No Turning Back

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Past Should Stay Dead

It was not long before the group's exhaustion finally caught up with Kiana and Dempsey. After half an hour or so, their overzealous energies waned before being replaced with the weight of overwhelming fatigue. Takeo and Primis had been sitting quietly as they listened to the pair's shrill laughter echo and reverberate through the hollowed facility. Then, the very same laughter fell silent.

Takeo and Primis took note of the sudden absence of laughter with caution. Instinctively, they were poised to pounce - should their suspicious be roused further. But, the aching of their muscles and heavily weighing eyelids caused them to remain planted where they were.

The silence continued. Both men looked at each other apprehensively as they felt unsure how to proceed. There was still no sign of the undead; whose onslaughts were always proceeded by the chilling wails and roars of the reanimated soldiers. And Samantha and Dr Maxis were still eerily absent. Both men's minds began to race and they tried to reason and explain the cause of the silence.

Then, Kiana and Dempsey finally dragged themselves back towards Takeo and Primis - anxiously waiting by the campfire. Once they were both back in sight after rounding the corner; the dark circles under Kiana and Dempsey's eyes were enough to convey their exhaustion to the other two. Everyone else had been running on fumes but they had now completely decimated any energy reserves they once had.

"Yeah... that wasn't a good idea..." Kiana admitted before grabbing onto Dempsey and resting her full weight on him.

"Aw man! I'm gonna pass out..." Dempsey joined in as he struggled to hold both of them up.

"Must. Sleep... Must. Pass. Out. Too..." Kiana slurred groggily - almost like Nikolai after a few vodkas.

She continued to latch on to Dempsey for dear life as they managed to shuffle over to Takeo and Primis. Primis sat quietly watching the spectacle unfold - unsure what to do. Truthfully, he wanted to jump to his feet and take Kiana in his arms but he opted to restrain such thoughts from manifesting into reality. It was clear Dempsey had the situation under control - regardless of his exhaustion. He was a marine after all!

Kiana eventually approached and stood before Primis. She then detached from Dempsey and crashed down next to the German doctor. And like a true doctor, Primis eyed her condition with worry and concern. He immediately held her wrist in his large hand before placing his fingers over her pulse.

"Jour pulse is much too fast..." Primis remarked sternly.

"Oh don't be daft! It is always ridiculously fast -- even when I've just woken up!" Kiana explained through a grimace.

"Nein, I vant jou to rest -- bitte..." Primis asked gently - conveying to her his deep care and concern for her.

As the pair remained preoccupied in their conversation; Dempsey then dragged himself over to where he usually slept by the fire and plopped down next to Takeo.

"A wise warrior knows when to rest..." Takeo mumbled to Dempsey.

"Yeah yeah, Tak. I know I overdid it!" Dempsey replied with a little annoyance in his voice. Takeo always liked to be right.

"Hrmph", Takeo grunted with a nod.

"Ugh -- *belch* -- *hiccup* -- excuse me", a voice slurred and mumbled.

Everyone looked around to see a drunken Nikolai stagger over towards the group. As he did so; he placed a hand over his forehead as his face twisted with pain.