18. Madness
Pyro was beginning to be rather annoyed. A lot of his cherub friends weren't bouncing back up when they dropped from the sky now. First it was the new one with mustard hair, then he noticed that the small one with the helmet disappeared ( even though the new one with a ski mask switched to looking like her a lot it wasn't the same). After that the one who could make him feel better when the BLU cherubs pelted him with lollipops got doused in candy syrup and he too flutered to the ground. Now, he saw the skimask one who-was-not-the-small-one-with-the- helmet-but-looked-like-her actually shove the purple cherub with glasses! And while she was struggling to bounce back up it didn't look like she was going to be able to, her wings had gotten all sticky with taffy from the candy hills.
This was not to be tolerated. The skimask cherub would have to get a taste of her own medicine if she was to become a better person. Just like he did with the BLU cherubs, pyro would smack her down as part of the fun and then while she recovered he and the rest of the cherubs would laugh and go make powdered sugar angels.
…
" Don't you make a move!" Giulia shrieked as she saw the pyro whip out his ax. " Don'ta anyone soa much asa think about makin' a move." She cackled, still listening to the yells and gasps of horror that had come after she'd shot the Pauling woman. " We'rea gonna have a some fun, si? I've had such fun here the last few days I never want to leave! Firsta strangling the rhinoceros of a heavy, such a challenge. Then, the wheedling, noisy littla engineer! She was necessary toa disrupt fixing se teleporter but also-"
Giulia didn't even see the pyro was still moving. In all the commotion, people struck dumb with what had just occurred, or rushing to Miss Pauling's aide pyro easily crept to the side of the tunnel, scootching their way along with their hand gripped around their ax handle while Giulia's cackles reverberated madly off the walls
…
Oh dear, the cherub didn't want to learn its lesson. It fluttered through a sugar mist cloud, sticking its tongue out at pyro, and distressing the other cherubs. Now, what a rude way to behave. Education is best thing for everyone, it would thank pyro when he had finished. As it fluttered about in mad spirals pyro positioned himself for a firm, but playful swat.
…
Blood. The heavy could smell blood. It worked its way up his nostrils, clawing into his brain with its rust soaked copperiness, Miss Pauling was on the ground, she was bleeding and she was bleeding a lot. The puddle of waste she'd fallen into couldn't be good for the cleanliness of the wound.
Heavy couldn't think. Bleeding men was one thing, it was exciting, it was his job, but when a woman was hurt he couldn't think straight. When he looked instead of Miss Pauling's face on the body he saw his sisters' faces. First it was Zhanna, then Yana, then Bronislava, now his mother…
He couldn't move. He could just stare in horror while the doctor rushed to Miss Pauling, and the Italian cackled, repositioning for another shot. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, all he could do was watch his family dying in Miss Pauling's place. For the first time in his life the heavy was completely helpless.
…
Time to swat! The pyro was armed and waiting, he saw a lovely cherub with silky black hair trying to clear the gum off the purple one's wings, and he hoped she would do well but he couldn't help. It was time to do the right thing for everyone so they could go sit on a rainbow and eat magic gumball flavored soda cream.
Pyro was so good and kind, he readied his arm only a hair's breath away and gently, gently tapped the ski mask cherub.
…
The sniper was about to spring into action when he heard it, a dull, stomach turning "thwack!", and a sickening splash. Pyro was standing behind Giulia, ax bloodied in their hands, while Giulia's body crumpled to the ground. Her head had rolled a few feet away, coming to rest at the feet of the engineer with her features still contorted into a cruel smile.
It was if all the noise had been sucked from the room. There was still the splashes of the medic trying to haul Miss Pauling to her feet, the breathing of the heavy who seemed to be having a panic attack, but it was muted and far away. Sniper couldn't take his eyes of the head, crimson blood spilling into the muddy sludge.
That could've been him that she'd shot. He could've died- ' Snap out of it, you asshole!' He thought frantically. 'You're not dying but Miss Pauling will if you don't find a way out!'
Moving into action, he dashed over to the medic and they hauled Miss Pauling to her feet. She was unconscious, but they supported her in a way where they might be able to carry her out.
" We have to get her up to the medibay. Gunshots I can fix, but I need supplies and we don't have a lot of time."
" I have no clue which way is out in this mess, do ya think-"
But the heavy interrupted his panicking. He seized Miss Pauling from between them and threw her over his shoulder where she dangled like a ragdoll. Silently, he turned toward an off shoot branch of tunnels and charged at full speed.
" Where are you going?!" The engineer yelped, but then he paused and looked at sniper. Sniper nodded, he heard it too.
Coming from those tunnels were yells. Shouts of 'are you guys okay?' and 'Don't trust Giulia!' and ' I'm coming miss pauling!' echoed off the walls. The engineer forged after the heavy, the rest dashing in pursuit. Before charging after his team, the sniper took one glance back at the source of all their trouble.
Giulia's blood had seeped all over the tunnel floor, her body collapsed like a barbie doll someone had abandoned. Her head was lolled on it's side, still smiling in her grotesque fashion. However, out of this nightmare inducing sight, one thing would stick with sniper til the day he died. Though he didn't know it, it would haunt his deepest darkest midnight terrors, and be the one thing he's always wish he could forget.
The pyro was lying in a puddle of human waste and blood, content as could be, making a sludge angel. He even seemed to be humming.