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[Bernie]

(A story to tie in both Bern's pre-virus life and that of my soon to be new character.)

Part One - Heavy Debt (Through Bern's Eyes)

"Bill, bill, bill, bill, tax, bill, rent, bill...oooo, coupon for free chicken noodles at the Har-...damn, that's my restaurant!"

Bern threw the pile of bills to the ground in a fit of rage. He slipped his hands over his face, and lay back in his bed, depressed. The figure of a young woman, with short brown hair, appeared at the door.

"What now Kelly?"
"Dad, you're never going to get far with that attitude. You've got to just p-..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. 'Pick up the pieces of my life and start over afresh, and everything will be alright!'...sheesh."

Kelly shrugged, walking off. Bern rubbed his face, and closed his eyes, trying to get to sleep. "Ever since Mary went missing, Kelly's been right moody. I just wish I knew what she really wanted me to do. I mean, god, am I supposed to just say magical words and hope for Mary to just friggin' appear out of thin air?"

"Fuck this..."

Bern grabbed his cover, pulling it over himself. "Jesus, what's up with the weather these past few days. It's friggin' freezing..."

Part One - Heavy Debt (Through Kelly's Eyes)

Kelly walked into the flat, and could instantly hear her father shouting something about his restaurant. She hung her coat up on the wall, before walking over to the open door of her dad's bedroom.

"What now Kelly?"
"Dad, you're never going to get far with that attitude. You've got to just p-..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. 'Pick up the pieces of my life and start over afresh, and everything will be alright!'...sheesh."

Kelly shrugged, and left the room. She sat down at the kitchen table, and opened up the newspaper. She heard her father mutter something, and then heard him pulling the cover over himself. She put down the newspaper and checked her watch.

"2:00 PM"

Kelly shook her head, and picked up the newspaper again to read it. "Well, if the fat bastard is late for his work today, he's got only himself to blame..."

[Bernie]

Part Two - The Early Bird (Through Bern's Eyes)

"The nightmares, the voices. Images of Mary...what, what is this?" Bern awoke, deep in a cold sweat. Breathing heavily, he looked at his alarm clock. "4:23 PM...Shit, I'm late!"

"Ugh, Kelly, Kelly, get the breakfast ready will ya'?"

Bern leaped out of his bed, tripping over the spinning cover. Managing to crawl out from underneath the trap, he ran out of the door. "Kelly's not here, and what the Hell am I doing, there's no time for a friggin' shower!" Bern quickly turned around and ran back into his bedroom, quickly changing into his socks and jeans.

"Holy...Jesus Christ!"

Bern struggled to breathe, managing to quickly pull the tight jeans back off again. "Jesus, what the Hell was that about?" Bern raked through the drawers, pulling out his blue shirt and baggy, brown trousers. He grinned into the nearby mirror, before running towards the door.

"...Duh, shoes!"

Bern slipped, as he turned back around. Managing to stop himself from impacting with the floor, Bern grabbed his nearby trainers and put them on. He snatched the keys from the side table, and burst through the door to the outside balcony. In a moment of haste, Bern quickly shut the door and locked it, before running down the stairs. Eventually getting into the street, Bern began his long run to work...

[Bernie]

Part Three - Chinese Catastrophy (Through Bern's Eyes)

"Ha-Harry, c'mon man, I can explain."
"What is it this time, Hilton?"
"Another rough night, I swear. It was the nightmare aga-"
"Oh, the nightmare...will I just mark you down as being a fucking moron and staying out all night to drink instead of sleeping, Hilton?"

Bern's lip twitched, as he looked to the floor in shame. "Agh, the Bastard is always like this. Time to wriggle my way out from underneath his 'Death Grip'..."

"Ugh, sir, please. I've been having trouble, okay? Hell, I've been given friggin' medical pills to keep my sanity stable."
"Oh, indeed Hilton, I believe you. Honestly, is this the same time as when you were late for work because you were taken hostage by Will Smith?"
"..."
"Just leave, Hilton. It's another cut in your wages."
"But, but!"
"No, Hilton."

Bern eyes darted around the room, as he got to his feet. He rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"But, all the bills and taxes. I'll never make it a day without proper wages!"
"You should've thought about that before you decided to drink a way out from your sorrows. I expect you to be an hour EARLY tomorrow..."
"Wh-what?!"

Bern clenched his fist, and walked out of the office, slamming the door behind him. "Jesus Christ, best not to tell Kelly." Bern grabbed the apron from the nearby hook, placed it on and tied it. Bern then walked over to the fridge, and checked for what was in today.

"你好, Mr.Hilton, 您或陳鈳q過我麵條從第二碗櫃嗎?"
"..."
"麵條? 第二碗櫃?"

Bern's mouth dropped wide open, as he simply stared at his co-worker. "What the Hell is this guy saying. He's pointing to the second cupboard. Maybe he wants the, ugh...noodles!" Bern opened the cupboard, and pulled out a bag of noodles, handing it to the worker.

"There ya' go."

[Bernie]

Part Four - Press-ing Hard (Through Kelly's Eyes)

"Two crimes in a week. My job's not been too hard recently. Wonder why the homicide rate is so high now? Well, not a problem for us journalists..."

"Hey, Peter, get me the headlines from yesterday will you?"
"Sure thing Kelly!"

Kelly nodded gratefully, as Peter closed Kelly's office door. "Both murders took place in big cities. I can easily tell that one of them is just your average murder but...this second victim, was basically chewed to death..."

"Kelly, I've got the records you wanted."
"Sure, c'mon in Frank."

Frank opened the door, leaving it open after walking over to Kelly's desk. "Damn prick, leaves the door open every time." Frank slapped the records on to Kelly's desk and smiled, as he walked out.

"Thanks Frank."

"Moron..." Kelly picked up the records, flicking through them one by one. "I've never seen something like this before. It's as if the murderer was a...cannibal or something..."

[Bernie]

Part Five - The Mysterious Call (Through Bern's Eyes)

"So, here I am. Back at the flat after a hard day of work. And what do I accomplish? Almost being fired. This isn't my day, ya' know?" Bern kicked off his trainers and placed his feet on the table. Just as he did so, Kelly walked in through the door. Bern could see the dark, night sky behind her, covered with storm clouds. Thunder and lightning, raging in the backwards in what seemed to be a competition to see which one could scare people more.

"Kelly, what's up with the weather?"
"I'm a journalist, dad, not a weather forecaster."
"...Right! I knew that."

"Well, she seems to have calmed down. But...I better not tell her though, or she'll go crazy again."

"Hey, ugh, Kelly, so...what's happening in the news today?"
"Not much, a wierd murder."
"How can a murder be wierd?"

The phone rang loudly, and Bern got to his feet.

"Ugh, I'll tell you later?"
"Sure thing, Kelly."

Bern nodded, and walked into his bedroom. He took a seat on the bed, and answered the phone.

"Hello?"
"Is this Mr.Hilton?"
"...Yes?"
"Good, we'd like to inform you of some...'debts'."

Bern's eyes, shifted to the door, as he could see Kelly sitting on the couch watching T.V. He walked over quietly, and shut the bedroom door. "Agh shit, this is just my luck. I'm incredibly screwed..."

"Debts? I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, now Mr.Hilton. You wouldn't lie now, cause you know what happens to liars."
"...No?"
"They gets castrated."
"..."
"Not your best choice, is it?"
"No, sir..."

Bern's lip twitched as he sat back onto the bed, rubbing his chin.

"Okay, what do you want?"
"We want the debts payed. All £5, 000 of the debts!"
"Fucking Hell, you think I have that money?"
"No, but you need to make that money if you want to live Mr.Hilton."
"Heh, what the Hell can you do. You don't know me!"
"Oh, quite the opposite Mr.Hilton. Go out onto the balcony."
"Ba-...how'd you know there's a balcony..?"

Bern got to his feet, and walked over to the door. He opened it, and continued on through the room and out of the flat door, out onto the balcony. He raised an eyebrow, confused by the situation.

"And?"
"Look over the railing, do you see the green Ford?"
"...Yeah."
"Wave to it, go on, do it."

Bern shrugged, and waved his hand at the green car. His eyes widened, as the doors of the green car opened. A couple of odd looking fellows came out, and looked up at Bern. "Holy sh-...did I just walk into a feckin' trap by choice?!"

[Bernie]

Part Six - The Not-So-Great Escape (Through Bern's Eyes)

Bern watched in horror, as the men, no doubt gangsters, made their way towards the flat. "Oh shit, right. What to do..." Bern looked down, seeing the fire escape a few feet to the left...and about six feet down. "Ah, that's not helping."

"Kelly, Kelly, don't panic. I need you to go down the stairs, to the floor underneath us, and raise the fire escape ladder."
"Why?"
"Don't ask why, just feckin' do it!"

Bern watched as Kelly passed him down to the sixth floor. He could hear the footsteps of people coming up, and he knew it was them. "Right, this calls for emergency measures!" Bern slammed his foot down on the glass table nearby, smashing it. He then grabbed the table by the legs, and began preparing to swing it. Just then, the ladder started to raise.

"Oh, thank god Kelly!"

Bern threw the table towards the stairs, and slid down the ladder.

"Good work Ke-..."

Within almost an instant, Bern found himself punched in the face, and knocked out...