Left 4 Dead/Left 4 Dead 2 One-Shots

Ellis ~ All That's Left

^Sad music if you'd like. And yes, this is similar to the last one, but I wrote this one first so I think it's a bit better.

It's funny how easily people can die. Wait, funny isn't the right word. Depressing? Yeah, we'll go with that. You'd know, you just had everyone taken from you, and depressed described you perfectly. The one person still alive at your side tried everything he could to keep your spirits high, telling jokes more consistently and talking bad about the infected. Everyone had their own way to cope with loss, and you assumed that was Ellis'.

However, nothing helped. All his words went in empty ears, nothing he said was acknowledged like everything he said used to be. Because of this he spoke more and was too easily distracted. The only reason he was still alive was because you couldn't let him die too. If he fell to the infected's cold, dead hands....you might as well toss yourself to them too.

Finding a safe room didn't bring the joy it used to to your body, but Ellis made a comment about finally finding a place you could spend the night. You looked up, not noticing the sun had already fallen from the sky. The short mechanic ran ahead of you to open the door and you watched with a blank stare, empty eyes that hadn't come back to life since your teammates death and never would.

You walked past Ellisーwho was holding the door openーand found a spot in the corner to sit in. And that's where you were for the next hour and a half, staring into nothing and trying not to think. With your thoughts brought pain, and with pain brought tears you couldn't let Ellis see. Crying was inevitable, it always was. All you had to do was wait until Ellis was asleep, then you could cry till you couldn't anymore.

There was almost something about it, like you needed to let it happen or you'd be betraying your friends. You didn't feel this kind of sorrow for your undead friends and family, but with the whole world going down with one fell swoop, it felt like you had no chance to grieve. This, this time you could.

Hearing some soft snores from the other side of the safe room, you looked over to see Ellis curled up on the ground. He was cuddling his gun. The next second you were across the room and checking to make sure the safety was on and the clip was out of the weapon. To your overwhelming relief, he had remembered both tasks and wasn't likely to die anytime soon, not at all if you could help it.

You leaned up against the wall and peered down at him, remembering how he'd cuddled up to you one night. When he woke up the next morning he blushed and mumbled multiple apologizes but you just brushed it off. He was cute, you didn't mind. How many cute guys were you going to run into that weren't dead?

Memories of what would've eventually been a relationship if it weren't for your teammates' deaths ran through your mind, a particular one from before any of them had died coming to the front. It was when you were still in Whispering Oaks amusement park, by the games and tents, and there was a strength tester.

Nick had teased Ellis, prodding at him to try and get him to try the strength tester. It was Nick's hope that Ellis would fail, but Nick didn't realize how muscled Ellis was. You checked him out while he pulled the hammer back and swung it up over his head to come to a finish right on the bar. The little ball on the other side of the bar shot into the air and rammed against the bell at the top.

Ellis cheered loudly as you let out a low whistle. Hot dang. You patted the shorter boy on the head, looking down at him with admiration in your eyes. He wasn't too much shorter than you, not that he made a point of telling you that whenever you called him 'Shorty'. You called everyone Shorty that was shorter than you, and that meant everyone but Coach. Nick was the one that had to point out he wasn't that short every time, which just made the rest of you roll your eyes.