She clasped her hands together and rested them on her lap, seeming a bit nervous.
“Did you just ask me to the prom because I am the only girl left alive?” Michelle asked.
I laughed and said with a stutter, “No… I… We… what I mean is… I like you.”
Michelle smiled and tried to hide that she was self-conscious about compliments and then pushed some hair back behind her ear.
“I like you too.” Michelle said, “I have a confession to make. I have noticed you in the school corridors before, but I never wanted to… I never could talk to you. I was afraid that if you knew that I liked you that you would reject me.”
“What?” I asked shocked, “Why would I reject you? If anything, I would think you would reject me.”
Michelle smiled and said, “I’m not like the other girls in school. Yes, I portray this image of being perfect, but I really am not. I do not open up easily to others, but I feel safe and comfortable with you. I feel like I could tell you anything without being judged.”
Michele inched closer to me and laid her one hand on the edge of the cushion.
“I feel like I’ve known you forever.” Michelle said, “I am just sorry it took me so long to build up the courage to finally talk to you.”
Michelle inched closer and I could feel my heart racing and my mouth got dry. She was so close to me. I could lean in and kiss her. I could kiss her like the heroes did in the movies. Perhaps I was overthinking it? I should stop thinking and just act. My mind was racing through all sorts of thoughts when I saw Michelle leaning in for a kiss. This was it… I closed my eyes and leaned in closer to kiss her. Her tongue was warm and soft just like I imagined, but she was a horrible kisser. Her tongue was all over my lips, which was kind of disgusting.
I heard laughing and opened my eyes to find myself staring into icy blue Husky eyes while Fluffy licked my mouth. I jerked back and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand while Michelle laughed hysterically.
“Bad dog!” I said laughing.
3
We slept on the couch that evening while Fluffy slept on the rug in front of the dying fire. I cannot remember when last I slept as deep as I did that night. It was obviously all the excitement of killing zombies that completely drained me of energy.
I remember thinking about my friend, Jim and my mother – wondering whether they survived the apocalypse. I wondered whether it would at all be possible to find them in this world of the undead. More troubling thoughts popped into my head and then I drifted off to sleep. It was a deep and dreamless sleep brought on by exhaustion.
Somewhere in the early morning hours, a thud that echoed through the house woke me up. My eyes were still burning from fatigue while I tried to see around me. Fluffy sat upright next to me staring at the hallway while Michelle slept. It had to be around six AM, as I could see the sun rising behind the drawn curtains.
“What is it boy?” I asked Fluffy, “Did you hear that?”
I got up from the couch and grabbed the axe which stood up right next to the fireplace. I held up the axe with my right hand and cautiously walked towards the hallway while Fluffy followed me in silence. I was not sure what use this dog was to me, because my idea of a dog was a creature that would run off and defend humans against odd noises. Fluffy was like a little cuddly teddy bear that followed you around waiting for a snack or a hug. He did not seem very useful during a zombie apocalypse.
As I entered the hallway, I treaded lightly hoping that the floorboards would keep quiet. I heard scuffling coming from the kitchen and immediately knew that someone – living or dead – had somehow gotten inside the house.
I raised the axe as I got to the kitchen doorway and was ready to bring it crashing down on the intruder as I came around the corner. In the darkness I saw someone scurrying through the pantry with his back to me. A floorboard creaked beneath me and the person looked back over his shoulder. When he saw the axe, he spun around and gestured with his hands.
“Zac!” The man said, “It’s me, Alex!”
I lowered the axe and Alex relaxed a bit. He took a deep breath and put down the cans of food in his hands. Alex was covered in dirt and his shirt was torn across the chest. His facial expression was perplexing, he seemed sad and yet happy to see me.
“Am I glad to see you.” Alex exclaimed.
I, on the other hand was still uncertain whether I was glad to see my bully alive or not. Yes, I know that he was a bit more humble in the changing rooms the day before, but I cannot simply dismiss years of torture. One good deed does not undo years of bad deeds.
“Alex.” I said baffled, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m looking for a safe place to ride this thing out.” Alex said.
“How did you get in?” I asked worried.
“I broke the lock on the front door.” Alex said, “I didn’t know anybody was here. Don’t worry, I barricaded the door again.”
I kept staring at him flabbergasted and then he broke the silence.
“You don’t mind me staying, do you?” He asked.
“No, of course not.” I replied.
Come on. What was I supposed to say to him? I could not tell him to hit the road. We might be the only ones left alive in town. I would feel like a real jerk if I let the only other man left alive go out on his own and he ended up being eaten alive.
“Great.” Alex said as he turned to leave, “I’m gonna wash up. I am covered in dirt.”
“How—“ I said, making him halt, “How did you get out alive?”
“I don’t know.” Alex said, “Honestly, it happened so fast. I just remember walking down the aisle towards the main entrance of the school building and then the next moment people around me started screaming and eating each other and then I just ran. I pushed everyone out of my way and just ran. I’ve been running around this town ever since it happened, hoping to find my family.”
“Did you find them?” I asked.
“Yes.” Alex said, “I found them at home. My mother was in the kitchen…”
Alex drifted off as he spoke, “…her face was gone. My sister was in the living room – eating my father’s severed leg.”
There was a moment of silence as Alex tried to forget the macabre things he saw in his house.
“I’m sorry.” I said sincerely.
Alex snapped out of his dazed state, but did not smile to hide his pain. He simply nodded and walked off to the bathroom. I don’t know whether I would ever be able to recover from seeing my family eating each other. It would haunt me till the end of my days, and I had the slight suspicion it would haunt Alex forever. It was actually sad to think one day he was one of the popular kids and within less than twelve hours, he was humiliated and teased and saw the massacre of his entire family. He was clearly not the Alex I remembered and deserved a second chance.
I walked down the hallway towards the bathroom and found Alex drawing a bath. He stood in front of a wooden shelf full of towels. The shelves almost reached up to the ceiling. He was just about to remove his shirt when I spoke.
“Alex,” I said, “You can stay as long as you want. We need you just as much as you need us. We have plenty of food and this house is secure.”
Alex nodded and removed his shirt. He didn’t say anything. He was not arrogant or anything, but I suspected he was mourning his family and wanted time on his own. It was completely understandable and I was going to oblige. He continued to get undressed and I saw it as my exit queue; I saw his package once before and once was enough.
As I left, I heard him whisper thank you.
4
I went back to the living room and found Michelle twiddling with an old wind-up radio while she sat on the couch. She cradled it in her lap like a baby and turned the knob to get a signal. A floorboard creaked beneath me and she looked up.
“Morning.” She said with a smile.
My legs went all rubbery beneath me at the sound of her voice. She had a voice and a smile sent from heaven and could sooth an
y problem like a lullaby.
“Morning.” I greeted back.
“I found an old radio in the closet.” Michelle said, “I’ve been trying to get a signal for a while, but find nothing but static. I cannot imagine what is going on out there. Maybe we aren’t the only town with the infection?”
I nodded and shifted my hands a bit uneasy. I did not know what to say to her, I mean what if she was right and we were some of the last ones left alive in a world of the dead? How could we ever recover from the end of the world – the end of mankind?
“Did you try AM or FM?” I asked.
“FM.” She replied.
“Try the AM frequency.” I said and sat down next to her, “The short-band frequency might have something.”
She fidgeted with the radio and turned the knob again. There was more static and then a broadcast. At first it sounded like a news report, but we soon realized it was a recorded message;
This is Mayor Green. If you are listening to this you are one of the uninfected. Do not – I repeat: DO NOT try to make contact with any missing loved ones. Stay indoors and if possible, barricade all doors and windows. The infection has spread faster than any other known disease. The origins of the disease are unknown and there seem to be no cure. Reports have come in that the infection has spread as far as New York, India, Hong Kong, London and even Sydney Australia. If you are in a safe place, please stay put and wait for reinforcements to arrive. Make sure you have plenty of water and food.
The message replayed as Michelle and I stared at each other in astonishment. So she was right. The infection was not only in our town of Kingston Valley, but has spread across the entire world overnight.
“What are we going to do?” Michelle asked concerned.
There is a time in every hero’s life when he has to stand up and take charge, a time when he has to assess the situation and identify which way forward… a time for leadership. I had to step up and take control of the situation. I had to think about Michelle and Alex’s safety. I could not simply think about killing the undead. What if one of them got infected?
Fluffy came in and pushed his snout underneath my hand and I rubbed his head. I also had to think about Fluffy as he was part of the family now.
“We should set out and look for survivors.” I said.
“But the Mayor said we should stay indoors.” Michelle said concerned.
I looked at her and could see that she was worried; it was written all over her face. I stopped petting Fluffy and took a hold of her hand with both of mine. Her skin was as soft as a new rose petal.
“I will never let anything happen to you.” I said, “I would walk through the fires of hell to keep you safe, but what if it was your mother or father or sister out there? Wouldn’t you want someone to save them? I cannot ignore the fact that someone out there might need our help.”
Michelle stared into my eyes and smiled before pushing strands of hair in behind my left ear. I hated it when my hair hung in my face. Sometimes I think I should just shave my head bald like a jarhead.
“I know.” Michelle said, “You’re taking on a huge burden and cannot ignore your destiny.”
She kept staring into my eyes and I into hers. For a second it almost felt like we were one soul. She slowly leaned forward with her inviting lips. I shifted closer to her and closed my eyes as I leaned in for the kiss.
“You guys!” Alex said interrupting the kiss.
Michelle and I shifted away from each other and looked up at Alex who stood in the doorway wearing only his pants. He had an excited smile upon his face like a little kid on Christmas morning.
“You have to see this!” Alex exclaimed.
Alex led us back to the bathroom. Fluffy was skipping behind me, always staying within a few feet of his new master. There was something different about the bathroom. The wooden towel shelf stood at an angle like an agape door. Behind it were more shelves –
Zac Zombie 2: World of the Undead Page 2