Turning into the living room, he found the doctor, Rachel, sitting at the table looking through some folders she had spread out over their dining room table. She was so entranced with what was in front of her she didn’t notice Max approach.
“Hello.”
“Holy shit!” Rachel exclaimed, clutching her chest. “You scared the crap out of me, Max!” She chuckled a bit at her own reaction, which elicited a small smile from Max.
“Okay I sit?” He asked her, pulling up a chair on her nod of approval. Turning her attention to him, she subtly took in his details and features. The picture Clara had shown her was quite obviously the man in front of her, but there was a melancholy aura about him that she didn’t think was entirely due to the effects of the virus, or even the death of his friend.
“So, Max,” Rachel started, not entirely sure what to say to the man before her, “how are you doing with everything?” Max shrugged a bit as he thought of how to respond.
“I…okay. Was a lot today. But glad Clara is here, safe.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “Thank you. For helping Clara and others. Not all people nice to ‘zombies’.” He spat the last word. Rachel frowned slightly, wondering what types of people he had encountered on what she now knew was a cross country adventure for him.
“It was my pleasure,” she responded honestly. “I found out quite a bit about the virus while studying it, about people who were infected like you. I tried to get others to understand and help.” She sighed and gave a sad smile. “Unfortunately, it didn’t really work, and now here we are.”
“You tell me more?” Max asked, excitement and curiosity evident in his voice.
“Of course I will. What do you want to know?”
Late into the night, Rachel told Max all she knew about the virus. She did her best to explain how the virus affected people and what they could expect in the coming months. Not knowing if Clara had told him about the baby, she didn’t mention it.
The next morning, Clara said her farewells to Seventeen, Three and the rest. It was bittersweet saying goodbye, and while she would never regret her decision to follow Max, she would miss them more than she expected. Rachel had helped her too, but in their captivity she had grown to rely on her numbered friends and was sad to see them go. As she hugged Seventeen, she looked over the woman's shoulder and saw Max standing there, smiling at her. A small, sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. He wandered off into the house and left Clara to her goodbyes. Three and Seventeen would go with the others that had been hiding in the area. They all had plans to join up with a bigger group. Max provided the maps given to him by Sam, knowing that she and Guy would welcome them with open arms. Rachel planned to go back to the compound to see what was left and help her colleagues who she thought remained.
Clara would always be grateful for everything they had done for her, but if Max wanted just her, then that is what she would do. The two of them were all that mattered. At least for now. Clara waved goodbye to all of her new friends, allowing herself a few tears before going to look for Max.
She walked through the house and found Max kneeling in the backyard, staring absently at the tree under which Jay was buried. She walked up to him and held him against her, kissing the curls on top of his head. He smiled up at her, and although she didn't know what would happen to them, she felt hope for the first time since she woke up. Smiling back down at him, she took his hand and gently placed it on her belly.
“One more thing, Max.”
EPILOGUE
The sun is setting over our secluded forest home as I walk up behind my very pregnant wife and wrap my arms around her, or as far around as they will reach, anyway. Her beauty grows with every day and it’s almost overwhelming to look at her. She smiles as she relaxes back into my arms and hums lightly, a noise so low in her chest that I feel more than hear it.
It has been almost eight months since we left Vancouver and headed north, just the two of us. Soon to be three. I think about Jay often, wishing it was four. Shortly after we arrived in our new home, I made a gravestone of sorts for him. Clara never questions me when I walk over the ridge and sit by it.
Over the past months, both of us have gotten better at speaking, at remembering. There are still many parts of our past life we forget, but it has become a bit of a game for us to remind each other of things the other has forgotten. During our long walk into the forest it was me who remembered losing the baby before FIRE. That is one thing I never reminded Clara of. Maybe she knows, but I won’t bring it up. At times I feel guilty for keeping something from her, but the last thing I ever want to do is worry her. It’s amazing how much losing your memory can erase so many sins of the past.
Under my hand I feel a kick and kneel to kiss it, making Clara giggle. That noise is the best sound in the world to me and I can’t wait to make our baby giggle like that every day.
Once upon a time I felt helpless, unable to control the world around me. Unable to protect and care for those I love. History tells me I won’t always be successful at this; however, it is moments like these that I remember why it will always be worth fighting for.
I have died and risen again. I have crossed an entire country and survived against all odds. I am strong, and I am a survivor.
THE END
EXCERPT
DEAD AWARE: VAGRANT YOUTH
CHAPTER 1
Typically, in September, Abby and her small band of misfits would be working to better secure their home for the impending cold season. For being a group of homeless youth, they made out pretty well with their decrepit home and had long ago learned tricks to ensure their home was as comfortable, warm, and dry as possible during the winter. This year, however, they had a new problem.
“Ike, I’m over here,” Abby whispered loudly from across the alley. Ike quickly made his way across to Abby where they both froze, keeping their eyes wide for signs of danger. “Did you find anything?” He whispered back, keeping his gaze out on the streets. She shook her head. “Shit,” he muttered, “We need a new system. The kid’s gotta eat, and no one is throwing shit away anymore. No one’s even outside anymore.”
Abby sighed and nodded. For the past two years, she and Ike had become the unofficial leaders of a small group of homeless youth in Vancouver. Being the oldest, they had taken it upon themselves to ensure the welfare of the ones who couldn’t care for themselves and to make sure that everyone contributed to their ‘family.’ One of the many jobs was dumpster diving to look for food, clothes or other useful items thrown away by the more fortunate.
Since the FIRE virus hit the city almost a week before though, this was no longer an option, and the household had run out of food almost two days ago. Being in an abandoned house without electricity, much less internet or phones, they hadn’t heard all the details of the virus but from the bits they had heard they knew that it had taken the world by surprise and had a high fatality rate. Fearful for their small family, Abby and Ike had everyone stay inside, hoping to wait until it passed.
The only reason they ventured out of the house today was Joshua and the other kids complaining earlier of their stomachs hurting, prompting Ike and Abby to go out looking to see what they could find to eat and find out about what was happening.
As soon as Ike and Abby had gotten into the city, they knew this was more than just a normal virus. The usually bustling streets of the city were almost totally devoid of life. A few cars were on the road but not many and all the shops and businesses were closed. As they walked down the street, an ominous presence seemed to hang in the air making them both feel uneasy.
“Abs, what should we do?” Abby thought for a moment. Okay so dumpster diving is out, the few places that sometimes offer us old food are out, and even the stores are closed so we can’t panhandle…
“Abs?”
“Just give me a minute!” She snapped back, at once regretting her harsh tone when she saw the look on Ike’s face.
“Sorry, man, I’m just stressed.”
Ike gave her a small smile. “I get it Abs, don’t worry.” Ike looked around before he focused on a point in the distance, his eyes growing wide. “Hey, I got an idea! Why don’t we head to the lake? If we go back and grab our bikes, it won’t take too long, and we can maybe catch a few fish!”
Abby perked up slightly. She knew they had an old rod somewhere in the garage of the house and Ike was right, their bikes would get them there quickly.
“Okay. Let's do it!”
An hour later they had grabbed the bikes and were back on the road, this time on wheels. While the streets still seemed unusually quiet, having the wind blowing through their hair brightened their moods. It was early September, and the weather was still warm, with only that slight chill at night betraying the impending seasonal change.
When they were only a few minutes away from the water, loud shouts and the twinkling of broken glass could be heard up ahead. Instinctively, they both got off their bikes and crept quietly along the sidewalk towards the sounds of chaos. Being on the street for so many years, they both knew how to approach what sounded like a violent situation—being careful and undetected.
“Oh shit,” Abby muttered as they peered around the corner. Up ahead was a grocery store, all of its front windows shattered. Inside, they could hear a group of people making the noise they heard from around the block. Abby tilted her head to the right, and the two carefully, snuck down a nearby alley where they could still keep watch, but also remain hidden.
Whoops and hollers could be heard from inside the mutilated store. A few minutes later, half a dozen men barreled out with shopping carts loaded with food and other stolen goods. Abby noticed an entire cart dedicated to liquor. Her eyes narrowed at the sight. Because that is what is important during a viral outbreak... idiots... The men talked loudly as they passed.
Staying out of sight, Abby and Ike waited for the group to leave. Even after the sounds of them fleeing were long gone, they both waited. Finally, Ike turned to Abby.
“We may as well go in, Abs,” he stated, “The windows are already busted, and this will be a lot quicker than fishing.”
Despite her hesitation to be one of those street kids, she quickly agreed. Things were worse than they thought if people were looting stores.
Leaving their bikes, they quickly and quietly made their way over to the storefront, peeking inside before entering. Inside they saw many of the sales racks were overturned and they could see the men had tried to get into at least one of the cash registers.
“Assholes not content to just steal; they had to wreck the place too, huh.” Abby muttered under her breath, unimpressed with what she saw.
Although Abby had been homeless for almost three years now, she did her utmost to set an example for other people in her situation. She had been raised to be respectful and with morals in a well-off family. Her mother was Afghani, her father Canadian and Abby had a stunning combination of their features. With thick dark hair and lashes, flawless skin and a brilliant smile, she was a beautiful girl. That combined with a fierce intelligence and quick wit, she attracted friends, and suitors, with ease. Her one mistake and biggest regret had been getting involved with a man in his thirties when she was barely sixteen. Less than a year later she was on the streets, escaping the wannabe pimp.
Thinking her family would never take her back, she roamed the streets by herself for months before coming across Ike. She found him selling himself on Hastings, a well-known area for junkies and whores. Intrigued by the way he held himself and his grown out mohawk, she introduced herself and after one conversation, she felt a kindred spirit. The two of them ended up befriending more young misfits and thus, their family was born.
Abby didn’t steal, do drugs or sell herself, and she expected the other members of her small family to follow her example. They shared everything and worked together, and, in all honesty, they were well off considering their situation.
Abby despised the idea of stealing, but the urge to care for her family and make sure they were fed, was stronger. The few hours they had been out today had been enough to show her that FIRE was more than they had initially thought, and she knew she needed to swallow her pride and stock up on supplies if she was going to keep everyone alive.
“I think it’s clear,” Ike whispered. Abby nodded. Careful of the shards of glass, they made their way into the store. They quickly filled both their backpacks and grabbed several more bags of nonperishable food, some batteries and a couple of sleeping bags. Their combined years of experience on the streets made it easy to prioritize what they knew they would need most, and within fifteen minutes they were back on their bikes rushing home with backpacks on each of their fronts and backs and bags tied to the backs of their bikes.
"What the hell was with that, huh?" Ike asked Abby as they rode.
"I guess it's worse than we thought," she responded before noticing a newspaper fluttering across the road. Maybe the paper will have some info. Man, I miss having a cell some days. Wobbling under the weight of the bags, she stopped her bike and ran over to grab a clean copy from a nearby stand. Ike nodded with approval, grabbing the paper and stuffing it into one of the bags as Abby got back on her bike before they continued on.
While going through a more residential section of the city, they heard a loud wail coming from ahead. Screeching their bikes to a stop, they watched as a few houses up a woman and man fought loudly. The exact words indistinct due to how far away they were, Abby couldn’t help but think that the woman was pleading, sorrow and anger mixed in the tone of her voice.
Walking their bikes across the street they both did their best to remain inconspicuous but were curious about the scene in front of them.
As they got closer, they realized the man and woman were fighting over a body!
They spoke in an unfamiliar language, but it was obvious the man was trying to take it out of the house and the wailing woman was protesting. Almost parallel to the house, Abby and Ike finally got a better view of the commotion before them. No wonder the woman was so distraught; the body was that of a child, a child who couldn’t have been more than ten. The woman's cries pierced both of their hearts, and Abby quickly blinked the tears away before they could blind her. As quickly as they could, they moved on, even more intent on getting home.
When they finally reached their house, relief washed over them both. It had been a stressful day, and both were grateful they wouldn't have to go out for a while. Neither of them told the others about the dead boy.
Get your copy of Dead Aware: Vagrant Youth here!
Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
If you enjoyed this (and hey, even if not!) please leave a review! Independent authors such as I rely on your reviews to ensure our stories reach as many people as possible. Reviews are the #1 way you can support an independent author (though we also accept hugs and alcohol).
A Zombie Journey is a story I have had in my head for about fifteen years, and in 2019 I set off to write the story of two zombies crossing the country to find one another. Obviously, the idea developed from there and turned into the story you just read. At times, Max and Clara had their own ideas of how they wanted their story to go.
I also want to apologize to my readers, and poor Max, for Jay’s untimely death. Honestly, it wasn’t planned initially and just happened. It hurt me deeply and was something I tried to ‘write out,’ but ultimately, it is what needed to happen in this story (though I have considered writing a story of Jay pre-FIRE, including his week before meeting Max, so would love to hear interest levels on this!).
Lots more in the Dead Aware world to come, including Dead Aware 2 (Release date TBD but will be in 2019), picking up Max and Clara’s story. Will they have a ‘zombie’ baby? Will they join up with Guy and the others? Will people finally accept the infected and live together in harmony? What I can say for sure is that Max and Clara’s adventures are far from finished. I expect at this point to end with a thr
ee-book series for Max and Clara, which several shorts and novella’s set in the same Dead Aware world. Is there a short story you would like to see in this world? Tell me about it! (If you have an idea I write, that story will be dedicated to you with the choice to be a character within it!)
Dead Aware: Vagrant Youth, is a novella set in the Dead Aware world featuring a group of street kids in Vancouver at the start of FIRE.
Also keep an eye out for Three and Fish in an upcoming anthology Undead Worlds 3, a short story about where Three ended up almost a decade after the FIRE virus first covered the globe. Insider tip, there may be a furry friend involved.
To keep up to date on all my new fun stuff you can join my newsletter (which also includes a free, horrific short story called For the Love of a Child) and also follow me on Facebook or Instagram
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eleanor Merry was born and raised in beautiful Vancouver, BC and still lives there with her tiny human and her fiancé. The offspring of a fairy queen and an undead warlord, she was brought up with an appetite for terror and beauty.
When she isn’t writing, she is a voracious reader with eclectic tastes which tends to lean towards horror and the twisted, however is known to indulge in dirty romances on the side. Her influences include authors such as Brian Keene, Mark Tufo, Richard Laymon and Tillie Cole. In all genres, nothing is off limits and she looks forward to sharing more of her own twisted and strange thoughts with the world.
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