Parking across the street from him as he entered an alley, I got out taking my gun with me and some magazine clips, and locked the car. I hated alleys. I got nervous if I had to go into them, because they usually ended with dead ends.
He still had his back to me as I carefully crossed the street.
“Hey!” I called, but he didn’t stop. He just kept walking. Then he turned a corner to the right. “Hey, wait!” I ran up behind him.
How could he not hear me? Was he deaf? I turned around the same corner. Instead of finding him, there was nothing. It was just a dead end with a white, rusted-looking metal door. I was baffled. How could he just vanish? Did my exhausted mind play tricks on me? I tried opening the metal door. Yup, just my luck, it was locked. I'm positive he walked through this door as there is no other way to explain his full form in the flesh. I mean where else would he go? “Hey!” I banged on the door. “Open up!”
I heard running footsteps all of a sudden, coming from the way I’d just come in from. Oh no. Shit, I thought. It felt like a horde was coming this way. Well, if that guy was part of my imagination then I was definitely going crazy. I might as well just end my life right here and now since there was not a single human being alive.
It seems that my sanity has turned into an insane desperation.
Instead, I waited though. If I was going to die right here, I was going to fight and die with honor. I prepared myself for the oncoming slaughter by staying strong. As they got closer and closer, my heart rate sped up. Adrenaline coursed through my blood again; I began to panic. Really, all I wanted to do was run at this moment, but I knew I was trapped.
Is this how my life will end? Trapped all alone in a dead-end alley?
With that sorrowfully painful thought, I cringed and swallowed…
Hard.
I have a purpose in life (or two), and that’s to kill dead-heads.
Underground
Suddenly, a warm hand wrapped around my mouth, muffling my instinctive and automatic scream, and pulled me into the darkness. He ordered me to be silent as he removed his hand from my mouth. My back was against him – a very uncomfortable feeling, but I ignored it. You can definitely hear my heart slamming in my chest in the excruciating silence. I kept quiet as my heart rate began to return to its normal pace. I felt his hands pin my arms to my side, keeping me in place. We waited until there was nothing but silence from the outside.
Suddenly, he let go, but stayed where he was behind me. I turned around to look at this stranger, but it was too dark to see anything. “Come on,” he spoke in a gentle, relaxed voice as he took my hand and lead the way.
I didn’t argue. It had been weeks since I had heard another voice or even touched another person. I wanted him to keep talking, to touch his face, to verify that he was real, to tell my eyes that what I was seeing is real and not a figment from my desperate imagination.
Questions started popping up in my head. “Are there others…? Are you the only one...? How did you survive this long...?”
Even though I didn’t argue, and I was definitely alone with a stranger, panic kicked in once again, bringing me harshly back to reality, that when the world was filled with the living, it had the worst people alive. I jerked free. I didn’t even know where he was taking me.
Taking my flashlight out, I shined it on his face, placing my gun underneath the flashlight to the side as I aimed it at him. When the flashlight lit his face, I saw that he didn’t look older than twenty-two. Looking into his beautiful, heartbreakingly sad brown eyes, I felt mesmerized. “Who are you?” I asked ardently.
“We’ll introduce ourselves somewhere with more light and space. Can you please stay calm?! I’m not here to hurt you. I have no intention of doing that to you,” he informed me as he blocked the bright light from his eyes with the back of his hand. For some reason, trusting him fully wasn't one of my concerns since he spoke so earnestly. “You can follow me with the flashlight. Just keep close and try not to fall,” he advised gently.
He knew his way in the dark, but I obviously didn’t. Huffing to myself because I kept tripping, I rushed up to him and caught his hand in mine. He didn’t let go or jerk away, but accepted it. A part of me was relieved about that.
“Where am I?” I asked.
“This is an underground area. Well, it used to be a club, but it’s a survival area now. We’re almost there.”
“Are there any other survivors besides you?”
“Yeah.”
“How many?”
“Not much, but twenty-one people.” He tapped something metal three times. The metal door slid open and in front of me were living humans. They were not gruesome, undead, walking corpses that wanted to tear my skin off with their bare teeth. My eyes prickled with tears. Finally, I was looking at fresh faces rather than decay.
The man behind the door was probably in his early to mid-forties. “Where were you Josh? We got worried…as always,” the man spoke with concern.
“I needed to get out and breathe...as always,” he answered back sarcastically at the end.
The man scanned him from toe to head. “You’re not armed?” he asked him, seeming unsurprised. It was as if he knew this Josh never armed himself.
“I took the dagger,” Josh told him as he walked in past him, tugging me along.
The man chuckled. “What’s a dagger gon’ do to a walker from a distance?!” He slid the metal door close behind us.
“That’s old John. He’s the best at battle and surviving on his own. He used to be in the military.”
I nodded at the declaration.
“Hey, who’s the pretty newbie?” a blond boy about my age asked. He was surrounded by five other teenage boys all roughly the same age – perhaps between eighteen and nineteen.
“None of your business!” Josh told him defensively. “That was Julian who spoke. The others were Salvatore, Johnny, Mickey, and Rickey. I suggest you stay away from them. They’re asses!”
I had to stifle a giggle. I hadn’t giggled nor laughed in a while. In an odd way it was relaxing and reminded me of a time when our world had been beautiful and full of life. Now our world was nothing more than broken remains...
“Kitchen, game room, bathrooms, living room, bar...” He named places while showing me around. The lighting was dim, casting tons of suspicious shadows, but I’m sure nothing was there except vacant, dark spaces. The place seemed pretty functional though. The one thing I was dying for was a shower. I melted once I saw they had showers that had clean, hot water. I was dying to wash off the filth that had accumulated. All I could think about right now was the dried blood and dirt all over me.
He showed me to a room called the ladies’ room. He explained it to me as the place where the girls came to chat with each other, like “personal” girl stuff. There was a guys’ room too where they did what boys generally would talk about and do.
Anyways, he introduced me first saying, “Ladies, this here is…Oh how stupid of me! I’m so sorry. I didn’t even get your name.” I felt him go rigid and that’s when I noticed we still held hands. Embarrassed? I let go slowly.
“What’s your name, Miss?” he asked, like a real gentleman, but I still sensed his embarrassment.
Our gazes interlocked. After all the words he spoke, he never took a glance at me until now to get my name.
Suddenly, regret filled me for letting go. I was stunned by his masculine beauty. Eyes that held a spark of amazement gazed back into my own. Feelings I’d never felt before swarmed through me, lighting me on fire. My face flushed as I realized I had still not replied to his question. I was sure everyone knew what was happening.
His facial expressions of interest changed in two seconds though, which had me stuttering to find an answer. “D-E-...Li-Lillian.”
Briefly, his mouth turned up, gifting me with a cocky half smile. The sound of his voice sent chills down my spine and warmed me in odd places. It was just as striking, just as charismatic as his face.
He
redirected his attention to the others in view near us and said, “This here is Lillian. Lillian, this is Julia, Laura, Marcy, Darcy, Anna, Rachel, and Naomi.”
“Hiya,” Naomi greeted with a genuinely bright smile. The others…well, some others smiled at me and waved. Some just didn’t really seem to care. I waved back anyway to everyone, even to those who didn't want it, and perhaps didn't deserve it.
I catch the ones named Darcy and Marcy looking at Josh with interest. A deep and ugly feeling unfurls in me, and I have no idea where the hell it came from nor do I understand it. Within moments of being in this place I was becoming an emotional mess...especially being near him.
He sighed in agitation as if he too noticed their stares. He said, “Moving on… Over here is Christopher and Gwen, and Alex and Rave.”
“Hey,” Rave and Gwen sweetly greeted. They were talking to who I assumed were their boyfriends. Their smiles remained intact when we came in and interrupted them. They didn’t mind. After we left, they kept the smiles on their faces, going back to having a good time.
We entered a room; or maybe something more like a lab and library with two guys in it. “Then, we have in here Brian and Martin, the brains.”
“…Dude, Darth Vader, a.k.a. ‘Anakin Skywalker’, is an ass after what he’s done to Padme in the third installment of the saga,” Brian said.
“You honestly can’t blame him for his anger now, can you?” Martin replied.
“Yes, I can. He could’ve stopped it, but no he didn’t. He wanted to go all evil by ‘turning to the dark side’,” the one named Brian spoke, imitating the apprentice’s voice in Star Wars part three. Continuing he said, “He chose it when he could’ve prevented himself from the dark side. And in the end he kills her from misery. Anywho, it’s scientifically proven that if a person is so angry, they can find some other good hobby to dwell in that brings the inner peace in them. Like, for instance, something called yoga! If he did that, she wouldn't have died while giving birth!”
Was this guy serious? Did he just suggest yoga for Darth Vader?
The guy named Martin, wiped his face with both his hands in either frustration or annoyance. One or the other, I had no idea. “You always, always, always have to put science in everything.” Martin sighed.
“Well, that's because I do have a brain for all scientific purposes since I do a lot of scientific research. While you, on the other hand, are the mathematics genius. Not that I'm saying I'm not smart in math. Just not as smart as you in math, partner.” Brian smiled in Martin's face. They continued to babble on.
The guys didn’t look any older than early twenties, same as me.
“Apparently, they're all into the Sci-fi genre as you can see. They can go for hours like this. I’ve seen them watch Star Wars like over fifty times already. They never get bored. They’re very friendly and they like to argue over opinions. So, it won’t hurt if you threw one in. They’re actually funny to watch when they argue. I hang out with them the most. The things they discover are so unbelievable. You can't even begin to imagine how many things exist, and it all revolves around science.”
“Huh. So you say.” That's interesting to know about them, that two college students still haven’t lost hope in science and math, and still are trying to make a difference.
Brian put his attention on us after a while. I didn't think they noticed they had an audience before them till now. “Ah, Mademoiselle, comment vous appelez-vous?” Brian spoke in French.
“Je m’apelle Lillian,” I answered him in perfect French. Was it a coincidence we both spoke French?
“Ah. Vous êtes francais ?”
“Non, americaine.”
I learned some French back in private school. I didn’t keep up with it, because the teacher was a bit cruel.
We laughed a little and Josh and I left to continue on the small tour. Being here had made me forget about the apocalypse for a moment. I was somewhat at peace and felt safe here. With so many people, it made the horror of the last few weeks a little easier to bear.
“Okay, and now in here we have Brass. I suggest you stay out of his way. He’s got a very hot temper, but he’s the one who found this place. He owns it, so respect his house, and you won’t get your butt kicked, you know. He and I are good friends… Hey, Brass. What ‘sup?” Josh smiled.
Brass didn’t say anything, but did the V – peace – sign with his left hand. He had spiked, blond bleached hair with red tips and dark green eyes. He was dressed in metal and leather, he looked like a rebel. A punk, I figured. I should've known from just his name. “Lillian, Brass. Brass, Lillian,” Josh introduced. He didn’t say anything, but I said, “Hey,” sweetly and innocently, afraid that by any gesture I might just set him off.
He greeted, “Hey,” back but without looking at me. He kept his eyes staring at the ground. Apparently, he was too busy or caught up in whatever he was doing, which seemed to be pondering deeply.
We moved on as I wanted to get out of there in a hurry, because I felt like we just invaded his privacy.
“Well, that’s the tour. Make yourself at home,” Josh told me with a tight line smirk.
Rage
I touched his shoulder before he walked away. “Um, I have some stuff in my car that I need to get.”
He grimaced and stared at something above and behind me. He had an apologetic expression. “I’d love to get it for you, but it’s gotten kinda late. Is it urgent?” He asked, really looking at me now.
I didn’t miss a chance to look at his eyes. “I guess not. I just needed some essential stuff.”
“Well, we have the basics if you need it, like clean toothbrushes, clothes, food, and entertainment. If you need something just ask.”
“Hmm. PJs and a toothbrush are all I really need for now. Oh, and a towel, if you don’t mind. I really am dying for a shower right now.”
He chuckled at my desperate expression once I said ‘shower’ and smiled, responding with an “Okay.”
He brought the things I asked for and met me in the girls' room where I was going to be sleeping. They had a bathroom and a shower in there with a door, which was private enough for me.
He went in the bathroom, and turned on the water for me. I would say something smart since he followed me in there, but it seemed he only wanted to help. I watched him touch the running water as it slid down his fingers like a waterfall. We didn’t say a word. I guess he wasn’t much of a socializing person either, but right now I craved human contact and conversation. I asked the first thing that came to my mind. “So, you were out there unarmed?” The idea annoyed and bothered me to some degree.
He chuckled. I think he noticed the worried tone behind my words. My cheeks felt slightly warm. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Why were you out there all alone anyway?”
He didn’t move from the edge of the tub. I figured he would explain so I closed the lid on the toilet and sat, waiting for an explanation. It was honestly none of my business, but deep down something inside me sensed a connection to this guy and I was curious.
“Sometimes down here I can’t breathe, call it cabin fever. We all get into arguments every once in a while. Most of them stay inside all the time. Never wanting to go out there ever again, because of what’s happening or what had already happened. Staying down here is safer than out there. And they’re right. I don’t blame them for their fear. They will actually sacrifice a regular walk in the morning, to live underground safely rather than see the sun rising in the morning, you know.”
“I totally get it. But wow, you’re so brave. You’d risk your life just for a sunrise. I’ve seen sunrises before but from behind windows… How’d you end up here?”
He smiled sadly. “I used to be in a local band with a couple of best friends. They were like my brothers. We were one big family. I was the youngest out of them all, and they sacrificed their lives for me to run away when it all happened...
“Yo Joshy boy, you ready to pump shit up or what?” Douglas, our vocalist
, shouted at me with excitement to play for the third time in our hometown in California.
Tuning my guitar to check if it was on the right frequency, I place my lips against the microphone and in an ominous tone say, “Check, check, one, two, three.” I nod at him, signaling that I am ready.
At every venue he’s called me out to embarrass me just because I hadn’t tuned it just right. Not my fault Allen keeps messing with and touching my guitar. The night before I’d specifically told him not to after I’d tuned it. Douglas didn’t mean it in a mean way, but rather in a joking manner.
I looked over at our bass player Allen, with the promise of revenge in my eyes, as he sent me air kisses. Boy, does he like pissing me off. I’m going to cut his strings after this show so he’d have to go buy a whole new set.
I looked over at our drummer, Tim, who just started bursting out laughing because of what Allen had done. I knew he knew something. Him and Allen. Man, they are so damn annoying, and yet it was all a brotherly affection.
Halfway through the show, just as we’d gotten warmed up and were really roaring, people began to panic. Being up on stage and seeing everything clearly from where I stood, we saw them. My mind refused to believe what I was seeing.
Because there’s no fucking way it can be real!
We stopped playing as everyone began to run around screaming, begging for their very lives. We stared horrified at the mangled bodies on the ground before us. The blood spurted from their bodies where the people had bitten them. The cannibals had this sick, sadistic look on their faces as if tearing and devouring flesh was a delicacy.
Looking at one another we realized something horrible was happening. Only a couple of seconds had passed, but it seemed as if time had slowed down. We could see the carnage, and a part of me refused to accept it. It was a nightmare!
My crazy older friends, close as family, turned to me, and shouted, “Run Josh! Get the fuck out of here!”
The World At End (Book 1) (Left Alive for the Dead Series) Page 2
