by Tahnee Fritz
Nick nods, “Yeah, it’s our form of currency here. A welcome present for travelers.”
Ryder takes the velvety bag out of my hand and smiles, “Thank you.”
“You are very welcome. You two kids enjoy the rest of the day.”
Ryder pulls me along with him and we walk out of the small building. He closes the bag and puts it in his jean’s pocket for safekeeping. I can’t stop thinking of how weird this place seems so far. Nick couldn’t stop smiling at us the entire time he was talking. Even the other guys in his little group of fighters all had creepy smiles on their faces as they welcomed us. Whatever is going on here, I hope it’s all just in my head. I don’t want this place to not be what I want it to be.
I want it to be safe.
We walk further in the city. Tall buildings line each side of the street and people scurry about on the sidewalks below them. They all seem to be in a hurry to get somewhere. I glance through one of the big picture windows on a building. A diner is setup inside with a few people sitting down for a nice meal. Above that diner, are apartments. I look up and see clothes hanging from wires over the street to dry. There’s an older couple sitting out on their balcony enjoying the day with mugs of whatever they’re drinking in their hands. A young woman is shaking out a brown rug out on her balcony and a couple of kids are playing a board game at her feet.
Ryder turns onto another street. Our hands are still entwined so I am forced to go along with him. More buildings with various stores and cafes setup on the main floor inside with living space above. It’s like they took to the busiest part of whatever city this used to be and turned it into something else. Something warm and cozy and way too welcoming to make me feel comfortable.
We turn onto another street and are greeted by an aroma so wonderful, I can feel the drool building in my mouth. Whatever is baking, sends a rage of hunger in both of our stomachs. They growl and ache as we walk toward the origin of the scent. It leads us to a small bakery in a building all of its own. Tables are setup outside and only two other people are there enjoying a slice of pie. My mouth waters at the very sight of something so wonderful.
“I think we found our first meal here.” Ryder says with a smile.
I nod and rush to the bakery with him. He pulls the door open and the smell is even more wonderful inside. Apples, blueberries, even the smell of cooked bananas fill our noses and we take in the amazing scent as though we will never experience it again.
The old woman standing behind the counter smiles at us, “I haven’t seen you two around here before. Are you traveling?”
I nod, “Yeah, we are headed north.”
“Well, we just love when travelers stop in for a spell. Why don’t you two find a table and I’ll bring you a couple slices of my famous blueberry pie along with a glass of fresh milk.” She offers.
“That sounds amazing.” Ryder replies.
He lets go of my hand and we choose a table right next to the window looking out at the street. The two people sitting outside smile and wave when they notice our stares. We wave back and wait patiently for our meal to be brought out to us.
“This place is wonderful.” Ryder exclaims.
I nod, “Yeah it is. Seems too wonderful though. Everyone is being super nice and they don’t even know us.”
“Yeah, I noticed that. It makes me a little nervous, but that’s just how these people are I guess. Maybe they don’t judge as quickly as others.” He says.
I shrug, “I hope you’re right.”
The old woman brings out a tray with two glasses of milk and two plates, each with a decent sized piece of pie. She smiles again, sets a couple forks on the table as well, then walks away. My eyes widen and I lift the fork from the table. It’s been so long since I’ve had something this fantastic to eat, I’ve probably forgotten just how great it tastes. Ryder has already dug into his pie and shoved the first bite in his mouth. I take my time and savor the moment.
I stab the pie with my fork, making sure I get some of the blueberries with it, then bring it up to my nose and take in its luxurious scent. I close my eyes and, finally, put the bite in my mouth. My taste buds come alive in a frenzy as the sweet taste covers my tongue.
“Oh my god, this is great stuff.” I say with my mouth full, then go for another bite.
Ryder smiles with a mouth full of food and nods his head.
City life is so much different than being on the road. Especially in this city. There are so many people and each one of them smiles at us as we walk by. Every other safe town I’ve been too, I’ve never been more welcomed. Like the people here are super excited about strange travelers coming into their city, taking some of their food, and sleeping in a place their own people should be sleeping. I’m not an expert when it comes to being around a bunch of people, but I really don’t think most cities are this friendly or happy when two strange kids walk into their home.
Other than the weird smiles we have been getting from everybody we pass on the street, the city isn’t so bad. There’s plenty of things to see and places to go. There’s a different kind of shop on just about every street corner. They even have a place where people go to pay taxes right next to clothing store. One Ryder and I happily ventured into. We each found a new pair of jeans, shirts and other things we couldn’t go too long without having. After that, we explored a little more.
There’s a public bath house right next to their little hospital building. Since the hospital has running water, it was easier for them to build a place for people to get clean right next door. Not a place I want to visit anytime soon. I’d rather not have a group of random nice people see me naked. Even though the showers are all inside the small building and blocked off with curtains, it wouldn’t stop an old, creepy guy to walk in on a young helpless girl like me. I’ll take my chances elsewhere.
The school is a few blocks down from the hospital. It was at one point a community college, but now it’s home to the few hundred kids who need to learn things. It is important to have a place for everyone to learn what this world used to be like at one point in time. There’s no saying how long we’ll have to live with zombies and vampires constantly on our tails so it’s good to keep our history going. The future generations need to know what life used to be like without those creatures wandering around.
There are countless apartment buildings made out of old offices above some of the stores. We don’t see many houses or anything like that. I guess these people want to stick close together. I see people staring down from their apartments as we walk along the street. The ones looking through their windows don’t seem as happy as the ones we pass on the street. From what I could see of their faces, they seemed distraught, like they know something we don’t. I have no intention of staying here long enough to find out the secrets of the city. As soon as Ryder and I have everything we need to go on with our trip, we’ll be out of here. I’m really hoping that’s sooner rather than later. This big city life isn’t meant for a traveler like me.
After getting directions from a lovely young lady selling flowers, we are able to make our way to that hotel Nick told us about earlier. It’s still a little before seven, but we stand outside and wait for him to show up. A woman with a little poodle walks by, her smile not as sincere as most, like she feels sorry for us. I follow her with my eyes and happen to catch sight of something familiar in the arms of a little boy. His back is to me, so I can’t tell who he is, but the teddy bear in his arms has me wondering.
“What are you staring at, Bridge?” Ryder asks, staring right along with me.
“I think I know that little boy over there.” I point toward the teddy bear.
I keep my eyes on the boy. He’s standing with an older man who’s in the process of buying some bread from an old couple on the corner. He seems familiar as well and I start walking in their direction. Ryder follows me as we cross the street. The man pays for their food then turns around and I am finally able to see his face. A face I thought I would never see again.
/>
“Bridget? Is that you?” Sherry’s father asks with a look of confusion on his face when he sees me walking their way.
I smile and nod, “Yeah, it’s me.”
“What are you doing here?” he asks.
“We needed some food and this city was on our path.” I reply. “Is Sherry here too?”
He nods, “Yeah, she’s right behind you.”
I quickly turn around and lock eyes with Sherry. A huge grin comes to her face and she lets out a little squeal before running up and wrapping her arms around me. I hug her back, trying to figure out what her family is doing here. They were headed west the last time I saw them and this city is north of where we were days ago. Sherry pulls away from me after a few seconds and still smiles.
“Oh my god, I thought I’d never see you again. What are you doing here, Bridget?” she asks.
“We came here for food and a place to stay a while.” I reply. “What are you guys doing here?”
The smile disappears from her face and she looks down at her feet, “Something horrible happened after we left that town with the vampires. We were heading to California, but we ran into some zombies and things got really bad really fast. They got my uncles while dad tried to protect us. Then we started to run and mom fell behind. It was too late when we realized it.” I can see the tears building up in her eyes. “We got lost when we started running and wound up finding this place yesterday. They gave us food and water and fresh clothes to change into. Even a nice room in that big hotel across the street.”
“Same here. We’re meeting that guy, Nick, in a few minutes so he can show us to our room.” I say.
Sherry looks around me, finding the other person I’m with, “Where’s your dad?”
I shrug and shake my head, “He’s gone.”
She lets out a sigh, “This whole world just sucks for both of us right now.”
I nod, “Yeah, but it’s not all bad. I met Ryder a couple days ago and we’ve decided to travel north together.”
He steps up to my side and smiles. Sherry smiles back then gives me a thumbs up. I’m guessing that’s her way of saying he’s hot. I totally agree with her on that, if that is what she’s thinking.
“I think that Nick guy is over there waiting for us.” Ryder says quietly.
I glance across the street and see the big guy standing at the entrance to the hotel waiting for us. He sees us and smiles, waving a friendly hello. Ryder waves back, but I stay still. I see the look on Sherry’s face and I find myself wondering what she’s thinking as she stares at the man across the street. In a way, she seems almost frightened and, at the very least, she seems worried.
“I guess I gotta go see where we’re going to stay for the night.” I say, hoping it changes her expression.
It doesn’t and she turns her eyes my way.
“I have to tell you something important, Bridget.” She says so quiet only I can hear her.
“Okay. What is it?” I ask.
“It’s something about this place. Something that will make you wish you never came here.” She says.
“Just tell me what it is already.” I press.
“That guy over there. He’s not who you think he is. He’s something worse and will try to ta...” she gets cut off by Nick shouting at us to hurry along.
I smile at her and say, “Tell me later?”
She closes her lips and nods. I smile then join Ryder and walk across the street. I look over my shoulder. Sherry and her father watch as we walk away from them. Both of them seem worried and it’s giving me a worried feeling as well. Maybe I should have let her finish her sentence before cutting her off.
“So glad you two made it here okay.” Nick says as we step onto the sidewalk. “Sorry to be in such a hurry, but I need to get back to the fence. Zombies like to hang around when it’s the rainy season. It’s like they think the rain will give them the edge on getting through the gate.”
We follow him through the glass doors of the hotel and walk into a luxurious lobby. Everything is clean and polished. It looks like this place has never even seen the effects of the cure. It smells so fresh and feels exactly like a hotel should feel like. A home away from home.
“Again, sorry but there isn’t electricity here. One of the fallbacks of trying to preserve the important things. The only plumbing is a water pipe we have running to each floor of the hotel for a drinking fountain and another for the toilets. We’re very slowly getting the plumbing going throughout the city. I’ve set up a room for you on the fifth floor. You’ll have a fireplace and even a balcony to look out at the city. It is a beautiful view when the sun is shining, but with the storm rolling in, it’s not much to look at.” Nick states.
He shows us the way to the stairs and we follow him up each one. We’re out of breath by the time we make it to the fifth floor and are more than ready to plop down on the bed as soon as we have the chance. Our room is at the very end of the hallway with an old pop machine right across the hall from the door. The number on the door is 27E in big, gold digits. Nick opens the door for us and I smile when I see inside.
The bed is massive, at least a king size, and the sheets and pillows look so soft and comfortable. The fire place has already been lit and a few candles have been placed around the room to lighten the place up a bit. The sliding French doors leading to the balcony are open, letting the breeze flow through the room. The bathroom is right behind the door, but only the toilet works as Nick so simply stated.
Ryder and I walk into the room and he sets his satchel on the floor next to the bed. I take my backpack off and do the same.
“Well, I’ll leave you two to get comfy for the night. I’ve been told it’s going to rain pretty good in a few hours so if you go back out into the city, be careful.” Nick says with a smile then closes the door to our room.
Ryder and I didn’t bother going back outside to venture the city anymore. Neither of us wanted to be around anymore super nice people and I can always catch up with Sherry when I see her again. She is staying in the same hotel as we are and I’m sure I’ll bump into her eventually. As for right now, I just want to lay on the bed, listen to the rain hitting the glass of the sliding doors, and be with Ryder.
All we’ve been doing since Nick left, is talking. He told me what life was like for him being an orphan and I tried not to make my life seem a lot better with my stories of a normal childhood with an actual family. He hated every foster family he had to live with which is why he chose to force himself to love school. He threw himself into extra-curricular activities just to get away and became quite the smart student. I, on the other hand, was not a big fan of school and I really don’t miss it, other than the whole journalism thing. I wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box, but I got good enough grades to pass my classes.
“So,” Ryder says, “what do you think you would be doing right this moment if there weren’t any zombies and vampires out there?”
I sit across from him on the bed, both of us sitting with our legs crossed, “I don’t know. I guess I’d be at some college somewhere studying to be a journalist. Not the sit behind the desk writing nonsense for a newspaper type. I wanted to be the one who went out to get the stories first hand. To be right there when the action happens.”
He smiles, “That fits you.”
“What about you?”
He shrugs, “I never really had a plan on what I wanted to be. I just wanted to turn eighteen and stop being a foster family. I would just like to hope that I wouldn’t be living on the streets right now if things were different. I guess I do live on the streets right now, but it just seems worse when you take the zombies and vamps out of the picture for some reason.”
“I think I get what you mean. Being homeless without the monsters and knowing you could have a home but you’re still forced to live on the streets does seem a bit worse than living in this world. At least we know we will never have a home again.” I say. “Really sucks ass either way you look at it, though.”
/> He smiles, “Yeah it does.”
“You know, you never really told me how you ended up alone. You told me about that group you were with when you were on your way home after this all happened, but you never said why you’re alone now. I’ve told you my shitty reason, what’s yours?” I ask.
The smile goes away and he runs his fingers through his messy hair. Whatever happened to him had to be something terrible. He looks upset and confused and sad all balled into one expression on his face. I know the story about my life is pretty sad and messed up, but the way he looks right now, his seems like it could be worse.
Ryder takes a deep breath as he opens his mouth to speak, “If I tell you, will you promise not to freak out and run away?”
I raise an eyebrow, “I think I can do that.”
“Thank you,” he says, “It’s just...I think I really like you, Bridget, and I don’t want what happened in my life to ruin that. I know we just met and all, but you’re the only person I’ve met out here that makes me feel nervous and relieved at the same time. I don’t want to lose that.”
Glad to know he feels the same way I do, “I understand and I really like you too.”
He smiles, then moves his hands down to the bottom of his shirt. I watch as he lifts it off his body and over his head, my eyes ogling his perfect stomach as he does so. Another feature about him to fall in love with. He has a great personality, sense of humor, and it makes things even better seeing how amazing he looks without a shirt on. I feel like a tween making googly eyes at the latest poster boy to hit the scene.
He tosses his shirt to the floor and rubs his right shoulder. My eyes move across his chest to where his hand is massaging and my jaw drops. The perfectly shaped scar on his shoulder makes my heart race and I start to rethink everything. Maybe he’s been lying to me this whole time and isn’t what he looks like. That bite mark on his shoulder is enough to make anyone on the planet freak out, especially in a world where one bite mark can ruin your life forever.
