SAVE POINT 26

Rosabella

To be honest, FUCK in all caps didn't BEGIN to describe it.

Not the zombie woman screeching in my face.

Not the fear seizing—searing at—my heart and the breath clogging there—

Somewhere along the line, I'd gained superhuman strength because I threw Joy to the side and bolted.

Feet scrabbling in the loose dirt and dead leaves—

Fingers scraping against bark and rocks—

As one thought pulsed in my mind like the only flare my brain could send up: get away. Live. LIVE!

"Rosabella, no!" Joy screamed from somewhere next to me.

But my body had already said 'yes' one hundred thousand times—matching every shuttering heartbeat in my chest. ...Although, the pink-haired girl had a point… As I stood up to my full height, I realized we were surrounded by a swarm of them—a swarm of Darken. Growling, yelping, stumbling zombies filled the grove, outnumbering even the rows of trees.

...And they'd clearly all seen us thanks to my scream.

HOLY fuck.

"I could kill you," Joy snarled, her eyes coal black. That girl clearly didn't mince words.

"Shouldn't you kill those things instead?" I whimpered, feeling like a useless child campaigning for a parent to kill a spider, "Use your like twenty million swords?"

"And ask for immediate death?" Joy hissed, "You've obviously never faced a swarm alone. They latch onto sound and movement, and they're quick. You'd be as good as a potato defending my back. I don't know about you, but I don't particularly want to die today."

My jaw clenched. At least we had the same motivation. "So we run?" I asked, trying to gauge the girl's snapping eyes and tense face as my boots shuffled in the dirt and leaves underfoot.

"We hide," she corrected swiftly. Her eyes scoured the landscape with stark quickness, "Can you climb?"

"Hypo—thetically," I squeaked, "What are we climbing?" I couldn't keep the nerves from jumping in my weak voice, pitching it at steep angles that, overall, made me sound like a weakling.

"I really should just murder you," Joy growled, "Put you out of your misery now—"

"I think I like the climbing option better," I conceded hurriedly.

An electronic beep ensued as a system popup fizzled into view:

[System Query: It Appears You Are Looking For A Hiding Spot. Would You Like The System To Check For Hiding Locations?]

[Yes] [No]

“Yes!” I exclaimed.

[Initiating Check for Hiding Locations…]

"Are you kidding me? Pick a tree; there’s like three thousand of them," the pink-haired girl's voice was rushed and garbled, "Make sure the base is strong in case they rush it—"

"Rush it?" I squealed. My head was nearly dizzy at the thought. Tree, right. Pick a tree. I could do this—

[System Found 6 Nearby Hiding Locations.]

I hurriedly swiped the system’s response out of my face.

"Just do what I said!" Joy threw her hands down in aggravation.

“I’m trying!” I growled. The forest blurred as I scanned it for something to climb. Most of the trees were split only a few feet off the ground—their trunks splintered and burnt to a crisp from what looked like an engulfing forest fire. Were any of them big and sturdy enough to climb?

My throat was dry. My mind was frenzied.

There.

My eyes locked on the charred, leaning form of a tree in the distance, outlined darkly against the gray sky. The splayed tendrils of its branches reached upward like a cry to the Heavens which had been frozen since whatever came through here and burned the place. I dove for it.

Hearing the cries of the Darken at my heels.

Hearing their ravenous teeth click—

"Rgh!" One lunged for me.

I evaded it, nearly stumbling to the ground while not evading almost peeing myself—Goddamn!

[System Reward: You Dodged A Killer Set of Dentures…Literally. +5 XP, 1129/1200]

I ducked under the words.

"Hurry!" Joy yelled. I glanced up to find her already riding the top of a nearby tree like it was a black stallion—her boots hooked on either side of a massive branch like she was tight in the saddle.

Hurry.

Right. …Unfortunately, I could only run as fast as my legs would take me... Fuck Endurance 12.

I tripped forward—floundering, it seemed, to keep my boots under me. I reached the trunk of the tree—

"Arrrrughhhh!"

I whipped around to find a Darken grabbing for me. Stringy, green-tinged hair fell from her scalp and into her bulging eyes. Her yellow teeth opened to sink into my flesh—

"Ahh!" I leapt upward. I grasped the black bark of the tree with all my strength and heaved myself towards the sky—

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[-2 HP, 59/107]

My HP popped into view, lowered, but I was there! The rough bark snagged on my palms. I breathed heavily against the solid wood, feeling its round curve under me. But the zombie clutched at the tree trunk, her gnarled fingernails scraping at the groves in it.

Ew! I tried to scrabble higher, but my boot missed, sliding off a cracking branch—

Splinter—

Slam!

[DARKEN, UNDEAD 4: -20 HP, 0/40]

Imprinted rubber met zombie face with as much force as I’d hoped would propel me upward—

Nailing the howling thing in the nose.

Opps...kind of...

[System Reward: Darken Eliminated, +15 XP, 1144/1200]

I bit my bottom lip as the thing slumped backwards. Its skull was crushed in and bleeding from the angst in my kick.

Damn. Fear slammed in my heart as I stared at the crumpled, white body laying twisted and grotesque at the roots of the tree—below me. Was I high enough to dissuade the rest of them? Did I really want to find out?

I tried to reach for a slightly higher branch, but heard it groan beneath my fingers. If the branch snapped, it'd surely attract the attention of every Darken within a five-mile radius. I eased off my grip.

From the tree several paces away, Joy placed an anxious finger over her lips, attempting to shush me. Great, I was reduced to taking instruction from a bully and fearing for my life from a bunch of flesh-hungry savages... Grand.

It would have been fine. I could be quiet. In fact, I could be silent. I used to be the almost-invisible kid in the back row of every classroom; blending into the wallpaper was a talent that I'd honed. But not with this darkness inside me. Not with it welling up—scratching at my throat...making me want to—

I choked back the feeling; I wouldn't cough.

I couldn't.

Not now.

Not here. The Darken would hear and come running. They'd kill me.

I tried to swallow the cough. I tried to shove the dryness in my throat down as I swung the weight of my backpack to my stomach, my fingers fumbling for the zipper. Root powder was the only thing that could help in this situation…

But I had to make no noise. No—

Are you sure you want to live?

I froze. That voice was back. The one that sounded like mine.

It couldn't be coming from anyone. There was no one here but me. I swiveled my head to verify. Yep. Just me, the burnt fingers of this tree, wasteland forest and a zombie herd heading straight for the two of us...shit.

Are you sure you want to live?

The voice persisted, even as I tried to shake it away.

It looks an awful lot like you want to die. Even subconsciously. Your body wants to cough. You WANT to make noise—to have the Darken swarm ingest your innards, blood coating their mouths. Every fiber of you wants this fight over. You're so tired.

I was so tired; I felt it in every cell of my body. It was right. Maybe the voice was—

No. I clamped my teeth closed, grinding them together. I could do this. I just needed the root powder. My fingers jiggled the zipper—

One notch, two notch—

It only made a slight scraping noise which still had me wincing. I could see the reflective glass of the jar now—

Three notches, four—

The tickle in my throat was nearly unbearable, but I clenched my forehead—

Five—

"Augh—haha—" The cough sputtered, uninvited and ragged from the tip of my tongue—no!

[-7 HP, 52/107]

I panicked.

As the Darken turned.

Their bulbus eyes locked on me.

Shrieking, they all stumbled forward, rushing towards my tree, reaching arms, gaping mouths—NOOO!!!

Masses of them materialed between the trees—in the haze. Oh my God, how did I fix this? How should I—

Grand Dragon! I begged in my head to a beast I wasn’t even sure was listening. Grand Dragon, what do I do???!

[Draconic Telepathy Used… +1 XP, 1145/1200]

It was a plea—a last-ditch hope. That there'd be an answer. That something inside or around me did want me saved...living ...okay... As a million, gnarled fingers reached for me, wanting the opposite. They were swarming now, colligating around the base of my tree. One gutsy one pushed against it, testing the sway. It snarled. More of them leaned into it. Was this what Joy meant by 'rushing it'? My heart spasmed in my throat. I wracked my brain for the spells I had, but none of them would really do anything against the group except maybe the Freezer Burn one I’d found but…well, that only lasted for a few seconds, not enough to get away. …Plus, I hadn’t used it yet, so it’d probably go completely rogue on the first try… Desperation clawed at my insides.

“System! System, how the fuck do I stand a chance of getting out of here?” I blurted. The response seemed to come way to slowly:

[System Unable To Understand Query…Recognizable Words = ‘Stand a Chance of Getting Out of Here’. Linked To ‘Chance of Success In A Fight Against Zombie Horde’. Initiating System Answer…]

But another answer came faster.

Distraction.

The word came to me—filtered into my mind.

The Grand Dragon's answer? My own desperate solution? Either way, I'd take it. Of course, a distraction! I had Creator Magic. I may not be able to kill all the zombies, but I could lead them away somehow...

[System Answer: It’s Not Looking Good. ROSABELLA, GAME MAKER 12 Has An Approximately 0% Chance of A Tactical Win Against ZOMBIE HERD 4. Do You Wish To Take This Chance?]

[Yes] [No]

Approximately 0%, huh? “System, go fuck yourself,” I muttered. I wouldn’t allow this fear, twisting in my stomach, to get to me. I shut my eyes, diving into myself—attempting to drown out the mangled cries of the creatures below...the stench of them...but I couldn't block out my own heartbeat: rattling in my ears...my breath, rattling in my chest.

Regardless, I found it.

My magic.

I yanked at the reserve of it, shaping exactly what I wanted—

An explosion would be too loud...draw too many zombies from far away. I need something different... something...

I let my eyes flutter open to see my CMP lower and...

[-50 CMP 350/400]

…And my creation.

My creation blinked back at me from just a few feet away: a giant, majestic elk. The thick, brown fur covering its neck and chest ruffled in a wind I could barely feel, and its black eyes were sharp and focused beneath an enormous weave of antlers. The animal's ears twisted, honing in on the growls of the Darken, and its head lowered as though sending me a bow—

Whizz.

Something hurled through the air—

Thud.

[ELK, BEAST 2: -10 HP, 42/52]

My jaw went slack as pain rippled through the elk's face. My eyes darted to the handle of one of Joy's daggers which now protruded from the animal's stomach. A single rivulet of scarlet blood traced down from the glinting blade embedded there, dripping onto the dirt at its hooves. My fists clenched at my sides as I turned, annoyed, to face the girl in the tree a few paces away. She didn't have to do that. I’d had it handled. She didn't have to injure—

But, watching the Darken at the base of my tree turn with vigor towards the blood, I realized suddenly that maybe she did. Driven by bloodlust, the creatures dove towards the injured elk, moaning and grabbing for it—

Moving away from my tree.

The elk and I shared one last glance before it blinked again and kicked up its heels, running for its life.

And the Darken followed.

Rasping.

Gasping.

Until our glade was as bare and silent as it used to be.

[System Reward: Holy Shit You Made It Past 0% Odds, Well Done! +10 XP 1155/1200]

‘Holy shit’ was right. My hands were shaking. I didn't realize it until I tried to dismount the tree. My fingers wobbled as my palms scraped against the rough tree bark. I kicked my feet over the side of the limb and slid back to the ground that didn't seem as stable as it used to be. Was that how it was going to go now? The world proving to me that it was shakier footing than I'd wanted all along? What would I do if it won—the darkness or this crazy Game world? If it got the better of me? I’d been okay this time, but the possibility of 'next time' hung in the air like an undeniable threat.

"Beginners luck," Joy snorted, confirming every dread layering in my stomach as she clapped me roughly on the shoulder. Strands of her long, pink hair fluttered across her face, "And you're one hell of a beginner—"

"You didn't have to kill it," I protested, sourly—talking about the elk. I didn't know why I was feeling so defensive in the moment. Oh, never mind, it was probably 'cause she’d used the deer I’d made into knife-throwing, target practice—

"Wounded is different than dead," Joy clarified sharply, "There's a difference."

And her words made me pause for a minute, pondering. Because she was right. I'd been wounded more times than I could count.

Some wounds physical, some invisible.

But I was still here.

I was still fucking here.