Brain Dead

by Alice Carina

  After washing the blood off, I was much happier, and so was Lucky, as he was able to ruin all my efforts to get clean and cover me with slobber. Not very fun, especially when Matt only sat back and watched, laughing his head off at my discomfort. This from the guy that burst into tears if I left him alone for five minutes!

  Milly did not return for almost a week, which made Matt worry. I wasn't concerned though; if anyone out of their group was going to survive after we were separated, it was going to be her. Matt paced the room the longer she was gone, and by the third day he was muttering aloud all the things that must have gone wrong, and how it was all his fault.

  I tried to comfort him, I really did, but my efforts of trying to ease his mind only made him cling to me more while he worried. That was one of the major downsides of my decision to keep him around, against my better judgement; he had gotten clingy. Now it wasn't just the dog that followed me. Matt stayed close, a weapon at hand at any given moment.

  Matt had become oddly protective since our survival; it was as if I was a piece of glass that could shatter at the slightest bump. From the way he was acting, I was in more danger after we had managed to survive a life threatening situation. Apparently I hadn't proved to him that I could take care of myself.

  On the fifth day of waiting, Milly returned, looking exuberant and oozing confidence, as if all the dangers she had experienced in the zombie apocalypse were just a walk in the park. She strolled in through the door, without a word of explanation as to where she had been. She said a simple "Hey guys!" before she waltzed inside, acting as if she had never been gone.

  Matt left my side for the first time in days to check on her, but I didn't bother. It took a glance for me to realize why she had come back now; she was collecting her belongings so she could leave. It was entirely unexpected; the survivors we had saved were the same ones that she had been with almost since the beginning, and after saving them, they would welcome her with open arms. It was the closest thing to a family she had, so why would she sacrifice it for two guys she only just met.

  The answer was she wouldn't.

  "Sorry Matt, but I ain't staying for long; the others are waiting for me. Unless you guys want to come with me, this is goodbye," she said simply. From her hopeful expression, it was clear that she wanted us to go with her.

  "Milly, I hate to say it, but this is goodbye. No way are we going with them when they could turn on us at any moment." To everyone's surprise, it wasn't me that said it, it was Matt.

  "Figures," Milly replied, disappointed. She looked at us for a moment, a knowing look on her face. "Maybe we'll meet up again sometime. Until then, take care of little old Jake. You know he won't survive without us," she added, laughing at my annoyed expression. Matt blushed and nodded obediently. What was I, a child?

  Honestly, it was creepy with Milly gone. She may only have been with us for a few days, but I had gotten used to having an extra person around. Now we were back to just me, Matt and Lucky, and finally, FINALLY, there were moments of silence again. Oh, how I had missed not having to hear a conversation, a stomach growling, or the constant crunch of food being chewed. And better yet, there was no longer any snoring.

  We stayed in the department store another week after Milly left before we decided it was time to move. There was still an uncomfortable amount of zombies around, and I wasn't particularly happy with another group of survivors knowing where we were. We hadn't been there too long, so packing didn't take long. I was hit with a sense of deja vu as I saw Lucky sitting on one side of the bags, and Matt on the other. It seemed that no matter what happened, they would never get along with each other.

  We sat down, leaning against the bags as we inspected the maps arrayed on the floor in front of us. Lucky just lay down, curled next to me as we searched for our next home, but Matt made an effort to help. It was only with the maps spread out that the swarm of little crosses were visible. Each x marked a place I had been and passed through, some only at a glance, others for months at a time. The department store was just another x on the page.

  Matt suddenly turned to me, with a determined expression. "Jake," he said, hesitancy creeping into his voice. "I think we should find somewhere near a shooting range."

  Okay... Not weird at all. "Why?"

  Matt looked EXTREMELY nervous as his eyes darted around the room. "You need to practice shooting... And a soundproof room would be best if we want to avoid zombies."

  True, but why was he bringing it up NOW? "Why are you being so insistent?" It wasn't like I was against the idea - in fact, I thought it was a great idea to have both of us actually capable of using a gun - but why did he care so suddenly?

  Matt blushed and fiddled with the map nervously. "I don't want you to have to be close to the zombie to kill it. You'd be in less danger if you could just shoot it from a distance."

  This from the guy who had, only two weeks ago, been confessing his love to me and been terrified that I was going to throw him out in the cold just because... Huh. I can't actually think of a reason I would kick him out. He was just asking to tag along, he only said he loved me later... Hmm. This guy clearly didn't trust me, and despite how scared he had been before, now he thought I was made of glass. Oh, the irony.

  Being made of glass was not pleasant, especially when this statue had saved that stupid dog's life! I stared at him in disgust. It was when he flinched and looked down guiltily that I realized that he had been worried I would react that way. He really knew me too well.

  "Matt." He flinched. "Relax, I can take care of myself. If you're really worried, YOU should be the one practicing. How do you expect to protect me if you have to rely on me saving myself? Hmm?"

  It was cruel, I know. It reminded him of both times that he had been unable to help me, and that I had only survived because I had saved myself. I could see the pain on his face, and I regretted it, but I didn't take it back. He had doubted me, and he was treating me like a damsel in distress that needed a dashing young knight to save me. That kind of thinking would only put us in more danger in the world we were in.

  Matt looked like he was on the verge of tears - again! - as he stared at the ground. I was actually beginning to fold, as I felt bad - me, feeling bad! - for the pain I had inflicted, when Matt looked up again, determination in his eyes. He jumped forward hugging me, his arms warm and safe.

  "You're right, I shouldn't have treated you like that; you can protect yourself." He squeezed tighter, his fingers tangling in the fabric of my shirt as he spoke. "But I will never let anything happen to you ever again."

  His words were oddly comforting, and as Lucky jumped into my lap, joining the hug and leaving Matt extremely annoyed, I had to grin. Zombie apocalypse it may be, but with someone as loyal and caring as Lucky, and an idiotic, suicidal hero like Matt, we all just might live a little longer. If Matt stopped being stupid that is... which kind of made our future look bleak.

  Oh well, I've lived a long and happy life... Wait. Something seems kind of wrong... I'm eighteen and I'm living in a zombie apocalypse. How is that long and happy?! I've been cheated!

  And it's all Matt's fault!