The Daring Rescue of Chips

by Jack E. Peace

Told in Nicole's POV; Nicole goes to rescue Chips and finds herself in a tricky situation. (From the movie in a different POV)

Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me.

A/N: As you know, (perhaps) that I have already written another Dawn of the Dead fic so there is no need for me to go back over how awesome this movie was. So, I'll spare you that; as you know from reading (hopefully) my first fic that Nicole is my favorite character, so here is another fic that centers around Nicole. My favorite part in the movie is when Nicole goes to rescue Chips, so this is that scene, told in her POV. Please read and review.

I didn't want them to send Chips. But I knew that Kenneth had already made up his mind that he wasn't going to listen to me, knew it as soon as I looked up from playing with Chips and saw him looking at me with a strange glint in his dark eyes. I seen that look before, it's the look of a man who knows what he wants and knows he is going to get it. "I know how we can get food to Andy." Kenneth said, not taking his eyes away from Chips, who had returned with a soggy tennis ball in his mouth, tail wagging.

I didn't bother to take the ball from him and jumped to my feet. "You can't send Chips!" I exclaimed and everyone turned to look at me. "Are you crazy? Those things will eat him alive!" Chips barked, as though he knew what I was saying and was agreeing, but I knew it was just because he wasn't ready to abandon our game just yet.

Kenneth sighed, and took a step toward me. "Nicole," he began patiently, "I don't think the zombies are interested in dogs, they didn't pay attention to him when we were in the parking garage. Besides, Andy's starving and that's the only way I can think of to get him some food."

Steve inched away from Ana, looking at her as though he expected her to slam him back against the Hallowed Grounds stand, and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Kenneth's right, unless you want to run over there and give him some food." He was just happy that he wasn't going to have to have anything more to do with the food discussion.

I narrowed my eyes at the both of them, preparing my retort, when the girl with blonde curls spoke up. "This is another human being we're talking about. Chips is just a dog." Said the girl whose name I had never bothered to learn and now never would.

I thought about kneeling, putting my arms around Chips and saying 'he's not just a dog' but figured that would make me look way too immature to even participate in the discussion. I remained standing, staring down at Blondie, who sneered at me and rolled her eyes. "We can find some other way, you can't send Chips." I said firmly, crossing my arms over my chest. I tried to look defiant, but I don't think it worked.

Kenneth looked away from me and toward Michael. "Go find some rope. Strong stuff that won't break." He instructed and Michael nodded, sending me an apologetic look before going off to do as he was asked.

I opened my mouth to protest but Kenneth was already issuing another order. "Ana, get some food ready to send." Ana nodded as well and for a moment, she infuriated me, everyone did. How could they all just do as he asked? How could they just stand around and ignore me, getting ready to send a harmless, helpless, adorable dogs to his death?

Terry walked over to me, opening his mouth to speak but I beat him to it; if there was anyone in this mall that would actually listen to me, it would be him. "Terry, you've got to stop them, they can't send Chips out there. He'll die." I pleaded, gesturing toward Chips, who was seated now, his tongue lolling out of his mouth.

"Nicole, I think Kenneth's right, I don't think the zombies have any interest in dogs." Terry said, putting his arm around my shoulders and drawing me close to him. "C'mon, Nicole, please don't fight them, not now, not over this." He whispered.

I pulled away from him and headed back over to Chips, who grinned a doggy grin when he saw me coming; he had no idea that he was going to be thrown to the wolves. Kenneth was watching me. "How will he get to Andy?" I questioned, staring at him, trying to find a flaw that would unravel their plan.

Kenneth looked as though he hadn't thought of that. Ha! They couldn't send Chips after all. "I'll send him a message, he'll find some way to get the dog inside." He answered, nodding to himself as he spoke.

Michael returned, coils of blaring yellow rope in his hands. "This was all I could find." He said, handing the rope to Kenneth. "It's used for rock climbing, so it's probably strong enough to hold Chips."

Kenneth nodded, unwinding the rope and heading over toward Chips and I. Ana returned with her arms laden with food and Michael went to help her; Steve and Blondie had wandered off to spend their time elsewhere. CJ was watching the whole ordeal with a rather amused look on his face.

Chips wagged his tail when Kenneth knelt in front of him and sat patiently while he tied some of the rope around his belly. "You can't tie it like that." I said and Kenneth looked up, an annoyed expression upon his face. "When we lower him, it will dig into his stomach."

Kenneth unwound the rope, once again looking as though I had thrown him for a loop and I felt another surge of victory, this one not as great at the first but there all the same. For a moment, he stared at Chips and I stared at him, interested in what he would do next; I wondered if he knew that whatever he came up with, I would find a way to rebuke. I wasn't going to let me send poor Chips out on a suicide mission.

After a long while, Kenneth began to slip the ends of the rope through the fabric hooks in Chips' fabric pack, which we planned to fill with ammunition once we were ready to leave Crossroads, that he always wore to get used to the feel. Chips watched him quizzically and I watched him with growing trepidation. Kenneth finished threading the rope through and tied it in a tight knot, pulling so tightly that Chips rocked on his paws. "There." He muttered. "That will hold."

I bit my bottom lip and watched him as he stood, leaving the rest of the rope on the ground for someone else to finish tying on the fabric pack. Terry put his hand on my shoulder but I didn't turn around. "Nicole, Chips will be fine." He promised and I hoped he was right.

"Did you get the food?" Kenneth asked Ana, who was helping Michael secure the tops to all the glass bottles and wrap the sandwiches with an extra layer of plastic.

Ana nodded but didn't look up; she did everything with the exact same amount of concentration, whether it was examining someone's injuries or wrapping up ham sandwiches. Maybe that was why she made such a good nurse.

"Okay." Kenneth nodded. "Get the dog ready and we're going to meet up on the roof. I'm going to go tell Andy that he's coming." He didn't wait for an answer, simply heading toward the door marked Roof Access.

I figured I was the one who was supposed to finish tying the ropes onto Chips so I pulled away from Terry and knelt in front of the spotted dog, whose tail was thumping against the tile floor. I finished tying the rope without looking up at the dog and stood once again. "When we lower him, it's going to hurt him." I pointed out to no one in particular.

Ana finished re-gathering the food and walked over to me. "Honey, Chips is going to be fine." She assured me with a gentle honesty in her face that made her all the more believable. "All he has to do is go over to Andy, drop off the food and come back to you."

I nodded and followed the rest of them to the roof with Chips trailing along, the ropes dragging across the floor behind him.

The noise outside was louder then it had been the last time I had been on the roof and even more difficult to listen to; the things, zombies I supposed, were growling, low gurgling growls that burrowed right down into your skin if you listened too long. Some of the growls turned into high pitched screams and cries from time to time, but the cries didn't mean anything, the things were too dead to put any emotion behind their noises. I tried not to look at them, all bloody and beaten, as I reached Kenneth, who had just finished talking to Andy, who was heading back into his shop.

"Andy is going to whistle to get Chips to come to him." Kenneth informed me, marking the first time he had ever used the dog's actual name. "Just like you do over here."

I nodded, looking past the creatures down below. "And how are we going to get Chips back?" I questioned, squinting my eyes against the sun. Sometimes it was hard to believe that the sun still rose and fell, bringing about a new day, just like it had done before any of this started. It was hard to believe some things were still normal.

"We're not." Kenneth answered. "Andy is going to keep him over there until we get the buses ready and pick him up."

I sighed but kept silent; I knew there was no way to get Chips back with opening the door and letting those things inside the mall, into our safe haven. Letting those things get into the place where I had felt safe was something I wasn't going to risk, even for Chips.

Kenneth whistled for Chips, who trotted up obediently, and hefted him without too much difficulty. "CJ, Terry, help me hold him." He instructed, holding Chips over the side. The things below didn't even look up when Chips whined, which put a little faith into what Terry and the others had been saying.

Terry and CJ grabbed hold of the ropes and Kenneth lowered Chips over the side; he dangled, whimpering, eyes alert, while CJ and Terry struggled to get the right grip on the ropes.

"I told you, this is hurting him." I snapped, rushing to the side and reaching out for Chips. "We can't send him."

Kenneth said nothing and I turned to Terry. "Please, Terry, we can't send him." I pleaded once more, low enough so that only he could hear.

Terry gave me an apologetic look before helping CJ begin to lower the dog; I watched him get farther and farther away from safety and wished that there was something I could have done to keep him up here with me. Short of taking Andy the food myself, I could think of nothing. My precious dog, my poor, precious little dog.

Chips touched onto the ground and Terry and CJ let go of the ropes, which had gone taunt by this time; they coiled on the ground, disturbing neither Chips nor the zombies around him. For a moment, my dog looked up at the things that had once been people, before trotting away, sniffing with great interested. As he passed, the creatures paid him no attention, continuing their shuffling and growling, banging into each other every so often.

"See, I told you they wouldn't pay any attention to him." Terry said and I smiled, relieved. Chips continued to trot around aimlessly, stopping when a shrill whistle cut through the air. His ears perked and headed quickly toward the sound.

I watched as Chips weaved through the zombies with little interested, until he finally reached Andy's Gun Shop, sniffing around; a door, large and wide enough for a person to fit through, whooshed open and Chips entered.

Before the door could be closed again, the creatures charged it, snapping and snarling, wrestling their way inside. Everyone watched silent, Ana with her eyes wide with fear and tension, watching the zombies wrestle and trash with obvious hatred.

My body grew tight with fear for Chips; suddenly, I knew they were wrong, I knew that once the zombies got inside they would tear Chips to pieces and no one would be able to help him. The creatures continued to wrestle into the room and, over their growling, I could hear my dog barking.

I whirled away from the ledge and rushed away from the others; no one raised a voice to stop me, I think they all figured I was still upset about what Kenneth had done and needed some time to sulk and pout. Everyone but Terry and Ana thought I was nothing but a bitchy kid, though I was far from it; it wasn't every day the entire world was taken over by the living dead and your father was killed only feet away from you. I think deserved the right to be a little upset about certain things.

I rushed down the stairs, slamming the door open in front of me and letting it bang shut behind me; I had to rescue Chips, since no one else was going to do it, but how? I paced around Hallowed Grounds, as though the answer lay somewhere around there. And, suddenly I saw that it did. The keys to Norma's truck were sitting beside the espresso machines and I practically leapt over the counter to grab them; the truck might not get us to Fort Pastor or anywhere else but it would definitely get me to the other side of the street.

The keys clutched tightly in my hands, I headed toward the back entrance of the mall, where Norma had parked her truck all those weeks ago and where it still resided, ignored by the zombies. I had never driven a big rig but that didn't mean that I couldn't learn and, after all, I was only going a few feet across the street.

Norma's truck was just where it had been when we left it, its back bumper and tires stained with zombie blood, which had turned green and was still dripping. I suppressed a shudder as I rushed toward the cab, praying at the creatures wouldn't notice me until it was too late.

Just as I climbed into the cab and slammed the heavy door behind me, one of the creatures slammed against the side and I cried out in surprise. It continued to pound, growling and scratching, but I doubted it could get inside. Better not wait around to tempt it. I inserted the keys into the ignition and the truck rumbled to life, sputtering.

I forced the gear shift into drive and the truck lurched forward, slamming me against the steering wheel, which honked beneath my weight. I righted myself and slipped the seat belt on, the clasp clicking into place. The pedals were wider then those on a normal car so it was easy for my foot to find the gas; the truck started forward with more speed then I had anticipated and I ease up a little.

The truck lurched a head, rounding the side of the mall and coming into full view of the mall and the gathered crowd of creatures, some of which were already coming my way; no problem, the wheels of the truck would take care of them. I glanced over toward the roof of Crossroads and saw the group on the roof, shouting words I couldn't hear and waving their arms. I saw Terry's face, contorted and pale with worry and prayed that I would see him again.

The creatures were easily crushed beneath the tires of the truck, which lurched and tipped every time one of the zombies was killed and I steered toward Andy's Gun Shop. One of the creatures began to climb on top of the windshield, tears bared, and I cried out in surprise, my foot slamming against the gas pedal and sending the truck slamming into the side of the gun shop.

Despite my seatbelt, I was once again throw into the windshield, but the blow was softened slightly and I looked up. The zombie had been thrown into the wall as well and was twitching unhappily, growling; others were walking over it, trying to get to the truck.

I undid my seatbelt and crawled across the seat toward the passenger door, which was right against the sliding door that Chips had entered. I opened the door, which screeched against the wall and jumped from the cab and lifted the sliding door, hurrying inside before the creatures could wrestle through again like they had done earlier.

The inside of the shop was dim and musty, smelling like death and dust; the corpses of two creatures lay directly in front of me, still bleeding against the dusty ground, which showed signs of scuffle.

"Andy?" I called into the dimness, looking into the glass counters which held polished guns and boxes of ammunition, as I passed. "Chips?"

This time, I was answered with a bark, and Chips rushed out of the hallway that led to somewhere I couldn't see, coming to me with his tag wagging furiously. "Hey baby." I cooed as I knelt in front of him, wrapping my arms around his furry body. Now all I had to do was get back out of the door and back into the truck; I could even find Andy and bring him with me.

The sound of Kenneth's voice made me jump and, my heart still hammering in my chest, I looked for its origin. I saw the radio laying on the floor near the hallway and crawled over to it, retrieving it and peering into the hallway, which was even darker then the room I was in now. I couldn't see anything but I could hear the low sound of breathing.

"Nicole!" Kenneth was shouting into the radio. "Nicole, get out of there!"

I pressed the talk button to reply but the sound of someone shuffling about made me look up before I could do so; I saw Andy heading toward me, bleeding from a wound in his shoulder. "Andy," I began, standing up, "Are you all right?"

I realized the talk button and started toward him. I could hear various voices coming through the speaker; Terry's, shouting for someone to do something, anything, and Michael's, which became louder so I figured he was now in possession of the radio. "Nicole, honey-"

"Andy, what's the matter?" I questioned, ignoring the radio for the moment. Chips started barking as I got closer to the man, who made a low rumbling noise. "Andy?"

On the radio, Michael was speaking again. "Nicole, honey, listen-" I wasn't, though. I could hear Terry, asking for the radio, and pleading with me to get away.

Andy stepped into the main room and I saw just why they had been telling me to get out of the shop; Andy was no longer Andy, he was one of those things. I backed up, tripping over Chips and crashing to the floor. The thing that had once been Andy lunged at me; I screamed and rolled away from him as he crashed into the floor.

"Nicole!" Terry cried from the radio and I scrambled toward the door, heart pounding my chest, tears pricking my eyes. I reached out to lift the door when Andy grabbed hold of my leg and pulled me back toward him; I tried to find some purchase on the ground but the boards were slick with blood and my hands slipped.

Andy snarled and I kicked him in the stomach; he grunted, spitting up congealed blood and staggered backward. I leapt to my feet, looking for a way out or a place to hide; I didn't have long to think because the creature had recovered and was heading for me once more.

Upon spying a closet door, I tore across the shop, turning over a chair to hinder the creature's process, vaguely aware of the fact that Chips was running after me. I grabbed the door handle and threw the door open, rushing into the closet and slamming the door behind me; Chips dashed in just in time.

As soon as I had shut and locked the door, Andy slammed into it and began pounding on it, growling and gnashing his teeth. I cried out and pressed myself against the farthest corner, sliding to the floor, pulling my knees up to my chin, shivering. Chips walked over to me and whimpered, licking my cheek. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer to me.

"Don't worry boy." I whispered, pressing my face against his soft fur, trying to ignore the sound of Andy pounding against the door. "Don't worry, they'll come for us."

I hoped.