𝙵𝙻𝙴𝚂𝙷 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙾𝙽𝙴 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙾 𐂃

Chapter 54

"Graaggh!" The smell hit first before she heard the hiss and a lump lunged at Cristine. The deviant corpse came straight at her, attacking out of nowhere. Before she even had the chance to identify this face that belonged to a Survivalist, clad in militia fatigue, Cristine was already looking at a snapping jaw and bared canines with thick saliva dripping from it's mouth. The heavy body pounced on her with the force of a defensive tackle. Cristine sprawled to the ground on her back and it all happens so fast she barely had time to cry out in shock or pain. The moving corpse landed on top of her, snarling with slimy, chattering teeth and - in that split second before Cristine realized she was trying to keep it as far away as possible while frantically looking to grab a weapon- the infected opened its jaw so wide it looked as though its skull was about to unhinge. Cristine caught one horrible glimpse of the recesses of the things throat - an endless hole straight down hell - before she instinctively jerked its weight to the side with as much power in her arm as she could muster. She barely had time to call out for help, not sure if she would get any and Cristine grunted until something hit cleaved hit the infected it's neck, the cadaver bobbed to the right from the blow, but the hard hit only managed to dent the neck, smashing through the softened flesh. It turned even more aggressive by the attack. The sound of the teeth snapping impotently with the pop of its jaw. Cristine panted and watched with started shock as Hailey clumsily delivered a blow to the skull, hard enough for it to jerk this time. A sequence of more hits followed, the blunt and improvised weapon indented the side of its face through cartilage and bone and cavities. Blood and matter misted down across her sister's viscous face. Cristine was shocked frozen for a while and watched as instinct drove Hailey who kept hitting. At one point she had the cadaver straddled between her legs, unmoving, and brought the stumpy broomstick down the skull with all her might. The remains of bone, matter, tissue and cerebrospinal fluid splatters the soil, coating her hands. Her ears hyperalert and sensitive to the distant thrums of motion: someone was coming her way!

Snapping her head up, Hailey jumped to her feet for the next line, ready to swing, only to freeze in her tracks like a confused deer suddenly surrounded. Pupils enlarged in her eyes from the adrenaline that rushed through her veins like a drug. Panting, her chest moved up and down from the hammering of her hear and lungs. Darting her frantic gaze around and clenching her slick weapon tightly, Hailey rigidly broke down her hostile stance and finally following the trail of blood at her feet. The quivering of her lower jaw didn't stop, the hyperventilation heavy and thick tears trickled down her eyes. "I- I- killed-" Hailey felt her throat burn before the soft and soothing call of her sister pierced through the teary fog.

Cristine scooped Hailey's chin, making sure she didn't concentrate on the mesh of grey matter, tissue and blood painted on the dirt, but on her. "You saved me." Eyes full of worry, Cristine searched for her distraught eyes. She stood in Hailey's line of sight and felt her shaky hands curl tighter around the iron grip on her blood-slicked stick. Blue eyes rose, unblinking and barely responding to touch worried Cristine. "Are you bit?" Hailey's answer was a tense headshake and there was some resistance when Cristine tried to take the stick from her hands, which Hailey reflexively put as barrier between them. Cristine made a face before carefully touching her wet cheeks, but Hailey quickly moved away from his fingers. Hailey wanted to look at the open cranium and gore behind them, but Cristine didn't let her and made sure she kept her gaze. Swallowing, the words tumbled from her mouth, afraid the justification wouldn't be enough. Hailey, however saw the relief flood her sister's bruised features and felt her eyes well up. "I didn't think. I just- I just did it."

"That's what you're supposed to do. Always. No matter who it is, okay?" The sisters were jolted from their reality when frantic screaming and shooting in the distance echoed. It was followed by groaning of the dead. Cristine instinctively reached for her gun and pressed the weapon inside Hailey's hand and took the stick. "Go back to Dolores. Lock the door and keep your guns aimed at the entrance."