apocalypse | leon kennedy

chapter seven: praying to satan

Hearing Damage - Thom Yorke

"Hch! I could... really use those herbs you got, Leon..." It feels like my ribs had been shattered. I knew they weren't, though, it just felt like it. A big punch in the side doesn't sound so bad but when it's done by a giant monster, oh yeah, it really hurts.

He shuffles through his pockets. "You shouldn't have taken that hit for me, Flora." He sounded disappointed. Really? That hit saved us! It managed to get Leon past the tyrant! That's how we even got out of that place!

He hands me some mixed herbs. I take them and start feeling better already. I don't need to lean on him anymore... but part of me doesn't want to leave.

"Me taking that hit saved us, Leon. It's what got you to pull me out of there. It's how we got out of that cell area. Don't be disappointed. At least the two of us are alive."

Ada trotted ahead of us, the audio recorder to her ear. She was listening to the tape. "Can you two be quiet? I'm trying to listen." Of course. Anything for the princess. I stop leaning on Leon and walk closely behind the two of them.

We're walking up a ramp that takes us to the openness of the city. Brick buildings come into view. Some shops are seen, too, but they've been destroyed to nothingness. The street is quiet besides the flames sparking from some vehicles. The rain has dampened the cement, it ignites a glowing hue all around us. We're then drenched from the sprinkling above us. It's hard for me to see. I have to hold my hand above my eyes just to block the rain.

Ada stops the tape and hides it away in her trench coat's pocket.

Leon sighs. "Is that the intel you needed?"

Ada adjusts her coat. "Unfortunately, no. Ben didn't come through."

We start walking down the middle of the street. "Well, what exactly are you looking for?" Leon asks.

"More info on the people responsible for this mess," Ada says. "What about you? Trying to save the world?" She sounds sarcastic.

"I told Lieutenant Branagh I'd bring help," Leon confides.

Ada laughs. "Good luck getting that..." Yeah. I agree with her. There's no help left. We are all alone. For once, we are literally alone.

"Where are we going?" I speak up. Ada stops in her steps. We all do. In front of us was once a road. It has now been demolished.

"Road ends. We're going to have to go through that gun shop," she replies. Leon and I look to our left. In bright LED letters, GUN SHOP KENDO is written on one of the brick buildings.

We all walk over to the door, which is locked, and Ada bends down to unlock it with something.

I take a deep breath and look at Leon. "Maybe you can find a gun or... I don't know... Something that can help us."

He nods. "Yeah, but the chances of there being a gun in those shelves are so unlikely. A lot of the citizens probably took them."

That's true. We just have to hope to find something useful, I guess.

Ada opens the doors for us and we step inside. It's a disaster inside. Shelves have been knocked over and shattered. Papers and supplies have been thrown onto the floor, piled up. The ammunition sign is hanging on its side.

"What a mess..." Ada complains.

"Yeah. Looks like a hurricane just swept through here," I say. It does, though. We have to step around everything. We almost trip over things. Not only that, it's pitch black in here. All the power has been cut. The open blinds on the windows illuminate some light.