004 Dark: L4D2

Theme 004 "Dark" for the 100 Theme Challenge.

Pain burned inside of him, depression and hopelessness trying so damn hard to creep into his cheerful exterior. He had to be dragged into the saferoom, as he could barely walk on his own. Only a few feet in, he collapsed. Something in his heart gave out, the despair creeping in a little easier. The other three gave him concerned looks.

"Ellis, sweetie?" Rochelle knelt next to him. "Let's get you further in, I'm sure there's a--"

"Naw, I'm jus' fine right here." He offered her a weak smile. "Jus' wanna sit for a minute." Covered in grime and blood, he wasn't convincing, but she didn't want to push him, was afraid to see him break. Offering a silent nod, she walked further in with Coach.

Nick didn't buy it for a second. As he turned away, he gave one last look to the mechanic, bathed in the moonlight streaming through the bars of the door.

That eternal smile was gone, replaced with something terrible, something horrible. A tear fell down his cheek, lost in the dirt and wounds.

He'd give Ellis a few minutes by himself before he came back to shove some pills down his throat and change his bandages, he told himself. Kid just needed a moment.

A quiet, almost inaudible sob chased him as he walked the other way.
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Character is Ellis from Left 4 Dead 2. Drawn in Paint Tool Sai.