"𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧."

- 2 -

We both entered back into the lobby at the top of the stairs in the massive Main Hall. The storm seemed to calm down sense I couldn't hear it anymore. The officer stepped down the stairs and onto the main lobby floor. Leon walked over to what looked to be a corpse, but it was in fact a living person.

"Oh god I'm sorry!" I jogged over, "I didn't even notice you when I first came in."

"No worries..." the stranger groaned and winced in pain while he held onto a wound. His hands were covered in blood and his skin looked grey. "The names Marvin Branagh."

"Lieutenant this is Y/n. I found him pinned under one of those freaks." Leon said while he grabbed his jacket, "I took care of the situation." Leon held out his jacket and smiled, "that should do it huh?" he said.

I nodded while taking the jacket from him, "Thank you." I pulled my arms through the sleeves. Glancing up at Leon I noticed he was watching me but as soon as I looked, he directed his eyes to Marvin.

Marvin cleared his throat which caused him to cough a bit, "Leon, you have one more of those medallions to find to open up that passage. You've got to get out of here." Marvin held onto Leon's arm with his blood smearing into the RPD uniform. Leon looked at the dying police officer with remorse.

"Don't worry Marvin. I'm on it." Leon stood up and faced me, "You want to come with?" Leon had pure anticipation on his face, it was similar to watching a puppy waiting for you to give it a treat.

"I'm not too handy with guns..." I clarified. Leon gestured me to follow. Him and I started walking down towards the front desk of the lobby.

"I can teach you. C'mon you're going to want to learn how to use one." Leon made his way in front of me, pulling a pistol from his side holster, and held it out with his hand on the barrel end. "Don't worry. I put it on safety." he said.

I took the pistol from him. Observing it in my hand. I made sure to keep the barrel pointed down.

"I never shot a gun before; I've held them but never genuinely used one." I laughed to myself, "I mean we did have one at the library. No idea why but we did."

Leon's eyes slightly lit up with curiosity, "you're a librarian?" he asked.

"I worked at a library, I guess it makes sense considering the room you found me in. I'm just drawn to books." I smiled.

Leon smiled back quickly glancing down at the lobby floor before looking back up at me again.

"So...are you going to teach me the basics?" I said as I lifted the gun, barrel end still pointing to the floor.

"Oh yeah! So, we'll start simple, like aiming." Leon made his way behind me.
He gently held onto my shoulders then moved his hands down to my elbows.

"First: you're going to hold the gun out in front of you." I straightened my arms out. Leon laughed.

"What?" I said a little annoyed, while looking back at him over my shoulder.

"Not that straight, you need them a little bent. Here—" he slightly lowered my arms, "Like that!"

"Okay so now I'm aiming...what's next?" I looked back at Leon waiting for the next step.

"I mean you're doing well so far. Definitely aim for their heads, it puts them down quicker. Also, you can slow them down by shooting their knees to disable them." he backed away and walked up to the lobby desk.

The officer pulled out a map of the station and laid it out on the desk. Spreading out the folds with his hands.

"You know a lot about taking them down." I stood beside him. Leon circled a room on the map with a pen.

"I had to take a bunch of them down while I was trying to find people here." he said while he folded the map back up and put it back in his pocket.

I felt those sparks dim just a little more. I didn't want to ask the dreadful question, but I needed to know, "Any luck with finding anybody?" everything felt like it slowed while I waited for him to reply.

Leon slowly shook his head. His eyes stared into mine with such feeling. He felt sorry for me and for himself, like it was his fault the people didn't make it because he wasn't here sooner. I felt the exact same way, 'survivors guilt' I thought.

"Oh..." I didn't know how to feel. I wanted to brush it off, I wanted to cry, get angry. But I just stood there, staring at nothing in particular, as I tried to figure out everything.
"It's just...well my family, I don't know what happened to them." I felt a numbing feeling wash over me. It was waves of constant dread of all the horrible possibilities of what could have happened to them.

Leon's hands rested on my shoulders; he was gentle with me. I didn't look at him, not that I didn't want too I just felt lost and confused about everything that was going on.

"Look, we've got each other now. And you and I will get through this together, okay?" Leon titled his head so we could make eye contact. I looked back at him and nodded.
Taking in a deep breath, "Yeah, you're right. You've got my back and I've got yours." I felt a little better. Leon, this police officer, was probably one of the nicest cops I could've stumbled on as soon as I fought my way to the station. Even if it's just him and Marvin now I still have somebody.

We sat down in the reception room of the station. I could faintly hear the groans of the undead from outside. Leon gave a run down on the whole situation on how to get out of the station and what to do in order to execute the plan. He gave me simple instructions on what to do. Shoot anything that was a threat and be quiet when needed.

"There are these things, monsters, they can't see you, but they are super sensitive to sound. If you leave them alone and stay quiet, they won't bother you." Leon was reloading his shotgun while he spoke. I was listening carefully as I held onto the pistol Leon had given me.

"What if I miss? or end up hitting you??" my grip on the pistol tightened, "Leon I don't know if I can..."

"Hey, hey it's alright. You don't have to come with me." Leon knelt down in front of me with his hand on my leg.

"I don't want you to run off and get yourself hurt or killed even!" my body felt this ache. I had some strange attachment to this man I only had just met. It was stupid for me to even feel this way towards a stranger but something about him I was drawn to, just like a book.
As a reader and a writer, I have always loved the imagination and creativity that can be created with only some words.

With Leon I see a completely new story, pages I have yet to discover, and the person he is inside of his cover. Being enveloped in him I hadn't realized I was staring at him. A jolt went up my spine and my body I could physically feel heat up.

"Sorry! I didn't realize I was staring...I uh...I tend to zone out a bit." that was a simple coverup. A quick disguise for the embarrassing stare down I just had.

Leon laughed to himself, "It's okay, just don't zone out around these zombies." he teased.

"I'll stay with Marvin. I can look out for him while you get that medallion." I stood up from the cushioned seats, my eyes meeting with Leons as soon as he got up from kneeling.

"I think it'll be safer if you stayed. And you'll be keeping Marvin company too." the officer gestured towards the lobby where Marvin resided.

"Stay safe Leon...Don't make me have to come running to save you like you did for me." I walked across the room towards the lobby. Taking one last look back at him before I left.

Leon hesitated a bit. As if he was debating on something before he actually took his steps. Finally, he walked up and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a hug.
I was taken back by the random effection he was sharing with me, but I didn't find any room to complain. I moved my arms under his and hugged him back.

"I'll be safe don't worry about me..." Leon backed away with that same smile. With one last good luck and goodbye Leon took off into the station.

I went back into the lobby and sat on the stairs. My mind was racing back to that smile, and his voice. Why am I feeling this way? What is so special about him?