Acachalla Apocalypse [VenturianTale Fanfic]

Chapter 4; Curse of Death

"Billy!" Papa hollers from outside my tent. I groan softly and rub my eyes. "What is it? Papa?"

I don't get a response. My heart races and I burst out of the tent. My heart stops instantly as I see an army of infected on the horizon. "Oh no..." I mutter.

Maddie has a sleeping Sally in her arms as she grabs both their bags and runs to Mama Gertrude. Papa's providing extra time by shooting, hoping to scare the infected away. Spencer is rushing to pack the tents up with Mama.. And Freddy is acting as our route of escape.

"Mama- what's going on?!" I yell from across the camp. Mama sighs shakily. "Spencer forgot to check the radar last night before we set up camp... We don't have much time." She replies.

I gulp and nod, quickly rushing to pack all my stuff. Luckily, I didn't have much. Medical Kit, bag of canned goods, including a grapple hook I found a month ago.

I throw on my bag and roll up my tent, stuffing it in its small bag. I rush to Freddy, who's carrying our stuff and acting as our ride. "Are you sure Freddy's able to do this?" Maddie asks, worried as she gets onto Freddy's back with Sally, who's tiredly waking.

"I don't know... But we have to try." Mama replies, attaching my stuff to the bungee cords we had on Freddy, and helping me up onto the giant dinosaur.

"Papa!" I call. Papa turns, still shooting the infected behind him as he leaps onto Freddy's back.

"Freddy! Fetch!" Maddie calls out, sling shotting a chicken leg into the distance. Freddy dashes after the chicken, just as the infected try to leap onto him.

"Haha! Yes!" I grin as I look back. "They'll never catch us now!"

"Don't jinx us!" Papa hisses, hitting me in the back of the head. I rub my head and pout. "Whatever." I mutter.

"Fweddy?" Sally's voice squeaks with worry as the giant lizard slows its pace. When we get a good distance from the infected, Spencer leaps off Freddy and checks his health.

"Let me." I shove my nerdy brother aside as I get out my medical kit, and listed for his heartbeat.

Slow.

I look at his eyes, gently shining a light in them.

Dull.

I check my medical book for what's wrong will Freddy- and when I see it, my heart drops.

"... Sal?" I whisper, my voice cracking. "Freddy... He's..."

Maddie comes over to me and I show her what's wrong with Freddy. She gasps, tears pricking her eyes. "A-Are you sure...?" She whispers.

I nod sadly, and turn to my family. "... G-Guys... Freddy's.. Dying." I say softly.

Spencer nearly chokes on his drink- Mama and Papa are shocked...

And Sally's about to cry.

"Wh-What do you mean he's... Dying?" Her voice deepens at the last word. I look at Freddy, who's now laying down on the dusty ground. "... Every animal dies eventually... He's at an old age..." I explan, gently petting the dinosaur.

"N-not Freddy! Freddy d-doesn't die! He's a dinosaur! He's... He's--!" Sally stutters, denying the fact her pet is dying.

"He's an animal." Mama replies, placing a hand on Sally's shoulder. "It had to happen eventually, Hun..."

"N-No!" Sally screeches, throwing Mama's hand off of her and running to Freddy. "P-Please Freddy! T-Tell me it's a lie!" She cries, tears stinging her eyes.

Freddy looks at the crying girl and grumbles lowly and sadly. Sally finally let's out a sob as she hugs the dinosaur tightly, as Freddy's breathing slows.

"D-Don't d-d-do this, Freddy..." Sally sniffles, Maddie sitting next to her and rubbing her back.

I watch as my family surrounds Freddy, each having their own share of tears- even Papa was choking up. I kneel next to Sally. And just as I do so-

Freddy let's out a final, powerful roar-

Before laying his head to the ground and closing his eyes.

Sally grips onto Maddie and cries into her shirt, hiccuping and sobbing continuously.

I wipe stray tears that had fallen down my cheeks, and lay a final hand of comfort onto Freddy's head.

"B-B-Billy...?" Sally sniffles as she looks at me, face still hidden in Maddie's shirt. I look at her and see a glare in her eyes. My heart drops to my stomach.

"B-B-Billy... Why... Didn't you save him?..." She wipes her tears and walks over to me. I blink, my little sister now confronting me with anger in her eyes. "Why.. Didn't you save him?!" She hisses.

I step back nervously, and gulp. "S-Sally... A-All animals die! You can't control it! I can't control it! Nobody c-can!" I reply, noticing the worried expression on my family's faces. What was happening?

"Y-You're suppose to save lives! First you let Sue die- and now Freddy?!" Sally screeches, her waffle demon claws sharpening with anger. I stare at her- shocked. My hands curl to fists and I, luckily, restrain from hitting her.

"S-Sue would have died- even if I had healed him... He would have died from the wound itself- he would have died without the wound... He would eventually die- nobody is immortal, Sally!" I hiss, painful memories and nightmares attacking me mentally.

"You could have t-tried to save them! Y-You just let both of them die!" She shouts back, clutching her fists until her hands bled slightly.

"I- I couldn't do anything if I tried!" I retaliate, turning around, hoping to end the argument there.

But Sally had one last statement to make.

"I-I..." She stutters, tears now pricking both our eyes.

"What?" I snap coldly, fighting the anger and tears.

Sally took a sharp breath and stomps her foot to the ground with all her might.

"I-I hate you Billy Acachalla!"