Eating

Chapter 4

The supermarket door opened as Tails dragged his filled shopping bag to Amy, Knuckles and Rouge who waited in the street outside of the supermarket entrance with all the other bags of supplies they had salvaged.

'What's taking Sonic so long, we need to keep moving' Knuckles complained folding his arms.

'He told us we're leaving, where is he?' Amy pondered then turned to Knuckles, he looked annoyed but also worried as he kept very aware of the surroundings.

'Knuckles…?'She asked.

'Something is wrong' he stated scanning the rooftops.

'What do you mean?'

He paused for a second.

'I dunno...'

Amy pulled a quizzical face at him.

'Rouge, help me with this bag please' Tails asked and Rouge walked over to help him with the weight of the bag.

'How much do you want Tails, I mean C'mon this is ridiculous' Rouge scolded.

'I know, sorry' The little fox apologised.

Amy was now very concerned, Sonic had been gone quite some time. Knuckles then turned to her.

'Did anyone notice that these doors weren't working when we first went in' he pointed out as they closed behind Rouge and Tails.

Amy's eyes widened as she realised.

'Oh my god…'

Meanwhile, Shadow and Cream continued to walk down the empty back alley until they got to a tall fence blocking their way. Shadow tried opening the chained door on the fence.

'Give me a second, I'll get this open' He said as he pulled out his combat knife and started cutting through the wire fence.

Cream started walking about the alley in boredom.

'Stay close Cream' Shadow's tone sounded like a parent talking to a child.

Cream observed the old posters that had been put on the walls next to random spots of graffiti. The posters we're tatted and torn but you could just make out the advert it portrayed. Then a sound caught Creams attention, a faint murmuring coming from a couple of trash cans next to the posters.

'Cream c'mon. I've nearly got this open'

She knew she shouldn't but curiosity made her peer over bins to find out what is was. She peered down to find a little chao murmuring in sleep. Cream smiled as she watched the chao stir.

'Shadow, Shadow look what I've found!' she called.

'What?' Shadow asked as he continued cutting at the fence door.

Cream moved the bins and picked up the chao and started walking back to Shadow.

'Aww look at you' she cooed.

'You look just like Cheese, don't you'

Shadow put his knife away and turned to Cream holding the chao in her arms.

'Is that a chao… where did you find it?' Shadow quizzed

'Over by those bins, it was just sleeping, isn't he cute can I keep him please?' she asked like kid that's found a stray dog.

'Err… I don't know…' just then the chao woke up its eyes a washed over colour of grey lifelessness.

Shadow's eyes widened as he saw the infection in the chao

'Cream drop the chao!' Shadow bellowed as he reached for his side arm. But Shadow was not quick enough, the chao snarled and bit down fiercely into Creams arm.

Cream screamed in agony as the chaos teeth sunk into her flesh.

In one powerful swipe, Shadow punched the chao off of Creams arm and shot it repeatedly until it ceased to breathe.

Shadow put his pistol away and quickly turned to Cream, her face was pale and she started shaking in shock. Shadow caught her as she fell and brought her into his arms. She whimpered as the pain pierced through her and her blood ran down her arm and onto her dress.

Shadow started to panic thinking of what to do, he pulled out the cloth from the bottom of his pistol holster and pressed it down on to Creams arm. He rocked her back and forth as he tried to stop the bleeding.

'Shsh… don't worry its okay' he said trying to comfort her. Now what was he going to do, with Cream infected it was inevitable she was going to die.

'I'm sorry… c'mon hang in there Cream' Guilt setting in.

'I should've kept my eye on her' he thought to himself

'I'm so sorry Cream' he started crying and both his tears and hers fell on her bloodstained dress.

Then his heart skipped as he heard a familiar groaning coming from down the alleyway.

'Oh shit' Shadow saw a horde of the infected coming towards them and he still wasn't through the fence.

He placed Cream up against the fence and got out his knife and continued sawing and cutting at the fence but no luck. He turned his head to see the horde getting closer.

'Fuck…' he cursed and pulled out his pistol.

He shot at the lock but it was still shut fast.

'Arrgh c'mon…!' Shadow growled infuriated as he shook the lock in his hands.

He swivelled his head again to check where the zombies where, they were only a few metres from them.

Cream began crying.

'Shadow… help!' she cried as she watched the monstrosities slowly advance towards her.

'Help… can anyone hear me we're trapped… Help!' Shadow called out trying to get anyone's attention.

The silence dawned the only options Shadow had. He pulled out his red chaos emerald and held it with his pistol thinking what to do. He can either chaos control away and live but leave poor Cream behind even if she is infected, or he could finish both their lives and escape this hell they must endure.

An infected bent down and started grabbing at Cream on the floor.

'Shadow… please save us!' she screamed in fear.

An infected also grabbed his shoulders and bared its teeth to bite Shadow.

'No!' he rammed his elbow into the infected and shoved the pistol into its mouth.

'Fuck off…' he boomed and fired into the zombies throat, a fountain of blood erupted as the top half of the zombies head popped into the air. Switching into combat mode, Shadow charged for the infected attacking Cream.

Cream struggled to get free from the zombies claws as she kicked out furiously. Shadow approached her and leapt into the air. She watched in awe as his boot collided with the zombies jaw with an almighty crunch. Shadow landed and hammered his fist into another zombie on top of Cream then fired his pistol at the on coming horde.

Shadow continued to rip into the huge crowd of infected like a machine, he was not going to let Cream die, not here. He slid the ammo clip out from the bottom of his trusty pistol to find only four rounds left in the cartridge.

'Damn it, looks like it's going to get messy then…' he traded his pistol for his knife and started tearing through flesh and rotten organs keeping the dead at bay from Cream.

Cream watched in horror as entrails were thrown into the air to splash over the concrete floor. Her head spun as her vision hazed. Everything became a blur until she slumped onto her back. Her breathing increased and her fingers cringed in pain as the infection worked its way through her fragile body.

'Shadow!' she shrieked in fright.

Shadow suddenly stopped his onslaught and turned to Cream. It was happening.

Shadow's heart sunk as he watched Cream twitch in a fit as she mutated, her cries becoming gargled as blood spluttered from her mouth.

'No Cream ju-' Shadow fell as the horde dragged him to the ground. Shadow grew infuriated as things started to go from bad to worse.

'Mommy!' Cream continued to cry out her skin turning a disturbingly pale shade.

Shadow desperately batted the deformed faces with his fists that surrounded him. He looked to find the infected now clawing at Cream like animals.

'Shadow, help they're on me!' she cried her voice growing weak.

'Oh god please…' Shadow now exhausted couldn't go on much longer fending of these monstrosities. With a deafening crack, the fence door flung open with a dark figure standing in its wake. Shadow watched as the being holding a large shotgun stepped into the chaos.

'Help her, save the girl!' Shadow ordered pointing to Cream being attacked by many infected. The figure disregarded Shadow's wish and shot the zombies off Shadow and grabbed hold Shadow's wrist.

'No…' Shadow knew what this person was going to do as he started dragging Shadow out from underneath the pit of zombies.

'No… save her, save Cream, what are you doing!' Shadow protested, but the saviour continued through the fence door and closed it behind him.

'You fucking idiot…' Shadow broke free from the person then looked up to find a stocky male bloodhound suited in a police uniform.

Shadow bewildered stared into the officer who donned a badge with the sergant chevrons.

'I'm sorry, there was nothing you or I could do for her…' he said coldly.

'How the fuck do you know that!' Shadow spat back. Shadow could feel himself slipping slowly into morbid despair. It was rare to find Shadow like this, his tears fell as he started to lose control.

Creams bloodied hand grabbed hold of the wire fence.

'Cream!' Shadow exclaimed as he knelt down and took her hand and held it tightly.

Shadow couldn't see Cream at all through the amount of zombies piled on her, but her distorted cries and sobs were clearly audible.

'Cream, forgive me… I didn't want this to happen, I'm so sorry' Shadow wept as he held her hand, the sound of clothing ripping echoed down the alley.

'Why…why you…' Shadow choked as he buried his head into his free hand. Then crunch. Cream let out the most blood curdling scream Shadow had ever heard. The infected were now making their way through her flesh as she continued to scream. Her hand shook violently in Shadow's, he watched as the blood spattered up her arm and on to his gloved hand. His face dropped in shock, it was becoming too much to bare. He couldn't imagine what she must be going through.

The sergeant walked over to Shadow and sympathetically put his hand on his shoulder. Shadow looked up to the dog's solemn face.

'Don't put her through more…' his voice soft but commanding at the same time. He let go of Shadow's shoulder and took a few steps away.

Taking in these words, Shadow reached for his pistol. He took a deep breath and pulled on Creams arm until her head and torso was clear from the monsters. She lay there face down, clothes torn and blood drenched.

She mustered the energy to peer up to Shadow, her face mutilated and battered it was difficult to recognise it was Cream. Still holding her hand he aimed the gun to her head, his face racked with sorrow. He is never going to forgive him self from this, but it needs to be done.

Bang. Creams hand fell limp in Shadow's. Shadow's mind seemed to stop working as he froze on the spot. The zombies quickly dragged Creams body away in to their midst.

'I'm very sorry for your loss…' The sergant said from his pulled down police hat. Shadow remained as he was.

'…you did everything you could for her…' The officer offered his hand to Shadow.

Hi everyone, another chapter, hope you enjoy remember to R&R

And sorry to the Cream fans...

Yours El t0mm1e