Virus - A Zombie Novel

October 12th 2014 (Same Day)

"So you both have your rifles, remember, use them on Lurkers not each other." Parker said nervously making neither Grey nor I laugh. "Alright then, the house is 459 Marybrook Road in Kentucky. Known amount of Lurkers, maybe 5, easily taken out. It's about 2k up the road, but the road is clogged. So many people tried to get out of here at the same time they all got jammed, and well, you know what happens when you get stuck somewhere and make a lot of noise trying to move." He says slightly cringing, "They'll probably still be in their car. If you want, you can loot trunks and if you find enough you can just come back, or check out the house. I think that's all you need." He said nodding. I smiled slightly at him, to which he returned. "Don't get killed." He said shuffling past us and back into the RV, closing the door behind him and shutting us off from the rest. I start walking without even a warning, trying to distant myself from him.

"So where are we for talking?" he mumbled from behind me. I ignored him; scared to say anything without crying and screaming. I look at the road as we walk, it must've been about 5:00pm, because the sun hadn't gone down yet. "That's a no for talking?" he added. I stayed silent; the only sounds I made were my boots hitting concrete. "Can I talk?" he asked, again, no reply from me. I just sighed. "I guess I was mad at you because - well, when I got the letter you left for me it was kind of a reminder, that you loved me and would love me after I was gone. It was a reassurance. Than Beau told me and it made me feel - well, lied to." he said. I didn't know what to say. "It hurt Alex, a lot. And the difference between you and Lincoln and me and Abby is - well nothing. There's no difference between the two situations, yet I acted poorly and you didn't."

"What are you trying to say?" I said turning around to face him.

"Was it easy? Leaving me. Saying that cute stuff then just walking away like it was nothing. Like we were nothing. Like I was nothing." He asked.

"It was the hardest thing I've done, what was it like or you?" I mumbled.

"It was the worst thing to happen to me since I met you." He said.

"No, you're not meant to say that. Just tell me you don't love me. Tell me you don't feel the same way I do anymore. Tell me I didn't make you smile like I did when you walked in the room. I need you to tell me this." I said. Every time he would say something remotely nice to me my heart would melt, and I am meant to be getting over him. "You're already so hard to get over. Don't make it more difficult."

"Why do you need to get over me?"

"Grayson, we fight more than we breathe." I said.

"And maybe that's what makes us know we're alive."

"If that's being alive, I'd rather be dead." I whispered.

"Is that the truth?" he muttered.

"What's the point of lying anymore?" I shrugged.

"No more lies?" he asked me.

"Nope."

"Do you still love me?" he blurted out.

"Really?" I rolled my eyes.

"Yes or no." he said smiling slightly.

"Yes." I whisper. "But that doesn't change anything."

"Yes it does."

"No it doesn't!" I yelled. "I opened my heart to you Grayson but it turns out you were toxic and now you're under my skin, and -" I took a deep breath, "And now I can't get you out."

"But -"

"Can we just get this raid out of the way?" I interrupt.

"You don't want to talk?" he asks.

"Does it look like I want to talk?" I say turning around and continuing walking.

+++

We make it to the 1.5k mark without another word, complete silence. I walk with my head done, relying on Grey to keep watch. We weave through the abandoned cars, ignoring the banging of the Lurkers trying to escape them. The walk was beginning to get tiring as the sun started going down.

"Did you hear that?" Grey said from behind me.

"Hear what?" I asked, my head popping up.

"Moaning." He answered, making me roll my eyes.

"Look around, there are at least 2 Lurkers in each car." I said scoffing.

"No - no these aren't muffled moans, these are loud." He said, and I began to hear them. I looked around, but saw nothing.

"Get on a car and see." I said. He nodded and jumped onto the bonnet of the car next to him, setting the Lurker in the car off. He got onto the roof and quickly ducked down, jumping off and onto the concrete. "What?" I asked him.

"Get under a car." He whispered dropping onto his stomach.

"What?" I repeated. He began sliding under the car.

"There is a heard about 20m away and there are easily over 300." He said disappearing under the car. I looked around and found a small car, the bottom being closing to the ground. I dropped onto my stomach and slid under; rolling onto my back and bringing my gun close to my chest. I could feel my heart beating fast as the moaning got louder and louder, and I began to hear shuffled footsteps. Soon enough a pair of feet was next to my head, walking by the car I was under. I looked across to Grey, who was telling me to stay still and don't say anything. The pair of feet were joined by another, then another. After a few second I had the heard walking right past me, not even noticing me. I look up at the bottom of the car, trying to focus on being still. A few minutes pass and the feet begin to die out, each pair being more spread out. Soon there were none walking by, and the moaning was getting quieter. All I could think of now is our group in the RV. They'll be receiving them soon, let's just hope someone is on look out. Grey sticks his head out and looks around, before signalling me to come out. We both slither out from underneath the cars and meet in the centre of the road.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Just a bit shaken." I said crossing my arms. He stared down at me, studying my face like he always does.

"I say we head back, collecting what we can in trunks and saying the house was close to empty, I don't want to be here when it gets dark." He said. I nod.

"Me either." I agreed. We began walking back, following the same track the Lurkers went.

"What were you thinking when they were going past?" he asked me.

"Nothing. I was just concentrating on breathing silently." I said laughing. "What about you?"

"I was thinking how I would be okay to die today, because only a few moments ago you said you loved me, and that's all I needed." He said doing that half smile I love. "I want you to know that I love you, even though I may not show it at times, I do."

"That's what I said on my note." I said.

"I know." He smiled. "Okay - I've wanted to say this for a while -"

"You're going to ask me to get back together with you." I interrupted.

"And you're answer is?" he asked.

"You make me so mad sometimes. And you're the biggest asshole. I don't know what to say."

"Just answer. Yes. Or. No." he said stopping walking.

"Yes." I muttered, stopping as well. "Asshole."