Static hummed for a beat before my voice cut through again. "Ksss! Keep looking. Ten more minutes. If nothing, we are heading for the farm. Ksss!"
"Copy that," Kenny said, lowering the walkie. He looked at the duo. Alicia lingered, staring at the walker, with a frown after hearing what Wesker said. Maybe, there really isn't something we can do
Madison exhaled hard, then turned back toward the woods. Alicia stayed a moment longer, staring at the walker, still struggling against the fence like it might offer some clue.
They moved on, deeper into the trees.
Ten minutes passed.
The forest grew quieter the farther they walked. The wind dropped, and with it, so did the caws of the birds.
Kenny stopped again, his brow furrowed. "Look." He pointed to a large tree trunk.
Madison paused beside him, squinting ahead. There, something or someone leaned against the tree, and a shadow or silhouette of what appears to be an arm was visible.
All three of them ran, Alicia and Madison with desperation, while Kenny, with heavy caution, analyzed the path with his keen eyes.
Alicia's boots pounded the dry earth, twigs snapping underfoot. Madison's breath caught in her throat as she ran. Please, Nick, you promised me
Kenny kept his rifle raised, just in case.
As they closed the distance, the figure became clear.
Nick.
He was slumped against the wide trunk, legs sprawled out, his body at an odd angle. One hand rested limply in the mud. The other was curled against his stomach, fingers clawed and stiff. His head hung forward, chin touching his chest.
"Nick!" Alicia dropped to her knees, hands on his shoulders. "Nick!"
He didn't stir.
Madison crouched beside her daughter, brushing his hair back from his face. His skin was pale, cold, and clammy, and his lips were faintly blue.
Kenny stood behind them, his rifle pointing at Nick's head. Kenny still hasn't forgotten the horror he saw in the city or what Wekser told them about Otis
"Is he dead?" He questioned, unsure. Wekser's words rang in his head, You come back, no matter what
"No," Alicia whispered, shaking her head. "No, he's not—he's breathing! He has to be!" She pressed her ear to his chest, and Kenny flinched, his finger resting on the trigger.
He took a step back, "Alicia, I'm telling you—he's—"
"Shut up!" Alicia snapped. "He's still warm. We can save him!"
Madison's hands trembled as she took Nick's wrist, searching for a pulse. Nothing. Still, she looked up at Kenny. "We're taking him back. Katjaa might be able to do something." If not, we can at least bury—
"There's nothin' she can do if he's already—"
"We are taking him back!" Madison shouted.
Kenny looked at Alicia, then at Madison. Their eyes were pleading. Or maybe they were just in denial.
He exhaled sharply, jaw clenched. "Fine," he muttered. "Help me lift him."
The three of them struglgled to hoist Nick's limp form, His weight was dead weight now—literallly—and every stumble over a root or dip in the earth threatened to topple them.
Alicia wouldn't stop talking to him in a hushed voice, urging him to hang on. Madison kept her head straight toward the destination, whispering prayers.
Kenny walked behind them, one hand on the walkie.
"Ksss—Wesker," he said. "We found him. He's alive, hopefully. Might be OD'd or worse. We're bringin' him to the Motel. Get there as quickly as possible. Ksss."
A pause.
Then my voice crackled back. "Ksss! Understood. We'll meet you at the entrance. Ksss."
***
I had already reached the motel before Kenny arrived with Nick's corpse, carried by the three of them.
Katjaa came running, Clementine close behind her. Lilly stood nearby, her arms folded, face unreadable. Carley held the gate open while I watched from the campfire.
Alicia and Madison rushed Nick inside, past curious glances and whispered questions.
Katjaa ordered the rest of us to give her space as she knelt beside Nick's body in the back room of the Inn. Her hands moved quickly, checking his pupils, breathing, and pulse. Then she stopped.
She looked up.
"There's nothing I can do."
"What?!" Alicia's voice cracked. "He's not—he's not—"
"He's gone, Alicia." Katjaa's voice was soft but firm. "I'm sorry."
Alicia's knees buckled, and Madison caught her, dragging her close. Both women stared at Nick's still body, as if willing him to wake up. But there was nothing behind his eyes now—just a shell.
"How?" Lilly asked, stepping forward.
Katjaa looked at the track marks on Nick's arm. Her mouth set in a grim line.
"Drugs," she speculated, "Must have mixed in something too strong."
I stood silently at the door, my left foot resting against the frame, my eyes staring still at the lifeless body, looking for any movement. Clementine stood beside me, resting her head against my shoulder, her grip around my arm tightening by the minute.
No one said anything for a long time.
Finally, Kenny muttered, "Told ya. I saw it in his face last night. Those sunken eyes."
Alicia glared at him through tears, still confused that her brother was doing something like this. It only made her blame herself for not being a better sister, she didn't even know what he was going through.
Madison finally stood, her expression hollow. "We didn't know," she said quietly.
"How about you stop lying for a moment?" Lilly scoffed from the side.
Madison flinched.
It was subtle—barely perceptible to most—but I saw it. A twitch in her jaw. A pause. Her eyes shifted—not to Lillly, not to her daughter, but to the window. Anywhere but the truth.
Alicia turned slowly, the fog of heartbreak giving way to confusion. Her eyes locked on her mother. "What does she mean?"
Madison didn't answer.
Lilly stepped forward, voice low but pointed, "You knew he was doing it, didn't you"
Katjaa turned to look at Madison now, too. So did Carley.
The silence said enough.
Alicia's voice cracked, raw and quiet. "You knew?"
"Y-yes," Madison admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "He told me he was clean. He said it was under control."
"He wasn't under control!" Alicia screamed. "He's dead… and you killed him." Madison looked at her daughter, eyes glistening, but Alicia stood up and took a few steps back. Away from her.
"Enough," I said, voice low but commanding, "Dispose of the body first, destroy the brain."
Alicia turned to me with all her rage, quickly reaching a few inches away, she grabbed my collar, with tears flowing from her eyes.
"If he turns—" My words couldn't reach her as she snapped, "You fucking phsycopath, do you think I'll let you touch him after what you did to my father,"
Clementine grabbed her hand, trying to pull her away, "Alicia, please let go of him," she pleaded.
Alicia didn't look away from me, her grip around my collar only tightened, resulting in her breaking her fingernail, and blood trickled down the collar. Clementine, seeing the blood, quickly let go of her.
"Alicia!" Clem's tone worried.
"Will you be able to kill him if he turns?" I asked her, "He won't turn." Alicia stood on her believe's firm, I haven't been able to prove that fact, maybe this is a good opportunity.
"And if he did," I asked her again, "I'll do it." Alicia, in her ignorance, agreed.
"Then… turn around," I said to her.
.
.
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****
Read +3 or +7 chapters ahead on my Pat*eon
First_Endless
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