Love Is A Dangerous Word

Part 15: Don't Let Go

Still walking, no sign of life, and almost nightfall Lilith was still paced ahead saying back to the others "Where do you guys want to hold up?"

Hugs looked up at the taller buildings "Maybe that apartment building," he pointed to the right of them.

"Let's clear it out then," Hope said confidently "night is coming fast."

The front door was open so access was simple. A few infectors in lobby were taken down with ease; swiftly making their way up to the closest door, it was locked making no attempt to open it.

"Let's find an open one," Lang suggested.

They rushed up to the next level and found an open door. They opened it to see a couple dozen infectors inside.

"OH SHIT!" Hugs yelled immediately shutting the door to check the next, the door was open and the apartment was vacant.

"Thank god," Lilith said was lazily putting down her stuff and plomping down on the couch.

"Take a rest boys," Hope said "We are safe for now."

She was scanning the entire apartment searching for potential dangers. Nothing was seen. The rest of them put their stuff down, and sat down somewhere.

"Walking is a bitch," Hugs said in agony.

"Try doing it with an injured leg," Lang snickered.

"I guess you had it worse. Still aching though," Hugs grunted while sitting down on the love seat perpendicular to the couch.

Lilith appreared to be passed out sleeping as soon as she hit the couch.

"I should cook something," Hope said to herself "Whens the last time you boys had a hot meal."

"Since we were with the squad," Hugs said "Sarge always kept a mini gas stove and pan set on him."

"Well something I forgot I had through all the chaos was my similarly mini gas stove," she pulled it out to place it on the counter in the kitchen "the tank is half full."

"Well what's gonna be cooked?" Lang asked.

"I can improvise," Hope said while reaching for whatever she had including going in the kitchen to see what she could scavenge. Preparing a small meal in the pot the others wanted it to be a surprise so they didn't look. The smell woke up Lilith who then sat up and said "Is that..something cooking?" She couldn't make out the smell.

"Yeah," Hope said to her "I forgot I had a small gas range in my bag."

Lilith just smiled "Thank you," she said while laying back down not closing her eyes.

"It smells so good in here right now," Hugs grinned.

"Hell yeah," Lang chuckled at him.

All they could do was smile "It almost feels like none of this ever happened," Lilith said.

"None of what?" Hugs smirked "Tonight is just a normal night in 2020."

Lilith didn't say anything further "I should show you two something later while we are eating."

"What would that be?" Lang asked.

"The logs," she reached for the camera and took out the batteries to replace them with her last set of batteries.

She turned on the camera to begin recording "It's still the same day at around 10:35 and we decided to come in this apartment building to sleep for the night. Hope forgot she had a mini gas stove and is in the process of making dinner for us four. A hot meal, something I took for granite back before this happened. I hate how we lived off of processed goods that need to be refrigerated. Anyways, I'm about to show Lang and Hugs my logs so they can get a better understanding of how I got to this point. Update later, Lily out."

"Alright," Hope called out "Dinner is served."

She had separate plates for everyone which had fried canned ham with cheese packet Mac and cheese and canned green beans. Each food equally proportioned between the four "No leftovers, sorry."

"This is good madam," Hugs was grateful while taking a bite "Thank you."

"It's good because we haven't had something like this in a while," Lang replied "and thank you Miss Hope."

"Last time I had a hot meal was breakfast at tOS."

"Same," Hope raised her fork "This is honestly better than their food because it's only between us four."

Lilith grabbed her camera and gave a brief summary of what happened before the logs "So when it started I was at my friend Zargo's apartment for his 22nd birthday and in that time we already lost two. When we left to go to my place he brought this camera to record logs."

"Where did he live?"

"Plant City and Tampa area."

"Wow and you travelled a the way down here."

"It's a long story which is recorded here," she pressed play and let the two watch it.

A couple hours later they finally got to present time.

"...wow," Lang said.

"That is intense," Hugs was trying to catch his breath.

Hope was already asleep on the bed in the other room since she already watched them at tOS. Lilith stayed up trying not to cry at the sight let alone the sound of her old friends.

"I'm sorry Lilith."

"No need to be," she sighed "I'm here now aren't I? We should get some sleep."

"Yeah," Lang agreed.

Hugs stayed silent just contemplating. Lilith took her plate which only had the ham left on it and was about to throw it out until Lang asked "You gonna eat that?"

And she responded with "No, I'm full, but you can have it."

She gave over the ham and layed down on the couch to begin to sleep as Lang did on the love seat. Hugs took the floor over a bunch a blankets they found in a closet. Hugs couldn't fall asleep after what he seen on the logs especially after all he has lost, it causes him to have flashbacks. He is uneasy, tossing and turning until he stands up and is frustrated beyond his own comprehension. Aimlessly he walks out the door waking up Lang who was curious so followed him. Hugs was making his way to the roof, reaching the door he walked out to the roof. Eventually reaching the edge he stopped at the sound of Lang "Hugs!" he yelled at him.

"What?!"

"What are you doing?"

"I can't do this anymore Lang...seeing that just set me off. I can't take these flashbacks anymore. I lied to Hope when I said I didn't have PTSD, it happens all the time," he climbed up on the ledge and stood there.

"You don't have to do this man."

"I just want this to stop. I'm bound to die eventually anyways."

"Then let nature do it," Lang convinced "Not a product of your mind."

Hugs stood there just thinking and sighed "I just had a moment is all..." As he tried to get down an infector came up behind Lang who was trying to get Hugs down. A startle influenced Hugs to fall but catch on the ledge. Almost getting bit Lang successfully pushed the infector off the edge killing it as soon as it hit the concrete from 5 stories up. Lang was trying to pull him up when his grip was slipping.

"Don't let go man!" Hugs called out.

"My.. feet," Lang was struggling "I can't keep them on the roof." Using only his upper body strength he attempted to lift Hugs up. His body weight was so unbalanced that he tipped forward and fell along with Hugs. Plummeting to the ground, screaming and failing their arms. Impacting a car with great velocity was Hugs that made a small crater on the top with his back, shattering his spinal cord and killing him immediately. Lang impacted the ground with his neck casuing half his head to rip off and bleed out. Both lay dead leaving Hope and Lilith clueless as to why.