Trigon by Red Hope

Disclaimer & Notices

Copyright: Capcom owns the Resident Evil franchise, not me.

Notices: This story contains violence and sexual content. Additionally, this story will contain grammatical or other errors. If you're feverish over the errors, feel free to privately message me about what you find and help me improve.

Summary: The Earth is flourishing, happily. But humans are endangered and on the verge of extinction after the greedy corporation Umbrella knowingly releases a viral plague. Small human civilizations survive including a moving convoy led by the strong Claire Redfield. Her solitary world turns upside down when she meets an infuriating yet mysterious woman named Alice. Claire soon learns about an underground survivor camp through Alice and heads there. However, Claire begins to secretly fear losing K-Mart, who has become her only source of strength over the years.

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Started: November 11, 2011

Series: One Shot

Trigon

by Red Hope

Chapter 10

The morning sun inched further up the eastern sky and several rays pierced the darkness in a yellow Hummer parked between a tanker truck and bus. The warm light caressed a soft, young face and caused the teen to mutter in complaint. K-Mart tugged the blanket over her face and blocked the sunlight. She was worn out from the long night with Claire, again.

Two days had passed since the convoy's raid team collected valuable supplies from the Wal-Mart distribution center. It'd been two days since Claire single-handedly killed the Licker. And it'd been several days since Claire and K-Mart had started their tangled relationship that neither spoke about, under the sun or in the moonlight. There was no room for questions or dreams, just acceptance for how it had to be.

But a small consequence was that K-Mart required more sleep to make up for being up so late. Some mornings she had risen long enough to satisfy her own needs but only after Claire left the Hummer. Typically K-Mart was up an hour to two hours after Claire, until now. Lately, she hopped out of the Hummer three hours later after Claire. It was totally beyond K-Mart how Claire kept pace with little sleep. But that was until yesterday when K-Mart realized that the convoy leader was sleeping more fitfully ever since they started having sex. That was a relief to K-Mart, who was always silently concerned about Claire's health.

Around nine o'clock, K-mart rolled out of the yellow Hummer and adjusted her green hat after getting the door shut. She was definitely hungry today. Breakfast was hot and also a treat since it was pancakes with syrup. The convoy had recently salvaged several containers of syrup in northern Pennsylvania. Today was a great day for pancakes and warm syrup considering the cool weather and the heaviness of the food.

Claire performed the morning checks then set everybody into motion to begin breaking down the camp. She hoped to travel at least four hours today if not five hours further south down Route 81. The weather today was gloomy and the dark clouds were low with a strong breeze. Most likely it would rain within an hour or so, in Claire's opinion. The convoy needed to be on the road by that point because rainy survivors were messy ones.

Just after ten thirty the convoy returned to the back roads and made it to Route 81, which would take them further south. There were less car blocks on the highway after the convoy made it past Martinsburg. Last night they'd made camp just before Harrisonburg, Virginia and hopefully today the convoy would make camp near Rural Retreat in Virginia. But Claire would be content if they made it at least past Roanoke.

In the Hummer, Claire flipped around for decent music from the CDs in the disc changer, but she ended up with the usual eighties songs. Thankfully the CD was loaded with over two hundred songs that kept her pretty content. A quick glance across the Hummer told her that K-Mart was engrossed in her textbook.

K-Mart grumbled and shifted in the seat, but she was colder today. So she reached over and hit the heated seat button, which was her favorite feature. What she didn't see was Claire's small grin because she was so busy with the American History textbook.

Claire leaned her head against her left hand since she had her arm propped on the windowsill. She rubbed her hat's brim a few times then went back to holding her head up. She was usually bored within a hour but these past couple of days left her thinking a lot. This morning wasn't the best news from Doctor Green, who gave her word about the test results from the blood on the shirt. The blood contained the T-virus, but a mutated variant of the everyday undead that hunted on the Earth. Doctor Green insisted the mutation wasn't made by mother nature - it was done in a lab. Claire was plagued by this news and deeply considered whether or not Umbrella was creating and releasing the beasts. That was the only explanation.

K-Mart approached the end of the chapter and debated whether to do the review questions. A break was a better idea so she put down her pencil and shifted the composition notebook into the textbook. Slowly her gaze traveled over to Claire then went outside of the front window. Several thoughts came to mind and caused her to nibble on her bottom lip. K-Mart wasn't sure if she should voice what was on her mind, but maybe it was up to her now.

"So I guess we're not going to Reston?"

Far away thoughts were derailed by K-Mart's gentle voice. Claire blinked once then lifted her head and replayed the question in her mind. She shifted in the seat at the uncomfortable topic. "No."

K-Mart nodded then rubbed her nose in a slight tell of nervousness. However, courage made her push forward and make another attempt at the Reston topic. "Did you tell Carlos about it?" The long silence was answer enough and caused K-Mart to sigh heavily. "Why do you refuse to go to Reston, Claire?" She was studying her friend's profile, which gave away nothing. "These people deserve to know that they have a chance at being safe."

Claire sharply looked at K-Mart and snapped, "There is no place safe." She coldly stared out the window. "Staying on the move is the safest thing."

K-Mart stared at the leader then brought up the recent troubles they've ran into with undead. "There's been a lot of undead activity... it's getting more dangerous."

"We passed DC, K-Mart," Claire shot off. "You know how badly the surrounding areas become infected too."

K-Mart shook her head and stared out the side window. "Not like this though." She tapped her fingertips on the textbook's corner and carefully thought about where the convoy was headed in the future. She swallowed then gazed over at Claire again. "What are we doing anymore, Claire?" There was nothing forthcoming so K-Mart asked, "How long do you think this convoy can keep going like this?"

Claire licked her lips and continued staring, coldly out the front window. She was composing herself despite the threatening demands placed between them. She struggled to keep a calm voice, but her body was tense from head to toe. "That facility isn't the answer, K-Mart."

"How do you know?" K-Mart fought. She briefly waited but nothing was forthcoming so she slightly turned in her seat. "From what Alice told us, that underground camp is the safest bet right now." She couldn't read anything from Claire's profile, except stress. "I mean it was an Umbrella facility so it's loaded with weapons, former soldiers, and food."

Claire toyed with her hat's brim and wished they weren't having this conversation.

"Alice said it's totally self sufficient," K-Mart reminded.

Claire snapped, finally after hearing Alice's name again. "I lead this goddamn convoy, K-Mart... not Alice and pipedreams."

K-Mart went slightly slack jaw, but she didn't let Claire take her down a notch. "How can you do this to the convoy?" she hotly demanded. Her left hand shot out towards the convoy that faithfully drove behind them. "You're leading those people deeper into Hell rather than saving them." To K-Mart, it was true because the undead attacks seemed too frequent lately.

Claire fought so hard to hold down the surge of fire that brightened her eyes. She didn't want to blast K-Mart's doors off, not when they were so close to each other. K-Mart was the only person in her life that knew bits and pieces of what was under her skin. But that goddamn facility was nothing but trouble in the long run.

"Please, Claire... let those people choose their future," K-Mart softly pleaded. But as she stared at Claire's profile, she could tell that she was losing the battle anyway. There was so much determination stoned on Claire's face that K-Mart hung her head.

Claire forced herself to relax into the chair and free her death grip from the steering wheel. She never removed her eyes from the road because she didn't want K-Mart's pleading features to get under her skin. She let out a low breath and whispered her next and final words about the facility.

"That place is not a future... it's a deathtrap."

K-Mart said nothing. Instead, she turned to her right and stared out the side window. The countryside was so beautiful beyond the glass and protective bars. She wished she could actually enjoy mother nature, but she was trapped in the car after an ugly fight. She shut her eyes and muttered, "Fucking Hummer." For once, there wouldn't be any protest from Claire about her cussing simply because it wasn't worth it. However, K-Mart was proud of herself for not crying one tear despite they stung in her eyes.

Claire cracked the window and welcomed the cool air that brushed away her temper. She prayed this was their last conversation about the goddamn facility. Some part of her wanted to blow that stupid place off the Earth. She silently cursed Alice for ever mentioning it to K-Mart. If this argument about the facility left a scar in their relationship, she swore she'd shoot Alice at first sight for being at fault.

K-Mart shut her eyes for a few minutes but the soft taps against the windshield made her look outside again. Finally the rain had started and wasn't terribly heavy. The wiper's rhythmic motion made K-Mart drowsy so she curled up against the door after putting her books away. She struggled against a bad dream about an undead's familiar face that always haunted her, but she eventually found peace.

Claire shifted in the chair several times and eventually tossed her hat on the dash. She was highly irritated from the fight and couldn't get rid of K-Mart's words from her head. Only when did she steal a glance at K-Mart did she start to settle down. Hopefully after some time K-Mart would simply forget about the facility in Reston then the pipedreams would fade off too.

K-Mart was jarred awake by the Hummer driving over something on the highway. She suspected it was an undead, but she wasn't about to ask anything. She instead straightened up and saw Claire putting her hat back on. K-Mart had to straighten out her own after leaning her face against the window.

Claire briefly looked at K-Mart and confirmed she was awake. She reached up and tapped the GPS's screen. They were nearing Lexington, which was a small town. There were always dangers when they neared towns, no matter how big or small. Claire turned the wipers' speed up and peered skyward at the low, dark clouds.

"Maybe we can find shelter tonight," K-Mart optimistically suggested. She flinched though after a low rumble carried through the clouds. She glanced over at the thermometer in the Hummer and realized it was somewhat warmer.

"Don't get your hopes up," Claire rebuked. She couldn't be sure about any decent shelter until they were near their destination. But the damn rain was slowing them down further. Up ahead, Claire spotted a bridge that went over a small river so she slowed like normal and carefully crossed the bridge. Behind her the convoy went across one vehicle at a time to be safe.

K-Mart straightened up in the chair after finding her back sore. She stifled a yawn and studied the rolling lands. There wasn't far places to see because the land moved up and down near the mountains off to her right. But the mountains' colors were a symphony of fall colors under the gloomy daylight. Her enjoyment was derailed by Claire's more pronounced breaking so she shifted her eyes to the front window.

"What is that?" K-Mart murmured. She straightened up and tried figuring out what was in front of the next bridge. "It's a tractor trailer."

"Yeah," Claire softly confirmed. She had to be careful not to swipe it. Thankfully the abandoned tractor trailer was in the slow lane and the left lane was totally open for them. She maneuvered the Hummer into the left lane and approached the bridge.

K-Mart furrowed her eyebrows at why the rusty trailer was faced northbound in the southbound lanes. She peered up at the gigantic eighteen-wheeler as the Hummer rolled past it. Gigantic golden arches smiled back at K-Mart all the way down the side of the trailer.

Claire was scanning the bridge for any noticeable damage, but it was a well built concrete bridge that could nearly match Roman design. She suspected the distance to the river below was long considering the depth of the gorge.

K-Mart was impressed by the bridge, but her attention was torn to the end of the tractor trailer. What had grabbed her attention was the decomposing head poking around at the end of the trailer's corner. She sucked in her breath then yelled, "Claire!" Her right hand immediately shot up and pointed at the creature.

Claire's attention snapped to the right, and the undead's toothy smile made her pale. She gave a scream against the terror that flooded her. But slamming on the gas pedal didn't save them and several loud booms echoed around the Hummer.

K-Mart cried out after the undead creature had latched onto her side of the Hummer. But she frantically started for the glovebox.

"Hold on, K-Mart!" Claire heard the other two undead on the roof. Those damn things must have been waiting on top of the trailer and jumped on as they went past. Loud pounds sounded around the Hummer then suddenly an undead was on the hood.

K-Mart barely had the Glock and glovebox shut before all Hell broke loose. Glass sprayed around her then everything started spinning at once. Water sprinkled over her face and neck while tires screamed in her ears. She yelled and clutched the Glock until the Hummer's wild hydroplaning spin came to a jerky stop.

First there was an almost peaceful silence until an undead's piercing growl filtered from the front of the Hummer. But then a stark gunshot exploded, smoke from the barrel, and the undead's head thumped against the Hummer's damaged hood.

K-Mart opened her eyes and stared at the lifeless creature in front of her. Its out stretch arm was in the Hummer and glass shards all over the dashboard. But another undead was still latched onto the front passenger door and startled K-Mart when it jerked on the bars.

Claire already swung her right arm towards K-Mart. "Duck," she sharply ordered. With honed skill, she aimed and fired at the undead that ripped off the protective grade around the window. She pleasingly watched the bullet pierce its skull then it fell backwards with the grade on top of him.

K-Mart was curled over and the glass pieces fell away from her body after she straightened up. She let out a huge breath until she felt Claire's tension continue to rise. They were not in the clear so she released the safety on the Glock. Then muffled yells from the floor drew K-Mart's attention down to the radio. She stared at the radio that was consumed with frantic cries about undead attacking the convoy from every direction.

Claire was at the ready with her Beretta Cougar's barrel near her temple. She had unbuckled her seatbelt then pointed the handgun at the driver's side window. She barred her teeth at the ugly creature fighting against the grade on her window.

"Go to Hell," Claire whispered and pulled the trigger.

K-Mart inhaled the gun smoke then softly groaned after the drama was over. She heard Claire going for the radio. But she gazed out the broken front window. "Oh my god," she murmured in fear. Somehow the Hummer's spin ended with them now facing the convoy, and K-Mart had a horrid view of the undead's attack on the survivors. Gunfire filtered around the bridge and echoed through the gorge.

Claire barked countless orders at the managers. But after she released the microphone, it was Carlos's frantic warning to her that made her eyes cut to the rearview mirror. Slowly bright green eyes grew wider with true terror.

"K-Mart," Claire whispered in fear. She dropped the radio and gun then reached out for K-Mart.

K-Mart barely had a chance to process the loud boom from behind the Hummer. Then a furious roar rumbled around them, and she thought it was thunder. Suddenly metal clawed against metal, and the Hummer's rear was lifted into the air. Briefly K-Mart caught a glimpse of sewn eyelids and long, jagged teeth before everything starting spinning like a teacup ride.

"Claire!" K-Mart screamed. She knew her friend didn't have a seatbelt on, but she was lucky with hers. She barely latched onto Claire's muscular arms and held onto her.

Claire's cry matched the thunder from outside. Her temple slammed against the dashboard, but it wasn't enough to knock her out. The Hummer's heavy groan made her flip her head up then the rear tires smacked against the concrete. She heard the engine still running so she shifted back into the seat and grabbed the wheel. But what stepped in front of the Hummer's path made her go still.

Briefly, K-Mart's heavy breathes were the only sound until the stomps vibrated in their chests. She stared at seven feet of monster, whose roar matched nails on a chalkboard. Hundreds of black spikes decorated his grey, twisted body. His long teeth were even sharper similar to his long talon fingers. But what made K-Mart's stomach clench was the monster's sewn eyes and deformed mouth that had an upward slit. Instantly K-Mart was reminded of an Iron Maiden from her medieval history book.

After shoving the fear down, Claire clenched her teeth and threw the Hummer into gear. Nothing freaked her out more than being trapped, and she was definitely blocked between the monster and the weakened jersey curb that kept them from going over the bridge.

K-Mart realized the plan and grabbed the door handle and the dashboard as the Hummer's wheels squealed against wet concrete.

Claire slammed the gas pedal despite the Hummer's damage. She aimed directly for the Iron Maiden with full intent to take it down. She gave a low scream as the heavy brush guard collided first into the Iron Maiden's lower torso.

The monster howled in protest but pierced the Hummer's hood with his arms. His talons nearly sliced the humans hidden in it.

Claire didn't relent and drove the Iron Maiden directly into the opposite jersey curb. She pinned him sharply against the concrete slab then yelled at K-Mart to get a gun.

K-Mart had lost her Glock earlier, but she yanked it out from between the seat. She lined her sights on the Iron Maiden. But she faltered, working through the emotions of shooting the ugly creature.

"Just shoot that mother fucker, K-Mart!" Claire growled intensely.

K-Mart broke from the haze. She drew back on the cold trigger. The bullet whizzed from the barrel, hitting the monster square in the temple with perfect accuracy. She wanted to smile at having great aim, yet there was no celebration because the Iron Maiden was merely pissed off more.

The Iron Maiden thrashed his wounded head, raised his arms high up, and drove his talons with great force. Long talons stabbed the Hummer's already strained engine and overworked radiator. Coolant sprayed and coated the monster until the rain washed it away.

"Shit," Claire growled. Already the damn engine was overheating and would seize any minute. She grabbed the Glock from K-Mart and rapidly fired one shot after another, but it was useless.

The Iron Maiden's piercing wail shook across the bridge. He then felt the Hummer's strength fade away. He shoved the Hummer off his body then grabbed the bent brush guard that were perfect handles for him. He snarled in sheer excitement then spun the Hummer in attempt to shake out the humans. The humans' screams were a delight to his sensitive ears, but their blood would be even better.

The once beautiful Hummer was badly dented, scraped, and holed by the undead. After the Hummer's driver's side slammed into the concrete curb, the overheated engine sputtered then went silent. The jersey curb cracked then crumbled down into the river far below and caused the Hummer's rear wheels to slid over the lip. Tiny pieces of concrete fell away from the road under the vehicle's weight.

The Iron Maiden still didn't have the humans, and he wondered if it was worth his time. There were so many humans at the other end of the bridge that were easier. But he didn't plan to let these humans live after the bullets they unloaded in him. The Iron Maiden growled and started shoving the Hummer off the bridge.

Claire groaned after being slammed so many times into the crushed driver's door. Warm liquid was on her face that seemed soothing, but it was K-Mart's cry that renewed her. She lifted her head off the steering wheel and recognized K-Mart's touch against her face.

"We have to get out, Claire!" K-Mart yelled at the leader.

Claire nodded and grabbed the door handle, but it was broken. She clutched the steering wheel for support and muttered, "Your door."

K-Mart was already frantically trying hers with no luck. "Come on!" she pleaded at the destroyed door. "God, please!" She jerked forward after the Iron Maiden slammed his hands against the already ruined hood.

Claire turned in her seat then kicked at the driver's door with both feet. She wasn't winning by far. "Fuck!"

The Hummer whined loudly when the rear undercarriage hit the edge after the tires went over the side. The heavy engine kept it from falling over, but the Iron Maiden started pushing it back with tauntingly slow enjoyment. Metal grinded against concrete with a promise of death.

"The window!" K-Mart reminded her friend. Hers wasn't obscured on the passenger side, and they could get out if they hurried in time. She struggled to release the seatbelt, but it was jammed. Tears broke free and burned against K-Mart's cheeks. "Please!!" Her heart pounded as loud as the Hummer's belly against the bridge side.

Claire grabbed the seatbelt and slammed on it. "No, no, no!" She then looked at the open glovebox. "Get the knife!" If she couldn't free K-Mart then she would die too. There would be no abandoning K-Mart, not even in death.

K-Mart couldn't reach it because the seatbelt had her locked in place. Tears fell off her cheeks, and fingertips brushed the lowered lid of the glovebox. But Claire's hand appearing in her view gave new hope. There was a flash of the steel blade until the Hummer's backwards lurch made K-Mart whip into the seat. Then it seemed like Heaven's bright white light blinded K-Mart.

A low whistle became louder, and the white light shrunk to a set of headlights. Suddenly a sunny yellow streak blew past K-Mart's gaze from the passenger window. To her amazement, the Iron Maiden was hit by a huge pickup truck that sent him flying yards down the bridge.

The yellow pickup truck's tires burned against the wet concrete then lightly rocked after it abruptly halted in front of the Hummer. The driver's door was thrown open, and a gorgeous blond leapt out of it in all her glory with sheathed kukris in her hands. She hooked the kukris to the back of her jeans as her boots pounded against the bridge and rainwater splashed around her.

"K-Mart!" Alice shouted. She slid in front of the passenger window.

K-Mart frantically grabbed Alice's arm through the broken window. "My seatbelt is locked and the door is broken!" Just as she explained it, the pressure from the seatbelt released after Claire had cut it free.

Alice parted her lips, but words were lost because the Iron Maiden's roar startled her. "Damn," she hissed. She tore out of K-Mart's grip but hollered, "Get out!" She unsheathed her kukris as she ran to the front of the Hummer.

But the Iron Maiden had already given a harsh shove to the Hummer's front. He roared at the new opponent that smelled quite fascinating to him.

K-Mart toppled into the seat after the Hummer's sliding started again. She watched the bridge begin to quickly draw away in haunting panic. "No!"

"K-Mart!" Claire screamed and grabbed K-Mart's hips. They would have to swim out if they survived the fall into the rushing river.

K-Mart gripped the overhead door handle for support as the Hummer went over the side. If there had been hope to live then their chance was gone because the river's unwelcomed rumble was definite in her ears. But her upturned world came to a sharp jolting halt. The damn Hummer's front dangled from the ledge from a sheer miracle.

Claire was transfixed by Alice latched onto the mangled brush guard and held their death at bay. Their salvation was held in determined blue eyes. She was awed by the sheer strength it took for Alice to hold onto the downward pointed Hummer. But it seemed useless because the Iron Maiden rose up behind Alice and swung his long talons.

"Aaalice!" Claire screamed with every fear clawing up her throat.

Abruptly, the beautiful sky blue in Alice's eyes was gone from dilation.

Alice twisted her head around once her eyes were black with a sapphire rim. She growled at the attacking monster, and an invisible burst exploded from her. The monster's painful wail was inspiration, and Alice gave a low cry from the strain to her muscles from the Hummer. Her boots vibrated against the wet concrete for a heartbeat until the Iron Maiden's fall ended. But she continued hauling the Hummer over the bridge.

K-Mart was gasping from the rush and godlike display from Alice. She fell into the seat after all four wheels of the Hummer were soundly fixed on the bridge.

Claire shook it off and ordered, "Let's get out." She heard K-Mart's renewed efforts. But she stole a second to grab the Glock and Beretta Cougar off the floor then climbed out after K-Mart. She tossed the Glock to K-Mart then hastily scrambled to the front of the Hummer.

Alice was hunched over, sucking in ragged breathes. She struggled not to collapse to her knees after being spent from saving Claire and K-Mart. She closed her eyes until the Iron Maiden's pounding feet made her slowly open her eyes. Raindrops fell off Alice's cheeks and washed away some strain from her face.

Claire tore out her second Beretta Cougar then lined her green night sights onto the approaching monster.

K-Mart followed the leader's stance and started firing on the monster. She lowered her gun after ten bullets did nothing to save them. Bullets from Claire's guns continued pinging in her ears.

Claire didn't quit until her right Beretta shot blanks. She lowered her guns and glared at the monster that wouldn't stay down.

Alice reached forward, picking up her forgotten kukris. The blades scraped across the concrete as Alice straightened up. She faced the Iron Maiden but didn't raise her weapons. Again her pupils dilated, and her mind focused solely on the world around her. She sought out the best weapon that mother nature could provide her against Umbrella's lab-made monster.

Rain drops seemed to gather together in a great hurry and swirled around in the air. Every falling drop collected until a blanket began to form above the Iron Maiden. Then a heavy quake from in the gorge erupted and shook the bridge.

K-Mart took a step back and latched onto the convoy leader.

Claire clutched her friend with one arm then drew back from Alice another step. She noticed the Iron Maiden was confused and merely stood there. Then two gigantic water towers launched up from either side of the bridge. They connected to the overhead blanket of water.

Alice had her head tilted back, and her eyes fixed on the water. The cold wind brushed across her face, pulling at the small tears of pain. Her mind was locked on the water that groaned at the Iron Maiden with promise for an end to it all.

The Iron Maiden lifted his head towards the water despite he couldn't see it, but he felt the power. Then his keen senses went totally blind when the violent water swept down and wrapped around his body like rope. All of it tightened against his deformed body then rushed down his throat. What once reanimated him now drowned within mere seconds after the angry water crushed him from the inside. He was driven to his knees, yet he remained dangling by the water that was rushing out of him. He was a puppet on strings as the water untwined from his body. Only when he was cut free did he finally fall and became a seeming pincushion.

K-Mart gripped tightly to Claire after what she witnessed, along with everybody else on the bridge. She was weak in the knees and Claire's support saved her. After nearly a minute of dry air, she was suddenly pelted by rain again, breaking her from the daze.

Alice was utterly spent this time. She dropped to her knees and still somehow clung to consciousness for another moment. But the darkness was so welcoming to her.

K-Mart released Claire then rushed forward to Alice's aid. What she didn't expect was Alice pushing her away.

"Run," Alice weakly protested. She could barely push K-Mart off. "Hide!" she ordered with more ferocity than she thought she had left.

K-Mart was distraught by Alice's push.

But Claire understood Alice's warning in time. "K-Mart!" She jumped forward just before the Iron Maiden's spikes extended from his body. She latched onto K-Mart's arm then hauled her away from Alice. Spikes began flying in nearly every direction. Claire danced around them with K-Mart in her arms until they toppled behind the Hummer's protective chassis.

K-Mart had screamed in surprise then yelled, "Alice!" She was held snuggly in Claire's arms behind the Hummer and could only watch Alice get impaled by a spike.

A thick spike that was at least two feet long drove into Alice's left shoulder. She then took two smaller ones into her lower stomach when she started toppling down. She was invited to the glorious darkness that could take her away from life's turmoil. Alice was happy to find some peace finally after a life of being in the lonely shadows.

K-Mart broke free from Claire and slipped over the water but found her footing in time. She only had two more wide steps before she reached out and caught Alice in her arms. Already Alice's blood got on her shirt's sleeve after she drew Alice closer.

Claire quickly knelt down in front of Alice and stared, mortified by the spikes protruding from Alice. "Shit," she hissed.

K-Mart's head jerked up. "We have to help her!" she hollered over the distant gunfire.

Claire needed to get Betty or Doctor Green if it was even possible. The quickest way was to radio one of them, but she'd left the radio in the Hummer. Hopefully it was still working properly. She started getting up until her keen ears picked out Carlos's voice coming from Alice's hip. She dropped to her knees and frantically yanked Alice's black jacket up. The exposed radio garbled at her with Carlos's voice.

K-Mart was shocked because it was Claire's camouflage radio that she'd dropped in Williamsport days ago. She didn't ask the obvious question on both their minds.

Instead Claire ripped the radio free then called for Betty and Doctor Green. She gazed over her right shoulder and studied the last moments of the convoy's fight against the undead. Thank God she'd trained everybody so well to fight. But there would be dead survivors after this ugly surprise attack on the bridge.

K-Mart was relieved when she heard Betty returning Claire's hail. She peered down at Alice's damp yet serene features and knew that a war must constantly wage in Alice.

Claire hooked the radio to her belt then reached for Alice. She scooped up Alice and started climbing to her feet with strained effort. But adrenaline renewed her body and increased her speed between the pickup truck and Hummer, around the fallen Iron Maiden, and to the racing nurse. She crushed her worst fears for her savior's life.

K-Mart snatched Alice's kukris then chased after Claire. She prayed that Betty could save Alice from death. K-Mart struggled to be like Claire Redfield for just a few minutes longer while Betty radioed for Doctor Green to bring an ambulance onto the bridge. So much blood now soaked Alice's jacket. Life was so goddamn cruel because it was killing Alice after everything Alice had done to save her and Claire from the fucking Iron Maiden.

Be just like Claire, K-Mart agonizingly coached herself, and it won't hurt so bad when Alice dies.

Continued.