Left 4 Dead/Left 4 Dead 2 One-Shots

Ellis ~ Mechanic

*prepocalypse (aka pre-apocalypse)*

"No, you can't be doing this now!" You let out a loud groan as the old rust-bucket of a car you sat in sputtered and slowed. "Come on!" You turned the wheel so you'd turn onto the shoulder of the road, not that it would matter. You were in the middle of nowhere, nobody was going to use this road in probably another 5 years.

The car you inhabited was lended to you by a friend, one that was very aware of the car's condition. They insisted that you'd get to your destination, your aunt's house where you'd be staying a week, but obviously they were wrong. Thankfully, they gave you a number to call if the old thing decided not to work.

You pulled out the number, not surprised to see your friend's sloppy writing resting on the slip of paper, and typed the number into your phone. You were unsure of a couple numbers, thinking a couple 7s might be 1s or 3s were 8s. After hitting the call button, you heaved a sigh when the woman's voice said the number wasn't in service.

It took you a couple more tries but eventually you got the number, at least you thought so since you heard a couple rings before someone picked up.

"Bullshifters Auto Shop, how can we assist?" A male's voice answered the call, and just like you knew all people (including your aunt) down here had, he had a southern accent.

"My car broke down." You sounded pathetic, you did, especially cause you had no hope of figuring out the problem. You were more of school-smart person than a vehicle-smart person.

"Where are ya ma'am?" He asked.

"Um..." you laughed nervously as you looked up and down the road you had been traveling on, the cracked blacktop being the only thing to clue you as to where you were. A breeze blew your hair out of your face and the smell of unfamiliar terrain filled your nose. "I have no clue."

"Well that makes it awfully hard ta help ya," the man's tone was light but your cheeks still warmed in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, I haven't passed a sign in forever," your eyes traveled around as you look for some sort of landmark to tell you anything but nothing besides the same view you'd been getting upon turning down this road greeted your eyes. "Do you happen to know where a road is that looks like it hasn't been used in years? Like, it's in very bad condition and it goes on for miles and miles?"

"We gotta lotta those."

"Whatcah ya grinnin' 'bout Keith?" Another masculine voice asked from somewhere near the guy on the phone.

"Girl don't know where she is," Keith answered, and you could only assume he was grinning like the other man had said.

"Well ya gotta help her!" The other insisted.

"I'm tryin'."

"Not very hard," you included your input.

"Dave could probably find her. Did she tell ya anythin' 'bout where she is?" The other asked.

"A long road that hasn't been used in forever, right?" Keith said directly into the phone.

"Yes."

"Yeah." Keith repeated to the other in the room.

"Dave'll find 'er." He said before leaving, at least you thought he did.

"Alright ma'am, Dave'll come pick you up in a little bit, you just sit tight."

"Thanks so much," you breathed, the idea of rescue sounding especially sweet when you realized the sun was going to set in maybe 4 hours and you needed to be at your aunt's house by then. "Oh, quick question, how long do you think it'll take?"