ecstasy | corpse husband

chapter 21.

"zombie rules?" elowen stares at monroe incredulously. "what's that supposed to mean?"

"have you never watched a zombie movie before?" monroe tilts her head at her. "there are rules about this kind of thing. dos and don'ts. we have to assume they apply."

"and how do we know that's what this is? zombies?" corpse interjects.

"I'm sorry, did you not just witness that thing bite cooper's cheek off? or did you miss that part?"

"there's a lot more to it then just cannibalism. any zombie movie would've told you that, as well," says elowen.

"what else can they be? the virus is making people eat people. they're not human," monroe exclaims, furrowing her eyebrows further. "they're discolored, negligent to pain, insane cannibalists—"

"but they're not dead," elowen finishes for her. "they are human."

"a technicality," monroe brushes it off.

"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's probably a duck." flare takes a step forward, joining the discussion. "but—okay, hold on. let's pretend, for a moment, that's what this is. these pale pricks are zombies. what does that change—giving them that label?"

monroe's eyes slit as she speaks. "everything. there are rules." her eyes land on elowen. "only one that really matters: the rule of infection."

the pieces click in elowen's brain then. "that's why you don't want me to help cooper." she garners perplexed stares and elaborates. "he's a lost cause."

"right." monroe crosses her arms and steps backwards towards the 7-eleven. "that, and he deserves it. I'll go put him out of his misery."

"wait!" the brunette shouts and trails behind monroe, grabbing at her arm. "you can't do that—you don't know for sure!" when monroe doesn't stop, the brunette whirls on elowen. "you're agreeing with her?"

elowen merely shrugs. "that's not what I said. but I can see where she's coming from."

at this, she feels the weight of corpse's eyes bleeding through her skin. her gaze falls to the ground, and she doesn't say anything more.

monroe enters the building, followed by flare. cooper is vocal from inside. they don't motion for corpse or elowen to join them, but the brunette takes hold of elowen's wrist and pulls her forward. "fix this. please," the girl's stare pierces into her, pleading.

elowen furrows her eyebrows, confused how this is her issue to solve. what was she supposed to do to stop monroe? It isn't her place. and yet, the brunette looks at her like she is responsible for this.

they walk inside, her wrist still being held, and elowen looks over her shoulder to make sure corpse is following. the only thing that sounds worse than the situation she is currently in is enduring it without corpse.

but the brunette stops short and turns, shaking her head. "not him."

elowen narrows her eyes at her icily. "you get both of us or neither of us." splitting up is not an option in her head, not ever. besides, if they didn't like that, she wouldn't mind being sent away, anyhow. It's what she wanted in the first place, but now it'll be their fault, not hers. corpse couldn't be disappointed at her then.

but then they'd be screwed.

the brunette frowns grimly but resolves to let it slide out of desperation. "then he stays by the door," she compromises. "and flare has to check his bag." she holds out her hand, palm up, expectantly.