by Tahnee Fritz
I flip through some more pages, each one forcing the lump to expand in my throat. I can feel my eyes swelling up with tears and one even falls on a picture of my mom and dad at their wedding. They were dancing, hiding the fact that she was three months pregnant with my sister. They knew they were destined to be together forever and had to be married before their first child was born. They kind of jumped the gun on that one.
I turn the page and discover a few of our baby pictures. I smile when I get to the one after I was born. Mom was still in her hospital gown while dad, Maggie, and Charlie crowded in around her. Charlie was only four at the time and had to climb on her lap in order to be in the picture. That was my favorite family photo. It marks the moment where my little family became whole. I’m glad there will never be a photo to remember the moment when my family died.
A few more heartbreaking pages. My eyes letting more tears drift onto the memories of the only part of my family I have left. The great times we spent together are forever saved in this little book. All of our family reunions, seeing people I can’t remember anymore. Cousins, aunts and uncles, my grandparents. All of them are gone now. I get to the last page of the book and see a picture that wasn’t there the last time I looked through it. It’s just a small wallet sized photo of us three kids. It was taken right before Maggie went away to college, two years before the cure came along. The corners of the photo are worn and tattered and the picture itself has faded.
I pull back the sticky plastic holding the picture in place and lift it from the page. The way it feels in my hand, I can tell it’s been looked at a lot. It’s wrinkly and feels old. I flip it over and instantly recognize my dad’s handwriting on the back of it. It’s a small note to me.
“Everything is going to be alright, Bridge. I know you’ll survive this world and find a safe place to live for the whole family. Just know how much I love you, how much we all love you.”
If that doesn’t break my heart a little more, then I don’t know what will.
I wipe the tears from my eyes and read his note one more time. Why does it hurt so much to know that he thought of me right before he died? Why does it kill me inside every time I think of him and the rest of the family? Why does love have to be so painful when you know you’re never going to see the people you love ever again? I wish I had the answers to those questions, but I don’t think anybody on this planet does.
I carefully put the picture back in its place and close the album. I hug it against my chest, imaging my entire family hugging me back through those pages. I wish their arms were around me, holding me tight and giving me the strength I need to keep moving forward. I force myself to put the book back in my bag and zip it up again. I run my fingers through my hair and wipe the tears from under my eyes once more. My heart still hurts and the lump in my throat has made a home there.
I spend a few minutes taking calm, deep breaths in an attempt to take the sadness away. I hold my head in my hands and stare at the floor underneath my feet. The stained carpet is in desperate need of a cleaning it will never see. Dirt has been caked into the fibers from the years of strange people stomping on the floor.
Speaking of stomping on the floor, I haven’t heard Ryder’s footsteps in a while. I haven’t heard anything outside the room for a while. I lift my head and glance at my watch. A good twenty minutes passed since he left to get water. There is a pump right down the hall where an old water fountain used to be. He should have filled it up there and been back by now.
I look to the door and stare at it for a few seconds. My mind keeps telling it to open and for Ryder to walk in the room with a goofy smile on his face. The door just isn’t doing what I want it to do and it’s making me really nervous.
I stand up from the bed and quickly start putting my clothes back on. I step into my pants and pull them over my legs. I put my shirt on then sit back down so I can put my boots on as well. As soon as they’re zipped up, I reach for my hoodie, draped over the side table, and put it on as well. The nights can get a little chilly sometimes. My gun is on the table right next to the bed and it’s the last thing I grab before heading for the door.
The hall is empty. I look both ways and no one is there. The only light is coming through the big window at the other end of the hallway and it’s just enough for me to see as I make my way to the stairs. I pass by the water fountain and my foot happens to kick something lying on the floor. I reach down and feel around for whatever I kicked and my hands grab onto something familiar.
The water bottle. I lift it from the floor and stare at it for a second. It’s still empty, but there are small droplets of water from it trying to be filled up again.
“Ryder?” I call out in the darkness. “Ryder, where are you?”
The only answer I receive is the chilling silence this hotel is excellent at giving off. I let the bottle fall from my hand and I move a little faster to the stairs. I practically run down each and every step, my heart pounding as I descend. All I can think about is finding him and making sure he’s okay.
I get to the last step and stare out into the lobby, “Ryder!” I shout again.
My eyes move to every dark corner of this massive room and come up empty. I run to the front desk and search behind it, only to make sure he’s not hiding somewhere. I run my fingers through my hair and continue searching for him. If he were to get taken by a vampire, I would have heard the commotion from our room upstairs. There would have been evidence of the struggle between him and the vamp. There was none of that. No trace amount of any evidence to point me in the right direction of where he might be.
My heart starts hurting again, this time at the thought of losing Ryder. Of allowing myself to fall in love so easily and to care about someone so much only to have them taken out of my life so quickly. Just like everybody else I come in contact with. Such a cruel, unfair world to live in.
I hear footsteps racing down the stairs and I whip my head around to see who’s coming. My mind and heart begging for the one and only person to run down those stairs and tell me everything’s okay. I droop my head a bit when I see two people rushing to the lobby and neither of them are Ryder.
“Bridget?” Jim questions. “Is that you?”
I nod and meet him at the bottom of the stairs, “It’s me. My friend is missing.”
“What do you mean?” he asks.
I shake my head frantically and say, “I don’t know. He went out for water and he never came back. Please tell me you’ve seen him.”
“I haven’t.” Jim replies. “I haven’t seen Sherry yet either. When I heard someone shouting, I thought it might’ve been her.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you.” I say, then turn around and head for the exit.
“Where are you going?” he asks and starts following me.
“I’m going to find Ryder. I’m going to get to the bottom of whatever the hell is going on here. I’m not leaving this damn place until I do.” I say.
“We’re coming with you.” Jim says and follows me outside with Dillon’s hand in his.
The cool night air embraces my skin. Luckily I grabbed my hoodie. I stand right outside the hotel door and turn my head in every direction. The full moon is doing a pretty good job illuminating the world. I can see all the way down each side of the street and see no one. The city feels like a ghost town. A place that was just full of life a few hours ago, now it seems dead. I don’t hear any signs of struggle or any signs of life at all. I walk away from the door and head for the only direction where I think I might be able to find Ryder.
Jim stays close by, Dillon practically running at his side with that teddy bear still tight in his grasp. I have to admit, I’m a little happy Jim chose to come with me. It makes me feel better knowing that whatever I find, I won’t be alone to deal with it.
We turn the corner, passing a few closed shops. The windows are dark and the only sign of people is the constant feeling of being watched. I can feel eyes all over my body as we walk down the middle of th
e street. I look to every window in every building thinking I’ll see someone staring back at me. I see the glass and my reflection in each window we walk by, but not a single person staring at me.
“It’s so quiet out here.” Jim whispers.
I nod, “That just means we’re not alone.”
The second those words left my lips, we hear it. The sound of footsteps walking on the concrete. I hold the gun tight in my hand and search for the source of the sound. My mind thinking only one thing as the footsteps grow louder. Any second and we would be a nice meal for however many vamps are coming at us. I’ve prepared myself for the moment I meet my inevitable ending. How can one not when they are living in constant fear of it every day?
“What are you doing out here?” I hear a voice coming from behind us.
Slowly, I spin around on my heels and see five people standing a few yards away.
“You shouldn’t be out here this late. It’s not safe.” The man is speaking clear enough for me to tell he’s not a vamp.
“We’re looking for someone.” Jim answers.
The few men approach us and I am able to get a better look at them. All five of them are wearing tattered clothing, like they’ve been wearing it for too long. Their faces are dirty and in desperate need of a good shaving. Their hair is long and they remind me a lot of other travelers I’ve come in contact with. The one who spoke to us is taller than the others, giving off the leadership demeanor. His dark skin blends in with his jacket and the moonlight bounces off his bald head.
“You really shouldn’t be out here. If they find you, your life is over.” He says.
“If who finds us?” I ask.
“The bastards that run this place.” He replies, taking a calm step forward.
“Who are you?” I ask, my hand still clenched on the gun.
He takes another step forward and says, “My name is Dwayne.”
“And what exactly are you talking about, Dwayne?” I say.
He looks around, like he’s making sure the coast is clear, “Come with us. We can explain everything.”
I turn to Jim and he shrugs. The man joins his friends and they begin walking back down the street. My feet start to follow them and soon Jim is right behind me. I hate that I’m allowing myself to follow them when I need to be looking for Ryder. He’s the only thing that matters to me right now and he’s the only person I have in this world I can care about.
Still, I follow these men to whatever place they are taking us to. Curiosity is the one thing that gets the best out of every human being. They turn down a dark alley, heading away from the hotel, and go to a door halfway down. One of the men knocks on the door. It sounds like a secret knock, one tap then a pause, followed by three more, heavier knocks, another pause, and finally two more light taps. The door opens a crack and I see an old man with a grey beard poking his head out. He looks us over, then opens the door the rest of the way.
Dwayne lets his men go inside first, then turns to us, “Please. I’ll explain what we know inside.”
I nod and walk through the door. Jim keeps Dillon close to his side and follows me. I barely make it through the door and I find myself frozen in place. I stare at the faces in the room with a dumbstruck look on my face. There are so many of them and they all seem frightened and upset. Candles are spread all over the room and I spot a small group of women sobbing in the far corner. They all look dirty and their clothes are filled with holes. Some of them have found a way to keep their skin clean, but their clothes have not. Backpacks and tote bags are stacked together against a wall, each with a name written in white ink. All of their eyes stare at us.
“What is this place?” Jim asks.
The door gets shut and locked with a big bar going across it. Dwayne walks to our side and stares at the group of people.
“This is what’s left of the travelers who come here. The ones who aren’t taken away.” Dwayne says.
“What do you mean?” Jim says.
“Why else do you think Nick and his army only worries about the zombies?” Dwayne asks. “Why do you think this place is overly friendly whenever a traveler comes here? They treat them like gods and give them whatever they need to be comfortable for a day or two. Then, when we’re least expecting it, they snatch us up, one by one and take us into the woods late at night to meet the end.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and open my mouth to speak, “Are you telling me,” I have to pause, it’s too unbelievable to even think, “they are trading human beings to the vamps? They are using them as bait?”
Dwayne slowly nods his head, “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Most of us have been hiding out down here for a while. Waiting for the perfect time to make our escape. When one of us thinks he can make it out, he gets caught and we never see him again.”
My eyes scan the faces of the people in the room. A few kids are trying to get some sleep on a pile of blankets and pillows with a few older women standing by to keep an eye on them. Some of the men are grouped together, cleaning rifles and pistols, counting whatever ammo they have. I don’t know for sure, but I’d say there’s about fifty people hiding away in this room large enough for a few hundred. All of them huddled in little groups to keep safe. I don’t know whether to feel sad for them or to be pissed off by their situation.
“When we saw you and your daughter come to the city a few days ago, we tried to warn you. Your daughter, Sherry, knows about this place and I told her to tell you about it. I’m assuming by her lack of presence, she wasn’t able to pass along my message.” Dwayne speaks directly to Jim.
Jim sadly shakes his head, “I haven’t seen her since this morning when she left for breakfast.”
“I’m sorry, but I have a bad feeling she’s with Nick and his army.” Dwayne turns his head to me. “I think that is where your friend is as well. It’s best the three of you lie low down here for a while.”
I refuse to look away from the people in the room. They have all been lying low for far too long. They shouldn’t have to live like this. Being forced to hide themselves away like savages. They are innocent people trying to survive in a world that makes it an almost impossibility to do so. All of these people have been affected by this city’s way of keeping it’s people safe. All of these people have loved ones out there who are dead all because they were trying to gather the things they needed to keep going on their journey.
Having someone tell me to lie low and not do anything, that’s enough to piss me off a little bit more.
“Why haven’t you fought back?” I ask.
“What?” Dwayne says, sounding confused.
I turn to him, glaring into his dark eyes, “Why haven’t you fought back?” anger growing in my heart. “Why haven’t you taken a stand against this city in order to save the people you care about?”
He looks around the room, “In case you haven’t notice, girl, we don’t necessarily have the resources to do that. What limited ammo we have, we use in case someone finds this place.”
I shake my head, “No, you should be using it to take back what belongs to you. Just because we’re all traveler’s doesn’t give those assholes out there the right to take our lives away.”
“I understand that, but there really isn’t much we can do. Once they get through that gate and take them into the woods, that’s it. We can’t stop them. They have fire power where we only have our two hands. It’s better to lose only one person to them than it is to lose our entire group.” Dwayne retorts then motions to the people in the room. “This is all that’s left of us. The people here, some have lost some of their whole families because of this place. They can’t risk losing what’s left trying to get out.”
I shake my head and walk away from him. The rage is boiling in my heart. Losing someone isn’t a reason to hold back. It’s the biggest reason in the world to keep going. To keep trying to find that one place where you’ll be safe forever. I had to learn that the hard way.
I turn back to Dwayne and can’t help
but get angry with him, “You think losing family isn’t reason enough to fight back? You think sitting in this room will make everything better and take those bad feelings away? I have lost my entire family because of this goddamn world. Because of those damn monsters out there, I am the only one left. Losing them hasn’t stopped me from going onward with my life. It might’ve slowed me down a few times, but I still kept going. If anything, losing them has given me even more willpower to keep living, to keep fighting. Which is exactly what every abled body in here should be doing right now. They shouldn’t just sit here and waste away like the people they’ve lost. They should be out there, doing something to get back the small piece of life they have left.”
A lot of the crowd has turned their focus on me. They are standing, with their eyes glued to my every movement. I’ve never spoken in front of a group like this before, but the anger and sadness in my heart drives me to keep going. To keep saying what I have to say.
“There are two people out there, the only two people left in this world that I care about. Who knows what’s going to happen to them if I sit here and do nothing. I can’t let myself lose anyone else. I won’t let myself do that.” I look at their focused faces. “All of you in here have the best reason in the world to go out that door and fight for what you’ve lost in order to keep what you have now. I know it’s scary, but this is humans doing this to other humans. How can the human race win this thing if we keep letting our own kind destroy it? Someone needs to put a stop to this.
“Whether I’m going by myself or not, I’m going back out there and I’m going to do whatever I can to stop this city from doing this to anyone else.” I turn toward the door and walk away from the group.
My heart is pounding harder than I’ve ever felt it pound before. It actually hurts a bit. I walk to the door, my mind focused on doing something I never thought I would ever have to do. I’ll probably die in the process, but it will be worth. I’ll go down with a fight knowing I did what I could to try to save my friend and the guy I’m in love with. This is the romantic love story Maggie should have been reading about all along.
