The World At End (Book 1) (Left Alive for the Dead Series)

by H'deel Batnij

  I shook my head to release the startling images in my head. Jumping up, I began to fill in her grave, covering the now red sheet with brown lumps of dirt.

  Feeling paralyzed, I never let my raw, tear filled eyes off her until she was no longer visible, till the grave became nothing more than a little hill of dirt.

  As the sun peeked over the horizon and shined on her makeshift grave, I felt my soul shatter within me. And that was the last of my Abby. It was an image I was dying to erase from out of my mind. I placed the shovel back by the back door and my mother’s dead garden, and went back inside the house with the bat, locking it behind me. I locked the front door to my house and took a peek from the window on the side.

  I’m not sure how long I’d been lost. The sun rose as it cast a light on just how vacant it was outside, aside from the consummate disarray of last night. It wasn’t until the musky smell of death began to overcome me that I pulled myself away from the window.

  Ugh, I reeked. Looking at my red stained hands, I realized that I desperately needed to scrub the blood and filth from me.

  I headed back to my room and saw my father still laying in his puddle of his own blood. It seemed to have splattered over all of my bed and my drawers. Looking at my blood drenched shirt verified the need of a good scrubbing.

  I went to his room and retrieved another one of his bed sheets. After managing to roll him into it, I opened my window and then dragged his heavy body by his feet to it. I walked around to his where his head should’ve been, and lifted him under his arms to the window sill. My face was inches from what was left of his skull. Grunting, limb by limb, I got him onto the window sill and pushed him out of the window.

  He was basically tossed out of my window like the piece of garbage he’d always been.

  Finally, it was done and he was gone. I can finally shower.

  As the hot, steaming water washed the accumulated filth from my bone weary body, the troubling events of the night came crashing down all around me. I was completely alone in the world now. In the short amount of time that had passed since the apocalypse, I’d become lonely. It was having to go through this all on my own that hurt the most, I guess.

  I wondered then if anyone else was alive in the neighborhood and if I should go and check on them.

  Debating, I stood there watching the dark red water swirl down the drain.

  I don’t know, I’m not risking my life again to find out. I could care less about my two ex-girlfriends who cheated on me multiple times.

  I’d been heartbroken more times than I could count with only the band and Abby to distract me from it all, to distract me from the sadness the world had forced upon me.

  Once clean, I went into my sister’s room and laid down on her twin sized bed since it was the cleanest in the upper story. I was glad that my long legs and slender body actually fit on it. Exhausted, I somewhat relaxed and almost instantly fell asleep. Fleeting thoughts of which direction I should head to after a couple of hours’ nap ran through my mind.

  Where do I go? Where do I start? Who do I look for? Will I ever find someone to love me? Is there anyone alive? What if I am the last being roaming the United States? Have the overseas countries been affected as well?

  My thoughts turned to nightmares as I realized only a horrifying adventure filled with the walking dead would be the only way I’d find answers to my endless questions.

  Will I even make it out alive alone?

  Just before leaving my house, around three P.M., I wiped my baseball clean with a handkerchief filled with chlorine to get rid of my father’s brains and blood while using gloves. I packed some essential things in one small shoulder bag from my college that I used to attend. Carrying too much food didn’t seem that necessary since I could hopefully find some in vacant grocery stores.

  Feeling ready and loaded, I took a deep breath and made my way out into the open. Not a single soul in sight and the area was eerily quiet.

  Two weeks of walking towards the border of California and Nevada, I began losing my mind. It was on the brink of insanity because I hadn’t found a safe place to stay or a single living human being, only the decayed and rotten walkers; running from them instead of running to them.

  Four days ago I ran out of food and have become weak. Everything seemed so deserted and desolate. The loneliness made me want to give up. The cramping in my stomach kept me lucid. I tried gathering supplies from any store that sold food, but they were completely overrun with zombies. I would never make it out alive.

  Today, my grumbling and burning stomach was slowly growing numb and I was desperate to find anything to eat. My lack of energy would be a fatal problem if I ran into the dead.

  Fortunately, by some miracle and the mercy of two strangers I stumbled upon I was no longer alone.

  A punk, and a forty-year old looking man were loading canned and packaged goods along with other necessities. I was sure someone else was in the car with them as I couldn’t make out the shadowy figure inside it. My mind whispered to be weary but I was desperate that I just had to take my chances.

  With my hands above my head to show I meant no harm, I approached them. “Please. Help,” I called breathless, parched. In that moment I didn’t care what they did to me. They could strip and rape me, torture me, or take what little I had left. My bag of dirty clothes was useless to anyone anyway. I didn’t even care if they used the metal bat and beat the shit out of me. I just wanted to eat, to be with people, and maybe keep what was left of my sanity.

  Last thing I remember was a punk running to me, the forty-year old man jumping down from the truck following the punk, and calling on a dude named Brian, before heading towards me where I had fainted and collapsed on the ground…

  “And then I remember waking up in a room with a bandage wrapped around my head, and Naomi watching over me… And that’s my long story of how I got here.”

  I was truly moved. He’s lost so many precious people in his life, and was led to almost death by starvation and dehydration. And yet I had been lucky and prepared since day one when it all started.

  He stopped talking and looked at the door - perhaps making for an exit? The water was slow, but the tub was almost halfway filled. It looked nice and steamy. As much as I craved to undress and slip into the hot, clean water I also wanted to hear what he lastly had to say.

  His eyes glittered as though he was on the verge of crying. Tears pooled and he averted his gaze to the ground, remembering it all. Suddenly, he smiled heartbrokenly and looked at me. His story, two months after the outbreak being loose, seemed to be still a sensitive topic.

  “So,” he said wiping away unfallen tears and clearing his face with one hand. “What’s yours?”

  I damned myself that I even asked him for his story. I knew he was going to ask me in return, but I didn’t back out. Since he told me his story, why not I tell him?! It’s just fair. I’m pretty sure I’ve brought the pain reeling back, it was his turn to do the same to me. First that bath was just too enticing to pass up. The water wouldn’t stay hot forever! “I will. I promise.”

  He must’ve understood my undeniable need to get clean and relax after all the traveling I’ve done. You couldn’t see the blood, but after all the zombie whacking I’ve done, I was covered in it and other nasty things I’d rather not say or think about.

  After taking a few nursing classes, I can just imagine the huge never-ending germs infesting my body. Yech.

  “Well, okay then I’ll leave you now. You’re probably dying to get in that hot water.” He was absolutely right.

  He was about to leave the bathroom until I called his name. He stopped and looked at me. I told him earnestly, “I want to thank you for helping me, showing me this place, and saving me.” Surely, it’ll give him some peace in his heart.

  A small grin stretched from his long thin lips as he pulled down his hoodie. He never took it off the whole time I was with him.

  Finally, I was having a real bath. I’d probably take one e
very day from now on.

  The water felt like warm silk as it washed over me, reminding me of a time that feels like long ago. For once, I finally felt relaxed. I knew it could be the last time in a long time, so I enjoyed it.

  By the time I got out, I was so relaxed and exhausted, I freed my mind from the world at end outside, and for the first time in what feels like forever I took a timeless nap.

  Silence

  When I woke up, I woke up without fear. Well, maybe a little fear, because I still had my handy gun beside me, but I wasn’t alone this time.

  My stomach grumbled hungrily. I lazily got out of bed – I just can’t believe there’s a bed – and headed towards the smell of cooking food that was coming from the kitchen.

  “Good mornin’!” Old John greeted me in an energetic mood.

  As soon as I sat down, he handed me a plate full of pancakes and syrup. To make it even better, he gave me a large hot cup of coffee with sugar and milk on the side.

  It may not matter to many people, but oh my god! Freshly made food...with a side of hot coffee...

  “For me?” I asked staring at him in amazement as if I’ve never seen food before in my life!

  “Eh, I know it maybe a little too much for your small stomach. I thought that since you’ve been sleeping for two days straight like the dead, you’d be dead hungry. So, eat up ‘til ya’ vomit!”

  “Two days…” I told myself absolutely mesmerized. Had I been that tired? Maybe it was the super comfy bed that had knocked me out cold.

  “Yeah, two days straight. Thought you were dead until we checked your pulse to see if you were still alive or not.”

  My cheeks flamed at that. They probably laughed at my sleeping face. I was shocked though, because never in my life had I slept for that long.

  Suddenly, there was a hint of cologne beside me. The scent was very familiar. I looked beside me, and to my surprise, I found Josh. I didn’t even see him sitting there when I sat down.

  “Good morning,” he said, giving me a genuine smile.

  This time he had his hoodie down, so that meant I saw his face clearly underneath the fluorescent light. He had natural straight, medium brown hair that fell to his shoulders, eyeliner on his brown eyes that had smeared last night, snake bite piercings on his lip, and his left ear pierced. He was wearing all black like yesterday. He wasn’t skinny or fat but average weight. He also had, what looked like, average muscles.

  Every smile he gave me was suddenly genuine. Plus, I’ve noticed that he was a gentleman. “Did you sleep well?” He sounded like he missed me.

  “Uh, yeah.” I smiled a small tight-line shy smirk.

  “I’ve been waiting for about what you said before you slept straight through two days, before you wanting to take a shower,” Josh teased.

  “You’re the first person I’ve discussed it with since it happened,” I whispered.

  “You don’t have to -,” he started.

  “No, I don’t mind. I want to talk to about it.”

  After I ate what was on my plate, we went somewhere to get comfortable while I shared my painful past.

  We were sitting together in a room with others, but he seemed to be the only one really listening, which was good because I wasn’t ready for everyone to hear it.

  Taking a deep breath, I found a starting point.

  “I was a university student in Austin, Texas. I was at a party one late night…” Telling him the story of how things went down for me it all played out like a movie that was playing in my head. The past hit me like a tornado…

  “Lillian, I’m so happy you made it,” Jannette, my best friend, told me as she hugged me. Jannette wasn’t with me all the time. She had someone else in her life, so I didn’t beg her all the time to hang out with me. She hangs with me on her own time and I never bothered her when she was with her soul mate. Plus, she’s the one who invited me to this party anyway.

  “Am I late?” I shouted over the music.

  “No, you’re just in time to party!” She smiled. “Want something to drink?”

  “Dr. Pepper!”

  “As always. Jeez. Can't you have some alcohol in your system? I'll bring you something better.” She smiled a promising grin.

  I smiled back, rolling my eyes, as she danced away to get my mystery drink. One drink won’t hurt, I’m sure.

  I hung around, talked with random people, danced until I became bored, and one guy became a little too touchy, so by then I decided to leave.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jann.” I told her, as I was about to pass her on my way to the door. She was dancing slowly with the love of her life. I was glad they lowered the music a little.

  “Aw. Come on. Stay a little longer,” she spoke to me over her shoulder, a little tipsy. It was obvious to me that she was focused solely on her boyfriend.

  “I have a final tomorrow and have to wake up early,” I replied, smiling.

  “Ugh, fine. You want me to come with you?” I couldn’t do that to her. I would never stand in the way of true love.

  “No, no. Stay here and have fun. Don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”

  “Well, okay,” she finally accepted, pouting for a bit. She let go of Jerry, her boyfriend, and hugged me. “Take care.”

  “You too.” We kissed each other’s cheeks, and I left.

  The cold air nearly knocked me back and made me want to run back inside. It was past midnight as I walked across the campus. Making my way, slowly, towards my dorm, I heard scuffling feet behind me. Stopping, I slowly turned around and tried to find the source of the noise in the darkness. There were a lot of trees, so you really can’t see anything except for where lamp posts lit the sidewalk.

  There was nothing behind me though – just the howl of the chilly wind and the swaying of tree branches. The way the branches scraped the buildings was a bit creepy sounding.

  I started walking again, and after just a couple of steps, I heard the same noise again. But this time instead of stopping I ignored it, and walked with a little more pep in my step until a guy appeared in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. As I took in my surroundings, another five guys came into view, making six guys in total.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” the guy directly in front of me asked.

  I stayed quiet as a mouse, afraid to move, but felt panicked. He had a bottle of beer in one hand – which explained a lot – plus, I smelled a hint of hard liquor. Suddenly, he reached out his hand and touched my hair. Offended, I slapped it away. “Don’t touch me,” I said in menace with a warning and a flash of my eyes that showed I wasn’t messing around.

  “I can touch whatever I want, wherever I want, and whenever I want.” This dude was definitely drunk. The scent of booze surrounded me.

  His hand clumsily caressed my face and I knocked it away once again. Angrily, he took one long swig out of the bottle without taking his eyes off me, and then he tossed his beer bottle against a tree. I jumped as it crashed into pieces, chills going up my back. He took out a wicked-looking knife from the back pocket of his jeans. With a steely façade, I held my ground, even though my blood and heart were pumping with adrenaline from fear.

  “I’m gonna cut that pretty little face of yours,” he whispered, menacingly.

  Before I could make a move, the other guys grabbed me from behind. Where was security? I tried to struggle, to get away, but these men were athletic. They were definitely stronger than I was. I began screaming for help.

  So much for the many years of endless training.

  Suddenly, a guy came running out of the shadows. Just as the drunken guy was about to swing the knife towards my face, the drunk stops with the knife in midair as we all stared at the guy running towards us. Snarling, the guy ran with a strange limp and looked kind of sick.

  “What the fu…”one of the guys spoke from behind me.

  The guy with the knife turned around, and faced him saying, “Stop before you get hurt.” But the guy didn’t stop running with a limp at us. Th
e guy warned him again once he began to get too close, “Stop or else.” I sensed the ‘big’ man’s fear from his tone.

  As the man got closer, I backed away. I was glad they had loosened their grip on me, so that I could shake my arms free.

  “This guy is psycho,” someone said to my right.

  The guy with the knife stabbed the man in the stomach. I gasped, eyes wide, with my hand against my mouth.

  I’ve just witnessed a murder, I thought.

  “Now where were we…” the guy said, with a sinister smile. But before any of them could grab me again, the wounded man stood up so quick and bit the man on the neck. The drunk howled in pain. We heard the flesh tearing as blood sprayed from the wound, covering me.

  Fearfully, I gasped, disgusted at the blood on my face and down the front of my clothes.

  The man who was bitten on the neck began writhing in pain on the ground.

  “Holy…” one of his friends said, approaching his dying friend.

  “Get away from him, you crazy bastard!”

  The scene before me was horrifying and straight out of a nightmare. The sick looking man had a chunk of torn flesh in his mouth, as he ate it with what seemed like a bloody grin.

  Looking at the drunken man’s face made me nauseous. The cannibal’s face was disgusting, dripping with blood. At first I thought his face was melting, but after a moment I realized it was rotting. He reeked of death, like he just got out of an ancient grave.

  Unexpectedly, he attacked the next guy closest to him, and that was when I took my cue and ran.

  I may be studying to be a registered nurse, but that was too much for me to take in.

  I turned and just kept running to my dorm. I locked every lock on the door, and went in the bathroom and vomited. As I coughed from the acid burning my throat, I dialed Janette's number. Placing the phone against my ear, I remembered my face had blood on it, so I grabbed a towel, wet it with cold water, and started wiping the blood off of me immediately.