Chapter 14- from dreams to nightmares
Ellis was alone in an empty space, fog blocking his vision and he couldn't even see his hands in front of his face. Then a small, cold hand entwined their fingers with his, gripping together into hold. He turned to see this mystery person, they had dark-brown hair and dazzling green eyes, They wore a pink track-jacket over a white tank-top. The friendly smile revealed this person to be Zoey. Ellis smiled back at her as they walked through the thick mist, not knowing where they were going. Still holding hands, they continued down what seemed to be a slope or hill, not a single zombie in sight. Was this heaven? It certainly seemed like it as he was with the girl of his dreams, away from the apocalypse. But something was wrong, almost out of reality, but it was good enough. He looked at Zoey's face, no wounds or blemishes, just her angelic face filled with colour and life. Then the fog began to fade, slowly revealing the world for what it really was, the grass was almost grey and withered, the ground was dry and cracked with bodies strewn around everywhere. Then a body in a white suit caught his attention, laid across 2 other bodies. One wore a purple and yellow shirt with beige slacks and the other wore a pink shirt with brown boots over blue jeans. His team-mates Nick, Coach and Rochelle were dead, looking bloodied and broken. Tears stung Ellis' eyes as he tried to make sense of everything, his friends were dead. He turned to Zoey to see she had lost all colour, her skin turned pale and her face became distorted. Wounds began forming all over her face, blood began staining her clothes as she growled lightly then swung her fist at him. The impact knocked him off his feet and onto the cold floor, then he noticed a silver pistol laying on the floor next to him. He picked up the metallic object and aimed it towards the infected Zoey, threatening to shoot.
"Zoey, stay back or I'll shoot!" Ellis stuttered, backing away as she got closer. something hard hit the back of his legs and he fell back, reaching out for anything to catch him. He waited for the impact of the ground but it never came, but Zoey's zombie form became smaller and smaller and he continued falling through the air. Then gravity forced him down, his spine cracked as he hit the floor, now unable to move as he faded out into the darkness surrounding him...
Ellis woke with a start to find himself in a safehouse, drenched in sweat. His eyes darted to the other side of the room, where Rochelle and Nick were sleeping, content in their oblivion. Where was Coach? Ellis slowly sat up, his body felt stiff after sleeping on the cold floor. The dream kept running through his mind as he walked around the two-storey safehouse in search of his older friend. Coach was found sitting by the table of guns, reloading his SPAS-12.
"Young 'un? What's wrong Ellis?" Coach asked in his naturally friendly but still badass voice. Ellis smiled weakly and stepped forward.
"What are you doing?" Ellis asked, his southern accent echoing around the concrete walls. Coach gave his signature look where he would raise one eyebrow and tilt his head slightly.
"There's a radio just over there, I bet it's our ticket outta here!" Coach stood and lightly touched the bars on the door with his fingertips, then turned back to Ellis. "I just wanna get away from all this! And I'll be damned if I don't get on that fuckin' rescue..." Ellis thought for a moment, then slid down the metal ladder where the other two survivors were sleeping.
"C'mon y'all, we gotta keep movin'!" Ellis shook the two awake.
"God dammit Ellis, can't you be annoying somewhere else?" Nick moaned, grumpy from waking up. Rochelle didn't speak, just glared at Ellis with tired eyes, then stood up slowly. Ellis remembered his strange dream, and wondered if the others had dreams while they were asleep.