Even after the smell bates continued walking down the stairs and could see a fire now coming to a low smolder, inside said smolder was the figure of those monsters.
‘About 12.’
They were now at the bottom of the stair well and about 12 of those monsters were dead with their skin completly charred practically laying on top of each other.
‘Somebody or group was dumb enough to take on 12 of them at once? How did they get to burn them too a crisp like this?’
Upon closer inspection bates saw that the head of every single one of these monsters were completely gone with only a mess of blood left.
‘Their heads have been completely obliterated. So this figured out the best way to kill these things. A flamethrower isn’t enough to completely explode these things head.’
Looking at his surrounding bates didn’t see any person or thing nearby. No just the confused and disgusted expression from the girl behind him.
‘I should tell the others.’
Seeing that bates had enough of inspecting the bodies Aanishah quickly followed behind him.
‘Why is this happening? All these people killing each other?! dead people moving?! And what’s worse is that this guy isn’t freaking out in the slightest.’
of course any 'normal' person would have similar thoughts as Aanishah. To live a normal life not even coming close to the sight of a dead body outside a casket. It was true that this place could be considered a living hell for the normal people. But for bates he didn't care about any of that, his first and only priority was staying alive. For someone like Aanishah it was reasonable not to understand his calm actions.
eventually on the way up she decided to put these thoughts in the back of her head...for her own sake. It was too much to think about such things now.
***
After making it back to the group the first thing bates noticed is that they were still arguing.
‘They're being too loud.’
it was truly a wonder how they hadn't been over run by the zombie like monsters all over the mall. Bates was staring to doubt if being with this group was the right course to stay alive. But he soon decided to forget about it his first priority currently was to get out of this hell hole of a mall. As such he made his way to jack and told him about the situation down the stairs.
“There doesn’t seem to be anything alive down there. Though there are some burning corpses.”
“Burning body’s huh? No wait hold on you went ahead with out the rest of the group?! Do you know how dangerous that is?!”
Slightly shrugging his soldiers with an unconcerned look on his face bates kept his flat tone.
“Your being to loud.”
“Oh....right.”
“Anyways since there doesn’t seem to be any problems we should just continue the path and forget the blood.”
Saying his piece bates left and went back to lean on the wall.
‘When did he leave?.... no does he not care about his own life?Besides that burning body’s? But from what?’
jack also couldn't understand the actions of bates. Any person would be hesitant to go down there but here he is—a kid going down their alone, And with nobody to protect him to boot!
Jack thought in silence what the next best move was for the group. If he were to just easily take the words of this kid it may end up dangerous for the group. Jack who had realized this decided it would be best for him to just go down alone.
***
“Oh...my...god.”
Originally jack wasn’t planning to bring the whole group down. But that plan quickly went to shambles after the guy named samual started to make a fuss. Coincidently he was the same man that was harassing bates earlier. It seemed that he had a habit of arguing against everything he though wasn't right, and if he didn't get his way he would throw something akin to a temper tantrum.
upon looking at the pile of corpses all of their reactions were similar of just shock and disgust.
the group who was being currently repulsed by such a graphic sight once again somehow managed to argue.
“What could have done something like this.”
“We should think about that later. Now let’s just get out of here.”
“What do you mean you want us to just forget about this?!”
“Samual.... how many times do I have to tell you to stop being so loud.”
Of course jack...as he's been doing this whole time tried to calm the rampaging samual. He was obviously afraid that if he continued being loud like this they would end up attracting unwanted attention. Of course jack wasn't the only one thinking along these lines.
‘What a dumb ass he’s going to get us all killed if he keeps screaming.’
Almost as if synced with bateses thoughts a loud unmistakeable banging could be heard on the stairs exit door. It played out through the stair case like a dinner bell freezing those that hear it.
‘too late.’
Samual looking over got scared stiff. Of course he had gotten the continuous warnings from the other group members, for him to be so surprised made bates think that the grown man was a little mental.
“Dammit! We need to leave now!"
Even jack who was the most composed adult in the group momentarily slipped up hollering at everyone to hurry up the stairs.
With jack leading the group up it was Aanishah and the other 15 year old girl, the sisters, after them was bates, and finally due to being a bit slow to react samual was last
BLAM!
With group not even up the first flight of stairs the zombie like creatures got through the door.
The monsters were catching up to the group quickly as a result they hurriedly picked up their pace. it could safely be said that everyone was in their own state of panic, but a particular person was developing rather nasty thoughts.
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‘I-I don't want to die! Am I g-going to die?! No!.. I can't! Why should I die! There has to be a way! Think!...think.’
just as he had told himself he was thinking with all his might. Circling back to why 'he' should have to die. Just then almost like an epiphany he had come up with an almost unthinkable idea. If someone had to die why 'HIM'? It's only human nature isn't it? To want to live? If 'HE' could live what do others matter even at the expense of others it's fine to want to live.
With such thoughts in mind disgusting smile formed on his face as he looked at the kid in front of him. Samual pulled at bates with all the strength he had causeing him to lose balance and start falling down the stairs.
“Sorry kid.”
With tears running down his face that contradicted his smile. It was a truly disgusting appearance true. But any person would show their inner most dark selves in the face of death bates new this. Thus after sacrificing the boy in order to live samual turned around to catch up with the group.
‘....as expected...disgusting.’
With a calm expression still etched on his face bates grabbed the rail and jumped over before he could get grabbed by the undead.
‘I’m gonna get surrounded.’
He had no where to run or hide. Originally chasing the group there was about 20 undead creatures chasing them. Five were already on the stairs before bates fell, leaving 15 on the ground level that he was currently on. They had successfully noticed him just as samual had hoped lifting more than half the load off the group and stacking it on bates alone. With no where to escape bates with an almost resigned expression sat on the floor leaning on the wall.
‘Is this how I die...?’
He was now looking up...he wasn't looking at anything in particular. No he was just thinking about his life. His life of being a weak servant, getting abused, about what he could’ve done to change it. Could he have done something? Time in his perception began to slow, as he started to think near endless thoughts.
‘If I just had the power...I could have lived differently. Unbending power that no one could oppose, then I wouldn't have to worry about my life from others. Power so terrifying that people would have no choice to bend to my will. Power is control and control is power, if only I was able to control any and everything I want then that power would be ultimate. To be precise and do exactly what I want. So precise that even atoms which is everything would have to bend to my will. I hate people who are strong...and I hate people who are weak. But that doesn't matter at death weather strong or weak once dead you are dead. But...even though I hate myself so much...I don't want to die.”
True bates realized that the only reason he hated the strong was because he was weak, with this thought in his mind he started to unconsciously hate the weak as well ultimately leading to him hating himself, and everything else. Still...he was human and no human wants to die. As such he finally looked at the undead with a hatred so deep that even the space around him became heavy and black. He now only thought one word...
‘DIE!...DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!....’
Hundreds of thousands no millions saying this same word in his head he looked at the monsters gathering around him. His glare and sense of hatred only becoming deeper until...
"RRrRAaEEEk"
Intense screaming filled the area as the heads of the undead visibly and slowly expanded. Unmistakable cracking sounds could be heard through out the room as well. One by one the undeads heads started to explode as if a grenade had been placed in their mouths. Even though bates had witness the performance not all of them were dead. Not even for a millisecond had he changed the look on his face. Until finally...
“DIE!”
PLOP
All at once the remaining parts of the undead hit the ground with a peculiar splat.
‘They.... died?
Confused on what just happened bates was overcome with a momentary daze. Though it was quickly broke as he was overtaken by an extreme exhaustion similar to the day the moon had risen. As a result he could only let out a small question.
"Did I....do...that?"
His exhaustion was now enveloping his body as his eyes got heavier an he was asleep.
***
A little after bates fell:
"EeeEEeK!"
The scream coming from the girl; Aanishah could be heard as the group was being approached by a small horde of undead. Since the stair well was prone to echoes as well as the fact that the were rushing out of the well the undead by the clothing shop were now closing in on them.
Nobody besides samual knew about the disappearance of bates. After all everyone was just as equally scared for their own life.
‘Common something! Please be something!’
Jacks stress level was currently at his all time highest from all the life or death pressure as he was scanning all around for the escape rout for the group. Luckily there was such a door. Located just a bit aways the group should be able to make it.
“Everyone! Follow me!”
Believing this was there one and only chance to survive against these odds jack screamed these words to the rest of the group.
By nothing but a hairs breath all of them made it through the door. The group let out sigh of relief realizing they were now safe. Though this moment of relaxation didn’t last to long because the banging on the door quickly brought them back to their senses.
“We need to barricade the door now!”
Everybody still oblivious to the missing person of the group they quickly covered the door thoroughly.
“Now...(huff huff)... we can rest easy... I think?”
Samual saying his thoughts out loud the group all glared at him. Well glared could be an understatement. Though it was only natural everyone almost died
“You know that would not have happened if you weren’t screaming right.”
“Yeah you almost got us all killed because of your bullshit.”
While the adults bickering amongst themselves (once again) Aanishah was busy trying to figure out why she felt like something was missing.
‘Should I ask bates?...’
Looking around for bates Her face quickly became pale.
‘Bates!’
“...Don’t try to blame me for any of that!”
“But if y—“
“Bates is gone.”
Hearing these three measly words samual who was once loud became inexplicably meek. Jacks face also hardened when he heard these few words. The slower ones (the sisters) of the group took a minute to catch up.
“Wh-What do you mean gone?”
“He’s not here...in the room.”
Jack looking at every persons worried face his heart was falling to the pit of his stomach. That was until he saw the downward gaze of samual.
‘So it was him.’
Jacks once sorrowful face was now enveloped by rage. Though he did hide it once again just before anyone could take notice. Doing his best to calmly think of a solution jack found the best answer.
“Who was the kid by while we were running.”
Saying what everybody was internally thinking everyone looked around to find the culprit. Everyone’s gaze silently shifted to the one silent man hits head down.
Aanishah finding his actions suspicious slowly creeped over to the man. Cold sweat gathering on her forehead she cautiously asked the man.
“Do you know what happened to bates.”
Finally raising his head to look the girl in the eyes.
‘I really want to lie but... sigh let’s just tell them...wait the truth? No fuck the truth. They'll just send me out to die.’
In his eyes he was one hundred percent sure that bates was dead who would survive such odds so samual saw no reason to tell all the truth. He just needs to tell him what he ‘saw’ right?
“Yeah the kid was behind me. But when I looked back to see the situation he lost his balance. There was no way for me to be able to save him.”
Having said his piece samual put his head back down. Under his arms was the only place were he knew he would not be seen. He did this because he felt a smile creeping onto his face. It was unknown if it was due to the relief of not being caught or because he was still unmistakably alive...but one thing was for sure, he was extremely happy.
‘I’m ok.’
Though samual was relieved from the bottom if his heart Aanishah and the other group members were utterly devastated. After all a kid did just pretty much die on their watch. Through desperate thinking Aanishah said something unthinkable.
“What if he’s still alive?”
“Y-yeah we could try to save him.”
One of the sisters readily agreed to such a thought, and with another quick agree from the other sister everyone's hope was being slightly raised but jack had conflicting thoughts.
‘There’s too many out there. We could lose a lot of lives for just one kid.’
Samual was fully confident in the kids was death, and he made his thoughts very clear as soon as he saw the conversation heading down a path that endangered him.
“Are you all stupid? A kids not going to be able to survive all of those monsters. Hell we should be happy that any of us survived at all!”
Having made his point fatally clear. He put his head back down and returned to his solitude.
“He’s right that is a very risky task for something that only has a slim possibility of good result.”
The other girl of the group finally spoke up. Even though she was only around 15 she said something that simply condradicted her age.
After hearing the girls solidifying answer jack came to the conclusion that it would be best to just forget about him as well.
‘After all there’s only so much one person can do by him self.’
With a sorrowful expression jack simply nodded. Aanishah who was the first to make this proposition of course was the most heart broken. Though there was nothing she could do without the cooperation of the group. Anyways the sisters after hearing the rest of the groups sound reasoning though reluctant, they all willingly backed down.
even though the rest of the group had given up on him their was an obvious part of Aanishah that still had hope.
‘...Bates for some reason I don’t see you dying though.’
Aanishah silently thought the words to herself as she looked at the door where the exit was.