Chapter Text
Fires burned bright somewhere down the street, reflecting perfectly off the fourth story window. Though dark outside, the flames cast red and orange glows that danced around the walls of your apartment. Maybe if the situation were different, you would have thought it was pretty. But you knew better.
Outside of your apartment, people were dying. Getting infected. Eating other people. Raccoon City wasn't a safe place. It wasn't your home anymore. It was just a broken city filled with undead zombies who wanted to eat you alive.
Fear kept you inside, waiting and watching. A better day would come and everything would be okay again. The moaning and scratching on the walls of either side of your apartment kept that dream what it was - a dream.
Somewhere deep inside, you knew that this would only get worse. The nightmare would only become more violent, more unforgiving. Maybe you'd be better off just staying in your apartment. Nothing could get to you. Nothing could hurt you.
Staying home equaled staying safe. A perfect idea if you'd ever had one.
Your fear being temporarily soothed, you got up from your place on the bed and began to walk to the kitchen that was connected to your bedroom.
A nice cup of hot chocolate sounded comforting. Maybe it would help you forget what was going on out there for a while. And if you were lucky, keep your mind off it too.
You had just opened the fridge to grab the milk when something exploded outside of your apartment.
The floors rumbled and the walls shook. You grabbed onto the fridge to keep steady as your heart began to pound in your chest.
What the fuck was that?!
The idea of hot chocolate was long forgotten as you eyed the front door just a few steps away. A twisting, nauseating sensation churned the pit of your stomach. You couldn't hear anything except the sound of blood rushing in your ears as you watched the door like a hawk.
Another crash thundered right outside your apartment, sending you into a corner of the kitchen with bated breath.
Suddenly, the front door flew open as your neighbor from down the hall busted in.
She slammed the door shut before shoving the antique cabinet next to her across the grainy wood. Strands of short, dark hair fell around her pale face as her head tipped forward in relief.
You didn't really know her besides the occasional greeting when passing each other in the hallway but you knew enough that you could see when something was wrong.
"Jill?" You questioned, voice trembling.
Immediately, she whirled around with her eyes locked on you. Panic bloomed within the blue hues as she limped over, wrapping a hand around your wrist and dragging you to the window.
"No time to explain. We have to go!"
The fear in her voice sent chills down your spine. But you barely had time to think about it, being jerked through the window and down the fire escape.
Outside, the cool fall air was replaced by burning heat as fires ate at buildings, consuming them completely. Screams rang loud and clear as people fled down the streets. Cars were flipped over and there were several bodies laid out on the black tar. Across the way, a man on the other fire escape was hanging over the railing, trying desperately to pull himself up. At the last second, his fingers slipped and he fell. The look on his face imprinted itself in your mind just before Jill pulled you through the window.
Shock. Anguish. Horror.
Then, you were standing in an unfinished apartment, terrified. Short, hurried breaths came out in little spurts as you began to panic. Jill sent you the most reassuring glance she could manage with the pain written across her face.
"It'll be fine. I promise it'll be fine. Just keep going."
You nodded but her words didn't bring any comfort.
She released you to walk further into the apartment when the roof exploded. Pieces of plaster and rubble rained down as you and Jill stumbled back. When the dust cleared, something that wasn't human stomped towards the both of you.
The creature had to be at least over seven feet tall. Wrapped from head to toe in black caution tape, it was the most terrifying thing you'd ever seen. A low, rumbling growl left from where you assumed its mouth was and it swung a large arm towards the both of you.
Jill shoved you in front of her, making you lose balance and crash to the ground in front of a tiny crawl space.
"Go!" She shouted at you, dodging the hit from the creature.
Your body reacted faster than your brain could. You scrambled to crawl between the space, pushing yourself to your feet when you were on the other side.
A fire roared in front of you, quickly devouring the walls and floor of the complex. Heavy smoke coated your lungs thickly, forcing raspy coughs from your chest. You ignored it as best you could, turning back.
Crouching, you reached out to help Jill through. She saw your hand and raised her own out to grab it when something wrapped around her ankle, tugging her back. She cried out, pain ringing in her voice.
Desperately, you looked around for something, anything, when you spotted a piece of cement sharpened to a point on the end.
"Here!" You said as you slid the makeshift knife to her.
She looked up in time to grip it, twisting back to stab at whatever was dragging her away. Something that looked suspiciously like a tentacle jerked away from her ankle and out of the crawl space. Jill turned back, grasping the hand you had held out and using it to pull herself up.
"Are you okay? What the hell is that thing?" You did nothing to try and hide the terror in your voice.
Jill grabbed your wrist again, sprinting away from the door. Even she sounded panicked when she responded with, "I don't know! That doesn't matter right now. What matters is we get out. Got it?"
You nodded, keeping quiet and allowing her to lead you towards one of the exit doors. Just as you were a few steps away, one of the apartment doors exploded open, sending you and Jill through the exit into a metal railing outside.
Hot pain ran through your stomach and sent needle-like stings through your body. Groaning, you pulled yourself away and held a hand to your abdomen. Jill had already recovered much more quickly though you could tell she was hurting a lot more than you were. Worry marred your brow but she didn't say anything as she walked by you to continue down the stairs. You followed nervously.
The metal creaked underneath your sneakers as the both of you descended another level, trekking closer and closer to the last level of the complex. At the end of the fire escape was a bright yellow ladder leading down to an alleyway. Jill gestured for you to move past her. You threw an uncertain frown her way before heading towards it and kicking it down.
It clanked loudly, echoing across the alley as it made contact with the ground below. Another second later and you were descending down the rungs.
You were only a few steps from the bottom when something boomed above you. Pieces of brick soared past and drummed against the road below.
"Jill!" You cried out.
The only response you could hear from her was a muffled shout.
Fear rooted you to the spot, uncertain if you should continue down. A heavy weight settled into your chest, almost as if someone was squeezing your lungs.
You couldn't leave Jill if she was in trouble. But what were you going to do if that thing was up there? What were you supposed to do against it?
Shit, you were going to die. Some zombie was going to jump you and eat the flesh from your body and you would be watching as they chewed their way to your organs and -
No! Jill didn't drag you out of that apartment for you to sit on a ladder of a fire escape panicking. You had to go. Besides, she seemed like she could handle her own. From the glance you caught of the badge on her waist when you passed her, it seemed like she was a cop. And if that was true, her training would save her.
With one last regretful glance toward the fire escape and a mumbled sorry, you climbed the rest of the way down, running into the street.
As soon as your feet touched the road, people shoved you from both sides as they rushed toward the safety of anything they could get their hands on. Others pounded on the windows of shops as zombies reared back and bit into their flesh, flinging blood onto the glass. In the distance, barks echoed off the alleyways along with high pitched screams.
Everything was going to hell. Whatever was happening was destroying what was left of the city and causing a pandemic to the ones who were still alive. Like some extremely messed up version of a horror movie. And you were right in the middle of it.
Swallowing hard, you pushed through in the direction of the police department. Maybe there you could find some help and safety?
Whatever the case, you just hoped you could find Jill again.