Vaulting over a fallen tree trunk I shot forward into the undergrowth, low branches swiping at my face drawing blood. I could hear them behind me, their rasping grunts muffled against the sound of rushing water. Looking over my shoulder I caught a glimpse of the two corpses, their bodies a complexion of mulled flesh and dried blood, both lumbering through the forest relentlessly in hot pursuit.
I could see Isabella lagging behind, an expression of despair torn across her face as she stumbled wearily forward, the Infected mealy a breath away. Looking up, we made eye contact before she slowly shook her head, tears flowering in her eyes. Before I could say a word she had loosened the small pistol, concealed in her shorts and placed it confidently against her temple.
"NO!" I screamed, realizing what she was about to do.
"Good bye.." she mouthed before screwing her eyes shut.
"ISABELLA N.." the gun shot cut me off as I watched her limp body fall to the forest floor.
"NOOO...."
Blinded by tears I sprung forwards, tearing my eyes away as I dove into the stream gasping at how cold it felt, my clothes quickly becoming lead weights. Recovering I allowed the rapids to swiftly drag me away from the flaying forms of the infected. They had no hope of catching me in the fast moving water and I had soon disappeared from view. Flashes of Isabel's death vividly came to mind as I bobbed along; I was still trying to comprehend what had happened. But the peace was short lived as the surface became choppier and choppier dragging me under and I struggled for breath. Fear claimed me as I was thrown forwards like a rag doll in a mutt's mouth, the rapids growling with ferocity around me, I was at its mercy. Without warning I was drawn under once again, my lungs bursting for breath. Out of nowhere I collided with something hard sending me ricocheting off into blackness.
Gasping for breath I shot up with a start soaked in sweat. I felt a wet nose nuzzle me gently. It was just a dream...it was just a...memory. Ruffling Penny's head I sat up off the rocky ground stretching my stiff limbs.
It was a cool, crisp morning and the grass was wet with dew. I watched as the golden sun slowly tipped over the eastern horizon in all its beauty, painting the sky's blank converse with deep reds and yellows, and this in turn brings to life the fresh winter morning.
I sat there, my back against the cliff face with the world laid out in front of me, another night behind me. I could no longer see smoke rising above the tree line, reminding me of what had become of this world. But tears began forming in my eyes anyway as the memories came flooding back, the dream still vivid in my mind. I was surprised that there were any tears left. Drawing my knees up to my chest I watched the forest light up a brilliant green, sparkling like the evening stars. Everything looked so peaceful; almost hopeful, but it was too late the damage was done.
I checked my grubby old watch, it was 7:44 February 11th, I didn't even know what day it was, I hadn't for months, and did it even matter? ...11th of February...that was the day the school closed... a year ago. More tears came as I remembered all those people, my friends, who seemed so alive so full of life at the time but now dead. I've seen it happen over and over again, too many times to count. And yet they replay in my mind every night in my dreams as if it was yesterday. I could almost see Isabella's face as she pulled the trigger so many months ago. She was the first and wasn't the last, but any death was better than becoming one of them!
I hadn't always been alone, quite the opposite in fact. This life wasn't too bad for a time, when there was hope. Love makes everything bearable. We even managed to have a laugh, those cold winter nights around the camp fire singing old songs and eating old, out of date, canned food. Barely surviving on what we could find but we had each other and that's what mattered; no matter where we were, who we were with...we had each other. But know I'm alone and everyone's dead.