𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝 || Leon Kennedy (re4)

i.xviii - MUTATIONS

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Leon had contacted 'Roost' that Ashley had been secured. The three of you continued to walk through the rain, even the sky wasn't sympathizing with your cause, the rain drops hitting you hard enough to be considered hail. You figured that catching a cold would be the least of your worries once this was all over, so you decided not to give the worsening storm any more thought. It felt like you were walking on eggshells as you made your way to the extraction point.

Your mind was completely preoccupied, but even in your distracted state, you made sure Ashley was close to you and that Leon didn't wander off to far. Infected villagers continued their assault, though being taken down easily, Leon barely breaking a sweat at the small side-tasks.

More of the infected began to appear on either side of you. Wasting no time, you easily began to take down as many as you could but quickly realized you'd soon be outnumbered. You wanted to stay and fight, buy Leon and Ashley enough time to escape, but before you could strike again, you were yanked away by your arm. You exhaled a breath you hadn't known you were holding, looking back at Leon, who had an expressionless look in his eyes. "Don't play the hero." He told you, making sure you were in front of him, keeping you a good distance away from the crazed looking villagers.

"What's wrong with those things?" Ashley asked, looking back at what you and Leon were retreating away from, and they only continued to grow in number. Getting away from them seemed pointless, so you tried to take as many out as you could while maintaining a safe distance.

The fighting hadn't even lasted five minutes before they began to mutate.

Their head split open, fleshy tentacles flailing around from the gory opening, deliberately going for anything they could. Leon's eyes were focused on far too many things at once. Ashley. The monsters pursuing him. The mutation. The aim of his gun. Most importantly...you.

He knew you could handle yourself, he'd seen it. Why was he so wrapped up in your safety? That wasn't his mission. He needed to focus on the mission.

You were preoccupied, mind swimming with thoughts and it felt like you were unconsciously taking these things out. It was a virus. That much was obvious. You and Leon had been injected with something and you could only pray it wasn't similar to this. Though, you were pretty sure you knew the answer.

If this virus was something like what happened in Raccoon city, you would have turned already. Why was it taking so long? You could feel the strain of the virus ingesting itself further in your bloodstream, feel it squirm around. It made your arms twitch, becoming aware of the sickness spreading through you. Your aim faltered, flying past one of the mutations. Focus. Focus. Focus.

Your veins pulsed with an uncomfortable pace, turning a sickly grey color. Your hands shook. Feet backing away from the monsters, you didn't waste bullets you knew wouldn't hit with the tremors wracking through your body.

Leon shouted your name, a good distance away. Ashley was next to him, in front of a stone archway. He beckoned you over and away from the villagers. A pulsating pain behind your eyes made you wince, but went to the sound of his voice. Focus. Focus.

You ran. As fast as you could to keep up with Ashley and Leon as your body went practically numb. The grey hue of your veins hadn't faded, but in the darkness and the quick pace of your companions, they hadn't noticed.

A short tunnel that was dimly lit revealed another mutated villager, and a...pig? It was clearly infected as well, its eyes an unusual and a sheen of a grotesque slick. Red with blood as well. It charged at you but you dodged out of the way. That's all you could do right now, still shaking and unable to keep your head screwed on. It felt like you weren't here. You felt powerless. Empty.

Just like before, you were useless.

Leon took out the rabid animal and began attacking the man. You stared down at your hands with your eyes burning, vision blurry. One blink, blood was staining them. It disappeared after another.

You stumbled back against the hard rock wall in that short tunnel, wincing as your back connected with the hard surface. You looked around and tried to make out anything. You could make out Ashley. She looked like a fuzzy figure a great distance away. You began to panic but could do nothing as your knees buckled, sending you to the floor.

"F-fuck." You slurred out, nails digging into the dirt as you tried to carry yourself further. Towards Leon. Help him. Do something. Anything. You had to shut your eyes to alleviate the pain for even a moment. But it didn't work.

All it did was whisk you away into unconscious.

You were useless. That guilt churning in your gut.

You couldn't help.

Again.