Honey-Comb [A Dead by Daylight Fic]

Chapter 15

Claudette ran.
Honey followed.

There was something innately childish and almost innocent in the way they chased each other through the yards; Laughing and hollering over the sounds of their boots on the grass, as if getting caught didn't mean being hung up on a hook for some sky-spider fast food.

"So what happens next?" Honey asked with no intention of catching up, "I catch you and - that's it? How do you win? Is that even the right word?"

Claudette rounded about another building, scurried between the hedges and pounded out into the street.

"Without power to the gates," Claudette huffed, her voice bouncing with every step, "I either die or find another way out."

"Another way out? Like what?" Honey tripped over the curb and recovered gracelessly behind her quarry.

Claudette pumped a bit more energy into her step as she weaved between idle traffic, cars abandoned to the street as a minor hinderance to both women. She spun around the back bumper of an unsightly green Buick Riviera, before doubling back, and sliding over its hood like she was in the Dukes of Hazard.

"There's a hatch."

Honey slammed into the car's bumper, unable to veer off quick enough. She let out a pained 'oof,' before regaining her composure and redirecting her chase.

"A hatch?"

"Yes, like a bunker."

"Where does it go?"

"Out," said Claudette, "it's hard to explain. It's full of black fog and it's cold, real cold. It feels like you're falling forever and then - you're not."

She looped Honey around another car, the two of them talking over it as they played their dangerous game of ring-around-the-rosie.

"I'll have to look out for that," said Honey.

"Please don't," Claudette said with a crooked grin.

Honey chuckled.

Claudette allowed herself to laugh along with her, not noticing the deep and menacing shadow that stretched across the pavement after her.

Honey grew awful quiet real quick, surprised to see The Shape just behind her new friend, as if she'd forgotten entirely to whom this trial had firstly belonged.

"Uhuboy," Honey grimaced.

Claudette noticed the drop in her expression, turned about and shrieked. This was the definition of a rock and a hard place, stuck between two killers and a car. The fog tittered to the hopelessness of her situation, mocked her in the mists and fed on her despair.

Honey, however, thought it an unfair advantage.

She clambered up onto the roof of the car and arched back her hook. Right as The Shape swung out at Claudette, Honey pitched forward. The loop of her hook wrapped neatly around his wrist, carrying his swing downward until the blade of her hook buried into the passenger side door and pinned his hand free of harm.

"Whoops," Honey said insincerely.

Claudette ran.

The Shape yanked his hand free with little effort, causing Honey to jerk forward and come tumbling down onto the unforgiving pavement.

Stars burst before her eyes, raining down on her like glitter. For a moment she thought The Shape might take the opportunity to remove her from the competition, but he surprised her once more as he overpassed her for the fleeing Claudette.

She rolled over onto her knees and got up.

The fog recoiled from her with a hiss.

"Oh, you'll get over it," Honey said and gave it a swat.

She got up to her feet and took off after the pair.