(This… I don't even. XD I was thinking about a campaign I did the other night, and it just sort of… came to me. I hope you enjoy, lovely readers. I lol'd the entire time I was writing it. And yes, I stole an Ellis story. Don't sue me, please. ^^ Oh, language. That's what this is rated for. Yup.)
They really should have known better than to stop. The rain was coming down harder and harder with each passing minute, and it wasn't going to make the rest of their journey any easier to waste their time when they should have called the elevator and already been on their way. But that last Hunter had done a number on Coach, and after clearing out the few common infected wandering around, it had seemed like a safe enough spot to recuperate briefly.
While Rochelle broke out the Med kit and set to work bandaging Coach's wounds, Ellis poked around to see if there were any supplies to be found, keeping an eye on the stairs in case any of the infected they had missed tried to follow them. Nick just slid down the wall and leaned his head back, taking advantage of the break to rest for a few minutes.
"Hey, pipe bombs!" crowed Ellis, scooping them up and shoving one into his pocket, bringing the other back to the group. Nick still had a Molotov, but Rochelle or Coach would be able to carry the other explosive. Considering the steadily-increasing rain, they were probably going to need it. Ellis leaned out slightly and studied the field of sugarcane, whistling softly.
"I ain't never been in no sugarcane field before. I mean I seen them and all, but no real reason t'go int' one. But now if y'go int'a peach grove y'find all sorts'a of cool shit." The faint sobs of a witch from the thick-growing vegetation below sent a faint shudder through the group. "But I don' think there's anythin' cool down there…"
Rochelle muttered an agreement while Coach grumbled about the tightly-wound bandages. The usual sarcastic response from Nick was noticeably absent, and Ellis glanced at him worriedly. The faint, soft snore that rose up from the conman's parted lips made him grin. "Maybe Nick should nap when we stop more often," said Rochelle with a faint smirk. "He's much more tolerable like this."
Coach grunted, a faint smile twitching at his lips despite the pain. "Yeah, silent."
Ellis had to admit that Nick could try on anyone's nerves, even his. But he kind of liked the man now, enjoyed the sarcastic spin he could put on almost any situation. "C'mon, guys, he ain't that bad," defended Ellis half-heartedly. The sudden sob of a Witch kept Rochelle from making a snappy comeback about just how bad Nick actually was. This one sounded much closer than the other one that they had heard in the field.
"Did that bitch follow us up the stairs?" hissed Coach, struggling to his feet, grabbing his shotgun. Rochelle looked slightly ill as a second set of wails joined the first, alerting them to the impending danger. Suddenly their little safe haven didn't seem so safe.
"Maybe they'll turn around an' go back if we're really quiet," whispered Ellis, clutching his rifle tightly, watching the stairs for any sign of the approaching infected. Another soft snore from Nick made the other three Survivors jump.
"Wake that boy up," snapped Coach, his voice low.
"Okay." Ellis, obedient as always, turned to take care of waking up Nick and froze. "Ho-lee shit," he murmured. Coach and Rochelle immediately risked a glance away from the stairs to see what had frightened the mechanic.
One of the Witches was staggering toward the conman, her clawed hands hiding her face as she cried. "C'mon, turn around," breathed Ellis, watching in disbelief and fear as she drew closer and closer, her red eyes flashing as her cries began to lessen, her hands dropping from her face to curve into the wicked claws they had all come to fear.
The trio watched in horror, frozen, as the emaciated zombie took another step closer, and another, her soft sobs becoming low growls. Ellis carefully lifted his rifle, taking aim with a quick mental prayer that he was capable of crowning the resilient zombie. If it took more than a single shot, Nick's life could be in the balance.
Just as Ellis moved his finger to the trigger, keeping his actions slow and quiet so he didn't draw any unnecessary attention, the Witch ran right into Nick's outstretched legs. She let out a shriek, startling the conman she had bumped into.
Without any conscious thought, Nick hefted the axe that had been resting in his lap and cleaved the Witch's head in two.
Three pairs of eyes widened as blood spewed and the Witch toppled backward and collapsed without more than a frustrated gurgle. Nick blinked, his eyes still mostly closed. He rubbed them with the back of his clean hand and muttered, "Damn Witch sounds just like my ex-wife."
Ellis leaned close to Coach after a moment and whispered, "I ain't never gonna be the one t'wake him up from a nap ever again."
Nick pushed off the wall and got to his feet, brushing off the front of his suit, and then the back briefly. He gave the Witch at his feet a passing glance, and then looked at the rest of the group with a raised eyebrow. "Are we going anytime soon?"
Ellis bounded forward like an overeager puppy, latching onto Nick as he jabbered away at a mile a minute about how cool that had been, waking up and killing a Witch without flinching! Nick endured the chatter patiently, one hand in his pocket, the gory axe hanging at his side. He shot Rochelle a look and a nod, and she leaned forward to push the call button for the elevator.
"Well," she said with a smirk, cutting off Ellis' high praises for the irritable conman, "I guess we know who to leave the Witches to from now on." Nick flipped her off as the first rumble of the horde joined the slow groans of the rising elevator.
({A Witch startled Nick!} I could just see it in my head so vividly, I had to write it. I hope it turned out all right. I hope you enjoy, lovely readers. Please leave a review! ^^)