Urban Dead: This Means War

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:41 pm

Melanie locked eyes with Petro, keeping her mouth closed as she began to choke to death on her own blood.

She smiled. Don't keep me waiting. And her eyes closed. As the capillaric vessels in her sclera burst, dark red blood trickled from the corners of where her eyelids met.

I'm not afraid. Not afraid, she told herself. Her body tensed, adrenaline kicking in, but she was still too weak to struggle.

Sherry approached Mike, her back to the scene.

"I can't fucking watch that," she choked, looking a bit pale. "Makes me ill."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:42 pm

It wasn't cold and clinical this time. It was brutal, her windpipe crushing down under the heels of his palms as he grunted with effort, shaking her head.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:43 pm

"Don't I know it. But," He added quickly, "It's for the best." He'd almost got Jared safely away...

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:50 pm

Thankfully, the kid was blind, right? But he still huddled against Mike's legs, trying to shut out the idea of what was happening even moreso than the noise it was making.

Christ, it took people a long time to die. In movies it was always so goddamn quick, just shoving a pillow over someone's face... too bad they weren't that lucky.

Melanie clutched at Petro's wrists, not necessarily trying to pry his hands off because she knew this had to happen too, despite how much it hurt, but because she needed something to hold on to. Her bloodied eyes opened, staring vacantly toward him.

I trust you... as long as you're here I won't be scared to die...

With a tiny noise of protest, she grit her teeth as her back went rigid. One second, two, and then without another sound or movement, she fell limp in his arms.

Sherry, judging by the silence in the room, figured that it was over.

"I'll watch the kid... go work your magic, Freeman."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:52 pm

Somebody put a hand on his arm. That somebody caught a full-on punch in the mouth, before he slammed his way through the crowd around the bed, panting and gasping as if he'd been strangled himself. He made out of the storefront, collapsing in front of the rail.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:54 pm

"Jesus. Here." He put Jared's hand in hers and dashed back towards the bed. Dear God. He shoved Petro, who looked like he'd gone completely insane, out of the way and rolled Melanie's corpse over. He prodded her neck in several places, bit the syringe cap off and slammed it down hard, like he was supposed to. He depressed the plunger and the red diodes went wild, a hissing vaguely audible, although Mike was sure his heart pounding could be heard from a mile away. The lights flashed green and he jerked the needle out, pressing down hard on the injection site to prevent any of the fluid coming back to the surface.

One moment... Two...

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:55 pm

"Jared," Sherry said, crouching down beside him as Petro flew past, "I'll be back in just a second. We're going to make sure Melanie's okay. I promise."

The boy nodded vapidly.

And Sherry dashed over to where Petro had fallen.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:58 pm

"Is that one of the new syringes?" Dorian asked. If so, it would take time before they could see if it worked or not. He smiled supportively at Mike, letting him know that he'd done damn good for someone that obviously wasn't used to reviving people who weren't zombies.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:59 pm

He sat slumped against the rail, head leaning against it, mouth hanging open, eyes closed. He heard the footsteps, didn't open his eyes.

"Go away," he said. "Whoever you are, go the fuck away."

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:00 pm

"Yeah." Mike looked like he'd just run a marathon, panting and sweating. "I figured the quick-acting one might shock her systems beyond repair."

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:03 pm

"Then I guess we'll just wait and see," Dorian said with a dismissive shrug. He was obviously concerned for his boss, but there wasn't a damn thing they could do about it, was there? He waved his hands at the throng of people.

"Show's over," he said, eventually clearing the room of everyone save himself, Mike, Jared, and their patient.

Sherry crouched down beside Petro, not saying anything. She just wrapped her arms around him, pulling him tight against her chest.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:04 pm

He stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only a few minutes. Finally he took a seat nearby, and passed out from fatigue and stress almost immediately.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:06 pm

He slumped into her arms. "Can't do it again," he whispered. "Fuck... don't know if I'll ever be able to look at her again..."

He simply didn't have anything left in him at the moment. Feeling upset, tired, pissed off, anything would be more than what he was feeling at the moment, which was only the vaguest desire to actually feel something.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:10 pm

Sherry grimaced, smoothing back his hair as she clutched him to her. Nobody should ever have to do what he'd just done... but going through it alone would have been unforgivable.

"I'm here," was all she said, just assuring him that no matter what happened, he'd never be abandoned. Melanie would live or she wouldn't, end of story. While it would be horrible if the latter, Sherry wouldn't let it break him.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:13 pm

He didn't say anything, just leaned against her, eyes closed, utterly drained.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:22 pm

Sherry rested her cheek against Petro's, not at all surprised that it was cold and damp. Not unlike how she'd found him after he'd been infected. His hair was rather damp as well...

She wanted to say something. But absolutely nothing felt justified.

Finally, she whispered against his skin:

"We did every damn thing we could. It's up to her now." She paused. "Someone very important to me told me once that if I wanted to live, I had to fight for it. She will too."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:28 pm

He didn't want his own bullshit tossed back at him right now. It was all a fucking crock, the lies he distributed every day so they'd keep going.

But he didn't have the strength to argue about it.

---------------

Time drifted by, one hour after the next.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:37 pm

But it had meant something to Sherry. And that was all she cared about. A good four hours later or so, judging by the wall clock, Sherry awoke to find herself leaning against the rail, still cradling Petro against her as though she were his mother.

From her current position, she couldn't tell whether he was asleep or awake.

Regardless, she resumed stroking his hair, staring at the floor.

After a few minutes, she glanced to the bed.

Wake up, God damn it. He's gonna be insufferable if you don't. And I'm gonna have to glue him back together.

That wasn't gonna fucking happen. Not on her watch.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:39 pm

He hadn't been sleeping. He rolled over, flexing his knee with a grunt, then pulled himself up. "Gotta go take a piss," he announced.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:43 pm

"I'll take a look at her while you're gone," Sherry announced, rising to her feet as her neck and back cracked like firecrackers. God damn, if that hadn't been uncomfortable...

She ambled over to the bed, passing Mike on the way. He was equally unconscious, but that was okay--he'd damn well earned a nap. Melanie hadn't moved from before, although Dorian had kindly removed the restraints from the bed, as they had nothing to worry about as far as that was concerned. The doctor sat beside the bed, smoking a clove cigarette. He looked to the girl as she waved.

"Nothing?" she asked quietly. The Irishman shook his head.

"But these things take time," he said, "sometimes hours, sometimes days. Every body's different."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:47 pm

He hobbled back in. "I'll be down in my office. Anything changes, let me know."

With that, he limped toward the defunct escalator.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:48 pm

"Petro," Sherry said quietly, jogging after him.

She handed over a crutch they'd used to brace the bedframe.

"Careful down the stairs, okay?"

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:49 pm

He accepted the crutch, meeting her eyes. "Thanks," he said.

For more than the crutch. He turned and made his way down. It was gutless, but he didn't have anything left to face it anymore.

Caz · Post by **Caz** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:59 pm

It was another two hours or so before the timid knock on his office door. Sherry entered a few seconds later, giving him time to gather himself--she wasn't sure whether he was in there falling apart or not, hoping not.

"Dorian's going to relieve Sheehan on the radio... wondering if you wanted to take his spot."

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 10:01 pm

"Upstairs?" he said, looking at her past a pile of maps. He'd been going through them, marking them with pencils, drawing routes and lines, for hours. He picked up his flask, took a nip, then tossed it to her. "I can't even look at her, Sherry. I fucking killed her. Twice."

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Urban Dead: This Means War

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