Where are you going?

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] SgtSTFU Where are you going?[/quote] A two year mission for my church. ------------- "It's now or never," Kevin muttered grimly. Eileen nodded, her face set with determination. They both heard growling come from behind and turned to see that the vampire minions had climbed onto the roof and were fast approaching. "Take care of them," Kevin said, turning back to the vampire, "I'll deal with the vampire." Without waiting for a reply, Kevin rushed forward, firing his pistol into the vampire's chest. The vampire had his arm up in time to ward off the shots, although one managed to pierce his belly. He swung his arm straight out when Kevin got close, but Kevin managed to duck into a roll just in time and popped up right next to the vampire. The vampire closed his arms around Kevin faster than he'd expected and squeezed while slowly flying high into the air. Kevin gasped for breath as his hands popped open in pain, dropping the gun to land clattering on the roof. His lungs screamed out in agony as his rib cage was pressed against them, stopping the air from flowing in. It was then that Kevin noticed his close proximity to the creature's neck. The smell of blood suddenly became the only thing he noticed. His human mind briefly fought against it, but the lack of oxygen and the enormous amount of blood pouring from the vampire's body drove Kevin over the edge. His mouth open in pain suddenly closed over the creature's neck, tearing at its jugular. Immediately the vampire's grip loosened, but Kevin reached his arms up, not ready to let go just yet. He took one bite, relishing in the juicy flavor, his stomach finally feeling some satisfaction after being deprived for so long. Kevin continued to tear away at the vampire's neck until his wings gave way, and then they both began to fall. Kevin wasn't paying attention as he shoved every bit of vampire flesh he could into his mouth. When they hit the roof, the shingles broke apart like twigs beneath an elephant and the two animals landed in the room where it all started. The vampire absorbed most of the shock, but Kevin, in his weakened state, was still knocked unconscious from the fall. [i]Once again, I'm going to have to wait till tomorrow before I continue. Besides, it's not like there's many choices I could give when the main character is unconscious, right?[/i]

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Halifax [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] SgtSTFU Where are you going?[/quote] A two year mission for my church. [/quote] Is that where Casey went too?

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] LordCrotchpants [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Halifax [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] SgtSTFU Where are you going?[/quote] A two year mission for my church. [/quote] Is that where Casey went too?[/quote] Yep....wow, I'd almost forgotten about him.

Great, sounds like those old Goosebumps books where you keep turning pages and it will say, THE END.

Kevin's eyes fluttered open slowly and he found himself lying in the back seat of his car. Eileen was driving, her eyes fixed on the road. "What happened?" he asked. Eileen jolted up in surprise and then glanced back at him, "Glad to see you're awake, I was getting worried." She paused and then said, "You did it...the vampire's dead." Kevin let out a sigh of relief, "Good...but how?" Eileen glanced at him in surprise, "You don't remember?" Kevin shook his head, "The last thing I remember is walking up to the mansion." "Huh," Eileen muttered, "you must have a concussion. It's probably best if you don't know what happened though." Kevin shrugged and sat up, "Alright, where are we going now?" "Back to Doctor Omar," Eileen replied, "when you fell--which I guess you don't remember--you broke the phone he gave you, so I'm taking you back to see him." "But what about the Queen?" Kevin demanded. "We'll get her when you're well." [i]Should Kevin: 1. Insist on going after the Queen now? 2. Agree that going to see Omar is the best course of action?[/i]

3. Suicidal barrel roll.

2 [Edited on 11.02.2008 1:23 PM PST]

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Kevin sighed and leaned back against the seat, "Alright, I'm gonna get some rest, let me know when we're--" "We're here," Eileen cut in. Kevin's eyes popped open, "Really? Gee, I must have been out for awhile." "Ya," Eileen muttered, "And it wouldn't hurt if you lost a few pounds either." Kevin didn't hear that remark as he was already getting out of the car. Eileen quickly followed and they both stepped towards the broken down building where Omar was hiding. To Kevin's dismay the entire building was surrounded by zombies, all of them fixated on the door that led down to Omar's hiding place. "They found him," Eileen whispered. Kevin nodded, "Ya, but the fact that they're still trying to break in means he's alive." "So how do we reach him?" Eileen asked. [i]Should they: 1. Break through the zombie lines and find Omar? 2. Call Omar?[/i]

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Kevin reached into his pocket, "I'll call Omar!" Eileen sighed as he pulled the broken phone out of his jacket, "Really? Good luck with that." Kevin stared at the phone in dismay, "Oh shoot...I forgot." [i]In an unprecedented event, I made a slip-up with the choices, so this time I'm leaving it completely up to you. What should they do next?[/i]

Since they know the number find another phone and call him. To make things more interesting fight zombies on the way. [Edited on 11.03.2008 12:02 PM PST]

I say go for the queen, leaving omar for dead [Edited on 11.03.2008 12:02 PM PST]

Haha, this is decent, dude. Reminds me of good old roleplaying, though I realize in a real story you can't put that much detail in, I vote for charging in, fanning out, one left, one right, pistols blazing first, then shotguns, but that's just me.

Sorry i don't have enough patience to read this story

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] I Lucky Punk Sorry i don't have enough patience to read this story[/quote] You should. It's worth it. Unless you can't read... then it would be frustrating.

[i] [b] [u] THE STORY SO FAR [/i] [/b] [/u] Kevin woke up with a throbbing headache. He could barely remember anything about last night. All he knew was that he had gotten drunk, met a girl, it was a full moon, and then everything else was blank. Vomiting in the toilet made his hangover a little better, but he still felt sick. When he looked in the mirror, Kevin's eyes were drawn to several long scratches on his neck. He shrugged, figuring it must have been a wild night. He walked into the next room and sat down on the sofa. The television was already on and Kevin saw a breaking news story about some sick people in Los Angelas. He changed the channel. Everyone's sick in Los Angelas he thought to himself. To his surprise, the same news story was playing on that channel, and every other channel he flipped through. "What's this?" he muttered.The newsanchor was in the middle of a sentence, "to please head straight to the hospital. Proper measures will be taken to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you." At that moment there was a knock in the door. Kevin opened it to see several polices officers standing before him with grim expressions on their faces."Hey...is something wrong?" The officer closest to him nodded, "We need you to report to the hospital." Eyeing his neck, the officer suddenly drew his baton, "Please don't resist us, we're trying to help you." "Uh huh," Kevin said slowly, staring at the baton with a heightened sense of anticipation. Kevin shook his head, "I'm not sick, just hung over. And I'm not going to the hospital." The officer sighed, "You just made things a lot harder on yourself." He swung his baton forward but Kevin's hands moved in a quick blur, catching the baton and yanking it free of the police officer's hand. He quickly snapped the baton back, cracking it against the police officer's ribs and causing the man to cough up blood before falling back. The other two police officers had their guns drawn and Kevin quickly slammed the door shut and dove to the side as bullets blasted through the wooden door. He stared at his hands and then at the officer bleeding on the floor. "What's happening to me?" After a moment of silence, there was a sudden cry of terror that quickly turned into a cry of pain, and then a moan as there was a sudden thud against the door. Kevin figured the officers were taken care of, but who or what was out there? He wasn't sure if he wanted to find out. Kevin gathered his nerve and slowly pulled the door open. The scene before him made him want to vomit. One officer was bleeding profusely from his throat, or what was left of his throat, and the other had his chest ripped open. His rib cage expanded as the officer took his last breaths. Kevin knelt down and asked, "Who did this?" "Not who," the officer said quietly, "What." "Okay...what did this?" "Go to the hospital to find your answers." With that the officer was dead. Kevin shook his head and noticed a trail of blood leading into the nearby bushes. The blood excited him, although he didn't know why. Kevin couldn't control his urges any longer and he quickly raced into the bushes to find the source of the blood, and hopefully, the source of the attack. His nose seemed to pick up every scent and he was easily able to pick out the creature's scent from all the others. Whatever it is, it smells delicious. Kevin shook his head at that. Did he really just think that? After following the trail he suddenly stopped in the confusion. He had reached the base of a tree and suddenly the trail stopped. There was no more smell and no more blood. By his reasoning, whatever had attacked those police officers should be right here. But there was nothing! "I remember you," a sultry voice said from behind. Kevin jumped in surprise and turned with his teeth bared. He relaxed when he saw a woman standing before him, her leather outfit seeming completely ridiculous in the hot sun. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Looking for the same thing you are," she replied with a smile. Kevin glanced around, "You know what that thing was?" "Maybe, I'll have to get a good look at it first." Kevin nodded and then asked, "Who are you?" "My name is Eileen. We met at the bar last night." She laughed as he raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Don't worry, we didn't do anything." "No," Kevin replied, "I'm sure I'd remember it if we did...but then, how did I get these scratches?" He pulled back the nape of his shirt to show her his neck. Eileen hissed when she saw the scratches and said, "You've been bitten." "Umm...those don't look like bite marks." Eileen nodded, "They are. There are three creatures that leave those kind of marks. Werewolves, vampires and zombies." Kevin stared at her for a long moment and then burst out laughing. "Are you serious?" Eileen rolled her eyes, "You really think you gained super human strength and abilities on your own?" Kevin shook his head, "Whatever, but I thought vampires left two holes or something like that." "In the story books they do, but in real life they are much different." "Alright fine," Kevin said in exasperation, "Let's assume I believe you. How do I find out what bit me?" Eileen shrugged, "Go to the hospital." Kevin groaned, "That's the third time I've heard that today." "Maybe that means you should listen." "Right." Kevin let out a sigh, "Fine, but only to prove you wrong. I'm not sick...and I'm not a vampire." Eileen nodded, "I certainly hope not." They walked back to Kevin's house and got in his car. As they drove to the hospital, Kevin asked, "How did you get here anyway?" Eileen smiled, "I'm a fast runner." "Uh huh, and you just happened to know that that thing would be at my house?" Eileen let out a sigh, "I've been tracking this creature for a long time. I thought it was a werewolf, but it never turns back into a human." "Ya, maybe that's because there's no such thing as werewolves," Kevin muttered dryly. Eileen ignored that and continued talking, "Now I don't know what it is, but I want to find out." "Well, whatever happens at the hospital, I'd like to help you. That thing's real, whatever it is." They pulled to a stop outside the hospital and Kevin entered to find the building packed with frantic people. He noticed several of them had scratches on their necks identical to his. A doctor was standing on a table with two soldiers by his side. He cupped his hands and shouted, "Everyonhe with scratches, or any other form of bite mark, please proceed through the doors to my left! Do not push, shout, or do anything to agitate each other!" Kevin looked at the soldiers in surprise, "They called in the army?" Eileen nodded, "Right now, the hospital is the most dangerous place you can be." "That's comforting," Kevin muttered as they followed the line of people through the doors. They waited in silence for a half hour as one by one, people went through the doors. Kevin found himself growing anxious when he saw several people come out crying, and some people not coming out at all. For the first time, he started to wonder if there really was something wrong with him. He turned to Eileen and asked, "If I'm sick...can they cure me?" Eileen looked at him for a moment and then said slowly, "I don't know." The hopeless expression she gave him made Kevin shudder. And then it was his turn. Kevin walked through the doors with Eileen close behind. The doctor was waiting for him with a haggard look on his face. "Sit down," he said firmly. Kevin obeyed and watched as the nurse drew some blood. "This will only take a moment and then we'll have the results." Kevin waited anxiously and then said, "Can't you just tell based on my symptoms?" The doctor shook his head, "All three strains of the virus start with the same symptoms. Increased strength and heightened awareness. Higher levels of testosterone leading to a greater tendency toward violence. But it's when the later symptoms show up that you find out who you really are...and then it's too late." Kevin nodded slowly, realizing that this was real. Whatever the virus was, it was making people into something different, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to find out what. "But you can cure it?" he asked. "Depends on what it is...and how far you're willing to go." The nurse handed him a piece of paper and the doctor eyed it carefully, "Are you ready to hear this?" Kevin nodded, "What's wrong with me? Where did these scratches come from?" The doctor shook his head, "You have what we have referred to as Lupine's Syndrome. Those scratches on your neck came from an infected wolf." Kevin stared at him and then asked, "What do you mean by infected?" The doctor let out a sigh and then said, "Some scientists were doing genetic experiments, none of it legal. They were trying to splice humans with animals. One event led to the creation of what we refer to as vampires...blind humans with supernatural strength, echo-location, and with the raised testosterone levels, hunger for blood. Your instincts are more akin to that of a wolf...or in this case, a werewolf. Heightened senses, the ability to run for hours without tiring, decreased eyesight...that sort of stuff." "So what...I'm going to turn into a wolf-man?" The doctor shook his head, "Don't be ridiculous, you've been infected with the strain that caused the first 'werewolf' to go insane. However, the original is the only one who was spliced with a wolf, creating a modern day werewolf." Kevin held up a hand, "Hold on...I'm going to go insane?" "If the symptoms continue as they have with the other patients...then yes, you will go insane." He looked down and muttered, "The vampires are more lucky in that regard...just be glad you aren't a zombie. They have to be put down immediately!"

Kevin grabbed the doctor by his lab coat and slammed him against the wall, "I'd be much happier if I was healthy. Now you're going to make it happen." The doctor's voice raised in pitch as he said quickly, "Obviously your testosterone is kicking in...but there is a man who can help you." "Who?" Kevin shouted. "The original designer of the gene splicing technology, he might be able to help you." "Go," Eileen said quietly, "I'll take care of that creature. You take care of the scientist." Kevin nodded and lowered the doctor to the ground. "Thanks Eileen, I'll catch up with you when I can." Eileen nodded and quickly scribbled her cell-phone number on a piece of paper before handing it to him. "Let me know how it goes." Without another word she turned and went out the door. Kevin glanced at the doctor and asked, "What's her story?" The doctor shrugged, "You're asking the wrong guy." Kevin nodded, "Fine, then where do I find this scientist?" ----------------- Kevin got into his car, realizing then that Eileen must be walking. He might catch up with her sooner than he thought. After all, the scientist was only in Los Angelas, a forty minute drive from where he was now. Kevin left the hospital, his focused on the road, on his mission. He didn't know what kind of sick man would experiment on humans, but he intended to find out and make that man fix whatever he did. The ride was quiet and dull for Kevin, who suddenly found himself missing Eileen's company. As he entered the city of Los Angelas, Kevin noticed a strange stillness about the city. The sun shone brightly down, but the place still felt dark and dismal. Kevin had to slam on the brakes as a group of people ambled across the street right in front of him. He growled and honked his horn, wincing as his hand left a permanent indent in the will. He'd have to learn to control his strength. At that moment, another human leaped from the window of a nearby building and landed in the midst of the other group. To Kevin's surprise, the man stood up, unharmed, and immediately bit into another man's throat, ripping it open and sending a fountain of blood across the road. The man tossed the corpse aside, sending it landing with a thud on Kevin's car, smearing the hood with the still gushing blood. The other humans turned on the savage man, grabbing each of his arms and trying to drag him down. The man laughed and held fast before spinning in a circle, bringing the two humans who had grabbed him off their feet. After several spins, he stopped and sent each dangling human flying in a different direction. Kevin watched him and muttered to himself, "That must be a werewolf...and those must have been zombies." With those humans dispatched, the man turned his attention on Kevin. Kevin licked his lips, the sight of blood exciting him. He got out of his car and grinned wolfishly, "Get out of my way." The man sneered, "I'd rather not." "Good." Kevin rushed forward at the same time as the man, balling his hand into a fist. As they were about to meet, he swung his fist forward but found himself hitting air as the man rolled underneath his blow and popped up behind him. Kevin stumbled forward, off-balance, and the man leaped on his back, bringing him to the ground. Kevin felt the man's teeth tear away at the skin on his back and he screamed in pain. Quickly rolled over and grabbed the man's head before he could pull back, then slammed his forehead into the man's nose, drawing blood. The man blinked, dazed, giving Kevin the chance to quickly roll over again, putting himself on top of the man where he continued to pound his fist into the man's face. The more blood he saw, the more enraged and excited Kevin became. The man had become unconscious yet Kevin continued to pummel him mercilessly. Several flecks of blood flew into his mouth and Kevin found the taste intoxicating. Without thinking, he brought his mouth down to the man's neck and tore away at his jugular, reveling at the sweet taste of fresh meat in his mouth. Letting out a primal scream Kevin continued to feast on the man's body. After several minutes, Kevin's rage subsided and he found himself thinking rationally again. He stared at the mutilated body and then down at his bloody hands. After another moment of thought, Kevin vomited all over the man's body. The mixture of puke and blood, along with the pungent smell--made worse by his heightened senses--caused Kevin to vomit again. Kevin quickly staggered back to his car and yanked the door open. He slid into the seat and closed his eyes, trying to block out the sight and smell of the corpses that lay strewn across the seat. After taking several deep breaths, Kevin slowly opened his eyes and started the car, wincing as the tires rolled over the dead bodies. Once Kevin regained his composure, he began to notice a peculiar pattern amongst the zombies. They all moved in packs of three and on several occasions he saw the zombies dragging a dead body into a building. Yet they didn't eat each other. Kevin shook his head, knowing that there was only one way he would get any answers. He reached the building that the doctor had directed him to and got out of the car. The dilapidated building didn't look like the ideal place for a mad scientist, but then, Kevin realized, no place in this ruined city did. He entered the building and headed down the stairs into the basement. When he reached the bottom step, Kevin felt a twinge in his neck and reached up to feel a dart brush against his fingers. After a moment, Kevin's eyes went blurry and he dropped to his knees. When his head hit the ground, everything went black. Kevin opened his eyes and tried to move his arms, but they were being held against the wall by iron shackles. He glanced around, noting the glass window straight ahead that showed him a view of another room that was empty save for a single operating table. Kevin strained against the shackles holding him back, but even his incredible strength couldn't break the iron chains. "I took extra measures in protecting myself against my own creations," a voice came from a small speaker in the corner of the room. "I suppose I should have thought about what might happen if the creations got loose...but then, foresight was never humanity's greatest strength." "Who are you?" Kevin asked. "Doctor Omar. I didn't expect the army to send someone after me so soon, let alone someone who is infected." "I'm not here for the army," Kevin said loudly, "I'm here for a cure." Omar chuckled, "Of course you are. You came here alone and sent the girl you were with chasing after some horrible beast, and then you killed another werewolf in cold blood. I don't imagine you're here for anyone but yourself." Kevin shook his head, "I'm not going to try and justify my actions to you. You're the one who started this whole mess!" "Yes, I suppose I am. Sorry as I may be for the suffering I've caused, I did it in the name of science." Kevin snorted, "I think every scientist they've sent to prison used that excuse." "And just as you don't need to justify your actions to me, I feel no inclination to do so either." Kevin let out a sigh, "Fine, why am I here?" There was a pause and then Omar said slowly, "Because I need your help." "What do you mean?" "There are three humans I created, one of them on accident. Each was spliced with a different creature, giving each very distinct abilities. Unfortunately, I was unprepared for the mental effects the splicing had on these creatures and they escaped." "You're talking about the original werewolf, vampire and zombie," Kevin asserted. "Yes indeed. They must be contained, or this will never stop." "Why should I help you?" Kevin demanded. "Well," Omar said in an ever-calm voice, "because I have the cure you so desperately desire. I'm willing to mass-produce it and give it freely to all who are infected, but not until the original three are either contained or destroyed. They cannot be cured...such is the effect of gene splicing, but they must be stopped." "You want me to take them all down alone?" "No, not alone. Although you might prefer it." With that, the door to the room on the other side of the glass opened and Kevin's eyes widened when he saw Eileen stagger in, her clothing torn and bloody. "I've been tracking my creatures, and one of them found her. She was able to escape, so I brought her here. She has proved more formidable than I had previously thought." Eileen looked over at Kevin and her eyes widened as well. She stumbled to the window and pressed her bloody hands against the glass, "You have to get out of here. Run while you still can. That creature....it's more than you or I can handle." "She's right," Omar said quietly, "This is very dangerous. I told you before that I did not want all this. I only chained you up for my protection...but it's up to you in the end. Take the cure now and I let you walk free...or help me, and save the world from falling to the will of these creatures." "Maybe," Kevin said quietly, "But I'm going to try." The shackles opened before he finished his sentence and Kevin dropped to the floor. He slowly stood and rubbed his wrists gently. Eileen watched him for a moment and then said, "I'm coming with you."

"No," Kevin replied, "You can barely stand." "I'll fix her up," Omar cut in, "My medical marvels were not solely constrained to genetic splicing." Eileen fixed Kevin with a hard stare, "I'm coming." A few seconds later, the door opened again and a short man in a dark brown pants and a stained gray shirt walked in. Kevin looked at him for a moment and then asked, "Dr. Omar?" Omar glanced at him and nodded, "It's nice to finally talk to you face to face." His attention turned to Eileen and he said firmly, "Sit down on that table." Eileen obeyed and Omar pulled her shirt open then drew a syringe and, before she could protest, jabbed it into her heart. Kevin yelled in surprise and Eileen gasped as the syrum entered her heart and was pumped into her blood stream. "What did you do to her?" Kevin demanded. "I gave her a heavily modified dose of adrenaline," Omar replied as Eileen clutched her chest, still gasping. "It speeds up the healing process, causing her tissue to mend itself in less than an hour. We don't have time to waste though, so you'll have to carry her to your car and hope she's ready to fight when the time comes." "I can walk," Eileen said between heavy breaths. Omar shook his head, "No, it's important that you don't stress your body while it heals, otherwise you could suffer some pretty terrible deformities." "Define deformities," Kevin said dryly. Omar shrugged, "If she's doing any heavy activity her skin could heal in a pretty weird way due to the increased healing process. Also, any bones she may have broken could heal wrong if she puts pressure on them which is my biggest concern." Eileen shook her head, "I don't have any broken bones, and I don't care about scars." Omar nodded, "Regardless, I must ask you to be very careful." Kevin nodded, "I'll take care of her...but where do we go from here?" Omar smacked himself in the forehead, "Right, I nearly forgot! There are three creatures. The vampire who has named himself Dracula...although believe me, he looks nothing like the man. The werewolf...who no longer has a human mouth, but I have affectionately named Spike. And then there's the queen...the only female of the three." "What do you mean by queen?" Kevin asked. Omar sighed, "She was the mistake...the one responsible for the zombies. She was assisting me with my gene splicing experiments and somehow she got into the test chamber. I wasn't there at the time but when I came back to the lab, she was gone. The video recording which I kept showed her in the chamber working on Spike. Spike woke up and knocked her back into the splicing machine...along with a small ant that been crawling on his fur. "The combination of her brain and the ants drone-like instincts gave her the ability of mind control...but left her an unspeakable, unrecognizable creature." "Wait," Kevin said, holding up a hand, "Mind control?" Omar nodded, "That's why the zombies do not portray the same increased strength and senses, and are also slower to react. She uses them to bring her food. Not just humans, but animals too. Anything within the reach of her hive is under her control." "And how are we supposed to stop her?" Eileen asked. Omar shook his head, "I don't know. I believe that your heightened abilities will give you the ability to withstand her attacks for a little while. However, if you give me some time, I might be able to come up with a way to neutralize her from afar and let you get in close enough to stop her. It's up to you, however. I will prepare you as best as I can for your encounters and keep you updated from here." Kevin nodded, "Alright, we're going after the Werewolf." Omar nodded, "Good, you'll find him in--" "I know where to find him," Eileen cut in, grimacing as she spoke. Omar grunted, "Of course you do." He turned to Kevin and said formally, "I took the liberty of breaking into your car so I could leave you something that I think might help you." Kevin laughed, fogging up the glass between them, "What if I took the cure instead?" Omar shrugged, "It would have made a nice parting gift for tranquilizing you and chaining you to a wall." "Right," Kevin muttered as he crossed the threshold from his room to theirs and approached Eileen. "Are you sure you're up to this?" Eileen smiled, "By the time we get there I will be." Kevin nodded and then gently lifted her off the table in both arms. "We'll let you know when it's finished," he called back to Omar. Omar nodded, "As will I. Good luck." When they reached the car, Kevin pulled the door open and gently slid Eileen into the seat. He strapped the seat belt across her waist, causing her to wince as the belt rubbed the open wound on her rib cage. "Sorry," Kevin muttered and quickly adjusted the seat belt. "No," Eileen said, touching his hand briefly, "Thank you." Kevin looked at her for a moment and then coughed uncomfortably before hurrying to the driver's seat. At the bottom of the seat he found a large box and opened it. Inside were two pistols, one of which he handed to Eileen, along with several clips. "Where are we going?" he asked as the engine roared to life. "The forest," Eileen replied, "Just outside the city." Kevin nodded and flipped the car into a u-turn. As he drove, he found it hard to ignore the mindless zombies roaming the streets. To distract his thoughts he asked, "So why do you have such a big vendetta against these things?" Eileen shrugged uncomfortably, "Why shouldn't I? They're killing people!" Kevin shook his head, "That's not the whole story though. What happened?" Eileen was about to speak when something slammed into the front of the car. Kevin jerked his eyes back to the road in surprise to see a zombie roll across the hood of the car. "What the--" Before he could finish, countless zombies began pouring into the streets, coming out of buildings, sewers, everywhere imaginable. "The queen must be controlling every person in Los Angelas!" Eileen shouted. "So why doesn't she just eat them?" Kevin asked as he drove straight into the mass of zombies. Eileen rolled down her window and poked her gun out the side as she started shooting into the ranks of the zombies. "Don't waste your ammo on the ones on the side," Kevin shouted as the bodies crumpled beneath his car, "It's the ones in front of us that are slowing us down!" Eileen nodded and took careful aim in front of them, which was difficult considering how bumpy the ride became with the bodies falling beneath them. "This is what Omar expects us to save the world with?" she muttered with disgust as she loaded another clip into her pistol. "We'll be out of ammo before we leave the city!" "Then stop shooting and hold on," Kevin said through clenched teeth as he made a sharp turn, throwing several zombies off the top of the car. Eileen grunted and clutched her side, "So much for taking it easy." Kevin laughed, "You'll have some gnarly scars after this." "How can you make jokes at a time like this?" "I don't know!" Kevin yelled back, "I'm eccentric, it's what I do!" "I guess that's why you went to bed with me last night," Eileen muttered. Kevin's eyes widened and he nearly crashed into a lamp post before swerving out of the way. "I did what with you?" he asked incredulously. Eileen rolled her eyes, "Oh forget it, now is really not the time." "No, I think now is the perfect time! I mean, we might not live through the next ten seconds, so now might be the best time in the world!" Eileen glared at him and then turned her gaze on the road. Leveling her gun with a steady hand, she pulled the trigger four times and four zombies suddenly found themselves lying on the ground with holes in their heads. Kevin glanced at her, his eyes showing a touch of fear as she calmly ejected the clip and placed the gun on her lap. "Right," he muttered, "I guess we'll talk later." They had broken through the main concentration of zombies and Kevin suddenly felt a vibration in his pocket. He reached his hand in and, to his surprise, found a phone. He'd left his at his house and so, was not expecting a call. He flipped it open and said, "Hello?" "Hey Kevin, it's Omar." "Oh right," Kevin said with relief, "I was just starting to wonder how we'd keep in touch." "Right, no time for chit-chat though, how goes your search?" "Umm...we haven't even left the city yet." "What?" Omar said with surprise, "What's taking you so long?" "We had to take a detour," Kevin muttered dryly, "There's a lot of hub-bub on the main road. Speaking of which, make sure you fortify that place...I think those zombies might be getting close to finding you." "Don't worry about me, just hurry!" And with that, the phone call ended. "What did he say?" Eileen asked. Kevin shook his head, "Nothing important." "Oh," Eileen muttered and they both fell silent. Kevin looked at the road for several minutes and then said quietly, "So...what happened last night?" Eileen let out a low sigh, "You got drunk and stuff happened, that's all." Kevin nodded slowly and then said, "But you didn't get drunk? Listen, I've had hangovers before and I know for a fact that they don't cause that kind of amnesia." Eileen closed her eyes and then said quietly, "Alright, here's the truth. Three days ago, before anyone knew about the outbreak...I was bitten by the werewolf. Now I'm trying to find a cure." Kevin persisted, "But what does that have to do with me?"

Eileen let out a sigh, "Last night I, along with several other scientists, went all over your town and drugged people. You just happened to be one of those people. We made sure the werewolf and the vampire had already eaten so when we laid you out in a field and covered the area with blood...they didn't kill you, they infected you. "See, that's why they don't kill everyone they bite...they are trying to build their own respective packs." "Wait," Kevin said, trying to comprehend what he was hearing, "You started this epidemic?" Eileen shook her head, "No...well, not entirely. It started a week ago...and the day we drugged you, we found out that everyone who had been infected lost their senses to the primal instincts that come with the infection. They essentially became wild animals." "But why create more?" Kevin demanded. Eileen shrugged, "We figured if we had people lining up to get a cure, eventually we'd find one. It wasn't until the doctor at the hospital mentioned Omar that I suddenly came to understand everything. The people I work for were less than forthcoming with their information." Kevin shook his head, "You made people like you just so you could save yourself? You could have trapped and killed those creatures when they came for us!" Eileen sighed, "I'm sorry...I didn't know what else to do." There was a long bout of silence and then Kevin said quietly, "So you're a werewolf...like me?" Eileen nodded, "Soon we'll become the like the wolf in all but appearances." "How soon?" Kevin asked. "Days maybe. The shortest it took an infected person to succumb was three days. Kevin eyed her warily, "And this is your fourth day?" Eileen nodded. Kevin felt a pang of remorse, realizing what the stakes were for her, "I'm sorry." Eileen shook her head and wiped her eyes as tears came down, "Don't be. Omar has the cure...although, if I go insane, it won't matter. The cure stops the infection, but it doesn't reverse it." She looked at him intently and muttered, "If I do go insane...I want you to shoot me." Kevin nodded, "I will." Eileen sighed in relief and then looked at the road, "Stop here." Kevin pulled the car to the side of the road and stepped out, taking his gun and several clips with him. He walked around the car and pulled the door open, "Are you okay? Can you walk?" Eileen nodded and smiled, "Looks like the doc knew what he was talking about. I feel perfectly fine!" Kevin nodded, "Good, let's move." As they walked through the forest, Kevin asked, "So how are we gonna stop this thing?" Eileen shrugged, "Shoot it in the head I suppose. The sooner we kill it the sooner we get the cure from Omar." She paused and then said, "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen." Kevin smiled and put his hand on her shoulder, "I know. I'm glad I got the chance to meet you." After they walked for several paces he muttered, "That doesn't mean I forgive you for drugging me and dragging me into the woods though." A pungent odor, one that smelled very different from the one at Kevin's house, filled Kevin and Eileen's nostrils. "So...just charge in?" Kevin asked, his fear rising. Eileen shook her head, "One of us needs to distract it and the other needs to hide until he has a clear shot." "He?" Kevin asked with raised eyebrows. Eileen smiled, "I'm on the brink of insanity, why shouldn't I do the suicide role?" Kevin shook his head, "No, you can't do it." Eileen put a hand on his shoulder and smiled, "I wasn't asking your permission. I'm going in there and you need to be ready." "Ready for wh--No! It's too dangerous!" Eileen laughed, "That's why it has to be me. If you die and I go insane...there will be no one left to hunt these things down." "But--" Eileen put her finger against his lips, "Hush. I'll be fine. Or, if your lucky, the werewolf will eat me." She smiled at that, although they both knew it was a very real possibility. "Just make sure you take the shot the first chance you get." Kevin let out a low sigh, "If you insist." Eileen nodded, "I do. Now find a good hiding spot, and remember, the werewolf won't have as good of eyesight as we do." Kevin nodded and Eileen ran off in another direction. He waited until he saw her stop near a tree and then examined the surroundings. The forest seemed to be populated mainly with evergreens and several pushes were strewn about as well. Kevin wasn't confident that he could get a clear shot no matter where he hid, but he knew it was important to make sure the werewolf thought it was alone. Kevin quickly ducked behind a thick bush and peered through the branches to see Eileen draw a small knife from her leather jacket. She pulled up her sleeve and, to Kevin's surprise, pressed the knife against her skin and drew a long line of blood across her forearm. It only took Kevin a moment to realize that she was trying to draw the werewolf in with the smell of blood, but her chance of surviving now seemed slim indeed. Kevin found himself intoxicated by the smell, his primal instincts urging him to rush forward and tear open the woman's flesh and feast on her delicious blood. Kevin shook himself of that thought, although the urge was still there, and realized that he hadn't eaten since...since I killed that werewolf in Los Angelas he realized in disgust. A moment later there was a rustling from above and Kevin looked up to see a huge figure leap from the tree. It landed on all fours and then rose up on its hind legs. The creature looked much like the werewolves Kevin had seen in movies; covered in fur, a dog like head and snout, and claws on its hands and feet. The werewolf's mouth was hanging open as it salivated at the sight of Eileen's blood. Kevin leveled his gun, ready to take a shot. He was glad that he'd chosen the bush instead of the tree, able to steady his elbow on the soft dirt for a better shot. As the werewolf moved closer to Eileen, Kevin pulled the trigger. The bullet blasted into the creature's back and it howled in pain before turning to stare directly at Kevin. Kevin mustered his nerve as the beast snarled and stood up, pointing his gun at the werewolf's forehead. The werewolf charged forward and Kevin fired three more times, each bullet striking the werewolf in the head. The creature dropped to the ground with a soft whimper and then lay still. Eileen came close as Kevin continued to point his gun at the werewolf's head, his knuckles white from fear. Eileen placed her hand gently on his forearm and Kevin looked at her for the first time before lowering his weapon. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice louder than he intended. Eileen nodded, "Yes...but I don't think that he wanted to hurt me." "What do you mean?" Kevin asked quizzically. "The minute he smelled me, he stopped snarling. I think...I think he knew I was infected...I was like him." Kevin shook his head, "You're not like that thing. And you never will be." Before she could respond, he grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the werewolf. "Come on, we have to call Omar." When they reached the car, Kevin pulled the phone out of his pocket and dialed Omar's number. "Hello," Omar's voice came in, "How goes the hunt?" "The werewolf's dead," Kevin said curtly. "Excellent, now where do you intend to go next?" "First things first," Kevin said, his voice hard, "I want you to cure Eileen now." "I'm sorry, but that's just not possible!" "Why not?" Kevin demanded. "Because," Omar said as if he were talking to a child, "You need your abilities to stop these creatures." "I have my abilities," Kevin replied, "That would have sufficed for the werewolf, why should it be any different for the others?" "The werewolf was child's play," Omar replied, his voice more serious than Kevin had heard before, "The vampire, while feral, is faster and stronger and it will know you're coming before you find it. And the queen...she is the only one who was able to retain her human intelligence. That should be enough to scare anyone." "Fine," Kevin said, "Then I'll leave Eileen with you." Eileen gave him a startled look and said, "No, you can't! You can't do this on your own!" Kevin fixed her with a stare, "I'm not going to let you go insane just because this mad scientist wants us to fix his mess." "Well," Omar said, "That is up to you. Your chances of survival are significantly less without Eileen, however." Eileen fixed Kevin with a stare and said firmly, "I'm not letting you do this alone. Now get in the car and drive." Kevin looked at her for a moment, the situation feeling very familiar to when she forced him to hide in the bushes, and then let out a sigh, "Alright...but Eileen, be careful." Eileen rolled her eyes, "Trust me, if I feel like I might be losing it, I'll put a bullet in my own brain." The two of them got in the car and Kevin pulled back onto the road. "Alright Omar," he said into the phone, "We're going after the vampire. Where is it?" "He is in an old abandoned mansion just south of here. I believe it was actually the house they used in the movie Sunset Boulevard." Kevin rolled his eyes, "Great, that's good to know. Anything else?" "Yes," Omar said quickly, "the vampire has been drawing those he infected to the mansion with a unique smell that only they can sense. You will have a bit of a fight getting to him. Fortunately, I packed the back seat with two shotguns and all the ammo you'll need." "What?" Kevin said incredulously, "Why didn't you tell us that before?" "I assumed you looked," Omar replied matter-of-factly. "I thought it was very brave, but rather silly to go against the werewolf with only a pistol." "Right," Kevin said dryly, "Just tell me how to get to the house."

As they neared the mansion, Kevin pulled the car to a stop and looked at Eileen. "Does Omar seem odd to you?" he asked. Eileen nodded, "Very, but we need to get the cure from him, so I'm not going to complain." Kevin nodded slowly, "Right...I still don't trust him though. I mean, he--" "Kevin," Eileen cut in, "I don't know how much time I have left so maybe we can discuss this another time." "Right," Kevin said and quickly pulled the car up to the mansion's gates which were, fortunately, knocked off their hinges. The dilapidated building seemed all the more frightening with the empty pool, it's paint peeling, and the dead, autumn leaves blowing in the wind. There was a hole in the roof and Kevin could see a swarm of bats flying around the mansion, in and out of the hole. "It looks like whatever smell the vampire used attracts bats too," Kevin muttered. Eileen nodded and held her shotgun close, "He could be anywhere in that house and he already knows we're here. He probably thinks we're just more followers however so we might be able to get in close if we just do whatever the other vampires are doing. But I imagine when he smells us the game will be up. It's up to you how we do this though," she added with a smile, "I trust your judgment." Kevin smiled back and said quietly, "I think you're right. Let's sneak in. When it figures out we're not vampires, things might get a little interesting." Eileen nodded, "We can do this." "Right," he paused and then looked at her, "And Eileen...thanks for coming. You didn't have to do all this you know." Eileen smiled, "Someone has to stop this. It might as well be us." Kevin nodded and, without another word, the two entered the house. When they entered the entrance hall, Kevin was surprised to see that the entire floor was empty. "Huh," he muttered, "Where are they?" Eileen shook her head, "I don't know...I thought this place would be crawling with creatures." They crept forward slowly, expecting a vampire to jump out around every corner. After they searched every room on the main floor Kevin shook his head in exasperation, "Nothing. Maybe we got the wrong house." Eileen shook her head again, "This is the right house. Remember the bats?" As if on cue, a fluttering of wings could be heard from above and then a black mass of shrieking bats flew over the railing of the top floor and whizzed right past Kevin and Eileen through the door that led to the basement. They both held perfectly still as the creatures flew over and around them, the blind animals ducking and weaving to avoid the numerous objects that littered the room. After a few moments of intense noise and anxiety, the room was silent and empty. "There's something down there," Eileen muttered. Kevin nodded, "But there's something upstairs too." Eileen nodded, "You check upstairs and I'll check the basement." Kevin shook his head, "It could be dangerous down--" "Ya I know," Eileen cut in sharply, "It could be dangerous down there, up stairs, outside or in a bloody hospital. No place is safe. Now stop contradicting me every time I decide to do something. It's my choice, not yours." Kevin stared at her for a moment and then muttered, "I was just saying it's dangerous...don't need to bite my head off." Eileen let out a sigh, "I think there are plenty of other creatures in here that will do that better than me. Now let's move, we don't have much time." Without another word, Eileen crept over to the door to the basement and Kevin started up the stairs. Kevin could hear the whistle of wind coming from the room the bats had flown out of but he checked the other rooms first. Each room was empty, although Kevin could smell something foul, but he couldn't place the source. It smelled like rotting bodies but everywhere Kevin looked was empty. Finally, Kevin slowly walked toward the room where the bats had come from, hoping this would prove more fruitful. To his surprise, it did! The entire room smelled like fruit which must have been what the vampire had used to attract the bats and the infected people to him. Kevin peaked into the room, finding it empty, although the floor was covered with leaves that had blown in from the hole in the roof. He stepped further into the room and looked around cautiously, but still saw nothing. Suddenly, he heard a loud thud on the roof and the crunching of heavy, clawed feet on shingles. At the same time Eileen called from below, "Kevin, you need to come see this!" Kevin took one more glance at the hole in the roof before leaving the room. He took the steps down the stairs two at a time to see Eileen at the bottom, her face pale. "What is it?" he asked. Eileen pointed down at the basement, "See for yourself." Kevin gave her a curious glance and then slowly stepped towards the door. He stepped down the stairs, the smell of rotting flesh growing stronger as he went. But more than that, the smell of blood drew him further and further down with greater urgency. When Kevin reached the bottom, he heard Eileen behind him and then said, "I can't see anything. It's too dark." He could, however, here the sound of ripping flesh and bones cracking. "Here," Eileen muttered and handed him a flash light. "Where did you get this?" Kevin asked. "Found it down here." Kevin shrugged and flicked on the flash light. The beam swept across the room and Kevin could see in an instant that his senses had not betrayed him. Corpses littered the floor, gaping mouths of the victims, both human and animal, showing Kevin that they had all died in agony. Crouched over the corpses were dozens of men and women, obviously infected, ripping away at the bodies with hands and teeth. Kevin turned away, part in disgust, and part in a desire to suppress the urge to join them in their feast. His stomach growled ravenously in protest against the lack of food. "What about the bats?" Kevin asked. Eileen pointed to a dark corner, "Look over there." Kevin swung the light to where she was pointing and, to his shock, saw a swarm of bats covering a body, nibbling away at its flesh. "I thought they didn't eat meat!" Kevin said incredulously. "They've been infected," Eileen muttered. "The vampire drew them here with fruit, infected them somehow, and now they are killing machines just like everyone else in this room." "Then why don't they kill us?" Kevin asked. "Probably because we aren't a threat...and they have enough food for now." Kevin nodded slowly, "What do we do?" Eileen shook her head, "The vampire isn't down here, and he's the one we're after." Kevin nodded again, "I think I know where he is." Before Eileen could ask what he was talking about, Kevin grabbed her hand and pulled her back up the stairs. He pulled to a stop when he heard the thud of footsteps outside the door followed by a heavy snarl. "It's him," Eileen whispered. "Now what?" "I have an idea," Kevin said quietly. "What is it?" Eileen asked. "A distraction," Kevin replied. "I'll draw him upstairs and then you come up from behind. Heck, one shotgun blast might take him out anyway." Eileen stared at him for a moment and then said, "Are you crazy?" "What?" "You want to just rush out there and shoot at him, hoping he doesn't kill you?" Kevin shrugged, "Sure...I mean that's what we've been doing so far isn't it?" Eileen rolled her eyes, "Well if this is your plan, then I'm go--" "Nope," Kevin replied. "Wait here." Before Eileen could stop him, Kevin slipped out through the door and shut it behind him. Kevin looked around, surprised once again to find the immediate area empty. His nose, however, told him the vampire was close. He sniffed several times, trying to sort the odor of dead bodies and sickly sweet fruit from that of the vampire. A growl from behind was the only warning Kevin received before a clawed hand grabbed him by the shoulder, tearing his shirt and drawing deep gashes in his skin. The vampire hurled Kevin across the room straight into a wooden table that snapped under his weight. Kevin groaned and tried to focus. When he finally did, he wished he hadn't. The vampire was walking toward him, its eyes pure white. But that wasn't what terrified Kevin. The creature was immense, standing at nearly ten feet tall. Dark, leathery wings protruded from its back and long muscular, but furry arms stretched out toward him, the clawed hands dripping with the blood from Kevin's shoulder. The creature's face had almost no human features whatsoever. It looked like a bat's face, with the grotesque, upturned nose, long ears and fangs instead of teeth. Kevin lifted his shotgun to fire but the vampire, sensing the danger, suddenly launched into the air, flapping its wings several times before it landed on the balcony above, just out of Kevin's line of sight. Kevin slowly staggered to his feet and yelled to Eileen who had just poked her head out, "Not yet!" He moved toward the stairs then froze when a shadow crossed over the floor. At the last moment, Kevin dove forward, barely dodging the vampire's aerial attack. He tucked his body into a roll and twisted around as he came up, leveling the shot gun and firing. The vampire let out a primal screech that dropped Kevin to the ground, clutching his ears. He looked up in time to see the vampire clutch its bloody arm before grabbing his shotgun again.

What the hell?

Was that necessary, or did you want to show off your copy pasting skills?

The vampire noticed the movement, and with another roar rushed forward, faster than Kevin could fathom, and knocked his gun aside, then grabbed Kevin with its good arm and quickly jumped into the air, flying straight to the ceiling above the balcony. Kevin kicked his knee into the creature's groin several times, causing the vampire to grunt in pain but not loosen its grip. The vampire opened its mouth wide and brought it down on Kevin's neck and was about to rip his jugular out when it suddenly jerked back and howled in pain, dropping Kevin and flapping away. Kevin was jarred from the impact and shook his head as Eileen helped him to his feet. "Nice distraction," she muttered dryly. "Thanks," Kevin replied, "Is he dead?" "No," Eileen said, "I hit him in the side...but he's still moving. This thing is powerful." Kevin looked past Eileen and his eyes widened, "That's not the only problem." Eileen turned to see the infected vampires rushing up the stairs, a rage in their eyes. "Looks like the vampire called for back up," Kevin muttered. "What now?" Eileen asked, firing a shotgun blast into the vampire ranks, knocking them back. "Follow me," Kevin shouted and ran back into the room the bats had come from. "We've got to get on the roof!" "What?" Eileen demanded incredulously, "What are we gonna do up there?" "There has to be a way down from the roof," he looked at her with a pleading gaze, "It's the only way." Eileen shook her head in exasperation, "Fine, let's go." Kevin boosted Eileen up through the hole and then grabbed the edge of a broken shingle and pulled himself up with her help. "Now what?" Eileen asked. Before Kevin could answer, a wave of bats poured out of the hole and flew straight for them. Kevin reached for his shotgun before realizing that he had left it back in the house. Eileen turned with a grim stare and fired the shotgun. The bullets spread out, blasting through the tiny bats, leaving a much smaller force that still flew toward them. "Let's go!" Kevin shouted. "Where?" Kevin looked around, noting a tree with branches that stretched onto the roof, as well as a vines climbing along one side of the wall. Before he could make a decision, there was a loud thud and the familiar crunching of claws on shingles. They both turned to see the vampire stalking toward them, his wounds still bleeding but not slowing him down. It's now or never," Kevin muttered grimly. Eileen nodded, her face set with determination. They both heard growling come from behind and turned to see that the vampire minions had climbed onto the roof and were fast approaching. "Take care of them," Kevin said, turning back to the vampire, "I'll deal with the vampire." Without waiting for a reply, Kevin rushed forward, firing his pistol into the vampire's chest. The vampire had his arm up in time to ward off the shots, although one managed to pierce his belly. He swung his arm straight out when Kevin got close, but Kevin managed to duck into a roll just in time and popped up right next to the vampire. The vampire closed his arms around Kevin faster than he'd expected and squeezed while slowly flying high into the air. Kevin gasped for breath as his hands popped open in pain, dropping the gun to land clattering on the roof. His lungs screamed out in agony as his rib cage was pressed against them, stopping the air from flowing in. It was then that Kevin noticed his close proximity to the creature's neck. The smell of blood suddenly became the only thing he noticed. His human mind briefly fought against it, but the lack of oxygen and the enormous amount of blood pouring from the vampire's body drove Kevin over the edge. His mouth open in pain suddenly closed over the creature's neck, tearing at its jugular. Immediately the vampire's grip loosened, but Kevin reached his arms up, not ready to let go just yet. He took one bite, relishing in the juicy flavor, his stomach finally feeling some satisfaction after being deprived for so long. Kevin continued to tear away at the vampire's neck until his wings gave way, and then they both began to fall. Kevin wasn't paying attention as he shoved every bit of vampire flesh he could into his mouth. When they hit the roof, the shingles broke apart like twigs beneath an elephant and the two animals landed in the room where it all started. The vampire absorbed most of the shock, but Kevin, in his weakened state, was still knocked unconscious from the fall. Kevin's eyes fluttered open slowly and he found himself lying in the back seat of his car. Eileen was driving, her eyes fixed on the road. "What happened?" he asked. Eileen jolted up in surprise and then glanced back at him, "Glad to see you're awake, I was getting worried." She paused and then said, "You did it...the vampire's dead." Kevin let out a sigh of relief, "Good...but how?" Eileen glanced at him in surprise, "You don't remember?" Kevin shook his head, "The last thing I remember is walking up to the mansion." "Huh," Eileen muttered, "you must have a concussion. It's probably best if you don't know what happened though." Kevin shrugged and sat up, "Alright, where are we going now?" "Back to Doctor Omar," Eileen replied, "when you fell--which I guess you don't remember--you broke the phone he gave you, so I'm taking you back to see him." "But what about the Queen?" Kevin demanded. "We'll get her when you're well." Kevin sighed and leaned back against the seat, "Alright, I'm gonna get some rest, let me know when we're--" "We're here," Eileen cut in. Kevin's eyes popped open, "Really? Gee, I must have been out for awhile." "Ya," Eileen muttered, "And it wouldn't hurt if you lost a few pounds either." Kevin didn't hear that remark as he was already getting out of the car. Eileen quickly followed and they both stepped towards the broken down building where Omar was hiding. To Kevin's dismay the entire building was surrounded by zombies, all of them fixated on the door that led down to Omar's hiding place. "They found him," Eileen whispered. Kevin nodded, "Ya, but the fact that they're still trying to break in means he's alive." "So how do we reach him?" Eileen asked. Kevin reached into his pocket, "I'll call Omar!" Eileen sighed as he pulled the broken phone out of his jacket, "Really? Good luck with that." Kevin stared at the phone in dismay, "Oh shoot...I forgot."