"𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧."

- 7 -

The sound of something big slamming into the metal floor below echoed throughout the boiler room. Leon couldn't see. The steam was too thick. He called out from above to see if he could get any response from the man who had just fallen.

"You okay!? Talk to me!" Leon was leaning over the railing. He even debated on jumping down himself, but who knows what could be down there.

"Fuck!! Jesus Christ." I groaned out past gridded teeth. My hands found themselves on the Lickers fleshy body. Immediately I kicked the sick bastard off and crawled back trying to gain a sense of my surroundings. My back met a wall of pipes. I reached around to find a ledge to lift myself back up onto my feet. Groaning from the pulsing pain; I felt my sore shoulder return to its aggravating state.

My mind was back in that apartment. Scared and afraid to move. I was on thin strings that could snap and I'd fall limp like a puppet. It would look just like that. I'd collapse to my knees and rip out a sob that would ensure my fate of being ripped apart. A bit of me would probably be here or splattered off onto the ceiling or pooled in a thick crimson on the ground.

"Leon!? Leon wh-" the Licker screeched from the dense steam. I couldn't see it. Neither could it see me, but it could hear me. I was terrified. My hands cupped over my mouth to try and cease my shaken breaths.

'*I have to be quiet*.' I thought to myself. This is my worst fucking nightmare. Where even is it. I can't see. I don't know what to do. I'm scared. Fuck what do I do...I can't do this. I'm not made for this.

My heart was pounding out of my chest. No matter how hard I tried to take a breath it felt like no air was getting even into my lungs. I clenched my hand into a fist over my chest. My breaths were staggered and I knew exactly what was going on. I was having a panic attack. A thought flashed in my mind, for a moment, just a moment I felt like I had some control over this whole situation.

Franticly my hands patted myself down: from my chest to my waist. Only then had I realized I didn't have a gun. The Licker was somewhere in that cloud of thick steam and I was standing here just as blind as it was.

"Hey! Up here!!" Leon yelled from above. Metal banging was echoing throughout the boiler room. The officer was using the grip end of his Matilda handgun to bang it against metal railings. Leon was creating a distraction, and it was definitely working. The Licker cried out in frustration following the horrible sound of its claws ripping through metal like paper, sparks flew from the steam.

I could briefly see Leon from down here. I took this opportunity to sprint off and try to find a way out of this maze. Leon's banging subsided as he started to yell and clap his hands. Running under pipes and other obstacles I was pinned in a corner. My legs felt like thin ice soon to shatter from the amount of adrenaline and fear that shook my core.

A whistle from overhead caught my attention. I quirked my head up to see Leon holding his Matilda handgun, his arm outstretched and ready to drop it into my hands. He mouthed "Safety's on".

My hands reached out ready to catch the falling gun. A chilling hiss bellowed from the steam. I recoiled my hands to my chest and the gun met the metal floor with a crash. The Licker screeched as it heard the death bell toll.

Everything felt slow, every breath was a hushed gasp while my entire body stumbled forward for the gun. It was all silent as I grasped that gun in my hands, aimed up and pulled the trigger without daring to open my eyes. Two shots rang out throughout the boiler room followed with a howl of pain.

"I'm coming down! Just stay right there!" Leon shouted before the sound of his boots treading off somewhere into the boiler room went faint.

My ears were ringing and my hands felt hot. I slowly opened my eyes. The first thing I could see was something limp on the floor. My entire body was shaking, I've never felt so sick and afraid in my entire life. I wanted to throw up.

Carefully I took slow and hesitant steps towards the dead sicko. It's body was lifeless, with that gross exposed brain adorning two bullet holes. It was a perfect head shot. An absolute life saver on my part with pure luck.

"Hey are you—" Leon's soft voice was erupted by my sudden shove at him. I was so on edge I assumed he was another creature coming to finish me off.

"Fuck Leon! Jesus...sorry." I let out a long and slow sigh. Shaking my head and rubbing my temple I began to calm down. "You have no idea how badly I want to throw up right now." I gave a small chuckle. Not that I was relieved or anything.

Leon laughed a bit to himself. "I'm sorry..." he began with a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "That was pretty scary huh?" The officer swayed his free hand and head.

"Yeah, and my back hurts like hell too." I acknowledged that Leon was softly rubbing on my shoulder. It was such a subtle touch but it made my body tingle.

"We should head up. I found a ladder that'll get us back up there again." Leon moved his hand from my shoulder down to my hand. His gloved hand brushed against my exposed skin. Our hands interlocked with another.

The officer gently pulled me along to follow in his footsteps. I said nothing, my eyes said enough. His back and that padding from his R.P.D. suit had my eyes glued onto him. His jeans and that gun holster where his Matilda handgun would go was in my hands.

It was such an odd feeling but I felt powerful holding something of his. I felt like he needed me and I needed him just as much.

"I guess we're even now huh?" I began, my eyes still locked onto their eye candy in front of them.

"What's that?" Leon asked still walking over to the ladder. We both stopped just in front of it.

"I mean you saved my life. Giving me the gun and all." I shrugged my shoulders.

"That was all you! You're very brave." Leon gently nudged my shoulder. My face cringed in pain from the gesture. Leon withdrew his hand immediately. "Sorry."

"You're fine Leon..." I gave him a light laugh to reassure him I was alright. Sure my whole body was pissed I kept getting myself into such trouble but I can't help it when the world just decides to go to war.

"Leon" I said before he could walk away, "What...what do you want to do when this is all over?"

"Go on vacation..." his voice sounded so sure of himself. It was honestly really funny. I laughed.

"I mean...with us? Are we like..." shrugging my shoulders and raising my brows I wasn't quite sure of what where we stood. Romance? Friendship? Yeah because you kiss your friends like that...

Leon looked at me for a moment. He tapped his foot only two times before he spoke up. "We can be like...boyfriends?" Leon nervously laughed a bit. Guess him and I were both unsure of what we felt.

"I'd like that..." I gave him a smile. My body felt a sense of ease and excitement. I wasn't sure exactly what to feel but I knew it was positive feelings. So I guess it's a positive thing. Me and Leon.