Dead Blood

Rest In Peace

Watching battles as a kid was fun, when it was boxing or a fight in a video game. It was one of Greg's favorite past times as a child. However, being in a battle yourself, it's different. You feel the adrenaline, but it's not what you want. It's just... it's not right.
Guillermo, who had been too busy fighting with his ex, didn't really enjoy fighting to begin with. It made him feel like he was a cold blooded murderer, but, he would fight to survive. However, since he was injected, he had changed. Now, all he could think about was death. Lifeless, cold, everyone around him lying on the ground. It didn't matter what happened, just so long as he could kill.
Natalie was watching from the sidelines, wondering what she could do to help. She wanted to jump in and help, but, she also knew that she would get in the way. Though, something was off with her. Ever since the trek on the highway, she hasn't felt like herself. She felt cold, like her head was throbbing, and she had been coughing a bit. "Is this it?" She asked herself. She kept coughing some more, covering her mouth, this time, she felt some kind of liquid hit her palm. She moved her hand and shook at the sight of her hand. What came from her mouth... her own blood. "No..." she gasped.
"Nat, you okay?" Heather asked as she stared in confusion.
Natalie nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." She brushed her hand off and kept watching the fight. Her mind was clear now. "I know what I have to do now," Natalie thought as she moved closer to the fight.
Greg and his father were busy having their own fight. Nobody was speaking, they were just locked in battle, not taking their eyes off of each other's movements. For they knew if either one of them looked away even for a second, it was game over.
Star, who had to stop to catch her breath, was one slash away from losing her life. She couldn't keep up with Guillermo. She certainly tried, but she couldn't match his endurance. As she stopped, she saw him charge directly at her. "So, this is it, huh?" She asked herself. "Greg, if you can hear me, just know this..."
Guillermo screamed as he went to stab her, but he was cut off by another blade. He stared in front of him as he saw his new target. "You!" He growled.
Natalie smirked as he pushed him back. "That's right, me!" She yelled as she kicked him back. "You fucked up now!"
Guillermo growled. "Not a chance. You'll die anyway, so why not by my hand?" He stated as he tried to grab her.
Natalie quickly saw her chance and got behind him. She got him trapped in a Full Nelson, her hands keeping a tight grip on his shoulders. "Got you." She coughed up more blood. "Star, now is your chance!"
Star gasped as she stood back up. "Nat, what are you saying?"
"You and I both know Guillermo's too fast to take on by yourself. I have him down, end it!" She said.
"But if I kill him, you'll die too!" Star shouted as she held her pistol.
"I'm gonna die anyway!" Nat screamed. "I'd rather die helping you all then to just slowly lose my mind." She grunted as she kept her grip on a struggling Guillermo. "Star, please, I beg you. Let me do this. Let me die as a person."
Greg, who happened to be listening to them, heard those same words before. Just before he had to kill his friend... Matthew. He could still hear him say those words.
"Let me die as a person," his mind echoed.
Greg felt his eyes shed tears as he jumped back from the fight. He went to Star and put his hand on her shoulder. "Star," he said calmly. "She's made her choice..."
"Greg!" Star shouted. "You can't be serious."
"Matthew said those same exact words to me before he died," Greg answered. "And I had to pull the trigger..."
Star fell silent. She remembered Matthew, how he died. He had got bitten and didn't want to live with becoming a zombie. So, he went outside with Greg, and then the gunshot echoed. That's when Greg came back. "That's what he said?" She asked.
Greg nodded. "Star, she's asking you this because she trusts you. She's putting her life into your hands..." he sighed as he stepped back.
Star shed a few tears. "Natalie..." she whispered as she aimed her gun at the two bodies in front of her.
Natalie smiled as she nodded. "I love you both."
Star exhaled slowly as she pulled the trigger. "I'm gonna miss you..."
The bullet fired, and pierced through the two bodies, right in the head. They both fell to the ground, lifeless and bruised. Guillermo had no expression on his face, other than his mouth being agape. Natalie, on the other hand, could be seen smiling. Almost as if she was saying "Thank you."
Star fell to the ground on her knees, bawling her eyes out. She couldn't believe what she had done. She just killed her best friend. "Oh my god," she cried.
Greg knelt beside her and pulled her close to him. He knew what it felt like to kill your best friend. It's not something you'd ever think about doing. You wouldn't even want to think about it, then, as soon as you're presented with it, you're paralyzed. Torn. "You did what you had to do," Greg whispered. "This time, she can rest in peace."
Brandon and Heather stood in shock, keeping an eye on the perimeter as the battle waged on. Neither of them could say anything...
Greg's father stood there and laughed maniacally. "What are you getting sentimental for?" He chuckled. "The only thing she did was foolishly sacrifice herself. And for what? To help you? To help herself? She took the cowards way out, if you ask me."
Greg felt his heart wrench when he heard that. He stood up, clutching his knife, fire burning in his chest. "You have no right to make those comments," he stated angrily as he marched toward him. "You murdered my mother, faked your own death, tried to kill me, and you have the audacity to call my friend a coward?!"
Greg's father actually showed a twinge of fear. "What?" He gasped as he took a step back.
Greg charged back at his father, ready to finish this fight. "Don't laugh at my friend!!" He screamed as he slashed at him. The blades clashed together again. "Now die!!!"