The Venom Will Spread, but Still Walk the Dead
Behaviour
Mikey’s P.O.V:
“Nick’s dead,” Frank said, determined to sound as blank and calm about it as possible.
“Oh, Frank, man,” Bob began “Frank, I’m sorry-“
“It’s fine.”
“Are you okay?” I questioned.
“I said I’m fine!”
But he didn’t look fine at all. His eyes were bloodshot and red; his green stab vest was stained with crimson patches of blood. He was trembling lightly as he spoke.
Then Gerard joined us. He looked at Frank curiously and then shook his head. Instead, he came and stood by me, hugging me quickly.
"You think he'll be okay?" I questioned.
"I think so," Gerard nodded "I think he's just a little shaken up. But that's understandable! It was his partner and. . . y'know, a friend and stuff."
Frank was now, talking to Bob and Ray about what we were gonna' do now. He had a plan of the building pointing out fire escapes that he'd pulled off the wall and was now crossing off rooms that we'd checked. His pressure on the pen he gripped was much harder than necessary.
Gerard avoided looking at him, looking back at the screen which concealed Nick. Then he sighed and grabbed a blanket off the floor.
"Gerard?"
I followed him in time to see him cover Nick's body with the blanket. I bowed my head and had a minute of silence for him. Then Gerard squeezed my hand and we pattered back out into the main room. Frank was stabbing at the map of the building.
"Did you check in here?"
"No, we were about to when Nick made that call."
"Well, that'd be our best bet," Frank said "It's the most likely room in the building! I think we'd better stick together now!"
"Wha- why?" Gerard questioned.
"You know why!" He snapped in response "Unless you wanna' end up like that!" He growled, gesturing and turning away sharply.
Bob gave his friend a concerned look, stepping forwards and touching his arm. Frank shrugged him off, growling at him.
"Frank, are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine, Bob!"
"Are you sure? It's okay to be upset. I mean, if you want some time-"
"I SAID I'M FINE!"
Bob blinked and took a step back. Everyone was staring at Frank, waiting for him to do something. Gerard squeezed my hand tighter as if trying to build an invisible shield around us both.
***
Frank refused to let anyone near him without a legitimate reason. Bob went to ask if he was okay again and Frank just snapped 'Why are you talking to me, do you wanna' draw unwanted attention to us?'. I sighed inwardly, clutching Gerard's hand tightly.
He gave Frank an almost sympathetic look, squeezing my hand back.
The whole time, Frank didn't speak to anyone, dragging us all over the building in search of his goddamn radio. No one spoke except him. We were just waiting for the mutiny! No joke.
This whole thing had gone to the junkyard now that Nick had decided to depart. Frank didn't want to talk to anyone and no one wanted to talk to him. Which meant he was just barking out orders and we were following moodily.
I could see Gerard getting extremely irritated by Frank's behaviour. How long until he screamed 'Screw you' at him and ran off? And then I'd follow and we'd be stuck. Great. Ray was getting irritated too. He was glaring hard into Frank's back. And Bob just looked sorry for Frank.
I wasn't sure what to feel. I felt sorry for him because he'd lost his partner but annoyed by his asshole-like behaviour. I just sighed and followed Frank, clutching Gerard for dear life.
“Nick’s dead,” Frank said, determined to sound as blank and calm about it as possible.
“Oh, Frank, man,” Bob began “Frank, I’m sorry-“
“It’s fine.”
“Are you okay?” I questioned.
“I said I’m fine!”
But he didn’t look fine at all. His eyes were bloodshot and red; his green stab vest was stained with crimson patches of blood. He was trembling lightly as he spoke.
Then Gerard joined us. He looked at Frank curiously and then shook his head. Instead, he came and stood by me, hugging me quickly.
"You think he'll be okay?" I questioned.
"I think so," Gerard nodded "I think he's just a little shaken up. But that's understandable! It was his partner and. . . y'know, a friend and stuff."
Frank was now, talking to Bob and Ray about what we were gonna' do now. He had a plan of the building pointing out fire escapes that he'd pulled off the wall and was now crossing off rooms that we'd checked. His pressure on the pen he gripped was much harder than necessary.
Gerard avoided looking at him, looking back at the screen which concealed Nick. Then he sighed and grabbed a blanket off the floor.
"Gerard?"
I followed him in time to see him cover Nick's body with the blanket. I bowed my head and had a minute of silence for him. Then Gerard squeezed my hand and we pattered back out into the main room. Frank was stabbing at the map of the building.
"Did you check in here?"
"No, we were about to when Nick made that call."
"Well, that'd be our best bet," Frank said "It's the most likely room in the building! I think we'd better stick together now!"
"Wha- why?" Gerard questioned.
"You know why!" He snapped in response "Unless you wanna' end up like that!" He growled, gesturing and turning away sharply.
Bob gave his friend a concerned look, stepping forwards and touching his arm. Frank shrugged him off, growling at him.
"Frank, are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine, Bob!"
"Are you sure? It's okay to be upset. I mean, if you want some time-"
"I SAID I'M FINE!"
Bob blinked and took a step back. Everyone was staring at Frank, waiting for him to do something. Gerard squeezed my hand tighter as if trying to build an invisible shield around us both.
***
Frank refused to let anyone near him without a legitimate reason. Bob went to ask if he was okay again and Frank just snapped 'Why are you talking to me, do you wanna' draw unwanted attention to us?'. I sighed inwardly, clutching Gerard's hand tightly.
He gave Frank an almost sympathetic look, squeezing my hand back.
The whole time, Frank didn't speak to anyone, dragging us all over the building in search of his goddamn radio. No one spoke except him. We were just waiting for the mutiny! No joke.
This whole thing had gone to the junkyard now that Nick had decided to depart. Frank didn't want to talk to anyone and no one wanted to talk to him. Which meant he was just barking out orders and we were following moodily.
I could see Gerard getting extremely irritated by Frank's behaviour. How long until he screamed 'Screw you' at him and ran off? And then I'd follow and we'd be stuck. Great. Ray was getting irritated too. He was glaring hard into Frank's back. And Bob just looked sorry for Frank.
I wasn't sure what to feel. I felt sorry for him because he'd lost his partner but annoyed by his asshole-like behaviour. I just sighed and followed Frank, clutching Gerard for dear life.
♠ ♠ ♠
You want a shoe?