What Time Doesn't Tell

It had been another lazy day in the country side of God knows what state. Nick and I were sitting on the brown couch given to us by CEDA, playing a few old video games for the crappy Xbox system we found in the house's attic. It was really old, but then again, I didn't really expect to find a flat-screen TV and an abundance of console games in this house. Hell, I didn't even expect to find that they had already turned the electricity back on. But it sure was nice being able to kill the time by playing games instead of sitting in silence. Nick didn't even mind picking up a controller from time to time.

"Alright, third win!" I shouted, a huge grin breaking out on my face.

But Nick did mind losing games. Especially games that he was good at.

"You're cheating, dumbass." Nick growled, his grip tightening on the black controller.

I chuckled and set my controller down on the end table next to me. "Why would I waste my time with trying to cheat? S'not like I can even get cheat codes, wha' without a computer an' all…" I replied, still smiling.

Nick shook his head, looking down towards the floor. The TV screen was still blaring on about how Player Two had won the game. I made a move to stand up and go turn off the Xbox, knowing that Nick didn't like to play games after he already lost a couple of times.

Halfway through standing up, Nick grabbed my wrist and dragged me back down to the couch, pouncing on top of me. I let out a startled shout as he tried to grab both of my wrists. I fought against him, trying not to laugh at his sudden outburst. Even though his weight was beginning to crush down upon me, and the grip on my left wrist was tightening with each passing tick of the clock mounted on the wall behind us, I still found it within me to chuckle and turn this into something not-so serious.

"You're dead, Overalls." Nick hissed, a smile threatening his lips. I couldn't help it but look up into his eyes as he spoke the nickname he had given me too long ago.

I regretted making eye contact with the ex-conman.

All those painful memories…

AN: So, I'm starting a new fic because I can not, for the life of me, think of a continuation in my book. This will hopefully just be a side project and I won't get to into it. But hey, I have a decent plot bunny, so maybe it'll be good. I don't know. Uh... What else to say... Oh right. So this fic is gonna be set up in a very interesting manner. This is the prologue, set in the present (2010?). After this, it's during the zombie apocalypse, in the past. It'll change between Nick and Ellis' perspective later on, but for now, Ellis is the main star. So yeah. Just an insight on how this is gonna be set up. Anywho... Maybe leave a review later on down the road if you're interested in reading this. I have absolutely no idea on how good I'll be doing, since I'll be beta-less.

Disclaimer: I don't own Left 4 Dead 2, CEDA, Nick, or Ellis.