Hell's Gift

-2-

"Hello? Little girl? Wake up." I groaned as I heard the voice, and then I felt a hand rest itself on my shoulder, gently shaking my body. 

"Let go." I mumbled, attempting to open my eyes. 

"What?" They finally opened and I shrugged away, sitting up. 

"I said, let go." 

"Oh, okay. What happened to you? Have you seen a little girl? Sherry?" I blinked a few times, before finally taking in the girl who knelt before me. Brown hair, red jacket... 

"Wait, are you Claire?" I asked. 

Her eyes went wide for a moment and then she nodded, "yeah? Do you know where Sherry is?"

"No, no...we were running, and then he grabbed her, and...wait. Where's Irons?!" I tried to get up, fear flooding through me, but she gently lowered me back to the floor. 

"He's dead." She told me. 

"Are you sure? He's really gone?" I questioned. 

"Yeah, did you know him?"

"You could say I was the only one who knew him." I scoffed. 

"I'm sorry, I don't understand." Claire said, eyes apologetic. 

"He was my father." I informed. 

"Oh my god...I'm so sorry, I.."

"Don't apologise. He was a cruel, abusing bastard who craved attention. The world will be a better place without him, but if he's dead..." my eyes drifted to the hatch in the floor, that lay open, "she must be down there. Go, I'll be okay, she needs you." I attempted to lightly push Claire, but she wouldn't move. 

"But what about you?"

"I'll head to RPD, I'm sure someone there can help me." I responded. 

"No, you can't leave the building, it's not safe." She protested. 

"I'll be okay." 

"No, I'll carry you, I can..."

"Claire, stop. Sherry needs you now. Go, I know the city, I can get there safely," I promised her, waiting until she finally gave in with a reluctant sigh. 

"You're brave, stay safe. I have a friend somewhere, he's an officer. Leon, if you find him, tell him Claire sent you."

"Okay. Now please, hurry." I begged, the memory of Sherry's fear filled eyes arising. 

"Stay safe." Claire called, stepping down, and although she couldn't hear me, I replied with a whisper, "You too."

I groaned as I stood up, wincing at the pain in the back of my head, before spotting the glove that lay on the floor a few meters away. I slowly bent down, before putting it on and continuing towards the door. However, when I looked out I saw a large figure at the door. My vision was still glossed over in what I have come to know as the zombie-sheen, making my world light up, senses heightening at the presence of the infected. I dove behind the nearby desk, watching as it moved with heavy footsteps towards the office I'd just come from. I soon realised it must be after Claire, and ran out from my hiding place, running outside and taking in the city around me. Zombies, and fire. That's what my home had become, and somehow, I felt fine.

"Right, RPD.." I looked at the roadblock ahead, before looking at the familiar alleyway. If I followed it, I would be led to the back of the gun shop, down the road from RPD. It's a way Irons had taken me many times, one that had passcode locks, but now it was open and filled with the undead. Blocked for all but me. I steadied my breathing, allowing the fear to pass, before walking towards it. I kept my eyes closed, ignoring the feeling of melted fingers on my jacket as I passed through, knowing that I could've been in a much worse place. Until finally, I felt nothing, and opened my eyes again. I'd done it. I looked back at the alley, zombies idling around as if I'd never been there. And as I stepped away, my vision returned to normal, meaning I would be safe for a while longer.