His hand was good but he was wholly reliant on the three cards lying facing up on the table... nearly a straight but not quite.
He dropped his cards face up on the table.
"Nothing, so close yet so far" he said
He took another pull on the beer bottle and gathered up the cards ready to reshuffle. His attentiln was captured however by loud muffled sounds coming from outside it seemed.
"Whoa whoa, shhh... can you hear that?" He raised his hand in a silencing gesture as he spoke, slowly rising from his seat, he saw Luke doing the same and readying his weapon, it was like autopilot, he reacted whenever Ryan did and vice versa.
He made for the exit and pulled the heavy door open, checking his zones before exiting into the hallway beyond. All was clear, he signalled for Luke to move up. The hallway was more of a balcony, looking around, Ryan could see the main lobby below, it's intricate decor and towering pillars gave the inpression that his would have once been a grand and thriving hotel, but in this day and age all Ryan saw was good cover.
The sounds were more defined now he was outside the large dining hall, the metallic clang and thumping of wood paired with the vicious snarls of whatever was smashing against barricades door, made for a strange collaboration. It was coming from the main entrance down in the lobby and so Ryan signalled for luke to take cover by the low cut wall of the balcony so he could get a good vantage point down into the lobby.
Ryan pulled his baton free and quietly proceeded down the grand staircase, he headed toward the first of the four pillars and glanced up at luke, who gave him the ok. As he moved out if the cover of the pillar he could hear the splintering of wood as the creature seemed to be finding some success in its endeavors, he felt his heart in his chest, solidly pounding, almost as if it were reminding him of its presence and insistence to remain beating. He took a few deep breaths and then jogged carefully for the second pillar which he hugged with his back. His body was working overtime now, the creature beyond the door grew more and more impatient, he guessed it could sense his fear or maybe smell the blood that was now flowing even faster around his body. Again he took a deep breath and breathed the words. Fuck It. He ran from behind the pillar and darted for the door, he saw the creature, which turned out to be three instead of one, half hangung througb the door and pushing through the barricade. He raises his baton and slammed it down into the base of the skull, the sickening crack resounded loudly throughout the lobby and the creature fell limp for a few seconds before continuing its advance. Ryan repeated the process, the baton smashing through the weakened bone and finding some brain, the creature didnt have time to react this time as the baton forced itself once more into the soft tissue of the brain, the creature collapsed into a second, and permanent, death.
The two remaining creatures pushed forward still, the events they had just witnessed clearly failed to register any kind of threat, their brain was driven by one simple, primitive notion. Feed.
The second creature grabbed hold of the motionless body of the first and dragged it back through the hole it has created through the door. This second creature however, dive through the hole, landing on Ryan and dragging him to the ground.
Ryan squirmed and looked around for Luke, he saw him sprinting down the stairs toward him, weapon drawn.
"We got a brainer!" Ryan shouted, he grabbed his baton and held it infront if his face ready to shield himself from the creatures bites.
The creature opened wide and snapped its jaws around the baton, the sound of smashing teeth rang in Ryans ears and he could feel the shards and blood fall onto the side of his face. He took the opportunity to lower the baton and throw a fierce headbutt into the nose of the creature, which now rolled over to one side freeing Ryan from its vice like grip, he turned to stand up and follow his attack up when he was met with deafening crunch and a spatter of blood as Luke brought his weapon down into the head of the creature. Ryan immediately turned his attention to the creature still stood outside the door... just another shuffler, not going to cause any problems. In the distance however, Ryan could see a small horde, they weren't charging, bit they were heading his way.
He pulled a splinteree steel bar from the barricade and thrust it through the gap in yh thee door and into the head of the last creature.
Ryan looked over at luke.
"That noise may have attracted more..."
He pointed out through the gap in the door, showing like the horde.
"If more than one Brainer turns up in that group we're going to have a real problem..." ryan moved to drag the sofa at the far side of the lobby over to the holey door.
"... ah, little bastard.. Sprained my ankle cos of that little shit" he said as he pointed to the dead brainer on the floor.
"We can stay the night, but I think we should make a move out of here soon... the hordes seem to have made the rounds and we dont want a whole swarm of those fuckers catching our scent" he said.
He hobbled up the stairs and took a seat back at the table they had been sat at previously, picking up the beer he took a swig and then lifted his left foot for inspection, it felt like a sprain but he couldnt risk any chance of there being a cut and getting that infected, however his diagnosis was accurate.
"Just a sprain. It'll heal.. gather you stuff, we'll head out at last light"