IE zombocolypse

Chapter 13 (unlucky for some...)

"Ichinose can go get himself killed, see if I care...idiot. It's like I don't even know him anymore..." Domon whispered solemnly to himself as he continued his isolated walk back to base. He was exhausted, he had no idea what the time was but all he knew was that he needed to get back, to forget. It was an extremely cold night and he wasn't gaining any comfort from the jacket he'd brought with him, it was Ichinose's originally. Ichinose. His mind was reeling about his best friend's fate. Maybe he should turn back? No, if Ichinose didn't want to listen then that was his own fault.

But what of the others? Kurumitsu was just following Ichinose, like he always did but Toramoru, he was just a child; he wasn't good with his emotions and feelings, he just needed someone to hold him and tell him everything was going to be alright, not this. Domon stopped in the middle of the street, 15 minutes and he would be back in the safety of the base. He tried to will his feet to move but they just wouldn't.

"Okay fine, you win. He would do the same for me, I guess..." and with that he turned to head back for his friends. As he walked across the moonlit ground, something skittered across the front of his trainers. Domon picked the object up noticing it was a small pistol, he had a pistol in his jeans but he didn't think that would suffice. Unloading the barrel he sighed when he realised it was empty, so he tossed it to his side and carried on walking, wincing as the sounds echoed throughout the still atmosphere.

"Are you sure this place is safe?" Whispered Toramoru shakily as they entered through the sliding glass doors that had been partially smashed in. Ichinose gave him a side glance and Tora shut his mouth, now more apprehensive of the older boy. The reception desk was completely empty, as was the waiting room; the only light came from the lights that flickered melancholically from the ceiling. Kurumitsu walked cautiously over to the receptionist's desk whilst the others searched elsewhere, he peered over it for a second before letting out a horrific cry, dropping his rifle and covering his mouth.

Ichinose and Toramoru ran over and Ichinose would've shouted at him had he not seen how sickened the other looked. He told Toramoru to hang back as Kurumitsu wretched repeatedly. The eldest of the three checked it out. He could have been sick on the spot. A woman in a blue nursing uniform lay behind the desk, half obscured by paperwork. Her brown hair lay flat underneath her and she had a shocked expression on her face, the fear in her forest eyes was almost unreal. She had slashes all across her legs, waist, chest and arms, her entrails had been pulled out and blackish blood seeped out of her wounds, steadily collecting in a pool.

Ichinose drew back and took a second to steady himself. Kurumitsu had gone deathly pale and slunk down by the desk with his head in his hands. "Toramoru, get him up. Get him up!" Ichinose growled, trying to erase the horrible image from his mind. Shakily the youngest complied, dragging Kurumitsu up whilst handing him his rifle back. He couldn't do this, none of them could.

"T-they just left her to die? The z-zombies?" Toramoru cried quietly, as they ascended the staircase to the first floor. "No you idiot, don't you see? Someone killed her. There was a bullet hole in her chest." Retorted Ichinose, clutching his rifle tighter. "So zombies won't touch a dead body..." Kurumitsu whispered to no one in particular, having stayed silent since the incident. There was a pause as Ichinose held up his hand, he'd heard something.

Toramoru shrunk behind Kurumitsu who was shaking more than ever now. The eldest tiptoed up the remaining steps and hastily looked around. The corridor was completely empty.

"False alarm guys." he explained peering down at the two from the top of the stairs. "You s-sure?" Tora hastily said, re-appearing from behind his friend's back. "Yes." stated Ichinose, beginning to walk back up. "Ichinose?" "Yeeesss."he whined, stretching the word to show his annoyance. "Zombies won't touch a dead body right?" Tora questioned. "I already told you no, why do I have to repeat myself?" Ichinose stated with an aggressive tone in his voice as he climbed the steps, huffing and puffing.

Kurumitsu was about to mention the fact that their leader never did answer his question but the response from Ichinose made him think otherwise. The stress was getting to all of them, it seemed Ichinose was faring the worst. The only sound that could be heard was the soft pounding of the three teen's feet on the now dank stairs. Once they'd made it to the top a new wave of terror washed over them. They weren't alone.

The ward was deserted, but they could hear a faint muttering. The smell was almost unbearable, there had been zombie activity here and recently as well, this wasn't the safe haven they thought they had discovered. Toramoru whimpered as his heart began to beat violently in his chest, he clung on to Kurumitsu, wishing he could be anywhere but here. The brunette looked back at the two but said nothing, he tiptoed towards one of the beds, motioning for the others to follow as he crouched down and switched the safety off of his rifle.

"I want Gouenji! I should've stayed with him, I don't wanna die! I don't care if he doesn't want me, I want him!" Toramoru cried as Kurumitsu failed to comfort him. "Well there goes all that talk about not giving a shit if Gouenji dies..." Ichinose muttered bitterly, Tora stopped his sobs and looked at the brunette boy, sadness turning to anger. "You! This is all your fault! I should have never have gone along with this stupid plan of yours. You don't care about anyone but yourself! Fuck, I should have followed Domon, he had the right idea to leave but I guess I was just too dumb to realise how messed up you are! You've changed. I don't know who the fuck you are anymore, who you think you are!"

Tears streamed from the youngest one's face as he pounded Ichinose weakly with his small hands. Kurumitsu tried to hold him back, only to get punched in the face. "Calm down Toramoru, please!" Ichinose pleaded. "No! I'm tired of you, and all of the shit you've put me through!" "I know, I know! LISTEN!" Ichinose shouted, finally pushing the young boy off of him and standing over him, with the rifle barrel to his forehead.

Toramoru cried silently, Kurumitsu watched in fear with his hand clutched over his swelling eye, Ichinose shook, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. "I know! I know. I can't do anything right! I'm going mad with all these fucking zombies all day and night, and we're not getting anywhere! I just can't take this anymore, I'm losing my mind! Domon was right, of course he was, but you decided to come with me, we're all stuck in this shit and that's not gonna change! I'm eating myself up over this already, you're not helping! I just, just couldn't stay...I just couldn't." Ichinose choked, falling to his knees and sobbing into his hands.

Toramoru hiccoughed but stopped crying, drawing himself up from the ground slowly and edging cautiously over to Ichinose. Kurumitsu was still just silently watching. Ichinose looked up from his hands with his red puffy eyes, he couldn't read the look on Toramoru's face as he got closer. Toramoru opened his arms slowly, and Ichinose held back at first but soon hugged the other awkwardly. Just as he drew back a hand came in contact with his cheek. Toramoru had just slapped him straight across the face.

"Tora, de yansu!" Kurumitsu exclaimed as Ichinose glared back at Toramoru. His gaze became soft "Thanks Tora, I needed that." Ichinose said, with a small chuckle as he wiped his eyes of tears. "No problem." replied Toramoru with a tiny smile. Kurumitsu sighed, glad that everything had finally been sorted out. He was about to speak when a nearby trolley crashed to the ground.

Kurumitsu grabbed his rifle and fired rapidly at the direction of the noise. "S-stop! Don't shoot!" A voice screamed and Kurumitsu hastily stopped firing as a shadowy figure ran towards them. Her navy hair was messy and she was covered in scratches, her lavender dress and mauve jacket torn and blood stained. Ichinose gasped. "Haruna?!"