3 Years Later

It's hard to live through this current state of life.

And thus, my brain made it so I see it as a game.

The moment my helmet comes over my head is the moment a loading screen appear over my eyes. Stripping a majority of the threat away and leaving me to act out the most realistic game ever known to man.

And yet now, being confined in this object that seemingly spoke to me, it gave a claustrophobic feeling.

Like having to complete a task in a certain amount of time. Or one of those underwater levels where the music rises the longer you are without air. The string quartet getting faster and faster and you can't help but feel this sense of urgency and fear with each note that is played.

I was placed further into the area behind the barricade only to find the carnage Abby must've left behind from her early fit of rage. The disembodied arms and heads that littered the floor like stones on a path caused my disassociation to grow as she pushed me to another set of barricades. Mind slipping to the short explanation she gave about the area.

"We used to have the area but it got overunned a while back. We need to clear and secure it again."

and with that she left without another word. That white hair flowing past my face as I watch her figure take to the other side. Slipping behind what's left of the wall and causing a new wave of gore to echo.

A gulp left me as I stared at my own wall. Slipping behind it and seeing few Zs stumbling about. My shaking gaze and screaming gut made it harder to figure out where each undead was but I forced myself to manage. Not wanting Abby to grow any more disapproving of me. After all, I'm only alive still due to the graciousness of those living in this base. I wouldn't put it behind me if they send me out if they figure out I'm not pulling the weight they expect me to pull.

With each pool of dead I bring my bat through, another pool of pain wrecked my body. The vomiting should've expelled whatever was hurting me, whatever was causing this pain, but all it did was accentuate it.

My body stumbled causing me to stop once I cleared another pod. Placing my bat on the ground to lean on it momentarily put my gears into motion and prevent another fit of dry heaving to leave me. Instead, I tried to focus on the bits of flesh and cranium that slowly made it's way down the length of my weapon and towards the floor. Counting the seconds in between in hopes it would calm me down.

"You can't keep going like this." The voice from before said forcing me to pull my helmet off. Yet it still spoke to me from below, the words muddled and letters tangled that it did nothing but cause a buzz in my head.

"Shut up." I hissed back through clenched teeth,. Shutting my eyes tight as I tried to ignore the voice.

It was then that a yell-no a scream- no a screech startled my inner thoughts of insanity. The close proximity of it caused worry and dread to shoot through my veins as I gathered my things without a second notice. Some unknown force pulling each footstep of mine back the way I came and towards the barricade Abby went through. A nagging feeling echoed inside the confines of my brain as I swung my helmet back on.

Watching my body screech to a halt as I came upon the battered wall. Uncertain that the source of the voice did came here for a second but soon reassured when another panicked cry came from behind it.

Almost as if on auto pilot, I watched my body force itself pass the hunk of rotting wood and plastics, and saw a horrifying sight.

Though the skylight here was partially covered, the bits of light that did show through felt like a cruel form of spot light. All around were raised hands that g.r.o.a.n.e.d for the being at center stage. Rippling in denser packs the closer they were to the main attraction. As if there was some sort of concert going on in the middle of it all.

Abby, the wondrous dancer of a killer, was forced upwards. Forced up onto one of those hallway shops on wheels. Her machete now half it's size and ended in a jagged, shard of an end. Blood dripping all the way down the length and covered her arm. Bits of her clothing were open as if it were windows to the precious flesh the undead loved so much. Her own mask clawed in half and barely hanging onto her face.

Her eyes caught mine and I swore I saw the face of an animal.

Some poor creature on it's last leg. Mouth clenched and foaming. Eyes screaming both anger and fear as it shook and lashed at the sea of bodies in a random fashion. Her own hair, once tied up, now resembled that of a frightened cat. A large chunk of it now gone leaving bloodied ends in it's wake.

I don't know what was it but I began to hear music.

Much like battle music in a boss fight, I listened to my heart drum a fierce melody as my own stomps began to pick up the pace which caused a crescendo to take place the closer I got to the scene. Whatever nausea I felt now gone, washed away by this wretched melody.

With a grunt I switched my bat for the gun I picked up. The sound of it c.o.c.king became the perfect pre-chorus as I moved to the right of the mass. My body slid as I pointed upwards. My eyes glaring hard as the trigger was pulled.

The sound of the shot caused the groaning singers to pause, the music momentarily in a state of suspense as I let out a scream.

"COME GET ME."

The chorus began with a jarring quick pace as I shot three more times, aiming at places that, I hoped at least, allowed more sounds to bellow through to my direction. My goal to remove as much Zs as possible.

With one last look at Abby, one last look at her shocked face, one last looked to see her reaching for me, I turned and ran. The music at it's highest as the thunderous waves of footsteps began to stampede towards me.

There is nothing left for me to do but to run to the tune of this hellish song.