"This way!" Tamaris called. Seven jumped over a picket fence and around a house. She stopped by Tamaris' side, puffing and panting. "Is that him?" Tamaris pointed at a man running away in a suit. He had blue skin, but not much of it was visible. He ran towards a ute parked on the grass.
"That's the one." she glanced back to see Damon taking on three zombies at once. Murphy stood up and waved at a red car that pulled up metres from him. He waved,
"Excuse me ma'am can you help me-" Murphy froze when the woman aimed a gun at him and shot. Murphy hit the ground, holding his gut. The woman pulled out rope and began to walk towards Murphy. Seven walked out from around the corner and onto the patch of lawn aiming her gun at the woman, her eyes widened when a slender woman in a white coat ran at the woman walking towards Murphy, from behind, and jumped on her.
"Cassandra?" Seven's eyebrows shot up when she watched as Cassandra tackled the woman to the ground and sunk her teeth into the woman's throat. She could have been mistaken as a vampire if it weren't for her hair and skin. She looked like she hadn't slept or bathed in weeks.
"Murphy!" Seven screamed and ran towards him. Murphy stood up in a hurry he then went to run off, Ten K came out from the side and tackled him to the ground. Both of them hit the ground and rolled into the ute. Seven ran faster and over to them, with Tamaris and Damon jogging behind her.
"Oww! You're still a jerk?" Murphy clutched his stomach. Seven helped Ten K up to his feet. Ten K took one look at Tamaris.
"Is that-"
"Tamaris from Kansas? Yes it is." she smiled. She turned back to Murphy as Ten K whipped out some rope from his back pocket. She cocked a brow. Ten K froze and looked to the side. Seven looked in the direction to see a large man holding a bazooka. He pointed it at them. Seven grabbed Ten K's wrist and they ran, Tamaris and Damon dropped back. The man fired the bazooka, Seven and Ten K jumped, Seven covered her head with her arms and when she hit the ground, the bazooka hit the wall. Seven landed inches from Ten K. Her eyes snapped open, a loud ringing echoed through her ears.
She looked up to see Tamaris and Damon running towards them, Murphy running off, and the bazooka man running away from chasing zombies. She then saw a zombie run from behind Damon and jump into his side. It bit his arm. Tamaris instantly turned around to help him. Seven tried to push herself up but collapsed. She began to freak out when she couldn't ear anything other than the ringing in her ear.
"Ten K!" she yelled and looked down at him. He lay with his eyes open, they looked more blue rather than the light green they usually were. He breathed heavily and looked at a spot behind Seven. Seven looked over her shoulder to see Cassandra stepping towards them. She stared directly at Ten K before she bolted off after Murphy. She looked back to see Doc hurrying over to them, he hoisted Ten K up. And he looked at Seven,
He mouthed words, she couldn't here. "What?" she shouted. "I can't hear you!"
"I said come on," his voice was faint but he looked as though he were yelling as loud as he could. "We've got to get out of here."
"Damon!"
Seven spun around to see Tamaris being attacked by zombie Damon. Seven looked back at Doc who waited for her impatiently.
"Go! I'll be there in a minute!"
Doc nodded and ran off to the car the others hid behind, he placed Ten K on the ground behind it. Seven pushed herself up and staggered towards Tamaris and Damon. She pulled her machete out and stumbled up to them. Tamaris was on the ground on her back, pushing Damon off and away from her. Seven plunged the blade through the back of its head. The zombie rolled off and to the ground. Tamaris gasped then Seven helped her to her feet.
"What happened to you?" she barely could hear Tamaris ask.
"Bazooka... Can't hear too well at the moment... Come on," she waved her hand then hurried after Doc. Tamaris and Seven ran behind the car where the rest of the group hid. Mack looked at them,
"Who's she?"
"A friend." Seven answered quickly.
"I said we got you now," Doc told Ten K who sat with his back against the car.
"I can't hear you!" he shouted extremely loudly.
"This is insane!" Mack yelled when a bullet hit the car on their side, barely missing Seven's head. Mack aimed and shot in the direction. Seven turned back to Doc and Ten K. She squatted over right next to Doc and faced Ten K. Her hearing sense had returned quickly to her, however her head pounded and her ears still rung. The others continued to shoot away at the bounty hunters, Tamaris helped. Doc stood for a second and shot. Ten K fidgeted anxiously. Seven placed both her hands on his knees,
"It's okay," she said, making sure she moved her mouth slowly so Ten K could lip read. She pointed to his ear then over at the wall where the bazooka hit, she then pointed at her ear too. Ten K nodded.
"Why the hell is everybody shooting at everybody?" Addison screamed.
"'Cause Murphy's a golden goose!" Warren croaked. Seven glanced up over the bonnet of the car to see a man reloading his gun get shot in the throat. He dropped to his knees then his face smacked against the road. Seven looked back at Ten K and she forced a smile, she had to make him feel safe, he wouldn't be coping very well if he couldn't hear anything. Warren spoke again,
"Well we're sitting ducks here, we're going to have to split up in groups. And keep moving! Ten K-" she was cut off when another bullet barely missed their heads, it hit one of the revision mirrors. "Are you okay?" she pointed at Ten K. Ten K looked at her.
"WHAT?"
"I think he's deaf," Doc said.
"Doc, Seven, you take Ten K with you, you guys get- Wait who's this?" Warren looked at Tamaris.
"Tamaris." Seven answered loudly to be heard over the bangs. "My friend." Warren nodded,
"Take her too. Get into the alley and cut east. And advance north. Mack and Addy, you guys take the west side, we'll flush him out."
"W-wel what about the bounty hunters?" Doc stammered. Warren loaded her gun again,
"Kill them too," she grounded out. "On my call. We'll cover you." Ten K grabbed his rifle, Doc and Seven helped him up.
"Whoo! Yeah!" some men cackled. Warren looked over the edge of the car then back at everyone else. She held up three fingers,
"Three! Two, one. GO!" Everyone stood up quickly, Doc and Ten K ran around the right side of the ute, Tamaris and Seven followed closely behind them whilst Mack and Addy ran the opposite way. Seven glanced back at Tamaris to see her serious face on. She couldn't see a hint of sadness which surprised her considering Tamaris had just lost a friend.
"Seven!" Tamaris shouted. Seven faced the front to see a zombie charging at her. Swiftly she pulled her machete out and sliced its head off before turning the corner and carrying on down the road full of bounty hunters, after Doc and Ten K. After five minutes of solid running, a large curvy hotel came into view. It had a few abandoned cars parked out the front, rusting away and several Zombies running inside.
"Murphy?" Seven questioned. Doc nodded.
"He might be in there. We'll get closer to get a better look."
"What!?" Ten K asked loudly. Seven shook her head at him. Doc then ran forward and rested his back against one car, he looked to the side of it, at the hotel then back at Ten K, Seven and Tamaris. He pointed at his eyes then at them, then he held up three fingers, mouthing the word three. Then he held two, the one finger. He then pointed at the ute in the centre of the parking lot and whispered the word,
"Go."
The three ran in a ducked formation, straight towards the truck, Seven then turned and rested her back against it, they all squatted. A bullet fired at them, it his the car. Each of them covered their heads with their hands. Doc disappeared behind the car, then he came out on the opposite side, he jogged to the smaller car to the side and squatted by the boot of it, holding his pistol by his head. He looked around then back at the three, he nodded at the building. Seven furrowed her brows and Ten K waved his hand, giving Doc a puzzled look. Doc then ran over to them and he then squatted on the other side of Ten K.
Doc nodded at the building, ass three looked through the wound down windows of the truck and peered at the hotel then they looked back at Doc.
"Murphy?" Ten K asked, his voice still loud.
"Shh!" Doc placed his hand on Ten K's arm. He murmured a couple words and pointed at his head. Seven couldn't hear or understand him the slightest. "Ready? Go!" he whispered.
"Wait what?" Seven then watched Doc and Ten K run to the next car. Seven rolled her eyes.
"Do we follow?" Tamaris asked. Seven grimaced, she didn't like being out in the open like they were. Her eyes traveled to the side of the hotel, railings ran along the porch of the baseline. Her eyes caught a side door labeled 'Emergency Exit'. She glanced back at Doc and Ten K to see them way ahead of them already. She then looked back at Tamaris.
"I've got a better idea." she smirked.
...
Tamaris and Seven had entered through the door and ran up some stairs, they were now walking through several halls.
"This place is a maze." Tamaris gushed.
"That's one word for it." Seven muttered. "Creepy is another." she held her gun in both her hands as she walked. "How much ammo have you got?"
"Plenty." Tamaris nodded, "And you?"
"Three bullets." Seven grimaced. Sheathed wrinkled up her nose, a need for a sneeze came upon her. She sneezed twice.
"Bless you. Hey here, take this," she tossed seven a clip. Seven caught it then loaded it into her gun.
"Thank you."
"No worries. Now, let's find this Murphy guy shall we?"
As they wondered up the hallway, passed many wide open doors, A zombie jumped out in front of them. Seven jumped in surprise when it lunged at her, grabbing at her shirt. A bang was heard from behind her and the zombie was on the ground. Seven looked back at Tamaris and gave a curt nod. Tamaris nodded in response.
Two pairs of feet were heard running towards them. Seven and Tamaris turned onto different hallways and stood with their backs pressed against the walls, Seven held her gun by her chest, ready to step forward and shoot. She was surprised to see a male figure fly around the corner, it looked like Murphy, suit and all. Running behind the man was the woman in the white furry coat. Cassandra. They disappeared around the corner. Seven stepped back out into the main hall, as did Tamaris.
"We have to go after him what are you doing?" Tamaris questioned when Seven went to continue up their original route. Seven shoot her head.
"That wasn't Murphy." It's face looked too much like a zombie and the way it ran wasn't very human like.
"That who was it?"
"That was a decoy." Seven shook her head and smiled. Murphy was up to his tricks again. She nodded her head in the direction they were walking, "Come on." The two jogged up the hallway and rounded another bend, looking through each other the doors as they passed. Then the doors started to appear closed. "You aim, I'll get the door."
Tamaris nodded then Seven stepped forward, tested the knob and pushed the door open, she jumped back and looked in for zombies or Murphy. Neither were in the room. This pattern continued as they went along the curvy hallway. Then Seven heard someone running.
"Hey you!" she heard a door slam shut and an unfamiliar voice shout. "I ain't going to hurt you brother! ... It's all good!"
Seven glanced back at Tamaris.
"Murphy?" Tamaris whispered.
"And a bounty hunter." Seven nodded. They jogged further along the hallway towards the voice. As they went, a heard of zombies bounded out of a room, cutting the girls off from the other side. Seven froze, Tamaris stood behind her. Seven began to back up, "Go, go, go, go!" Seven shouted and ran the other way. Tamaris sprinted along side her, a dozen of zombies trailed after them. Every couple seconds, Seven would hold her arm back and shoot at the zombies, she shot two down. Tamaris shot back at them also. Seven turned around the corner, Tamaris followed. Seven spotted a stairway in an enclosed hall. She pointed at it with her gun, "In there!"
The two bolted down the stairs, Seven jumped a few at a time, she gripped onto the rail with her spare hand. When they reached a plat form that had a door attached to it which led to the third floor, Seven stopped and turned to face the zombies. She shot at each of them, Tamaris turned to help. Soon all zombies were down. Seven sighed in relief and Tamaris leant her shoulder into the wall so she could relax and catch her breath.
Seven inhaled and exhaled deeply. "We've got to go back after Murphy." she said. Tamaris' eyes widened. She had just escaped a small heard of zombies, and a tone of bounty hunters and now she was about to charge back into it again. Tamaris then nodded,
"Okay." she then followed Seven back up the stairs. They jogged along the original hallway of the forth floor.
"Where did those sounds come from before?" Tamaris puffed. Seven stopped outside two doors, each led into different rooms, one was wide open and empty, the other door was closed. Seven glanced at Tamaris then back at the door.
"What's up Doc?" Seven heard a familiar voice. The door fun open and Murphy came running out. He took one look at Seven and ran the other way. Seven looked in the room to see Doc sitting against the wall, his face bloodied and he gasped for air. A man on the floor to the side choked on his own blood, blood poured out from his neck.
"Murphy!" Doc shouted. Seven glanced back at Murphy who disappeared around the corner.
"Look after Doc." Seven told Tamaris. "I'll get Murphy." Seven said then she ran off after Murphy.
"What?" Ten K asked. Seven looked back to see Ten K running into the room Tamaris and Doc were in. Seven looked back at the front in time to see a zombie hobbling towards her. She aimed and fired her gun at it twice as the first shot hit it's shoulder. The second went through the centre of its forehead. She glanced back to see eight zombies come running out a room she had just past. four ran after her, the other four headed to the room where Doc, Ten K and Tamaris were. Seven sucked in a shallow breath and bounded down the stairs.
Gun shots fired from further down the hall. Seven looked around to see Murphy disappearing through another hallway, away from the gun shots. Seven rolled her eyes.
"Son of a bitch!" Seven heard a man snap. Instead of running after Murphy, Seven wonder after the sounds of the shooting. "Ohh yep that stung." The same man's voice said. "I'm going to have to do, bad things to you. Before I, kill you!"
Several shots fired once again. Seven then rounded the corner to see a man's back, he was aiming at a turn off in the hallway. Warren came running out from it, took one shot and hit the man's leg. Seven stood to the side, bemused. Warren went to walk towards the man, the man lunged forward and smacked the side of her head with force. Warren fell to the ground.
"Uma kill you," Warren whispered, laying on her back watching the man walk towards her. Seven raised her gun at the man, ready to shoot before he could take another step, he had pulled out his dagger,
"You already dead shorty." he laughed. A figure pushed past Seven. Seven jumped to the side and watched as a tall, tanned man jumped the guy with the knife. The tanned man repeatedly hit the other man's head with his gun, Seven raced to Warren's side and she squatted.
"Warren, Warren can you hear me?"
Warren was drifting in and out of consciousness. The man that saved Warren stepped forward,
"This might help." he held up a small herb. Seven narrowed her eyes at him. He held his hands up defensively. Seven sighed,
"Fine."
The man then squatted by Warren and waved the herb under her nose. Seven stood and leant against the wall. Warren began to cough and splutter. She looked up at both of them, the man extended his hand towards her, Warren took hold of it and he helped her to her to sit up.
"Thanks." she looked at Seven, "Where's Murphy?"
Seven nodded down the hall, "He ran off that way."
Warren nodded, wincing. "We got to go uh... I'm out." she glanced down at her gun. Seven pulled the clip out of her own gun to see she was running low. The man reached in his pocket and pulled a clip out, he passed it to Warren. "Thanks." He nodded then looked back at Seven,
"You good?"
Seven nodded. The guy then helped Warren to her feet and the three jogged off in the direction Seven pointed. As they ran up a hallway, they took another turn and continued through the curvy corridor. Zombie growls echoed from in front, around the bend. Doc, Ten K and Tamaris came running around straight towards them, with several zombies behind them.
"Move!" Warren yelled.
"There right behind us!" Doc exclaimed.
"Get down!" Warren's voice boomed. Doc, Ten K and Tamaris jumped to the side and to the ground. The man, Warren and Seven aimed and fired at the incoming swarm. There was only four of them. The zombies were down in a heart beat. The three then moved past Doc, Ten K and Tamaris. "Follow us!" Warren ordered. Seven helped Ten K and Tamaris up, Doc had already gotten ahead.
They continued to run to the end then they entered the small room where the staircase was. All six bounded up the steps, puffing and panting. The stairs led to the roof. Seven was last out. It was spacious outside, gun fires echoed from down below and around the town.
"Over there," Warren pointed behind all the small shafts. On the edge of the roof, Murphy stood, looking down at the ground. Warren walked ahead and climbed up the short ladder, onto the edge block. Seven and the others waited at the base of the rusty ladder. "Hey, it's over."
Murphy turned to look at Warren.
"Yeah. I'm done." he then walked towards the very edge.
"Hey, hey, hey,"
Murphy stopped walking and held a hand signalling for Warren to stop, "Don't."
"What you doing?"
"Don't." Murphy's voice shook slightly. Warren stood just a metre from him now. "I mean it. Don't." he pointed his finger then he dropped his arm and looked back over the edge.
"Okay... What good is this going to do?"
"Good? What's it matter? What's the point?"
"Come on man, we don't have time for this," Warren shook her head.
"I do." Murphy sounded as though he were close to crying. "I got all the time in the world."
"Listen. I'm not your God damn shrink," Warren was still trying to catch her breath. "But we did not come this far for you-" Murphy then cut her off and turned around to look at her,
"Oh my God do you even listen to yourself? Doesn't that get old? Saying that?"
"No."
Murphy huffed and nodded. He then turned and jumped over the edge.
"NOO!" Warren cried.
Seven ran forward, she jumped up the ledge and ran to the edge to peer over. She frowned when she realised Murphy had dived into a pool of live zombies.
"Do you think the zombies cushioned his fall?" Seven asked and glanced at Warren. She then looked back into the pool to see Murphy stand up and push through the zombies towards the side of the pool. "I'm going to take that as a yes."
"Back down!" Warren shouted at the others. Everyone then ran back to the stairs and to the back exit of the building.