Hey guys. Well its been FOREVER since I've written anything and I stumbled upon this while going through some old word documents; felt like continuing it a bit. Who knows, maybe if it turns out alright I'll get back into writing. R&R!

:)

September 24, 1998

The fluorescent lights hung from the brick buildings beside them, illuminating the dank alleyway on that chilly Friday night. The trashcans were spilled over on the concrete and all the windows were shut with blinds closed and curtains down.

“Dammit Colleen, how much further?” Rachel asked. Colleen simply shrugged.

“I don’t really know, but Jason said it was a shortcut so I’m going by his word,” she shrugged. Rachel swiftly grasped Colleen’s arm.

“You mean to tell me that you have no idea where you’re going?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Colleen exclaimed while brushing out of Rachel’s grip and continuing on her way. Rachel stood there for a few moments before she realized she didn’t want to lose Colleen in a dark alley so she ran to catch up.

“Colleen, you do remember how many lies and pranks your brother has pulled on us right? This is just another one of them!” Colleen ignored her and continued on her way. She’s so stubborn sometimes, Rachel thought. The girls were on their way to Ronnie’s 14th birthday party in uptown Raccoon City near the old church. “Next time, we follow my directions.”

“Whatever Rae,” she replied. Rachel shivered, crossing her bare arms across her blue top as her hands tucked gently underneath them. She had accidentally left her jacket on her bedroom floor. Of all nights to forget it. The city had been under great panic and chaos since late July when many bizarre murder cases began to happen on the outskirts of Raccoon City. The Raccoon Police Department had been getting a number of emergency calls from local residents of the city exclaiming their homes had been breached by a group of about 20 people. Extreme signs of cannibalism were shown as the victims had severe teeth marks and puncture wounds covering their bodies.

Nobody risked going outside in the middle of the night, but the girls had no other way to reach the party, considering Rachel’s parents left for their anniversary cruise a week prior and Colleen’s mom worked late shifts at the T.V. Station. Colleen wasn’t worried, since all the murders so far have taken place on the outskirts of the city, and not in the central area. The silence bothered Rachel, giving her an unpleasant feeling that something was horribly wrong. Not even the sound of a cricket, she thought. Odd. The small alley made a sharp left turn and then continued up a short flight of metal stairs.

“Colleen, it’s about time we turn back, we’re not getting anywhere following this path.” Colleen hushed her for a second.

“Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Rachel asked. Suddenly, the sound of a metal trashcan tipping over ricocheted off the walls, followed closely by the sound of its lid hitting the concrete and spinning around in circles before laying still. Footsteps on concrete filled the alley, but they were scuffled, like the people walking weren’t lifting up their feet but instead just letting them drag along without a care.

“Who’s there?” Rachel called out, the tone in her voice clearly showing how fearful she was. Some black shadows of people emerged on the brick wall to their right that the bright light of the moon shone upon. There were about five people, their shadows continuing on. Rachel took a step back as some figures rounded the corner up ahead. The alley was dark and their faces were concealed, but their clothes were in tatters and their skin had a freakish green shimmer to it. Rachel noticed one of the heftier men was wearing a chef’s apron covered in some crimson red goop. It was most likely blood, but Rachel was praying that it was just an accident with the ketchup bottle.

“Colleen let’s go, now!” Rachel hollered.

“What’s your problem, let’s just ask them for directions,” Colleen suggested.

“Um excuse me, but do any of you know the fastest way to Becan Street from here?” No one gave Colleen directions or even an answer. They just kept on walking as if Colleen and Rachel weren’t standing there. Suddenly, one of them let out low moan, which was obviously a female’s vocal patterns.

“Colleen, let’s get the hell out of here!” Rachel shouted. “There’s something wrong with them.”

“What’s the big deal, their probably just some drunken college kids.”

“But what if they’re the murderers? Rachel hissed. Colleen turned to face her.

“Oh come on, murders wouldn’t be in this district,” she retorted.

Suddenly, one of the figures emerged from the darkness of the alley. It was a woman in her early 30’s. She was the typical business woman, gray striped suit jacket with a skirt that fell just below the knees. Her tinted stockings rose up past her knees and the pointy high heeled shoes on her feet were scuffed and worn. Her hair hung in a messy uneven bun, and a pair of brown glasses were perched up on her nose, both lenses cracked. Her skin was bruised and cut in several places, and red stains were seen throughout her body. Her eyes showed only white, and her face showed only hunger, saliva dripping from the cracked corners of her lips. The smell of a morgue rushed as Rachel all at once for the woman had opened her mouth to reveal her jagged teeth and horrible breath that made babies cry. Her movements were staggered, her torso swaying back and forth as her arms flailed around widely in front of her. Her right foot always seemed to turn inwards when she stepped on it, the sound of bones cracking being heard. The horrible moans melting together like a badly performing string quartet at an Italian restaurant. Rachel stood in horror at the sight, unable to say a word. They rapidly approached Colleen, who was still badgering Rae about the unlikely-ness of the murders being that group of people, despite all the moans and wails. Then out of nowhere, the business woman lunged for Colleen, eyelids raised as far up as they would go.

“Look out!” Rachel shouted as loud as she could.

“What’s the matter with you?” Colleen asked as she began to turn back towards the group of people. The woman latched onto her side, her nails digging into Colleen’s bare neck. Colleen’s face was wide with terror as the woman lowered her head towards Colleen’s left arm as she dug her face into it. As she picked up her head, her teeth had grasped a hunk of skin, pulling it up like folded paper. Blood gushed from the open wound as she stuck her face back into the wound, covered in warm blood. Colleen’s cries of tortured agony echoed into Rachel’s ears. Colleen struggled, the woman’s grip being surprisingly strong, also unable to focus due to the intense amount of pain that was in her entire arm now. Why is she doing this, she’s eating me! Colleen thought as she used her right arm to grab the woman by the bun and pull her back, freeing her left arm. She pulled her arm tight to her chest, blood spilling onto her clothes and the ground below. The woman moaned loudly as she reached again for her meal.

“Colleen, run!” Rachel shouted, unable to move from the shock. Colleen turned and ran, tearing streaming down her face. She didn’t make it very far before she tripped on her own shoelace, falling face first to the concrete. She winced from the pain for she had falling right on her arm with the large bite mark. In her attempt to stand, she only increased the speed at which the blood oozed from her wound. Unable to stand, she crawled towards Rachel at a very slow pace, even slower than the people. She lifted her head, as she extended her free arm out towards Rachel.

“Help me!” she shouted. Her cry snapped Rachel out of her trance as she sprinted for the fallen girl. She clutched the girl’s outreached hand as she helped her stand, supporting her with her right shoulder. Colleen’s legs started to move as the two rushed down the alley away from the group that was slowly approaching, getting closer with each passing second. Colleen sobbed and wailed as she trudged on, her only support being Rachel’s shoulder.

“We’re gonna die!” Colleen shouted.

“No we’re not, now keep moving,” Rachel instructed. Eventually, Rachel noticed something up ahead.

“Look!” she exclaimed as she pointed straight ahead.

“They’re people! Hey, over here, we need help, there are murders after us and my friend is hurt, please!” The figures stepped out of the darkness to reveal that they were just more cannibals, bent on devouring the girls.

“That’s our only way out, we’re done for!” Colleen hollered. Rachel bit her nails as her head turned in all directions looking for a way out. She quickly noticed a fire escape with a ladder on the side of one of the buildings a little ways ahead.

“There!” Rachel exclaimed while pointing. The girls moved, Colleen slowing them down from the injury. Rachel leaned Colleen against the brick wall as she positioned herself beneath the ladder. She looked up and jumped, the tips of her fingers barely hitting the bottom rung. She tried several more times, but still couldn’t reach it.

I gotta bring the ladder down! She thought.

“Hurry up!” Colleen spat. Sweat dripped down the side of Rachel’s face as she jumped once more, her hands grasping the bottom metal rung as she dangled. Yes! Rachel began to pull down with her arms and move her body in fast motions, the ladder creaking in its rusted position. After a few more tugs, she had loosened the ladder from its rusted state. As it slid down to the ground, Rachel clung to it, screaming the whole 10 seconds before he landed hard on the ground.

“Alright, let’s go!” Rachel exclaimed. She quickly grasped Colleen by the shoulders and moved her to the ladder. Colleen just stared up and shook her head.

“I can’t do it, there’s no way I can climb with only one arm. We’re dead, we’re dead, we’re DEAD!” She shouted.

“Stop it, you can do this! Just reach up and wrap your arm around the rungs as you step up!” Rachel retorted, her head shifting back and forth in both directions, panicky about how close the zombies were.

“Come on Colleen!” Colleen forced herself up onto the first rung, her right arm reaching up to grab another rung. She did as Rachel had told, hooking her arm onto each rung as her feet moved up to the next. Rachel soon started to ascend as well, blood droplets staining her shirt from above. The girls were about halfway up when the two group of zombies arrived at the base of the ladder, all meshing together to from one large pack. Their hands reached up in unison, the continuous moaning patterns piercing Rachel’s ears. One of the zombies was able to reach the edge of Rachel’s jeans, causing her to freak. She shook her leg violently in attempts to shake him off, but almost knocked herself from the ladder in the process. Once Colleen was safely up on the fire escape, Rachel scurried up the ladder, fear being her only source of energy.

Colleen stretched herself out, holding the bottom of her shirt to her wound. Rachel just sat breathing heavily for a few minutes, attempting to take in everything that had just happened. She wanted to glance down, but she couldn’t. Her body wouldn’t move, her mind was in a state of panic, and her friend was in a state of shock.

“We have to get to the hospital or the R.P.D. right away,” Rachel stated, knee-walking over to the small apartment window. She knocked loudly a few times on the window, hoping whoever inside would hear them and open it….She tried this 10 more times before she realized that no one was coming to open the window. “Damn it!” Rachel grasped her right arm as she slammed her elbow into one of the window panes, hoping the force was enough to shatter the fragile glass. She huffed as she did it again and again, then suddenly her efforts paid off. Rachel’s elbow smashed right through the glass, the pieces digging into her skin. She quickly retracted it from the pain, picking off the pieces and wiping up the blood. Colleen groaned as Rachel widened the hole a bit more before reaching her whole arm into the room in an attempt to unlock the window. Her fingers worked the lock as she heard a faint click sound. She pulled her arm out and slid the window up. “Thank god. We did it Colleen!” She proclaimed. “Colleen?”

Colleen sat still as her head hung limp, her fallen bangs concealing her face. She made no response to Rachel as the moaning from below continued to fill the air. “Colleen!” Rachel exclaimed, picking up her voice. She moved towards Colleen, using her hand to lift up the girl’s head to view her face. Colleen’s eyes were clasped shut, her mouth open as though it was frozen in time. “….No….,” She whimpered. She quickly placed her pointer finger on the side of her neck where the chin met it, feeling for a pulse. There was nothing, not even the slightest beat. All she felt was Colleen’s cold clammy skin beneath her fingers. Tears suddenly filled her eyes as the realization of her death struck Rachel like an oncoming truck. “Colleen!” She hollered, grasping onto the girl’s shirt as she violently shook her lifeless body. “Please, Colleen, wake up! Wake up!” Rachel’s cries continued for several minutes before she finally gave up, retracting her hands. She hugged her legs to her chest, resting her forehead on the tips of her knees. Why? Why is this happening!? Why us!? Why!?

All of a sudden movement filled the fire escape. Rachel looked up to see Colleen’s eyes flicker open as she grumbled in a low tone. They were bloodshot red, but Rachel didn’t notice. She was still in shock that Colleen was alive. Or was she?

“Colleen! My god, are you alright?!” She exclaimed. Colleen leaped onto Rachel pinning her to the metal floor. Her face was emotionless, different. All that could be seen was her hunger; her hunger for flesh. She let out a growl as drools hung from her lower chapped lip. “What are you doing?!” Rachel squirmed in her place, dazed and confused. Colleen began to lower her head towards Rachel’s neck.

What is she, a vampire!? Swiftly, Rachel jerked her leg upward, kneeing Colleen in the stomach, which caused her to fall back. She stared in horror as Colleen just crawled forward to finish her meal. Rachel slowly backed up until she reached the end of the small fire escape. Quickly turning towards the window, she leaped in, slamming it shut behind her. She let out a sigh of relief as Colleen’s arm flew in through the broken window pane, shaking in all directions. She yelped as she backed away from the window towards the door at the opposite end of the room. She hadn’t even bothered to check if the room was safe for she was too frightened.

What if she had got me…? She shuttered at the thought as her legs and arms shook from fear. The moans sent Goosebumps up her spine as she reached for the door knob.

What am I gonna do….?