Left for Dead

We had to go through barns of dead animals that were mutilated from the undead. As you expected, I puked as we did so. I have a super weak stomach when it comes to dead animals or anything dead really. Except for zombies. Why? I still don't know. I puke at the littlest things though. Hair being in my food, seeing someone pick their nose... I could go on, but even thinking about it makes me want to throw up.

"Well I'll be damned..." Ellis started.

"A chopper!" Sasha exclaimed.

Coach huffed and puffed as he tried to catch his breathe from all the running we had just done. We had to start the "Screaming Oak" roller coaster, which caused an army of zombies to chase after us as we ran on the track of the roller coaster to the safe room which of course had the fuze box that turned off the ride. Why we didn't just take the ride... I don't know.

"How the fuck are we going to let them know that we're here?" Nick questioned the group.

"I don't know. But I do know one thing though, I don't ever want to become one of these sons of bitches" Ellis replied as he was cut off by Coach.

"The Midnight Riders were suppose to play here. Let's fire up their shit and signal that chopper." Coach started before he explained his whole speel about the Midnight Riders.

Once we got to the stadium everyone except Sasha and I, prepared the stadium. I sat down on the edge of the stage trying to catch my breathe as the familiar sickness took over me. Ellis and Nick spread out random gas cans around the stadium and Rochelle made molotov's out of abandon liquor bottles from guests who never got to see the Midnight Riders due to Whispering Oaks becoming overrun.

"Show time." Coach said loudly before turning on the music which roared through all the speakers.

The vibration of the speakers and the roar of the undead killed the sick feeling I had inside almost instantly. Sasha and I stayed on the stage as the others shot at the jerry cans as the undead got closer and closer to us. Our backs against the wall we shot and sliced limbs off any undead that came at us. Fire works from the destined timing of the light show rumbled the stage causing me and Sasha to lose our balance and fall down to our knees. Everything was happening so fast but yet so slow. Fire lit up the stadium as I looked around at my surrounding. Everyone was now on the stage, running over to Sasha and I, helping us up to our feet.

"You gotta get up!" Ellis instructed as he grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me up and away.

We ran off the stage and towards the now burning seating area. The chopper lowered down towards the only burning part of the seating area. The voices of everyone was more like a quiet echo as if they were a mile away from me. It was like I went stunned even though there was countless zombies running towards us, yet we somehow managed to avoid them as we made our way up the stadium and towards the chopper.

"Come on!" Nick roared at the pilot so he'd drop a rope ladder down towards us.

"Go! Go! Go!" Nick instructed shoving Sasha toward the ladder first, followed by Rochelle and Coach. Nick then began to climb the ladder with myself and Ellis following. Nick crawled over to Sasha embracing her in his arms, panting as he tried to catch his breathe, looking back to see if Ellis had made it up the rope. A roar of a tank froze me dead in my tracks, but not for long as Ellis looked back at the tank that was making it's way up the stadium and towards the chopper. Ellis turned his direction back to me and shoved me onto the chopper.

"Ellis!" Rochelle screamed as a smoker's tongue wrapped around his waist, pulling him off the ladder.

Flailing like a child who had just lost their teddy bear in their sleep, I reached out for Ellis' hand who was reaching out for mine as well but was too late as our finger tips brushed against each others. He yelped out in fear as he was dragged back towards where the smoker was standing. Coach stood up, battling to hold his balance as the chopper began to rise up into the sky. The pilot had no choice as zombies were surrounding the chopper, making it unsafe.

"Ellis!" I screamed as tears suddenly poured out of my eyes.

Coach shot the smoker which instantly set Ellis free. To my surprise, Ellis just stood tall and removed his hat as he stared up at the chopper and smiled. A smile of defeat, but yet a smile of pride. He stared directly at me and mouthed the words 'I love you'. I instantly broke down at this point, screaming and bawling trying to tell the pilot to stop and go get him. The pilot ignored my demands and continued to fly off away from the stadium.

Rochelle and Sasha began to cry as they watched as Coach and Nick restrained me from jumping off of the chopper to get back to Ellis. My howling cries turned into sobs as both Nick and Coach held onto me as I cried. I had just lost Ellis due to him protecting and saving my life once again. My heart felt like it had just been ripped out of my chest. I had only known Ellis for a short period of time, but never felt like I did until I met him. My throat felt like I had just dry swallowed a huge pill, my palms were sweaty and my eyes itched from irritation from all the tears pouring out of them. The vision of Ellis mouthing "I love you" replayed in my head as the burning stadium was now off into the distance.

"What are you doing?" Nick questioned the pilot as he began to lower the chopper down on a acre of farm land within only 20 minutes of flying.

The pilot ignored him. Coach released me and stood up slowly with Nick doing the same. Nick peered over at the pilot who had now landed the chopper. The pilot sat still as the blades of the chopper became slower and slower.

"Hello?! what the fuck?!" Nick asked placing a hand on the pilot's shoulder.

The pilot turned and snapped at Nick, luckily failing at biting him. Nick immediately pulled out his pistol and shot the pilot right between the eyes.

"Nick what the fuck you just shot our pilot!" Sasha exclaimed.

"Well he wasn't doing a very good job when he just tried to bite me. He must have gotten bit before picking us up" Nick replied.

"Now what do we do?!" Sasha asked in a panic.

Coach cleared his throat, "It looks like were on a farm... there has to be a farm house around. Lets get to it and hold out there for now." He instructed.

Nick and Rochelle nodded at Coach, agreeing with the plan. Nick, Sasha and Coach started to gather supplies from the chopper. I stayed on my knees, silent as I stared off into the distance. Rochelle wrapped her arms around me causing me to feel obligated to do the same. Even though all I wanted to do was be alone.

"Come on baby. We have to go." She soothed as she rubbed my back. "I'm so sorry..." She whispered.

Rochelle carefully led me off the chopper and through the crop field with our group towards the fairly large farm house. The thought of Ellis played like a broken record in my mind as I thought about him now being dead. I tried to block out the mental images of him being ripped apart by hungry zombies or much worse... becoming one of them.

"We left him... for dead" I whispered with anger and self loath dripping like venom from my mouth.

"I don't ever want to become one of these sons of bitches"