Staying Alive: New Addition

by Edwards, John;

  “We’ll need a car for that”. I messaged the back of my neck.

  Half yawning as I said this.

  “Then we’ll get one, once we go out”. She nodded towards Nika, and folded the paper into a neat little box, placing it into a small pocket on the back pack, zipping it closed. I groaned in pain, seems my necks gone stiff from that earlier position I was in. I blame the way my spine worked. I had scoliosis, my spine wasn’t completely straight. It would curve slightly slumping my back and ruining my posture in the process. I got it from my mom. It wasn’t that bad, it just hurt sometimes to stand up straight. I had to do that a few times for multiple different reasons. Pretty sure that when I grow old I’ll have a hump.

  I secured the holder behind me and placed the katanas into their slots. I laced up my boots tying it around then into a tight knot. Nika had gotten a few small sharp knives from the kitchen, which she placed under her belt. Elise was by the door, the metal baseball bat poking from the behind her. She crossed her arms against her chest and huffed,

  “So, I saw maybe 4 or 6 of them out there, they haven’t noticed us yet. We could both choose a car and run for it, or...” She looked at us, I could see the maliciousness in her eyes.

  “Or, we could fight them, obliterating the threat... taking our sweet time picking out a suitable car”. She said the last few words slowly, letting the ‘sweet’ and ‘suitable’ pass through her O shaped lips, emphasizing the ‘S’s longer than it should be. Still, I smirked with amusement.

  “I like the second one”. I licked my lips by habit. “Same here”. Nika said, her voice in that mouse like state. We looked at each other, then Elise opened the door, leaving it slightly ajar. She eased her hand outward, other on the knob.

  “Let’s go”.

  Chapter 8

  We raced across the lawn. As the Bodies got closer we split up and got rid of the lot, as many in the area. When I was finished on my side, literally both my katanas had been drenched in that black blood. I wiped it off on my shorts. Then slowly placed them back in their holders. When we got back together Elise was crouching down next to Nika. I told them to pick out a car, but I didn’t mean a monster.

  “Really”? I huffed placing my hands on my hips. Parked in front of me was a beautiful black H3 Mid- size SUV. It looked almost too conveniently placed. Especially in this area of the neighborhood.

  “How the heck did you find this”? I walked around the vehicle, looking up and down. I need to savor this moment. I mean, when would be the next time I’d get to ride in this thing? I grinned giddily. Elise glanced up at me, giving me a wink.

  “You like it? Whoever drove this car...is a total boss”. Nika sprung up and jogged around to the driver’s side. Elise patted the hood heavily.

  “Though, unfortunately the only way were gonna get inside this is to-” Before Elise could finish her sentence, Nika leaned back and smashed the driver’s side window with a baseball bat. The shards scattered across the cement. The alarm went off put- ting all of us on high alert. I spun myself around.

  “Gosh Nika! You know that’s gonna attract them”. Elise hurriedly opened one of the passenger seat doors and shoved Nika inside. She winced when her elbow made a heavy impact on the cup holder. “Get inside Jade”! She shouted from across the car.

  “Did you hot wire it yet”? I asked. I started to get uneasy. The car alarm didn’t silence until after a couple of minutes. Elise was already ducked down underneath the wheel, fiddling around with the wires. She was still, and calm. Although her expression wore composure I could see the sweat dribbling down her temple. Her lips quivered, she whispered a cuss and the car roared with power. She sat back in her seat and placed both her hands on the wheel. I chuckled and turned my attention towards the window beside me. My eyes grew widely when those things started to appear one by one out of every street corner. With each step sent shivers down my spine. They walked slowly. Their muscles visible, limbs missing. They paced towards us. I shifted in my seat. I clenched my jaw, massaging my knees. Elise turned towards me and smiled.

  “I’ve always wanted to do this”. I twitched, as she put the car in drive stomping on the accelerator. The forced pushed me back against the seat. I heard Nika stumble about in the seat behind me. Her foot poked out a top the arm rest.

  “This is why you always need to put on a seatbelt”. Elise tapped the steering wheel. Before I knew it they flew from every direction. One of them crashed against my side of the window.

  Elise turned a sharp left corner heading towards the main road. I held onto the handle above me. I’d forgotten about how reckless she was at driving, since she only got her license a couple weeks ago. I went for my cross necklace. Holding it tightly against my chest.

  “Lord, please grant me protection...I might not die from those things today”. Elise took her eyes off the road and glanced at me. “Aw, c’mon that’s rude”. She smirked as she made another sharp left. I braced myself against the car door. Nika was still rolling around behind me. Poor child might end up with a few bro- ken bones from this. We drove past many other cars that were headed in a different direction.

  “Hey, turn on the radio”. Nika squeaked, she leaned between our seats pressing lightly on the radio button. The first thing that came out of speakers were the only people I didn’t really agree with.

  “Oo, One D...fascinating”. I grumbled and switched to the news.

  “Reports have been coming in from every heavily populated towns in the state. Officials have noticed; a high alert to all citizens in the following sections...” I lifted up my legs and wrapped my arms around them. “We have confirmed that these occurrences have been reported in other states since yesterday morning. The estimated total of deaths so far...are steadily rising. Officials have not yet found the source of these deaths”.

  Nika started to kick the back of my seat. She seemed so carefree most of the time. Sometimes I don’t understand her. “These people just don’t want to admit that we’re in the middle of a zombie apocalypses”. She hummed.

  They’ve only told us about the epidemic or tragic illness these people have been through. Right from the very beginning we all knew that something like this was gonna happen. It all started when that new vaccine came out during the start of spring. One that would help people with allergies and would be more advanced that the average summer vaccine. After all the recent sicknesses that have been popping up, doctors and medical university professors have come together to make this so called ‹Ultimate Vaccine’. Yeah sure, they’ve successfully tested it on animals or whatever they use, it still doesn’t mean that it will work positively on the human body. It was after all a tested drug. Thank god I didn’t get that thing injected in me. I’d hate to learn the consequences of an alien toxin swimming about in my blood stream.

  I’ve had enough as is. Some waited for the summer flu shots other well, they weren’t so patient. Then all of a sudden...boom! All that mambo jumbo about the almighty drug sank down to the very bottom of the ratings. All those sorry people went through the pain and suffering for nothing. It didn’t change anything, instead it broke down their immune systems. Slowly draining the strength in their bodies and weakening it. Like cancer, except it might have been more deadly.

  “Stupid experimental drug. Those Idiot for brain doctors had no idea what they were putting themselves into”. Elise bit her lip staring dead ahead at the open road. I would think that we were the only ones heading towards the danger. Most cars went the opposite direction. Trying to get out of town as soon as possible. Not like they could go anywhere. The government hasn’t issued a secured safe location as of yet. Of course they’re only priority is the one person that runs this country and others that govern it. The citizens come after. Sure they might have sent in the military but, something like this it’s too late to stop. Like every other epidemic, it’ll spread until every living being in the entire world is consumed by its madness.

  I’ve been told before that I think negatively. I usually do
it unconsciously, and it’s unintentional but I can’t blame myself for thinking like this...especially in this case. I opened the window and stretched my arm out. Moving my hand up and down, feeling the winds current like a wave.

  “How long until we reach our destination”? I asked.

  “Not long, about 10 more minutes”. Elise gripped the wheel. “I’d like the avoid meeting anyone... unnecessary while were there”. She said.

  “What do you mean”? I turned.

  “What I mean is, anyone that could compromise our form. We have a plan and I don’t want to involve anyone else”. She said sternly. I’ve seen Elise serious... but this was a little unexpected of her.

  “So basically, we can’t make any friends or rather allies”. I eyed her curiously.

  “MH. It’s just...we can’t trust anyone. You know the deal, there’s always those kinds of people when situations like this occur. I don’t want to make any more enemies we’ve already got ‹those’ things out there I don’t need any more reasons to kill”.

  She turned right into a parking lot. Setting the car close to the store. Again we were a bit surrounded by those things out there. I leaned my elbow against the bottom of the window. I sighed.

  “That means I can’t get a boyfriend, huh”? I made a duck face as I glanced at Elise. She was leaning against the wheel. Nika giggled behind.

  “Well...that all depends on if he can handle being with a psychopath then, it’s totally fine with me”. I punched her arm. I’ll take that much sarcasm I know what she really means. I got out of the car closing it slowly, striking a pose in front of the store.

  “Let’s head inside then”.

  Chapter 9

  Elise hopped out of the car, Nika behind her. As we walked closer to the front of the store. I questioned something

  “Hey Elise...Are we gonna leave this black beauty out in the open”? She crossed her arms and sighed looking at the car up and down.

  “Then, where should we put it? Unless we find the loading dock in the back of the building...we can keep it locked up”. She jabbed the air with her thumb, pointing towards the building. “Firstly, we must clear the area as much as we can, if you find any survivors bring them together we’ll talk about what position they have in our group”.

  Me and Nika looked at each other and snickered.

  Elise jumped in surprise.

  “W-what”? She stuttered. Nika gave her a nudge and made her way to the doors.

  “Oh, you know...” I patted her shoulder. She paused. The expression on her face was priceless. I chuckled. Me and Nika waited for her near the doors. They slid open automatically.

  “Looks like the powers still workin ’ fine”. Elise huffed beside me. “Eventually it’ll shutoff. I’d give it a few weeks. The generators would run out of fuel by then”. Nika spoke in a whisper poking her head between the open doorways. I leaned against the wall. While both Nika and Elise checked the area around us. I glanced over my shoulder, just a couple of Bodies here and there. They wouldn’t go after us unless we did anything too loudly.

  “Can we get this over with, the longer we wait here the more my skin will fry from the sun”. The flesh around my arms started to turn a bright red. Don’t supposed I could apply sunscreen once we get inside. Maybe it’ll be too late for that. I sighed with impatience.

  “Alright, we stay together until I say so...” We all nodded.

  We all walked in. I glanced around, no one insight. I would assume they all left in a hurry. Just imagining hundreds of people rushing out between these automatic doors. It’d be just like black Friday. So many bodies pressed against one another, probably tripping over each other. I thought I smelled something metallic in the air. I doubt that Elise and Nika haven’t noticed yet. The shelves were a mess. A pile of canned dog food (Once a towering pyramid) spilled over scattering the floor. I walked over to the cosmetics isle. Holding myself against the tendency to grab EVERYTHING. Even now I think that I should re-apply my make-up. I looked at myself in the little mirror that hung on one of the shelves.

  “Ugh, the eye shadows fading”. I’m someone who really just, loves make-up. Honestly, I only use it to hide all the blemishes among other crap on my face. Without it...I would feel naked. Because you know, most men only like sexy or beautiful women. I shook my head, leaving that thought aside. Nimbly, I grabbed a small bottle of liquid concealer and a stick of ‘Bubbly peach’ colored lip gloss. Might as well take ‘em. It’s not like I’m gonna get arrested for stealing, the cops got their hands busy with ‘other’ things. I roamed around. Looking up each aisle.

  I found Nika in the crafting isle. Flipping through rainbow colored crafting paper. I could see that she was having fun. While all this scenario is going down, I guess she deserves a little freedom. The rest of the store is silent. Peaceful even, nothing but the light tapping of my short healed combat boots. I slung my back pack onto my shoulder, tightening the straps so that they don’t slip. I check the food isle. Almost everything was taken. Even the frozen food.

  “Oh, god...oh god no”! I rush over to the next isle. My boots squeak to a halt when my eyes set on the most horrific scene. Among the jars that were left of peanut butter, marmalade, and jelly my limbs slacken at the empty shelf. Why? Even during the apocalypse why do people have to be so greedy?

  “No good, picky sh-”. I stomped the ground in frustration. Alright I know it’s silly of me to be freaking out about plain old Nutella. Do I even have to say it? Nutella is life. Nutella makes the world go round, not money or... whatever makes the world spin. I pinch the bridge of my nose slowly moving up toward the temples of my head. This is giving me a headache and I have no clue why. I hear heavy footsteps, before I can grab hold of my katanas Elise waves a steady hand at me. I sigh, and sheath the swords back in place.

  “Hey, what’d you find”? I ask trying to sound nonchalant. She narrows her eyes and crosses her arms.

  “Nothing. They took most of the food but there’s enough clean clothes and other necessities”. She walked towards me. When she got to my side I hooked my arm around her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. She turned her head and looked at me, her brows grew together puckering her lips, and she looked at me as if I was some estranged animal locked behind unbendable bars.

  “What...are you doing”? I ignored her question and leaned against her, placing my head on her bonny shoulder. With a sigh I said what was troubling me.

  “They...took all the chocolate gold”. I nudged my head towards the empty shelf. She stilled against me. Then she wiggled loose and took a step closer to the shelf.

  “I know, I know just how you feel Elise. It’s unfortunate but we have to be stron-”. Before I could finish my sentence, she jabs me in the stomach with her elbow. I bend forward wrapping my arms around my waist. Coughing dryly.

  “W-what did you...do that for”. I struggle with the words. As the coughing subsides I take a look at Elise, and she’s scowling.

  Tapping her foot with impatience.

  “D’ really have to be so dramatic? It’s just Nutella Jade, It ain’t gonna kill ya if you don’t have any”. She turned on her heal and walked away. I stood in shock. The one person who so openly screams to the world that her stomach is an endless pit just waiting for more food to be pulled towards it. Grumbling, I rubbed my stomach looked at the shelf once more and sluggishly walked away.

  We must have spent a good 3 hours searching each isle. Finding more shelves disheveled and cleared. At one point I found Elise snacking on a bag of Doritos... specifically the cheddar cheese kind. I couldn’t walk away or say anything. I just stood there while she devoured the contents inside plastic bag. It might have been a full bag three minutes ago, but from seeing her tip the bag up and shake the last bits of dorito crumbs into her mouth...the poor thing wouldn’t have lasted two minutes the second her sights set on it. It. Was. A full bag. Might have been the last bag. The least she could have done was to save some for us.

  “Excuse me miss, you gonna
pay for that or am I gonna have to call the cops”? I said in a deeper voice. I must remind myself to drink some water, it’s a bit scruffy. She burped quickly and crumbled the plastic bag in her hand tossing it to the floor. She turned to me and grinned.

  You could almost see the evidence on one corner of her mouth.

  I blink slowly at her.

  “You know...saving food does wonders during times such as these”. I said with the wave of my hand. A slight British accent accompanying the sentence. She stood tall (Taller) jutting her chin out.

  “First come, first serve”. She said flatly. I clicked my tongue at her and side stepped playfully to the next isle. I heard her laugh after I turned the corner. Suddenly, a low pitched ringing wailed from the speakers suspended high up onto the ceiling.

  “Attention...attention Walmart shopper’s. May I request persons: Elise and Jade to the main office” A pause then the sound of a bottle popping open “I got surprise for both y’all, so get your chunk yass’s up here”.

  Both Elise and I made our way up the stairs, which we found at the back of the store behind a security door. We had to wait a couple minutes for Nika to open it manually from her position. Once inside, I took in my surroundings. A compact room, glass windows surround the space. Covered by sand colored blinds. Several desks fill the room, and knick- knacks over flow them. Nika was sitting down on a rolling recliner I didn’t notice the bottle of beer in her hand until it was too late. I leaned against the door frame as Elise went into full attack mode.

  “What the heck do you think you’re doin”? Elise snags the bottle from Nika’s hand, the fizzy liquid inside sloshes out, dripping onto the floor. It’s a Sam Adams...interesting choice.