#hellflamesroar

//What breed? So pretty!!

// -whispers- i am here

It was afternoon in the Arklay Mountains, the late day sun beating down on the ruins of a once great city. Raccoon City. And in just a few hours, it would be sunset. And as dangerous as this place was, that sight was too a beautiful one to behold.

Diana always came down to the ruins to make sure things were not getting out of hand, as infected plants had taken over the central park and zoo locations... But they were far more behaved that previous plants. They were thriving and content. Not violent or lashing out. they had enough years to calm down and have their own place to sink in their roots... So long as no one or nothing came in to bother them. It was their territory.

Today was one of those check up days. Of which, Diana was making her rounds through the destroyed roads, what was left of them. Climbing over metaled cars and ripped apart buildings, ruble laying everywhere. Sometimes there was a dead Licker or Hunter, strung up from a street lamp, that had a burning metal bucket under it. Sources of light. They would last for at least 12 hours before she had to relight them. And those dead infected monsters were Diana's handy work. It was what little was left of them anyway. The underground was still deadly. she made sure to stay above ground.

Dahlia turned to look through the cracks of the boarded up windows and smiled at the children with their chubby hands and rosy faces. She heard Alice stir and turned back to her. 

‘You’re awake.’ She said brightly. The older woman sat up and raised an eyebrow, giving her a small smile. 

‘How long have you been sitting there?’ She asked, leaning in with her forearms on her thighs. She had bright pretty eyes that sparkled and a sideways crooked smile to match. Dahlia looked down, blushing.

‘Since they brought you in here. So. Eight days, I guess.’ She smiled, finally looking back up timidly. ‘I wanted to make sure nothing hurt you and you didn’t have nightmares. Didn’t want you to be alone.’

The older woman smiled at her and looked down. Her brow furrowed only slightly, and she once again looked up into the younger one’s eyes. 

‘Did you give me this?’ She asked, showing her the braided bracelet of many colors that decorated her wrist now. Dahlia looked away. 

‘For good luck.’ She replied, softly, embarrassed. Dahlia you idiot, she doesn’t believe in luck!

Alice smiled. ‘Thank you. Do you have a name? What can I call you?’ Dahlia bit the inside of her lip. 

‘K-Mart.’ She replied. The other’s face turned to that of amusement, bewilderment. 

‘K-Mart? Do you have another name?’ She asked, laughing. Dahlia’s smile twitched at the corner of her mouth thinking of it. 

‘That’s where they found me. Claire and the others, a couple months back. I always hated my name, and everyone I knew is dead so…’ She shrugged with a bright smile. Alice nodded, eyes sparkling.

‘K-Mart it is.’ She glanced up at the windows and noticed the faces poking through, pointing and giggling. Her brow furrowed as she looked back at Dahlia. ‘What’s with them?’ She asked. 

‘They didn’t think you were real.’ Dahlia replied earnestly. ‘They tell stories about you at night like you’re the boogeyman or Dracula… Something like that.’

Alice scoffed, looking down at her hands. The younger girl saw hurt in her eyes. ‘Something like that.’ Alice replied. Dahlia reached out and lifted her chin up, gently.

Grunt.  It works a bit more when she’s a guy, but — there it is.  A grunt.