Walking with the Dead

Chapter 8

“It was five years ago. Kyle is my neighbor. He lives a few blocks down our house and we’ve been playing since we were kids. We never thought anything could happen between the two of us. I went to a party. Jane asked me to come with her and she’s my best friend. We want to bars and met a few guys. At a bar called Rabbit’s Hole, we drank a few drinks and felt dizzy. The effect of alcohol is almost intoxicating. Suddenly, in the dance floor, we lost each other. I was cornered by a man and he started groping me. I know I can protect myself but two others started approaching me and I was scared. Before they could even molest me more, Kyle was behind and he was badly beaten up. That seems to piss the men though and left us alone. He said he had been following me all evening, making sure I was safe.

”After that, we began seeing each other more often. We started dating and we definitely knew we are going to be together. He loves base ball and we were watching a major league game when the virus broke out. There were a lot of people in the field and a lot of people running away. We managed to escape and faced a few undead along the way but we managed to kill them all. We went home shaken and bloodied. After the outbreak, everyone in my family turned into a zombie. I was forced to kill two of my sisters and my mom and dad. Kyle is all I have left.

“The Fort was established two years after and we managed to fend off for ourselves by then. We lived in a small house with a good vegetable garden. We managed to live two years without harm and just the two of us. One night, a storm blew our little house away and we were forced to move somewhere else. We met a band of traveling nomads who’s seeking refuge from the Fort. We were accepted and we were fed. We stayed there for a few more nights before the bastard of their leader tried to take advantage of me. I know I’m pretty but that’s not a good thing to do to a woman. Still, I cope up with it for a few more night before he started to want me and he wanted me to be his woman. Kyle found out and he killed the man. The others wanted revenge for their leader so… I killed them all. Every. Single. One.”

I swallowed hard as I stared at Ariel’s sleeping figure. I don’t know if she’s telling her tale out of the alcohol but somehow she seemed calm. I lay down beside her and stared up the ceiling thinking of her story.

“We continued moving and found another family that took us in. Again, like the first one, they tried to take advantage of me again or over work both of us so I have to destroy them. I was so angry at them wanting me for sex. Kyle just had enough of me and he left one night and I was scared because I thought he’d never come back. But he came back and we made up. I tried to tell him that I’m always the reason why we need to kill but he… didn’t mind. He said it’s okay for him because the world is a wretched place anyway.

”We moved from family to family and soon, we reached the Fort. There, we found sanctuary. But the leader of the Fort then was a harsh man. He wanted Kyle gone because he sucks at what he does for work there. I have to go with him you see. I need to go too. We lived not far from the Fort and found a church. It’s a good cobble church with lots of tainted glass and pews. The best thing in that is that it has a good second floor. We managed to live there for a year and then we wanted to have a baby and I thought life is good. Then it happened… it happened…”

She shook her head a slight tremor ran down her body. I looked at her and pulled the blanket closer to her. “Ariel. It’s okay. You don’t need to go on. Just sleep.”

Still, she went on and shook her head at me “, I was out one day, training to become an Assault Commander. We fought that night because he doesn’t want me to continue being a soldier. He said it isn’t safe. I shouted at him that if he can’t protect me, I would need me to protect us and he slapped me. I was so mad at him that I didn’t go home. The next morning, I saw the church… I saw the church open. I looked everywhere and saw Kyle’s… Kyle’s body in… in the… in the bushes. He was killed by a horde. He tried to… tried to cook my favorite pie to say sorry to me. I messed up. I messed up pretty bad, Keenan,” I saw a few more tears drop down her face “, and then I vowed I would kill every undead. And maybe… just maybe… I’d be killed along the process just so I could… atone for the sins I’ve made for him.”

“Ariel, STOP!” I shouted and sat up straight. She didn’t open her eyes but I could feel her drowning from the alcohol she consumed. Okay, I hate the crying Ariel more than the seductive Ariel. In fact, I never want to see her cry like this again. It’s so… unbecoming. I wrapped my arms around her and waited for her to calm down. After a few more minutes, she stopped and I unwrapped myself from her and saw her asleep.

“I am not going to tell anybody anything. I promise.” I did something I’d never do in my life and kissed her on the forehead slightly. Everyone of us have their own experience. Everyone of us wanted a good life. Everyone of us here have heartaches.

But I doubt anyone have ever been through what she had passed. It’s amazing she’s still alive and kicking. For that, I give her a salute for a true General.

I closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep, pushing her confession in the back of my mind. I won’t even tell her what she said. She’s been through enough.