Fire crackled from somewhere nearby and the smell of fumes was strong. A bit of time had passed before anything else occurred. So it seemed.
There was a ringing in his head, along with faint coughing he could hear from some of the others. He couldn't hear much else.
Francis squeezed his shut eyes tighter as he eventually and stiffly moved a little; a groan escaped from the back of his throat, he could feel someone grasping his arm.
Beth pulled away from Jordan's hold then pushed wires and other things dangling from above to the side. Tears streaking her cheeks, she quivered and crawled over to him, clutching his crimson splattered shirt and shaking him lightly. "Francis…" a sniffle. "...Fran…"
Something sparked as his eyes slid open. Beth shook him until he looked at her; more tears dripped from her corners as a noise emitted from his lips. When he fully came to, seeing the mess around them and the bruises and blood staining her skin, the biker immediately pulled her into a hug where he laid with his free arm. Resting a hand against the back of her head while Jordan stumbled over, a blood trail visible from down the side of his temple. He coughed as he fell into a sitting position next to them, flinching and gritting his teeth while doing so.
Francis murmured in her hair as everything that happened ran through his mind. "Goddamn it," he rasped quietly, voice filled with distraught. He punched whatever was next to him in agitation then rewrapped his arm around her body. "Damn it…"
Jordan watched them frowning when something caught his eye. He looked to the right, finding Kayla curled up gazing around with large, traumatized orbs. Shaking in a corner and bleeding from a hand. More of it streaked her arm from what he could see through her ripped clothing.
Francis glanced to see who had a hold on him. Zoey. Her face was pressed into his slashed up coat shivering in her torn, bloodied clothes. He continued to cradle Beth as glass dropped in the helicopter. Louis painfully rose followed by Amber and Keirstan. The analyst whimpered while shuffling in a limp over to the doorway. He slowly pulled himself out as Keirstan rested against it tiredly with fits of coughing until she went silent and breathed shallowly. Bill winced greatly while slowly moving into a sitting position as Ian placed a hand on a cut over his eye, pursing his lips in pain. Zoey opened her orbs to stare at what was in front of her before hesitantly letting go and rising to look at the two embracing each other. Her ragged hair falling in her face, then she and Jordan met gazes. His lips thinned as he looked down.
With a moan, Louis limped away from the downed craft as voices soon wafted from it. Half his vision impaired from a black eye and he felt nauseated. He fell to his hands and knees, blood flecking through his tattered wear from open wounds; he vomited. Soon the analyst could hear movement stirring from the helicopter. Very slowly, everyone had grabbed their belongings after having to look around among everything else and spilled out from the wreck. They were all battered. Torn clothing, large visible bruises and cuts, blood staining skin and wear. Some had limps and everyone showed emotional upheaval through body language and facial expressions.
Bill turned around heaving his breaths and stared at the burning helicopter in disbelief. "God, I can't believe this."
"Where are we?" Amber asked, looking around in concern. From what she could see they were in a ruined parking lot with abandoned vehicles and buildings spread about. There was also a line of train carts sitting on some tracks above them. Everything looked vacant. Keirstan too observed her surroundings. "...Well," she started, squinting at some signs and landmarks for clues; she held her cracked glasses up to see better. "I think uh…we're in an industrial area. It looks like Whitney County. An hour away from Fairfield by flight. Yeah. I've passed through here with my mom and dad alot."
"Mm-hm." Bill nodded in agreement as he walked ahead. Most of the team had to sit down, still woozy and pained from the experience.
"The pilot...he was infected." Ian mumbled, his gaze low with arms resting on his knees. "He was infected, how could he not say anything about that?"
"May have not known. Or he did. He said the other group he was rescuing was in a fit too. Probably got attacked himself and pushed it in the back of his mind thinking he'd be alright." Bill made his guesses; then looked off to a building. "Speaking of who, he's over there." He pointed.
Everybody turned to face the body, a large dark mark stained the wall behind it; the spine appeared broken due to the odd angle it was slouched in. Saliva dripped from the corpse's dead lips and dotted its veiny greying skin.
Francis motioned with his gun, "there he is Zoey 'case you wanna shoot him again."
Zoey glared, "really? What the fuck was I supposed to do?"
"Give us as warning first?" He walked over to Kayla with Beth and Jordan close behind him. She clutched her head with her back to the three, huddled by a barrel with a fire blazing inside as Amber shuffled on her knees to get a better view of the victim.
"Mr. Pilot! I'm sorry you were shot!" She exclaimed.
Francis knelt down to his other, "Kay-" he stopped seeing her jump at the sound of his voice before looking at him. She had wrapped her hand with a piece of torn clothing. Francis took in how shaken up she was. How everyone was, then turned to the group seeing how tired and beaten they actually were. Including himself. He looked back at the sisters and Jordan, "we need to find a place to rest and heal up." Bill announced before the biker could say anything as he examined the body. The veteran found nasty teeth marks on the collar bone. His features darkened.
"I was right. Bastard was bitten." Bill pushed off his knees and moved on with a limp of his own.
Louis carefully placed a couple of fingers over his eye and winced at his injuries. Several minutes passed before the others decided to follow as their leader waited patiently.
"Come on," Francis coaxed. A small noise of discomfort sounded from Kayla as Jordan hissed and Beth cringed, he couldn't hide that he also flinched from his own wounds as they walked forward. Louis quietly limped by, he watched him go.
"'Eh Mr. Positive, we crashed. Got anything good to say 'bout that?" He asked gloomily.
Louis stopped. He cast his eyes at the ground before looking at him again. "We're walking away from it ain't we?"
His face softened at the response. "...Alright. I'll give you that."
As they traveled away from the crash site, the group checked over what damage inflicted their defenses. Jordan was going to need a new melee weapon, his axe fell in half when he lifted it to take a look. Keirstan lost hers, the blade of Ian's hatchet was missing and Francis' machete was also snapped in half. Their firearms were alright, although some were thinking about finding new ones since some barrels were a little bent up.
"Beth, you should take your inhaler. I don't want you at the risk of having an asthma attack from being in that smoke." Jordan advised. She nodded, her breath slightly wheezy, "ok." She pulled it out and did just that. He glanced around after noticing they were just going in a random direction. "Does anyone know where we should go?"
Ian and Zoey looked left and right, both ways were alleys with debris and obstacles littering them. "That way," both answered and pointed in unison. They looked at each other questionly.
"I think we should go this way," Zoey encouraged the left.
"We don't know what's that way." Ian reminded.
"So you know what's in the right?"
"How about we go straight?" Louis suggested.
"Backwards!"
"Sideways.~"
"Sideways?"
Bill watched the team bicker about which way to go with a look of unamusement as Kayla fished out her knife. She turned it over in her grasp from behind everyone until she noticed a feature on the end of the handle for the first time. Twisting it open, the survivor was surprised to see contents spill out from inside. She turned the 'cap' over and grinned, then held it in the air.
"Do not worry my fellow bitches, for I have a compass." Kayla proudly held it out to them as they looked on. "Ok, what does it say?" Bill asked.
Gazing down at it, the compass spun in different directions. She held it flat, but it continued to do so. "Uh…" Kayla's pride faltered and she stiffly walked ahead of them to look around. Contemplating where to go. "It says to um, go...that way, and then this way…"
"Which way?" Zoey asked.
With a sigh, Beth went to see what it read. "It's broken." She said seconds later. "That's why it's spinning."
"Ha!" Jordan mocked seeing the disappointment on her face. Kayla eyed the compass, "what the shit."
"He's probably laughing at you right now." Amber said.
"Yeah maybe. Fucker." She raised a fist and shook it at the sky.
"Who?" Louis piped up.
"Tark. Someone we knew. He didn't make it." Keirstan replied. She looked her glasses over as did Amber. Seeing this Beth did the same. They were lucky, with all three pairs, there were light cracks in the lenses. Nothing bad. That was all.
"Let's just go left for now." Bill stated in a low voice, Zoey grinned smugly at Ian who squinted his eyes in return.
Francis silently mocked his words and patted Kayla's back, "good try kid, good…" his voice trailed off when she rubbed at her left ear uncomfortably. Then painfully, until a bloodied piece of it was flecked on the ground. Shocking them both.
"Augh!"
He quickly went to take a look along with Beth and Amber. Brushing her hair back as she asked what was wrong with it, they found a small split through the blood running vertically down the mid-upper part of her ear.
"It's just a little slash. It'll be fine." Francis said, "but we really need to hide out to fix ourselves up and fast." Kayla nodded and cupped her ear. He made sure both were in front of him while they tiredly pushed to keep up; "I know, just a little further." He cringed at a sharp feeling in his shoulder blade but quickly hid his discomfort. Bill paused up front at an opening after they maneuvered around everything thrown in the alleyway. He carefully scanned the area and roofs before motioning with his hand to resume. Everybody announced their pain and discomfort in their own ways, whether it was verbal or expressed silently. They were all exhausted, hungry and parched; it was getting darker out which meant the worst of infected would be lurking about more so, and none of the group had any of it to deal with them after what had happened. So, the veteran made way for the closest shelter. The few lingering and vomiting sick didn't notice them cross the road.
"A warehouse?" Keirstan questioned.
"I'm guessing you don't want to go any further tonight, so this'll have to do."
"True."
A quick sweep was done before Francis dragged in a barrel to make a fire, it was a bit chilly inside the building. They locked the place up then took a little time to settle down before proceeding to strip off their wear and tend their wounds. Blood sticked to skin on some of the survivors, so they either took their time pulling it away hissing in pain or just yanked their coverings off. They chatted quietly among each other while helping one another out, Kayla's ear was taken care of and covered with gauzes by Beth while she cleaned up her hand and a slash on her arm. The rest she had deep bruises. Louis made an ice pack by collecting snow outside after his own were patched up. He then brushes his teeth and spat in a corner of the warehouse to rid himself of remaining puke before tenderly placing the pack over his eye.
"Easy, ah…" Amber winced at some gashes on her back. Her arms were also wrapped up in bandages and her chest was badly scratched up. "Sorry," Ian mumbled.
"You have a piece of glass lodged in there my dude." Zoey observed after pulling up the back of Francis' shirt. "Just get it out please." He sighed. The biker pursed his lips soon after, when she found some tweezers and pried the fragment from his body. Blood streamed from the gash, and he visibly winced from burning alcohol as she and Beth cleaned out his injuries while he took care of ones on his front; Kayla also helped the three.
Keirstan, Jordan and Ian assisted one another with Louis caring for Bill. It took a little bit with moans and complaints while their remaining ibuprofen and advil was passed around. They were lucky nobody had broken anything. The worst being bad headaches and a few of them needed stitches.
Sleeping bags and even warmer winter wear were discovered among the warehouse storage. Everyone tossed out what they had to eat and drink, which wasn't much but enough to pass by. All made sure the other had their full to stay comfortable until they could search for supplies again during the next run.
"So, what now?" Zoey quietly asked while munching on some ritz crackers.
Louis cleared his throat. "Let's rest our minds for tonight and start fresh tomorrow. We definitely need a break from everything. Even from thinking."
"Agreed." Keirstan nodded, arching her brows.
"What do you mean a Jockey?" Suddenly came Francis' voice in a whine.
The rest of the group turned from the fire to see him looking at the sisters with confusion sprawled on his face. The two were giggling at whatever was said. "I'm just saying if we got infected, if you became a Jockey it'd be a bit scary since you're a big guy." Beth teased.
"Where is this coming from and why would it be scary?"
"My logic to my thinking. Because you're taller than all of us and you'd KO everyone once you jump on us. Plus Jockeys are creepy anyway."
"I'm creepy? Now you're being rude Beth. Wait, are you saying something?"
"No! I-"
He grinned, "yeah? You'd be a terrifying Witch for sure. Not."
"Well I ain't seven feet tall either!" She wiped her nose with sass.
Francis stood from where he sat and stared down as they craned their necks up at him. "Six foot five, little lady." He corrected. Beth slapped her chest and puffed it, standing as tall as she could. Kayla tilted her head and did the same, trying to appear intimidating to the biker. He didn't have to put in effort whilst puffing out his, and the girls tried as much as they could until Beth fell into Kayla. Francis smirked with satisfaction.
The three talked and chuckled over each other, not paying attention to the others as they picked on one another. "Hey! What would I be?" Kayla raised her hand.
"A Hunter for sure." Beth answered, not second guessing anything else. "I agree," their brother nodded.
Taking in their answers she thought for a moment. "I guess I would be." She shrugged. "Ok, no Jockey," Kayla added sarcastically, throwing her hands up. "So what else you think you'd be, uh?" She punched his arm, making him grin as Beth made a ghostface look during a yawn.
"I dunno. A Tank or probably a Hunter."
The sisters watched him before looking at each other. "Boomer." Both said confidently.
"Oh come on!" Francis yelled as they cackled, "that's disgusting!"
"Now you can be a Witch with all your sobbing." Beth chortled.
"Warlock," Kayla corrected.
"This is uncalled for. I'm being attacked." He sat back down, trying to hide his smile he was miserably failing at.
"You hate Tanks remember?" Kayla kept it up. "If you became a Tank you'd have lots of self loathing Frannie."
He pointed a warning finger at her, "don't you start with that."
Louis covered his mouth snickering as everyone else chuckled lightly. "Frannie?"
"Quiet!"
"I forgot about that!" Beth laughed heartily, leaning into her sister's shoulder and slapping her hard. "It's a nickname from when we were super little!"
"Frannie grannie!" Bill called with a cocky smile.
The biker gave him the eye as he rose again. "That's it." He walked over and picked both of them up, Beth over his shoulder and Kayla limp under his arm. The pair babbled while vanishing around a corner.
"That's adorable." Amber commented.
Zoey nodded. "It really is." She cooed in admiration, with soft eyes looking where they were.
They could hear the trio's laughing and protesting intensify from their seats around the barrel. Until Bill spoke up again. "We may be immune. But, anything can happen. We could...become infected anytime."
"Way to kill the lightened mood." Ian scoffed.
"I'm just saying. This world is much more unpredictable than how we knew it."
They all went quiet.
Keirstan rubbed her arm in the long awkward silence. "Well," she started, "does anyone have any stories to tell and pass time with?"
"Oh!" Louis stomped a foot, grabbing everybody's attentions. "I have a good one! So, this happened back when I was a kid. My dad and I…"
Francis had placed the girls in a large box. "There, now I'm gonna ship you off to the islands."
"What islands? There's thousands of them." Beth gave him a judgemental stare.
"Yeah 'n how?" Kayla reminded.
He sighed as they looked up at him quietly. "Stop," he kicked the box lightly.
"Common sense!" Beth held three fingers together.
Kayla made a poor guess. "So...Jockey then?"
Francis grumbled and pursed his lips. "No you little shit," he pushed her over and flicked Beth's nose. She cringed back opening her mouth in a deep frown and made an odd yowling noise while sinking into the box. He knitted his brow together in confusion and concern, "what the?..."
They both rose again after a minute and the three of them listened to what the others were talking about. Jordan seemed to be telling of an experience he had in childhood. They then looked out the window together the box was under, watching the infected shiver in the cold as snow quietly drifted down in the eerie streets. Kayla eventually half squinted her eyes, then closed them entirely. Francis yawned as well and Beth rubbed her cheek. As her sister climbed out of the box, and rummaged through another, she spoke. "It feels really late but not at the same time. Wonder what time it is."
A clock was chucked hard at her. Startling her badly when it hit and sending Francis into an immediate silent laughing fit. She gave Kayla a tense look, then checked the clock over. "It needs batteries you idiot!"
She went to look for some.
"No!"
"You asked, I answered." She folded her arms.
Beth sighed in defeat. Then odd noises erupted from their brother. Causing both to look at him. He laughed even harder upon noticing their gazes. "Are you snorting?" Beth questioned, a grin forming on her face. "That's a first."
He waved a hand at them, "that just happened too fast." He whimpered.
Kayla's arms dropped as she too laughed again.
They continued their shenanigans for a little longer before returning to the group to warm up more. Bill was telling his stories and experiences of war in Vietnam as they settled down further; his young audience listened and reacted in suspense. They were interesting, entertaining and most of all, terrifying. He moved on to share what happened in his travels as Francis leaned against a wall listening from a distance. He didn't show it, but it stunned him what the veteran had gone through.
"All you can do is keep fighting. No matter who you are. Nothing has ever been easy and it never will be. It's how you keep going. It's how you prove how great you are."
Francis looked on at them as the words soaked deeply in everybody. They quietly waited for the veteran to continue. He didn't.
"Well," Bill softly added as he stood and stretched. "I'm going to get some shut eye. You should too after our 'little adventure' today."
He walked off for a sleeping bag while the others did their own things. Francis blinked after him.
…
Later in the night, the biker was strolling around the warehouse. Glaring about with the shotgun gripped in his hands and listening carefully. Something had woken him.
Louis was also awake. However he was just restless. The analyst spotted his large friend anxiously patrolling the building. "Francis," he whispered, as to not wake anyone else and tiptoed towards him. "What's up?"
He glanced over his shoulder. "Huh?"
"I said what's up?"
He shifted his eyes away. "Thought I heard something."
Both strained their ears intently, with Louis' eyes on him the whole time before he also shifted his. He shrugged, "what?"
"I don't know. It sounded like a banging or scratching sound."
"It could've been ice falling off the roof."
He didn't answer.
Louis smiled kindly and nudged his shoulder. "Hey dude, get back to bed. You need sleep."
Francis gazed at him a second time.
"I'm a bit restless so I can keep an eye out for a little longer."
A silence ensued before he gave in. "Ok," he handed his weapon over. "Thanks Louis."
"No prob. Good night Frannie."
Louis chuckled and grinned madly at the passing glare and slight push he received.