Acceptance and Determination
Emptiness is Loneliness,
And Loneliness is Cleanliness,
And Cleanliness is Godliness,
And God is empty, just like me...
`Zero' by The Smashing Pumpkins.
Becca didn't stop running until she came to the small wood that surrounded Robertsville General Hospital. She stopped, breathing in deeply and realising that her feet had carried her so far. The sun was starting to set, and the whole wood was bathed in grey light, the scene bringing a shudder of remembrance of the Arkclay Mountains back to her. Bec violently shook her head and sank down onto a log to collect her thoughts and get her bearings together.
First and foremost there was Carlos. She had been pretty certain that he had cared for her, and the certainty at the time had frightened her a little and made her wary. Nobody, No Guy, had ever paid as much attention to her as Carlos had done. At first she had been wary to whether he was true about his feelings for her, but she had told herself to follow heart instead of believing the voice inside her head.
And then things had seemed clear. Carlos did care for her. Becca was content and peaceful, dreaming of the possible happiness to come, but a little frightened as she had never done anything like this before.
Becca cursed herself, for not listening to the little voice in her head. If she'd listened to it, then none of this shit would've happened.
"But then again, you wouldn't have had so much fun at the bowling alley, or on your late night shift, you wouldn't have experienced any of that at all" whispered the little voice in her head persistently. Bec shut her eyes and began to sob. Letting the tears of unhappiness and sorrow flow down her cheeks, angry at her lack of insight and angry at the fact another girl had gotten her Carlos.
HER Carlos.
The sobs racked her body, her shoulders shaking and cried until she thought there would be nothing left inside her. When her sobs had subsided, Bec sat up and looked around. The sky was pitch black now, with only the glimmer of the moon illuminating her path. A tree loomed down on her, with long, finger like branches.
Branches reaching out to get her...
Bec shook her head violently and told herself to pull her head out of her ass and start moving. Everyone would probably be worrying about her, and she didn't want to cause a stir and make Carlos think he'd upset her. No way in hell she was gonna let that man get around her.
"You already did, Jackass" her mind told her. "Running off into God knows where with a face like death might have given him the slightest hint that you'd been hurt".
With a sigh, Bec vigorously rubbed her eyes, dusted herself down and marched purposely back to the hospital.
`Carlos, did you see which direction she took off in?' asked Chris tersely, his fingers gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles showed white. Leon could see Chris was trying to keep cool, and was doing a great job of it, but he seemed noticeably on the edge. They all were. Lil' Becca had run off into God Knows Where, and anything could have happened to her.....
"Don't think about those bodies..." his mind had warned him viciously. But it was too late, the velvet night and pale moon reminded him of what had exactly happened when they had stormed Umbrella.
"Big Ole Barry following right up behind him, His Claire gripping her gun fiercely as they crept through the copse surrounding the Umbrella HQ..." the picture in his mind played through once again, and Leon swore he could breath the crisp night air in his lungs, the comforting feel of the Magnum in his hands and the icy shock that had climbed up his spine when his flashlight had picked up the two fallen objects, propped up by a tree...
"A young girl, with flowing red hair slumped against the bough of an elm. Three ragged holes in her chest where the pointed bullet of shot gun hand pieced her skin, and embedded itself in the caverns of her heart...."
Leon shut his eyes, trying to block the image from entering his mind, and tried to focus on the journey ahead but with no avail, his mind forced him to rekindle those buried memories....
"Another young girl was slouched against the dark bark of the elm tree as well. A single shot protruding on her forehead, where a carefully aimed bullet had blazed through her head, before embedding itself in her brain..."
Leon clenched his knuckles, and gritted his teeth and tried to keep his head free of all memories of that triumphant mission.
He had never figured out why that image had ceased to haunt him, as on numerous missions he had witnessed many encounters of the cadaver side.
Many of them had been even more brutally mutilated, some so disfigured that is impossible to tell whether the mess of blood and entrails was actually a human.
But the recognition he saw in the two bodies he had found outside the Umbrella HQ was remarkable.
"Small and well built, with a fine head of silky red hair...and large grey eyes, which were now filled with eternal terror" whispered the voice in her head.
The girl had reminded him of Becca. Becca with the infinite calm and smart brains that the murdered girl could've possessed.
"Stop thinking that, or it will happen" His mind told him savagely.
Leon had barely cleared the image from his mind when he felt someone shaking his arm firmly. He turned around to see Claire staring at him, her green eyes calm but fear showing in her eyes.
Leon, you all right there?' asked Claire anxiously, gripping his hand comfortingly.
`I wasn't for a moment, but I am now' returned Leon steadily, gratefully accepting the outstretched hand, and giving it a squeeze.
Claire leaned her head on his shoulder, and talked in low undertones to Leon.
`We're all worried about her, honey, we're trying our best' Claire's assured voice silenced the taunting ones in his head.
`I know that. I just hope she's not done anything irrational' replied Leon, feeling his throat being a little dry, but his words coming out coherently.
`We all hope that' whispered Claire, smiling at him weakly.
Chris abruptly braked, jolting everyone in car. He switched off the engine and turned around.
`We've been everywhere we can think of, this is the last place we have to search' he said, his face pale and slightly drawn. Leon turned around and saw why Chris looked so tense.
A dark wood loomed in front of them, trees dripping with shadowed foes....
Leon heard a gasp escape from Jill.
`Becca could be wandering around in there, with nobody to help her!' Jill fairly shrieked, her blue eyes flashing with fear.
`Of course this wouldn't have happened if Carlos hadn't decided to play doctors and nurses' said Claire in a low voice, that was audible to all in the car.
Chris banged his fists on the dashboard, and fiercely grabbed Carlos.
`Damn you, Man! Lil Becca could be in that hellhole!' shouted Chris, colour flooding into his pale cheeks. `All because you decided to be a Roving Romeo and hurt a poor girl's feelings!'
With all his rage let out, Chris delivered a punishing blow to Carlos's cheek before Leon could hold him back.
Carlos recoiled, and was about deliver a blow of his own when Leon caught hold of his arms and separated both of them. Carlos struggled briefly, but gave in and sank down in his seat, breathing hard. He spoke for the first time since they had piled into the car to search for Becca.
`Okay, I am the jackass who started all this. If I had told Becca before, this may not have happened. It is my fault. But I'm entitled to have my own choice in women, so don't sue me for that !' shouted Carlos, opening the car door and swinging it open. `Let's stop sitting on our asses and start looking for her!'
Carlos slammed the car door and began to walk to the entrance of the wood. Jill followed after him, jogging, her eyes scanning the area. Chris threw open the door and started to jog to the entrance. Leon found himself swinging his door open and gripping the heavy bulk of his Beretta.
Leon knew this Phoenix chick would cause trouble. It was on the cards. The name said it all, the bird that rose from its ashes to reek havoc upon the world....
`This is Chaos' said Claire, walking beside him, training her flashlight on the wood they had nearly reached. `Goddamn Carlos'.
`Don't blame the guy too much. He had no idea Becca would come walking round and see him like that. And he is allowed to choose who he wants to be with, but he just acted as if he didn't give a fuck about Lil' Becca's feelings' said Leon levelly, trudging towards the wood.
`He better sort it all out before the dance' grumbled Claire, have tripping on a root underfoot.
A shout from ahead made Leon look up and pick up his pace quickly.
They had either found something, or run into trouble. Leon saw Claire sprinting ahead of him, and increased his speed.
As he neared, he saw Chris with his arm around a skinny, dirty looking redhead.
"Becca!"
`Thank God you're safe!' shrieked Claire, running over to hug her friend. Bec flinched slightly when she saw Carlos, but in the darkness, Leon could see the determined look on her face.
"Attagirl!
Jill was inspecting her now, while Chris patted her shoulder gently. Carlos hung around behind them; his hands plunged in his pockets, his head looking down.
`You sure you're Okay?' questioned Jill anxiously, her brow furrowed.
`I'm fine' assured Bec, not daring to meet Jill's eyes. `I'm kind of tired. Can we go home now?' asked Bec, a tremor in her voice.
`Sure, honey' said Chris, leading the way back to the car.
Leon felt Claire grip his hand and jerk her head towards Bec.
Leon shook his head and shrugged. Bec looked far from `okay'.
Her eyes were no more than slits, and were an angry, vicious red and the corners of her lips were turned down. Her newly tanned skin seemed to be pallid.
Leon sighed and trudged on towards the car.
The silence in the car on the way back into Robertsville Residential Area was solid. You could cut the tension with a knife. Jill sighed, and placed her hands on her burning cheeks and tried to cool them down. The waist of her jeans was rubbing her hips and her whole face felt like it was on fire.
Jill shifted her weight awkwardly in the car, and tried to angle her body more comfortably. It was a bit of a squash in the backseat of the car, her, Leon, Claire and Becca , with Carlos and Chris in the front.
A very silent Chris, who had his eyes focused on the road, and a sore looking Carlos who was cradling his cheek, which had a purple bruise coming up along his cheekbone.
Claire was asleep on Leon's shoulder, worn out with fatigue and tired out from her eventful day; her soft breathing was the only noise in the silent car.
Leon was staring straight ahead, but turned around and his gaze caught Jill's. He looked concernedly at Becca and nodded towards Jill.
"I'm not the only one worried about her"
Becca had in all respects looked a wreck when they had spotted her walking out from that hellish copse. She had looked sane, and very composed, but her eyes swollen and puffy. They had dark smudges under them, making them look like two bruised moons, and she had a streak of dirt coming down the side of one her pale cheeks. The corner of her lips turned down, and looked so drained, as if all the blood had been drawn from them.
Jill figured that Bec had excepted what had happened and was dealing it in her own way. There was a definite determined look on her face when she had come marching out of that wood, and Jill was glad to see she was trying not to let Carlos get her down.
Carlos...
Unlike Bec, Jill couldn't read Carlos at all. When they had been in Racoon together, he had been flirty and caring in equal measure. He had come across to her as an arrogant, stuck up guy who knew of his vast capabilities in the field of women.
But he had shown to her the deeper side of him and when he had carefully concocted the antidote for the virus, he had saved her life.
Carlos was an enigma, wrapped in an enigma, encased in a book. Jill had been happy for him when he and Bec had found each other, as it meant that Becca was happy, Carlos was happy, and the two loose ends were tied up neatly.
Carlos had been attached to her, and it had been terrible trying to tell him that she didn't want to return his affections. She had wanted him to be happy with another girl, so she wouldn't have to face him being unhappy and on his own.
There and then, Jill decided to have it out with Carlos and to introduce Becky to another man.
`Thanks, for the ride' said Bec weakly, as the car pulled up outside her house.
Chris parked the car and got out of the car, and walked Bec up to the doorstep. He hugged Bec, taking her by surprise.
`If you need to talk about anything, or need any help, call me and Jill' he said confidentially into her ear.
Bec felt her lips tug up into a small smile.
`Thanks Chris, your like the big brother I never had' she whispered, suddenly feeling like she was going to cry.
`I would say you were like the little sister I never had, but I think Claire would take offence!' said Chris, chuckling slightly.
`Night Becca'
`Night Chris'.
Becca let herself into the small-detached house, and turned on the lights. The rooms were painted in a glowing orange colour, and it felt welcoming and homely and in the cosy little house.
Bec automatically hung up her denim jacket and shoulder bag, and slipped off her sneakered feet, and sank into the easy chair in front of the fireplace. She caught sight of a picture of Carlos on her fireplace and though she might burst into tears again, but swallowed them down determinedly.
`Pull yourself together. Don't let that Spanish Amigo get to you. You're gonna go to that Dance, and you are going to have a good time. Show that guy you are no pushover, and you will bring home the hottest single guy there you can find. And it will Phoenix burning in those ashes, not you.' Becca lectured herself fiercely, as she walked purposefully to the fridge and got out a can of Budweiser.
As she cracked open the cool can of beer, she toasted to the new, reformed her.
Carlos sat staring at his can of unopened Budweiser. He figured it would be better to drown the pain with alcohol, but he couldn't bring himself to crack open the can.
His thoughts were interrupted by the telephone ringing, so he pulled himself out of his chair and wandered over to answer it.
`Hello' said Carlos, his voice bored.
`Hello, is that Carlos?' said the voice on the other end.
`Yes, Carlos Oliveira speaking' he replied.
`Carlos? It's Phoenix.' said the voice.
`Oh, hey, how's it going?' said Carlos automatically, staring at the ceiling.
`I was about to ask you the same thing' countered Phoenix levelly. `What happened today at the hospital with that redheaded girl?'.
`Oh, Becca. She's a friend.' said Carlos evasively, trying desperately to think up an explanation for his sudden departure after Bec.
`I figured that much. What happened between you two?' asked Phoenix.
"She doesn't miss much," thought Carlos, trying to think up a reply.
`She's a close friend. Nothing much happened between us, but I guess it shocked her when she saw us' said Carlos.
`I just wanted to check, I wouldn't like to have poached another girl's guy' replied Phoenix, a slight edge to her voice, Carlos detected a note in her voice that suggested that she wasn't all that sure about what he had just said.
To be honest with himself, he wasn't sure either.
`We're still on for next Saturday?' asked Carlos brightly, changing the subject.
`Yeah, of course. I'm really looking forward to it. My last dance was my high school prom, and that wasn't a night to remember' said Phoenix, slightly sadly.
`What happened?' asked Carlos, starting to feel better.
`I found my boyfriend making out with my teacher' said Phoenix, disgustedly.
`Oh that musta been nasty. I promise to make this experience more better than the last' quipped Carlos, drawling in a deep purr.
`I'm sure you will, hun. Night Carlos.' said Phoenix in her sweet singsong.
`Night Phoenix' replied Carlos, hanging up thoughtfully.
He had broken the heart of girl he had liked, but he had rediscovered someone else. Carlos decided to regain his friendship with Bec, or salvage what was left of it. He was too young to chained down to someone, and he was the fast-living, lady's man.
Carlos mused some more before trudging to bed, dreaming of things to come.
Leon shifted his position in the car and tried to gain some feeling back into his shoulders, without waking the sleeping the nymph who was warmed with slumber, a contented smile on her mild features.
`Claire's out like a light' said Chris from the driver's seat, briefly turning around to look at his sister.
`Claire's all worn out from the beautifying' said Jill, examining her pointed talons.
`She's probably dreaming of motorcycles to come' said Leon fondly, gazing down at the auburn head.
`Well, the biker girl needs her bike' quipped Chris cheerfully, whispering so as not to wake her up.
There was a momentary silence, which was broken by Leon.
`Damn Carlos' he muttered angrily, pursing his lips.
`I showed you how I felt, with my fists' said Chris with a hint of tension in his voice.
`It's his decision, and I know Bec won't let it get her down' said Jill.
`Sure, as long as he apologises to her' muttered Leon, moving his head slightly, as Claire's hair was tickling his face. At his slight movement Claire clasped his shirt collar tightly with both hands and held on tightly.
Leon squirmed as Claire held onto him like a limpet, Chris turned around and saw him wriggling around with Claire latched onto his shirt collar.
`She's not gonna let go now!' he chuckled, as Claire squeezed his collar so tight that Leon's cheeks were starting to go blue.
`She's probably gripping onto the Bike, riding the final lap' giggled Jill as Leon shook himself like a dog.
`I was thinking of getting her one for her birthday, but if this is what I have to endure, then I'll buy her one tomorrow!' exclaimed Leon, trying to get feeling back into his shoulder.
`Claire the unfathomable, squeezes Kennedy into submission in her sleep! Ladies and Gentleman, she has won the battle again!' announced Chris, grinning and trying to keep his eyes on the road.
Chris drove up into Claire and Leon's driveway, navigating carefully around the shrubs lining the cobblestone drive. Chris braked and Leon tried to get out.
`Okay....easy now....' He murmured, orientating himself and trying to think of the best way to lift Claire out without waking her up. He swung both his legs out of the car and lifted her out, but he accidentally bumped Claire's head on the car's roof.
At that bump, Claire gave a jerk and the shudder made Leon drop her on the drive, landing sharply on her backside. Claire sat in a daze of confusion while the onlookers doubled over with laughter.
`Wha-what happening?' she asked sleepily, her green eyes barely open, rubbing her eyes slightly.
With great presence of mind, Leon scooped her up again and promptly tripped over and Claire went flying into a bush. The onlookers now had tears running down their faces, and Chris quickly went to retrieve his sister from thorny bush where she was now presiding.
Quickly and quietly, they got her inside and onto the sofa with a blanket pulled over her muddy body, and they yanked her hiking boots off. Jill stored her boots in the cupboard and wiped a smudge of dirt off Claire's face with a tissue before leaving to drive home with Chris.
Leon walked tiredly through the kitchen and cracked open a can of Budweiser, wincing as his groin strain had under gone another Claire treatment.
Chris and Jill drove home uneventfully, Jill dozing in the front seat while Chris drove up to their house in the West part of Robertsville Residential Area. Chris parked the car, and decided to wake Jill up instead of risking carrying her out, as if Jill ended up in a bush, she wouldn't take it as lightly as Claire might have.
Grasping Jill's hand the two walked up to the house and walked in the front door, stopping in the small porch area to remove their coats and shoes, and when they entered the sitting room Jill flopped down onto the Loveseat.
`What an eventful day' said Chris yawning and sinking down next to Jill on the love seat.
The couple sat silently for a while, Chris staring up at the ceiling and Jill tiredly resting her head on the headrest of the cosy seat.
`Oww,' muttered Jill as she changed position, her burnt skin raw and tender to the touch.
Chris heeding the needs of his girlfriend brought her an ice pack from the fridge and installed her on the couch with a glass of water, and sat down beside her.
`Do you think you could ever love a Lobster, Redfield?' asked Jill sleepily, as the ice began to numb the soreness of her burns.
`Only a lobster that goes by the name Jill Red-, I mean Valentine' he replied quietly, his cheeks reddening at his mistake.
Jill manages to cock up an eyebrow, despite the obvious discomfort it causes.
`But then again, would Jill Valentine ever become Jill Redfield?' she asked dozily, but a distinctive sharpness in her voice.
`It might be a possibility' he said cheekily. `Come on, Jill let's go to bed'.
`Chris, this has turned out to be one hell of a day' yawned Jill as they walked upstairs to bed.
Chicky Sez: Here ya go guys, voila! U like? Sorry this took so long, but I've been busy with a couple of interviews and selling the grand piano o_O. Later!
Emptiness is Loneliness,
And Loneliness is Cleanliness,
And Cleanliness is Godliness,
And God is empty, just like me...
`Zero' by The Smashing Pumpkins.
Becca didn't stop running until she came to the small wood that surrounded Robertsville General Hospital. She stopped, breathing in deeply and realising that her feet had carried her so far. The sun was starting to set, and the whole wood was bathed in grey light, the scene bringing a shudder of remembrance of the Arkclay Mountains back to her. Bec violently shook her head and sank down onto a log to collect her thoughts and get her bearings together.
First and foremost there was Carlos. She had been pretty certain that he had cared for her, and the certainty at the time had frightened her a little and made her wary. Nobody, No Guy, had ever paid as much attention to her as Carlos had done. At first she had been wary to whether he was true about his feelings for her, but she had told herself to follow heart instead of believing the voice inside her head.
And then things had seemed clear. Carlos did care for her. Becca was content and peaceful, dreaming of the possible happiness to come, but a little frightened as she had never done anything like this before.
Becca cursed herself, for not listening to the little voice in her head. If she'd listened to it, then none of this shit would've happened.
"But then again, you wouldn't have had so much fun at the bowling alley, or on your late night shift, you wouldn't have experienced any of that at all" whispered the little voice in her head persistently. Bec shut her eyes and began to sob. Letting the tears of unhappiness and sorrow flow down her cheeks, angry at her lack of insight and angry at the fact another girl had gotten her Carlos.
HER Carlos.
The sobs racked her body, her shoulders shaking and cried until she thought there would be nothing left inside her. When her sobs had subsided, Bec sat up and looked around. The sky was pitch black now, with only the glimmer of the moon illuminating her path. A tree loomed down on her, with long, finger like branches.
Branches reaching out to get her...
Bec shook her head violently and told herself to pull her head out of her ass and start moving. Everyone would probably be worrying about her, and she didn't want to cause a stir and make Carlos think he'd upset her. No way in hell she was gonna let that man get around her.
"You already did, Jackass" her mind told her. "Running off into God knows where with a face like death might have given him the slightest hint that you'd been hurt".
With a sigh, Bec vigorously rubbed her eyes, dusted herself down and marched purposely back to the hospital.
`Carlos, did you see which direction she took off in?' asked Chris tersely, his fingers gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles showed white. Leon could see Chris was trying to keep cool, and was doing a great job of it, but he seemed noticeably on the edge. They all were. Lil' Becca had run off into God Knows Where, and anything could have happened to her.....
"Don't think about those bodies..." his mind had warned him viciously. But it was too late, the velvet night and pale moon reminded him of what had exactly happened when they had stormed Umbrella.
"Big Ole Barry following right up behind him, His Claire gripping her gun fiercely as they crept through the copse surrounding the Umbrella HQ..." the picture in his mind played through once again, and Leon swore he could breath the crisp night air in his lungs, the comforting feel of the Magnum in his hands and the icy shock that had climbed up his spine when his flashlight had picked up the two fallen objects, propped up by a tree...
"A young girl, with flowing red hair slumped against the bough of an elm. Three ragged holes in her chest where the pointed bullet of shot gun hand pieced her skin, and embedded itself in the caverns of her heart...."
Leon shut his eyes, trying to block the image from entering his mind, and tried to focus on the journey ahead but with no avail, his mind forced him to rekindle those buried memories....
"Another young girl was slouched against the dark bark of the elm tree as well. A single shot protruding on her forehead, where a carefully aimed bullet had blazed through her head, before embedding itself in her brain..."
Leon clenched his knuckles, and gritted his teeth and tried to keep his head free of all memories of that triumphant mission.
He had never figured out why that image had ceased to haunt him, as on numerous missions he had witnessed many encounters of the cadaver side.
Many of them had been even more brutally mutilated, some so disfigured that is impossible to tell whether the mess of blood and entrails was actually a human.
But the recognition he saw in the two bodies he had found outside the Umbrella HQ was remarkable.
"Small and well built, with a fine head of silky red hair...and large grey eyes, which were now filled with eternal terror" whispered the voice in her head.
The girl had reminded him of Becca. Becca with the infinite calm and smart brains that the murdered girl could've possessed.
"Stop thinking that, or it will happen" His mind told him savagely.
Leon had barely cleared the image from his mind when he felt someone shaking his arm firmly. He turned around to see Claire staring at him, her green eyes calm but fear showing in her eyes.
Leon, you all right there?' asked Claire anxiously, gripping his hand comfortingly.
`I wasn't for a moment, but I am now' returned Leon steadily, gratefully accepting the outstretched hand, and giving it a squeeze.
Claire leaned her head on his shoulder, and talked in low undertones to Leon.
`We're all worried about her, honey, we're trying our best' Claire's assured voice silenced the taunting ones in his head.
`I know that. I just hope she's not done anything irrational' replied Leon, feeling his throat being a little dry, but his words coming out coherently.
`We all hope that' whispered Claire, smiling at him weakly.
Chris abruptly braked, jolting everyone in car. He switched off the engine and turned around.
`We've been everywhere we can think of, this is the last place we have to search' he said, his face pale and slightly drawn. Leon turned around and saw why Chris looked so tense.
A dark wood loomed in front of them, trees dripping with shadowed foes....
Leon heard a gasp escape from Jill.
`Becca could be wandering around in there, with nobody to help her!' Jill fairly shrieked, her blue eyes flashing with fear.
`Of course this wouldn't have happened if Carlos hadn't decided to play doctors and nurses' said Claire in a low voice, that was audible to all in the car.
Chris banged his fists on the dashboard, and fiercely grabbed Carlos.
`Damn you, Man! Lil Becca could be in that hellhole!' shouted Chris, colour flooding into his pale cheeks. `All because you decided to be a Roving Romeo and hurt a poor girl's feelings!'
With all his rage let out, Chris delivered a punishing blow to Carlos's cheek before Leon could hold him back.
Carlos recoiled, and was about deliver a blow of his own when Leon caught hold of his arms and separated both of them. Carlos struggled briefly, but gave in and sank down in his seat, breathing hard. He spoke for the first time since they had piled into the car to search for Becca.
`Okay, I am the jackass who started all this. If I had told Becca before, this may not have happened. It is my fault. But I'm entitled to have my own choice in women, so don't sue me for that !' shouted Carlos, opening the car door and swinging it open. `Let's stop sitting on our asses and start looking for her!'
Carlos slammed the car door and began to walk to the entrance of the wood. Jill followed after him, jogging, her eyes scanning the area. Chris threw open the door and started to jog to the entrance. Leon found himself swinging his door open and gripping the heavy bulk of his Beretta.
Leon knew this Phoenix chick would cause trouble. It was on the cards. The name said it all, the bird that rose from its ashes to reek havoc upon the world....
`This is Chaos' said Claire, walking beside him, training her flashlight on the wood they had nearly reached. `Goddamn Carlos'.
`Don't blame the guy too much. He had no idea Becca would come walking round and see him like that. And he is allowed to choose who he wants to be with, but he just acted as if he didn't give a fuck about Lil' Becca's feelings' said Leon levelly, trudging towards the wood.
`He better sort it all out before the dance' grumbled Claire, have tripping on a root underfoot.
A shout from ahead made Leon look up and pick up his pace quickly.
They had either found something, or run into trouble. Leon saw Claire sprinting ahead of him, and increased his speed.
As he neared, he saw Chris with his arm around a skinny, dirty looking redhead.
"Becca!"
`Thank God you're safe!' shrieked Claire, running over to hug her friend. Bec flinched slightly when she saw Carlos, but in the darkness, Leon could see the determined look on her face.
"Attagirl!
Jill was inspecting her now, while Chris patted her shoulder gently. Carlos hung around behind them; his hands plunged in his pockets, his head looking down.
`You sure you're Okay?' questioned Jill anxiously, her brow furrowed.
`I'm fine' assured Bec, not daring to meet Jill's eyes. `I'm kind of tired. Can we go home now?' asked Bec, a tremor in her voice.
`Sure, honey' said Chris, leading the way back to the car.
Leon felt Claire grip his hand and jerk her head towards Bec.
Leon shook his head and shrugged. Bec looked far from `okay'.
Her eyes were no more than slits, and were an angry, vicious red and the corners of her lips were turned down. Her newly tanned skin seemed to be pallid.
Leon sighed and trudged on towards the car.
The silence in the car on the way back into Robertsville Residential Area was solid. You could cut the tension with a knife. Jill sighed, and placed her hands on her burning cheeks and tried to cool them down. The waist of her jeans was rubbing her hips and her whole face felt like it was on fire.
Jill shifted her weight awkwardly in the car, and tried to angle her body more comfortably. It was a bit of a squash in the backseat of the car, her, Leon, Claire and Becca , with Carlos and Chris in the front.
A very silent Chris, who had his eyes focused on the road, and a sore looking Carlos who was cradling his cheek, which had a purple bruise coming up along his cheekbone.
Claire was asleep on Leon's shoulder, worn out with fatigue and tired out from her eventful day; her soft breathing was the only noise in the silent car.
Leon was staring straight ahead, but turned around and his gaze caught Jill's. He looked concernedly at Becca and nodded towards Jill.
"I'm not the only one worried about her"
Becca had in all respects looked a wreck when they had spotted her walking out from that hellish copse. She had looked sane, and very composed, but her eyes swollen and puffy. They had dark smudges under them, making them look like two bruised moons, and she had a streak of dirt coming down the side of one her pale cheeks. The corner of her lips turned down, and looked so drained, as if all the blood had been drawn from them.
Jill figured that Bec had excepted what had happened and was dealing it in her own way. There was a definite determined look on her face when she had come marching out of that wood, and Jill was glad to see she was trying not to let Carlos get her down.
Carlos...
Unlike Bec, Jill couldn't read Carlos at all. When they had been in Racoon together, he had been flirty and caring in equal measure. He had come across to her as an arrogant, stuck up guy who knew of his vast capabilities in the field of women.
But he had shown to her the deeper side of him and when he had carefully concocted the antidote for the virus, he had saved her life.
Carlos was an enigma, wrapped in an enigma, encased in a book. Jill had been happy for him when he and Bec had found each other, as it meant that Becca was happy, Carlos was happy, and the two loose ends were tied up neatly.
Carlos had been attached to her, and it had been terrible trying to tell him that she didn't want to return his affections. She had wanted him to be happy with another girl, so she wouldn't have to face him being unhappy and on his own.
There and then, Jill decided to have it out with Carlos and to introduce Becky to another man.
`Thanks, for the ride' said Bec weakly, as the car pulled up outside her house.
Chris parked the car and got out of the car, and walked Bec up to the doorstep. He hugged Bec, taking her by surprise.
`If you need to talk about anything, or need any help, call me and Jill' he said confidentially into her ear.
Bec felt her lips tug up into a small smile.
`Thanks Chris, your like the big brother I never had' she whispered, suddenly feeling like she was going to cry.
`I would say you were like the little sister I never had, but I think Claire would take offence!' said Chris, chuckling slightly.
`Night Becca'
`Night Chris'.
Becca let herself into the small-detached house, and turned on the lights. The rooms were painted in a glowing orange colour, and it felt welcoming and homely and in the cosy little house.
Bec automatically hung up her denim jacket and shoulder bag, and slipped off her sneakered feet, and sank into the easy chair in front of the fireplace. She caught sight of a picture of Carlos on her fireplace and though she might burst into tears again, but swallowed them down determinedly.
`Pull yourself together. Don't let that Spanish Amigo get to you. You're gonna go to that Dance, and you are going to have a good time. Show that guy you are no pushover, and you will bring home the hottest single guy there you can find. And it will Phoenix burning in those ashes, not you.' Becca lectured herself fiercely, as she walked purposefully to the fridge and got out a can of Budweiser.
As she cracked open the cool can of beer, she toasted to the new, reformed her.
Carlos sat staring at his can of unopened Budweiser. He figured it would be better to drown the pain with alcohol, but he couldn't bring himself to crack open the can.
His thoughts were interrupted by the telephone ringing, so he pulled himself out of his chair and wandered over to answer it.
`Hello' said Carlos, his voice bored.
`Hello, is that Carlos?' said the voice on the other end.
`Yes, Carlos Oliveira speaking' he replied.
`Carlos? It's Phoenix.' said the voice.
`Oh, hey, how's it going?' said Carlos automatically, staring at the ceiling.
`I was about to ask you the same thing' countered Phoenix levelly. `What happened today at the hospital with that redheaded girl?'.
`Oh, Becca. She's a friend.' said Carlos evasively, trying desperately to think up an explanation for his sudden departure after Bec.
`I figured that much. What happened between you two?' asked Phoenix.
"She doesn't miss much," thought Carlos, trying to think up a reply.
`She's a close friend. Nothing much happened between us, but I guess it shocked her when she saw us' said Carlos.
`I just wanted to check, I wouldn't like to have poached another girl's guy' replied Phoenix, a slight edge to her voice, Carlos detected a note in her voice that suggested that she wasn't all that sure about what he had just said.
To be honest with himself, he wasn't sure either.
`We're still on for next Saturday?' asked Carlos brightly, changing the subject.
`Yeah, of course. I'm really looking forward to it. My last dance was my high school prom, and that wasn't a night to remember' said Phoenix, slightly sadly.
`What happened?' asked Carlos, starting to feel better.
`I found my boyfriend making out with my teacher' said Phoenix, disgustedly.
`Oh that musta been nasty. I promise to make this experience more better than the last' quipped Carlos, drawling in a deep purr.
`I'm sure you will, hun. Night Carlos.' said Phoenix in her sweet singsong.
`Night Phoenix' replied Carlos, hanging up thoughtfully.
He had broken the heart of girl he had liked, but he had rediscovered someone else. Carlos decided to regain his friendship with Bec, or salvage what was left of it. He was too young to chained down to someone, and he was the fast-living, lady's man.
Carlos mused some more before trudging to bed, dreaming of things to come.
Leon shifted his position in the car and tried to gain some feeling back into his shoulders, without waking the sleeping the nymph who was warmed with slumber, a contented smile on her mild features.
`Claire's out like a light' said Chris from the driver's seat, briefly turning around to look at his sister.
`Claire's all worn out from the beautifying' said Jill, examining her pointed talons.
`She's probably dreaming of motorcycles to come' said Leon fondly, gazing down at the auburn head.
`Well, the biker girl needs her bike' quipped Chris cheerfully, whispering so as not to wake her up.
There was a momentary silence, which was broken by Leon.
`Damn Carlos' he muttered angrily, pursing his lips.
`I showed you how I felt, with my fists' said Chris with a hint of tension in his voice.
`It's his decision, and I know Bec won't let it get her down' said Jill.
`Sure, as long as he apologises to her' muttered Leon, moving his head slightly, as Claire's hair was tickling his face. At his slight movement Claire clasped his shirt collar tightly with both hands and held on tightly.
Leon squirmed as Claire held onto him like a limpet, Chris turned around and saw him wriggling around with Claire latched onto his shirt collar.
`She's not gonna let go now!' he chuckled, as Claire squeezed his collar so tight that Leon's cheeks were starting to go blue.
`She's probably gripping onto the Bike, riding the final lap' giggled Jill as Leon shook himself like a dog.
`I was thinking of getting her one for her birthday, but if this is what I have to endure, then I'll buy her one tomorrow!' exclaimed Leon, trying to get feeling back into his shoulder.
`Claire the unfathomable, squeezes Kennedy into submission in her sleep! Ladies and Gentleman, she has won the battle again!' announced Chris, grinning and trying to keep his eyes on the road.
Chris drove up into Claire and Leon's driveway, navigating carefully around the shrubs lining the cobblestone drive. Chris braked and Leon tried to get out.
`Okay....easy now....' He murmured, orientating himself and trying to think of the best way to lift Claire out without waking her up. He swung both his legs out of the car and lifted her out, but he accidentally bumped Claire's head on the car's roof.
At that bump, Claire gave a jerk and the shudder made Leon drop her on the drive, landing sharply on her backside. Claire sat in a daze of confusion while the onlookers doubled over with laughter.
`Wha-what happening?' she asked sleepily, her green eyes barely open, rubbing her eyes slightly.
With great presence of mind, Leon scooped her up again and promptly tripped over and Claire went flying into a bush. The onlookers now had tears running down their faces, and Chris quickly went to retrieve his sister from thorny bush where she was now presiding.
Quickly and quietly, they got her inside and onto the sofa with a blanket pulled over her muddy body, and they yanked her hiking boots off. Jill stored her boots in the cupboard and wiped a smudge of dirt off Claire's face with a tissue before leaving to drive home with Chris.
Leon walked tiredly through the kitchen and cracked open a can of Budweiser, wincing as his groin strain had under gone another Claire treatment.
Chris and Jill drove home uneventfully, Jill dozing in the front seat while Chris drove up to their house in the West part of Robertsville Residential Area. Chris parked the car, and decided to wake Jill up instead of risking carrying her out, as if Jill ended up in a bush, she wouldn't take it as lightly as Claire might have.
Grasping Jill's hand the two walked up to the house and walked in the front door, stopping in the small porch area to remove their coats and shoes, and when they entered the sitting room Jill flopped down onto the Loveseat.
`What an eventful day' said Chris yawning and sinking down next to Jill on the love seat.
The couple sat silently for a while, Chris staring up at the ceiling and Jill tiredly resting her head on the headrest of the cosy seat.
`Oww,' muttered Jill as she changed position, her burnt skin raw and tender to the touch.
Chris heeding the needs of his girlfriend brought her an ice pack from the fridge and installed her on the couch with a glass of water, and sat down beside her.
`Do you think you could ever love a Lobster, Redfield?' asked Jill sleepily, as the ice began to numb the soreness of her burns.
`Only a lobster that goes by the name Jill Red-, I mean Valentine' he replied quietly, his cheeks reddening at his mistake.
Jill manages to cock up an eyebrow, despite the obvious discomfort it causes.
`But then again, would Jill Valentine ever become Jill Redfield?' she asked dozily, but a distinctive sharpness in her voice.
`It might be a possibility' he said cheekily. `Come on, Jill let's go to bed'.
`Chris, this has turned out to be one hell of a day' yawned Jill as they walked upstairs to bed.
Chicky Sez: Here ya go guys, voila! U like? Sorry this took so long, but I've been busy with a couple of interviews and selling the grand piano o_O. Later!