Welcome to the Part 1 epilogue! I hope you enjoyed this. I've worked pretty hard to get this story to where it is. I'd like to thank Noctorro, Jojo10, HHOD, and Shakhanna for being my reviewers. You guys really gave me a boost in confidence.
In response to reviews:
Noctorro: Thanks! I love the Simpsons! They're funny and it's a total classic! Not to mention the pride I feel when I remember that first day I watched it. It was hilarious!
You were right too. That man from the last chapter was Mr. Trent, and it is true I find him really annoying sometimes, I felt that it was the right thing to do at that part. It was to be kind of a teaser for later. Instill a kind of suspense. But oh well.
I took the part about Isaac ordering STARS members around into thought, and you were right. Isaac had absolutely no right to do that, but ask yourself: If someone you cared about greatly, if your closest, closest friends were in danger, would you do anything in your power to help them? If it were me, I would. Isaac is a very passionate person, and also a very intelligent person. He usually knows his limits, and he usually obeys those limits, but what happened last chapter was one of the times he'll be demanding, even borderline scary. Rank and superiority had nothing to do with sending Brad back to the mansion.
Full Part 1 summary: Isaac Brown. Your average smart teenager. When he gets a job as a secretary for the STARS department, he clings to logic and reason. He soon makes friends with almost everyone in the precinct, save for a few. (Guess which people...) When his friends from STARS leave for the Arklay Mountains to investigate reports of cannibals, he spends the night worrying for them. After only five of his friends return with stories of underground labs, zombies and other stories he deem as hallucinations, he doesn't know what to think. Reports of cannibal murders accumulate on his desk, scaring the young man until that fateful day on July 27th. Alone and confused, he must survive alone in a dead city.
Disclaimer: I WISH I owned Resident Evil, but I don't, I only own Isaac.
---Part 1 ending---
---Chris' e-mails to Claire---
July 17th, 1998.
Hey you. How have you been, Claire? Have you been getting good marks in school? I expect to see your report card the next time I see you. Ha ha...listen to me talking like Dad did. Dad was always a really nice man. I hope you think that way about your big brother.
A lot of stuff is going on around here, and they seem to be affecting the new secretary. Just a few minutes ago he was accosted by some guy who wanted to know about this new case that's been going on. He seemed so scared too, which was odd since this kid usually looks all hardcore and tough. Seriously Claire, I think he could have been a really good match for you. Ha ha... just kidding don't worry, he's not your type anyway, he's really short. Anyway, I received a black eye from him today. Well, technically not from him, I had followed him into the men's restroom after he was choked by the crazy guy I talked about earlier and when we were about to leave, the door swung open and slammed into my face. I was such a klutz when I was younger right? Ha ha. Anyway, write back to me when you have time okay?
July 22nd, 1998.
Hey. I got your email. You must be doing a really good job. So today, we found out the new secretary just attracted a girlfriend. Apparently, he met her at the Machine and they hit it off really well. But the surprising thing about it is that she had joined STARS just today. Maybe this kid likes cougars. Ha ha. The STARS Bravo team was sent on a mission tonight. It was revolving around those cases of cannibalistic murders. Isaac seemed the most perturbed by it. He had some sort of seizure when I was talking to him earlier about Jill, and when he was okay he left and just went back to work. Maybe you'd know what was wrong with him since you're studying neurology and stuff. Write me back okay?
July 23rd, 1998.
Well, I decided to write to you again because you're the only one who knows me best. To tell you the truth, I'm worried, worried for my own safety, Jill's and even the new secretary's. Jill told me he hadn't slept at all, which could explain why he so suddenly fell asleep while we were waiting for Captain Wesker to tell us if he got a signal from Bravo Team. He came back and said he hadn't gotten any sort of reply from them at all, so Alpha team was mobilized and we are about to be sent up into the mountains to find them. I'm worried for myself and for Jill. You know I like her, even the newbie does. I'm worried because I'm being forced to realize that maybe there are cannibals up there, and they might even have wiped out an entire squad of the best police officers our precinct has to offer. I'm scared Claire, I really am.
---Isaac Brown's journal---
July 24th, 1998.
I felt an enormous sense of relief this morning when I woke up. I woke up before sunrise, not very long before it but just before so the sky was a soothing shade of greenish blue. I had forgotten, momentarily about what I was so worried about for the past two nights because of this wonderful sight to behold. I always remembered about when I was younger, I would set my alarm to the time just before sunrise so I could sit outside on my balcony and watch the sun come up before I had to go to school.
Those were the only times I truly felt happy. I didn't have to help anyone; I didn't have to talk to anyone. I just had to sit there on the rail of my balcony and just watch the sun slowly rise from the horizon. I felt so tranquil at those times, when I felt those emotions, where I could just sit there and reflect on my tragedy of a home-life. Not even my parents loved me. I don't think they ever did anyway. They worked for the hospital, and they were so dead set on social status. My parents sickened me.
Within minutes my daze was shattered. The events of the past few days rushed back into my head like a waterfall, like water pounding on my head heavily and relentlessly. I threw on my regular clothes and flew out the door. I quickly piled into a taxi and drove to the Precinct. The whole ride there was tense. Mindless, inane thoughts flowed in and out of my mind. 'Was she dead? Was she okay? Was she injured? Was everyone else okay?' Like an endless Rush mix tape, those thoughts kept ringing shrilly and annoyingly in my ears.
I literally burst through the front doors of the precinct, eyes crazed and wild. I bounded up the steps and almost broke the rooftop access door as I ploughed through it. When I reached the rooftop, I was met with Jill, Brad, Barry, Rebecca and Chris sitting tiredly on the concrete flooring. They had cuts and bruises all over them, but they were alive. I saw Rebecca, Rebecca saw me and I broke down. My body had given out. I was totally drained, mentally and physically. I sank to my knees in exhaustion, and hit the floor, asleep.
---Regular Isaac's POV---
"Is he...is he waking up?" I heard a gruff voice ask. There was something cold on my forehead, and a finger tracing my jaw line. There were voices all around me. I was still tired, but not tired enough to not open my eyes. I opened one eye and saw the ever-paternal face of Barry Burton staring down at me. He smiled down at me. I opened my other eye and looked up, seeing the face of my girlfriend, Rebecca Chambers.
"Rebecca...you're all right..." I said in a tired happiness. She smiled distractedly, as if thinking about something and nodded. She caressed my jaw and gave me a small kiss on the lips. I kept smelling something weird, something oddly disgusting. My nose scrunched up in discomfort. "What is that smell?!" I exclaimed. They smelled like nastiness. They all chuckled. They got up and I got up after them, helping Rebecca up with my hand. I put an arm around her shoulders, keeping her close to me. I noticed a jingling sound coming from her and when I looked down she was wearing dog tags. Rebecca looked up at me, then down at the dog tags and quickly tried to hide them.
"Wait...what are those?" I asked softly. Rebecca hid them in her shirt before I could see them.
"Nothing, I just found them up there. My grandfather was in the war and thought collecting dog tags were like 'collecting lost friends.' So I collect them for him." She replied quickly. I nodded, and turned back to ahead of me, but I knew there was something about those dog tags she wasn't telling me.
---Isaac's Journal---
July 29th, 1998.
I felt like running away again, just keep following the rising sun until I couldn't follow it anymore. I wasn't mad per se, but I sure felt like an idiot. I half expected it too. I expected something like this to happen between Rebecca and I so it didn't feel as bad as it could have if I didn't expect it at all.
I thought I could get this whole thing past me when my world was flipped upside down once again. When interviewed about the 'mysterious explosion' up in the Arklay Mountains, Chris and the others told this story about an underground Umbrella Research Facility, some sort of virus that turned people into zombies and a bunch of Bio-Organic Weapons.
They said that the Umbrella Corporation was involved in illegal genetics and bio-weaponry testing. As a friend I was obliged to give them the benefit of the doubt, but the whole thing seemed too farfetched to me. I think that was a catalyst, along with those mysterious dog tags Rebecca wore, that caused our break-up. Although I was the one who initiated it, I stressed the fact that I wasn't dumping her, I was dumping myself for her, since I knew she was in love with someone else. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't.
---Isaac's POV---
I stood in the doorway of the STARS office, quietly looking at Rebecca while she looked at those dog tags again. She was doing that more and more. One night she actually said another man's name in her sleep. I had known this was coming for a while after that mission. I had seen the name she had mumbled out on the dog tags too. Billy Coen. I decided that it was now or never.
"Rebecca?" I called out. She turned to me, stuffing the dog tags into her shirt again.
"Yeah?" She called back. I drew in a breath to regain my confidence. I had to do this.
So why would you stay
if it's killing us both just to be here?
There's no more room to grow
and you won't find yourself till you leave me.
"Can I talk to you outside, please?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking. She looked at me in confusion as I gestured for her to come to me. She got up and began to walk to me.
"Sure...what about?" She replied as she walked forward.
It's a beautiful world
outside these walls,
and I love you too much
to hold you down
with my life child
and it's blinding you.
Rebecca joined me, and I led her in silence to the break room. We took a seat in the back of the room, and I was slowly losing my nerve. I had to do this quickly.
"Rebecca, I've been doing some thinking." I started. Rebecca nodded.
"Okay...about what?" She asked. I stared at Rebecca for a brief moment, noticing her hazel eyes, her brown hair, her cute little dimples, and inside I could feel my stomach tugging at itself.
Gone, get away
leave me be,
cause I don't want to
see your face around here
"I think we need to break up..." I said. I looked over at Rebecca, who looked shocked. A little sad too.
"What" She asked, trying to take in my words.
So don't complicate it,
I don't have it in me to hate you.
I was there to be your freedom
I just want to be your family
and I tried to teach you
"I don't need to say it again, Rebecca." I said sternly.
"B-but, why?" She asked. I faltered for a moment.
but I can only stay
for one more day,
then I am
"Those dog tags...I know what they really mean, why you keep staring at them so intently so much." I replied, jerking my head to the chain of silver connected to the hidden trinkets. "I saw the name on them, and you said that same name in your sleep once. I'm not an idiot Rebecca. You know that." I continued, the slightest bit of bitterness in my voice. She looked guilty after what I said. "You're in love with someone else..." I said finally, the situation finally seeming real. This was for the best anyway. I couldn't live a lie, I don't respect that.
Gone...get away
leave me be,
cause I don't want to
see your face around here
I was having such a hard time keeping my composure. I really liked Rebecca. I should resent her, I should...I should. She looked sad, but accepting. "Are...are you mad?" She asked carefully. I thought about that for a second before shaking my head. I didn't know the guy, what was the point of being mad at someone who wasn't here right at this moment?
"I keep thinking that I should be, but I'm not. I guess I never really expected this relationship to go anywhere." I replied truthfully. She seemed relieved but still sad. "I care about you, there's no doubt about that. Its just that..." I exhaled, trying to bide myself some time to think up something to say. "...I just can't be with you when most of the time you're thinking of another man. I can't just ignore it and hope you'll grow out of it. I can't live a lie, Rebecca." I finished. She wiped a small tear from her eye, and I struggled just to keep myself from showing any remorse for my actions.
And it's so hard to hear myself
say go away instead of
baby please stay just one more day
barely have the strength to leave you
"So...that's it? You're dumping me?" She asked softly. I shrugged.
"I guess...I mean, I think my reasoning justifies it as dumping myself for you, doesn't it?" I joked half-heartedly. Not too bad, ending a four day relationship with civility instead of trying not to tear out each others' throat. Rebecca looked at me, her face having a certain maternal hint to it.
you don't want to be with me
so go, just go on.
"Will we at least stay friends?" She asked hopefully. I couldn't smile. Not right now. I chewed on the side of my cheek in apprehension, thinking about it.
"I don't know. Not yet anyway. I've never been through a break up before. I have to know where I stand in my own mind." I replied. She smiled at me, a sad yet relieved smile, knowing that she didn't have to keep hiding her feelings. I got up, heading for the exit. I had one more thing to take care of.
know that I love you,
but I got to let you go,
I can't help it baby.
Oh, why would you stay
if it's killing us both
just to be here?
there is no more room to grow
and you won't find yourself
till you leave me.
It's a beautiful world outside these walls
and I love you too much to hold you down
with my life, child
and it's blinding you...(1)
...I felt remorse for the way I treated Brad. I was supposed to be his friend. I could have protected him, helped him. I should have gone with him to face whatever was there. Losing my job didn't matter to me anymore. I just wanted Rebecca safe with me at home. I worried over my friends. I would be extremely bored with my job if I hadn't met them. There was a ceremony held for the STARS members who died up in the mountains, commemorating them for their bravery. STARS had been downsized to only a few members. Even Captain Wesker was dead. During the ceremony I approached Brad, apologizing for my actions.
I sat on one of the metal chairs, respectfully silent in front of empty graves that were lined up for the deceased STARS members. I may have been the only one in that entire throng of people in attendance that wasn't crying. Even Barry's family showed up, crying over lost friends. Inside I selfishly clung to the thoughts running through my mind to keep myself from tearing up. They gave their lives to the mission, they had died trying to save the people of this city. They were heroes in their own way. Even Brad, in a sense. He went back, albeit reluctantly, and saved the last four survivors. I had to apologize. I noticed him standing near the back, wearing full police officer garb in respect.
I walked over to him, nervous. I hated apologizing to people. They take it so seriously sometimes and every time after that, they'll always think they're right. Nonetheless, this had to be done. "Um...Brad? Can I talk to you?" I asked anxiously. He looked at me nervously, but nodded. I stood beside him, looking down at the floor. I just need to stare at the floor, stare at the grass, stare at the grass...
"What's up?" He asked. I snapped out of my train of thought, blinking dumbly.
"Oh! Sorry. I--I mean, I'm sorry. I overstepped my limits that night. You were my superior and I talked back to you, even hit you. I deserve to lose my job over that..." I began. Brad laughed.
"Nah, no harm done. I understand what you were going through. Your girlfriend and our friends were in trouble. If the roles were switched I'd have acted the same way." He replied. I looked at him in surprise.
"So...you're not mad anymore? Even after abusing our friendship?" I asked. Brad shook his head, a white-gloved hand waving the guilt away.
"Izz, what you did wasn't abusing the friendship." He replied. He put an arm around my shoulders and gave me a brotherly hug. I smiled and finally felt like karma was going to be back on my side.
---Isaac's Journal---
September 17th, 1998
I finally made peace with my mind, my life, and my friends. But as time went by, I kept having a feeling of dread which were realized when the first article about a body being found with bite marks and even a limb missing. Before that, Chris, Barry, and Rebecca left for Europe. I had known all about that too. Chris made me swear not to tell ANYONE, but a journal doesn't count as a person. Chris had me document all this stuff about the F. B. I. and his investigation of Umbrella. Even before that, near mid-August articles about a mysterious illness were run in the newspapers. They seemed to be coming from somewhere downtown, where all those poverty line people lived. Soon after that the suburban areas became a high-risk zone, and Mayor Warren declared that Raccoon City was under martial law and the Subway was turned off. I kept thinking this had something to do with what happened up in the Arklay Mountains two months ago. More and more articles about cannibal murders were run, some were even located not too far from my home. I've never felt so scared in my life.
September 20th, 1998
I walked into work rather scared. Officer Branagh and Detective Ackley told me that all Precinct workers were to remain inside the Precinct until this whole cannibal murder situation was dealt with. I had spotted what people described as the cannibals, but I knew there was something more to this. They didn't even look human anymore. The ones I had spotted seemed like they had been dead for a few days, their eyes glossed over and emotionless. Then I realized that what Rebecca and the others had told me was true. A virus that could kill its host and feed off of the host's blood and reanimate them to search for a fresh supply of blood. I felt so stupid for not believing them, for not leaving with them.
September 26th, 1998
Remember when I said that this situation was hoped to be under control? Well, instead of settling down, it just spiralled down into a huge mess. Right now it's around eight thirty, and I'm fearing for my life. I've watched my cop friends die. I'm certain that in the next few days I will die, die and comeback to life as a mindless shell, killing my friends and coworkers. Soon the hordes will break through the barricades, and all that will be left of us will be blood and bone...too bad today was Kris' birthday.
---End Part 1---
Finally! Part 1 is OVER! I hope you liked it, because I intend for this story to become extremely gory. I will probably be able to get the next chapter up by the time my exams are over. For now, bye!
(1) Esthero - Gone