The Corrupted (Completed - editing)

Chapter 8 - "Oblivion"

A fiery aggression sparks within me, as I press the barrel of my gun against the Corrupted’s rotting forehead. I can feel my green eyes blazing brighter than normal. Without a second more, a loud explosion erupts from my gun, sending the Corrupted’s lifeless body to the ground. My eyes are fixated on the soul-less creature lying at my feet, completely unaware of the war around me. As much as I try, I can’t seem to tear my gaze off of the carcass below me. As its widened grey eyes stare back into mine blankly, my hand begins to quiver. The spark that had been in me now falters, and burns out. Dropping my gun, it’s as if I awaken myself.
I had been under some sort of impulsive act, that didn’t actually allow me to understand what I was doing as I was doing it. My knees drop below me, as I land beside the dead Corrupted. I had seen a spark inside that Corrupted – a spark of life. And it’s like something inside of me took over, and demolished what was left of that living spark. I raise my hands up to eye level, to see they were covered in scarlet blood.
What was I becoming?

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“EVE, COME ON!” Ethan tugs at my sleeve, pulling me upwards and away from the Corrupted with a bullet wound to its head that I put there. I unwillingly look away from the body, and up at Ethan, who was dragging me towards the house. My senses start to come back, yet all I can hear is screams. Slowly my feet begin to move again, and I’m running alongside Ethan towards the house. Ethan kicks open the door, then slams it shut behind us before the Corrupted can get in. The blinding light from outside has now disappeared, and instead was replaced with darkness. The power had been cut.

“Eve, stay close.” Ethan’s voice whispers, yet still echoing in the room. I try to gather my thoughts, thinking back to the beginning of the battle. Ethan, Link and I were patrolling out front, attempting to control the hordes of zombies while the others hid inside. But soon it became overwhelming, and just too much, and I knew that from the sound of those screams, the Corrupted had found a way in. We stumble down the dark corridors, clinging closely to each other. The screams had now silenced, leaving the air deathly quiet. Ethan leads us into a dark closet-like room, shutting the door behind us.

“You alright, Costco girl?” His smooth voice startles me, causing me to jump at the brush of his hand against mine. I raise my blood-covered hands up, only barely seeing them through the darkness. It only just occurs to me that I’m shaking rapidly.

“Eve, calm down… What’s that on your hands?” He lifts them gently, wiping some of the substance off with his thumb. “Eve… this is blood -

His voice is cut off by yet another ear-piercing scream, but this time it was close. Too close.

“Eve, we need to go. Now.” His voice was now shaky, but not in fear. I can feel his heart race faster and faster, as he busts down the door of the closet, aiming a shotgun up at the empty darkness ahead. Empty.

Without hesitation, Ethan hands me a gun and together we sprint down the halls, closer and closer towards the whimpers and screams. Rushing past several doors, we finally reach the end of the hallway. The very last door.

Ethan barrels into the door, his expression stiff and concentrated. We’re instantly met with a warm glow radiating from what I believe to be a candle. My eyes adjust to the light, but unfortunately not quick enough. A dark figure lunges at me, tackling me to the hard wood floor. I can only just make out its face – but it looks as though it’s a Corrupted. It snaps and snarls, inches away from my face. My instincts finally kick in, causing me to jerk my foot upwards, kicking and thrashing at the creature pinning me down. Luckily I catch it off-guard, as it rolls off of me in shock. I look up to see Ethan fighting off several other Corrupted that had him surrounded, but it didn’t look like he was succeeding. I look around for a weapon, suddenly realizing I had stashed my gun in my back pocket as we had entered the room. Quickly thrusting the hand-gun out of my pocket and securely into my palm, I shoot the Corrupted that had attacked me in the forehead. Once again the spark lit up in me, but I ignored it. Attempting to swallow that spark, I continue over to where Ethan was now struggling to fight off the Corrupted around him. Knocking one over the head, I send it unconscious to the ground. Ethan finally sees me, and it’s as if something snaps in his eyes. He throws off the Corrupted, turning back to me.