I Ran (So Far Away)

As the match struck the ground and set the building aflame, I turned around and never looked back. I knew over half the people I could hear screaming and moaning from the heat. Tears threatened to erupt like molten lava but I suppressed all feeling. In the end it was ultimately for the best. It was better for everyone I was leaving behind. They didn’t have to worry about the threat anymore; they were free of all worries actually. They no longer have to dwell on what used to be and what will come out of the shadows of this world. I sacrificed my future torment to save their innocent lives. At least that was how I would have to think of it. How else can you accept the fact you just ended lives of people you knew and loved. Half of them may have no longer been themselves, but were still shells of humans I used to know. Once your safe house was breached there was no hope in going back to what it used to be. Once the virus entered a group of people it spread like wildfire. I wasn’t even sure as I felt the heat of the flame on my back if I was even safe from the virus. But, I knew the rest of my family was now. My mother would never have to watch my sister change before her. Father would never have to kill them before they killed him. I took a deep breath as the propane tank exploded behind me setting off alarms of cars long forgotten. If I wasn’t one of the infected by tomorrow, I didn’t know what would become of me.

All By Myself

I woke as the sun was cresting the horizon. It felt like centuries ago that I used to stay in my bed covered warmly well into the afternoon. Back when bills and dating were the things to worry about. Now sleeping past sunrise could mean eternal slumber. As often happened, I rolled over and flung my arm into empty space. It had been over a year since I had anyone to cuddle up to, but it was still habit. I had not given up on him, just the thought I might find him. Retrieving my backpack I started to clean up my makeshift campsite. Though I was sure the walkers couldn’t track very well but I didn’t want to take any chances on scavengers finding me either. I could hear the low moan of a few walkers below the cliff I stood upon. As I picked up my ax I considered jumping down and putting them out of their misery, but it was too great of a risk. There could be more around and I was not in the mood, nor did I have the energy, to fight. Instead I climbed higher until I reached a plain riddled with trees. I sighed as I entered the covered darkness.

The sun was at its highest point when I came across the house. It was obvious it was one of the first houses to go when the infection had hit wide. The windows were all busted out and a good chunk of the second floor had been removed by a fallen tree. I entered the front door with my ax ready. One could never be too prepared anymore. The walkers may not be bright but they still managed to play hide-n-seek very well. Even though the sun was out, without electricity, houses had many shadows. Anymore I worried more about scavengers than the walkers themselves. Over the months they seemed to dwindle in numbers. Whether it was from being killed by the living or just decomposing, I was not completely sure. It didn’t really matter anymore anyway. Even without the walkers attacks people were still turning.

At first the scientists were baffled by what has happening. People “coming back to life” were the initial headlines. It was about six months into the pandemic that they finally realized no one actually died, they were just being aggressive. It was a form of human rabies that had evolved without the science community even taking note. By month seven there were talks of a cure for the infected. Hope started to bloom and people tried to return to their normalcy, but that didn’t last long. By the eighth month all hope was lost. The “cure” turned out to further the infection making it transferable by not only being bitten but by just touching an area that had been touched by the infected. They had officially created a virus. Starting back at square one the scientists didn’t have much time, and that proved even scarier when the scientists started dropping like flies, which is a metaphor that no longer really fits in this world. One does not simply drop like a fly anymore, they tend to bounce back up soon after. It slowly became common knowledge that everyone had become infected in some way or another. With the virus being so easily transferable it was damned near impossible not to at least be a carrier. Lord only knows why some people did not turn into the savage beasts like most of society. Instead they turned into savage scavengers. Pilthering the land for any scrap of food that was left over or hoarded by another. Why the unchanged didn’t just join forces and attempt recreate society, I’ll never know. I still hold onto hope that it will happen one day. Many attempts have been made but none have truly stuck. Until then I continue to roam the land stealing from people who long ago abandoned their old lives.

As I moved my way through the current home, it was obvious it used to be a farm house. The kitchen was beautifully haunting with its cow and blood printed walls. I couldn’t help but find the irony of the wallpaper. Laughing to myself I started to open the cupboards. All that was left, to my nonexistent surprise, were expired cans of shit. Slamming the cupboard I jumped as I heard a scream come from above. I didn’t want to move until I could figure out what had just happened. I knew from experience that the walkers could still scream, it rarely happened but if you got one young enough it could happen. The thundering footsteps that followed allowed me to assume that no matter walker or not there was most definitely more than one, which was not good. I dashed for the backdoor as I saw someone enter the next room out of the corner of my eye. Cursing I took off running. There was a barn nearby but I knew it would not be smart to stop there. I had to get as far away from the house as I could. This was why I traveled alone; I didn’t have to worry about anyone else. When trouble arouse I could just literally pick up and leave on the spot.

I entered the darkness of the woods as I heard the shouting behind me. I couldn’t really tell if it was hostile or not but I was not going to find out. One thing you learn quickly when the world goes to shit is that the old sayings always go. For example: It’s better to be safe than sorry. So my ass was getting the hell out of dodge before I lost my head over the few candy bars that filled my pack. The funny thing was I never planned to eat the bars. They were a constant reminder of what used to be, of who I used to be, who we all used to be. Yeah, I could just give the bars to someone else, many would think it was selfish to keep them and not eat them. But, I wanted the reminder, plus the damned things expired two months ago now. Anyone who really wanted to eat stale candy that bad could be my guest. The problem was though that too many people killed first and figured out later.

By the time a sharp pain shot through my abdomen I was sure the group had given up on me. I cursed to myself. I had passed a group of homes in my attempt to get away. I made a mental note to stop slamming things in anger. This was not the first time it had gotten me in trouble. My family might still be alive if I had kept my temper at bay. Now was not the time to think about that though. I looked around to check for walkers. Once I was sure they were not going to jump out of nowhere I climbed the nearest tree that could hold my weight. I wasn’t huge but I also was not the skinny jean type either. I flung my messenger bag around a nearby limb and switch a bottle of water for my ax. I hadn’t even realized I was running with it in my hand. It occurred to me that that may be the reason I was not pursued. Scavengers may be desperate but seeing a wild person running into the woods with an ax was enough to make them think differently. The water seemed like it would boil in my chest my lungs burnt so bad. It had been a few months since I had run that fast and far. I had found an apartment complex that was about 30 stories tall. I knew to skip the first few floors so I continued up to the very top floor. I hit the jackpot. Winter was just settling in so I had decided to blockade the door and spent the winter there. I was in heaven those months. My favorite apartment was number 3011. I knew it was going to be good when I walked in and saw the enormous Viking sticker on the fridge. I recognized it from the world I had once lived.

“Happy NaNoWriMo,” I whispered at the memory. Walking into the living room I found the shelf was full of published and unpublished books. I reached over to my messenger bag and picked up Edna my favorite novel from the apartment.

The other apartments had proven to be gold mines as well with the luxurious furniture and surplus of unspoiled food. I had learned from a very brainy kid, at the start of the pandemic, how to create a solar panel from different pieces of old electronics. I had used this knowledge and was able to listen to music for a little while each day. I still had an MP3 player and small panel in my bag but I rarely used it anymore. After two years of no recording studios or no way to obtain new songs for the player, it was barely useful. It was still nice to turn it on days that felt like there was no reason to continue with the charade of this new life. Currently I leaned back and allowed the spring sun to beat down on my face. I felt myself starting to slip off to sleep so I grabbed the rope out of my bag and tied myself to the tree. A trick I picked up from one of my favorite survival novels of the old world. It made me wonder if the stories would ever come back. Had I taken written word for granted? I laughed as I realized the world was nearly ending and all I could worry about was if I would ever see another book again.

“Mrs. Renee,” I said to know one, “You’d be so proud of me right now.”

I allowed my mind to wander a bit more and before I knew it I was off in dream land. That is if one can call visions of burning houses and scarred skin a dream.

Why You Wanna

I always did my best in the café. Homework, reading, or writing; whatever it was the atmosphere of a café just really seemed to perk up the mood and get the creativity flowing. It was sitting there in the third booth on the right from the door that I looked up and saw him walk in. I had never really been in love. I had a crush here and there throughout my school years but I never felt the way about someone that the people in the movies explained. But, when he walked into that door, I knew something was different. I don’t want to sound vain and say it was his looks. They didn’t hurt anything, but the reason I really couldn’t keep my eyes off of him was because of the day he smiled. It never seemed to falter the entire time he was ordering. Even when they messed up his order, he just took the cup and tipped the cashier. I knew then that I had to get to know this person. The problem being that I was shy. Only, little did I know, he had noticed my staring.

It was a week later when I look up and saw him walking right at me. My heart nearly jumped into my tea and I was sure my eyes would plop onto the tablet in front of me. I took a deep breath and looked back down to my notes. I was preparing for him to walk by when I saw his shadow cross the table, only it stopped. I looked up and nearly jumped when I saw him sitting right in front of me, smiling. I half smiled in that nervous way that seems to happen, when you are around someone that you just can’t help but picture naked. Like you never have?

“Hey,” his smiled widened, “I’m Aiden.”

I woke up to a loud thud. I damned near fell off the tree as I snapped my head down towards the ground. A man lay at the base of the tree. I wanted to shout down to make sure he was alright, but then I remembered this was not the world I was just dreaming of. I squinted down finally noticing the sun had started to lower. I slightly panicked as I realized I had overslept. One never realizes how comfortable a tree can be until the world becomes overrun by vicious humans. I heard footsteps and looked down as two figures approached the one that lay on the ground.

“Jesus Christ what the hell were you thinking?” A girls voiced shrieked. She sounded no older than 15.

“Calm down Cher!” The man on the ground half laughed, “I was just trying to see if he was alive.”

“Who?” The other man looked up. I was not sure he saw me at first.

“I think it’s the same person that we saw earlier,” The first man again advanced on the tree.

“Do not come any closer,” I called down grabbing my ax.

“Holy Shit!” Cher yelled and pulled the first man of the tree.

“You are alive!” The man smiled up at me.

“I don’t have any food and I just drank the last bit of my water,” I announced still wielding my ax.

“Alright,” The man looked at his friends, “Would you like some?”

“Darren!” Cher yelled and smacked the man on the shoulder.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea either,” The second man looked up at me.

“Come on Greg,” Darren looked his way.

“I agree you should just move on,” I called down to the group.

“See he doesn’t want any,” Cher grabbed Darren’s arm and tried to pull him.

“Stop it,” Darren yanked his arm away, “We have plenty of food if you need some.”

“We certainly do not,” Cher spat at him and punched him in the arm again.

“Darren, dude, seriously,” Greg moved closer and spoke in a whisper I could barely hear, “He has an ax and does not seem afraid to use it. We know nothing about him, let’s just move on.”

“I remember a time we knew nothing about you either Gregory,” Darren’s voice seemed a little less joyful, “We have enough to feed four people and you know it.”

“But-“Cher began.

“She’s gone,” Darren snapped toward her, “Why are you two so against helping someone? If it wasn’t for Kelly we would have all been fucked. Now you’re going to turn down someone who is in the same position we were once in?”

“Kelly would be on our side on this one,” Greg’s voiced seemed more and more snide, “He has a weapon!”

“We have weapons as well,” Darren reached into his waist band and pulled out a very long knife.

“That is a different story,” Cher moved toward him looking up at me.

“You do know I can hear you right?” I sighed down to them.

“Well I’m not trying to keep anything from you,” Darren smiled up at me.

“Can you please just move on,” I called down, “My ass is starting to get numb and I’d really rather not have to hack you.”

“There will be no need to hack,” Darren put his knife back and stepped back from the tree, “Please come down so we can be properly introduced.”

“Darren really,” Cher shook her head but didn’t protest further.

I debated for a second whether I should really go down or if I should try to find a way to escape without getting to the ground. My stomach won when Darren opened a duffle bag I hadn’t saw before. It was filled with various snacks and canned goods. Greg squatted down next to him and started whispering in his ear. I took the distraction as a time to get down.

Greg was a bigger guy, possibly a football player, and definitely a bodybuilder in his previous life. Cher seemed to be about the same height as me and had long black hair. Her skin complexion let on that she may have once been a queen bee, but after two years it was hard to tell anymore. Darren was taller than Greg, but not as built. I couldn’t really place his role in the old world. I eyed them all suspiciously as I reached the ground, ax still firmly in hand.

“Hello stranger,” Darren smiled, “I’m Darren. This is my sister Cher and this big lug of a guy is Greg.”

“Raven,” I took Darren’s outreached hand.

“Nice to meet you Raven,” Darren’s shake was firm, “Real name or made up?”

“Real,” I snapped my hand away and narrowed my eyes.

“I don’t really care,” Darren laughed, “Not really any of my business.”

“It is totally our business!” Cher snapped at her brother popping him yet again on the arm. The abuse made since now.

“Why, Cher?” Darren rolled his eyes at her, “Are you going to do a background check?”

“That is not what I meant!” Cher looked to me, “I just don’t want him lying to us.”

“And how will you know if I’m lying?” I cocked an eyebrow at her.

“Good point,” Darren raised a hand for a high five but I just shifted my gaze to his hand and then to him. He lowered his hand as I figured out his role, college jock.

“How do I know you all aren’t lying to me?” I raised my ax to make my point.

“See Darren,” Cher moved to side clearly freaked, “He’s going to murder us now! All because you wanted to be a fucking hero!”

“I’m not a murderer,” I glared at her.

“That’s what murderer’s say,” Greg moved in front of the other two.

I rolled my eyes and lowered my ax. I really just wanted to walk away but my stomach was so empty. I hadn’t eaten in two days. I shoved my ax into my bag and put my hands in the air for surrender.

“Would a murderer wave a white flag?” Darren pushed around Greg and handed me a wrapped piece of ambrosia, or at least that is what it seemed like at that moment.

“That is exactly what murderers do,” Cher pouted but seemed to finally give into the fact her brother was winning. I shoved the snack into my mouth like I was a wild animal all while looking into her eyes.

“So, where you from,” Darren smiled as he handed me a few more pieces of ambrosia, “Murderer?”

“I prefer Raven,” I snatched the snacks away in mock anger, “I am only one.”

Cher’s face read what the other two were thinking. I rolled my eyes.

“More than one Raven is usually called an Unkindness,” I explained as I scarfed the next snack, “I was making a crack at you calling me a murderer. More than one crow is called a Murder of crows.”

“That makes no sense,” Cher huffed.

“Yeah, well, new world,” I threw the wrappers behind me on the ground to emphasis my next words, “New rules.”

“Animal,” Greg growled from behind Cher.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Darren ignored the past few seconds.

“Never will,” I turned away and pulled out a bottle of water.

“LIAR!” Cher shrieked and I smiled.

“Where are you going?” Darren called after me, “It’s getting dark.”

“Anywhere you three aren’t,” I threw a peace sign in the air, “Thanks for the grub. I’ll try to remember if I see you again.”

“Are you seriously just going to venture into the dark by yourself?” Darren spoke from right next to me making me jump in the air.

“Yes,” I snapped and started walking again, “I work best alone. I prefer it that way.”

“There is strength in numbers,” Darren said making me stop in my tracks.

Remember what I said about the new world and old sayings. Darren had pulled up the one that I had been trying to ignore for the past year. Though I worked well alone, there was always strength and safety in numbers. Being in a group allowed you more eyes to find roaming walkers and the ability to sleep in shifts. I shook my head. I couldn’t allow myself to think this way. I had to stay a one man team. I couldn’t afford to have responsibility over other people.

“I’ve got all the strength I need,” I spoke with a wavering voice.

“Do you really believe that?” Darren jabbed. I spun around.

“Why the hell do you want me to stay so bad?” I had the odd urge to slap him.

“As I said,” He stepped closer, “Strength in numbers. We just lost our mentor a few days ago. We are so used to being four. Our schedule works better with four. It allows us to get more sleep and maintain a stronger food supply. I just figured you seemed pretty lonely. Well at least I mean you were by yourself…so…”

“So you think that means I’ll join your little posse,” I glared at him.

“Call it whatever you want,” He reached out his hand, “I would really like you to join.”

“I don’t know any of you,” I looked at his hand, “And, I don’t care to.”

At that I turned around and was hit instantly by the guilt of being a total bitch. This guy did nothing to me but I couldn’t help but be angry with him. I almost turned around but the little voice in my head kept me moving forward. I felt like I had walked nearly a mile when it dawned on me why I couldn’t accept Darren’s offer. I closed my eyes.

“Hi,” his smile widened, “I’m Aiden.”

By the time I opened my eyes it was almost too late. The walker was right in front of my face.