Persistence - Left 4 Dead X OC

24

The tunnel of love... or whatever this was. I could hear the zombies grunting in the background, each time feeling more uneasy about our choices. I wasn't going to leave my team if they were all on board for it, but I had my regrets coming in here. "This is creeping me out." I mumbled, holding my arm and looking out the window of the safe room.

"I used to come here all the time when I was younger!" Coach slaps my back, causing me to grab the rebar on the window. He was a lot stronger than I'd imagine. "Back then it was a little more romantic." Coach chuckled, reloading his weapons.

"Minus the zombies, I am so relaxed from the water drops." Rochelle commented over the echoes of the water. "Gee, my bedroom was painted like this when I was a kid. Baby blue... I think my dad wanted a boy."

"It smells god awful in here." Nick finding something to complain about yet again, without fail. "Mold, mildew, dead bodies... I'm definitely getting a hint of vomit."

"That was the regular smell... okay, maybe not the dead bodies." Coach added.

Everyone was getting ready, I walked back to the table and started gathering my stuff in order. I felt a presence behind me, I turned to see Ellis lingering by. "Did you ever come here when you were in town?" He tried making conversation. "Or ever been in one?"

"Umh.. nope." I admitted, turning to him to give him my full attention. "Did you?"

"Nope but, did I ever tell you about the time my buddy Keith drown in the tunnel of love?" He started, everyone groaning. I smiled, opening my ears to listen. "You wouldn't think it would happen coz' the water's so shallow. But that's how it gets you, overconfidence. Keith was with his lady n' he was yelling at her to save him but she didn't want to get wet-"

"Hey Ellis? Shut up contest, ready? One two three, go!" Nick interrupted him, as we both looked at him as he cocked his gun.

I rolled my eyes, looking back to Ellis. "When we have a place to rest up, you can tell me the rest of that story later." I told him, Ellis smiled softly in return.

"You're the only one that does." He walked in closer, my personal space only getting smaller.

I stepped one foot closer. "Yeah, I don't mind them." I swinged my shotgun behind my back, y'know, like an idiot. The damn thing fired and scared me into dropping it to the floor. I jumped, I was having a heart attack hearing that thing scare me.

I looked back to the room, everyone's eyes on Ellis and me. I looked mortified, but that was the cluster fuck that I made happen with my poor gun safety. Nervously laughing to hide my shame. Ellis continued to stare at me, before trying to get rid of a smile forming. I stepped back, picking up my shotgun and looking back the others. "Sorry...!" I was melting from my mistake.

Rochelle took a small smile, Coach shaking his head looking at the door. Nick seemed to be more curious, I could see the thoughts connecting in his head. He turned his attention away, smiling to himself with a shake of his head.

The safe bar dropping to the floor. Coach opened the door, as now it was time to get a move on. I huffed, but relieved as I really didn't know what I was gonna do to recover from that. Ellis didn't take his eyes off me. My mousy demeanor taking over again, felt like I've been causing a lot of trouble at my own hands lately... well actually, to be fair this felt pretty normal.

The team ahead made quick work of anything zombie related.

Shooting down the zombies at the entrance, we stood before the river. Blood trails along the wall, not even love can spare these times. I felt discouraged, and looked to see Nick staring at the peanut cutout.

"I seriously don't like this peanut." Nick jabbed the cut out, letting it fall to the ground. "It's eyes are following." He huffed, going deeper in the tunnel.

"I'm pretty sure I used to have nightmares of Mr. Peanut." Rochelle glanced at the thing on the ground, passing by it.

"How can you not like lil' peanut?" Ellis starts up again. "I love this lil' guy!" He stops, picking up the sign back to his feet. "You guys are jaded." He waved them off. "I used to have his toys when I was just bite sized! That lil' stuff peanut was a best friend a boy could have." He was reminiscing about his childhood.

Being out of state to never come here, I never got any of these feelings. Maybe the creepy ones, the entire vibe of this park has been creepy since we got here. For a first time being here was already ruining the visit. It was mostly the zombies. "Let's get a move on." Rochelle pointed to our tunnel of mildly disgusting damp hot air.