Select Few

Chapter 3: Choice

Disclaimer: Do we really have to write this every chapter? I would have thought the first time made it abundantly clear their not mine.

Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror/Angst

Warnings: Okay this is a dark story, might be why it's M huh. There will be character deaths so don't read if you don't want that. Hmmm…What else? Oh yeah loads of violence.

Pairings: This is NOT a romance story but there will be Troy X Gabriella through the whole story and Chad X Taylor at the beginning.

Summary: Earth is attacked and the only survivors are prisoners to the beings that took it. Can they survive everything that comes there way? Will they want to? Troy centered. Troyella. Troy Chad Friendship.

Here's another chapter…I really should be reading my book but this is so much more fun. Thanks to those of you who reviewed. Hope you enjoy!

Chad and Taylor were mumbling soft words to each other as Chad cradled her in his strong arms. They sat on the stage with their legs dangling over the edge swinging gently in nervous tension. The room was warm do to the air being shut off over the extended weekend. The warmth was comforting however, masking the fear that they should be feeling, making it so that even if for a second they can feel safe.

The moment didn't last though. The door opened with a soft squeal and a bang against the wall. Taylor gave a soft squeak and Chad held Taylor tight hoping against hope that it was Troy and not a monster, not yet.

Troy managed to stumble through the door before he again fell to his knees. Rocking back he curled into a tight ball and tugged at his hair as sobs ripped from his chest, pulled from his very soul.

Chad and Taylor sat frozen for a second before clumsily jumping the short drop to the ground and making there way to their fallen friend. As they neared his shaking form Taylor froze.

From their short distance she could make out the crimson blood that had sprayed over him. She knew what he was going to do but as she looked at what was her best friend's blood reality hit hard. The worst part was that even though she knew why Troy had to do it she couldn't help hate him, want to hurt him for taking her best friend away.

Chad took another step closer before Taylor pushed past him and shoved Troy out of his curled position. He whimpered and closed his eyes tight as he was ripped from the safety of his tiny ball. Chad could just stand a watch as Taylor grabbed Troy by the shirt and held him against the wall. Her dark eyes burned with furry and her face was scrunched up in pain.

"How could you?" she accused in a barely controlled voice.

Troy looked lost, his eyes a strange blue, he simply looked broken. Troy searched for his friends eyes for a moment before locking his brilliant ones with Chad's. They were off and hurt to look at but Chad knew that he had to hold them, that Troy was using his strength to hold himself together.

"I promised," Troy said in a broken voice keeping his tear filled eyes locked with Chad's. Chad couldn't help the tears that spilled down his dark cheeks as he stood frozen. He wanted to run up there and tell Taylor to leave him alone but he needed to hear the answers as much as she did.

"So what?!" Taylor screamed and she pushed him harder against the wall. "Ryan promised Sharpay too but I'd bet anything that they are both still alive and well, crying in each others arms. I didn't think you were this much of a monster." As soon as the last word fell from her lips she wanted to pull it back. She was no longer angry and felt terrible for what she had just said.

Troy pushed her arms away from him and backed up into the closed door. He wrapped his arms around himself and hugged his body wishing he could simply melt into nothing. Tears poured hot down his cheeks as he tried to talk through the sobs.

"I couldn't let them take her! I did what I had to do! I didn't want…" His knees gave out beneath him and he collapsed on all fours as dry heaves ripped from his stomach at the thought of what he had done.

Chad pushed past Taylor making a soft warning growl in the back of his throat. Taylor took a couple of steps back and looked down ashamed. Chad dropped down next to the convulsing form of his friend. He gently laid a hand on his back and began to rub soothing circle through the thin material of his shirt.

After a few more seconds of bringing nothing up Troy rocked back against Chad's chest. Chad hesitated before running his hand, that wasn't supporting Troy's weight, through his hair. Troy's soft brown hair was damp from the rain and slightly sticky from what Chad knew was blood. For some reason the blood didn't bother Chad, he just needed to try and console his friend.

"I didn't want to…" Troy mumbled over and over as soft sobs pulled from deep in his chest. Chad gently rocked his broken friend in his arms mumble soothing nonsense in his ear.

After a few more long moments of Troy's sobs and Chad's soft words Troy began to calm down. He stayed in Chad embrace though, neither boy wanting to let go. They were like brother and being this close was comforting almost making them forget everything, almost.

A sharp clap of thunder made all three teens jump and look around with round fearful eyes. Reality came back hard and they all scrambled to there feet and towards the stage. Chad grabbed Taylor's hand and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek before blindly reaching out and grabbing Troy's in a tight grip. Screw the fact that he was holding another mans hand. They both needed it for the moment.

Six cherry red metal doors all slammed open at the same time ripping them from their hinges with a sharp painful noise. Ten creatures piled into the room at once. Three slid in in their catlike form from each of the side doors and four walking erect from the main entrance.

"Hello children," the one that must have been the leader said in a silky voice. He was the one that had killed the camera man, his sharp features and long black hair where unmistakable.

"Is this your friend?" he asked kindly as he made a careless gesture with his wrist. One of the other creatures next to him heaved something down the isle and let it land with a squishy thump before the trembling teens.

It took a second for there minds to process what lay before them. In a bloody heap a mangled lump of what had to be at one point a human lay before them. Bite marks where clearly covering the entire body and the human's innards poured out on the floor staining the carpet in a slimy, bloody, mess.

The worst part of the whole scene was the mutilated body's face. It was left completely untouched preserving the pained scream that twisted the small mouth and the terror forever locked within the dark depths of the expressive eyes.

Taylor squeaked and buried her face in Chad's shoulder as Chad turned away. Troy couldn't help but stare at the youth's desecrated body. This is what his fate was, screaming as these monsters ripped him to bits, spilled out his innards, and feasted on his flesh.

Just as they had done with Ryan.

"I'll take that as a yes," the being said pleased as he again made a gesture with his hand. "This little beauty was found huddled with this man both crying their pretty little eyes out."

Sharpay was roughly shoved forward falling hard to her knees before her brother. She closed her eyes and sobbed as she shook her head back and forth. Her mascara was streaming down her face with her tears and was already smudged around her eyes making her look tired and old.

"Sharpay," Troy breathed towards the unresponsive girl. The leader's eyes narrowed towards Troy and he took long graceful steps down the isle until he was just before him.

Grabbing Troy's chin between two long rough fingers he moved Troy's head from side to side looking closely as one might do when inspecting a piece of fine art they were about to purchase.

The monster made a pleased noise in the back of his throat and smiled as eerie smile that made Troy tremble. "I have not seen a male of your caliber in a long time. Not only beautiful but smart and…" The being stuck his long pink tongue out and licked down Troy's jaw line, tasting the blood that had splattered there.

The monsters eyes widened as he got a good taste of the blood, a familiar taste. His face twisted into an unreadable expression as his mouth twisted into a sharp dangerous smile showing his sharp pristine white teeth.

"You killed her," he said in a pleased tone and then he laughed swatting his wrist again. Troy's heart sunk to his stomach as he was shoved forward to meet face to face with a very alive Gabriella.

"No," he whispered as he looked over her flawless beautiful body. It hadn't worked they were going to take her, he had failed.

"Troy," she whimpered and tears rolled down her smooth cheeks.

"This is so exciding!" the monster cried clapping his hands in glee. He grabbed Troy by the hand and spun him around to face all of the others in the room.

"This one," he began, "I will take with us. I will train him as we would a child and with the gene therapy that is nearing perfection he will be the first to be successfully turned."

Troy wrenched his hand from the beast's tight grip, what did he have to lose at this point. "I will never go with you monsters!" he spat.

The surrounding beasts laughed at his words and all nodded in approval. Apparently his brave works only seemed to convince them more of the fact that he was the one to take.

"I don't need you fighting the whole way. What would it take to make you cooperate?" the leader's voice was bored and calm.

"Let my friends go free, bring Ryan back to life, and leave the planet with the living left to pick up the pieces." Troy swallowed and looked away, "Then I will willingly go with you."

The creature laughed at Troy and looked down at him fondly, "At lease you thought that through, but I can't do that. First I made a promise to the people of Earth to kill them all, second," he ran a finger fondly down Gabriella's face, "she is much to pretty not to mate, and finally your not that important.

"I'll give you a choice though," he made another motion with his hand and two beasts came from behind and grabbed hold of Taylor and Chad, "You can pick which one comes with you. If you screw up we not only hurt you but them too. This will insure your cooperation and also let one of you friends live."

"As a prisoner," Troy spat. What would it matter who he picked one would die now and the other would have to live the rest of there life a prisoner, a punching bag to keep Troy in line.

"You my treasure," the man said fondly running a knuckle down Troy's cheek, "will be my guest, not a prisoner, and so long as you obey my command your friend will be unharmed."

The beast smiled and said, "Your pick on whole lives…the boy or the girl."

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