by L. A. Boruff
I was slightly envious of their connection but glad they had one another.
For the first time in my life I finally wanted to find one girl to settle down with and she ended up dead . . . or undead. Maybe I wasn’t destined for that kind of life. Never had been if I was honest.
No point on dwelling on it now.
Zeke sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Alright. What’s the plan?”
“Someone should stay with the truck. It’s not a bad idea if you do, Nat. Zeke and I can get anything out of the house you might need.”
She stiffened in her seat. “Where are we going?”
“The cabin,” Zeke and I said at the same time.
Nat sighed. “Fine, but I want to go in. If I’m leaving here and possibly never coming back, I want to pack my own bag.”
Zeke shrugged. “I don’t have a problem with it. Ty?”
I looked through the windows and didn’t see any movement. “Hurry. I don’t know how long it will stay quiet out here. We’re too vulnerable in this part of town. Too many homes and places to hide. Lots of people.”
Zeke and Natalie slipped from the truck and darted up to their front door. I couldn’t relax the entire time they were inside and imagined being overrun again like we were downtown. The flares and dynamite wouldn’t last forever. We needed to get out of town. The fewer the inhabitants around us, the better.
Zeke and Natalie were back in the car about ten minutes later and tossed several duffle bags in the back of the truck. A couple of backpacks and another bag landed in the backseat.
“You two sure you brought enough?”
Zeke looked pointedly at Nat and I knew it wasn’t his idea. “Something like that.”
“Oh, shut it,” she snapped and tugged the door closed.
The ride out of town was surprisingly easy. We made good time as the traffic wasn’t congested. I was bothered by that detail. Wouldn’t it make sense that people would be packing and rushing around, fleeing their homes the same as we were doing? Why weren’t more cars on the road? Were people unaware of what occurred at Red, White, and Boom?
I had been to the cabin recently, so I didn’t worry about going home. I came here often and kept extra clothes and supplies and the place stocked for a quick weekend getaway. Everything I needed was here at my disposal. Zeke noticed as we walked in the door and his gaze met mine. I think he remembered when I told him I brought Tara here more than once. She loved the cabin and the woods and the break from city life.
Something we had in common. Or used to before this mess started.
Clearing my throat, I gestured to one of the bedrooms. “Why don’t you both get some rest? It’s been a long night.”
Nat walked toward the kitchen and filled the tea kettle with water. Once it was placed on the stove, she turned to me with a weak smile. “I’ve got too much going on in my head to process. I don’t think I could sleep if I tried.”
We gathered at the table and sank into the chairs with weary bones and heavy hearts. This night had brought change none of us were ready to accept. I pulled out a notebook and began writing in it as Zeke and Natalie made small talk. Twenty minutes later we were all sipping hot tea as I turned to Nat.
“You said Tara was bitten. Can you tell me about it?”
“Sure. We were in the bathroom and a pediatric nurse was in there, but we didn’t notice her at first. She burst from the stall and attacked us and bit Tara’s hand.”
I began writing all the pertinent details down as she continued. “Any other weird encounters?”
“John, the maintenance guy.” She told the story and my eyes widened.
A vomiting zombie? What the hell? And how about my exploding stomach zombie?
“We need names to distinguish the different undead types.” I tapped the pen on the table and then stopped to write my idea down. “So, the Retcher was the one that vomited in the stairway. The one with that big stomach that I hit was a Bloater. Those are specialty zombies. I’d say the others are just undead.”
Zeke and Natalie were staring at me with odd expressions.
“What?”
“That’s pretty smart, Ty. We should keep track of our interactions and the types of zombies that we find. Any notes that could be useful.”
Zeke sat back against the wooden spindles of the chair arms folded across his chest. “We should start a journal or diary. Something that helps us keep track of time as well as the details of tonight and the fireworks show. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“What are we going to do? Just stay here at the cabin? Indefinitely?” Natalie’s question was a good one and I didn’t have an answer.
Zeke pounded his fist on the table and made us all jump. “Nat, your cousin Jesse is married to a Marine. Can’t she find out what’s happening?”
Natalie perked up. “Sure, but we have a problem. Cell phones aren’t working.”
“What if she can be reached by radio?” I asked, gaining her attention. “What base are they stationed at?”
“Not in Ohio. There’s Wright Patterson AFB but I don’t think they’d have gone there. As far as I know they’re still down in Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.”
“We have equipment here if you’d like to try communicating with the base in the morning. Dad insisted on keeping it in case of emergency. He was a bit of a conspiracy theorist as you know.”
Natalie perked up a little. “I’d like that. Jessie’s husband Alex is a real badass. That Marine and his buddies have way more Intel than we’d ever find out on our own. Sawyer is one of his best friends and probably the best Marine I’ve ever met. If anyone could lead a group of survivors, I’d bet on him.”
“We sort of have a plan,” Zeke mumbled under his breath.
“The city is overrun, babe. Those undead will make their way to the suburbs if they haven’t already. We don’t know what zip codes have contaminated water. There’s no way we can go back, no place to call home, just an empty dangerous wasteland full of the unknown.”
Zeke sighed and pulled her chair closer as he slid his arm around her shoulders. “We should try to get some rest. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”
“Go ahead,” I added, “I have a lot to write down and I’ll take watch tonight.”
They stood and moved toward the bedroom as Natalie sagged against Zeke’s side and he picked her up, shutting the door quietly behind them as silence engulfed the room. My head was full of questions, but several stood out as the most important. The source of the water contamination and the exposure area was crucial. The phones were another issue. Why wasn’t there any cell reception? What the hell happened?
Whatever the future held I intended to find out the answers and protect my family, at least what was left of it.
10
Zeke
“We’re going to get through this, Nat. I promise,” I assured her as I sat down on the bed. She was in my arms and safe where I needed her to be, snug against my chest as I refused to let my thoughts wander to all of the things that could have gone wrong tonight.
“We don’t know what the future will hold, Zeke.” Her pretty blue eyes met mine and I noticed tears. “Tara is gone. I can’t believe she’s –”
“Babe,” I interrupted. “I know. I’m sorry about Tara but we made it. We’re alive. That counts for something, right?” Brushing the few tears that had fallen from her cheeks I turned and lay her back against the mattress. “All I want, and need is you by my side. We’ll make it. You, me, and Ty we’re gonna survive.”
Her palm rose to the stubble on my chin as she caressed my face with her fingertips. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Zeke. Promise to never leave my side.” Her voice croaked with the last word and I clutched her close, my mouth crashing down on her lips.
What I said best, I did without words.
Nothing meant as much as her soft warm skin pressed to mine. With great care I slowly lifted her shirt over her head and proceeded to undress her
until every inch of her body was naked and exposed to my greedy gaze. Streaks of blood and dirt clung to the surface and marred her perfection. She didn’t say a word as I stood and undressed and then scooped her up into my arms as I strode into the bathroom with purpose.
Her feet met the cool tiles as I started the shower and waited until the water was warm enough. I kept one hand on her at all times as we stepped inside and pulled the door closed. The steam rose and filled the room as I pulled her into my arms and placed a kiss on her forehead before tilting her head back under the steady stream pouring down from the shower head.
With all the affection I felt I lathered and washed her hair and then slowly proceeded to run the loofa over her body, instantly turned on by the smooth supple curves of her body. Unable to resist as I rinsed her completely, I licked the side of her neck as a soft moan rumbled up and out of her throat.
“I’ll always need you, my Nat. Always.”
She spread her legs and wrapped them around my waist as I lifted her up and against the wall. My teeth nipped at her shoulder as I licked and sucked at the skin of her neck unable to get enough of her taste. My hands kneaded the soft flesh of her ass and I groaned as I pressed my erection up against her mound.
“Zeke,” she whispered, “always.”
Her breathy agreement increased my lust and desire and I rubbed the head of my cock against her lower lips as I resisted the urge to plunge inside her without making sure she was ready. Two of my fingers slipped inside her heat and found her juices already flowing. A wicked grin spread across my face as I didn’t hesitate to enter her in one swift stroke.
“Nungh.” Her nonsensical word of pleasure burst from her lips as her head fell back against the cool tiles.
My hips pulled back as I withdrew almost all of the way and then plunged inside her again all the way to the hilt. Nat’s moans echoed in the bathroom as my palm slapped against the tile for leverage. I pumped inside her with a desperate and possessive need. She was mine. I belonged to her as equally but the shit from tonight proved the depth of my devotion. I’d do anything for Natalie.
Her hand brushed my cheek as our eyes met and the intensity of her gaze caused my pace to lessen as I continued fucking her with slow deliberate thrusts that prolonged the pleasure between us.
“Happy anniversary, baby. I love you.”
“Zeke, I love you, too.”
I took her hard after that and deliberately and viciously chased her orgasm not once, but twice inside that shower. I didn’t come until she was limp in my arms and I released inside her with a loud cry as I thrust up inside her until my body was consumed with my release. My fingers dug into her flesh as my muscles spasmed and I was panting. My head lowered to her neck and I kissed her softly.
Natalie and I stayed pressed to one another in that shower until the water ran cold. In the minutes that slipped by, we held each other close and I knew she felt every bit of the emotion that lingered between us. Our hearts spoke to one another without words. The touch of her hand met mine and I intertwined our fingers as we both squeezed at the same time.
We were going to make it.
That was all that mattered. We’d survive.
There wasn’t any other possible outcome. The world might be total and complete shit, but I would never give up. Ty, Natalie, and I were survivors.
Ruination of the world be damned.
Note from the Author
Thank you for reading!
Zeke, Natalie, and Ty are part of the Last of Us series.
You can find further stories about these and the other characters in Lone Survivor, available now.
The series will continue later in 2019.
Playlist:
Weapon – Matthew Good
Red Cold River – Breaking Benjamin
For Whom the Bell Tolls – Metallica
You Can Run – Adam Jones
Lead Me Home – Jamie N Commons
Dead Man Walking – Brand New Sin
When You Say Nothing at All – Endless Summer
Zombie Chart
Runner – Infected not fully turned, enhanced by MS69, freaky fast, sensitivity to light
Bloater – large H.I.M.S. with overextended guts, puffed with putrid fluid and blood
Crawler – slow mangled H.I.M.S., usually with lower limbs missing
Lurker – undead mistaken for dead bodies
Screecher – H.I.M.S. that signal the hunt, determined trackers, enhanced sense of smell
Rotter – another nickname for a zombie, term used by the military
Tank – large muscular H.I.M.S. with superior strength and body mass, sometimes charging forward like a bull
Retchers – Infected that vomit or spew stomach acid, bile, and tainted blood in order to infect humans
Boomers – H.I.M.S. that easily explode when shot or attacked with a melee weapon
H.I.M.S. – Humans Infected with drug MS69 – the cause of the outbreak and virus
Infected – those who were given strand #2 of the virus (enhancement)
Undead – those who were given strand #1 of the virus (population control)
Swarm – Infected that are fast and cooperate together in mass numbers
Horde – a large group of Undead traveling together
Meatshields – term used by the military; zombies wearing armor, bulletproof vests, or other enhanced protection that shield others from attack
The Marines
Sawyer “Saw” – lead command
Colin Razzier “Razz” – 2nd in command, Charlotte’s boyfriend
Charlotte – Razz’s girlfriend
Chewy
Hawkeye
Fisher
Jester
Iceman
Alex “Maverick”, Jessie’s husband
Casanova
Amy
Kara
Elizabeth, Matt’s sister – deceased
Tonya – deceased
The Civilians
Bailee – Scientist Dr. Mark Schroeder’s niece, Sawyer’s girlfriend
Jessie – Maverick’s wife, Natalie’s cousin
Matt – Elizabeth’s brother – deceased
Stacey – Iceman’s wife
Kim – Fisher’s girlfriend
Holly – Jester’s girlfriend
Lenora “Lenny” – Charlotte’s younger sister – missing
Natalie – Jessie’s cousin
Zeke – Natalie’s boyfriend
Ty – Zeke’s brother
Tara – Natalie’s best friend – deceased
Lone Survivor Preview
A sneak peek at book 1 in the LAST OF US Series, Lone Survivor.
In the year 2052, man became invincible.
The key to immortality had been created, linking human DNA to a newly discovered strand that enabled the once frail human body to adapt and change while it enhanced physical attributes like strength, speed, and agility. An important distinction in this alteration was the profound effect on the aging process. The strand attached to individual cells and created a buffer which slowed the process down to near nonexistence.
Hundreds of years of extra life added in a single moment.
The proverbial fountain of youth.
One solitary scientist in America created this new DNA strand while looking for a cure for cancer. He found it amid much controversy and skepticism. The cure came in the form of this new enhancement known as ST541. The scientist, Mark Schroeder, made exactly 540 attempts before this one in his research. Apparently, 541 was his lucky number. Schroeder succeeded . . .
And he shared his find with the world.
The process became coveted by every country and government entity as a massive outcry for the knowledge spread into every hidden crevice of the earth. A new world order was established to contain the chaos that exploded in civil wars and a power-hungry struggle to own the technology that made everyday man immortal. The U. S. maintained its precarious hold over ST541, but barely. Dr. Schroeder
lived under constant fear for his life and family. Those who wanted the drug for themselves threatened to kidnap him for his knowledge. Or worse, if he didn’t comply.
In defiance, Dr. Schroeder began another round of experiments in order to create a super soldier or bodyguard who could protect him from the threats, as well as his beloved country. He needed to run more tests on human subjects. The man was obsessed. More blood. More tissue to dissect.
More degrading and inhuman trials.
Only those highest in clearance knew. All knowledge was kept from the public.
Every citizen was required to submit DNA for the new system the government created (known as Schroeder’s Base). Mandatory samples were taken, both with and without permission. The government ran secret testing and trials in select military bases across the nation. Humans became specimens in the rigorous search for the right formula.
Enhanced human DNA to fight the enemy was the only objective. A drug created that would not only extend life but give the human body special attributes. Strength, speed, and agility weren’t enough. The government wanted more.
Dr. Schroeder began work on the new drug.
Weeks turned into months.
The U. S. government wasn’t satisfied with his progress. If we could extend life, could we create it? If we could create the perfect soldier, what else could we discover? The next step in evolution? And so, the experiments continued . . .
