Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom.
Chapter 8: I know you, I love you
Ella stood there watching the exchange between John and Sarge when suddenly the sound of a gun cocking echoed. Her eyes moved to Pinky who was pointing a pistol at Sarge and John. "Drop your weapons," he said quickly and Duke pulled Samantha and her back even further. "I mean it. I have no intention of being killed by a madman. Drop your weapons." A shadow moved behind him and Ella gasped quietly when she heard snarling drawing closer. "Ah, there's something behind me, isn't there?" Pinky asked before a loud growl was heard and a hand clamped down on the man's face. Ella let out a scream and Sam put her arm around her as Duke covered Samantha and lowered them to the ground. John and Sarge fired at the creature but it swung Pinky and his wheelchair like a rag doll. Ella saw the chair strike John and her eyes widened.
"John!" she yelled as she ran from Samantha and Duke and over to him where he had been thrown against a wall. Sarge fired at the creature as it dragged Pinky away and Ella raised a trembling hand to John's face. "John, are you alright?" she asked in a whisper and he looked at her with confusion on his face.
"Get back, stay with Sam," he said as he came into focus.
"On me!" Sarge yelled as he followed the creature with Duke right behind him.
"John, are you sure you're alright?" she asked again, not really caring that a creature that had the potential to wipe out the entire human race, let alone kill her was walking around the corridors as well as however many people it turned already. John sighed and nodded as he slowly stood.
"I'm fine, now stay with Sam," he said as he made his way down the corridor. Ella sighed and walked over to Sam. Ella sniffed and sighed as she looked at her best friend, who looked just as scared if not more as what Ella felt. Ella heard John say something and she turned and saw Duke coming back towards them.
"Come on, stay close," he said as he took Samantha's hand. Samantha turned and grabbed Ella's hand as the three followed the others. Duke stopped near a cleared corner by the nanowall and put the two women against the solid wall. "Wait here," he whispered and they nodded.
"Sam, do you think they're okay?" she asked and Samantha sighed.
"I don't know, Ella," she said quietly and Ella nodded before she squeezed Samantha's hand. Samantha only squeezed it harder as they waited for something, anything to happen. Then it did. Screeching echoed off the walls and Ella jumped. Gunshots soon followed and Ella's heart pounded with every shot.
"Withdraw!" they heard Sarge yell. "Withdraw behind the nanowall!" More gunshots and screeches followed and Ella closed her eyes.
"Move!" Duke's voice echoed followed by John's.
"Magazine! Magazine!" John yelled and Ella opened her eyes hoping to see him run through the nanowall. It seemed like it took forever for the three of them to come through the wall, and Ella wondered just how many things were chasing them. The three of them continued to fire through the nanowall and Sarge hit the button so hard that it caused the wall to malfunction. Ella watched on with wide eyes. "Fuck! The wall's not closing!" Ella felt her stomach drop and she looked over to Duke, he was firing into the wall a little further back, but was standing on a grate.
"Duke!" Ella yelled as she let go of Samantha and ran over to him, but she was too late. Duke had been pulled through the grate. Samantha screamed and Ella moved back to her friend with tears in her eyes. Suddenly, Sarge was grabbed through the nanowall and was pulled down on the ground. His body was three quarters of the way through the wall when John looked down at Sarge.
"I'm not supposed to die," Sarge said sounding strained before he was pulled through the wall. John resumed firing and looked at Ella and Samantha.
"Let's go!" he shouted. Samantha and Ella were emotional wrecks and when Ella saw John jump slightly and groan she didn't know what happened. John grabbed Ella and Ella grabbed Samantha before he dragged the two women down the corridor.
The three were breathless as they created a barrier in front of the door. As the stacked the last piece of equipment on top Samantha spoke up. "How long before they get through?" she asked and Ella watched as John sighed.
"Not long," he said as he leaned against the barrier.
"You've been hit," Samantha said alarmed. John walked over towards the lockers and Ella walked over to him and grabbed his arm to help him sit down.
"Oh, John," she said quietly as she kneeled next to him with tears in her eyes. Ella sat on his right side and Samantha on his left. Samantha began to go through his utility items and Ella watched him carefully. He looked pale and in pain. Samantha took out a syringe but Ella was too busy looking at John.
"Listen to me," John said as he looked at Ella and met her eyes. He started shaking slightly and she raised her hands to his face.
"You're cold, and shivering," she said quietly and he closed his eyes.
"It's important," John whispered as he opened his eyes. Ella looked at Samantha to see her filling the syringe with a clear liquid. "This is an ST grenade," he said as he held out the small black device to her. She took it and looked at him with confused eyes. "When they come through you pop the top and hit the button." Ella frowned. "Pop the top and hit the button," he repeated weakly. Samantha was rolling up his sleeve and Ella shook her head.
"John, stay awake. Don't you leave me," she said her voice shaking slightly. "Stay awake. John, please," she begged cursing herself as tears fell down her cheeks. John blinked and panted heavily. Surprisingly, Samantha was staying calm and rational, and it was good one of them was. John looked at her and Ella raised a hand to the left side of his face. Feeling what Samantha was doing, John looked away and at his sister.
"What's that?" he asked as she was about to give him a shot. Ella lowered her hand and looked at Samantha.
"It's C24, from Carmack's lab," Samantha said and Ella's felt relief fill her.
"No," John said as he pulled his arm away from Samantha.
"It could safe you," Samantha said.
"No way, forget it," John said as firmly as he could.
"You're bleeding to death," Ella whispered and he looked at her. He looked like he wanted to cry, but knowing John, he wouldn't.
"No way, Ella," he whispered and she took his right hand into hers. "I've done some bad things."
"I know you," she whispered as she squeezed his hand gently.
"You don't know me. Neither of you do," he said and Ella shook her head. "You don't know."
"You took care of me so many times, protected me, I know you John. I love you," she confessed and John just looked at her. Samantha smiled. She knew her brother, just as Ella did and she knew that he wouldn't turn into a monster. Samantha readied his arm and just about gave him the injection when he stopped them again.
"Wait," John said as he let go of Ella's hand. He took his handgun out from its hustler and looked at Ella. "If I should turn into one of those demons, on through the heart, one through the head, don't you hesitate. Okay?" he asked and Ella shook her head as she lowered the gun.
"We won't have to," she said confidently. John looked at her and then at Samantha. He was shivering as Samantha put the needle in his arm. Ella leaned into him and kissed his right cheek. "I love you," she whispered again before she moved back slightly. John looked at her and then sighed heavily. His eyes grew wide and he slowly slid down the wall and fell over. Ella looked at Samantha and then at John.
"He'll be alright, Ella," Samantha said and Ella nodded.
"I know," she whispered and looked at her friend, "but do you think we'll be?" she asked and Samantha looked to the door when a loud bang echoed through the room. Ella jumped and looked as well.
"I don't know," she said quietly as another bang echoed through the room. Ella looked back at John and sighed before she took the grenade and gun in hand and stood. Samantha did the same and the two women readied to face whatever hand fate was about to deal them.
