by Tahnee Fritz
“Ryder, you shouldn’t think about that place. Just think of it as a horrible nightmare and push it out of your mind.” I say.
He takes a deep breath, “I try, I really do. I just hate how a place so evil is also filled with so many great memories. I fell in love with you in Hatfeld and almost died that very same night.”
“I know, but that’s not going to happen this time. There are still good people out there and we’re bound to run into some of them. We might as well try saving them before their time runs out.” I say.
He turns his eyes to me, “Since when are you the super caring type of girl? I thought I was the only one you wanted to save?”
I shrug, “Well, I’ve already saved you so many times, I think it’s time to find another stranger to help out.”
He rolls his eyes, playfully, then brings his lips to mine. I close my eyes and let the wonderful sensation of his kiss fill my body. Even in the darkness behind my eyes, I can still see Ryder standing there with a sexy smile on his face. I love how he’s always on my mind.
I put my hand on the back of his neck and move even closer to him until our stomachs are touching. He puts his hand on my waist, holding me tight against him. The feel of his touch on my skin as he slides his fingers under my shirt, sends tingles up and down my spine. The butterflies are dancing around in my stomach the same as they do every time we have our intense moments.
I run my fingers through his messy hair as our kiss gets deeper. There’s something about being this close to Ryder that makes me fall in love with him all over again. He is still capable of forcing the bad thoughts from my mind. He pulls his lips away from mine and moves them across my face and down my neck. I hold him close, feeling myself breathe faster and I’m loving every second of it.
He moves his mouth to my ear and stops with the kissing, “Bridget?” he whispers.
“Yeah.”
“Promise me you won’t let anything bad happen to either of us while we’re gone.” He demands.
I plant my lips on his forehead for a long second, then say, “I’ll die before I’d ever let anything bad happen.”
He closes his eyes and his lips meet mine once more.
* * *
The truck was there to pick us up exactly at ten o’clock in the morning. Dwayne wasn’t kidding when he said to be ready on time, which we were. When am I not prepared for things? If there’s the possibility of killing zombies and vamps, I’m always on my toes. I was the first one out of bed, in and out of the shower, dressed and standing by the door before the other two had even opened their eyes. I practically had to jump on Ryder to get him out of bed.
I guess I’m a little more excited about this little voyage than I thought. I should probably tone it down a bit.
It’s a good thing I always like to wear my hair in pony tail when I do things like this. It would be incredibly annoying right now since I’m sitting in the bed of the truck with the others. There’s no room in the cab for everyone to fit. The cool morning air kind of sucks too, even with my favorite hoodie on. Yes, I got it out of retirement for this specific occasion. The fur around the hood might be a little matted in places and it’s a little faded. At least I washed it. I just felt the need to wear this little memento of my days as a traveler. It also goes great with my skinny blue jeans and black, leather boots.
Ryder looks the same as always. Black hoodie with a red shirt underneath and jeans and tennis shoes to complete the mix. His hair is a mess, but I like that. Everyone else in the truck with us is dressed and look ready for a battle. A couple of the guys are decked out in camo with rifles strapped to the their backs and a utility belt around their waist. Carla has on a baggy sweatshirt and loose fitting black pants. Her combat boots and shotgun make her look like a total soldier.
We were the last of the group to be picked up before heading for the gate. It’s a short drive and my heart pounds the whole way there. My gun shakes in my hand as my knees bounce up and down. I have my bag sitting next to me, filled with everything I’m positive I’ll need out there. Ryder has his as well and his gun is tucked safely inside. His hands are clasped together in his lap as he stares at the houses as we pass them.
He’s nervous. Every few seconds I can hear him breathing quickly and the second that gate comes into view, I swear he stops breathing entirely. His eyes get wide with fear and the color fades from his face.
I lean close to his ear and whisper, “You still up for this? We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
He shakes his head from side to side and says, “I’m good. Just nervous.”
“Okay.” I say and lean away from him.
Dwayne pulls the truck to a small building right by the gate. There are a few men standing there waiting for us. They are just here to help with the gate and see us off. Once the truck is parked and the engine is shut off, the tailgate gets dropped and we start unloading onto the street. I hop down first and the others follow. Carla and Dennis join me and we wait for Dwayne to climb out of the drivers’ seat. There’s eleven of us total who are going to the other side in search of that village. As long as there are at least eleven of us who return, I’ll be alright.
Gary Nugget is at the gate with a stern look on his face. He stands with three of his men and greet us. His arms are folded across his chest and a pistol is holstered on a belt around his waist.
“Good morning, guys.” He says, taking a few steps closer.
“Morning, sir.” Dwayne responds.
“Glad to see everyone’s prepared and ready to go. I trust all of you have your bags packed with only things you’ll need out there. Food, water, ammo, and medicine.” Gary states.
Everyone nods their heads and says some form of “yes” in reply.
Gary takes a deep breath and lets his arms fall to his side, “What I’m about to tell you is not something any of you want to hear, but it has to be said. The world out there is a dangerous one. Zombies and vamps hide in the shadows day in and day out. You all know this. You need to be prepared for anything. Have your gun loaded and with you at all times. If you get caught in a bind, do what you can to get out of there and use your best instinct to determine the right thing to do. Under no circumstances should you allow yourself to come into close contact with a zombie or a vampire. Don’t hoard your ammo when you see one, but remember to use it wisely.
“We are giving you five days to find the village out there and convince as many people as you can to come back with you. If those five days are up and you are not back here, we will assume the worst and will not send a search party.” Gary lets out a solemn sigh, then goes on, “I know this sounds harsh, but you know the consequences of what you’re doing. Risking the lives of our men to search for this group is not worth it. What you’re doing is trying to get as many humans to survive this world as possible. Survival is the reason we cannot send people to look for you. If the five days pass and you find yourself still alive, do what you can to make it home.”
I take this moment of silence to glance at the others in the group. Dwayne and Carter stand like bricks as the words are thrown at them. Carla nervously shifts from one leg to the other. Her partner, Dennis, runs his shaking hands through his hair. The rest of them are frightened as well, but no one turns around. No one takes the easy way out and heads home.
I turn to Ryder as he grabs my hand and squeezes it tight. He smiles at me when our eyes meet and I smile right back. He seems confident and ready to go.
“I do hope all of you return and bring more humans back with you. I believe in this mission and trust each and every one of you.” Gary motions to a man behind him who takes the order and begins opening the gate. “Be careful out there and God bless you all.”
The familiar sound of the gate squeals open and Gary steps aside so we can walk by him. Dwayne leads the way and Carter follows close behind. I keep my fingers entwined with Ryder’s and we walk along with them. The footsteps of the rest of them stomp behind me and we walk through the gate, going
to the other side of the wall.
This is something I’m used to. If it were a normal day, I’d be heading to my left and to the tower I call my office. This isn’t a normal day and we walk straight, down the same highway that brought all of us to this city. Something Ryder hasn’t seen in over a year and he’s more than tense as his eyes pass over the trees on each side of the road. He whips his head around when we hear the gate being shut and locked behind us.
“Hey,” I say, “it’s going to be okay.”
He turns to me and nods his head, “I know. This is just so weird being out here again. I mean, not for you, but for me it is. It seems like a whole lifetime has passed since I’ve been out here.”
“Yeah, I get that.” I say.
The group fans out so we take up the whole street. We walk in pairs, keeping our eyes peeled for anything that could jump out at us, human or non. Dwayne leads the group, walking with the two army men by his side. Carla walks with Dennis and they keep their chatter quiet. Carter walks with Tom and the other two kids who volunteered.
“I have to admit, I thought for sure we’d run into zombies the second that gate was opened.” Ryder says.
I smile, “No, it’s actually really quiet out here most days. Kind of peaceful.”
“I try to forget that you come out here every day and kill those things for a living. Don’t get me wrong, I love having a badass for a girlfriend, I just worry a lot.” Ryder says.
“You don’t need to worry, Ryder. I know how to protect myself and the rest of my team are just as awesome as I am.” I say.
He smiles, “I’m grateful you have a team like that who looks out for each other. I’d hate to go day after day thinking you’re out here all alone.”
“Me too.” I reply.
We walk onward, our hands clasped together. This is just like old times. The days I remember so fondly and hope to never forget. Our lives started out here on this very stretch of road. We’re heading away from safety this time, but at least we have a good mission on our minds.
* * *
It has now been two hours since we left the city and started on this journey of finding more humans. Dwayne figured it was a good time to stop for lunch and take a break for a few minutes. We found an old house on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere. It’s a tall, two-story farm house with a barn not far away. I was voted to go inside and scope the place out before settling down. I didn’t go alone. Ryder came along with me and checked the main floor while I took the upstairs. We came up empty handed and the rest of the group came inside and found a nice place to eat our lunches.
Ryder and I chose a spot on the front porch instead of sitting inside with the others. We sit on an old, rickety swing-set hanging from the ceiling. The chains might be a bit rusty, but the swing holds up and doesn’t break when we sit down. Ryder digs in his bag for a bottle of water and a small pack of the bread he brought with us. Not a whole lot to eat considering how we can’t really bring anything cold or a dessert of any kind. I wish I could have something sweet to snack on. Despite what you might think, chocolate is still very hard to come by in the city. It’s like the food died out.
Breaks my heart a little.
Ryder pushes on the porch with his foot, making the swing sway a bit. I take a bite of bread and stare out at the yard. I imagine what this place was like when the world was alive. An old farmer out riding his tractor while a yellow lab chased after him, barking the whole way. Grandkids played on the front lawn as their grandmother sat on this very swing to watch them. Family reunions were probably held in this very house. A place perfect for get-togethers that is now an abandoned dump slowly withering away.
It’s really sad thinking about things like that. Picturing how the world used to be and how it should be is devastating at times. There’s nothing to bring the world back to normal. No new cure to change the undead back to the living. Nothing that can bring the people I care about back to life and nothing to take the bad memories of my life away. The world is a complete wasteland and it’s good that I’m used to it.
“What are you thinking about over there?” Ryder asks.
I snap out of my mind and smile at him, “Nothing, just wondering about things.”
“What kinds of things?” he asks.
I shrug and say, “I don’t know, just trying to picture what this place was like before things went to shit.”
He smiles, “I’m sure it was great.”
I nod, “Probably.”
Ryder sighs after taking a bite of bread, “I do miss this.”
“Miss what?” I ask.
He motions to the world beyond the porch and says, “This. Traveling, being out here in the middle of nowhere, not knowing what we’ll find the next day.”
I think for a moment, then say, “Yeah, I miss it too.”
“I even miss the zombies and vamps sometimes. Killing them, of course. I’m not that crazy to actually miss those nasty things.”
The smile widens on my face and I say, “You know, I’m actually a little surprised we haven’t run into anything yet. I figured I’d get the chance to kill one of those bastards by now.”
“We still have a long ways to go, Bridge. We’ll run into some zombies and you’ll be able to show this whole group how much of a badass you are at killing them. Just like the day we met.”
That was such a great day. It might have started out horrible with thoughts of not wanting to live on my mind. Then running into those zombies in that little town made things worse and I really thought I was going to die. I can’t forget about the vamp I killed at the gas station before that.
I let out a quiet laugh as I think of that day and say, “You know the day I met you, I stopped at a gas station outside that town. I ran into a vampire there and killed her. And I never told you this, but I found a bag of stale potato chips and had the best lunch that day.”
“You found food that day and didn’t save any to share with me? What the hell?” he jokes.
“Yeah and I almost didn’t turn toward that town. I was about to get on the highway until I saw a building and thought there could be something there.” I say. “Best choice I ever made.”
He nods, “You know, that same night I think I already knew I wanted to be with you. Not just because you were company and the only human I’d been in contact with in days, but I could tell there was something about you that I wanted to have. I knew you were going to be the one I could trust with anything and I’m glad to know I was right.”
“Me too.” I say, “and for the record, it didn’t take me long to realize the same thing.”
He smiles and kisses my forehead. I’m not sure when I turned into such a softy. Before Ryder, this romance stuff was something I never thought I’d have. Now that I have him, I like this part of me. I like thinking about the amazing times we’ve had and not just remember the zombies I killed over the years. That is a big part of my life, don’t get me wrong, but Ryder is a better part of my life. A part I know I can’t live without.
I take a drink of water, listening to the sounds coming from the house. We left the door open and can hear everything going on inside. Carla is busy telling a funny story about one of the times in the towers. Something about what one of the zombies looked like and the others were eating up her words. She does have some of the best stories, either about zombies or just about life in general. Their laughter is loud and echoes outside into the empty air around us.
A slight gust of wind blows through my hair as I continue listening. Out of habit, I take a deep breath in through my nose and happen to catch the tiniest hint of something familiar floating in the breeze. Enough of a hint that could completely ruin this day altogether. I set the bottle of water on the swing next to Ryder and reach for my gun. I get to my feet and take the few steps to the stairs and look around.
“What’s up, Bridge?” Ryder asks.
“I smell something.” I reply.
I didn’t realize I spoke loud enough for the peopl
e inside to hear me. Their laughter and talking stops and I can feel their eyes on me as I search for the cause of the stench. I take another inhale through my nose and the smell is steadily getting stronger. That horrid stench practically burns my nostrils and leaves a bad taste in the back of my throat. It happens every time those things get close to the city wall. You’d think I’d be used to that smell by now, but I’m really not. There’s something about the putrid stench of death that is impossible to get used to. I am stuck with this little gift of mine, so I really can’t complain about it.
I jump down the three steps and land on the sidewalk below. The yard is empty as I step foot on the grass. I turn my head to the left, the way back to the city. I look to my right, where the odor gets stronger. I’m sure that has something to do with the zombie lumbering my way. It’s moving slowly, tripping over something in its path. I glance back to the porch. Ryder is now standing, staring at the lone zombie while the others pile out of the front door.
“Damn zombies ruin everything.” I hear Dennis complaining.
I shrug, “Don’t worry about it. You guys can go back inside. I got this.”
Carla chuckles as she takes a drink of water. Dwayne disappears back into the house along with the other, older men. I turn back to the zombie and take a few steps closer to it and can get a good look at this thing now.
It’s a man, well, it used to be anyway. My guess, he was the farmer of this little plot of land. His clothes sort of give off that country man appearance. He’s wearing muddy bib overalls and a shirt that, at one point, I’m sure used to be white. It’s too stained for me to really tell. Dried blood is caked on his arms and in his hair. He grits his teeth, lets out a bellowing groan, and moves a little faster toward me. I raise my gun and tilt my head to the side. For some reason, I find myself thinking of my dad right now. He’d be standing right next to me, watching my technique on killing this poor sole. I wish he was here with me. I’d let him take this one.