...Somewhere not far from Northern France (1918)...among barb-wired fields along with reanimated corpses...
~○~
"Ouch" a weak whimper escaped my severed, dry lips which were by now tired of endless screaming and wailing for help. For my body was not coping with my will and hope was nothing more than a faint daydream.
It was too much for my weak stiff weight, crawling out of the putrid underground; I tilted my head to see it all rain. The sizzling noise of rain and the sky cracked into blue-white as thunder echoed.
And I stopped hoping for help; stopped my naïve insensitivity. Somebody excised my heart out and then left me to die. What hurt me more than the breaking of heart is that my childish want and need, which brought my doom. Now I lay helpless and tired, waiting death. I closed my eyes, tears flowed freely and stung.
I could just wait for my death to come...
"What-"
I jerked open my eyes as a surge of rainwater slapped my face, the coldness of it sent shivers down my spine and immediately came a strong breeze that took my breath away. I slowly recovered and witnessed the nightmare of the surrounding it was and momentarily, chuckled; am I dreaming? Gone through all that heart-wrenching hell; I sighed in utmost pleasure and relief.
No pain, just numbness. Good.
I stared straight, open mouthed, wide enough to take in oxygen, only to get in smoke and soot; scrutinizing the 'dream' which shook me to the core...This dream was not enjoyable or bright, it was dark and hummed of grief.
And as far as a human could lay his eyes on: It was oozing with decaying deem.
Pain.
Just pain.
Deep breath in... And out....
I put my left hand down and with much struggle and effort; I tried to stand and I abruptly felt the need to vomit and spat a mixure of mud and saliva at the sudden pain.
I grimaced at my present condition; black skinny jeans ripped at certain places but my AC/DC t-shirt was in better condition. Except of a hole over my lower belly and my mucky glasses, I guessed everything was fine.
I was lucky.
It could end badly, very very bad. My womanly instincts said so.
Walked a few, more like dragging my lifeless legs and I glanced around mindlessly, coughed bits of blood and saliva, with every push and pull of air, it felt miles albeit the little distance covered. It appeared I was luckily away from the real perimeter, where the mines and barricades were established, for as I stumbled forward the liveliness of the fight expanded; the bold sound of bullets rang and panic gripped and tugged my gut painfully. It was like standing in between a movie set, only difference was that of real life. The closer I got, the more my senses sensed, the rusty smell of iron, the cold whiplashes of water while people ran across the field to take cover.
It was... scary...
I could even hear someone scream 'hey, move!' from afar, voices muffled with the thunderous roar of the battle. Soon my feet dragged itself faster, the mud was slippery and I ran around desperately to find cover.
My mucky glasses in hand, I ran and ran. Everything looked blurred...
Something whooshed and blasted a someone's head like a grape which happened to be bobbing besides me, the poor person was too preoccupied to entertain a bruised girl in the fight, and soon he was nothing more than maggot food.
A whimper escaped my lips; I automatically pushed my legs harder and ran around to find shelter.
"It's all real, everything is-" I was losing breath...
It hurts... every part hurts: eyes, mouth, legs, head, ears, chest-
Something hit my feet-
I slipped, stumbled and slid painfully low and bumped against a wooden rack which served as a wall, another similar wall stood at front forming an open corridor without a roof. The woody walls were muddy and heavy scratches bore at its surface, ropes and wooden spikes with rotting zombie heads stuck-
Zombie....?
All of them wide mouthed and horror-stricken; added up to the situation. Suddenly, my eyes caught a glimpse of a rodent which was busy feeding upon a corpse which directly sat facing me.
I gagged at it.
Suddenly something hard hit the walls.
I screamed.
A growl resounded near me.
My puny heart thumped harder and harder.
Another growl and this one sounded just above me. I craned my neck to see-
A lump of crimson gooeyness shining under the moon light, landed upon my turtle-neck shirt collar; the cool liquid slipped under the hem of my shirt and I shivered involuntarily. I glared at it, comprehending and analyzing its weird color when another wet and cool liquid-like substance pooled over my thighs. I avoided the urge to shiver and raised my head, craning it back to see the droplets of sticky gooeyness produce from-
"Uh-oh"
A soldier's face
-smashed entirely with blood and entrails hanging from its remains sat at the edge of the wooden wall on which I was leaning, its head tilted in question and a glare aimed at me... I gaped; my eyes widened like saucers behind the glasses, brown orbs stared directly at acid-yellow orbs which seemed to glow with an unnatural light. Plain-spoken, it wasn't humane and was at present checking me out as if to see a meat in market. Both hands limply hung beside its hunched chest, the vertebral chord popped playing hide and seek from under his torn camouflage jacket, an unused gun poked out at its belt ; a helmet wearing zombie was staring at me silently, ready to pounce. Yellow glowing eyes...Razor sharp teeth, gums all yellow and green...flaky skin, two layers of grey and black clashing oddly...
Firstly, I thought, I should just run with my tail between my legs; run as fast as I can until this thing's fed up of me. But then again, the pain in my belly could probably cutoff my stamina by a huge extend.
I winced at the painful possibilities.
Or, I should just slip out sneakily because the creature appeared primitive and retain very little or to no emotional quality to analyze its victim...
It twitched and roared.
Blood and slime spraying on my face as it roared, showing off its yellowish, worm filled dirty teeth.
"Oh Shi-"
I ran.
The moment I jerked and pushed my right leg into action, pain shot through me and to my horror, a slight metallic flavor laced my tongue which united freely with hacked up lung dribble; I cried at the sudden turn of events, a picture of that headless soldier flashed through my mind. The horror, that pain or that sudden death...
Why not a dream-
It caught up with me...
"Oof! Sh-"- its claws were very sharp... and they dug for blood.
They dug my undernourished skin, punctured the layers with ease, drawing out blood and cries from me, injecting infection as it howled and bit onto my shoulder. Just a matter of seconds and faith was that of those deceased...
Oh no. I am going to die.
I will die?!
No.
No!
Why am I still thinking?
I guess the pain is pulsing unneeded thoughts through my mind, nerves sending desperate signals to my toxic brain to get rid of the pain.
Everything's gone
What's happening?!
Just like a shaken up soda bottle left to explode, my feelings flooded while a warm fuzzy heaviness levitated to erupt.
That day when I first received a slap from a loved one or that first time like someone walked away all of a sudden leaving me to overcome my shocked senses; tears always find their way up to see world go colourless and knocking all bright memories down. Breaking down the paper barrier and rebuilding an iron gate, as it caged me once and for all. I am too afraid to let the guard down.
I am to see its theory, proof and results. I can never let someone else peep into my cover.
Never.
Again my body welcomed that unimaginable pain and aching frothiness, the creature's bite was slimy and cutting and my frame was like paper to him.
I'd stay that stupid girl replaying the playlist again and again...
Guts and bravery that I lacked.
What's that noise?
It's like overstuffed microwaves, beeping and ticking altogether and ready to burst.
What?!
I cried, but the creature had no feelings... I begged, but the creature had no morals, it just pounced at me; happy to get an easy prey. I waited... For some angels to come and guide me to heaven, instead, I witnessed more coursing pain.
Why wouldn't it end?
Why am I not dead yet?
Am I dreaming again?
Can we feel pain while dreaming?
Is there a chance of survival even after being assaulted by a zombie? Don't you just turn?
I should soon die with that much of blood loss...
How much time has passed?
Am I still alone?
Alive?
"Girly, you alive?"
Or Dead?
Wait?What?
Zombies now talk?... wow...
Pain, brain pain, muscle pain, no I'm not ok... That's good, a zombie asking me whether I am alive, really great. Next thing I'll know, it'll offer me some lemonade and shoulder massage.
Or it is really heaven?
So, I really am in heaven, am I?
Maybe an angel is conscious of me? I chuckled.
I heard the zombie or maybe angel huff, like it was already dejected by my constant whining. But aren't angels supposed to help you? Like, effortlessly pick you up and magically bestow happ-
Someone nudged me ribs..
" You alive?" Yes, maybe...
Another nudge. I was being nudged continuously, once, twice, thrice- Why isn't he/she soft towards me? It's more like a demand which's incredibly rude right now.
Once, twice, thrice-"W-what?" I asked, not in a mood to lift my face. Every section of my neck, collar-bone and skull hurt like hell, including my eye sockets. I lay breathing heavily.
"Yes, I am alive" I tried to open my eyes and stand up but only to get pressed down by something hard and solid. The voice sounded muscular and male and I was put down.
What-
My eyes shot open to see-"What a-are you d'ing?" Damn, I sounded so weak and puny; it was similar to a lamb at its slaughter. While squeezing my eyes mercilessly, I tried to figure out the source of the voice.
"What's your name?" asked the blurry figure of a man which was leaning over me, with an object that was shaped like a knife in his huge hands, aiming at me.
Well, why? How in the hell can I be dangerous? Furthermore, can't the idiot see the situation? A broken, weak girl with gaping holes all over her body; how can she even think of hurting someone?
Idiot.
"Name?" I heard him a bit more clearly this time. The accent was ragged and wayward while poured with a stretched tone of voice. His large form shifting confidently, he seemed very egoistic and that made me more curious to see his facial features. And he sounded demanding and straight-forward, his voice was gruff and commanding, belonging to a no-shit attitude kind of a person.
"N-name?" I croaked with my eyes brows bunched. "Anya" I answered, trying to pull myself up. His blurry form tilted its head slightly and could swear I heard him snort.
Egoistic.
I tried to shift and get a comfortable position on whatever surface I was laying on "Y-yours?" I asked, prodding him some more. It felt nice, to hear a human's voice after all...
"Tank" He paused and my ears pumped with want.
Tank what? Is he not comfortable?
I felt him move away from me.
"I guess you can call me Tank, Tank Dempsey"
~○~
3 years back…
18th January, 2011
Sunday, 10:54 am
"Aaa—Ny—Yah! Here."
A familiar drawl called my name, its tone inching up as seconds passed…
"Not now, Neo.. I am a bit busy" I said, shoving a bundle of red and blue wired inside the CPU box, its frame cluttered with the new metallic wires I'd put in. The computer was at its sixth time of repair in a row; all thanks to Lily and her constant anger problems. Her blow-up punches on the computer—after each and every flop relationship or 'Breakups'—the poor computer was left paying the price. Well, the price of the new PC parts was reclaimed from my pocket, a reason which I hated with passion…
"Just for a second, turn back and see what I bought for you." He persisted; I could even feel him buzz with excitement. His shoes squawked in impatience which reminded me of those babies with plushy-pink loafers, Squank! Squank! Squank! They whined for attention and successfully pulled a smile on my face.
"Fine what— "
A big shit-eating smile welcomed me at a very close proximity; a bit too close to my face and that pearl white set of teeth welcomed me with friendly warmth, eyes closed and crow-feet at the edges displaying his never-ending love for humor. Neo was the second person, first being Lily, who always got my back.
Even though a bit theatrical; he was like my left hand without which I'd be handicapped.
Neo.
And as always, he greeted me with something special over which I usually and actually would scream or punch or laugh out loud at his antics. We both made fun in whichever way we could manage: trying different hair-cuts on cats, cut holes in Lily's clothes, draw stuff on school walls etc… Sometimes we'd go as far as to get into clashes (Which would always end up with us fleeing away…) and revealing our clowning acts were enough to make it hard for people to believe us liars.
Yes, we were that occupied bosses...
"Guess what?" He said. A child-like tendency of tone rang in his voice; he also fidgeted and shifted his weight in nervousness. Nervous from what? Me? Hah. That's so unlikely.
"What?" I asked, quickly fishing up a rag from the nearby table and started cleaning my fingers and gestured Neo to sit on my bed.
"You finally achieved a girlfriend? Wow! Congrats Bud!"
I said throwing the dirty piece of cloth at him. I smiled fully at him, showing off my intimidating knowledge of him, though I doubted the guess… No offense to this great bud but, he was a little off with the opposite gender; just like me… We get nervous so very easily.
He was taken aback and pressed his lips in a thin line; stifling a smile perhaps? I loved when he do that. His 6 ft frame went rigid and a lanky hand reached forward and back away...
His eyes were severe, lower lip becoming white due to excess pressure on the upper lip.
"No no no…." He said, shaking a child like a teacher correcting a student's mistake. His hands cupped my chin one last time and was off of my face in the next second. That glowing smile returned on his face, mischievously, he bit his lip and bunched his eyebrows and looked away.
"What are you hiding?" I asked, trying to see what he was hiding, but to no avail; his huge form suddenly arched forward, throwing me back—
"I know it's not your birthday today but, SURPRISE!" a small object jutted out from under his baggy sweaters, prodding the the object to my chest.
I looked down to see a poorly gift-wrapped packet, a small piece of paper sticking at its top like a greeting card; bold loopy handwriting conveying- 'FROM NEO, TO MIDGET...'
"Sorry. I can't pretend to be gentle. " He drawled in a fake accent. The object thrusted in my chest twice, asking to be opened.
I smiled.
I smiled at the utter cuteness of the wrappings which I carefully stripped one by one.
"For my sake, do it fast!" He put his lanky fingers on top of the cover and ripped the whole glittery paper in one go. The thing inside was emitting invisible light; like silver…
I opened my eyes extra large to eat its beauty.
I gasped.
"Oh, Neo…I can hug you right now you know…"
I stared at the un-lavishly presented lavish gift of Call of Duty: Black Ops II.
"Anya, I am fully open for return-gifts." He replied cheekily…