"Okay, listen up!" Marvin called out.
"When we step out we move in a single file." Marvin made sure to look everyone in the eye to make sure they were listening to him. "We know there is a monster in the corridor just past the lounge, but it is blind. Keep quiet and we will get past it without incident."
Everyone kept quiet during the pause during the speech.
"Jill Valentine will take the lead and Jenny Bailey will bring up the rear with me." Marvin explained before he start to call out the names of the survivors to form a line that would be between the police who would protect them as they move through the building.
"Stay behind me at all times." Jill said the moment she took her place in front of the line. She took Evelyn's hand and hand her the spare pistol she had. "It has five rounds left. Don't fire it unless you have to."
[Jill lost a pistol and 5 bullets]
Jenny doesn't look happy... Jill thought when she gave her a quick glance when Evelyn took her place in the line. They had just taken away her toy and put her as far away from Jenny as possible to make sure that she wouldn't have a chance to play favorites when it came to protecting the civilians.
The rest were called out in pairs.
"Moira Barnes and Greta Huber!"
The two girls who acted both as a distraction and as a fan club for Jill. Both join the line with nervous smiles. They had faith in Jill and believed that she would save them all, but even that belief was tested when things were about to be set in motion.
"Abraham Sanford and... Tommy."
Marvin didn't like them. Abraham was shady with his business dealings and the fact that he had a younger man posing as his son didn't make him any better in his eyes. It was clear that Tommy was just a hired muscle.
"Susan and Lina Pittman."
Shit... Jill saw Lina's uneven steps when she join the line behind her mother. She is drunk. The daughter had clearly pour down the whole bottle Jill had given to her to take the edge off, but it would make her a liability if they had to move quiet or fast. At least she seems calm.
At least Susan is at the back... The mother had it out for Jill so it was better this way. Some distance between them would hopefully calm her down a bit and she didn't seem to have trouble with Marvin.
"We are ready." Marvin said as he took his place at the end of the line together with Jenny. They took out their guns. Jill did the same.
Jill took a deep breath and open the door to the lounge. She glance in through the crack. It was just as empty as before. The light of the vending machine was bright. The spilled coffee was dry on the floor. It was a stain no one would clean. "Quiet now." She stepped in and move through the lounge to the door that would lead them in to the connecting corridor towards the stairway to the first floor.
I wish that we could use the other door... The other door in the lounge that lead straight to the stairway they needed to get to was nailed shut. Breaking it down would cause enough noise for the licker to hear them. The only choice was to move through the corridor it was in and keep quiet as they would try to slip past it unnoticed.
Jill felt her hand sweat when she pushed the door open.
Oh, God... It open up to show the aftermath from the time the licker caught her. There were scattered dry stains of drool, juices and seed. If she had been alone Jill may have got distracted by it... How it's tongue... Even now it was difficult not to... Stop it.
Jill continue to move forward. The corridor seem clear now and it meant that the licker was somewhere behind the turn. She press her back against the wall and peeked around the corner to see the rest of it. There it is... The licker hang upside down on the ceiling with its claws dug into it. Its tongue hang out lazily, drool dripping down to the floor below it.
Looking over her shoulder she saw Evelyn. They were terrified. Jill turn to look at them and locked her eyes with hers. She pointed at Evelyn's eyes and then at herself, trying to say eyes on me without a word. She took her hand and then they move together in a low crouch.
[Skill challenge 6, Jill succeeds with intrigue down at 7]
Jill and Evelyn made it past. Reaching the end of the corridor Jill carefully open the door and let Evelyn move out while she linger by the door. She had to make sure others would get through as well.
Next in line were Moira, Greta, Abraham and Tommy.
Moira placed her hand over her mouth as she moved to keep quiet. She was breathing fast. Her chest rise and fall rapidly. Her eyes were on Jill the whole way as she sought comfort in them.
Greta closed her eyes as she moved. Don't, don't... Jill held her breath as she watch how Greta nearly kicked the ink ribbon on the floor, the very same Jill had tried to use to distract the licker before.
Abraham was slower than the others. At his age moving in a low crouch was tough. His knees must have start to hurt as he took a break in the middle of the corridor. The licker started to move. Its tongue sway right past his hat. Its drool drip down to his shoulder and it was enough to get him to move again.
Tommy wasn't far behind and he made it past the licker with ease. As he move out of the corridor he had the nerve to squeeze Jill's thigh in the passing.
The last in the line were Susan, Lina, Jenny and Marvin.
Susan was about to move, but Marvin pulled her back. She gave him a confused and an angry stare. He point down at her feet, at her heels. He shook his head. Jesus... Jill thought. Susan remove her shoes, but she refused to leave them behind as she carry one in each hand. She tiptoed through the corridor, but when it was her time to get out she refused. Susan stand by the door, blocking it, as she turn to look how her daughter who was up next.
"Get out." Jill whispered.
"Shut up." Susan snapped back.
The licker's head turn towards them. It must have heard them, but it was unsure if it was worth investigating. It start to move slowly again.
Lina tailed the licker when its back was turned. It must have given the girl a false sense of security. It didn't matter if it was facing their prey or not since it only rely on its hearing. She seem to be doing okay, but her feet dragged dangerously along the floorboards and risked causing noise.
Jill watched past Lina and saw how focused Marvin was. His gaze snapped between the floor and the ceiling to make sure he wouldn't kick anything nor have the licker jump down at him. Jenny seemed tense, but not enough. Jill was worried that she might just leave the others behind or do something drastic to save her own skin.
They were almost through.
Lina stumble and took a careless sidestep to balance herself. She kicked the ink ribbon on the floor. It rolled to the side, hitting the wall beside her. The licker screeched and let go of the ceiling. It drop down and turn back towards Lina. It pushed its tongue out of its mouth, swiped the floor with it and sent the ink ribbon away, but the tip of it felt Lina's boot. It raise its head. It found its prey.
Instead of a vote you get to send in ideas!
Susan is blocking the door out of the corridor to the stone statues where rest of the survivors are and Jill is standing beside her. The licker is facing Lina and behind her are Marvin and Jenny. The doors are marked as yellow. The licker is about to attack Lina.
How should people react to the situation?
As a reminder here is the list of the survivors.
andulkaphoto
kianamaiart
prguitarman
titsay
dailybridgerton
dededos
gummygunk
