A/N) Ok I compromised with my struggling internal conflict and laziness. I wrote out a summery of what I think was what happened more or less in the chapters I've lost. It might not be as good as the original but - it's all I could remember and scrounge up.
Thanks to those that reviewed so fast, you're peaches for sticking with my terrible butt - hope this chapter isn't a let down for you.
If you're new, feel free to say high ;)
He's not dead. He's not dead.
Boomer swallows down air as he stumbles into the soft dust underneath his feet, fingers clenching into his knees as his body shakes and eyes leak. Butch – he can't be gone, he just can't - if Butch is dead then – then who's next? What if Brick went next? What would he do then? All alone – miserable – why? Just the thought of losing his brothers –
His chest seems to be shrinking – he can't draw in enough breathe, Brick's going to blame himself – Boomer doesn't know what he's supposed to do about it. What can I do? Tears stream down his face, he cries too easily, he sniffs hard – head vibrating as he swipes his fist under his nose.
Butch can't be dead.
"Boomer?"
The soft tone of his name startles him. Boomer hiccups and swallows down a sob that was hiking itself up his throat and nearly chokes on it as he sniffs and scrubs at his dripping face.
Bubbles big blue eyes, amidst the chaos rushing around them, people screaming at each other and running around to prepare for leaving – she's glowing and soft and serene. Eyes wide and glittering, her tears like sparkly water against the sky.
"Oh – Boomer." She covers her mouth and sinks down in front of him, reaching a hand for his, no doubt dirty, wet face. "I'm so sorry – we – I couldn't ever imagine if my sister had . . ." She shudders and grasps him into a tight hug.
Boomer's face scrunches up in and ugly painful way and his nose stings as a fresh new sob escapes him and into her small shoulder.
"He can't be dead Bubbles. He really - he really can't be. What – what are we supposed to do about Butch and – "
"Shhh, Shh – I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I don't know what else to say I'm just – "She's crying with him. She feels his pain. And Boomer wishes he could stop feeling this horrible strangling pressure in his chest - his heart feels as if it's about to explode.
"I don't know what to do." He whispers, voice cracking.
Whatever Bubbles was about to say is lost when someone blows the warning signal.
The cacophony that Boomer didn't consciously recognize was happening until it stopped – freezes up and the entire Haven suddenly stops breathing.
"What – "Bubbles pulls away, sniffs and wipes at her delicate pale cheeks.
"Zombieeeeeees!"
Boomers heart flips. Bubbles chokes on a gas and is on her feet dragging him with her. His pain gives way to panic and it's an incredibly painful transition as adrenaline and fear suddenly fill him up.
"No! No, how can that be?" Bubble's says, frantically searching for someone to answer her.
"They're here?"
"How the hell?!"
"I DON'T KNOW – "
"Mike, what's going on?!" Robin runs past them, brown hair streaming as she shouts up to Mike who's on the lookout wall.
He turns wide eyes to the panicking people below. "They're here – and – there's thousands."
The people of Haven have all frozen in fear simultaneously for one full moment before it explodes in screams and scattered groups and shouting commands.
"Professor!" Bubbles shrieks.
Boomer can't keep up as his brain flies back to the tent where he's left his brothers –
"Get into formation! Everyone move! We are under attack! I repeat, we are under attack!" Professors voice shouts above everyone through a device that amplifies his voice and makes it sound an octave higher and muffled.
Boomer winces as he sees a flash of red hair stream past them, "You heard the professor, I want formations on each sector, arm your selves from north to south, get the defenses ready, groups with people of ten in each. Move it people we don't have time to panic!" Blossom commands after everyone and people rush to do as she says.
"Keep calm!" She throws in for good measure.
Boomers not calm. He is the opposite of calm. He is most definitely un-calm.
"Bubbles, I want you on the south wall, where's Buttercup?" Blossom shouts to her youngest sister.
"Over here leader girl – hang on a second. Move it ya bunch of snail sucking slowpokes!" Buttercups voice is raw and her eyes bloodshot Boomer suspects she was crying a mere moment ago.
"Get to the west. I'll head north – Robin take east – everyone else. Split up!" Blossom commands.
Boomer doesn't know what happens but somehow he ends up with a gun in his hand and in a group that consists of Robin and Mike and a few others he can't name.
"Aim between their eyes." Mike growls beside him.
Boomer climbs up the wall next to him, hands shaking and then he sees it.
Robin gasps and Mike lowers his gun for a moment.
"Do you see – "Robin whispers in horror.
Boomer can't fathom it. The zombies – they move like people, like they – they were people at one point but – they didn't move like them before – what's happened? The sounds they make are louder, they move faster, they hiss, their eyes glow a menacing living yellow. Boomer swallows down bile.
"We have to kill them. Before they get to us." Mike sounds sever.
Robin gags and aims.
"Fire!" Someone shrieks and the Haven is an echo of explosions and screeches and curses as a rain of metal falls and hits targets that mostly get back up.
"Shit, they ain't dyin'!" Mike shouts.
Boomer shoots one right in the eye. It screeches and starts – starts climbing its fellow Zombie – oh god. Boomer gasps as more people shoot.
"Oh my – they're – they're climbing! Each other?!" Robin voices their thoughts.
"Shoot them dead! Where's the fire!" Mike demands.
Boomer doesn't have time to look because suddenly a flaming ball of something goes flying over the walls and down into the mass of grey Zombies below. They catch fire and the screeches were worse than before, the Zombies go crazy and the scuttle like vermin as they catch fire.
Boomer's blue eyes reflect the flames as more fly over and land. Zombies are burning. People are shooting guns and fire in desperation, the air is filled with the arid smell of flesh burning and the screeching of the burning creatures below. Boomers stomach turns.
More fire flies over. The Zombies continue to stake up despite the flames eating them.
Boomer shoots at another attempted tower. It goes careening backwards into a started fire circle.
"Take them all out!" Someone shouts. The air turns red, black smoke starts mixing with the mass of Zombies and flames below.
It seems like they have the upper hand for a moment until – a scream, a human scream fills the air.
"They breeched the east wall!"
"No!"
Boomer panics, he turns and sees the people in their desperate attempt to kill the east invaders. Then the unthinkable happens.
The Zombies start throwing flames back!
Boomer gasps and dodges a hefty ball of fire as a Zombie screams and throws it with unbelievable force right back over the walls.
Boomer turns and sees it happen in slow motion as the other Zombies catch on. Like a flying ring of fire – the zombies form a circle and throw all at once.
People scream and scatter.
The Haven is suddenly divided and bursts into flames.
Children and women below, out of the fighting, suddenly are running out of houses in desperate attempt to save the people on fire and to turn off the catching heat.
"Boomer!" Robin shouts a second too late.
Boomer lets out a scream as a deathly tight grip suddenly snatches his ankle and pulls. "No!" He's yanked backwards over the safety rail of the wall.
"Boomer hang on!" Mike calls and shoots at the Zombies that have somehow made it up.
"Let go! Let – "Boomer wheezes smoke getting into his lungs as he kicks at the Zombie holding on to him. The thing grips harder, his lungs freeze with fear and black smoke as it suddenly hauls itself up his body, it's cold and its eyes burn into his. Boomer's brain spins as he gasps for air and kicks harder.
"You are next."
His body goes numb in shock.
Did – did that – did this Zombie just – just – speak?
It hisses, rasps a horrendous laugh that Boomer is sure will haunt his nightmare forever as its wrinkly decaying grey skinned face scrunches up and he can see the lump of purple flesh that should be its tongue inside. Teeth sharp and claws ready.
"Smell like fear." And it claws at him as Boomer lets out a scream and a gunshot explodes far too close for comfort as the Zombies head is blow off in an explosion of tissue and bone, Boomers face gets hit first with the gunk and the body clutches at his body and falls, scratching through his shirt sleeve and taking a terrifying gash out of his arm.
"Boomer, oh my god, Boomer, stay with me here – Boomer?!"
"It - it spoke – it spoke!" Boomers brain is shutting down, he suddenly feels really light as they drag him back over the railing, gun shots still ring in the air, flames eating everything up both in and out of the walls. Mike's face is blurry, voices warbled.
"It's spoke, it spoke, it spoke – "Boomer can't feel his body, his head is detached and he sees the red gashes of the Zombies claws in his arm . . .it got him – he's – he's going to be infected . . . wasn't he?
Funny – somehow, amidst all of this, he really can't find it in himself to care as spots swim in his vision and his throat feels raw -
They're all going to die anyway.
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