Surviving This Life

by Rodgers, Salice

  Liv wraps her arms around Emily and gives her a quick hug. “You’re welcome. Now sit back and buckle up this is going to be a bumpy ride,” she says as she cranks the car and it purrs to life.

  Chapter Four

  Olivia

  As I back out of the parking lot I see Emily looking up at me with such admiration in her eyes. I don’t know what it is about that little girl that makes me feel so protective. I hate kids. But there is something about her big blue eyes and bouncing blonde curls that just steal my heart. I will protect her with every ounce of my being.

  “Hold on,” I say as I run down two flesh eaters and merge onto the highway. We are instantly stopped by a line of cars honking, their horns demanding to move forward.

  “What the hell?” Wil barks.

  “I don’t know, but we ain’t getting to Devin this way,” I say turning around and going in the opposite direction. Lucky for us there are like three different back ways from here to get to Devin and Tony’s apartment building.

  About two miles down the road we come to a small store. Gas and Smokes, the old faded out sign above the building says. I pull in and park next to the gas pumps. The Range Rover has a half a tank, but who knows when the next time we will be able to get gas is.

  “Stay here both of you.” I look at Wil and Emily. They both nod.

  I get out and quickly open the gas tank lid. I grab the gas pump and shove it in praying there will be gas in it. To my surprise there is and I quickly fill up the tank and the reserve tank. I open the car door and ask, “Do y’all want anything?”

  “Some water,” Wil says.

  I look back at Emily. “And for you little lady?” I ask.

  She looks at me shyly. “I don’t have any money. I don’t get my allowance until Fridays.”

  “I got it baby. I told you I would take care of you,” I smile then look back at Willow.

  “Keep the doors closed and locked. DO NOT under any circumstances open these doors until I came back out.” She nods her head yes. I punch the lock button and make my way inside the store.

  As soon as I walk in the smell of stale cigarettes fills my nostrils. The floors are old hardwood that don’t look like they have been polished or kept up in years. The fluorescent light blinks on and off above my head making a buzzing sound as it does so. It gives this place an even more creepy feeling.

  “Hello?” I call out. “Anyone here?” I wait. No answer. I make my way down the long crooked aisles, looking for any sign of life.

  “Hello??” I call out again. Still no response. Hum.. that’s odd. I turn and look at the sign on the door and it clearly says open in big, glowing, orange, flashing letters. I shake my head and turn back to focus on the items on the aisle. I see a small backpack on one of the racks with the Alabama state flag on it. I pick it up and look at the price tag. $12.99. Not too bad. I decide to get it. Maybe it will come in handy. I finish walking down that aisle and turn to go down the next one when I hear the distinct moan that I have just recently become familiar with. A flesh eater.

  “Shit!” I turn around just as he is about to attack. I jump out of the way and he stumbles forward. I catch a glimpse of the name tag on his shirt. ‘Rick, Gas and Smokes’. Well no need to pay for my things. I’d almost laugh at that thought if I wasn’t trying to not get eaten. He lunges forward again and I sweep under his arm and around behind him. I snag a bag of Doritos as I do so and shove them in my bag. I rush back to the freezers and throw in several bottles of water and a couple Mountain Dews. He is hot on my tail again and surges forward to bite my shoulder blade. I elbow him in the head and he staggers backwards some, just enough for me to move out from around him and head down another aisle. This is the candy aisle. Yum. I empty the whole box of Reeses in my bag. This thing is getting full. Rick’s moans pull me out of my thoughts as I feel his breathe on the back of my neck.

  “HOLY FUCK!” I scream as I dash forward making him face plant on the worn out hardwood floor.

  I sprint down the last aisle throwing anything and everything I can see that is edible into the bag. Once I am done I hear not one but two sets of dragging footsteps behind me. Fucking shit! Where do they keep coming from? I quickly glance over my shoulder and see that Rick is now joined with a mangled up older man who has half of his face eaten off. If I wasn’t so terrified I would take a selfie with that man.

  They are both closing in on me and I am almost out of places to turn to. I ease my way back until I feel the frigid glass door of the freezer behind me. I survey my surroundings and what is closest to me. Bingo! I spot a wooden baseball bat hanging over the flashing Bud Lite sign on the wall. I stretch my arm up and yank it down along with the sign that shatters when it hits the floor.

  Rick lunges for me and I swing the bat forward connecting it with his lower jaw. He sinks to the floor grabbing for my pant legs trying to pull my leg into his mouth. I rear back and slam the bat into the back of his head. Again and again until I no longer feel him pulling on my leg, blood and brain matter dripping off of the tip of the bat. Creepy cool guy with half a face comes to try me next. Feeling full of confidence with my new best friend Mr. Bat, I wait until he gets an arm reach away from me then I swing with all of my might. CRACK! Mr. Bat smashes into the mangled mess that is his head. Down he falls. I stand over him ready to release another blow but he doesn’t move. I listen close but don’t hear his moaning. I smile. Took him down with one hit. I swing Mr. Bat around in circles and make a few Karate noises. I straighten the backpack on my shoulders and walk back to the car with my head held high and a cocky smirk plastered on my face.

  I lightly tap on the window to get Wil’s attention to let me in. She jumps and looks over at the window. I mouth “Open.” And point down to the door. She hits her unlock button and I climb in tossing the backpack her way.

  “Holy sh…” Wil covers her mouth stopping mid word and looking in the back seat. “How did you get all this?”

  “I killed Rick,” I shrug reaching over to Willow, taking a Mountain Dew from the bag and chugging half of it down. Killing Eaters really makes you thirsty.

  “I would say poor Rick but these Doritos look really good,” Wil says ripping open the bag and popping a chip in her mouth.

  I laugh. “In my defense he tried to kill me first, or devour me like you are those chips,” I laugh.

  “Well good thing it was him and not my chips, want some Emily?” she asks holding the bag behind her so Emily can reach them.

  “Yeah! I love Doritos,” she says taking a hand full and shoving them in her mouth and chomping down on them barely getting them chewed before she swallows and then grabs another handful to repeat the process.

  “Slow down there Em before you choke,” I laugh.

  She blushes and mumbles “Sorry.”

  “It’s ok. When is the last time you ate?”

  She taps her finger against her temple, “Umm….” She shrugs her shoulders. “I dunno. Mommy usually feeds me before bedtime but she was sleeping on the bathroom floor. She didn’t even get to finish her shot the doctor man from down the street gave her before she went to sleep, it was still in her arm.”

  I look over to Wil and give her that did-she-really-just-say-that look. Wil nods her head and looks back out the window not knowing what to say to Emily. I think that we both want to give her the best life possible now that she is with us even if there are people trying to eat us.

  “O...Okay. Well eat all you want to sweetheart but be careful,” I say as I snag the bag from Wil and hand it to Emily. “I think she needs those more than you at the moment.” I smile at Wil hoping she doesn’t mind.

  “Yeah she does.” She agrees and smiles.

  I start the car and slowly pull away with Mr. Bat tucked safely between my seat and the console.

  We drive down the long stretched out back road for what seems like hours but in reality it has only been about twenty minutes. Up ahead I see someone waving their hands in the air running toward our car. As I round the c
urve I can see clearly why she is running. A pack of flesh eaters are coming straight for her. I slam on the breaks and roll down my window.

  “GET IN!” I scream. She has no problem obeying. She yanks the back door open and jumps in slamming the door closed and locking it. I peel out of there just as the first flesh eater makes it to the hood of the car.

  “Wow….Th...Thanks,” she says clearly out of breath.

  “No problem. What’s your name?” I ask.

  “Tara,” she says extending her hand up between the seats.

  I quickly shake it then return my hand back to the wheel. “I’m Olivia and this is Willow and back there beside you is Emily,” I say.

  She looks over at Emily and smiles. “Hey there Emily. How old are you?” she asks.

  “I’m not supposed to talk to strangers,” Emily says turning her attention to look out of the window.

  Tara laughs. “Smart little girl you got back here Olivia.”

  “Yes she is,” I agree.

  “So where are y’all headed?” she asks looking from me to Willow.

  “Clemmons,” I reply.

  “That place ain’t safe!” she burst out.

  “Wh..What do you mean it’s not safe?” I question.

  “That’s where I am coming from. Those Biters are everywhere!” she exclaims.

  “That is where my boyfriend is!” Wil says panicked.

  I reach over and take Wil’s hand. “Don’t worry Dev is smart he will be in a safe place.” I hope.

  “Drive faster Liv,” she says rocking back and forth in her seat, in complete panic mode.

  I stomp on the gas urging the car forward. I am going well over ninety and this road still doesn’t seem like it will never end.

  Tara puts her arm on Wil’s shoulder. “Calm down sweetheart I am sure everything will be ok.”

  “How much farther?” Willow asks ignoring Tara all together.

  “Not much longer, maybe another couple miles,” I say stomping down on the gas petal.

  A sigh of relief escapes me when the town finally comes into view. It’s a small town with old houses lining each side of the road. With each mile down the road it seems like the houses get bigger and the trees get smaller, most cutting them down completely to make room for their yards. An old store building sits at the end of one of the roads with the white paint chipping off the outside. The spiral stairs leading up to the roof top balcony look like the slightest pressure put on them and they would come crumbling down. There is a small chain link fence that surrounds the property with a sign out front that tells the history of the store.

  Wil and I had stopped by one day on a trip to see Devin and Tony and learned that the store was the first thing to be built in the small town back in 1895. This was one of the first western towns in the south. So the town worked hard to keep the store when others wanted to tear it down and build houses.

  There are flesh eaters walking all around the yards. One woman is in what looks like a cafe uniform with her apron still tied around her waist. Her left arm is missing and the bottom of her jaw looks like someone ripped it off. I cringe at the sight and pray Emily is sleeping. Their attention turns towards us as we drive down the road and I can hear their excited moans as they head towards us.

  I can see Devin’s small apartment building coming in to view and I try not to go faster than I already am with Emily in the car. As we pull into the parking lot of the apartments a flesh eater walks in front of the Range Rover and I step on the gas to make sure he doesn't slow us down. He hits the front of the Range Rover and Wil screams when his head hits the hood and it looks like someone slammed a watermelon on pavement. Blood and brains fly all over the windshield, I turn on the wipers and try spraying the window and it makes it worse. I pull straight up on the grass trying to make it easier to get to Devin’s apartment. The less time we are out in the open the better. I shove it up in park and kill the ignition.

  “Em are you ready? You are going to have to move fast and if anything scares you just close your eyes. We will be holding your hand the whole time okay?” I ask her.

  “O..kay,” Emily says.

  “Ready?” I ask both Willow and Tara.

  “I think so,” Willow nervously agrees.

  “I..I am just going to stay in here. I don’t like the idea of being out in the open with them,” Tara backs out.

  I shrug my shoulders. “Fine but when you see us coming you unlock the doors and quick! You got it?” I ask in a demanding tone.

  “Okay, I got it.” She nods her head in agreement.

  I grab Mr. Bat. “On the count of three. ONE… TWO...THREE!” I scream and fling the door open knocking the few flesh eaters that are closest to me to the ground.

  “Wil grab Emily’s hand and run!” I scream.

  “GOT HER ALREADY!”

  I make my way around the car and jump in front of Wil and Em as a small pack of flesh eaters make their way to them. I quickly knock a path through them and we rush into the breezeway of the apartment building. I see one lone flesh eater with its back toward me.

  “Hey meat head!” I yell at him.

  He slowly turns around. His plaid button down shirt hanging off of his clearly broken arm. His head is down and I can see his blood matted brown hair. He slowly raises his head. And even with the huge chunk taken out of his cheek I could recognize him anywhere. I gasp.

  “Willow….close your eyes and only open them when I say to. Do you understand?”

  “Why Liv? What is going on? Move let me see!” she says nudging her way past me to see what has stopped me in my tracks.

  I feel Wil push me aside and her screams fill the breezeway. She leans against the wall behind her, still screaming and slides down the wall. I watch in horror as Devin zones in on her and is going straight for the kill.

  “Wil, Move!”

  She shakes her head no.

  “Wil he is going to hurt you! Now move,” I demand. But still she shakes her head.

  “Just leave me alone Liv,” she cries.

  Devin reaches out for her and Emily screams and runs over and gets behind me. Just before he grabs her I yank him back. He lunges for her again and I pull him back again. This time he turns toward me, his usually emerald green eyes show no sign of life. Instead the blood shot red has taken over. He opens his mouth and snarls at me showcasing what used to be pearly whites, but now have taken on a yellowish tint.

  “I’m sorry Dev. I love you,” is all I say before I swing the bat with all I have making him fall at my feet. This time he is truly dead.

  “UGH!” I scream out then sink down on the opposite wall and cry into my hands.

  Chapter Five-

  Willow

  I run to Devin’s limp body lying on the floor of the hallway and hit my knees. The one thing I was fighting for is gone. What else is there to fight for? He was the one man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I reach down to his neck with shaky hands I take off his necklace. It’s a silver W to match the D on my neck. We bought them when we went on vacation two years ago. I slide the necklace on and tuck it into my shirt alongside my own.

  I hear a scream and jump at the invasion of noise when it felt like the whole world went silent.

  “HELP ME!” Emily yells.

  Liv and I both snap our heads up in her direction just in time to see a flesh eater jerking on Emily’s arm. Before I have time to process what I am seeing, Liv jumps up and runs over to Emily smashing the flesh eater in the head, dropping him with one blow. She scoops Emily up in her arms and mumbles something in her ear that I can’t quite hear.

  “We need to get up to their apartment fast!” Liv says as she heads toward the stairs. “There are more flesh eaters coming,” she spouts over her shoulder as she takes the first step up the stairs. She turns to me and I am still knelt down by Devin’s cold lifeless body. “Willow come on! Please!” she begs, and since the first time this has all started I see the worry in her eyes.

  I look back to Dev
in, I kiss my hand and place it on the top of his head. “I love you Dev, always,” I whisper, then take a deep breath before I run up the stairs behind Liv and Emily.

  Emily has her head buried in Liv’s shoulder, her eyes squeezed shut. I pray that Tony is okay and we don’t have to go through all of this again, one time is enough for a lifetime. Tony’s door is one of the last ones on the right.

  Liv runs to the door and bangs on it while I put my back to the wall and look all around us. That noise surely had to attract some attention. When the door opens my breath catches in my throat as the brown hair of someone we don’t know peeks out.

  “Who the hell are you?!” Liv barks at the brown haired bimbo at the door.

  “Becky, now be fucking quiet! Before we are swarmed with them things!” she barks back.

  “FUCK YOU! TONY?!” Liv yells into the crack in the door.

  The door slides open and there stands Tony. I don’t know if I feel relieved or jealous that he is alive and Devin isn’t. I want to be pissed that Tony did nothing to save his cousin, or maybe he did but it just wasn’t enough.

  Liv rushes in knocking the brown haired bimbo to the side as she wraps her free arm around Tony. I watch as Becky rolls her eyes and shifts her weight from one foot to the other and slams the door shut behind me.

  “Thank God you are alright!” She says as she gently sits Emily down and envelopes Tony in a tight hug.

  “Hey baby I am so glad you are alive!” He wraps his arms around Liv and kisses her on the lips slowly.

  I roll my eyes and take Emily’s hand leading her to the couch.

  “Uhm, can you two do that another time?” Becky asks.

  Liv turns and glares at Becky and then takes Tony’s face in her hands and passionately kisses him. I can see her tongue as it darts in his mouth. I think I am going to be sick. I turn my attention to Emily.

  “Are you okay?” I quietly ask.

  “Yes,” she replies almost too low for me to hear.

  I pull her close to me wrapping my right arm around her. “It’s going to be okay baby girl, I promise.” I say not knowing if I am saying it more to her or to myself.