project: eden | leon kennedy

▪︎ Chapter 10 ▪︎

Leon was running out of time.

With the G-Virus securely in his pocket, he was running as his life depended on it. Mainly because it did. The self-destruction sequence has already started, the whole facility around him collapsing in on itself and falling apart, just like his mind.

And when he saw the Central Elevator standing there without another soul in sight, his heart stopped. Thea wasn't there.

Immediately, he knew something was wrong. Thea was a very punctual person, she was never late from anywhere. And she knew how important this was. She was the key to their survival – Leon had no idea how big this place really was, and he still had to get back to Ada.

But not before Thea. He had to find her. She could be in trouble.

Leon headed back towards the East wing, needing to slow down to a jog while he tried to force some air into his lungs. He'd been running around the place forever now, all his muscles ached and whenever he moved his arm, it shot a dull pulse of pain through the whole thing. He never wanted a warm shower so badly in his life.

The constant voice from the intercom started to chase him down on the road of insanity, continuously reminding him that the whole place was going to blow up in a matter of minutes. But even if that was the last thing he'd do, he had to find Thea.

Then a thought crossed his mind: what if she'd already left? Left without him, already on her way out?

He shook his head – she wouldn't do that. They may not be each other's favorite person, but she wouldn't leave him here just like that to die. She wasn't like that. Leon hoped that if the roles were reversed, she would come back to search for him as well. He liked to hope she would.

When the door to the Greenhouse finally came into view, he couldn't help but let out a breath of relief and picked up his pace. With his good shoulder, Leon pushed against the heavy door, wishing that the annoying voice through the intercom system would just shut up.

"Thea? You in here?" he called out, flicking his flashlight on with a fluid motion.

But the sight that welcomed him inside made the flashlight fall from his hands. The torch clattered to the ground with a heavy thud, rolling away on the dirty marble floor as he stood there rooted to his spot. His chest heaved painfully quickly, all the air getting sucked out from his lungs. Black spots danced before his eyes and as Leon lost his balance, he stumbled back against the wall behind him, slightly off to his right. And just like a sick, twisted joke from the universe, the flashlight stopped in just the right spot for it to shine upon the body lying on the floor.

Thea's bloodied, very pale body.

"T-Thea?" Leon stammered out, her name getting stuck in his throat and making the air get into his lungs more difficult.

His body took over his mind and forced him to stumble towards the girl, all thoughts left outside the door. Leon fell to his knees next to Thea, his wide, panicked eyes taking in the sight of her.

Her skin was painfully pale even under the low amount of light that lit up the room. But judging by the amount of blood pooled around her and soaking through her hoodie – his hoodie, the one he never got to wear – and turning the fabric a deep obsidian color. One of her hands was laid on her stomach like she tried to keep the blood from oozing out even in her last minutes, dark red blood coating her hand. Her head fell to the right side, her dark brown hair falling in her face and concealing her features. Her body was awfully still, but that didn't stop Leon from further trying.