Embrace The Madness: Cataclysm

22. Snare

[day 185]

The rain drizzled down lightly from a dark, cloudy sky as if a bad omen were upon him.
Patrick pushed through the deserted streets, one step at a time, his pistol in a holster alongside his knife with the maroon handle.
He felt as if he were a cowboy or a lone knight, whose adventure was coming to a close. He had fun fantasising, for it may have been his last time doing so.
He could see the bank as he drew nearer. He inspected the architecture from a distance. Elegant and intricate stone carvings caught his eye first. There were horses, chariots, and wagons. He didn't exactly know why it was on a bank, but he didn't question it. He then admired the thick stone pillars that lined the entrance, huge, black double doors
Then his gaze drifted to the side until he was looking straight again, facing the blonde man.

"Holy shit!" He exclaimed, "I didn't think you'd show up!"

It seemed like he was the only one there, but Patrick wasn't stupid enough to think that.

"What're we doing here?" Patrick sighed, his hands in his pockets.

The blonde man stood there, staring at the ground, his mouth open, about to speak.

"I think, personally, this whole cat and mouse shit has gone on long enough," he had a face that read either bravado or smugness, "so... why don't you join us?"

"Join you?"

"Yeah! You're here alone, seems like you didn't bring your buddies along-"

"By buddies... you mean like the one you killed? The child?" Patrick's brow furrowed and his face became sour with hatred.

"What was I meant to do?"

This motherf-, Patrick thought.

"What were you supposed to do? Literally anything else would be fine, but you chose to kill an innocent child! You don't fucking do that!"

Patrick pulled out his gun and pointed it at the blonde man, he was really starting to feel like a gunslinger now.
But just then, the man made a kind of whistling noise and armed men emerged from behind cars and inside shadowy areas. They pointed their guns, large rifles, at Patrick's head. He counted ten, though there could have been more.

"You didn't really think I came alone, did you?" The blonde man stood behind the others, like a child behind his parents, "drop your gun, go on, slide it over."

Patrick looked into the eyes of one of the armed men. He had a strange look about him, a mad look in his eyes.
He looked down at the man's sweaty hands slipping on the grip of the gun.
Patrick subtly licked his top lip, with a straight face, he made one last attempt at bargaining.

"It doesn't have to be this way," he put his hands up, level with his head, "we could end all of this, go our separate ways."

"Yeah, we could end this all... right now," the blonde man now had his gun pointed at Patrick, his finger on the trigger, "drop. The. Gun."

Patrick let out another sigh, fine, he thought. His arm outstretched, he dropped his gun to the ground.
When it made impact with the ground, there was a loud bang.
He had red on his face as the man who had a gun pointed at him was holding his neck as blood spewed from between his fingers.
When he collapsed to the ground, chaos erupted, shots were fired from the windows of buildings and the strangers on the street fired back.
Patrick made his move before the other gunman could react, pushing the gun aside and swinging his fist. When it made contact, Patrick grabbed his knuckles in pain, before being tackled by the same attacker.
He was on the ground, being pummelled with fists, some connecting with his face, most hitting his arms he used to guard himself.
Eventually, when Patrick's arms started patting the ground, he found a glass bottle, which he smashed across his attacker's face. He spun towards the ground, though Patrick couldn't bear the thought of finishing him off, so the assailant was left on the ground, feeling his pained face.

As more bullets started to rain, and glass was flying everywhere, Patrick scrambled for cover. He found himself behind one of the pillars outside the bank.
He had no time for a second of rest, for when he turned, he had to swiftly dodge a metal pipe hitting him in the face.
Patrick felt the dust fall on his face as the attacker held his hands from the vibration, but even still, he was on Patrick in seconds, grabbing him by the collar, throwing punch after punch.
It was at that moment when the attacker grimaced in pain, gritting his teeth, one of the dead had turned and started scarfing down bits of his leg.
Patrick took this opportunity to push the attacker away, and eventually feasted on.

"Patrick!" Came Frank's roar, "the fucker's getting away, end this now!"

It was true, Patrick could see the blonde man limping away in the rain, crimson stains trailing behind him.
However, when he turned back to Frank, he witnessed an attacker bury a thin knife into his chest.

"NO!" Patrick cried, rushing over to Frank's side as he collapsed to the ground after blowing a hole through the head of his enemy.
The firing had ceased, most, if not all of the strangers were dead or dying, it seemed the battle was won.
Though at the time, it didn't feel like a victory to Patrick. He had his hands grasping his hair I'm confused panic.

"pat... Patrick- go... get the son of a bitch, there's a... a good lad."

Patrick didn't have anymore time to spare, all he knew was that he had a target, an enemy to kill.
The rain had failed to cover the tracks, Patrick easily followed the red trail.
A great growl came from the grey skies above, Patrick looked up a while, he hadn't seen a storm this intense since... before.

The next thing he remembered was being shoved to the ground, his knife and pistol being knocked away from him.
He must not have seen the gun, because the blonde man went straight for the knife.
Patrick only had enough time and strength to put his arms out, trying his utmost to keep himself from being stabbed with his own blade.
There was nothing in the blonde man's eyes but death, that and pure madness.
He was unsure if he could hear the blonde man speaking words, though he acknowledged the spit bubbling between his teeth.
Though as the struggle continued, he realised how weak the stranger was, and easily managed to overpower him. It may have been down to the blood loss, or a plethora of other reasons.

As the blonde man fell back, leaning against a car door, he began to grin, the same familiar sneer.
Patrick gave a look of anger through the rain, though there was also some pity there as well.

"You..." the dying man wheezed, "you don't know... the shit you've... brought upon yourself." A small smile formed on his pale face, his wet, blonde hair drooped down into his eyes.

Patrick couldn't answer, he wanted to speak but words wouldn't come.

"I... I don't even remember why he kicked me out..."

Patrick watched on as the blonde man whispered to himself, the rain and thunder muffling his voice. He saw the man's lips move against his tongue, his teeth clicking gently as the fatigue began to take over. But he held on, gritting his teeth, cursing at Patrick, spitting insults, tensing his muscles in silent rage.

Patrick stood up, he found his knife and pistol, and aimed the gun at the blonde man's head. The smile quickly faded.

"You don't even know my name..." he mumbled, before leaning closer, "you couldn't kill me then... you're not gonna kill me now. You haven't got it in-"

Patrick had pulled the trigger, the piercing clap of the bullet leaving the chamber was suppressed by the rain. The silver car now had a large splash of red coated over it, which was then washed away, lost to time.

Rose hurried down the stairs behind Ozzy, abandoning her vantage point after the gunfire had ceased.
She shoved the double doors open, quickly feeling the cold rain on her scalp.
There were a few victorious cheers and whistles from all around, but when eyes laid on Frank, it seemed that all noise had ceased.
Rose sprinted over, kneeling at Frank's side. She had his hand in hers, holding it tight, whispering silent prayers.
When she realised he was gone, she slowly turned her tearful head, brushing her head aside, seeing Patrick standing in the rain, his body limp, though his face hard as stone.