Trials of Survival

Chapter 6: Two Sides of the Same Coin

(We got a bipolar chapter on the grill today! There'll be plenty of BLOOOOOOD! And DEEEATTTHHHHHH... And there'll also be wholesome, cutesy moments with Fox and their family! Love it or hate it, you get both end of the spectrum baby!)




5:35 AM

I slowly blinked awake, groaning as I sat up. My back was killing me... ugh, I would kill for a bed... Oh sweet bedroom, I'm sorry that I won't be seeing you...! I shed a single, solemn tear, which promptly got soaked up by the bandages right below my eyelids. 

Welp, enough crying for today, time to get to work! 

I hopped up, dragging my legs off the side of the couch, and getting up to stand. My right arm was numb, having slept on it allll night, after all, having a crowbar pressed right into the back of your skull wasn't the most pleasant feeling. 

I lifted my mask, rubbing away at my eyes. The sudden shifting of my bandages didn't seem to flare up my burn wounds anymore, in fact, it was only a slight tingle. Maybe... I could take them off? Hmm. I'd do that once we find a mirror. 

I looked over to the couch opposite to me, Jack was asleep, but teetering on the edge of being awake, mumbling and rolling about. Without much thought, I walked over and gave him a nudge. 

"Hmmrhgh? Gimme a minute..." Jack whined, flipping over onto his belly and burying his face into the cushions. 

"Get up." 

"No!" Jack whined, covering his ears. 

I sighed, facepalming, letting my hand drag down the mask in frustration. "Ffffine. I'll five you one minute. Then you're getting up" 

"Fine by... me..." His body went limp, chest rising and falling. I furrowed my brow at the sight, but I guess old habits die hard, it was a tough one to hardwire out of my system, when I was younger too. 

Well, I oughta check up on Dave, I hadn't heard so much of a toot from him ever since he started mumbling to himself. With a yawn and a stretch I walked on out the door. "Mornin' Dave, how did... patrol duty go... Dave?" 

I skimmed the area, looking around slowly, then it became a little more frantic. I slammed my fist against the wall, my breathing speeding up. "Shit... shit shit shit SHIT!" I stormed over to Jack and violently shook him awake, practically dragging him off the couch. 

"W-what! What the fuck do you want?! Get your hands off me-" 

"Dave is gone. Dave is fucking gone! He's... I don't know, he got taken! Killed maybe! Get the fuck up, we're fucking finding him." He stared groggily up at me, and I simply slapped him as hard as I could. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! GET. THE. FUCK. UP!" 

He winced, but held up his hands in surrender "Fuck, fine! Jeez... What're you pissing your pants over again?" He got up, straightening his vest and tidying up his clothes. 

"DAVE IS GONE!" 

"Dave is gone?! Fuck, why didn't you tell me sooner?!" He said, shaking himself awake and dashing out the door, looking about frantically. 

"I DID! I FUCKIN-... Never mind. Get your goddamned shit together, we are finding him!" I shouted, bursting out the room with a glowering frown. I yanked the crowbar free from it's hold, a stern look climbing up my face. 

"Don't have to tell me twice!" He clenched his teeth, pulling the axe free from the back of his vest. 

With my wounds healed, and a undauntable fury emanating from my being, I ran out the Supply Room, glancing down the main hall. "DAVE?! DAVE WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?! ANSWER ME!" 

"He could be in the Flooded Room! Those shark freaks are close, they could've dragged him back while we were asleep!" Jack grit his teeth, dashing forth to the right, stopping just short of the water and glaring out into the rippling shallows. 

The sharks weren't there yet... probably hiding somewhere... I could just imagine it, coming across Dave's mutilated corpse, flesh and fat dangling loose from the teeth of those mutants, bones torn apart for their marrow, organs spilt, floating in the waters... 

"Goddamnit Dave, where are you..."  


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5:15 AM


I walked hurriedly through the Gardens, climbing up the stairs with some difficulty. The sledgehammer did nothing to help, but I brought it along anyways... man I probably looked so badass...

I took a single glance over my shoulder, then shuddered as I spotted the hundreds of eyes peering back at me from the trees. Eurgh... yuck. I hurried along, looking about, till I spotted the well hidden door to the Library. 

With a sigh of relief, I walked over to open the door. 

A sudden wave of warmth passed over me, a lovely feeling opposed to the cold, harsh and unfeeling emptiness of the rest of the facility. Smiling softly, I walked in, but not before taking my boots off at the door. 

I'd never been to the library before! I don't think any one of the security team had either, it... wasn't really included in the patrol. Guess the higher ups never really thought a library that led to nowhere would be worth scouting. 

It was... well, beautiful... compared to the rest of the facility at least. Soft candlelight lit the room, from both the wall mounted lanterns, but also the well crafted chandeliers! The walls were wooden, laden with a soft green wallpaper. Many fine bottles lay adorned on shelves across the walls too!