I bowed my head in pain. How could this all of a sudden turn my life all around? Now I’ll never get to see his lovely face anymore. I didn’t even have a picture to mourn over. He was everything to me. He was who I wanted all my life. He was the perfect one for me. He was who I wanted to share the rest of my life with, and looking at the ring as I walked, it showed me a promise that was now forever broken.
Naomi drew back and stood beside me. Ahead of me, I saw Martin and Anna hold hands. “It’s okay, Lily. At least he exists in your heart,” she told me. The nickname he called me even began to hurt already. “That’s what matters.”
My heart? My heart stopped beating.
She gave my shoulder a squeeze and left me alone, walking in front of me to join the crew. Wow, he actually did leave me alone to face the world. Might as well try to develop a suicide plan…
“Oh, will you look at that,” Naomi told me out of nowhere. I had to stop right behind her as she looked at me. “God does love you, Lillian.”
I looked at her, not understanding. She pointed. My eyes followed her pointing finger…
And there he was.
My dark angel.
I searched him from a distance to see if he had any injuries. He had blood on his left leg. He locked eyes with mine. That stare unstitched a wound in my heart as I felt too far away from him.
Suddenly, I started to walk, but then, my walk turned into a jog, and then the jog morphed into a full on sprint. I dared not blink for fear that he would vanish before my eyes, but my eyes began to well up tears. I jumped into his open arms as he fell, grunting from the pain in his leg. I cried against his chest as we kept our arms wrapped around each other. He panted against my ear, and it felt good to me. It felt good for me to hear him breathe, to hear and feel his pounding heart. I calmed down some. Even though it’s only been a week that we haven’t seen each other, still, it feels like months! He whispered against my ear, “Hey.”
I cried silently. I wanted us to stay where we were forever, even if it was on the concrete floor in front of an Inspection Department.
But then, I heard a complaint. “You’ll cramp his leg.” I knew that voice: Brass.
Did life have to move on? He picked me up off of Josh and then helped Josh up. I clung to Josh’s side, never letting him go for one second. I’ve never, in my life, felt so attached to a person. This feeling was so filled with emotion and connection. It was very strong, there really are no words to describe its perfection of its existence. “You better thank me for saving your love bird’s ass.”
“Thank you, Brass.” I kissed his cheek quickly even when he is a jerk.
“Yeah, um, err, let’s just keep it long distance.”
Josh chuckled as he wrapped his arms around me. “Okay, fine with me. It’s just that you have no idea how truly Josh is special to me.”
“Ah, love. Been there myself once. She’s long gone now. Hopefully I’ll get to see her in heaven soon,” Old John said with a sad, but relaxed face.
I stared up at Josh. He was looking ahead. “Does it hurt?” I asked him.
“My leg? No, not anymore since you’re here now with me. You’re my remedy.” He smiled.
Being all serious in my breaking voice I said, “I thought I lost you.”
He kissed both of my hands hard. “Oh God no Lily. Never. I’ll never let them have me. Not without a fight. Not when I have my whole heart waiting for me at home expecting me.”
All his words did was shed more tears down my face. He placed his forehead against mine, and I caressed both sides of his face. “Oh Josh. What you do to me, how you make me feel, it’s scary, but it’s worth every nanosecond of my life...I love you.” I kissed him with gentle, true passion. If he was infected from his leg, oh well fuck it, we die together.
He is the one for me. There is no one else for us, and even if that were the case, even if the world was filled with life, I wouldn’t trade him for anyone if I’d had found him. For once, I’m glad this apocalypse had happened. I found my one and forever.
I looked up at the dark, night sky and thanked God for everything (even though zombies were roaming the United States!) with all my heart. Without Josh, I don’t think I’d be here today; from the beginning of it all. I would’ve been dead, but no, I wasn’t. And for that I was grateful that I stayed alive this whole time for hope, for the one thing that keeps a person hanging on to life. It was for love, for him, for the friends I’ve shared pain with.
He was my destiny. This was my destiny, my purpose in life. And I will protect him.
But the dead never will rest, and I wonder just how the hell did we become in ruins? Who was to blame for this unnatural disaster?
The World At End (Book 1) (Left Alive for the Dead Series) Page 13