08-02-2016, 01:23 AM
Abner couldn’t help it. A big dumb grin was plastered across his face as they ran. He could take a moment to forget about the ghoulish zombies, the sudden deathly fever, and the entire creepy, deserted town. Christa said she’d make a visible signal, and goddammit if she didn’t blow up half of the city in the process. What else should he have expected? Some things just never changed, and in the middle of this crossbreed of at least three different types of apocalypses, that was a welcome treat.
There was a haze in his vision, and his senses seemed dulled. He had just enough clarity to recognize that he probably wasn’t actually thinking all that clearly. Running across rooftops like this would normally still be a pain in the ass, but at least not this bad. It didn’t stop him from lighting another cigarette during their run, however. He needed something to keep him going.
There was a gasp from the back of the group, and Abner turned to see that Trent had fallen. Colonel leaped to the next building before turning and noticing that something was amiss. Trent’s moans turned to screams as he was suddenly pulled backwards, towards the ledge. Abner then noticed a slimy tendril that must have grabbed the young secondary as they crossed over an alleyway, and was trying to drag him over the edge. Abner raised his rifle as fast as he could, and fired three shots, only severing the tentacle on the third blast.
“Come on, kid!” Abner shouted as he pulled Trent to his feet.
“They’re gaining on us. They’re getting closer,” Trent wheezed out, struggling to gain his balance.
“Not this again,” Abner muttered, patting the kid on the shoulder. “You’ve got to keep going.”
“I know. I know,” Trent seemed like he was encouraging himself just as much as he was agreeing. He gave a firm nod.
Abner was pleased to see the level of confidence the young man had reached. It was clear that Trent was starting to understand that Abner and Colonel didn’t have a clue what to do, either, and that they were simply doing what they could to survive. He had a long way to go to reach Abner’s level, but the old Stormtrooper didn’t really wish that on anyone.
Just as he was ushering him towards the next jump, so they could catch up with Colonel, a strange humanoid leaped from the side, blindsiding Abner with a full body tackle. Already weak from his feverish symptoms, Abner considered himself lucky to still be on his feet. He pushed back the being back, then stepped towards it and delivered a powerful punch to its face.
This ghoul’s skin was deteriorating, and its eyes were pale white. The creature’s mouth hung open as it searched for flesh to devour. Joints seemed to be flimsily held together, as Abner could see the tendons, though it clearly didn’t inhibit the monster’s ability to move. It was just so damn creepy that Abner couldn’t help but punch it again.
His fist connected with the being’s cheek, and its head spun a full circle on its already shredded neck, coming to a rest where it was facing Abner, still. Trent stumbled back in terror, while Abner cocked a bewildered eyebrow. The surprises never stopped on this island.
The ghoul took this opportunity to tackle Abner, knocking him to the ground. Abner mashed his thumbs into the deformed man’s eyeballs, then gripped the side of its face. The ghoul paid no mind to the attack, instead pushed against Abner’s hands. In his own weakened state, Abner couldn’t hold the creature back, and could only watch as it’s maw closed in.
But before it could rip into his neck, Abner instead watched its brain explode out the side of its head. He assumed Colonel had arrived just in time, so he pushed the corpse off of himself, counting his lucky stars over that escape. To his great surprise, Colonel landed on the rooftop just as he was standing back up. The soldier navi silently ran past him and activated his energy sword, decapitating three ghouls that had managed to climb up.
That only left one other explanation. Abner looked over to see a wide-eyed Trent holding his still smoking pistol, staring at the ghoul’s corpse in shock. The secondary had actually shot it, and saved Abner. He couldn’t believe it. He was sure Colonel couldn’t either, but the cyborg was clearly too busy with the approaching horde to fully comprehend Trent’s actions.
“Good work, thanks!” Abner sincerely said, then turned and looked to the smoke once more. “Let’s go, Colonel!”
Just as soon as he spoke, Colonel disengaged from the climbing monsters. The soldier navi wordlessly resumed his charge towards what had become the largest smoke signal in the town. Trent tucked the gun back in his waistband and ran after him, and Abner was in hot pursuit.
Sure, the secondary had saved his life, but Abner was a bit ashamed, and a little disappointed. The Omniverse was filled with killers and cold hearted people. He’d put the gun in Trent’s hand, and now the boy had taken his first step towards joining the rest of them.
There was a haze in his vision, and his senses seemed dulled. He had just enough clarity to recognize that he probably wasn’t actually thinking all that clearly. Running across rooftops like this would normally still be a pain in the ass, but at least not this bad. It didn’t stop him from lighting another cigarette during their run, however. He needed something to keep him going.
There was a gasp from the back of the group, and Abner turned to see that Trent had fallen. Colonel leaped to the next building before turning and noticing that something was amiss. Trent’s moans turned to screams as he was suddenly pulled backwards, towards the ledge. Abner then noticed a slimy tendril that must have grabbed the young secondary as they crossed over an alleyway, and was trying to drag him over the edge. Abner raised his rifle as fast as he could, and fired three shots, only severing the tentacle on the third blast.
“Come on, kid!” Abner shouted as he pulled Trent to his feet.
“They’re gaining on us. They’re getting closer,” Trent wheezed out, struggling to gain his balance.
“Not this again,” Abner muttered, patting the kid on the shoulder. “You’ve got to keep going.”
“I know. I know,” Trent seemed like he was encouraging himself just as much as he was agreeing. He gave a firm nod.
Abner was pleased to see the level of confidence the young man had reached. It was clear that Trent was starting to understand that Abner and Colonel didn’t have a clue what to do, either, and that they were simply doing what they could to survive. He had a long way to go to reach Abner’s level, but the old Stormtrooper didn’t really wish that on anyone.
Just as he was ushering him towards the next jump, so they could catch up with Colonel, a strange humanoid leaped from the side, blindsiding Abner with a full body tackle. Already weak from his feverish symptoms, Abner considered himself lucky to still be on his feet. He pushed back the being back, then stepped towards it and delivered a powerful punch to its face.
This ghoul’s skin was deteriorating, and its eyes were pale white. The creature’s mouth hung open as it searched for flesh to devour. Joints seemed to be flimsily held together, as Abner could see the tendons, though it clearly didn’t inhibit the monster’s ability to move. It was just so damn creepy that Abner couldn’t help but punch it again.
His fist connected with the being’s cheek, and its head spun a full circle on its already shredded neck, coming to a rest where it was facing Abner, still. Trent stumbled back in terror, while Abner cocked a bewildered eyebrow. The surprises never stopped on this island.
The ghoul took this opportunity to tackle Abner, knocking him to the ground. Abner mashed his thumbs into the deformed man’s eyeballs, then gripped the side of its face. The ghoul paid no mind to the attack, instead pushed against Abner’s hands. In his own weakened state, Abner couldn’t hold the creature back, and could only watch as it’s maw closed in.
But before it could rip into his neck, Abner instead watched its brain explode out the side of its head. He assumed Colonel had arrived just in time, so he pushed the corpse off of himself, counting his lucky stars over that escape. To his great surprise, Colonel landed on the rooftop just as he was standing back up. The soldier navi silently ran past him and activated his energy sword, decapitating three ghouls that had managed to climb up.
That only left one other explanation. Abner looked over to see a wide-eyed Trent holding his still smoking pistol, staring at the ghoul’s corpse in shock. The secondary had actually shot it, and saved Abner. He couldn’t believe it. He was sure Colonel couldn’t either, but the cyborg was clearly too busy with the approaching horde to fully comprehend Trent’s actions.
“Good work, thanks!” Abner sincerely said, then turned and looked to the smoke once more. “Let’s go, Colonel!”
Just as soon as he spoke, Colonel disengaged from the climbing monsters. The soldier navi wordlessly resumed his charge towards what had become the largest smoke signal in the town. Trent tucked the gun back in his waistband and ran after him, and Abner was in hot pursuit.
Sure, the secondary had saved his life, but Abner was a bit ashamed, and a little disappointed. The Omniverse was filled with killers and cold hearted people. He’d put the gun in Trent’s hand, and now the boy had taken his first step towards joining the rest of them.