Monster

I still don't own Left 4 Dead 2. D:

Review for free mini Hunter pets!

Review Corner-

gagoze: *eats review seasonings* Thanks for your support! I agree, Hunter!Ellis is awesome!

Harry-Flashman: NAILED IT! *PewDiePie reference* Yeah, I'm sorry... I didn't make it too clear, did I? I'll try!

Three

Ellis' eyes were glowing pale orange, once scabbed-over scratches around them freshly open and bleeding. He growled warningly.

"Ellis!" I gasped, tears of happiness spilling over. He blinked, then stood like a normal person.

"Ro?" he rasped, obviously unsure about speech. "Ro!" He dove forwards, claws catching on my shirt, hugging me tightly.

"Ellis?" Nick dropped the gun, jogging over to us. Coach walked up behind him.

"Boy, that ain't you, is it?" Coach was dubious, his dark eyes staring suspiciously at Ellis' own orange ones.

"Y-yeah..." Ellis was standing strangely, favoring his left leg, one arm wrapped around his stomach. Blood was thick on his torso, his tee glistening a dark red, almost black in the dim light.

"Are you alright?" I asked worriedly.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Ellis replied distantly. I cocked my head in question.

"Who's blood is that?" I pointed at the crimson liquid staining his clothes.

"Oh, this? It's th'Tank's," Ellis answered casually, not meeting my eyes. I decided to take the matter up later, when we were safe.

"Where do we go?" Nick spoke up, breaking the tense silence.

"Uh, do we need t'go back where we came from? Or did somethin' happen which made y'all leave?" Ellis asked.

"We can't return," Nick snapped.

"What? Why?" Ellis was confused.

"Because we were nearly killed back there, sweetie, and we all will if we return. They're also looking for you," I added. Ellis' head swiveled so he was looking at me. There was some sort of raw, almost hunted look flickering in his eyes. My eyebrows knitted together.

"Why?" His voice was hoarse.

"I don't know, something about 'Alpha Strain One', or something..." I trailed off to think.

"Model-Alpha Strain-Eight One?" Ellis whispered. I nodded. His eyes darkened more, and they now looked deeply disturbed; haunted, even. I shot looks at Nick and Coach. They saw and nodded, registering my plea, and began speaking.

"Ah'm hungry." Ellis looked up at Coach, who had spoken. Nick glared at him, unsure of how to answer.

"Uh... Let's go find some food...?" he falteringly continued Coach's statement. Ellis seemed happy enough, and followed as we began moving slowly through the night.

-Monster-Monster-Monster-Monster-

I couldn't stop worrying about Ellis. He limped with every step, and his arm was still held tightly around his stomach.

"Here," Coach called, beckoning to us from a lit cabin. "The door's reinforced, and there's food, too. Let's go!" We hurried in, and he barred the door securely behind us.

"How did we get here?" Nick panted.

"What... do you mean?" I gave a wheezy reply.

"As in... here," Nick paused, searching for words to use. "Where are we? It's not like CEDA took us back to the camp." I slid down the wall, wiping my forehead. The humid heat made it worse; my clothes stuck to my skin, making me uncomfortable. Ellis flopped down like a dog, panting heavily. He dropped his head down, and closed his eyes. Within seconds, his breathing had slowed and he was asleep. Coach was preparing food nearby, and Nick had found a broken coffee machine and was attempting to revive it. I crawled over to Ellis. Lifting his arm off his stomach, I wiped the blood off the limb with a rag. There were no cuts on the skin there. I frowned, moving my gaze to his shirt, which was dark with blood over his stomach. I gingerly lifted the once-yellow shirt hem, eyes widening when I saw the source of the bleeding. Bullet holes riddled his stomach, and judging by the lack of blood at his back, they were still inside him somewhere. I cried out. Nick paused from what he was doing to look at me. Coach stopped adding sauces to the meat he was preparing.

"Guys...!" My voice rose in pitch as I began to panic. The two men stepped towards me, concerned.

"Ro?" Nick cocked his head. "Are you alright?" I shook my head numbly, raising one shaking hand to point at Ellis' curled form.

"H-he's been shot," I stammered, "I don't know what by..." Nick froze.

"It was me," he gasped, his face taking on a ghostly pallor. I turned to him, shocked.

"What?" I hissed, more confused than angry. "Why would you-"

"Look, it was an accident!" Nick snapped, running his ring-adorned hands through his hair. "I didn't do it on purpose - it must've been when I was shooting that Tank. I'm sorry."

"Tank," I echoed quietly.

"Baby girl," Coach's deep voice comforted my frantic thoughts.

"I- I don't-" I stuttered, but Coach pulled me in for a hug and patted my back soothingly. I would've been comforted if it weren't for the fact that Nick was standing over Ellis with a look if pure grief, as if the kid was already dead. Maybe he was. I just didn't know.

-Monster-Monster-Monster-Monster-

"C'mon. Lets find a med kit and heal the young'un," Coach suggested. I nodded tearfully, avoided Nick's gaze. He'd apologized already, but for some reason I couldn't forgive him. Why couldn't he have aimed better? I shook my head, knowing it wasn't his fault. If the Tank hadn't been there, we would all be fine... But, then again, Ellis wouldn't have found us either.

"Where are we, anyway?" Nick's voice sounded hoarse.

"Well, we're in a swamp," Coach began. "We're in the south of Savannah. Near South Carolina, in fact. The Savannah River is only a mile or two away, there might be a boat we can take to escape.

"We don't have much time; what with the young'un in this condition and CEDA searching for us. We have to go now. Are y'all ready?"

"Yeah," Nick answered immediately. I looked down at my boots; at the thick brown mud caked onto the soles. I didn't want to get covered in mud. But then I looked at Ellis; curled up, shivering and bleeding to death, and I was determined. I looked up at Coach, a new fire burning in my eyes. I was ready.

"Let's go."