Legal Disclaimer: Characters Bill, Zoey, Louis, Francis, and the generic character of the "witch" are property of Valve, as is the main zombie apocalypse plot. All other characters, named or otherwise, as well as this subplot belong to me. However I'm more than happy to "lend" thoughts or ideas if you wish to give me credit for "inspiration," just give credit where credit is due.
Mature Content Warning: This story contains violence and sexual content and should not be read by those... ah fuck it. If you're this far in and you're underage or whatever, you obviously aren't too worried about that kind of stuff. Just know that I warned you fair and square. Don't be a douche bag like that other guy who tried to report me because he was just so "shocked and appalled" about Movie Night's sexual content, even after reading two separate mature content warnings. Glad to see FF pretty much just laughed at him for that one.
Authors Notes: I hate people who make excuses, so I'm not gonna do that. This chapter took a while, and for that I'm not apologizing! I like to re-read and proof my stuff more than an anal-retentive English teacher, and I'll still end up with spelling errors or grammatical mistakes. Don't hesitate to point them out in your review, but do tell me what you thought of the story too. I likey reviews!
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Chapter 11 – Requiem's Reprieve
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Zoey's eyelids slowly fluttered open, flecks of dried tears momentarily blurring her vision. She groaned quietly, wiping some errant drool from her lips before noticing her "pillow" was Louis' chest. She sat up quickly, feeling embarrassed for drooling on him.
"Good morning," Louis said through slightly slitted eyes as he awoke. He'd been asleep until he felt Zoey's head lift form his chest. "How are you feeling?"
"Uh... a little disoriented," Zoey said as she rubbed her eyes. "What... what happened last night?"
"You really don't remember huh?" Louis asked with both concern and a little disappointment. Zoey looked at him in confusion, until a sudden frightening image flashed through her mind.
"My nightmare..." She said quietly as Louis nodded. The mental picture was now burned in her conscious: Bill and Eris, having faced death together with a lover's embrace in the remains of the town of Rayford.
"Rayford?" The college girl thought to herself before her thoughts abruptly changed gears.
"Bill… Eris..." She said as she quickly rose to her feet, hurriedly tiptoeing over to the window once more. All she saw was a large lump of blankets on two mattresses on the floor.
"Where are they?" Zoey asked with alarm.
"Where are who?" Francis asked groggily as he sat up. "Man I had the strangest dream."
"'Strange' doesn't trump terrifying," Zoey thought to herself.
"They probably went to take a shower or something," Louis said, standing up and raising his arms over his head in a stretch. "I'm famished. You never realize how hungry you are until you're without food for several days."
"Amen brother," Francis said as he walked over to the table. Several of the MRE's had snack bars and the like that were unopened. He tore open a cereal bar and promptly ate it in one bite.
Louis joined his comrade, opening a dry cereal box and digging in. After swallowing several rather large mouth-fulls, Louis turned over his shoulder and asked, "Zoey, you hungry?"
His question fell on empty air.
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Eris and Bill awoke slowly in each others' embrace, hidden beneath the covers. The waking war vet tenderly squeezed his lover's shoulder as she lightly stroked his beard.
"Goood moorrniinnggg Biill," She sang in a quiet whisper.
"Good morning Eris," he said with a slight rasp before clearing his morning throat. "Sleep well?"
"Yeesss," She replied. "Yoouuu?"
"I slept great, but that's only because you wore this old man out," Bill said with a chuckle.
"Noot oollldd," Eris said as she touched his face, a softness in her amber eyes. "Xssssppperiiennced."
Bill stared in admiration and a little surprise. It seemed like nearly every time he and Eris "spent time" together, more of her humanity would piece itself together. She seemed to understand even more spoken words, and her own vocabulary was expanding without the help of the other survivors.
Eris smiled and slowly sat up, the blankets falling from her naked body and around her waist. Her claws were clasped in her lap as she admired the soldier laying before her. Bill drank in his lover's beautiful gray curves for a moment before he sat up as well, quietly yawning and stretching as he woke up completely. Eris purred softly, staring at his half naked form.
"Biilll," she said coyly, her head tilted to the side as she errantly played with her hair. There was a hunger in her golden eyes that had nothing to do with sustenance.
The old war veteran grinned. He wondered how he was going to keep up with his witchy woman's sexual appetite; he wasn't exactly a spring chicken anymore, but his aged body had surprised him over the last couple days.
The topless couple scooted closer. Eris giggled as Bill's lower half woke up as well, poking her beneath the blankets. She leaned in for another kiss...
But it was interrupted as the door suddenly flew open.
The two turned towards the peach-scrubs-clad intruder. Zoey said nothing as she quickly closed the door behind her. She took several steps towards the two lovers, her blue eyes filled with bewilderment and disbelief. Eris let out a sigh of frustration before rolling her eyes, while Bill simply groaned quietly.
"Good morning Zoey," Bill said politely, hiding his annoyance at being interrupted a second time.
The college girl didn't answer, and the war vet's mild irritation turned to concern. The poor girl was staring at he and the gray goddess like a zombie.
"Zoooeeyyyy?" Eris asked, a mask of worry on her face as well.
Zoey tackled the pair on the floor, earning surprised gasps from both of them. She threw her arms around their necks and pulled them in close, sobbing like a relieved mother would hug her lost children.
"Gahh... I said good morning didn't I kid? No need to cry about it. C'mon you're choking me..." Bill gasped as she squeezed him tightly. He didn't know what had the college girl so upset, but he rubbed her back trying to calm her. Eris was confused as to why Zoey was so upset, and she too slid her claw behind her to gently stroke her back. The lovers' hands found each other, their fingers gently clasping as they rubbed the crying girl in a soothing, calming gesture.
"Zooeeeyy... pllleassee... noooo crrryyy," The witch said, a slight tremble in her voice. The college girl was really worrying her.
Zoey finally let them both go, her eyes red and her cheeks wet with tears. "I... I'm sorry," She said as she sniffled. "I had this horrible nightmare. You two were dead and..."
"It's alright kiddo," Bill said, comfort and understanding in his steel-colored eyes. "It was just a bad dream. I may be old, but I'm not checking out any time soon. Eris isn't leaving either, are you sweetheart?" He asked, turning to his lover.
Eris gently caught a stray tear on Zoey's cheek with her knuckle. "Errrisss suurrviiivoorr... liikkee Zooeeeyyy."
Zoey smiled, wiping her nose unceremoniously on her peach colored sleeve. "Sorry for barging in like that, I'm not usually so… emotional. I've had nightmares before, but this one.." She trailed off for a moment before shaking her head. There was no sense over thinking it. She stood up and approached the door, saying, "There's some food left over from last night, if you're hungry."
"Sounds good," Bill said. "We need to get dressed, and we'll be right there."
Zoey stood by the door with her hands folded in front of her, trying to convince herself that her bad dream was just that: A dream.
"Alone...?" Bill asked with a half smile.
"Sorry," Zoey said with a timid grin before excusing herself.
Bill chuckled and shook his head as he pulled up his scrubs bottoms beneath the blankets. Eris stared at the door as though she could see right through it, which actually wasn't far from the truth. Her enhanced vision, while mildly irritated by bright lights, allowed her to see in the darkness with near perfect clarity. She was also able to make out the faint outlines of the three survivors through the wall, like a form of thermal vision.
"Zooeeyy... niighhtmaareee," Eris said quietly, turning to the war veteran.
"Yeah... I just hope it wasn't as bad as my nightmare from the night before," Bill said, the irony lost on him as he stood and retrieved a fresh scrub top from a pile of spares that had been left in the room by the medical staff. Eris joined him; her lover assisting her in getting dressed as well. The pair kissed again once more before joining their comrades in the room next door.
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The dark skinned nurse stood in the large elevator, humming happily to herself as she descended to the lower levels. She'd been up early this morning, the excitement about the blood work results from the four survivors had her adrenaline flowing. Dr. Allan had been knocking frantically on her door the night before, a clipboard of papers in his hands. She'd barely had a chance to ask him what the commotion was about before he'd kissed her on the lips like a man who'd hit the lottery. Apparently the excited CMO had done the tests himself, and while it didn't take more than a couple hours to detect the mutated rabies virus in a blood sample, the fact that he had not left such a menial task to a subordinate showed just how excited he was to find out if they could finally make some progress. Besides the fact that the recovery of humanity depended on people like Dr. Allan, Alexis had worked with him for a long time on many projects, thus she was very personally invested in all of his research. She shared his grievances whenever he hit a wall, and his joys when he struck a breakthrough.
Alexis requested to be notified immediately when the results were in so she could deliver the news herself to the team of five. Though she hadn't known the new arrivals long, the bond they shared was strong and she could sense it. Their comradeship gave her a renewed hope for the fate of this altered world. Plus she was taken aback by Eris; the gray goddess was living proof that this virus could not crush a person's humanity. Her infected kind were the epitome of anguish, rage, and despair, but Eris was the complete opposite. She suspected the witch's mental state had more to do with that aged war veteran than any medical or scientific miracle. It was clear he'd stolen her heart.
The doors slid open, revealing the observation room to the left and the security room to the right. Alexis decided to check up on Sgt. Malory and his little spitfire first. She pushed at the door, surprised to find it slightly ajar. The first thing to strike the R.N. was the increased temperature in the room. Granted the station was small and not really meant for two people, but it was much warmer than she'd expect. She was about to dismiss it...
Until a rather familiar scent wafted in her direction: The smell of sex.
The R.N. grinned devilishly, spotting the two soldiers passed out on the floor. Malory and the female soldier were completely clothed, but it was clear by their cuddled position and their total lack of consciousness that they'd helped wear each other out well into the wee hours of the morning. The female's hand was draped across the Sergeant's chest, her left leg was thrown over his left thigh, and her head was nestled into his shoulder. The Sergeant's arm was wrapped around his subordinate, his head nestled against hers as he snored. A rather large morning wood was pushing against his pants as though trying to reach his female companion.
"Ahem," Alexis said, trying to wake them.
Nothing.
"Oh Seerrrrrgeaaaant," She said sing-songily, gently nudging at his bulge with the toe of her shoe.
"Mmmphh… ag.. again? So tired baby," Malory mumbled in his sleep, turning towards his lover.
"Mmm… no moorre big boy…" She replied lazily in slumber, her other hand siding down and squeezing the large bulge. "Made me… sore…"
"Lucky bitch," Alexis mumbled, kicking the girl's hand away from Malory's bulge a little bit harder than necessary. "C'mon you two, wake up."
The two lovers groaned and rubbed their eyes groggily. "Damn… morning already?" Malory grumbled.
"Ever vigilant eh Sergeant?" Alexis said, half teasing, half jealous. "Maybe you'd have been better off keeping watch by yourself?"
"Ah shaddup," Lenhart growled, coughing once to clear the morning rasp. She quickly stood up and put her hair back in its bun as she awoke completely. "You're just jealous he didn't ask you to bring anything down."
"I'd rather have brought something up…" Alexis said with a grin as Malory stood, his cheeks pink. "I just came to see how you to were doing. Smells like you both had some fun here last night."
"Excuse me?" Lenhart asked, one eyebrow cocked.
"You heard me, private." The R.N. replied curtly.
"Our shift is over then," Malory said quickly, hoping to end a potential fight before it started. He was all business as he straightened his beret. "Thanks for the courtesy call, Alexis." He and Lenhart promptly excused themselves from the security office and made for the open elevator.
"Anytime... anywhere, Xavier," Alexis said, the double meaning causing the Sergeant to freeze for a split second. She smiled, feeling Lenhart's glare burn through her even as the elevator doors closed on the pair.
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Bill and Eris regrouped in room 3A with their comrades, the immune survivors finishing off what remained unopened from the MRE's while the lone infected devoured the remainder of her honey.
"So how did you two sleep?" Louis said to the war vet and the witch with a knowing smirk whilst patting his full stomach.
"A gentleman never tells," Bill said, reflexively reaching for a cigarette before realizing they were long gone along with his clothes. He hadn't had a cigarette since he'd rescued Eris from that hunter. In fact he didn't even have cravings for one until thinking about it just now.
"Sllleeeep gooood," Eris replied in her melodious voice before gently kissing Bill on his cheek.
"Wish I could say the same," Francis said, wiping his mouth on his scrubs sleeve.
"Same here," Zoey said quietly while staring at the table in thought.
"Yeah you had a pretty bad nightmare," Louis said, gently patting her shoulder. She looked up at him with a half smile before quietly dismissing it.
"Just a bad dream." She said nonchalantly. "I wonder if the two 'watchdogs' heard me when I woke up screaming?"
"Doubt it," Bill mumbled, settling for a piece of gum from his MRE as a cigarette substitute. "That or those auditory alarms are broken. They didn't come rushing in for us when-" Bill started before promptly shutting his mouth. The other three survivors all chuckled at the "gentleman's" slip up. Eris giggled at her lover's reddening face and pulled him closer, hooking her gray arm into his and leaning on his shoulder. Though she didn't understand everything being said, it was as though she could sense exactly what Bill was embarrassed about.
"Anyhow," Bill said gruffly, "We need to decide on our next move."
"What're you talkin' about old man?" Francis asked with a raised eyebrow. "We're not in a safe house, we're on a military base. We're not in danger anymore. Did your 'girlfriend' literally screw your brains right outta your-"
"Watch it Francis," Bill said firmly. The biker looked away, mumbling to himself quietly.
"I agree with Bill. We need a plan," Louis spoke up. "I dunno about the rest of you, but something about this place doesn't seem right."
"Amen to that," Zoey said.
"I'm also anxious to hear what they have to say about our 'supposed' immunity." Louis said. "Dr. Allan said we'd get those blood work results back pretty soon, didn't he?"
The door to the room opened with a snap hiss, startling the five survivors.
"Good morning everyone," the dark-skinned R.N. from yesterday said as she entered the room. "Sleep well?"
"Not bad," the college girl lied politely.
"Goood mooorrnning Allexxisss," Eris said, smiling.
"And good morning to you too," the R.N. replied, her polite smile turning into a full out grin. The infected woman's pleasant mood certainly was contagious. "Gosh she's cute. You all better keep an eye on her, I might snatch her away when you aren't looking."
The war vet chuckled, subconsciously squeezing Eris' arm tighter.
"So what's up?" Francis asked.
"I'm here about your test results," Alexis said. "And I have good news and bad news."
She paused as the survivors groaned, then continued. "The good news is you four are indeed immune!" She said, waiting for the anticipated eruption of cheers and the like.
However, the awkwardly quiet atmosphere was anything but jovial.
"Tell us something we don't know," Francis said irritably, breaking the silence. "Nothin' against you, beautiful, but we already knew we weren't turning into those damn vampires."
"Zooommmmbbbiiiieesss," Eris said, a slightly exaggerated scolding tone in her angel's voice. Zoey froze, her mouth half-open as she was about to verbally chastise the biker herself.
"Whatever," Francis said. "What's the bad news?"
"The bad news is we need more blood work from you four," Alexis said, drawing five rather large syringes from her pocket. "And if possible, we need some blood work from Eris too."
The gray woman glared at the needles, recalling the nurse from yesterday who attempted to stick her in the arm. While she didn't feel any pain, the attempt was mildly annoying.
"I hate needles," Francis said, folding his muscular arms across his chest like a pouting child.
"Oh come on," The ebony beauty said, walking over to him. She casually moved around the back of the sitting biker, running her hands over his broad shoulders then down his muscular arms, half-whispering in his ear. "Don't tell me a big, strong, healthy looking…," she paused, purring a little as she squeezed his biceps, gently urging his arms out of their folded position, "…stud like you is afraid of a little prick?" She asked sultrily.
"I ain't afraid of anything darlin'," Francis said, trying not to blush. "Especially not a little prick- OUCH."
With his attention distracted, Alexis stuck his tattooed arm then withdrew the syringe after filling it with a decent amount of the biker's blood. Francis started swearing, until a light peck on the cheek from the R.N. halted his verbal tirade. Alexis worked her way around the table, getting fresh samples of from everyone.
"Why do they need more blood work from us?" Bill asked, hissing a little as he got stuck in the arm.
"Your blood is immune," Alexis said as she filled the fourth syringe. "Don't you realize what that means?"
"That we can have casual sex with reckless abandon without fear of disease?" Louis guessed dryly while rubbing the sore spot on his arm.
The dark skinned woman laughed heartily at the systems analyst. "Something tells me you four aren't the type to have recklessly casual sex."
The four survivors chuckled and looked away, the irony turning their cheeks beet red.
"This means that Dr. Allan can finally make some progress on developing a vaccine. Though more importantly, he may even be able to develop a cure!" The ebony R.N. said excitedly. "However, there's one more piece to the puzzle," she said, turning her head towards Eris, one last empty needle in her hand.
The witch's golden eyes narrowed as the R.N. approached, though the ebony woman didn't flinch. "Eris, we need a sample of your blood," Alexis said softly, running one of her smooth hands over Eris' claw, pushing her sleeve up to expose her gray arm. "I promise to do this as quickly as possible."
Eris growled softly, letting Alexis know she wasn't entirely happy with this. She held onto the table with her claws, her arms extended. Bill gently rubbed her shoulder, trying to maintain her calm. The syringes were larger than the ones before. Bill guessed they needed more than a typical sample to continue their research, but they also had larger needles. Even with Eris' strong skin, it was going to feel like a lot more than a little prick.
Alexis placed the needle by the crook of the witch's left arm, aiming for the vein. She delicately pushed a couple times, the tough gray skin not even giving a little. She brought her other arm over her head…
"One… two… three!" Alexis said, bringing her other hand down in a hammer blow. The sudden violent force was enough to push the needle into the witch's skin. Eris hissed and squeezed the table so hard her deadly claws ripped into the wood, splintering it in several places. The syringe filled with the infected blood, its color a much darker red than that of the four survivors.
"There… now that wasn't so bad was it?" Alexis asked as she withdrew the needle. The infected woman stared flatly at the R.N. as though she's lost her mind.
"Your military escort will arrive shortly so that you five can get back to the surface and relax a bit... start living again. We have a number of recreational activities that we hope you'll all enjoy." Alexis grinned while looking at the gray goddess. "Personally I hope Eris likes sports. I'd love to see her spike a volley ball."
"And what about our current 'living arrangements'?" Zoey asked, anxious to get the hell out of this room.
"I'm afraid for now you'll all be staying in quarantine." Alexis said, quickly raising her hand in a defensive gesture before Zoey could launch a verbal assault. "Now I know that's not what you want to hear, but understand we have to keep Eris under tight observation. Dr. Allan figured you four would rather stay down here with her than be separated. Besides, you'll only be in quarantine during the off-hours. The rest of the time you have almost the entire base to roam around with your military escort. I've also made arrangements to have some better beds transported down here. Those cots can't be comfortable."
The door behind them opened with a snap hiss. As if on cue, the squad from yesterday minus two filed into the observation room.
"Right on time," Alexis said as she turned for the door. "Take good care of them, PFC Simmons." The R.N. said politely as she excused herself from the room.
"Okay folks," The PFC said. "Lets go."
"Where's your leader and your squad mate?" Bill asked.
"Sgt. Malory and Pvt. Lenhart kept the first watch all night, so I'd guess they're in their respective quarters getting some rest." Simmons said.
The R.N. giggled to herself as the door shut behind her. Simmons turned towards the door in confusion for a moment, but shrugged it off.
"C'mon everyone, lets get some fresh air." Simmons said as he and his men escorted the group to the elevator. It was a tight fit, but the PFC didn't care. A cramped elevator ride was a damn sight better than what that jackass Malory did. Forcing his men and this group of misfits to march down a dozen stairs was bad enough, but up? Not a chance.
The two groups waited in silence as the elevator carried them to the surface. As the doors opened, the five arrivals filed out with their military escort maintaining a loose formation. Bill looked around as the team went through the lobby of what appeared to be the hospital area they were sent to for decontamination. The double doors opened, revealing a bright sunny morning. A breeze blew over the group, blasting away the cold sterile air of the quarantine basement. Everyone had to shield their eyes from the morning sunlight, the sub-level artificial lighting made them feel like moles. Despite the discomfort to her eyes, Eris sighed happily, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin. Zoey and Louis took deep breaths, taking in the outdoors to try and flush the sterilized air from their lungs. Francis snorted once and unceremoniously spat on the ground.
Bill saw several people rushing about as they attended to whatever duties they had, while others were relaxed and either sitting at outdoor benches or standing around talking. He spied two people throwing a Frisbee back and forth, and a couple others were listening to music on a small boom box.
"Kinda reminds me of the common area in college, we called it the Quad," Zoey said thoughtfully. The two people tossing a Frisbee slowly turned into two friends she'd remembered meeting between classes. She sighed, pleasant memories surfacing for the first time since the flood waters of the apocalyptic world had drowned their former lives.
"You ok?" Louis asked, touching her shoulder. Zoey looked again, her two friends were gone for good.
"Yeah… I'm fine. Just… remembering," She said quietly. Louis nodded in understanding.
"Where are you taking us?" Francis asked as they walked across the base.
"Why to have some fun of course," Simmons said with a smirk. "Anyone here like working on cars or motorcycles?"
"Hell yeah," Francis said, with a little more enthusiasm than he intended. "Err.. I mean, I don't hate it."
"Glad to hear it. We have a number of vehicles, both military and civilian that could use some work. We're also working on repairing a wing to the commissary. Anyone here like working with wood?"
"I do," The dark system's analyst said. "I've always loved working with my hands." His friends stared at him with raised eyebrows. "What? Yeah I work on computers and networks for a living, but that doesn't mean I live and breathe the damn things."
"We also have a lot of recreational activities, various sports, an obstacle course, and a shooting range." Simmons continued.
"I'd like to try my hand at that shooting range," Bill said, before a slight pain in his palms reminded him he wouldn't be using a gun for a little while. "Well… maybe later on."
"There's no rush," Simmons said. "The only stipulations we have are the following: First, you cannot be separated. Second, you will cooperate with and accommodate Dr. Allan and his staff. They'll be observing Eris' interaction with others.
"So," Zoey asked no one in particular, "Where to?"
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The days that followed went by quicker than expected for the five survivors as they spent time reacquainting themselves with what it was like to live normal lives. They spent most of the first day familiarizing themselves with the base, simply walking around locating various areas and facilities. Every day thereafter was filled with various activities, both work and play. It reminded Bill of his days in the boy scouts way back when.
Each day the team took part in a particular activity that one of their members was interested in, only in keeping with the request that would not separate. Louis assisted building the wooden framework on the Commissary building. Francis spent a bit of time working with some of the mechanics on a couple military trucks, then an old Harley Davidson that had been "rescued" during a recon mission. Zoey found a couple soldiers interested in sword fighting, and she was more than happy to spar with them. Near the end of the week Bill's hands had healed to the point he was comfortable to fire a weapon and decided to polish his skills at the shooting range.
The medical staff would shadow them constantly, observing the gray goddess' remarkable progress in learning and relearning behaviors through mimicking and example. Eris was very interested in everything her companions did. Francis was underneath a truck, grease on his hands and a miniature flashlight in his mouth as he worked on a transmission. He'd nearly swallowed the flashlight when he turned to find Eris laying next to him on her back, watching intently as he repaired the vehicle. When Louis was working on the construction project, Eris was sitting on a rafter observing him hammer nails, assemble joists, and the like. She was enthusiastic in "fighting" Zoey, the two of them reenacting their battle on the roof in mock combat.
Of course, Eris' favorite person to spend time with was Bill. At the shooting range the war vet found himself distracted more than once when he saw his gray lover from his peripheral vision, standing aside him a few feet away holding her hands in front of her as though she were firing an invisible handgun along with him.
Despite the vague sense of unease that seemed to loom over their heads like a dark cloud, the five survivors treasured every day, though one particular day would stand above all the rest. On the evening of said day, the group sat outside haphazardly under the stars, wanting to prolong going back to the quarantine room for as long as possible.
"I never thought I'd say this, but I hate this place a little less every day," Francis said.
"It is kind of nice to do things together that don't involve us risking our asses for each other," Zoey replied as she enjoyed the peaceful ambiance of the night sky.
"Yeah, I think after all this I find you guys just a little more tolerable than I did when this shit started," Francis said with a chuckle. Zoey shot him a faux frown but laughed in spite of herself. The biker had a good point. Had she passed any of these guys on the streets of Philly, she doubted she would've paid any of them any mind, though Louis was cute. Bill would've been just another distinguished elderly gentleman in her eyes, and she wouldn't have given Francis the time of day even if he drove up on the hottest Harley in the city. And yet she was closer to all of them than nearly everyone she'd lost to the apocalypse. It was ironic how such close personal bonds were formed out of the ashes of this nightmare.
"The best flowers grow from the stinkiest piles of manure," Zoey heard her mother's words in her head, smiling at her wisdom.
"True that." Louis said to the biker. "You know the four of us couldn't be anymore different..."
"And yet here we are, together like a bunch of old friends," Bill said as he gazed at heaven's sparkling nightlights.
"Speak for yourself grandpa, I ain't old," Francis said with a smirk.
"You aren't young either Francis," Bill replied, shooting him a lopsided smile.
"After all this shit... that ain't far from the truth," Francis said quietly, returning his eyes to heaven.
"I almost forgot what it was like to spend a day not firing at everything in sight," Louis said with a sigh.
"Good thing they have a shooting range," Bill said absently as he tried to find various constellations. "I wouldn't want to get rusty." Louis shook his head and chuckled, his point lost on the war veteran.
"It was so cute how Eris was mock-firing along with you," Zoey said.
"Yeah," Bill replied. "Seems like every day she's more and more..." he paused turning towards his gray goddess, but only finding empty space. The other survivors looked around, their gray comrade nowhere in sight.
"Where did she ...?" Louis started, before a faint melody reached his ears.
Bill looked around, noticing that their military escort and the medical staff were gone also. "Is that... singing?"
The survivors stood and followed the sounds. Across one of the open grassy areas a crowd was gathering around a small picnic area. As the survivors approached, the melody grew louder.
"That singing...," Louis whispered.
"Sounds like what we heard in the forest," Francis said.
"Like in my dream..." Bill thought to himself.
"Its... beautiful," Zoey said as they drew closer.
The medical staff and military personnel had formed a circle around Eris who sat across from a stunned female soldier at a picnic table. On the table was a small MP3 player and a pair of miniature speakers. The gray goddess was singing along with the voice on the musical device, her siren's call absolutely enchanting. While she wasn't singing any words, she was matching the tone and tempo of the singer.
"I... I was just listening to some Evanescence, and she came over here. Then she started singing." The female soldier stammered as the survivors approached her. "Her voice is... mesmerizing."
Zoey remembered Evanescence, a band that was very popular in the early 2000's. The lead singer Amy Lee was known for her gorgeous and slightly baritone singing voice. Eris seemed to match her perfectly, her own voice a little bit higher in pitch and even more beautiful to the ears. The current song playing was "Hello" a rather melancholy piano-accompanied tune, though no less beautiful. As it concluded, another song started, a duet by a band that Zoey recognized called Seether.
Bill stood in front of his lover, watching her soft gray lips move as though she were weaving a vocal tapestry along with the female lead singer. Her voice far surpassed the one she sang along with, every enchanting note raising the hair on his arms. The war veteran shook his head for a moment, swearing he saw a pair of black wings extend from his lover's back.
Eris' wordless serenade seemed to reach the heavens, or at least most of the base as more people gathered. Although Eris typically felt embarrassed when all eyes were on her, her singing gave her confidence and despite the growing crowd, it was as though only she and Bill existed in the entire world. Her golden gaze fell upon her lover, who looked just as entranced as the rest of her "audience." She smiled and stood to face him, still singing as she pulled him towards her.
More soldiers and medical staff were drawn to the sound, among them Dr. Allan who was coming by to check up on the group personally. The onlookers moved away to give the pair space as the witch pulled the war vet around in what looked like a rough waltz, one gray arm hugging him while her other clawed hand found his, the fingers folding together. He eventually took the lead as he danced with his love, their steps falling in time with the slow song. The war vet gazed into the witch's eyes as she sang to him, the crowd spinning around them as they twirled beneath the starlight. Maybe it was just the twinkling of the stars, but Bill swore he saw a momentary flash of light. The old veteran spotted another soldier with an old Polaroid camera, the source of the sudden flash.
While Bill wasn't paying attention to the lyrics, the song sounded like two lovers who were incomplete without each other. The song reached its crescendo, the duet singing with a passion and conviction that seemed to pass directly into the dancing couple.
As the song reached its end, so did the lovers' dance. Eris smiled at the last note left her lips, her man's heart was pounding against her chest as fast as it had when there was nothing more between them than a thin layer of each others' sweat. They felt the eyes of everyone upon them, staring in awe.
"Eeeyyyee loooveee youuu Biillll," The gray goddess sighed as she laid her head on the war vet's chest. The stunned veteran could only nod and stroke his dance partner's long platinum mane.
"What... what song was that?" Bill asked over his shoulder, finally finding his voice.
"Uh... Broken," the female soldier replied.
"Didn't sound broken to me," Bill said as Eris nuzzled his neck.
"No no.. the song is titled "Broken," by Seether and featuring Amy Lee from Evanescence." The soldier said. Bill had no idea who either of the groups were; he didn't exactly keep up on the younger crowd's music, but after hearing that song, perhaps he was missing out.
The picture-taking soldier spoke up, "Here... I took this, just seemed like the perfect shot. Please take it." He said handing it to Bill. It had just finished developing and it was indeed a great shot of he and Eris facing each other with a loving embrace.
"Piiicctturrre," the witch said as she stared at herself and her war vet.
"Incredible... just incredible," Dr. Allan mumbled as he scribbled notes while pushing his way through the stunned crowd. "Excuse me, let me through please." The other survivors took notice as the crowd parted to let him through.
"Hello Dr. Allan," Bill said gruffly, his comrades flanking him on both sides. Eris glared at the doctor as though he'd interrupted their romantic moment.
"If you all have a few minutes, I'd like to speak with you in my office." The doctor said. "Its about Eris' blood work." He looked around for a moment at the mass of military and medical staff still staring at the pair. "Unless you two plan on doing an encore?"
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A/N: My apologies for this chapter taking so long, but I stand by my promise dear readers. Please review. :-)