sometimes i hate my job, but then i get my check and its all okay.

prep yourself, buddies. second death of a character you know :)

dont forget to vote and comment ;)

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Zayn walked down the steps slowly, covering his hand over the light so it wasn't too bright. 

Soft scratches rose from the cement stairs as everyone started piling down. Lea was after Zayn, then Liam, then Niall. 

Once Zayn reached the bottom, he found the source of the sound. Ghouls, but only a few, luckily.

They didn't mind Zayn much, only grazing past him. But once Niall's feet hit the ground, they picked up his scent and started to rush forward. 

Lea was the first to shoot, taking one down in an instant with her lazers. Liam joined, and the both continued while Zayn crept further into the basement. 

Niall squeezed past the two with guns and carefully followed Zayn, not wanting to attract anymore ghouls. 

The ghoul herd was thinning, until there was one left. 

"Cease fire." Zayn demanded, holding his palm up to Lea and Liam. 

This ghoul was chained around the neck and leg, bound to a vertical support beam. From the looks of it, Niall assumed it was feral. 

The lips had fallen off with the remaining skin curling under the gums and exposing few, but sharp teeth. The cheekbones, and any bone for that matter, were prominent from the amount of decay.

The eyes were burned, only ashed were left around the skin. This ghoul's only sense of survival would be through its nose, which was melted down.

It's clawing arm's had no skin for protection, leading it to have pus bubbles festering around the grooves of the muscle. 

The same red substance that was on Smile was covering this ghoul.

A small, tan bag of diamonds lays next to the post with a couple jewels knocked out from the ghoul's movements.

Zayn studied the creature, his features going soft. His shoulders slumped in a relaxed way, signalling he knew this ghoul. 

"Hi, dad." He softly spoke, walking closer to the thrashing being. 

Yasir was relentless, continuing his clawing. Zayn held his hand out, trying to grab his father's arm to comfort him. 

"It's me, Zayn," He spoke, showing a small smile, "I'm your boy." 

Zayn had called Niall his boy after his dad. His dad loved him, and he loved Niall.

Yasir growled, snapping his sharp teeth as his son. 

"You dont look so good, do you?" Zayn softly joked, looking into the dead eyes of his father for some type of response. 

Yasir had seemed to be calmed after hearing his son, not clawing anymore but just panting.

Zayn had gotten dangerously close to the savage being, but showed anything but fear. 

"I'm so glad i've found you, i'd been worried sick. I actually met someone that helped me out along the way," Zayn continued to speak, motioning for Niall to come closer to the family, "This is Niall, the person who helped."

Niall's heart was utterly broken, and all hope he had left for finding Harry alive was demolished. He felt utterly awful for Zayn, but was confused as to why he was taking the discovery so well. 

Niall stepped closer, but kept his distance. Yasir picked up on Niall's humanly scent and began thrashing around once again. 

Zayn looked over at Niall with a hopeful smile, "I think he likes you." 

The blonde let out a nervous laugh, looking between the rugged family. A tornado of emotions was swirling inside of him, consisting of fear, sorrow, hopelessness, and pity.

"This is my dad, cookie, say hi." Zayn encouraged, nodding over to the ghoul. 

"Hi." Niall breathed, trying to be supportive for Zayn and trying to conceal his terror.

The younger gave Zayn a weary smile, prompting Zayn to wonder.

"Hey, are you okay? It's just my father, he doesn't bite," Zayn comforted, placing a hand on Niall's shoulder, "Come closer." 

Niall inched closer, a little too close for his comfort.

"But he does," Niall quietly countered, "He's a ghoul, Zayn. Feral. I'm really sorry, i didnt know-"

"It's okay, i knew." Zayn nodded, a bit of logic coming back to him.

"So you knew he was a ghoul this whole time?" Niall gasped, a little angry. 

"Well, yes, an unripe one. I guess now he's just ripe." Zayn gave a sad smile, looking over at his dad with soft eyes. 

No wonder he was so defensive of ghouls this whole time, his own father was one.

"Wow, im speechless," Niall admitted, in disbelief, "I can't believe this." 

"Believe what?" Zayn asked, letting his hand fall to Niall's bicep, which he shrugged off. 

"This whole time you had me believing he was alive and we could find him. How the hell are we even going to know if Harry is alive? Milly and Jenny? I've gone on this whole trip, just to end up finding a feral ghoul and probably more once i discover Harry-" 

Yasir's ghoul senses were getting tough to control, and suddenly, he lunged towards Niall in a devilish manor.

Niall screamed and covered his face, falling to the floor. He was expecting to feel scratches and bites, but he felt a body over him instead. 

Zayn had acted fast and covered Niall, pushing him to the floor and away from his dad. Yasir fell to the ground, knocked out from the force.

Niall scooted away, shaking his head and pointing his finger at Yasir, "He just tried to kill me!" 

"I'm sorry, cookie, i didn't know-" 

"To hell with 'i didn't know', Zayn! I dont even know why i trusted you in the first place, you told me to give ghouls a chance, and this is what happens. I almost get mauled by one, and you have the nerve to tell me 'i didn't know'?" Niall screeched, his emotions getting the best of him. He was so angry that he was almost shaking, and his face was beet red. 

Zayn had scratches over his back, which was turned towards Lea and Liam, open wounds with blood leaking out. 

Lea had watched the whole situation go down, and felt a little bad for Zayn. But the closer she studied the scratches on Zayn's back, the more she sided with Niall. 

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?" She spoke up, loading the last bullet she had into her laser gun. 

Zayn looked over at Lea, pleading with his eyes, "Don't." 

"Why not? We're with the institute, it's our duty to eliminate ghouls," She threatened, "Ripe, or unripe."

Niall's jaw fell open, "What, so you're a ghoul, now?" 

"I didnt mean for you to find out like this." Zayn weakly defended himself, looking at who once was his boy.

"He's not the human you thought he was, i knew i smelled an unripe one from the first time we met in the hotel." Lea continued, only angering Niall more.

"Speak for yourself, drone." Zayn narrowed his eyes at Lea, a synthetic person working with the institute. 

Niall couldn't believe his ears, almost on the verge of tears from anger and confusion, "You're a robot?"

"Synth, Liam and i are," She corrected him, "And i want that diamond cure gun that's hiding in the bag so i can destroy it now." 

"No! It's-"

"Give me the bag now, or unripe ghoul boy gets the bullet." Lea threatened, cocking her gun towards Zayn. 

Niall seriously considered letting Lea shoot, but decided that she'd come for him next if she shot Zayn. 

Niall grabbed the bag of diamonds and handed it over to Lea, "Here." 

"I'll be on my way now, glad this wasn't a whole waste of time." She said her last words to the group, and walked up the stairs. 

Niall looked towards Liam, who seemed conflicted, "Well, go! Betray me like everyone else just has." 

"No, Niall. I'll stay." Liam gently spoke, his AI detecting Niall's crazed emotions. 

Hearing those words was like music to Niall's ears, he hadn't realized how worked up he'd gotten until he began crying.

"Liam, i just want to go home," Niall choked, "I just want to have Harry and be happy again." 

Seeing Niall in that state and hearing those words were like daggers to Zayn's chest, but there was nothing he could do. 

"Okay, Niall. Come here, I'll take you home." Liam said, putting his arm around Niall and practically carrying the poor boy up the stairs, leaving the ghoul to rot just like his father had.

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see why i procrastinated thiS? 

like i rlly just did that wow

anyways, i stayed up waaaay too late to write this so im napping tomorrow after work. 

goodnight and pleaseeeee dont kill me lololol

unedited