𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷 𝓚𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭𝔂| ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 4

Infected Ideas

I grab Leon's hand, tugging him towards the first door I see as a swarm of the undead scientists gather from both exits of the corridor, we've got no other option than to hide and hope we aren't racing head first into yet more zombies. Leon doesn't protest, he fires a few more bullets until his handgun clicks empty, I play unintentional tug of war with him as he tries to take down a few more of the undead, but he must see we're majorly outnumbered because after stabbing two bodies he finally gives in and allows me to drag him into the room. The force of my desperation sends him stumbling back past me as I slam the door closed, panting heavily as undead hands try to pry their way in, nails scratch as I use all of my weight to keep the door closed as my hands find the lock. Once secure, I turn to observe the prison I've unintentionally locked us in. It's another room similar to the rest we've been searching; a simple lab set up, with a sofa in the corner and a desk displaying numerous medical equipment and a computer that's gathered dust. 

"They're not going to stop." Leon murmurs, face haunted as he sighs and slumps onto the sofa with defeat. I bite my lip, glancing at the rattling door, our doom like a battering ram intent on barging in. "In all my time fighting those things, they've never given up on their prey." Leon adds, a small, sad chuckle escapes his lips as he runs a hand over his face. I shake my head, fingers touching the pouch attached to my hip that's filled with the reason we came to this overrun Umbrella facility. 

Vaccines. Eight of them to be exact. 

"We can't just give up. Surely they'll find something else..." I begin, but I lead off at the absurdity of it. Leon and I are the first humans to come here since the outbreak five months ago, there's no wonder the zombies aren't giving in so easily when they've been handed a two course meal on a silver platter. We both knew the risks of going in as a duo rather than a team, but the facility seemed small and escapable. It wasn't until we opened the wrong door that all the zombies from the lab cafeteria began stumbling out with no intention of going back in, we'd been forced to run, and now our mistake is costing us our lives. Leon sighs, reloading his gun as if it'll do us any good, it's not like we can open the door and shoot our way out of this mess. 

"We're too deep underground for our radios to work," Leon muses as if talking to himself, "and I've already checked this lab, there's not a single way we can escape apart from that door." He nods to the still shaking door that looks ready to burst. My lib wobbles as a sense of defeat and depression overcome me, I stomp towards Leon who looks up at me and opens his arms, immediately I fall into them, climbing onto his lap as he holds me close and gently runs his fingers through my hair. "I'm so sorry." He apologises, but to be fair this mess was caused by the both of us. The tang of disinfectant reaches my nose as I take deep, steadying breaths, but it only makes me hiccup and shake harder. All of my hard work and training, every mission and life saved, was any of it worth it for this outcome to happen to me? 

"This can't be it. There's gotta be some way out. Why can't the fucking zombies start eating each other for a...wait a minute," I sniffle, wiping my eyes as Leon's chin rests on my head, he's past the point of panic and has accepted fate's fucked up turn, but my own ponderings bring a dumb and reckless escape plan to light. "The infected don't eat each other, right?" I ask, looking up as Leon's brows knit together in confusion, it's only for a second though because my boyfriend knows my mind too well. Leon pushes me off of him, setting me aside as he shakes his head repeatedly and stands up, already pacing in stress. 

"Don't even go there. We're not getting ourselves killed-" 

"We won't die. I don't think. If we get ourselves infected they'll leave us alone, they'll consider us bad meat and won't even try to reach for us, and we've got these." I say, tapping my hand against the rattling vials of the vaccine. Leon pales, eyes widening as he swallows deeply. "If we're quick, we can get to the elevator before the infection spreads too far. We can use two of the vaccines to cure ourselves as we leave."