. So stay out of my way, or you'll be dead before we can find rescue. Got it?" Josie snapped.
Nick sat down next to her, Scarlett handing him a cigarette. He took it, lighting up and blowing out a thick cloud of smoke. Scarlett rested her head on Nick's shoulder, watching Serenity and Josie get into another bitch fight over a guy. She'd never think that Josie would stoop to this level. Or that Ellis would be so stupid as to think nothing is going on.
"Ten bucks says Ellis chooses Serenity." Scar whispered to Nick.
"It's on." He chuckled back, blowing smoke into her face.
"Hey!" She exclaimed, blowing a cloud back at him.
The tabby cat ventured over to the two, his nose twitching at the smoke. Scarlett grimaced, cats being at the bottom of her favorite animal list. Flame slowly padded up to her damp legs, rubbing his body around them. She smiled softly, turning back to look at Nick.
"You know, we should get a cat." She said, rubbing the cat between it's ears.
"If we get out of this, I will buy you a whole goddamn pet store." Nick replied with a smirk.
"And that is why I love you." She grinned.
Nick and Scarlett cuddled in silence, his arm draped around her while she leaned into him. Josie and Serenity were at it again, mainly consisting of Serenity innocently asking questions and Josie bitching back. Phoenix was looking out the door, a sad smile on her lips. Maybe she was thinking of Melvin. Ellis was talking with Coach, obviously coming up with a plan.
Scarlett sighed, pressing her body closer to him, if that was even possible. Her cigarette had burned out, and she put the butt out on the pipe. She felt relaxed from the smoke, her eyes lazily tracing Nick's facial structures. She was so lucky she found him. She'd never think she'd become a love stricken girl who'd risk her own life for a guy. So cliche.
"Hey guys, check this out." Phoenix pointed out the window.
Scarlett looked up just in time to see a jet fly over the swamp lands, the noise vibrating her eardrums. She groaned as she plopped her head back into Nick's lap, watching him play with her downy hair.
"Do you think they'll ever just shut up and make out?" Nick asked Scarlett, Josie and Serenity starting some fight about clothes or something.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" She replied with a smile.
"I wouldn't say no, but I wouldn't say yes either." He grinned back.
"You're a pig." Scar chuckled.
"You're completely right about that." Nick agreed.
"We should be heading out soon, guys." Serenity said, wiping her sweaty forehead with the back of her arm.
"You are seriously impatient." Josie snapped.
"Here we go again." Phoenix muttered.
"Ladies, couldja just stop bitching fer two seconds?" Ellis groaned.
"Sure, whatever. Tell that to Josie though." Serenity sighed, folding her hands together.
"Are you seriously that self centered?" Josie snipped.
"Josie, just shut up!" Scarlett snapped back at her.
"Meow." Nick whistled.
"Ugh, she's giving me a headache." Scar muttered, rubbing her head.
"Guys, we have an hour at most. We need to get moving before it gets hot outside." Rochelle began to move a table in front of the back room door.
"Ugh, we're gonna hafta walk in swamp water." Phoenix complained.
"My suit is going to get ruined." Nick groaned.
"Hon, you're suit is already shitty." Scarlett smirked.
"Thank you for insulting my suit." He grumbled.
"Any time." She replied, kissing his stubble. "Ro, do we have time for a round of poker? I'm itching to get a Deagle or something."
"Nope. We are heading out." She replied curtly, picking up a combat rifle.
"Damn it." Nick groaned.
Scarlett laughed at their misfortune, stretching her tired limbs as she got up. Her body still somewhat ached from her near death experience, but what shook her mind most was the memory of her in a wedding dress. Scar idly got ready , tying her bandana around her head tighter.
"Coach, where are we headed to?" She asked, cracking her neck.
"Some stupid ass survivor left a map here. There's a safe house up by a plantation farm." He held the crinkled up paper.
"We have to go though a town though, right? We could probably find food and supplies. We are running really low." Rochelle walked up to the map, studying it.
"It's more of village than a town, Ro."
Scarlett laughed at the misfortune, earning a couple of glares. What, did they expect to have a perfectly stocked Wal Mart in the middle of the swamp? Scar knew the only things they would find were weapons and maybe some rotten food. She did grudgingly agree to go to the village, packing her measly supplies in her backpack. All she had left were a few food items, and a full can of whipped cream. She doubted she needed it.
"Let's get going, guys." Serenity was now holding a rifle.
"Y'all know how to use that?" Ellis asked her.
"Ellis, I know how to use a hunting rifle." She snorted, rolling her eyes.
Scar groaned and walked out of the safe house, right as a tank threw a large chunk of rock straight at her.
A/N okay, I am seriously loving how much pain i am putting you guys in with the cliff hangers. (Just kidding, [hopefully]) make sure to review! Check out my blog for cool pictures, character bios, and lots more! This week, I decided to draw Phoenix! Go check it out!
Love and hugs,
Nikki