Mercy

[Doctor_sloth 119]

This is a story about the only killing that I feel bad about. I'm not a bandit, and this isn't a murder story. I only kill out of self-defense, or dire need. So if you're looking for that, just go ahead and skip it.( And yeah I know, wall of text but I feel it's worth reading)

I had just spawned near the docks at Cherno, after being eaten alive by Zeds the night before. Refreshed and reinvigorated, I set out to rustle up some gear. I found some rudimentary gear, water bottle, binoculars, cans of beans, etc., as well as a hatchet. Feeling like I had enough to make it inland, and having had enough of Cherno, I begin to make my way North. As I round a corner I meet the business end of a double-barrel, pointed directly at my face. I groan to myself, figuring that Death has found me with his icy embrace once again. But as the seconds tick by, the player in front of me does nothing. I hesitantly press the caps lock button and say,

"What's up man?" He stands there for a few more seconds and I press the button once again, "Are you on Direct Chat?" I ask. Suddenly the chat crackles to life,"Hello, hello? Can you hear me?"

"Yes!" I reply, "Can you hear me?" He responds that he can and introduces himself as Nick. He asks if I'd like to team up for awhile, so we do. I suggest we move inland, to avoid the usual war zone that is Cherno. He thinks this is a good idea, though he was going to make a stop at the hospital first. We decide against it and begin moving North.

After a few hours of looting and pillaging, we've racked up a few dozen zombie kills and had some interesting chats about DayZ, as well as just general small talk. I've managed to pick up a 1911 with a few clips, but have kept the axe for silence purposes, and Nick has found a lee enfield. We've found a barn in the middle of a field somewhere south of Stary, and Nick has gone in to loot it while I stayed outside to keep the zombies out. He rustles around for awhile, and tells me he found a CZ500. Excited for my new found friend, I stand up and walk towards the door to see his shiny new rifle, when it happens. I don't even hear the gunshot, only the sickening whip-crack of the round zipping through my chest. My character falls, and the hourglass appears on my screen. I'm already down to less than 5k blood, and gushing out quickly. More bullets ricochet around me and I'm sure I've had it, when I hear the booming retorts of the CZ Nick just picked up. A death message appears, and Nick shouts out in his victory,

"Nailed that fucker! Right in his head dude, right in his head!" I congratulate him, and kindly ask if he can help me.(It wasn't so kind, I was freaking out)

"Sure thing bud, just let me come down to you." He quickly makes his way to me and bandages my wounds. "Thanks man," I say, "now we just need to wait for the hourglass to go away." He agrees, and stands vigil over my body until the lengthy timer runs out. We search for the body of the guy Nick merced, but in all the excitement, he'd forgotten where it was or the guy disconnected. Either way, we began to move North East, hoping to avoid Stary and get the the hospital in Berezino. About fifteen minutes later, we come across another barn (different model, the one-story type with only one entrance) with a few Zeds outside. I move up and kill two, but then faint as my blood is below 4k at this point. Nick, who is closer to the now aggro'ed last zombie, looks at me and asks if I'm okay. I tell him to watch his back but it's too late, the damage is done. The zombie falls on him, breaking his leg before he can dispatch it. The gunshot from the CZ, as anyone who has fired it knows, aggro'ed the final unseen zombie in the barn. It comes rushing out, flailing and roaring. It sinks it's teeth into Nick's back as I regain consciousness and put it down with a shot from my pistol.

"You okay?" I ask. No response. I wait a few seconds and ask ,"Nick, you there man?" Silence. I check my chat, when a few seconds later I hear "Dude.....I'm fucked." I look and see he is bleeding, and badly by the look of it. "No worries man, " I say, "I'll just patch you up with my banda...." My voice trails off as I remember using my last bandage to heal myself sometime before. "Yeah, I'm out too," he says, understanding my realization. My mind races. "We're not too far from Stary, just wait here and I'll make a run to get you a bandage" There is a pause as he considers this. "You'll pass out before you get half way, and I'll be dead anyway. Plus, my leg is broken." Desperate, I suggest the unthinkable, "Just log out, give me ten minutes, and log back in. I'll have a bandage by then I promise." There is no pause this time, "No way dude, I ain't disconnecting like some kind of punk-ass motherfucker."

The only sounds are those of the wind softly rustling the leaves in the trees, and the cheerful singing of birds. Nick is laying on the ground slowly bleeding out, and I am at a loss for words. "You still got that pistol dude?" he asks me. "Yeah," I respond quietly into the mic, knowing what he wants me to do and frustrated that there's no other option. "Cheer up man,"he says, "shit like this always happens. If it means anything, you're one hell of a partner, and this is the most fun I've had playing with a stranger." He makes a joke about taking what he just said out of context and we both laugh. I draw my pistol and look down the sights.

"You ready?"

"Yeah man, keep on keeping on brother"

"Gentlemen, it's been an honor and a privilege to serve with you." He calls me a homo for making a Titanic reference, and we laugh again. I pull the trigger.

My Murder count goes up by 1.

A totally manly tear rolls down my face.

(Edit: Nick, If you're reading this I still have your CZ. It's racked up about 60 zombie kills since then, and has been a constant companion for the past couple of weeks. Good luck wherever you are, and PM me if you want to group up again. Keep fightin' the good fight brother- Doctor_sloth)

Edited July 26, 2012 by Doctor_sloth

[Gogster (DayZ) 626]

Awesome story - the line of which reminds me of The Walking Dead episode this week.

Thanks man.

[Bobcomss 189]

haha nice man! :D

I had to day the same with my brother after some guy shot him in the back and I mowed him down with my AKM >.< but I hatcheted him to death lol

Sucks when you cant do anything :/ but thats life in DayZ.

AJ