Fantasy When Darkness Comes.

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven felt a hollowness fill her before someone's hand grabbed her wrist. Her head snapped up, seeing Aleks holding onto her. He was sliding forward, he was going to fall in if he pulled her up without help. She wasn't going to let him die and she sure as hell wasn't dieing.


"Aleks...let go."


She managed to say, her voice coming out raw from trying to hold back tears. She reached for the knife in her boot with her other hand, she pulled her arm up, stabbing the concrete beside him. She was giving him the illusion that she was going to pull herself up. Ven knew the hole probably went to the first floor. She would only come out with a broken bone. Then again, she could be falling into a bunch of debris that would impale her when she fell on them.


"You can't pull me up. You'll fall in with me."


She continued, trying to keep her mind off of what she was about to do. She prayed he couldn't see it, that the fear in her eyes masked what she was plotting.

 

[Vamanara]

"you screwed up the heroics there zian"


he ran over to Ven, not letting his winning streak end here. he reached to her, he wasn't stronger than aleks, but he had escaped unharmed and that counted for something.


"ooh you are pulling her!"


(can we swear?


)

 

[PKCV2]

"Aleks...let go."


Her voice broke his heart, here she was, the only person ever since this all started, someone he had genuinely cared about, was telling him to let her fall. He didn't want to...his arm was aching, he could switch arms but he'd only be risking the chance she would fall. He hated himself...as realization set in...he absolutely hated himself. Even if she lived this fall, he knew he failed to be the one to catch her. There were no alternatives. Before he knew it, he was yelling at Ven.


"Fine! Fall! I can't catch you this time!"


He let go, instead of falling, she dangled by the grip of the kid. Aleks wrapped his arms around his midsection and roughly pulled him off and away.

 

[Vamanara]

"what was that for! she was panicking it didn't matter what she said!"


Xian was surprisingly distraught, when he left people to die, it felt better than trying to help them and failing. he leaned over the edge to peek down then hole waiting for at least a scream.


(its 3:57 in the UK, i need sleep, i will return in 10-11 hours, assume i just follow you guys uselessly, will run from any fights. )

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven stared only at Aleks, a smile on her face. With her free hand not gripped by kid, she reached up. Her fingers grazed his cheek before the kids hand let her go and she fell. She held Alek's gaze as she fell until she couldn't see him anymore. Her body consumed by darkness. It felt like she was falling forever before her back slammed against the ground. Her back bounced up from the force of the impact, a loud cry of pain escaping her lips when she felt something dig painfully into her side. The sensation burned, she moved her head over to see a wooden leg from a broken chair sticking through her. Her eyes widened, she didn't have anything to stop the bleeding and she knew if she pulled it out carelessly she could die from just slashing an artery. If she was luck enough not to have the small piece of wood impale her liver. Moving to a sitting position she did the only thing she could and broke it off. Hissing, she looked around realizing that she had landed in the gift shop. She rolled off the chair she had landed on, moving to stand up.

 

[PKCV2]

His hands were balled into fists, he breathed loudly, his eyes focused on the endless abyss that swallowed Ven. The kid was at the edge, peering down, questioning why Aleks let go. Her smile engraved itself into his mind, his cheek felt cold where her fingers had brushed against.


Next thing he knew he was staring down the barrel of his pistol. He was waist deep again...insanity was regaining it's clutches on him, the wall came crumbling down, washing over Aleks, he was caught.


A loud cry of pain filled the void. He froze, finger resting in the trigger, he didn't look around.


That was just me...right.


His hands shook violently.


No...that...that was a real scream.


You think-


I'm sure of it.


Aleks turned the gun and let his arm dangle to the side. He turned, his destination was the first floor, he had to find what the void led to, if the kid wanted to follow then he'd let him. Aleks let out a small, hysterical laugh, what the hell was he thinking? Suicide?

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven placed a bloody hand on the desk, pulling herself up. She let out another strangled cry. It hurt so badly, she felt tears slip from her eyes as she tried to focus on anything but the piece of wood sticking out from her side. She heard footsteps running towards her. "A-Aleks?" She called out weakly, falling forward slightly before catching herself. She struggled towards the front of the gift shop, her vision became blurred from holding back tears. Taking one step in front of the other, she shuffled along. She needed to let him know she was okay, though she was surprised he really let her fall like that.

 

[PKCV2]

Aleks stomped through the dark hallways, rounding corners, checking rooms only to find nothing. No room had a gaping hole in it's ceiling. He had heard the yell, he picked up the pace, it felt like a race against time, his heart thudded faster, he could hear his heartbeat. He stopped at glass doors, double.


There were only the jagged remains of the glass which lined the edges of the doors, he stepped through, from what he saw, various plushies, cards, toys, clothing, and other objects lined the shelves, there wasn't many of each object but there were still some, a gift shop of sorts he guessed. He heard struggling, a weak cry for his name, and the sound of running footsteps. He started to jog, following the footsteps, eventually running into another monster, he collided into it's back, knocking it over, quickly he plunged the knife into the back of it's head and severed it's head. Blood stained his hands and face, he looked up, there she was...alive with a broken and jagged piece of wood sticking out of her. He just stayed where he was, crouched over the dead monster, he waited to see what Ven could see.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven saw him severe a monsters head, his hands and parts of his face quickly getting spotted with blood. She gave him a weak smile, "You...are the biggest...jerk I have ever known." She mumbled out, using a shelf to steady her. Her legs stung, probably from the fall, and her head was whirling. She fell to her knees before him, her grip slipping on the shelf she was supporting her weight with. She looked up at him, not knowing weather to kiss him or punch him.


"Why'd you let me go?"


She asked quietly watching him just look at her light a deer caught in the headlights.

 

[PKCV2]

Ven's voice came out unsteadily, she looked weak as she held herself up with a shelf. Satisfied once he was called a jerk, he slowly rose, knees popping. He took a step to her and she fell to her knees, he didn't help her immediately, his protective instinct was gone.


"Why'd you let me go?"


He looked down at her, his gaze meeting hers. For a long minute he watched her, taking in the sharp green of her eyes.


"You told me that without me you would fall...and I'd like to feel the same with you, that you'd catch me...but we can't always be there for each other...it's time we learn how to pick ourselves back up...just in case."


Aleks gently pulled Ven to her feet, letting her lean against him.


That was real cheesy.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven let out a painful laugh, looking over at him. She couldn't believe he had just said that. She meant it figuratively not realistically. She shook her head, "Good to know if I'm hanging off from another ledge you'll let me die. It's great to see how much you care, Aleks." She stated more than a little sarcastically. It hurt her to think that he would just let her fall to her death like that. The only reason she was begging him to let her go was because she didn't want him to fall with her.

 

[Jason Carlile]

Jax was walking down the hallways, he didn't even hear the party split. Jax wanted to find Lyric and get out of here. He was deep into the hallways. Flashlight on, he killed a few Dead with his knife with east. Not really worried about himself, but then it hit him. Wait... He turned and saw the other two were gone. Great. Just great. He sighed angrily, but he knew they could take care of themselves. That is until he heard the screams.


"VEN! ALEKS!" He turned and did a dead sprint and saw a kid. He stopped and saw a hole. Must have lead into the first floor. He turned and saw the kid, quiet. He didn't want to kill the kid, instead and peeked over and saw two figures. "Ven? Aleks?" He called over, trying to get a look on some features. He pulled out his pistol and waited for a response. His body ready for anything, even his shoulder pain wasn't bothering him because of the adrenaline.

 

[PKCV2]

Ven laughed, her body rumbling against his body, he relaxed in spite of everything that had happened.


"Good to know if I'm hanging off from another ledge you'll let me die. It's great to see how much you care, Aleks."


Aleks chuckled when he heard Ven's tone, his body now rumbling against her body.


"Now...listen here. You insisted I let go of you. If I didn't know any better...I'd say you were worried about me."


He didn't feel the way he sounded, inside he was ashamed...he had let her fall, possibly to her death, what a shitty person he was.


A distant voice called out their names...sounded like Jax. Aleks let go of Ven.


"Answer him."

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven looked at Aleks as he pulled away from her slightly. She grabbed his collar and forced him down towards her. She kissed his cheek quickly, too happy to be alive to really care how much she blushed afterwards.


"Ass."


She grumbled, before calling out to Jax so they knew they were in the gift shop. She momentarily forgot about the piece of wood sticking from her side, only to find herself in a dizzy spell from all the blood she was losing. She leaned heavily on Aleks for a moment, glancing at her blood soaked shirt.

 

[PKCV2]

Still in the process of mentally berating himself, he didn't notice the hand grabbing his collar, only then did he notice when she pulled him down and a kiss was planted on his cheek. Now it was his turn to be surprised, his cheeks flared along with Ven, his words coming jumbled.


"Er...mmm...uh, wha- ooo...kay."


His throat was clogged and he couldn't form proper thoughts. Thankfully Ven had remembered what was sticking out from her side, she leaned onto him, resting her whole weight against him, he had no medicinal skills so he just held her, waiting for Jax. Together they stood there, sharing her blood, it almost comforted Aleks.

 

[Jason Carlile]

Jax heard them and relief swept over him. He pulled some rope he had and climbed down it. Turning on a lantern he saw Ven


bleeding in Aleks' arms. A piece of wood in her side. Damn it not again. He detached himself and walked to him. "Let me look at it. I can patch her up." He has done this before many times. He took off the backpack and grabbed some medical supplies he had.


"Guard me." He said with calm precision as he took off his gloves and jacket and went to work. He started first by making sure that he was ready to clog the wound after he pulled. He had enough to cover it and them some to pad. He gently grabbed the wood. Getting ready to pull, he turned and looked at Aleks.


"Better look away." He turned to Ven, looking at her with calm eyes. "Ven, I am not going to lie. The pull is going to hurt, but only for a moment. Don't look at it." He double checked and was ready with everything. Satisfied, he breathed heavy.


"1,2..." He pulled quick, throwing the wood to the ground and moved her jacket and shirt up. He quickly padded the wound. He turned to Aleks, who was guarding. "Watch her, I need to go to the truck real quick and get some thread. Just hold the gauze over the wound and it'll keep her from bleeding out. I'll hurry. I will keep the lantern and gun here. Keep an eye on the kid." He turned and jogged to the truck getting the necessary supplies.

 

[Vamanara]

Xian had made the trip down there slowly, this big Jax person had already wandered off by the time he reached the gift shop, as he popped his way through he stood on something, a big blood covered bit of wood.


"it wasn't you fault zian, aleks probably wanted her dead."


that didn't make sense. or did it? no. it was krystia sh*t-strirring again, aleks just followed her orders.


it looked like they were both fine, and instead of rushing to help them he started purveying the shelves for a small enough teddy bear. hiding from the reality of the world.


he suddenly realized something important. vitally important.


"did he sanitize the wound?"


he walked forward steadily, washing his hands with sanitizer gel from his shoulder bag, putting the gun in as he did so. why does no'one seem to realize how important cleanliness is, people turn to zombies without bites!


"just run away, zian. their not worth our supplies."

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

"MOTHER-FRICKEN-HELL!!!!"


Ven clenched her jaw, shutting her eyes when he pulled it out. She let out a breath, trying to calm down though it wasn't really working with the burning pain shocking up her body.


Ven held onto Aleks tightly, turning her face into the crook of his neck. She was trying so hard not to cry at all. She glared at Jax as he ran out to the car. She almost pulled her shirt back down though she was positive they had seen the huge scar running down the left side her her ribcage. It was something she hadn't felt like explaining at the moment. Ven took a few deep breaths, looking down at the inch hole in her side. She clenched her jaw.


"Not.....yet."


She managed to get out, keeping her head positioned on Aleks. It was the only thing comforting her at this point.

 

[Vamanara]

Xian was not surprised by the scar, everyone seemed to have at least one, the lucky people didn't have it on their faces. she was not screaming which was very helpful.


"not yet, you want to die first?"


he ripped a bandage from the bottom of his shirt, again. (it was getting increasingly cold.)


he grew self-conscious, people seeing how starved he was, his bare belly being at least half the width of his rib-cage.


he dragged the bandage through the gap between her and Aleks, tying it sensibly tight. (i.e. extremely)


he was very good at knots, the back closed into a nice adjustable-hitch. she was increasingly going into shock.


"talk to me, just keep talking, i never caught your name?"

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven clenched her jaw as she watched him, she moved away from him going towards Aleks more. She didn't know how much she trusted this kid. Besides, Jax would be back with the rest of the medical supplies momentarily.


"I don't think you need to bandage me. We've got....bandaged coming. Cleaner ones." She grumbled though didn't put up a fight when he started wrapping her midsection. She felt Aleks tense slightly next to her, still stuttering to himself. Secretly, she found it adorable but didn't really have the time to think about some girlish thoughts. Her head was spinning, or was that the world? She was having a hard time telling the difference between what was actually happening and what wasn't.


The dizziness increased along with the feeling of drowsiness she was experiencing.


He just asked for your name, Venni.





Did he? I...didn't hear.





Hey! Don't fall asleep on me! Vennet! Don't you dare fall asleep!





Her eyes fluttered shut, she felt her body sway forward before nothing.


Cold. Black. Nothingness.


And the scary thing was, that she didn't care.


Sleep felt wonderful, and for the first time in a long time, she hoped she never had to wake up.

 

[Vamanara]

"cleaner ones? im the cleanest thing for miles!"


she looked increasingly pale.


"and he wouldn't tie them properly"


the fading out was finished, she fell limp.


"gah f*ck, im not qualified for this."


finishing the beautiful knots behind her he went off to find another shirt. his one was getting increasingly slutty-looking. Xian came back with one with a big green cartoon dinosaur on it. he thought it would put people at ease.


"well that''s her gone, you enjoyed it while it lasted."


krystia then said another disturbing thing, she told xian dark stuff all the time, but this time it was out of order. he wandered off into the shadows.


they argued, although he consciously tried to avoid movement, in the fit of argument he swung his arms about and punched a wall. in fits of anger he muttered about finding a neurosurgeon to cut her out of his head. the argument got heated.


"well i could just kill us!" he pulled the gun, pushing it into his chin. "two shots for two people!"


"calm down idiot, they can hear you!"


"well its best they i know i'm mad sooner rather than later." he cocked the pistol.

 

[PKCV2]

Aleks held her close, his eyes tracking the boy who decided to bandage Ven's midsection, tying them into neat knots. He couldn't hide his looks of disbelief while listening to this person talking about his cleanliness and his knot-tying skills.


What the hell...


Weird things happen I guess.


While watching the boy, dead weight fell against him, Ven had fallen asleep...he hoped. Looking at her as best he could, he could see she had passed and she could have passed for dead without closer inspection.


This was nice before...now I'm supporting dead weight...


If he kept on like this he'd get tired himself so he opted to lean Ven against a wall, laying her in her back so she wouldn't fall over and split her head again.


"Sure has a habit of getting hurt."


He muttered, watching Ven's chest rise and fall.


"well i could just kill us! Two shots for two people!"


More curiosity than panic flooded his system as he stood and made his way to the yelling. Rounding a corner he saw the boy had his pistol pressed against his chin, Aleks quickly snatched the gun from his hands, looking at him with a passive look. Too much happened for him to be angry.


"What are you doing?"

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Show me what it's like...


To be the last one standing


And teach me wrong from right


And I'll show you what I can be


And say it for me


Say it to me


And I'll leave this life behind me


Say it if it's worth saving me


Hurry I'm fallin'


And all I need is you...


Come please I'm callin'


And all I scream for you


Hurry I'm fallin'


I'm fallin'


I'm fallin'


Ven opened her eyes, staring at the bright blue sky. The breeze swept over her, a soft whisper of calm came over her as she sat up. Forest green met grey blue water that rippled under her in small waves. Salt entered her nostrils as the wind gusted some water into her lap. It touched her but she never felt it, the ocean surrounding her in a vast barrier. "What is this place?" She whispered, unexpectedly no response came but the rippling of waves under her floating body. The white dress she wore was impossibly dry, floating out around her and moving with the waves. Confused, Ven tried to stand only to find herself sinking into the crystal clear water. Gasping, she panicked, her min quickly racing as she tried to keep herself afloat. No one to reach her. No one to throw her any sort of lifeline. No one to keep her from drowning.


As if her body was suddenly made of rocks, she plunged into the water. Her vision distorted by the waves and light emitting from the sun. She knew she should be feeling something, but she felt nothing. Her mouth opened reflexively air floating out of her mouth only to create shimmering bubbles in the water. Lifting her hand slowly she reached out for anything to grab onto. The willingness to fight leaving her, instead she closed her eyes. Letting herself go as she sunk slowly to the bottom of her own ocean.


Ven's body slid, her legs giving out under her as she slumped to the floor. No emotion came to her features and she looked like she was dead. If not for the small movements of her lungs she would have been. It was obvious she wasn't waking up any time soon. Her skin was unusually pale, making her red hair even darker as it outlined her features. Her head slumped down as well, before becoming completely still.

 

[Jason Carlile]

Jax ran back with the medical supplies. Ven was fading quick. Gotta hurry. He knelt and looked at Aleks. He hoped he wasn't too late. He took out the thread and needle and sanitizer and looked up. "Give her to me. I can fix her." He watched around and not waiting for an answer he gently took Ven. He raised her jacket and shirt and took off the gauze. He sanitized the wound and gently started stitching up the wound. Thirty minutes passed. She has to stay alive. For everyone's sake. He tightened the final stitch and cleaned up the surrounding area. He sat back, looking at his medical work. It wasn't very professional, but it worked. He nodded and looked up.


"Take her out of here. Give her food and water. Protect her. As for me, I am going in. I am not leaving one of our own behind." He looked at the kid. Maybe this kid could help me. He nodded at the kid.


"This kid could come with me. It'll be fine." He chuckled and got up, took his gun and walked into the darkness. He turned. "I'll be fine. Besides. I work better alone." I don't need people to die today.

 

[PKCV2]

It was a standstill. The kid and Aleks were having a standstill, neither said anything, neither did anything. Receiving no answer, the pistol was tossed back to the boy who managed to catch it.


"Don't do anything stupid."


He said to the boy as he backed away to return to Ven.


Finding himself holding Ven again, he noticed she looked worse, he thought it couldn't be possible but there she was...paler, very still, though he could still see her breathe.


Running sounded from the entrance to the shop, turning his head he saw Jax. Before he could do anything, Jax had taken Ven, cleaning and stitching her wound. Together they sat, the three of them for what seemed like an eternity, Aleks's nerves grew worse each passing minute as he saw very little to no movement. Eventually a blur of movement and rapid orders were given to him.


"Right...um...good luck. I'll try to take care of her."


Once Jax had left, Aleks pulled a bottle of water from his pack and waited for his companions to return, every so often trickling water into Ven's mouth.