Hey guys! Sorry for the long delay. Since it's been such a long time since I've updated, I had two chapters ready for you, my special treat! :]

Enjoy~

CHAPTER 5: What the Tank

We were sitting on a bench, the night air hanging around us like steam after a hot shower. I was hunched over, elbows on my knees, brown hair in my face. You had no idea how much I wanted society back.

I sighed deeply, partially forgetting Ellis - who sat beside me, twiddling his thumbs.

"Holls we need to go find that safe house," Ellis said, his voice startling in the quiet stillness of night. I cringed slightly. He raised an eyebrow at me.

I looked at him with my head cocked to the side and said, "You just scared me a little."

Ellis smiled lightly and patted my back. I looked off to my right and rose slowly. There were still zombies around - of that I was positive - but at the moment, we'd just have to go find a place to chill out. There was no safe house anywhere close, none that we could find at least. I looked at Ellis and helped him up.

"Let's go," I said quietly, looking into his soft blue eyes. He nodded. I smiled at him and pulled him along, weaving through the food court tables. After a while of running and dodging the zombie hotspots we reached a long, open clearing of pavement - a perfect battlefield for the undead.

"This doesn't look so good," I spoke softly to myself, eyes scanning the distance.

It was like someone rang the dinner bell or something. A Tank came crashing over shacks and roaring, the nauseating scent of rotting flesh filling my nostrils. I glanced at Ellis quickly before reaching for my shotgun. He grabbed my arm and was running at what seemed Mach 5.

The booming roars and yells of the Tank were becoming louder and louder as he closed in on us, careening into benches and tables as Ellis and I bolted through the outside dining areas.

"We're sandwiched," I groaned. The Tank wasn't very far behind.

I looked at the big container blocking our path, and Ellis was jumpy. "Fuck, do somethin'!" He shrieked.

I climbed atop the container, and pulled Ellis up with me. The Tank slammed against it, sending us toppling over the other side and landing in a jumbled heap of each other's limbs on the other side. We quickly separated ourselves and saw a shadow casting over our heads - the container was tipping over. We both leapt forwards, quickly dodging an unfortunate death.

But we were in plain sight of the Tank.

It charged at us, and we scrambled to our feet, running. I swear I could hear the dramatic music playing in the background of all this.

"Right! Take a right!" I shouted, diving right and turning behind a shack which was a Dart Throw booth.

"You been doin' them 5ks or somethin'?" he panted, struggling to keep up with my steadily quick pace. I shook my head, our rapid breaths a cacophony of pure fear.

"How do we shake him?" I asked, running out of options fast, the Tank still hot on our asses.

Ellis grunted, pulling me left into a building and racing up the stairs, hoping they were small enough that the Tank couldn't fit through. His hopes prevailed as we reached the top of the building, but zombies quickly caught on and began to filter onto the rooftop, dashing mercilessly at us.

"Damn this," I hissed, smacking my pistol as a bullet lodged in the barrel. Just as the satisfying click sounded from my gun, an undead fuck lunged toward me, teeth yellow with blood stains as it seemed to grin malevolently at me. Quickly reacting, I pulled the trigger as it came within inches of me. It screeched as its skull splintered into its brains, a rotten mush lightly coating my skin which seemed to crawl at the slimy explosion.

"Ellis, they just keep coming, and I need ammo."

"Follow me," Ellis ordered and I speedily chased after him. I began to wonder if he was the one running 5ks. Through a maze of stairs and trying to keep my balance going down the flights two steps at a time, I had a hard time keeping an eye on him. He was about ten strides ahead of me.

The air smelt like dust, and as we descended into a darker abyss, it began to smell like damp cloth.

"Ellis…?" I started quietly, the ambient sound of dripping water echoing around us. I turned my head left and right, trying to scan the area in the complete darkness.

I suddenly felt a pair of hands clamp over my mouth, and I screamed so hard I thought my throat sizzled into nothing. "Easy," Ellis cooed, hands sliding down my neck and resting on my shoulders. I felt his warm breath on my neck. It was comforting.

"You scared the fucking shit out of me, Elle." I breathed, turning slightly. I still couldn't see anything. A light flashed in my face in a quick second, blinding me momentarily. Ellis was smirking in the background, light held up to his cheek and pointing at me. "Keep the flashlight low, if you hear anythin' like moans or splashes 'n shit other than us, quickly scan the waterway. If the light goes out on us, we'll have to feel along the walls."

I rolled my eyes. Of course he'd make us do some Indiana Jones type shit. I just wanted to meet up with Rochelle and Nick and Coach. I knew Ellis would do his damnedest protect me, but if he died… Well, I'd be left on my own.

We started down the waterway, softly splashing our way around. Hopefully this wasn't going to be long. From the pang in my gut (although, it might've just been hunger), I felt we were close to the safe house.

"How long is this thing?" I whispered.

"Prolly a little more and we be outside again, just in another section of the carnival."

I blinked a few times and kept my eyes on the path ahead of me. Then I heard a moan.

"Ellis, did you just moan?" I asked, eyebrows furrowed as I lowered my gun a tad.

"Negatory." he replied.

I felt a cold shiver race up my spine as I quickly scanned the waterway like he told me earlier. Holy fuck, I thought in a sudden rush. There was a whole horde of infected right behind us, trudging at a snail's pace.

"Shit!" I hissed as I reached for his arm, and before I could react they started snarling. Ellis swatted me on my shoulder and we were running as fast as we could without tripping and falling into the stagnant water.

I wasted all of my ammunition by the time we reached the surface.