THE DEAD ZONE | COMPLETED

One Hundred Twenty Four |

One Hundred Twenty Four |

I breathed slowly, one hand on the desk to ground me, the other holding my sword tightly. Then, the lights flickered back on. I noticed the elevator doors were closed now, and carefully, I slid back over the desk to stand in the middle of the room. Whatever he threw at me, I was ready for him.

Something's coming Zero warned.

I nodded, the elevator opening.

This was it, the moment I had been waiting for—for what felt like my entire life—and then the elevator doors slid open. My breath caught, and I leaned back. My hands felt clammy, my skin itching. The man stepped out of the elevator, holding a large gun. He looked older than I remembered: his light brown hair longer, those grey eyes bright and sharp—even his skin looked more tanned than I had recalled, but it was him. It was Eric Maxwell. He even wore a lab coat, just like the one back then.

"Hello little Erin Mira Brooks," he said calmly—too calmly, "you look well."

I held onto my blade so tightly my fingers turned white, but I didn't want him to see how badly my hands were shaking. I was so angry and hurting. This man had ripped a hole so deep in my heart that in my mind he was a true evil villain. He killed so many, thought of others as only test subjects and yet now standing in front of him I couldn't get past the fact that he was just a man. I had grown so much with Zero, I had become something other.

We weren't in the same realm, let alone the same level.

Honestly, I felt bad for him.

Bad enough to spare him? No, not that bad.

"You wished to end this," he said slowly, a smirk on his face, "So here I am."

"Watching me this whole time," I replied, my hand falling from my blade, "and you really decided you needed a gun to end this? So what's the plan, kill me and then what? You're stuck here, you can't walk among zombies."

"And you can," he mused, "Yes, you've progressed a lot with the virus in your blood. Regeneration, the ability to—well, I shouldn't get into the details again. We're not here to discuss your progression."

"I'm not here to discuss anything with you," I replied flatly, "I'm here to kill you."

The gun in his hand rose, "Will that change anything?"

"No," I replied, slowly sinking into a crouch, "But it'll make me feel a whole lot better!"

I lunged at him, the gun went off and I could see the bullet fly from it. Except, I didn't feel anything hit me. Pushing my confusion away to pure luck, I reached him. Letting out a strangled scream, my katana cut down onto his arm—through it completely—before biting his collar. He hissed, the gun dropping as his foot came back, and he kicked me square in the stomach. My eyes widened and a gasp flew from my lips. I flew across the room, slamming right into the desk that was over twenty feet away. I could feel pain explode from my body as it broke, shards of wood filling my back. It was then I felt my head swim with dizziness. I groaned, rolling over onto my stomach to look at him. He hummed, his eyes flashing red as his other hand reached down to pick up his detached arm.

"What?" I whispered utterly horrified.

He smirked, a crazed look in those red eyes, "As you can see, I no longer need you because I have perfected it! I am the new and improved subject zero!"

Fear filled me. It was cold and harsh. My shaking fingers fumbled with my shirt and I found what I was looking for—the bullet that was no bullet. Instead, it was a small, almost micro dart. My mouth grew dry and I could feel something hot in my veins.

Oh, Zero whispered, no.

"W-What did you do?" I screamed, struggling to stand but failing, "What did you do?"

He laughed, those eyes sharp, "Erin Mira Brooks, I have cured you of your virus."

My vision blurred, and I felt my strength leaving me. I shook my head, the wooden shards making my back feel wet with blood. I wasn't healing, my strength was leaving me. That dart—he was taking Zero away from me.

"No," I growled, struggling to stand, "No!"

In the blink of an eye, he stood in front of me. Another blink, and his hand was on my throat lifting me with ease. I clawed weakly at his hand, watching with pure horror as his flesh rippled on the now reattached arm.

"I can see why you avoided me for so long," he sang, "This power. I am a god!"

"No," I gurgled, my voice shaking with pain as he crushed my windpipe, "You're nothing but a m-monster."

He threw me, my back slamming into the wall. I gasped, the wind being knocked from my lungs leaving me heaving. I struggled to push myself up on shaking arms, bile spewing from my mouth as my stomach lurched. Maxwell made a noise of disgust.

"If that's what you wish to view me then so be it. Dr. Frankenstein also called his work a monster and we all know he was not such. You are nothing now, but the pathetic child you once were. Not even worth the strength to kill you," he sneered, "While I'd enjoy sticking around to watch which would claim you first—the infected within these walls, or starvation but I have other plans. This dome is no place for a god. Goodbye Brooks."

My arms gave out, my fingers curling out towards him, "N-no."

I blinked again and he was gone.

Pain throbbing through my body, darkness claiming my mind.

When I opened my eyes again, I stood in a grassy field and a blue sky that was slowly melting away. In front of me was myself with crimson eyes, naked and quiet. I inhaled sharply, looking down at my own body. It took me a moment to realize the woman in front of me was not me but Zero. I took a step towards her and she took one back.

"Don't touch me," her voice was soft, "Who knows what will happen if you do."

I nodded slowly, tears in my eyes, "Is this goodbye?"

"Yeah," she chuckled slowly, "I think it is."

I looked up at the sky as it continued to fade, "I don't want you to go."

"But I think this is ok," she replied, "Maxwell will be done, and you have so many people who love you. You don't need my strength anymore a-and I'll always be around. Vaccines can't kill 100% of the virus in your blood, only most of it. So, you'll still be a little bit more human. A little more stronger than everyone else, just maybe not zombie proof."

I shook my head, "That's not what I meant! Zero we're friends."

She laughed at that, "No Erin, I'm just a virus in your body. This persona was made by your brain, a mutation you created to feel less alone."

I refused to believe that, my fingers curling into fists, "There has to be a way to fix this."

"There isn't," she replied, looking down at her arms that were also fading away, "This is it. This is all that will be left of us, memories and trinkets of dust in your brain."

A sob slipped from my mouth, and I lunged forward, hugging her, "Goodbye Zero."

I could hear the surprise in her voice, and I knew she was more than a persona.

"Goodbye Erin. I'm happy for the life you gave me."

Then she was gone, turning to dust in my arms and leaving me with a heavy heart. My knees gave out and I sobbed, watching as the world she created in my mind faded away as well, leaving me alone in darkness yet again. 

Alone, and ready to die along with her.