A Sickly Sweet Reverie (Leon Kennedy X OC) [BOOK 3]

Chapter 4: Satan take the wheel

The man hoisted Liz up and slung her arm over his shoulder. Her feet lazily slid against the floor as her dad shuffled them both toward the door. I spared a lingering glance at Leon as we moved back into the hall to trail after them.

"It's okay, we'll be home soon," The man said, lugging her around the first corner. Her only response was a deep wheeze as she allowed him to carry her down the hall.

The sky grumbled and lightning struck, painting the hallway in an icy blue for a few quick seconds. Liz's fingers and legs were caked in blood.

"Do you see that?" I murmured to Leon.

"Yeah..."

I don't want to say the words out loud– I couldn't say them.

Wood clattered somewhere further down the hall, making Leon spring forward. He ducked around Liz as he pressed forward toward the noise. I tried to follow, but as I passed Liz let out a weak moan and dropped further to the ground.

"Lizzie we can make it, please," The man cried, trying to pull her back up. He choked on the final word, and a coughing fit quaked through him again, making them both drop to the ground.

Helena came from behind, pressing a hand to his shoulder. "Are you okay? Can you walk?" He tried to nod through his coughing fit.

Liz was wheezing at my feet while wobbling side to side on the strength of her arm alone. I knelt down, slinging her arm around my shoulder and my fingers around her waist. She was almost entirely limp at my side as I stood back up and moved down the hall.

"We need to move," Before something hears us.

That sickly sweet smell trickled in again, shoving itself in my nose and coating my tongue.

"What is that?" I cringed, rounding the corner to find Leon moving some fallen wooden planks out of the way. Did they fall or were they pushed? Either way we need to get the hell out of here.

"What?" Helena asked, towing the man alongside her just a few feet behind me.

"That smell," I said, almost gagging on the overpowering aroma.

"I don't smell anything," Helena replied. I looked to Leon who shrugged as he moved the last of the debris from the path. Liz took in a desperate breath of air next to me before letting her head fall in front of her.

Leon pulled open the elevator door and moved aside to let the rest of us cram into the small lift. I lowered Liz to sit on the floor next to the control panel and backed against a wall to allow room for everyone. The man ducked out of Helena's grasp and dropped down next to his daughter while he fished around in his coat pocket.

He produced a keyring, and quickly flipped through it until stopping on a short brass key. He used it to turn on the elevator and press the button for the lower level. The lights flickered on as the hum of machinery sounded and the doors slid shut. The car vibrated before beginning a slow descent.

Liz began viciously coughing, each wet cough rocking through her harder than the last. Her father hunched over her with a comforting hand on her back as she coughed into her hand. Once her coughs trailed off, she pulled back to reveal her palm smeared with dark red blood.

"Lizzie, you're gonna be okay," The man said, trying to distract from her palm. Her breath hitched and she took in a few shallow pants before she looked up to her dad.

"Dad," She rasped, the light in her eyes fading. She held his gaze for a moment before chest stopped rising. Her body went stiff, and her head slumped against the elevator wall.

"Liz. Liz!" His words came out in a stuttering mess as he grabbed at her shoulders, attempting to shake her awake.

No movement. She was gone.