[ONE-SHOT] [Nellis] Not now, Ellis...

Was this over before it ever began?

Nick could still remember his first meeting with Ellis, the mechanic from Savannah. He was a hick, a Southern guy who speaks with an annoying accent, and had probably never touched any poker die in his life. He would also put his bet on Ellis picking a goddamn car or a horse over a lady anytime.

As for Nick himself, he was a conman, somebody who cheats and gambles for a living. In his world, cars are for stealing and escaping, not for repairing and loving. In his world, horses are for eating. In his world, ladies are lovely, as long as they don't start picking money off your pockets.

In his world, the variable named Ellis will never play any part in it.

Not now, and never will anymore.

Nick stared at the body on the ground. It was still shivering slightly, whether if it's from the pricking cold night wind or from the spasm it was experiencing, Nick doesn't know, and doesn't care.

All he cared for was the soul residing in the body. The soul who touched his in so many ways.

The soul that was named Ellis.

Go ahead, Nick. His subconscious called out to him. Go to Ellis.

Nick shut his subconscious out as he took small, trembling steps towards Ellis. The young man was bleeding. The pool of blood coming out of him had somehow dried up, but fresh ones were still gathered around his wound. He coughed slightly, gagged at something in his throat, and that was the only thing he needed to make Nick instantly appear by his side.

"Ellis! Ellis, you okay?" Nick kneeled down and gathered Ellis' limp body close to his, looking down at the fragile figure that was once the most energized bunny on the team. Coach and Rochelle were just behind Nick, feet rooted in their respective spots as they watched the chain of events lying out ahead of them. They did not say a thing, for they knew any words would not make the wounds better.

The mechanic managed to showcase a smile. "Hey, Nick. You're here." Ellis tried to make his voice as cheery as possible, thinking that if he had done so, maybe the rest of the team won't feel so devastated at his upcoming absence in this world. But it had backfired. The back of Rochelle's eyes was already heating up, and Coach's breathing was slightly heaved as well. Nick did nothing; he just held Ellis' body close to him.

"I'm sorry for not coming earlier, Ellis."

"It's okay, Nick. I just got lost for a moment, and this Hunter attacked me, I mean, ya lot did kill off that punk, didn' ya?"

Nick nodded, remembering the adrenaline generated by pure hatred pulsing through him as the bullets passed right through the Infected's heart. If only he could be the one to be attacked by the Hunter instead. If only he could turn around for a moment and check up on Ellis. If only he could reverse every mistake he had done, every insult he had thrown at Ellis, every minute he had spent hesitating on showing the dying man some love.

"Great," sighed Ellis, now feeling absolutely difficult to maintain his breathing at a normal rate. He could still feel the pain, although the cold had numbed most of them. And his exposed flesh did nothing to lessen the pain, either. He was starting to wonder how the afterlife would be like.

"Say, Nick. You'd reckon there be horses over there in Heaven?" Ellis asked breathily, and chuckled to himself as Nick glared at him. "I'll be sure to look out if there were any fancier suits than yours, Nick, because all the blood and dirt on yours, it's just…"

"Stop, Ellis. Stop talking." Nick forced his tears back as he rested a finger on Ellis' lips, which were getting colder by each passing second. "I don't need any more suits, Ellis."

I just need you to be alive.

Ellis shook his head. "Naw, man. Ain't gonna stop talking when I'm about to meet Jimmy Gibbs."

"Jimmy Gibbs is still alive," Nick whispered angrily, and a drop of salty tear escaped his eye, dripping on Ellis' lips, giving it the final taste of water. "He's still alive, somewhere, building a monster truck and naming it after you, Ellis."

"Ah, man… That would be so awesome." Ellis said, grinning up at Nick, ignoring the rain that was falling on his face. He wanted to wipe it away. He wanted to tell Nick that he is going to be okay without him. But he knew he can't do it. Strength was seeping out from him with every breath he takes. All he could do was to keep talking. Speak out all the words that he had never said, before he could never have the chance to do it anymore. "Ellis the monster truck. Oh man. I think I'm dying of the coolness!"

"Bad pun, Ellis. Bad pun." Nick's fingers around Ellis' body tightened as he restrained himself from choking on his tears. Ellis smiled once again.

"I think it was good," Ellis noted, and finally entered the subject that they were refusing to talk about it since the minute they started this conversation. "People die, Nick. I just got an early call."

"Then I'm going to rip the damned phone off." Nick growled, feeling his hands tremble against cold skin. He quickly casted a look at Ellis, but he only caught this string of words in the wind.

"Kill all sons of bitches…"

"…That's my official instructions." Nick continued in a shaky voice, any signs of life completely leaving Ellis right after he said that. He wanted to scream his name, but all the emptiness that Ellis had created made it difficult to do so. He tried to block out the past memories that were imprinted in his mind, but eventually he found himself staring back at the young man in his thoughts.

Oh I miss you now
I wish you could see
Just how much your memory
Will always mean to me.

Their past memories blasted right through him, striking his heart with repeated guilt and sorrow as he continued to let his sadness came out in a stream of tears. He did not let go of Ellis' body, fearing that everything is just a joke, and Ellis would wake up, or rather, he would wake up and all of this is just a bleeding nightmare. He waited and waited, but the punchline never came.

Nick looked down at the body in his arms. There he was, looking all relaxed in his embrace, and Nick wondered for a moment if it was actually better for Ellis to die this way than to suffer for a longer period of time down the damned road they were forced to treade. But he was greedy. He didn't want Ellis to go. He wanted him to stay, to suffer with him.

Because he knew that was the only way they could be together.

Rochelle was positively crying right now, the back of her left hand hastily wiping off tears that slid down her cheeks as her right hand clutched herself, acting as some kind of support for their loss. Coach muttered words of prayer, and his eyes dare not concentrate on Ellis, he was afraid that the death of his new found son would be hard to take in.
Nick stopped dripping tears on Ellis' face after a while, feeling the worms of despair slowly engulfing him in small bits, feasting on his mortal soul, rendering him from any emotions anymore. A thought flashed through his mind. It was the only thing he could do for Ellis.

"I want to make a burial for Ellis."

Using the temporary peace they were offered, they picked some flowers from nearby gardens and flower pots, and although some of the flowers were all part-wilted from the lack of care, Rochelle managed to weave them into a simple, but pretty flower wreath, before handing it over to Nick.

"You should do this, Nick." She had said as she passed the circle of flower over to him. "He always liked you, and I'm pretty sure he would have preferred you to do it."
Nick muttered a word of thanks, and kneeled down to Ellis, putting the wreath over his head to his neck.

In a blink of an eye,
I never got to say goodbye.

He settled Ellis down in a lying position, resting his hand over one another, and watched quietly as Coach began to pray for Ellis.

Nick did not let out any tears anymore as he looked at the body on the ground. He knew that wherever Ellis is at right now, he would finally be happy and free for real. And that was exactly what Nick wanted for Ellis. This whole zombie apocalypse was not suited for someone as young and pure as him.

If it was any regret at all, it would be that Nick never got the chance to tell Ellis that he loved him. But nobody needs to know that right now. Not anymore. He had to move on, for the sake of survival. Even so, he swore to himself that Ellis would be forever in his heart.

Nick kneeled down by Ellis' body again, and whispered his final words into his ear.

"Sleep tight, Ellis."