Virus - A Zombie Novel

September 26th 2014

A month later

I sit at my window, reading my old diary. My old thoughts being on grades, popularity and whether Sam Dion liked me. It's been raining for the past few days so no one has gone out to get food or any other supplies. I hardly think about Grey anymore; I've trained myself not to. I flick through my diary, rolling my eyes at every little pathetic thing I said. I got an A-. Sam still hasn't noticed me. Luis broke my glasses today. If that me could see me now she would freak out and probably go into therapy. I look out my window and look at all my neighbour's houses. My house was definitely the biggest, but not the most posh. The house next to me that owned the dog that got eaten had large, white pillars out the front like a Greek style house. Sufficient that I've seen enough I go back to my diary, but soon look up at the sight of lights down the street. The lights belong to a car coming down our street. I try to see into it but the rain stops me. I stand; straining me eyes, and is able to just make out what looks like a guy driving.

"No." I say watching the car get closer, "No way." The car reaches my house and slows down to a stop. I don't even wait for him to step out of the car. I throw my diary and run downstairs. The sound of me running a million miles per hour makes Beau, Willow, Finn and Nikki stand who were sitting on the couch talking.

"What?" they all say eyes widened. But I don't have time to respond. I hit the door and fumble with the locks. My hearts beating faster than it ever has before and I am trying to catch my breath.

"Alex?" Willow said beginning to walk towards me. I unlock the last lock and swing the door open. The rain is heavy and loud and a cold breeze sweeps in, but I don't care. I step out and am instantly drenched. I run to the front gate and awkwardly unlock it, pulling it to reveal a man half way between walking to the gate.

"Oh my god!" I cry as I run towards him. He drops the bag and I jump into his arms and begin to cry, closing my eyes. I link hands behind his back and squeeze as he does the same.

"Oh my god!" I hear behind me as people see us. He laughs and takes one hand off my back, probably to wave to them. I let go and pull away from him, just so I can see his face. He smiles as me and lifts his hand to wipe a tear away from my cheek. I look down at the other hand, which holds a piece of paper, identical to the one I left him over a month ago.

"You kept it?" I said. He nodded, biting his lip. He hugged me again, burying his face into my hair and neck. His nose was cold from the rain. "Let's- let's go inside." I said pulling away again. He smiles and nods, taking my hand and leading me inside. Willow stands there with her hand over her mouth and Beau hugging her from behind smiling. They move aside to let him in out of the rain, me following close behind. Once inside Nikki closed the door and relocked it. Grey took off his jacket, exposing his dirt stained white shirt he had on when he went missing. I stood back as everyone went in for a hug, letting him have some space.

"Let's get you some dry clothes." Beau said grabbing him around the head and digging his knuckles into the top of it. He led him away while I sat down. Soon Bennett walked out with dry clothes for me to quickly change into.

"I can't believe he is here."

"I can't believe he is alive."

"He looks so healthy."

"I wonder if he met anyone."

"How on earth did he survive?" Willow said. I just sat there silent, smiling to myself. He is home. He is home. He is home. He is safe. He is mine. He is safe. He is home. I kept repeating it to myself over and over again. Willow sat down next to me and put her arm around me. The thudding of Beau coming down the stairs made us all look up, and there he was. Dry and safe. Al the girls had taken a seat by now and were watching him walk down the stairs. I stood and he watched me walk towards him. He opened his arms and let me in; closing them once I was comfortable.

+++

We lay on my bed, our fingers entwined, lying on our side looking at each other.

"Read me the letter." I whispered staring into his eyes. He sat up and pulled it out of his pocket, unfolding it and clearing his throat.

"Dear Grayson.

You are by far the dumbest person alive, leaving to get supplies by yourself. But one thing that wasn't dumb, was never giving up on me. I can't believe we had a fight over something so stupid, and the last thing I said to you was - well it wasn't the truth. Thinking about being with you doesn't make me feel sick, thinking about being without you does." He sniffed his nose, he was getting teary, "You better read this Grey, or I don't think I will be able to live with you thinking for one second that I don't love you. I do. I may not believe I do, or show it in any way, but I do. Its - it's just inconvenient to fall in love at seventeen. Especially when it's the real thing. And thinking about not seeing you for a while, maybe forever, that makes me feel sick. But I will wait for you. I will wait one day, 7 moths, 3 years, hell, even a decade. I will wait for you even if you don't remember my name or the colour of my eyes. I will wait for you even if you claim not to love me anymore. I will try and make you fall in love again. You're worth all the effort. I will wait for you even if it's the thing that kills me because I have never found someone who loves me for me. Because love does not just disappear. I will wait for you Grey, take your time." He finishes. He wipes under his eyes and smiles at me. "I met someone." He whispers looking down at his hands.

"What?" I say sitting up.

"It was short, and I ended it, but it happened. I - I gave her this address if she was ever in need of somewhere to sleep." he muttered avoiding my eyes.

"Did you love her?" I asked softly.

"No - no way. The only thing I could think about the whole time was you - and how much I loved you. She's nothing to me." he said grabbing my hand. I looked up into his grey eyes, sparkling with water.

"What - what was her name?" I whispered.

"Alex -"

"What was he name." I shouted. He let go of my hand.

"Abby." He whispered. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I think I just want to think about it." I said sniffing, "About us." He nodded and got off my bed.

"I understand. Come talk when you're ready." He said grabbing the neck and pulling me in for a kiss on the forehead. I closed my eyes as I felt his lips touch my skin, not wanting him to leave. He pulled away and I opened my eyes, just in enough time to see him leave.