Wilted.

Log Day 4: Two birds with one stone

"Azrael?..." My blood ran cold, I know that voice- But- No it couldn't be... "Azzy...?" I go frozen as I watch dirty blond hair, and bright blue eyes pop into view. "Rilee..." tears struck my eyes as Rilee sprinted toward me, and pulled me into her embrace. Her face dug into my chest, I rub her back and cry quietly. "R-Rie... I thought I'd never-" She hushes me quietly, stretching her arm up toward my head to run her hand through my hair. "Shhh... Shh... It's gonna be okay now... I'm here... I'm here..." My grip on her tightened.
After a while of my crying and reuniting with one of my best friends, I wiped my eyes and went frozen when we all heard what could only be described as a screech coming from behind us. I dropped to my knees, hiding behind a rolled over van. Rilee and Alex followed suit. "Stay quiet..." I whisper to the two, my eyes darting from place to place. Where's dad... Rilee taps my shoulder and I turn to face her, she points at her pistol then gestured toward the direction the Wasted was. I shook my head. "Too risky... we can't afford to lose anyone." I mutter, trying not to alert the monster only a few feet away. Rilee looked down, her plan was an immediate fail. "What if we lure it somewhere else?" Alex asked, her gaze falling on a nearby piece of rubble. "How.." I asked, applying some pressure on my aching eye wound. Alex gave me a nervous smirk. "It does include a small part from Rilee's plan."

Caidan pressed his body against the wall as the noise shattered glass scattered around the floor.
The sounds of heavy footsteps rang in his ears. He glanced at Phoenix behind him who looked nervous and scared. Then his eyes began to dart around for Sam frantically. Did he already go to the office? Did he run off? Where is he? Within seconds he felt a sharp pain in his leg and he let out an ear piercing scream. He threw the shotgun toward Phoenix and looked up at them desperately. "SHOOT! AIM! AND SHOOT." He screamed out as the Wasted yanked him by the leg and threw him into the ceiling, and then the floor, again, and again, until his leg was yanked off.
Phoenix aimed the gun, shaking terribly. Their blue eyes wide on the target. That was until Sam ran out from behind the large rocking chair, grabbed the gun from them, and shot at the Wasteds eyes. "AN EYE FOR AN EYE MOTHERFUCKER!" He yelled, Phoenix stumbled their way to grab Caiden, taking his body and dragging it behind the couch. "Caidan...! Caidan don't you dare..." They ripped their shirts sleeve off, and tied it around the stub that used to be their friends leg. "It's gonna be okay Caidan..." They muttered, holding Caidan to their chest tightly. "It's gonna be okay..." Caidan remained breathing, his eyes closed as he fell asleep. The sounds of grunts and angry shooting coming from Sam only a few feet away.
Till finally, the sounds of the Wasted stopped. And a loud thud was heard. "Phoenix..." Sam called out, his tone still angry and his voice quavering. "Get Caidan to Azzy's bedroom. Put him on the bed. I'll get Nana so she could patch him up." Phoenix nodded, picking up their dear friend, and walking down the hallway and into Azrael's room. The LED lights remained dim red, and the sounds of the wind came from the shattered window. The breeze pushed the ripped tarp into the air and Phoenix let out a nervous sigh, placing Caidan in the bed, they sat down on the floor beside it. "It'll be okay..."
Sam walked into the room a few minutes after Phoenix placed Caidan into bed. He walked alongside Sandy, his greenish blue eyes stayed on the floor as he wiped some blood from his cheek with the back of his hand. "Phoenix can we talk?" He asked, gesturing toward the door of the room. They nodded, leaving Sandy to patch their broken friend up. Sam walked Phoenix to the living room where Charlette was sitting, her eyes a bit distraught. "We don't think they are coming back." He muttered, referring to the group that left earlier that afternoon. "What do you mean." They asked with fear in their tone, "Azzy said they would come back at sunset. It's past. Sunset." Phoenix grabbed Sam by the collar of his shirt, pressing the boy to the wall angrily. "THEY ARE COMING BACK." They yelled furiously, tears spurring at the corners of their eyes. "No. They aren't. It's safe to say something happened because they haven't come back!" He refrained himself from yelling at his friend. His eyes staring into theirs with slight grief. "They have to..." Phoenix whispered under their breath. "They promised..."

Watching Rilee run into the nearby forest on the side of the highway while that... THING. Chased them scared me. But. The plan is already in motion. We'll find a way back home even if we aren't gonna be there till sunrise. Alex found an alternative route into the same forest Rilee is currently running in so she could climb a tree with Rilee's nail-bat so Rilee could bring the Wasted to the designated area and Alex could drop down, and somehow manage to slice it's head off. Meanwhile I stay back my gun, waiting for dad to return. They both had decided since my eye was ripped out of my face and I can't see well, that I stay back and if something happens I intervene. I count the minutes.. One... two... I blink, and lift my head to the sound of footsteps. I crouch down, holding the gun to my chest I prepare myself for the worst. Only to be brought to my senses upon hearing Rilee's sweet voice. "We're back! You okay?" She asked, turning to me where I hid. I looked up at her, my hand on my bandaged eye. "Mhm... how'd it go?" I asked, standing up and dusting my knees off. Looking around for any sign of my dad behind them. "Went surprisingly well. We took it's limbs off under a few minutes." Alex nodded, slightly unnerved but proud. That's when I got yanked from behind, only to be pulled back by Rilee, she snatched my gun, shooting at the Wasteds face, only to be pulled back, and thrown into a tree. My eye widened, I grabbed a nearby pistol, and a knife, climbing the van I hid behind previously, jumping onto the creature and stabbing it in the back, finally blowing it's brains out. My injured side of my face felt like it was on fire as I felt the anger, and the adrenaline and fear. My focus went back to Alex who darted toward Rilee who was laying on her side, coughing up blood. My eye widened, I reared back, reaching for my knife, and finally shoving the blade into the monsters eye, digging it further into the head. Afterward I jumped off the creature, letting it fall back and go limp to die. After confirming the Wasted was dead, I ran up to the girls, sitting down beside Rilee and dragging her into my lap. "Hey... Hey...." I whispered, my fears were only increasing as she reached a weak hand up to my cheek. "Do... me a favor..." She let out weakly, "Kill Emilio for me... so we..." She wheezed quietly, and my tears came faster then a blink. "No Rilee... Rilee please... you promised..." I whined, my voice breaking as I spoke, she shot me a weak a smile, "Reunite us... please..." And then... she went limp in my arms. That's when I felt all the hatred, all the anger, all the fear, all the sadness and grief. Pile onto me. "Put her body in the car." I growled out, gently placing her body in front of me and walking past Alex. "Wha- Azrael-" She called out. But I did not turn around, instead, I found the still alive Wasted that the two girls ripped apart brutally. It had regenerated a leg. It snarled at me, I grabbed a nearby long stick, sharpening the tip with my knife. My glare hardened and as soon as the stick became sharp enough, I shoved it deep into the Wasted's head. Stabbing it repeatedly.
'You didn't save her.'
'It should've been you.'
'IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU.'
'Worthless.'
The thoughts echoes in my mind as I laughed, stabbing and stabbing into the creatures now smashed head. I continued, and kept stabbing into it until a hand brushed my shoulder and a quiet voice spoke to me. "Azzy... Let's go home... Mike has the car ready." Upon hearing Alex's voice so close to me, I smacked at her hand and I glared at her, my eyes filled with tears, and anger. "DON'T TOUCH ME." I hissed, taking the stick and throwing in the other direction. I paused for a moment, letting my more passive thoughts come to me. "Oh... Alex... I'm-" She looked at me with worry and opened her arms. "It'll be okay..." She whispered, pulling me into her warm, comforting embrace.