SAVEGUARD ⟼ leon s. kennedy

viii. brief touches

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The thing in this room laughs again.

A mocking sound, maybe to show me that it knows I'm here, alone.

I hear little whimpers come out of me. I have no control over them, I barely have control over my breathing, over the tremble in my fingers.

Every now and then the footsteps shuffle slightly closer to me. Then they move away, and then, come even closer. A game of teasing.

The hilt of my gun is pressed so deep into my palm that I am certain it will leave permanent marks.

The footsteps are closer now, and this time I realise they're wet, squelching, like whatever it is is stepping on seaweed. The closer it gets, the more I can hear its laboured breathing, rattling away in its lungs.

When it feels like infinity has passed, I hear my name.

It's distant, muted, universes far away from me.

But it is my name, and what's most important is that it's Leon who is calling it out.

I want to reply, to scream to him that I'm here. But I don't.

The thing can't see in the dark. We seem to have that misfortune in common. But I'm certain it can hear.

"Clementine?!" He calls out again.

I'm here, I'm here, I'm here, I scream in my head, and I hope it's loud enough for him to hear.

After a few seconds, the doors leading to this cabin swing open. Leon's light flashes around the room, and I jolt upwards at the shape of him, my legs running towards him with a mind of their own.

"Leon!" I shout, and I crash into him, my body flooding with relief at the sight of his blond hair. I wrap my arms around him, so relieved that he's here, he's real, I'm not alone on this ship, I'm not alone with that thing, in the dark. I press my face into his chest, the fear in my blood instructing me to find safety in him. He hesitates for a second, before giving me half a hug, the hand holding his torch politely pressed against my waist in reassurance.

"What happened?" He asks, before bringing his hand back up to his gun, aiming around the room.

"My— My flashlight went out," I stammer, my voice high-pitched.

Then we hear it again, that sound. That laughter. It chills the blood in my veins and I can see Leon pause, his light aimed at the far corner of the cabin.

"What the fuck is it now?" He groans.

I can't see what he's seeing. But then he shoots, over and over, and I hear the pounding of feet running in our direction.

He turns and pulls me with him. "Stay back!" He warns me, as he shoots again. I cover my ears, but I still hear the thing making bubbling noises as its skin eats his bullets, like it's combusting from within.

"Fuck," he shouts, and chucks the empty mag, and reloads. "I should've brought my goddamn grenade launcher for this big boy!"

I'm stuck behind him, helpless without my flashlight, blind and blending in with the darkness. I crane my neck to catch sight of the thing as he shoots it, and it's... It's... It doesn't even look like a human anymore.

A bloated mess of skin and fish scales, blue and red, matted hair stuck to gills.

Eventually, it falls, and Leon pulls back, wiping his brow. "Fuck," he mumbles and turns to face me, his hand on my shoulder. "You good?"