by Tahnee Fritz
Well there goes everything my dad thought to be true. He always said going north would be a good thing. We would find civilization there and survive with the other humans. Not end up being a juice box to even more vamps.
“How do you know all this?” I ask.
“I’m from Minnesota, a few miles away from the border of Canada.” He replies. “The last time I was there, those were the rumors that were being spread as people were trying to make their way South.”
I take a deep breath, “Well, that sucks.”
Ryder nods, “I’m sorry if I just ruined everything for you. I’d hate to see you go through all the trouble to get there only to find out it’s no better off than anywhere else on the planet.”
I shrug, “That’s okay. Better to find out now then when it’s too late.”
So, that just freed up the rest of my presumably short life. If I don’t continue north, going on with dad’s plan, I have absolutely no idea what I’m going to do. For the last five years of my life, I have grown to believe that these things weren’t able to survive in the extreme cold. That was always the reason for dad wanting to go north. I’ve always had my doubts about finding safety up there, but there was still a small part of me that wanted to believe that’s exactly what we would find. It does make me a little glad that dad isn’t around to hear this. I have a feeling he would want to stick with his plan and keep going until we made it to Canada. Who knows how long we would have survived if we made it.
“So, where are you from?” Ryder asks, thankfully taking my mind off things.
“West Virginia.” I reply.
“And where’s your family?”
I shake my head, “Gone.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I say forcing the lump in my throat to go away. “What about yours?”
He lets out a slight chuckle then says, “I didn’t have much of a family. When I was five my parents were killed in a car accident and my grandparents didn’t want me so I became a ward of the state going from foster home to foster home. The last one I lived with were horrible people. They only did it for the money and treated us kids like shit. I threw myself into school and after school activities to stay away from the house.”
“That’s terrible. Makes me feel bad thinking of how great my childhood was.” I say.
“That’s okay. Not every moment was a bad one.” Ryder adds.
“So, how old are you?” I ask, again wanting to change the subject.
He takes a deep breath, “Twenty, I think. It depends what time of year it is. My birthday is in the winter and I was fifteen when this happened and just went through the fifth winter so I must be twenty now. What about you?”
“Nineteen. My birthday is in the summer.” I reply.
He smiles and laughs a bit. I raise an eyebrow trying to figure out what’s so funny about how old I am.
“Why are you laughing? Did I miss something?” I ask.
“You’re only nineteen, yet you destroyed those zombies back there like they were nothing. I’ve never seen anyone do that before, let alone a girl like you.” He chuckles.
Not too sure if I should be insulted by that. No one has ever said anything like that to me before and I’m not positive how I want to take it.
“What do you mean by that?” I ask trying not to sound too snooty.
“Nothing bad, Bridget, you’re just young and hot and don’t seem like the kind of chick to be a badass zombie killer. I hope you’re that good when it comes to the vamps too.” He explains.
A smile comes to my face. Not for the zombie killing comment or the being young comment. He called me hot and only one other person on this planet has called me that before. Sherry’s just not the kind of person I could go for. Not that I have anything against that, it’s just not my thing. I guess there’s a part of me that’s pretty vain when it comes to hearing how good I look. It’s not every day I get to hear it.
We keep on walking, passing another exit that would take us to some town probably infested with the undead. Definitely not something I want to deal with again. Nine zombies and one vamp in a single day is plenty for me. There’s a few cars crashed on the side of the road, a few with black burn marks on the hood and the tires appear to have melted off the rims. Right about now, dad would be making some snide remark about how he thinks the accident happened. He always tried to come up with the weirdest solutions, like the kids in the back of the soccer-mom van turned into bloodsucking vampires and decided they didn’t need mommy dearest anymore. Something like that very well could have happened, probably has, but whatever actually happened shouldn’t have. All of those people who died in those accidents, should still be here going on with their lives.
The “cure” took that away from them.
“So, Bridge,” Ryder says, using my father’s nickname for me, “what were you doing when all the bad things started to go down? You know, when the awesome cure for everything came out?”
I shake my head, “I wasn’t really doing anything. I was at home with my brother and parents, my sister came home from college because she was scared. But we tried to stick it out and stay with the few neighbors that were left. We made it about a year, then headed for Florida to meet up with my grandparents whom we found dead when we got to their beach house.” I sniffle as I think of those horrible memories. “What about you?”
“Well, being an honor student, I was granted the privilege of going on a field trip to the capital in Washington. We were going to meet the president and everything. We got stuck there, it was when all the planes were grounded and we had no way to get home. Then vamps started showing up in the hotel and zombies started roaming the streets. A big city like that was the worst place to be.” He replies.
“So, what’d you do?”
“I stayed with the few friends I had on that trip. We were there for a few months before we found a ride home. That wound up being a terrible thing. The driver failed to mention he was injected with the cure to get rid of his cancer. Five hours into the road trip and he was sucking the life out of the guy in the passenger seat. Two others and myself were able to get away, but the other three weren’t so lucky. At least the driver got what he deserved for it and burst into flames when the sun came out.” He says. “Not a pretty sight.”
I shake my head and recall the image of that woman burning in the sun this morning. It makes me wonder sometimes what happened to their bodies to make them reject the sunlight like that. Obviously it has something to do with whatever ingredients were in that cure so many people thought they needed to have. What I don’t get, is why vampires can’t be in the sunlight, but zombies, which are a direct result of trying to cure the vamps, the sunlight has no effect on them. Must have something to do with the different types of cure the amazing scientists tried to use. They should have just left well enough alone and let the world go on as it was.
“You think a lot, don’t you?” Ryder asks, breaking my train of thought.
I shrug, “A little bit. I guess being in a world like this for so long makes me wonder about things. Probably the same things you wonder about too.”
“I don’t know. I stopped trying to wonder about why things are the way they are a while ago.” He replies.
“Why? Don’t you ever want to know why the cure had that effect on people?”
He shakes his head, “No. It’s better not knowing why this happened and why those monsters do what they do.”
I stare at him for a moment. Trying to read the expression on his face. He seems sort of sad about whatever is going on in his mind. Maybe I got him thinking about something that happened to him and he hates reliving that. Not a very good first impression on my part. I should just stick to killing zombies and never open my mouth. People seem to enjoy watching me work and I’m not left feeling like I’ve said the wrong thing.
After the sun disappears over the horizon, we find a nice place under an oak tree right off the highway to make camp for the night. I can tell someo
ne else has used this spot for a place to stay. Blackened sticks are still piled in the middle with two large logs on either side for a place to sit. There are initials carved into the tree with a heart drawn around them. Whoever TF and BJ are, I hope they’re still alive out there somewhere and this heart isn’t the last piece of their lives together.
Listen to me being all sentimental again. I’ve really got to quit that.
Ryder builds a small fire for warmth in the cool night air while I take out the small amount of food I have in my bag for our dinner. He doesn’t have anything to contribute. Whatever food he had, he ate while being trapped in the bathroom at that apartment building where I came to save the day. So, he is more than grateful when I toss him a green apple.
After we eat, I reload my small handgun with the bullets dad left for me. It’s a much easier gun to use in my opinion. I’m not much for the automatic ones, my aiming is off more with that one compared to my 9mm. The only weapon Ryder has in his satchel, is a knife and not a very sharp one. I felt a little bad for him, but still too wary to offer him one of mine. There’s no saying what he would do with it once it’s in his hands. I’m not willing to risk my life for that just yet.
We eat our small, not very appetizing meal without saying more than two words to each other. Sure it’s awkward. Sure we could be having nice dinnertime chat, but who needs that? A family surrounding a dining room table in a beautiful house, that’s who.
I watch Ryder wipe his hands on his jeans and toss me a small smile, “I’ve got a weird question for you.” he says to break the silence.
I raise an eyebrow and say, “Okay.”
“Have you ever wondered what would happen if a zombie bit a vampire or vice versa?”
He obviously doesn’t know the definition of what a weird question is nowadays.
I nod and say, “Yeah, a few times. My dad and I used to come up with something for them to change into and each time it was something horrible.”
“Me too. I don’t think the world could handle a mixture of the two monsters.” He says.
“It would be bad.”
Another few seconds of silence before he breaks it again, “Are you ever nervous about being out in the open at night?” Ryder asks, poking at the fire with a long stick.
I nod, “All the time. I know those vamps hide in the trees during the day and come out at night when we’re asleep and the zombies can pop up anywhere.”
“Yeah,” he says, “I just wish I could go one day without being nervous or afraid to look over my shoulder. That’s just the price you pay when you’re out here alone, though.”
“I used to have someone to look over my shoulder with me, so I haven’t been completely alone for very long.” I reply.
“How long?”
“A few days.”
“What happened?”
I think back to a few nights ago. Being in that tent with my dad and Sherry and everyone else in that town. That Henry Johnson guy, the biggest idiot I’ve ever come across. There’s no reason for anyone to want to capture zombies or vamps just for show. Anyone else who does should know something horrible will come out of it.
“Bridge? You okay?” Ryder asks.
I nod with a lump forming in my throat as I think of my dad, “I lost my dad a few days ago. He was the only family I had left and because of a stupid mistake made by somebody else, he’s dead.”
“Sorry that happened to you.”
“It’s okay. This was just something that really shouldn’t have happened. I mean, we were fine and everything was okay. Then we stopped at this stupid town and went to this stupid event thing where these stupid people actually get off on capturing those things and locking them in a cage. They didn’t realize that vampires are stronger than they look.” I say, fighting the tears building in my eyes.
“That is a lot of stupid.” He says.
That’s the only thing he has to say. It doesn’t really make me feel better about my situation. Having someone to talk to, to vent my issues to, is all that really matters right now and that alone makes me feel slightly better.
“Is that what happened to the rest of your family too? They got taken by the zombies and vamps?”
I slowly nod my head and wipe my eyes, “Yeah. My brother was first, then my sister. My mom killed herself because she couldn’t live in a world like this anymore. Then it was just me and dad and now he’s gone as well. It’s a shitty feeling knowing that you have no one else in the world who cares about you.”
He nods, “It’s not all bad though. I’ve been through some really bad things during all this and no matter how bad the situation gets, as long as you can force yourself to survive, things will get better. Trust me on this one.”
“You really believe that?” I ask.
“I do, because for the last two days I locked myself in a disgusting bathroom and thought I was a goner. That still wasn’t enough to give up and I never let them win. And you showed up and things instantly got better. That’s why I wanted to go with you.” He says.
“Not because you think I’m hot.” I say, mockingly.
He smiles and continues poking at the fire. The cracking of the flames fills the air and I glance up at the starry sky. I recognize a few of the constellations, the two dippers, Orion and his belt, and a few I’ve made up for myself. Like this cluster of stars looks strangely similar to a very obese man riding one of those motorized scooters. It’s amazing what our minds can create when we have nothing else to entertain us. I really miss TV.
It’s so wonderful staring up at the night’s sky, seeing the millions of tiny lights watching over this planet. I wonder if there are other planets out there like ours. One that isn’t filled with half dead humanoids who basically destroyed the food chain. Maybe one day they’ll come here and save what’s left of us.
I turn my head back to the fire. The shadow of the flames dance around the ground at my feet. Things seem really quiet all of a sudden. The wind has died down and the crickets have stopped chirping. I have a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that we aren’t alone anymore.
I glance to Ryder, I think he can sense something is off as well. His eyes are alert and he stopped poking at the fire. I reach for my gun sitting on top of my bag, keeping my eyes peeled for anything. If zombies were around, we’d hear their moaning and grunting by now. They aren’t the quietest creatures when it comes to sneaking up on their food source. Vamps are the things I’m worried about the most. They are quiet and have no smell to them at all. If you weren’t on high alert, you wouldn’t even have time to react if one was right on top of you.
“Did you hear that?” Ryder whispers, the very second a stick breaks not far from us.
I nod, “I don’t think we’re alone out here.”
I stand from the log I’m sitting on and look around. The moon isn’t doing much to illuminate the area and the stars aren’t as bright as I would love them to be right now. I peer into the darkness, hoping I catch sight of whatever made that noise. It comes again and I hold my breath for a second. The sound was closer than before and my heart’s beating much faster. I can see something not far away, a set of eyes glimmering in the firelight. It seems too short to be a person and the eyes too round. It comes closer to our camp and I let my breath out.
Ryder chuckles behind me as the two of us stare at the small deer walking through the weeds, “Too bad we don’t have the tools to gut that thing. Meat would be a great meal right about now.” He says.
I smile and turn to face him, “You do have a very dull knife.”
He fingers the blade and lets out a sigh, “Probably get tetanus after using this thing though. I found it by a lake.”
I go back to my seat and sit down on the log. The very second I’m completely seated, a terrified look crosses Ryder’s face. I don’t have any time to turn around to see what he’s staring at. He stands quickly and flings his dull knife through the air. The blade rushes right above my head, ripping through the air. I hear a g
runt coming from behind me followed by a thud as something hits the ground. My heart practically stops for a second and I watch Ryder walk by me. I turn around and see the body he’s approaching.
The knife is sticking out of the chest of the person it hit. I can’t tell who or what it is, but it isn’t moving anymore and that’s probably a good thing. Ryder kneels down next to the body and pushes the knife deeper into its chest. A final moan comes from the person’s throat and Ryder pulls the knife out of the wound.
He turns his head and looks at me, “Vampire,” he says, “I guess this makes us even now.”
He stands and walks back to his seat on the ground, “I killed nine zombies and saved your ass. One vampire hardly makes us even.” I retort.
“Yeah, but you didn’t know you were saving me and I did. Therefore, this makes us even.” He says as he wipes the bloody knife on the ground to clean it.
I don’t know what it is about this boy, but he sure is getting under my skin. In a very good way.
We sleep in shifts, keeping an eye out for each other. A good system that has yet to fail me. Even now after being on the road with a guy I’ve only just met. I think he’s the kind of guy I can trust. Maybe more than trust. I like the way he smiles at me and the way he jokes around to bring a smile to my own face. He sort of takes the sadness away. A girl could get used to being around a good looking guy like him.
Morning came along and not a very bright and shiny one either. The sky is cloudy and it looks like it could rain at some point during the day. It’s been a very wet year already. I know I said the weather should match the emotion of the planet, but come on. Enough is enough. I’m tired of being soaked one day and drying off the next only to get soaked by the rain on the third day. The clouds can hang around all they want, but send the rain somewhere else for once.
We hit the road again, leaving behind the dead vampire to cook in the clouded sunlight. The only thing we have to eat is the last piece of bread which we split in half. Hopefully we come across a place for food soon or else we’ll starve. I’m hoping a town comes up soon so the choice of starvation doesn’t cross our minds.
