Death appeared like a shadow , rising from the floor in a swirl of black tendrils and green waves of power that made the air quiver. As the darkness receded, her beautiful and ghoulish face could be seen. She wore a dark veil with the slightest highlights of green. It flowed to floor like a long dress and made it appear as if she was floating when she moved.
She turned her head left and right , looking at the room as if searching for something. However, when her eyes landed on the zombie on the floor, a frown formed on her face .
Bony fingers moved as she waved her hand , " Get up. " Her icy voice said and Mel was dragged to his feet like a zombie . His face held a grimace like he was pain but the chilling entity infront of him gave no notice.
" Do you know why I am here ? " She asked the corpse, " It is because you failed and succeeded . "
Her body moved closer like a ghost floating on air , graceful and eerie .
" I told you to tend to the mortal and you succeeded. " She said as she reached Mel, " But then he fleed and is no longer here with you. Why did you not follow him when I said for you to tend to him? "
" He...wa...nt..." Mel spoke slowly and Death raised her eyes to the sky and drew in a deep breath .
" Insolent. " She said and grabbed Mel's shoulders in a hard vice like grip.
Slowly her power of Death started to flow into the zombie teen , harsh and chilling like shards of ice slicing and dicing his veins. Mel watched in horror as her eyes glowed a deep green and anger ebbed like lava in her eyes . Her face took on a more ghastly appearance as the lips pealed back to show her teeth and lower jaw.
But that was not all .
Raising his arm, he saw his skin peak off like burnt paper. It decayed and crumbled to dust, showing the tissue and then the bones underneath. And worst of all; IT HURT !
" Ahhhh!! " Mel cried out as his body was reduced to a skeleton and his flesh to dust .
When Death saw that he was nothing but bones she let him go , and the boy's bones crumbled to the floor. Mel's skull lay on top , his hollow eyes staring at the foot of the bed .
Death walked past him without a second glance . She moved through the bedroom and entered the kitchen , then entered the dining room as if she was looking for something .
As she passed the sofa , an ugly thing , she paused and moved closer to it . Her bony hand reached down and passed through it , literally . As if she was a ghost , her limb fazed through the solid object and grabbed something inside.
In her hands was a small brown book , with a drawing in blue ink of a frog on the cover and little doodles that could have been done by a three year old. Death moved the book in her bony hands and went back to the bedroom, throwing the book on the bed .
" I will give you one chance. A last chance. " She said looking at the bones on the floor , " Because he seemed to draw near you , I will be lenient and offer you respite and redemption . When he returns , when reads and if he chooses to stay , then you will be forgiven. But... "
She leaned down and grabbed Mel's skull , glancing into its vacant eyes , " if he chooses to leave , you will be deemed useless. This will be your end , and your afterlife will be finished. "
A swirl of darkness and green fire and the skull fell back onto the pile of bones with a crackle. It lay at an angle where it's jaw was open and it looked like it was screaming .
....
" It really is you. "
Those were the first words that Rick said to Lesley when he showed up in a Rover . Albeit, it wasn't the most romantic sentence Lesley had ever heard but he was just so glad to see a familiar face .
As soon as the Rover parked , he rushed over to give Rick a hug . Breathing in his pine aftershave was a blessing after all the rot and decay . He had a wide smile on his face as he held his lover .
Rick wore his squad uniform, with no Skillet but a Crux in its holster . His brown hair was slightly damp and frizzly like he'd come here after a shower . It warmed Lesley to think that Rick had rushed all the way here for him .
" Lesley... woah , you need a bath . " Rick said looking at the boy in his arms .
" Ugh , I know . " Lesley said with an eye roll, he had been with a zombie for nearly two weeks . There was no evident washroom in that apartment room and that had been one of the first things Lesley found out when he needed to relieve himself .
He had had to use a pot and the kitchen window . It was horrid but that was what is was . He'd had no choice and the zombie had atleast not watched him . That would have been enough reason to cut it's head off .
" I'll take a shower first thing when we get home . Then a nap , I need a comfortable bed . You have no idea what I've gone through . " Lesley said nonchalantly walking towards the Rover .
But as he reached it, the door opened by itself and two uniformed guards came out holding Skillets . Lesley frowned at this feeling confused .
Were they Ricky's bodyguards ? Lesley wondered.
" Lesley , we need to talk . " Rick said looking at him with a strange look .
" O-kay . " Lesley said looking at him and the two guards who stood by the Rover . Their eyes roamed the nearby buildings for zombies but Lesley couldn't help noticing that they also trained back to him .
" How are doing ? Or better yet , how have been ? " Rick said looking at him .
" I'm okay . No injury , well that's not true . I'm still a bit sore from squad 19 attacking me . Did you find out about that ? " Lesley asked him .
" Yeah , Ross and Liam met one of the team members and he confessed everything . It didn't help much since they all died in the hospital . We thought you died too . " Rick said to him .
" I almost did but then I ... blacked out and the next thing I knew I was ... ummm ... , " Lesley realized he couldn't say where he really was .
If the citadel , or worse , Deapool-HQ found that he'd been in association with a zombie , he'd be taken for experiments . A human who could walk through a zombie horde without being harmed was a treasure trove of information and they'd do anything to find out why he wasn't being attacked by zombies.
" You were where ? " Rick asked him with narrowed eyes . Lesley noticed the slight shift in his tone . It sounded colder and less familiar.
Just his imagination, he thought.
" I woke up with an old man . He helped me . " Lesley lied , thinking about the old cogger he'd seen earlier .
" A survivor helped you ? Why ? " Rick said with a frown .
" Why all this questioning ? Can't we do this interrogation at home ? " Lesley said angrily , " You can ask me anything after I've had a decent meal and rest."
" Halt ! " The guards yelled as Lesley walked towards the Rover . Their Skillets were aimed at his head and Lesley's eyes turned to look at Rick .
What the F was going on ?
" Ricky ... why are they ? " He pointed to the guards as if they were robots .
" We were not done talking . Lesley answer all my questions. " Ricky said and Lesley was sure his tone had changed this time .
" I don't understand ... why can't I go home ? " Lesley asked him and his voice was not angry but just confused.
What was going on ?
" Lesley , listen to me . " Rick took his hand and led him a few steps away from the Rover and the guards .
" You should have come home sooner . " Ricky said and he sounded like he was angry with Lesley .
" I couldn't, I was still injured . I had to stay and heal enough so I could be able to come home . " Lesley said to him .
" Where's the old man who helped you ? Did he also lead you here or did you come by yourself? " Rick bombarded him with questions again and Lesley grew angry again.
" He led me here ,yes , but then I made the last bit by myself. He told me what to do to avoid the zombies and I did it. Now I'm here , asking my boyfriend for help but he's holding me at gun point ! " Lesley shouted at him .
" I don't have gun . " Rick said patting himself.
" They. do . " Lesley said as he pointed at the guards who eyed him wearily.
" It's just a precaution incase zombies show up . That's why they're here . " Ricky said softly. Lesley knew that was lie .
" Why won't they let me on then ? " Lesley asked him , " I'm not infected , I'm not a survivor and I ... what's with that look ? "
Lesley frowned at Rick as he seemed to glance to the side .
" Why did you look like that ? What are you not telling me ? " Lesley asked him and his voice showed that it was close to shouting again .
" Look , there are rules placed on squad fighters to ensure that they never hurt the citadel or the organization. You died , legally you were dead . " Rick said rubbing his neck , " But now you're back and that means you're alive . "
" Yes , and I should go home . " Lesley said folding his arms but the look Rick gave him made him dread what was to come .
" No . It means you have been in association with survivors and that makes you a radical liability. Survivors are classified as terrorist groups who live outside the recognition of all cities . They are not allowed inside because they can bring in an infestation and because they are dangerous themselves. "
" But I'm not a survivor. I've lived in Grenhit for years ." Lesley said in his defense.
" But you've been away from the citadel for over a week and that means in that time you're loyalty could have been compromised. " Rick said slowly and it finally clicked what he was saying.
" Are you saying...that I'm being called a traitor when I haven't done anything!? " Lesley lost his cool and glared at Rick.
The guards raised their Skillets ready to fire but then their attention was taken by something else . What the guards saw made their eyes go wide.
A legion of zombies , large and compacted like a swarm of ants was coming their way. They seemed to come from each and every street and behind each building , forming an unholy horde of the undead. The wall next to the citadel began to beep a loud warning and five panels opened up in the wall . Giant compacted Skillets came out and aimed for the undead monsters .
Soon blood and flesh began raining down on the streets. Unfortunately the horde was too much and too many and not all of them were stopped. The Skillets kept firing but the horde still made progress. It was if the whole zombie population of the old city was there .
" Run ! " Lesley shouted as they ran to the Rover. They needed to flee before the horde overran them .
The two guards were already inside as Lesley and Rick hopped into the vehicle. One second later and the Rover was moving away . Unfortunately the zombies behind were fast and relentless.
A Rover was designed to withstand zombie attacks but could not out run zombie hordes . Atleast not a horde of the size that was after them . At this rate , they were going to be swarmed .
" I'm sorry . " Rick said suddenly and Lesley turned from the window to him with a confused look on his face .
But then the guard driving clicked a button and Lesley's door was opened . The air brushed his hair into a whirling red mess across his face .
It was as if everything slowed down . Time itself seemed to stand still in that moment, as if the world froze. Atleast for Lesley it did . In that instant , before Rick pushed him out of the door , he seemed to be at a precipe , a cliff between two sides .
Then his body rolled onto the hard cement of the street and the moment was gone . Slowly and carefully, Lesley lifted himself up and looked at the retreating Rover . His head was bleeding and his dirty uniform was now even more dirty from rolling on the ground.
His eyes however were clear as the Rover disappeared around a corner . When it did , he turned around to the zombie horde and shut his eyes as one zombie came up and grabbed him . It's teeth sunk into his neck and Lesley's eyes were forced open , as the black blood entered his veins. His irises were a deep enchanting green like mystical fire had been light .