...Ellis...
.
.
...Ellis...
.
.
...Ellis, sweetheart, how was your first day at your new school?...
...It was bad, momma! Real bad!...
...Now why is that, honey?...
...There was this bully, an' he- an' he picked on me!...
...Oh, sweetheart, don't cry. Come here...
...He called me names an' he threw s-some r-rocks...
...There, there. I'm gonna have a talk with his mother. What was his name?...
...K-Keith...
...You won't have to worry anymore, Ellis...
.
...Ellis...
.
.
...Rochelle...
.
.
...Rochelle...
.
.
...Rochelle. How's my princess doing?...
...Daddy, I told you not to call me that anymore. I'm too old...
...Since when is eleven too old?...
...I'll be twelve next week, remember?...
...Oh, I remember. Your report card came in didn't it? Let me see it...
...All A's this time!...
...Now that's my girl! For that I think you deserve one of your gifts early...
...A video camera! Oh, thank you! Thank you! I love it!...
...I love you, Rochelle...
.
...Rochelle...
Nearly deafened by the shrieking alarm, Nick struggled to pry the Jockey off himself. He began slamming his back against the SUV's windshield from his position on the hood. The little Jockey let out a pained cackle as it's sharply protruding spine continuously collided with the hard glass, and it eventually let go of the conman. With the horde quickly forming around him, Nick rolled off the hood of the SUV and crawled underneath it. He reloaded his submachine gun and fired at the zombies' feet as they mindlessly attacked the vehicle. One of the car's tires exploded from the weight of the zombies as they piled onto the car, causing it to sink closer to the ground.
Nick could hear a second gun, louder than his own, mowing down the horde. He was soon unable to continue firing when the corpses began piling up around the vehicle, plugging up the space between the bottom of the car and the pavement. Before Nick could back out from under the car, the Jockey had joined him. The little monster quickly reached out its grubby hands to grab the conman, despite having no space to latch onto him.
"You! Little! Fucker!" Nick shouted as he bludgeoned its horrid face with his gun.
Giggling like a lunatic, the Jockey wrapped its bloody fingers around the weapon and tried to pry it out of Nick's hand. The conman pressed the trigger, but with the Jockey shaking his arm, he ended up hitting another of the car's tires. The SUV began sinking dangerously, threatening to crush Nick. The Jockey managed to kick him in the ribs repeatedly as it wriggled about on its side. Nick grabbed one of the Jockey's calves with his free hand and twisted it with all of his might. He reveled in the popping sound as he managed to dislocate the creature's leg.
The Jockey shrieked and bit the wrist of Nick's other hand, causing him to drop the gun. Again the car lurched, so Nick shoved the Jockey away from him and slid out from underneath the vehicle. He staggered over to Coach, who was still handling the horde. The car's alarm stopped ringing as it sank completely to the ground. The remaining zombies instantly broke away from the car and rushed towards them.
"This is too fucking much!" Nick shouted, pulling out his spare pistol. The zombies forced them down the parking lot, and they rounded the corner towards an apartment complex. Firing the entire way, the two men managed to silence the horde and made their way inside the building. They barricaded the door with everything that wasn't bolted down before collapsing onto the floor next to one another.
Completely exhausted, Nick continued to lie on his back long after he had caught his breath. His head was spinning and he could feel the beginnings of a migraine setting in. He hissed in pain and opened his eyes to see Coach seated next to him. The older man was cleaning Nick's bite wound with what little supplies he had left in his med kit.
Nick turned his head away, his brow furrowing, as Coach encircled his wrist in gauze.
"You didn't have to do that. Thanks," Nick mumbled, feeling extremely awkward at Coach's kind gesture.
"Wow," The older man smiled and produced a small grunt.
"What?"
"You probably died a little inside by thankin' me, Nick. Kind of makes me appreciate it a little more is all."
Nick let out a small sigh and lifted himself into a seated position. Freed from the hold of styling gel by the incessant rain, his glossy hair fell onto his forehead, just above his eyes. He smoothed it back as he slowly ran his fingers through it. Wordlessly, he unstrapped his own health kit and made his way over to Coach.
"Save it, man. I didn't get hurt. We need to go find the others anyway." Coach got up to head for the door, but winced and quickly sat back down.
"Didn't get hurt, huh?"
"Nah, it's just my damn knee actin' up. It's an old injury."
"Well, don't walk around on it." Nick approached Coach once more, med kit in hand.
"Gauze and bandages ain't gonna fix this, Nick. I've had cruciate surgery and still, it was never the same afterwards," Coach shook his head slowly, "If it wasn't for this damn knee I could have gone pro."
"Football?"
"Hell yeah."
"Well it wasn't your knee I was aiming to fix. Let me have a look at your eye. I think it could use some fresh wrapping."
"Oh..." Coach scooted closer to Nick and observed as the conman laid all of his medical supplies neatly in small rows.
"Keep talking, Coach. It's too damn quiet without Ellis around," Nick untied the small knot that held the bandages around Coach's head.
"Yeah, it is," Coach chuckled before becoming serious once more, "God, I hope those two are alright."
"Ro's a tough girl," Nick stated, noticing how Coach seemed to light up at his words, "I'm sure she can take care of herself."
It's Ellis I'm not so sure about...
"Don't I know it. She's pretty remarkable," the older man was silent for a moment, "I just...I don't know what I would do without her, you know?"
Nick made his way around to look at Coach's eye. His entire cornea was glazed over with a film of old blood and large veins had grown across the entirety of the eye- his body's own attempt to bring nutrients to the area and promote healing.
"Damn, can you even see out of that thing?" Nick asked as he flushed the eye out with saline.
"Not really," Coach sighed, "Everything's dark and cloudy."
"That's because you have blood trapped inside your eye. I assume you got scratched."
"Yeah."
"I'm not gonna lie. Your eye looks really terrible, but the scratch itself doesn't look too deep. You'll probably regain some sight once it heals up and all those veins retract. And I'm pretty sure you'll reabsorb all that blood."
"What, were you a doctor or somethin' before all this?" Coach cocked his head and smirked.
"Dr. Nick," the conman stated as he placed fresh gauze over the eye and wrapped new bandages around Coach's head.
...Rochelle...
.
.
...Rochelle...
.
"Rochelle!"
The young woman's eyes snapped open as a life-giving jolt of electricity surged throughout her body. For several moments, she could see nothing but a blindingly white light that slowly dissipated, revealing the stark, harshness of reality- cold, dark, and damp.
Francis stared down at the girl, his face pale and drenched in sweat.
"Where am I? Where's Ellis?" Rochelle immediately lifted her upper body off the pavement, her eyes growing wide with mounting panic.
"Easy, easy!" Francis grabbed her shoulders to steady her, but she quickly brushed his hands away upon seeing Ellis lying a few feet away.
"Oh my God!"
Rochelle knelt over the boy and immediately began compressing his chest. She knew she had to remain calm in order to properly perform CPR.
"Sweetie, wake up!" Fighting back tears, Rochelle lifted Ellis's chin and filled his lungs with her own breath. She then resumed compressing his chest as Francis slowly approached her.
"Please wake up, please!" Rochelle's voice came out as a high whimper, and Francis bit his lip upon hearing it.
"Rochelle, I think he's-"
"Not another word!" Instantly all the strength returned to her voice as she effectively silenced the biker. She then noticed the defibrillator on the ground, grabbed it, and placed the paddles on the boy's chest.
"Why didn't you use this?" she screamed.
"I did! On you! It has no power left!" Francis lowered his voice in an attempt to calm the distraught woman down, "Listen to me, I think the kid's too far gone."
"No!" Rochelle unsuccessfully tried to fight the tremors wracking her body as she tossed the now useless defibrillator to the side and continued an incessant series of chest compressions. Her back and shoulders were aching from the Charger's assault but she refused to give in to the pain.
She refused to give up on him.
"I'm not gonna let you leave me!"
Francis shut his eyes tight at the familiar words, filled with the same anguish he had just experienced.
"I'm not gonna lose you too..."
Before Rochelle could protest, Francis grabbed her and pulled her away from Ellis. He simply could not stand by and watch her suffer.
Suddenly struck with an idea, he fished through Ellis's pockets and pulled out the adrenaline shot he had given him. He pulled up the boy's shirt and began running his hand over Ellis's chest- searching for the heart that had stopped beating.
"What in the hell are you doing?" Rochelle demanded, a grim realization spreading across her features.
"I saw this in a movie once."
"You've got to be kidding me!"
"We're out of options!"
Rochelle exhaled shakily and placed two fingers on the young man's chest.
"If you're looking for his heart, it should be right here."
"Alright, don't fucking die on me, kid." Francis uncapped the needle and turned to Rochelle, "Stand back."
Rochelle cringed as the biker shoved the tip of the needle directly into Ellis's heart.
"Thanks for that, Nick." With his eye bandages changed, Coach began to rub at his aching knee while the conman placed the left over supplies back into his med kit.
"Yeah, don't worry about it."
"Now I just need a minute to get this damn knee up to snuff," Coach observed the conman for a moment before continuing cautiously, "I've been thinking about what went down back at the mall, and honestly Nick, I'm torn."
The conman looked up at Coach out of the corner of his eye, his headache coming on stronger by the moment.
"On the one hand, I feel as though I stepped out of line when I said we didn't need you and that we should have just left you behind...but then the sight of you gettin' into the car and drivin' away keeps playin' over and over in my head." Coach let out a deep sigh.
Nick looked down at his hands, wondering when they had become so pale. His eyes quickly traversed the room for a mirror as he wondered nervously if Coach had taken notice of his skin's ghastly hue.
"What I'm tryin' to say, Nick, is that I really want to believe that you're a good person deep down. You sure don't make it easy for me, but what you did just now, it helps a little."
"Yeah, I..."
Nick didn't always set out to be an asshole, but with the constant stress of their current situation putting him on edge- combined with the strange illness he seemed unable to shake off- controlling his less than appealing traits was getting more difficult to do. The fact that he was afraid also frustrated him to no end, and covering that fear with an abrasive demeanor was simply much easier on his fragile ego than revealing it to anyone.
He couldn't explain all of this to Coach because he didn't know himself as well as he thought he did. Somewhere along the way, Nicolas- in his purest form- had been obscured amidst every lie, every con, every theft, and every bad decision he had made over the past thirty five years.
"You got a family, Nick? A wife? Kids?" Coach asked. His tone was much more lively in an attempt to snap Nick out of his brooding thoughts.
"No kids...used to have a wife, though." Nick's words were quiet, his attitude sullen.
"Oh. Did she..."
"Die? I don't know. Last time I saw her she was fine. When I said 'used to', I meant we divorced. As far as my family goes, I pretty much cut ties with all of them. Some life, huh? What about you?"
"Well, my wife passed away three years ago, and my kids...I have no idea if they're alright." Coach bowed his head low.
Like Nick, the older man was unused to expressing himself so openly. Unlike the conman, however, Coach usually hid his vulnerabilities behind a combined veil of stoicism and lighthearted humor, and when all else failed- an undying sense of pride.
"Xavier and Emmanuel. I couldn't ask for better sons. They're away at college. Both of them are freshmen, but they went to different universities of course."
"Both of them are freshmen? So they're twins?"
"Yup. Identical." Coach beamed, "I have a younger brother who I was hopin' to run into somewhere along the way. He's the only immediate family I had left who was still livin' in Savannah."
Oh, shit...
Nick fidgeted slightly, realizing why Coach had seemed so familiar when they first met- why he had instantly developed an aversion to him.
"Of course, with his line of work, he ended up all over the place. My brother the detective," Coach smiled fondly, "Apparently he was called in to track down a pretty notorious low-life just before this whole mess started."
Ah, fuck...
A series of slow yet forcefully loud banging abruptly ended the conversation, and both men quickly approached the door.
"Ro? Ellis? Is that you?" Coach asked, which only caused the banging to become more rapid and frantic. The older man began removing the furniture away from the door.
"They would have responded if it was them." Nick began helping Coach remove the desk and chairs despite his better judgement.
"Yeah, but what if they're too injured to talk?"
With their barricade removed, Coach quickly opened the door, shotgun in hand.
"Looks like this visitor is for you, Nick." Coach's tone of voice was rather odd as he stepped away from the door.
The conman peered out in confusion when he didn't see anyone, but a small snicker sent his gaze downward.
He was greeted to the sight of the crippled Jockey, his fallen submachine gun clasped tightly in its awkward, mantis-like grasp. The wretched little beast began thrusting the weapon at Nick, as if willing the bullets to shoot out of the weapon and strike him.
Nick couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh hysterically at the absurd sight, and of course, the little monster joined in before dropping the gun and trying to jump on him in a fruitless, last ditch effort. Due to its dislocated leg, it failed miserably and landed in a heap at the conman's feet.
"This is fucking ridiculous," Nick stated before grabbing the Jockey and punting it savagely across the lot.
Jolted back into existence, Ellis writhed about on the floor as the adrenaline entered his heart- effectively jump starting it. He inhaled deeply before springing up onto his knees and violently expelled the water from his lungs. He rolled onto his back as his muscles twitched and he began gasping heavily for air. His lungs struggled to keep up with the demands of his now furiously beating heart. His eyes, whose pupils had dilated, darted about wildly, and his face had contorted into a look of panic, fear, and confusion.
After staring in shock for several moments, Rochelle attempted to rush to Ellis's aid, but Francis grabbed her arm.
"I told you to stand back. Just give him a second."
Francis cautiously approached the boy when he had stopped twitching.
"Hey, kid. Are you alright?"
Ellis nodded, still breathing heavily, and a small smile formed on his face.
Rochelle nearly smothered the boy as she hugged him tightly.
"How do you feel?" She asked as she helped him up into a seated position.
"Feels like I drank...twenty can's a' beer an' like, fifty cups a' c-coffee," Ellis stuttered and continued to fidget slightly as he braced himself by leaning heavily against Rochelle.
"Alright, it looks like I'll be joining you two for the time being," Francis exclaimed after Rochelle and Ellis had collected themselves.
"Really? That is awesome!" Ellis found it even more difficult than usual to control his enthusiasm, as well as the speed in which he spoke, due to the magnifying effects of the adrenaline coursing through his veins, "Hey, did I thank you for savin' my life? I don't think I did, so thank you kindly- uh...um... what's your name anyways? I don't recall you sayin' it an' well, my name's Ellis if you didn't hear me when I told Zoey and-"
"Whoa, whoa, kid! Calm down. It's Francis."
The biker made his way over to the bridge and explained to Zoey that he was going to escort Rochelle and Ellis across the city.
"Are you serious, Francis?" Zoey shouted, her voice full of concern.
"I am. Just hang out up there until I get back. You and Louis should be fine."
"It's not us that I'm worried about."
"I need to do this, Zoey. I just...I have some things to take care of..." Francis pressed his hand against the cigarette in his pocket, "I have to get away from this God damned bridge. Gotta clear my head, you know?"
Zoey pursed her lips and nodded in understanding. She then tossed down Francis's health kit to the biker, along with a carefully horded granola bar.
A loud rumble released itself from Ellis's stomach at the mere sight of the bar, and the boy looked away in embarrassment.
"How many more of these do we have, Zoey?"
"Only two."
"Alright, then. Just keep them for yourselves," Francis then walked back over to Rochelle and Ellis, breaking his granola bar into three pieces as he spoke, "I'll split this one with you two. Sorry, but it's the best I can offer. I have to look out for my guys first."
"That's fine. Thank you," Rochelle graciously took her piece.
Ellis nodded eagerly and after Francis had taken the middle piece, he handed Ellis the wrapper along with his piece.
The three of them had rested for only a few minutes before the mechanic insisted that they move on to catch up to Coach and Nick. The adrenaline was tricking his body into thinking that he had boundless energy, and he tried to stand up and run towards the office building.
"Ellis you need to slow down and stay calm," Rochelle commanded, grabbing the boy's arm when he nearly fell over. She placed a hand to his chest and bit her lip, concerned about his raging heart rate.
"Oh shit, there's bathrooms in here!" Ellis shouted as they made their way into the building.
The air had grown chilly, and the combination of being cold and soaking wet gave Ellis the extreme urge to urinate. He quickly disappeared into one of the bathrooms, and Rochelle followed suit into the other one. Francis stood guard outside, and when they had finished, they made their way up the stairs- checking the rooms for any sign of the other men.
"Ugh, have a look at this." Rochelle had noticed the corpse of a middle aged man slumped on a chair in front of a computer monitor. His skin was pale and ashen, but his body was surprisingly devoid of wounds, aside from a festering puncture on the side of his neck.
"Aw man! You were right, Francis! Looks like vampires are real after all!" Ellis made his way over to the corpse and observed the bite wound with an odd grin on his face.
"Well of course vampires are real," Francis replied as they continued through the building, "That's what I've been saying this whole time."
Ellis nodded excitedly and broke off into a rapid ramble.
"Yeah, there's got ta' be all sorts a' unexplained shit out there, man, like aliens, swamp monsters, dragons, unicorns, mummies, ghosts, trolls, werewolves, elves, the Loch Ness monster, leprechauns, all sorts a' cool shit, man, an' this one time my buddy Keith an' I went out in the woods lookin' for Bigfoot an' although we didn't see nothin' we sure as hell heard some creepy gruntin' sounds an' Keith had the bright idea of throwin' sticks into the bushes when we heard the noises- ta' rile 'im up ya' know- an' well whatever was lurkin' in the bushes started ta' throw stuff back! Keith was hit by a boulder the size of-"
"Sweetie, you need to breathe," Rochelle stated as she grabbed Ellis by the shoulders, "Besides, we don't have time for this right now. You can finish your story later, okay?"
"Okay."
"And anyway," Rochelle added, "I'm pretty sure that guy was bitten by a Hunter or something, not a vampire."
"Well aren't you a spoilsport!" Francis replied with a grin.
Rochelle smirked at the biker but continued hurriedly towards the back door of the office building and into the cobblestone parking lot. They were greeted to a carpet of corpses upon stepping foot outside.
"Holy shit!" Ellis shouted.
"Well, we know they at least made it this far..." Rochelle sighed worriedly and found herself examining the bodies until Francis noticed a trail of more dead zombies leading away from the destroyed horde. They followed the trail up and around the winding lot until it eventually petered out in front of the small apartment complex. The head of a Jockey was hanging from one of the exterior light posts just outside the door to the last apartment. It was suspended by a long strip of bloodied, white fabric, looped through the bullet holes in the skull.
"I'd like to meet the sick fucker who did this," Francis stated quietly, observing the macabre creation.
"Oh, you already did. Nick, the cranky guy in the suit," Ellis responded. The boy had grown to recognize the fine, merino wool despite it being covered in viscera.
"Right, right...how could I forget about him..."
"Coach! Nick! Open up!" Rochelle shouted as she knocked on the barricaded door.
Shuffling could be heard from within as the two men removed the furniture from against the door and opened it.
"Thank God you're alright!" Coach pulled Rochelle towards him and placed the palm of his hand tenderly against her cheek.
"You guys remember Francis, right?" Rochelle motioned to the biker, "You can thank him as well."
"Yeah, Nick," Ellis patted Francis on the shoulder, "This guy is a hero. He saved my life. I almost died an-"
"For fuck's sake, Overalls! Again?" Nick grabbed Ellis and walked the boy over to the other side of the room.
Worried about the two remaining members of his group, Francis urged everyone to get moving, but relented when he found himself outvoted by the others who were in desperate need of a rest. While Nick tended to Ellis, the others searched every dark corner for the presence of any nightmarish house guests, and re-barricaded themselves within the apartment as best they could.
"So, you know where we're headed, right?" Rochelle asked Francis as Coach began tending to the cuts and bruises on her back.
"Well...yeah. Pretty sure. I mean we were running for our lives but I got a pretty good look at the scenery. There's a park not too far from here that my crew and I ran past on our way to the bridge. We should probably head that way."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Yep. I won't steer you wrong, babe."
Rochelle winced as Coach pressed a cotton ball soaked in alcohol against a particularly large cut.
"Do you really have to call me that?" she asked.
"Aw come on, how can I not?" Francis leaned back, eying her up and down as he spoke, "I mean, you are a babe. Just look at you. You're hot!"
"Yeah, I'm hot alright," the girl smirked, "A hot mess. Boy, I am exhausted, cranky, and covered in blood, mud, and zombie brains. Tell me what exactly is so attractive about that?"
"Everything!" Francis replied with an enormous grin as he edged closer to her.
"Mister, you better back the hell up before I-" Coach abruptly ended his threat when Rochelle shot him a strange look.
"Oh, shit!" Francis turned to Coach and placed a hand on the older man's shoulder, "You're her father, aren't you? Well I assure you, I'm a really nice guy once you get to know me. I'll treat your daughter with the utmost respect. Promise."
"I am not her father!" Coach huffed, clearly annoyed.
"Well good, cuz you scared the shit out me. Now where were we, babe?" Francis turned once more to Rochelle but did a quick double take, "Hold on a sec. Are you two together, then?"
Coach thanked the good Lord that his skin was too dark for him to blush as everyone stared at him.
"Well we-"
"We're not together."
Coach felt his chest tighten at Rochelle's words. She spoke the truth. They technically weren't together, but that didn't stop his heart from sinking and he became quiet.
"Care to explain to me why is it that whenever I'm not around, you end up having near-death experiences?" Nick grumbled as he pulled Ellis's shirt off.
"Aw, come on!" Ellis folded his arms, and a rather large frown formed on his face, "It's not like I'm helpless without you, Nick."
"Oh, no?" The conman squinted as he observed Ellis's back. The boy's wounds had noticeably improved since the last time he had seen them, but his skin was covered in a dirty film, "What the fuck is- you fell in the fucking river, didn't you?"
"Well Jesus Christ, Nick! I didn't fall. I jumped in."
Nick sighed heavily as he flushed the grime away from Ellis's skin.
"I had ta' try an' save Ro. No need ta' get all pissed off at me!"
"I'm not pissed off, Ellis. But it sure sounds like you are." Nick cupped Ellis's chin and lifted it so that the boy's eyes met his own.
Ellis quickly lowered his eyes and stared at the hand holding his chin for a moment before pulling himself away.
"I'm jus'," Ellis wiped his forehead, his voice cracking slightly, "I'm jus' really tired, alright?"
The group began searching for places to lay their weary bodies. Fortunately, the building was rather large, with several rooms that allowed for a bit of privacy. Rochelle took one of the small bedrooms on the ground floor, and Coach made his way into the bedroom down the hall.
Francis sprawled out on a couch in the den area, staring up at the ceiling with his arms crossed. With the memory of Bill still fresh and horribly raw on his mind, the biker knew he wouldn't find sleep any time soon.
Nick and Ellis went up to the second floor, and although there were two bedrooms, Nick quickly pulled Ellis into his room and locked the door.
Rochelle sighed heavily as she made her way across her dark, tiny room and sat down gingerly on the creaky, twin sized mattress. She placed her AK-47 on a desk next to the digital alarm clock. She sighed once more upon seeing the ungodly hour displayed in a blaring, red glow. It was the only working clock in the building, and as such, it was her job to rouse the rest of the group when the allotted two hours was up. She stared at the numbers as they slowly changed and tried to remember what day it was, along with the specific date.
Three days...
After setting the alarm, she untied her hair and gave it a quick shake before rubbing one of her shoulders with her hand. Now that she had a relatively safe moment to herself, the girl was quickly realizing how sore and tender her muscles were. She began thinking about her boyfriend as she continued to rub her shoulder, and wished that he were still alive- if only to feel his large, warm hands on her back. Truthfully, their relationship had been at an all-time low before the infection broke, and she had dragged him down to her big news break in Savannah in hopes of kindling their feelings for one another in between production and her time on the set. After releasing her aching feet from their booted prison, she turned away from the harsh light of the alarm clock.
"Three days." She voiced the words out loud this time before sighing and slowly lowering herself onto her side.
Ellis stood by the door as he watched Nick inspect their room's full sized bed. After regarding it clean enough, the conman sat down on the mattress and peeled off his jacket, shirt, and shoes before sprawling onto his back.
"You just gonna stand there, Overalls? Cuz if I remember correctly, you were pretty eager to crawl into bed with me the last time." Nick smiled devilishly before yawning and scratching at his broad chest- dusted with a light covering of hair.
Ellis shook his head slowly before making his way over to the bed.
I jus' don't know what ta' make a' you...
The mechanic flicked on the small lamp next to the bed, which caused a small groan of protest from the conman.
"Is that really necessary, Ellis?"
"I feel more comfortable with it on. I know what you're thinkin', and no, I ain't scared of the dark. It's jus'...can't be too careful is all."
"What the hell's wrong with you?" Nick asked, his brow furrowed as he rubbed his temples.
"What do you mean? Nuthin's wrong," the slightest bit of annoyance in the boy's tone betrayed him, and Nick picked up on it instantly.
"I don't know about that. You seem a little off. Moody, if I dare say? I didn't think that was possible, actually."
Ellis sighed as he removed his hat and placed it on the nightstand. He then pulled off his shirt and began fidgeting with the straps of his overalls. It was way too muggy to rest comfortably with them on, so he removed them- along with his boots- and allowed his clothing to drop into a messy pile next to the bed. Clad in nothing but his plaid boxers, Ellis lowered himself onto the bed with his back to the conman. The adrenaline's false high had long since worn off, and its absence- combined with an empty stomach- caused the boy's energy level to plummet. He was beyond exhausted and began nodding off almost instantly upon closing his eyes.
Nick observed as the young man's breathing quickly began to slow to a deeper, steadier rhythm. He was unsatisfied that Ellis hadn't given him any sort of proper answer, but decided to drop the matter. As Nick rolled onto his stomach, his favorite sleeping position, a searing wave of pain pulsated across his skull. It was so intense that it made him nauseous.
"Agh," The small noise of discomfort that he couldn't help but produce was barely above a whisper, and yet it was enough to rouse the mechanic.
"What's wrong?" Ellis demanded, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.
"I'll tell you as soon as you tell me."
"God damn it, Nick! I'm fine. Now what's the matter?"
Nick's eyes narrowed at the stress in Ellis's voice.
"My fucking head is about to explode," he relented quietly.
The boy's expression instantly softened, "Show me where it hurts," he whispered.
Nick sat up and pointed to a spot on the back of his head.
"It starts here and spreads out everywhere," he hissed as another wave of pain did just that.
Ellis wordlessly crawled over so that he was sitting behind Nick and gently placed his hands on the sides of the older man's head. With his palms covering Nick's ears, Ellis pressed both of his thumbs into the spot where Nick's neck met the base of his skull and began rubbing in slow, circular motions.
Nick's head lowered slightly. He closed his eyes and let out a long, throaty sigh. The pain slowly but surely began to subside, replaced by a wondrously numbing tingle with every swirl of Ellis's thumbs.
"Feel better?" The mechanic inquired after a few minutes.
"Yeah. Hell, yeah... Now if you could just keep doing this- forever- I'll be all set," Nick murmured, his eyes still closed.
With his thumbs still pressed against the back of the conman's head, Ellis removed his palms from Nick's ears and placed the four remaining fingers of each hand on Nick's temples. He began moving his fingers in the same, slow circular motions.
"Oh, shit..." Nick nearly slumped over from how good it felt as all of his tension melted away.
Ellis proceeded to massage the entirety of Nick's skull, applying gentle but steady pressure to the man's nape, crown, and forehead with the heels of his palms.
Eventually, the older man did slump backwards into Ellis's chest, forcing the mechanic's back to press against the bed's headboard. Nick's euphoria ended when Ellis became too uncomfortably hot from their combined body heat.
"Alright, Nick. I think that's enough for now. 'Asides, like I said, I'm damn tired."
The conman opened his eyes and reluctantly lifted himself up. As he wiped the thin layer of sweat accumulating on his brow, he noted that his hands weren't nearly as pale as they had been earlier.
"I'll tell you when it's enough. Now turn around." Nick's eyes were bright, his grin sly.
"Aw, come on-" before Ellis could protest, the conman had flipped him over and he found himself lying on his stomach- his head partially buried in the pillow.
"Nick! What in the hell are you- oooooh..." Ellis nearly melted into the bed as Nick began smoothing his hands across his shoulder blades before gliding them ever so slowly down the mechanic's v-shaped back. His healing skin had become rather itchy, and with Nick's hands now providing him with wave upon wave of much needed relief, Ellis wondered how he had been able to tolerate the discomfort for so long. He shivered when Nick's hands passed along the sides of his ribs, eliminating the oppressive heat he had been experiencing as goosebumps danced across his skin. As a final touch, Nick pressed his elbow's into Ellis's lower back. The mechanic cried out rather loudly as Nick managed to work out every last knot and kink.
"Feel better?" Nick asked, mimicking the mechanic's question, but his brows furrowed at Ellis's response.
"Gettin' there..."
The rain continued steadily when the group of five finally exited the apartment and headed out into the streets. None of them had rested adequately, but all agreed that they should move on.
"Oh shit," Nick whispered, catching sight of a small easel sign lying in front of a gated park. Elegant, intricately illustrated flowers framed the words 'Wedding Here.'
Ellis briefly glanced at Nick as they entered the park, and the mechanic's eyes narrowed when a zombie in a formal, green dress rushed towards him. Ellis shot it in the head, sending the creature down to the ground in front of him.
"Well nice," Coach looked around at the stringed lights bobbing and swaying in the increasing wind, "I hope the buffet was spared."
The number of formally attired infected increased the further into the park they walked, and the rows of white lawn chairs in the distance gleamed under the occasional flash of lightning.
"What's the matter, Nick?" Rochelle asked, noticing the strange look in the conman's eyes.
"This is bringing back some memories," he stated, catching the sound of a low, mournful wail.
"What, you're married?" the girl gawked.
"Well I was. Why is that so hard to believe?"
"Oh, I don't know, Nick," Rochelle stated sarcastically before laughing quietly.
Nick scoffed but otherwise remained silent.
"Well come on now, you've got me curious," the girl insisted and fell back to stand next to him, "What kind of girl stole the conman's icy heart? If you don't mind me asking."
"I kind of do mind." The conman sighed, his voice was rather glum and subdued.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Nick," Rochelle fidgeted with the gold bracelets around her wrist, "I don't mean any harm. It's just...we know so little about you."
Again, Nick's hair had fallen down over his eyes, but he didn't bother to smooth it back this time.
"She was a great girl, really. Funny, intelligent, and with the patience of a saint, she had all the qualities of the perfect wife. To top it off, she was gorgeous. Blue eyes, brown hair-soft and kind of curly- and God did she have a full set of lips."
"Was she as pretty as Zoey, Nick?" Ellis grunted as he whirled around and forcefully shoved the butt of his rifle into an approaching zombie groomsman's face.
"What?"
"I said, was she as pretty as Zoey?" When the zombie began to rise, the mechanic kicked it twice before blasting a hole through its chest, "You remember Zoey, right? She was that angel we met back on the bridge."
"Ellis, don't interrupt Nick," Rochelle scolded, "He's trying to tell us a story."
"What?" The boy seemed genuinely offended, "Now, how many times have I been interrupted when tryin' ta' tell a story? Aw, forget this, man!" Ellis huffed and quickly limped ahead to join Coach and Francis.
Rochelle turned back to look at Nick, but the conman had a distant look on his face as he continued to stare at the ground.
"I should have never proposed to her in the first place. I was lying to her from the beginning." Nick's voice was so quiet that Rochelle had to stand close enough for her arm to brush against his to hear Nick above the rain.
"Hey you guys, hurry up!" Francis shouted. He, Coach, and Ellis were already approaching the lawn chairs.
"I guess I thought she could...change me," Nick mumbled, wiping his forehead as he turned away. Rochelle took a step back, slightly in shock, at how utterly dejected the man looked. She couldn't help but pity him, so she quickly grabbed Nick and pulled him into a hug. The conman looked down at her with wide eyes, his arms slightly raised- unsure of what to do with them. He then wrapped them around her back and soon found himself resting his chin on her head.
"There's no girl in the world that can change you, Nick," Rochelle's words were slightly muffled, her face pressed against his chest, "Believe me, I've tried to change all of my past boyfriends."
Rochelle broke the hug, but her hands still gripped his arms and she looked up at him with a small smile.
"Sweetie, if you're unhappy with yourself, then you're the only person who can change you."
Nick looked down at her with a small smile of his own. Although she had not fully understood the depths of what he had meant, the conman was far too embarrassed to explain any further.
"Thanks, Rochelle..." Nick scratched the back of his head awkwardly and chuckled softly, "I have officially become a little bitch, haven't I?"
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you're using the same ridiculous pet name on me that you use on Ellis."
The mechanic stared at the unholy creature that knelt on the ground next to the altar in front of a gazebo. A brooding demon, her gray flesh shining like alabaster beneath the dim lights, rocked slowly from side to side. Her narrow shoulders rose and fell with every deep breath, and an occasional trembling moan would escape her ravaged throat. Her tattered dress was covered in a vile concoction of gelatinous, congealed blood, muddy soil, and excrement. As she shifted her weight, a lace garter became visible, wrapped midway down her bony thigh. A long, translucent veil flowed down from its placement atop her silver, elegantly tied hair. Aside from the twin orbs of sinister light that pierced through the thin material, the veil obscured the entirety of her face.
Ellis took a step back, grimacing as he caught sight of her wicked, astonishingly long, black talons. The boy's stomach turned when he noticed the body of a handsome, young man on the ground next to her. A large slash wound had shredded his black tuxedo, and had nearly split the man in half, exposing every bone and organ in his torso. The Witch threaded her talons between her groom's ribcage and lifted him up, his intestines spilling onto the ground around them. Her veil parted as she threw her head back, revealing her terrifying skeletal features. She let out an otherworldly screech and pressed her husband's corpse against herself, his blood and internal fluids drenching her body. The bride continued crying, even as she proceeded to tear the flesh off his face with her teeth, swallowing eagerly between sobs.
"Jesus Christ..." Ellis whispered. He lifted his sniper rifle shakily and held the scope lens up to his eye, aiming directly at the side of her skull.
"Hold on a sec," Coach whispered as he treaded carefully towards the mechanic, "I do not think we should be triflin' with that thing."
"I'm sure we can take it down, Coach. We jus' all gotta shoot it at the same time and-"
"Kid, step the fuck back!" Francis whispered hoarsely upon joining them. He pulled Ellis towards him by the back of his shirt, "Don't you know what that thing is?"
"Nah, I ain't never seen anythin' like that 'afore."
"That thing can rip you apart with one swipe. It's just not worth confronting her."
Once Nick and Rochelle had joined them, Francis advised sneaking around the Witch. However, the park seemed to bottleneck around the gazebo, and combined with the intricate topiary of the bushes, moving stealthily around the Witch would prove to be exceedingly difficult. They had all decided to make their way past her one at a time.
Coach insisted on leading by going first, and he slowly crept towards the gazebo- his heavy footsteps masked by the increasing rain. The man was too large to squeeze through the ornamental bushes, so he decided that he would scale the railing of the gazebo. The Witch stopped consuming her husband's face at Coach's approach. The man watched as she began slowly lowering the corpse back onto the ground, her breathing becoming more rapid. Although she wasn't facing Coach, the man knew that she could sense him getting closer.
Coach stopped where he was and crouched as low to the ground as his knee would allow. Francis had told him that the Witch would only allow him to approach so far before becoming disturbed, and he wiped the sweat from his eyes as the Witch resumed crying, though she did not continue her feast. The man turned his head quickly and could see the rest of his team observing him anxiously. Francis had his shotgun ready, and next to him, Ellis still had his sights aimed at the Witch's head.
Reassured, Coach cautiously tapped the ground with his own shotgun, indicating to the others the closest spot in which he could linger without disturbing the creature. He then circled slowly along the edge of the Witch's personal radius, and cautiously scaled the gazebo's railing. His actions illicited a series of growls from the Witch, far deeper and louder than what would have been expected, but Coach managed to move past her before the full extent of the creature's anger could blossom into fruition.
Rochelle followed shortly after Coach, mimicking his actions. Once she had made it, Francis took his turn. The Witch had grown more and more agitated with each passing survivor, and when it came time for Nick and Ellis to make their way around her, the two men had to wait quite a while for the creature to calm down. The ferocity of the storm had grown to rival that of the Witch the longer they waited.
"That dress...the crying...damn, that thing sounds just like her..." Nick whispered.
"Oh yeah? Well I'm gettin' real sick a' that damn cryin'," Ellis whispered back. He turned to look Nick in the eye. A smirk formed across the boy's lips as he spoke slowly, emphasizing every word.
"I think I could take 'er on. She ain't nuthin' special..."
"Ellis, shut the fuck up. We're going around her and that's that."
The boy shook his head slowly, his eyes narrowing as they fell on the weeping Witch once more.
"Of course you wouldn't want ta' shoot 'er. Cuz she-" Ellis muttered the rest under his breath and Nick could not hear him above the wind until he shouted, "Alright then, let's do this!"
"Hold on a second, Overalls. We have to-" Before he could finish, Ellis grabbed Nick's hand and laced his finger's tightly between the conman's before yanking him forward.
"Ellis, seriously! What the fuck is wrong with you?" Nick staggered as Ellis nearly dragged him down the aisle, straight towards the Witch.
The she-demon snarled, her eyes glowing brighter at the sight of the two men rapidly approaching her.
"I DO!" the boy shouted as he and Nick ran past the altar and jumped over the startled Witch at the last second.