1 Chapter One- Silence And A Motorcycle

CLAIRE'S POV

The air was chilly and dense, my shoulders slouched over my motorcycle, my hand moving the handle gently in order to generate speed. I had just gotten off the phone and I fail to understand why people worried about me so often. I was quite capable of taking care of myself, I was woman enough to handle this world. Others were protective but there was only one person who would go the extra mile to keep me safe.

Chris.

It had been over a year since I have been to this small town and it was three months since I saw my older brother. A brother that I owed an apology for my awful behaviour the last time he came to see me. Was that the reason he avoided my calls for the past three months?

I swerve slightly, my head turning to glance at the object present in the road slightly. Now why the hell was there a tire lying in the middle of the road? Shaking my head I kept my gaze forward, a small flashback of guilt generating.

THREE MONTHS AGO:

"You got shot?" I asked and my brother's composure was now stiff. With my question came the body language of someone who gave way too much information for their liking. I continued to stare because it was already said so this was his chance to address it.

The atmosphere of fun and laughter depleted slowly. I stared at Chris while he stared at me.

"It was a minor shot, Jill and I got the guy and our Captain was surprisingly impressed. Either that or the guy was glad that I came back bleeding" he stated as he chuckled before taking a sip of his beer. I shook my head as I stared at my sneakers.

How could he laugh about this? A shot to the shoulder was pretty close to the head if you asked me.

"How can you say that so lightly Christopher?" I hissed as I stood with my small fists at my side. Christopher stared up at me, the beer being placed to the small table before us.

"Claire-"

"No Chris, you will not try to calm your way out of this one. You lied to me with those phone calls because not once did you mention a bullet to the shoulder" I told him as I raised a finger the moment he stood. He took a deep breath, his arms crossed as he stared at me with that calm expression on his face.

He was never the type of person to yell so I guess he did not appreciate me yelling over his head.

"This is the exact reason I don't tell you the danger of my work" he told me and I knew how much my brother hated to see me cry so I suppressed the threatening tears.

"I lost two people already Chris" I told him and he ran his fingers through his dark hair.

"So did I do I. I am willing to sacrifice all I have for my little sister because you are all I have left. I love you and I want the best life for you" he told me and I curled my lips in distaste.

"What should I do if your teammates show up at my door with the news of my brother dying?" I asked and he placed a hand on my shoulder, my head being lift slightly to stare up at the only piece of family I had left.

"Then you live. Do all the things I want you to do" the moment he said that I flashed free. The brute actually thought of his death.

"How could you be so selfish?" I asked as my voice cracked, Chris moving slightly as I walked by him. He never allowed me to get to my room before speaking.

"I think it is you who is being selfish Claire" he told me and I froze, my tears falling in silence. I continued to my room.

PRESENT:

I pulled over at the gas station, maybe if I got my brother a beer as a peace offering he would somehow find the strength to speak to me. I felt silly trying to bribe my brother but I was desperate because my every phone call was ignored. For a gas station it was oddly quiet, there were a few cars here but where were their drivers?

I took a deep breath as I brought my leg over my motorcycle, my eyes scanning the area. There was not a single person in sight and the fact that there was blood on the floor this made my blood chilled. Something was not quite right about this early Halloween party. I removed my helmet and stared for a while.

"What the hell happened here?" I mumbled as I placed my helmet onto my bike, my shoes collecting the blood that resided on the pavement. My eyes fell to the shopping mart, the darkness there giving me the every right to be curious. I made my way over slowly, my hand touching the door gently.

Maybe I should just get out of here and go to my brother. The beer could wait because something tells me that I won't like what I find indoors.

It was a Redfield's nature to be stubborn so I opened the door, my eyes falling on the flashlight at my feet. I lowered and collected it without question.

How convenient?

Did I just walk in on someone's surprise birthday party? Yeah right, blood was a rather sick decoration if you asked me.

"Hello?" I called softly as I continued to move, my chest tightening as there was blood indoors as well.

"Hello" I called as I continued to shine my light around, the cashier's desk was empty and filled with blood. I cringed slightly because this was not what I expected when I came to Raccoon City.

I turned my head the moment I heard a sound and my light went to that direction without hesitation. I gasped, I had an eye to eye view with cannibalism and it was quite terrifying. The victim was dead but the man above him was irritated that I disturbed his meal. I stepped back slightly but when hand captured my shoulder I screamed, my body finding the strength to push the individual away from my body.

The man growled, his arms out stretched as he moved towards me. I dodged his attempt and ran for the door, my feet scratching against the floor when I ran into a man with his gun raised. I raised my hands on instinct, my eyes wide with horror.

"Wait! Don't shoot!" I yelled as my chest moved due to hyperventilation.