He was still alive. For how long, she didn't know, but for the moment, she still had the chance to save him. Sahara was barking more the closer they got, Brat's screams getting louder and louder.
"ARRRRRIISSSSAAAAA!!!!!!" She couldn't remember the last time Bratty called her by her first time. It made her heart race in fear. He was in trouble. He was in big trouble and she had no idea where he was yet. C'mon legs, move faster!
But as she thinks that, Sahara turns sharp and stops at a door, scratching and growling at it. Anna bursts it open, immediately seeing the bloodthirsty monster advance on the little boy hiding in the corner, his sparkly blue shades crushed under the zombie's foot. His wide blue eyes, noticed her right away.
"Ari!" he exclaimed. The zombie turns its head, sickly orange eyes glaring at her.
Purely on instinct, the type of instinct she'd tried to bury, she pulled back her bow and shot an arrow. It hit it's target straight between the eyes before the thing even had a chance to blink again. It's body froze for a few seconds, then tumbled to the floor with a thud. She let her breath out, which she didn't remember holding in the first place.
One thing was sure, Anna still didn't miss.
No.
Arisa didn't miss...
As she sat there breathing, she could feel the typical rush she got from killing things start to settle in. Then the control. Then the numbness of all emotions, but that she fought. She had to keep her humanity just to check on Brat. Wow, she forgot how easy it was to give in...
"Oncie!!" she ran to him, cupping his face in her hands and checking him over. Sahara was already circling around them happily, her vicious attack dog mode on pause for the moment. "Did they bite you? Are you hurt? Did it get you?"
She pulled him into her arms and hugged the kid tight, despite his immediate squirms and protests. He was trying to push her away. "Ari--yeah, yeah, I'm fine! No, they didn't--Ari! C'mon, let go! We gotta run! ARI! THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK!"
She pulled him away at that, still holding on to his shoulders. That was the cue. He was right, they were in danger. She couldn't sit here and let her feelings get them killed. So, with no effort at all, she switched her humanity off. She felt any and all feelings she'd developed over the last few years slowly drain out of her, until there was nothing left but emptiness and the mission. Get Bratty and the supplies to her mansion.
"Right. Take off your jacket. It's too big for you and I don't want you tripping on it." Her voice was different now. Low and somewhat monotonous. Brat knew this Ari the best, so he didn't argue this time. He just shook off his jacket like she said, then reached under his rocket ship bed (because race cars were for PUSSIES!) like he'd been doing before the stupid ass zombie came after him.
"Hold on, I can't forget this!" he exclaimed. He pulled out a bunch of papers rolled up together and started to stuff them into the back pack on the bed.
"You were already packing?" Ari sounded surprised. Bratty wasn't one to be so prepared.
"Yep! I got a couple thneeds, paper and crayons, a flashlight and batteries, water, our favorite books that you can read to me, all the candy I could fit in here and..." he unrolled some of the papers with a huge grin on his face. "Blueprints!! For my newest creation, the Mossifier!"
"The Mossifier?" Arisa repeated, an eyebrow raised. The names these Once-lers come up with...
"Yeah! After Entre's initial reports about the weirdo moss, and thanks to all the zombie games I play, I started thinking about a way to get rid of it! Then voila! The Mossifier was born!" Brat said proudly. But his face soon fell as he slung the backpack over his shoulder. "It needs a lot of parts and stuff to even start working though..."
Arisa nodded. Next objective: find parts for the Mossifier. "But first thing's first, let's get the hell out of here."
"Right behind you!"
Arisa whistled for Sahara, which was her cue to get back to her master's side and get back in attack mode. They made their way back out of the factory, never slowing down until they were close to Arisa's old mansion. Bratty had kept in perfect condition up until these last few days, when the housekeeper and gardener he'd hired for it went missing. He'd always hoped she'd move back and they could be best friends again...he just never thought it'd be because of a friggin' zombie apocolypse.
With her bow and arrow at the ready, she crept out of the bushes and started walking towards the mansion. Nothing compared to Brat's, but it was the second biggest in the city. It had a ton of rooms and winding stair cases, and the security systems only the best assassins for hire would have. It just needed to be activated and then BOOM! Any zombies that tried to get to the house would be blown up, lasered or shot to pieces! Not that they'd get close before Ari saw them and shot them herself, or threw knives at their heads. Shit, he had the coolest friends!
Arisa stopped once they stepped foot on the porch. "Bratty, take Sahara and check the rooms on the West side of the house. I'll check the East. Do you remember her whistle commands?"
Bratty nodded eagerly, copying the whistle Ari used earlier to get the dog to stand next to her. Sahara obediently moved to his side instead. Ari nodded, then stepped toward the door. She quickly slammed open the door, aiming her bow left and right. Once she decided the cost was clear, her and Brat split up, bursting open doors and hunting for any unwanted visitors.
So far, so good.
