*Discontinued* Project Storm

19. Thinning the Horde

"3!" Roman opened the door so fast Virgil didn't even have time to register the zombie standing there. He tilted my head watching it do the same only for Roman to stab it in the head knocking him out of his concentration. "You good, Stormcloud?"

"Yep..." Virgil checked my gun one last time before taking a deep breath. "Let's go."

There wasn't that many zombies left indoors. Only a few stragglers that Roman took out no problem. Of course the moment they got to the doors that was a different story. Virgil shoved Roman into the nearest room and shut the door as quickly as he could the moment he heard all the groans.

"What was that about?" Don't turn around. Don't look. It's fine. Everything is fine. "Virgil?"

"Too many Z's Roman." Virgil's voice shook slightly as he just stared at the door. He had to think of something. Think of... of something to do to get Roman out safely. "The alarm is drawing them all out but... They're in a frenzy." He clenched his hand tightly as he refused to look back. He's fine. He was fine in there. There isn't anything to be scared about. Yet his body still shook.

"Virgil, It's ok." Roman placed a supportive hand on Virgil's shoulder and it was like... everything slowed down for the smaller one. He could feel the subtle pressure. He could hear Roman's calm breathing. He could almost see his concerned look in his mind. "It's ok. You're safe."

"I have to figure something out I..." Virgil glanced back but the only thing he focused on was Roman. His green eyes... His brown hair... The way the red of his outfit fit him well. He had this sense of strength. Virgil wanted to latch onto it but... Virgil wasn't their friend. He was their cargo. He couldn't let himself trust him. He couldn't trust him. Roman only cared because he was their ticket to a bounty. When the time came... Roman wouldn't save him.

"Virgil?" Roman frowned seeing the way Virgil's eyes darkened as he looked away and sighed. "Virgil, what's..."

"The alarms creating enough of a distraction for the most part. I can... I can try to take a few out but..." Roman tensed as Virgil clenched his fists, still holding the door as if trying to force it to remain closed. "I don't have infinite ammo."

"Virgil, we can do it together." Virgil scoffed as he shook his head. "What, why? I am NOT going to allow you to go out there by yourself. You are my responsibility. If you're going out, WE go out together."

"And risk you getting bitten, hell no." Virgil spun around so fast his mind couldn't keep up. He whipped his gun out cocking the hammer back without so much as a flinch. Roman's eyes went wide as Virgil took his knife right out of his hand.

"Virgil, please." Virgil just smiled as he backed up into the door gripping his gun tightly with this anxious look in his eyes. "Have you even killed a Z before? Can you kill one? After what happened with the boy..." Virgil's eyes flashed and he quickly left the room shutting the door and holding it tightly as Roman ran over to try and open it. "VIRGIL!"

"Shut up! You'll draw them to you." Roman went silent on the other side but Virgil knew it was only a matter of time. He slowly let go of the door and took a deep breath as he forced himself to turn to the horde just outside.

"Breathe, Virgil." He could see Patton watching from the wall as he slowly made his way outside. His eyes narrowed in confusion as he looked around no doubt for Roman but his focus was still on the youngest who had stopped and closed his eyes. "Just breathe."

He took that first breath and held his gun out towards one. It froze up before looking over at the man with this confused expression. How Virgil even though that mangled face looked confused he didn't know. He just... did.

The gun went off making Virgil jump as the zombie dropped. Virgil was frozen for a few seconds, his mind blank as it tried to work through what happened. He could see several more look back at him as he struggled to calm his breathing again.

"Breathe, Virgil." Virgil fired at a few more, missing a couple of times before killing several more. He groaned in annoyance as he stuffed his gun behind him and gripped Roman's knife. "Breathe." His eyes narrowed as he went forward with a new plan. He kicked a zombie in the leg knocking it down before stabbing it in the head. That's basically how it went. He went through zombie after zombie. Killing them was alot easier when they were fighting back. The only problem was...

One turned around just at the right time. Virgil met his eyes and... He couldn't move. He froze up staring as his hand slowly dropping from where he held the knife up. Tears pricked at Virgil's eyes as he tried to breathe. He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill it... not when it looked so... sad.

Virgil jumped as the sound rang out. The zombie falling to the ground as he stumbled back into someone's arms. They wrapped their arms around them as they carefully pulled Virgil back. The man just stared at the bodies before him shaking. His mind latching on to the person holding him as they made their way to the wall.

"Virgil, it's ok." Virgil frowned as he tried to pull his focus from his thoughts. "I've got you. It's ok."

"No, it isn't." Virgil turned around and latched onto the man's red shirt as he cried. "No, it's not."

"I've got you..."

"But you won't protect me." He could feel the man stiffen in his grasp making Virgil laugh. "I'm nothing to you... to any of you. You'll keep me alive for only as long as you have to... face it. I'm just some unfortunate bagged you got saddled with."

"Virgil..." The smaller pulled away and sighed as he shook his head. Roman tried to reach out as his own tears started to well up. "Virgil, I..."

"I'm fine. I'm just tired and I have a lot going through my head. Let's just get back to the others."