Chapter One

It has been seven years since that tragic day that took both Emery’s dad and sister.

The event sometimes replays in the back of Emery’s head when she isn’t thinking about it, so the memory can continue to stab her in the heart. The loss of her sister struck her to the core, and Emery always pictures what would have happened if she had saved her. If her dad never went out into the woods to gather up some wood for the fireplace. If her family never moved into that house to escape the epidemic. If the outbreak never existed.

No matter how many times she visualizes a different scenario in her head, the death of her father and sister never vanishes, like it was their fate to die. Andrew likes to tell Emery that there was nothing she can do. That if she had fought back, she wouldn’t be here trying to find a cure for the disease nor with him. He would kiss her on the lips every time the memory reappears and hold her close to his heart, so Emery hears it beating. The beating of Andrew’s heart typically soothes Emery, but this time, she feels unease and gets out of the bed.

“Em, sweetie, what’s wrong?” Andrew lays back on the bed, and his body turns to get a glimpse of Emery’s backside. Even wearing his shirt, it appears large on her small figure. Her curves make him lick his lips, trying to control the bulge in his boxers. He can see Emery is in deep concentration about something that is troubling her, and he knows that he can’t be thinking about her a*s leaning against his body right now.

“I just have a strange feeling that something terrible is going to happen, and I don’t know, my anxiety is rising right now.” Emery faces Andrew, her hand near her mouth as she bites her nail. Biting her nails used to be an unhealthy habit Emery did when she was uncertain about something, and her anxiety will begin to increase. The habit stopped when she was younger, but after her family’s death, it has resurfaced and gotten worse. Andrew climbs out of bed and comes up close to Emery, his arms reaching out for her. Emery exhales, feeling like she was holding her breath and walks into Andrew’s arms, closing her eyes as her head leans against his chest.

“Em, as long as I am here, nothing terrible is going to happen. Trust me, okay?” He bends his head down and puts a finger under Emery’s chin, lifting up her face delicately. Her eyes gleam with sorrow, cinnamon brown mixed with doubt. Andrew kiss Emery’s shaking lips, gently caressing her in his arms. Pulling away, he tucks a piece of her turquoise blue hair behind her left ear, stroking his thumbs on Emery’s cheeks.

“I love you.” That is all she can speak to him, and those three words are the only thing Andrew needs. Emery trusts him no matter what, and with the world going rampant from the fear of another wave of disease, he is the only composed thing in her life right now. Bringing her to bed, the couple cuddle under the comforter, Emery staring off into space as she reflects on her family again.

After the tragic death of her dad, Clifford, and her sister, Tristian, Emery and her mother, Aurora, felt lonesome in the world, deciding to find shelter in South Carolina with Aurora’s friends from college. Emery’s mom was her only hope of light in an environment filled with darkness and malevolence. Aurora pushed Emery to go to college, for with the world like it is, her mother still had confidence that she can help find a new cure for the disease taking over. Emery had excellence qualifications in science and always had vision herself as a doctor. Her dad was a biomedical scientist from Harvard before the incident, and Emery wanted to follow in his footsteps. Before Aurora’s death, she made it her mission to get Emery into a college. There were only a few universities in the nation that was accepting applicants and the University of South Carolina, fortunately, was taking applications in their biomedical field. Aurora homeschooled Emery since the majority of the high schools around the country were closed in fright of the disease spreading to children.

For four years, Aurora and Emery focused on surviving and getting Emery a high school certificate, which she received months before her birthday. A day before she turned seventeen, Emery was accepted into the University of South Carolina with a full tuition scholarship and paid living arrangement. That night, Aurora and Emery decided to celebrate and went to a restaurant downtown. Parts of Florence has been vacant since the disease came into existence. However, with the few surviving faces around the town, a few businesses were willing to keep their doors open, and Bernie’s Cookout was one of those businesses. Bernie Abraham had one of the kindest souls in the world, welcoming every stranger into his home and restaurant. Since the disease took his wife, he has made it his goal to help anyone in need, no matter who they were.

Bernie was the one who greeted Aurora and Emery at the door, hugging both as he sat them down at a table. Before Aurora could tell him their orders, Bernie had already placed their food on the table. Laughing, Aurora smiled at Bernie and got up to give him a kiss on the cheeks. Bernie almost resembled Emery’s dad, a husky towering man with gray hair sprouting on his chin and head. His deep brown eyes glisten with warmth and compassion, and his smile can heal any poor soul’s heart with its touch. Everything about him reminded her of her dad, the way he knew when you were feeling down and when it was time to party.

“Oh, baby girl, your mother told me it was your birthday! So, I have some cake baking in the back.” Bernie smiles down at Emery, and her face beams up with delight.

“Chocolate cake?” Emery asks, her eyebrows raising up in curiosity. Chocolate cake was her ultimate favorite cake in the entire world, so when he nods, Emery jumps up to hug him. Like the husky man he is, Bernie pulls Emery in for a bear hug, squeezing her tight. For a moment, she didn’t want Bernie to stop hugging her, even if she felt a little snug in his arm. The hug felt just like her dad’s, and letting go would mean letting go of her father all over again.

“You're welcome, baby girl.” Bernie pulls back from the hug to glare down at Emery with a huge grin spread on his face.

For that sweet minute, Emery didn’t want any of it to disappear, for this was the happiest she has been for a long time. Since her dad’s and sister’s death. Her mom was even raying off light on her cheeks and eyes, a smile showing on her face, which she hasn’t remember the last time her mother smiled. Eating their food, all Emery and Aurora could do was smile at each other. When Bernie exit the kitchen door with a cake in his hand, Emery couldn’t contain her happiness in longer, for it was bursting out of her. The cake had her name written in icing with chocolate sprinkles and blue candles lighten up, ready for her to blow them out. Closing her eyes to make a wish, all she could think about was having this moment for the rest of her life. Just as she blew out the candles, she heard a shriek from across the room. Turning her head, Emery sees a dark figure stepping down the stairs, something dripping from his mouth.

With a grip of her hand, Aurora was bringing Emery down on the ground, pushing her under the table to hide. Another scream came from the room, and footsteps were scrambling all over the place. Emery peeks through the tablecloth and sees Bernie taking out his single shot shotgun, putting a shell into the gauge of the barrel and ready to shoot the dark figure running towards him. The liquid dripping from the figure’s mouth was a vibrant red, smudged over his lips and teeth. Emery knew the minute she saw it what was going on. The tint of its eyes glowed with a urine yellow, and its peeling skin was a shade of gray, resembling a lifeless corpse. When the disease takes over someone’s body, they aren’t a human anymore, for their heart stops beating, and their skin is as cold as ice. Once the human side of them vanishes, the monstrous creatures crawl out and kill anything in their paths, and unfortunately, Bernie is the next victim.

Screaming, Aurora leaps in front of Bernie as he shoots a bullet from his gun, striking Emery’s mom in the back. Horror in her eyes, Aurora falls to the ground, gasping for last bits of air as she begins to spasm, her arms and legs shaking with pain. Emery darted from underneath the table, crying out for her mom, but an arm is already holding her back, grasping her to the opposite direction. She turns her head to see that a woman is pulling her towards the exit, telling her to come with her, let her mom be. There was no hope for Aurora, for, within seconds, Bernie has already backed up, shooting the creature. Non-stopping, the monster feasts on Emery’s mom, sucking the blood from the hole in her body, tearing out her skin. Tears in his eyes, Bernie drops the gun and decide to ram into the creature, throwing it against the floor. Before Emery is completing out of the building, calling out for her mother, she hears a gargle from Bernie and the woman behind her shields Emery’s eyes. The zombie-like creature is tearing into Bernie’s neck, blood spluttering out of his mouth like a fountain. The sound of Bernie choking on his blood fills the air, echoing out into the night as the unidentified woman carries Emery into the street, away from the horror playing out in the restaurant. Expecting her mother to be alive, Emery continues to call out for her mother, that last glimpse of light fading as the restaurant is disappearing from her eye view.

“Mom!” Emery yells, jolting up on the bed. Sweat dripping from her forehead, she panics, her eyes scanning the room. A hand touches her arm, and Emery’s reflexes go into action, her arm swinging back.

“Ouch, babe. It’s me, Em.” Andrew puts Emery’s arm down, restraining her from furthering her attack. Panting, Emery freezes, bowing her head down. Down came the tears, spilling out onto the covers of the bed. Wrapping her in his arms, Andrew lays back in the bed, nestling Emery in his arms, whipping the sweat off her face. This was a routine between the two, Andrew always having to comfort Emery after her nightmares. He knew that she would dream about her mother’s death or the night the disease took over her father. All the memories of Emery’s family were surrounding those events, traumatized by the loss of her family. Because of that, every day is a living nightmare for Emery.

A few minutes of rocking her in his arms, caressing her hair and face, Andrew stares at Emery’s face to see if the worse was over. To confirm his suspension, Andrew hears Emery’s heartbeat settle down and her breathing at a normal pace. She was just staring up at the ceiling, not moving a muscle or even blinking.

“Em? Honey?” Andrew waves a hand over her eyes, waiting for a response. Finally blinking, another roll of tears stream down Emery’s face.

“Am I going to have to live my life like this consistently? Afraid to sleep? Afraid to think from fear of remembering my family breathing their final breaths?” She wipes away a few tears rolling down her cheeks, sniffling.

“No, Em, I don’t think this will be your life. Your mother’s death was recent, and you were very close to your family, including your sister. It’s okay to feel pain and empathy over their death, to relive those memories. They died in unexpected ways, in traumatic ways. Eventually, those memories will just be that, part of the past.” Andrew kisses her forehead, slowly adjusting their position on the bed, so he is hugging her from the side. “I love you, and I know that this will all pass, but in the meantime, I will be here every night to make sure to bring you back when you are drowning.”

Sighing, Emery closes her eyes and rest against Andrew’s chest, her body fitting perfectly in sync with his. Andrew puts a hand over her hand, entangling them as he strokes back Emery’s hair. “I’m lucky to have you in my life.” She whispers, holding their hands close to her heart.

“I am, too. I am the luckiest guy on this planet to have a dime piece like you, someone so compassionate and intelligent.” Andrew kisses Emery’s forehead, pulling her in close to his body.

“You are just saying that because without me, you will be suffering in Mr. Anderson’s physics class.” Emery begins to giggle, and Andrew gasps, tickling her on the stomach. Bursting out in laughter, she rolls onto her back, trying to protect herself from Andrew’s hands. When he rests his hand on her stomach, he kisses her lips passionately, touching her face gently.

Against her mouth, he whispers, “I love you so much.” Softly rubbing her lips against his, Emery whispers her love for him back, her eyes lost in his subtle green eyes. Her fingers caressing the features of his face, from his cheeks to his jaw, Emery brings his lips back to hers, kissing him with desire. Andrew finds her tongue, tangling his tongue with hers as he places his hand behind her neck. Gripping pieces of his light copper hair, Emery feels her body become arouse from Andrew’s touch on her hips. Wanting to forget about her nightmares, her hands slip down Andrew’s back, a finger tracing his spine. Shaking from her touch, he moves Emery under his body, laying on top of her. Spreading her legs out with his knees, his lips gently kiss down her neck and shoulder. Gripping the shirt on Emery, Andrew lifts it over her head and throws it to the ground. Andrew knows that making love to Emery will let her forget about the memories haunting her long enough for her to forget about all the things that are scaring her. For a few minutes to an hour, it is only thoughts of the ways he brings her pleasure, giving her eye-rolling bliss that shivers in her spine.

He can stare at Emery forever, the way her electric blue hair curls up from humidity when she is sweating, or it is raining outside. Her cinnamon brown eyes flares with passion when Emery sees him, her full lips colored with a faint shade of red. Her skin has a beautiful hue of rich coffee, glowing from the affection of Andrew’s touch. Her curves intrigue his eyes, the way they fit perfectly with Emery’s body. Emery is the most beautiful woman Andrew has ever laid his eyes on, and in a world with chaos and terror, she is the best thing to happen to him.

Pressure builds up inside of Andrew, and Emery is rippling underneath him, gripping the sheets as ecstasy explodes from within her. She gasps out, her back arching and her eye tightly closed. Andrew groans in pleasure, releasing the growing pressure he was holding. Collapsing, he lays close to Emery, an arm rest on her stomach. Glaring at the clock, he notices that the two of them have three hours before it is time to get ready for classes.

Closing his eyes, he knows that three hours is enough rest for both. Emery will immediately fall back to sleep, only thinking about the sensation Andrew just gave her, and the exhaustion will cause him to relax as well. Every night with Emery is unpredictable, for sometimes the nightmares will lead to a full-blown panic attack, her crying in the corner. Those are the worse nights, for no matter what he does, Andrew can’t make Emery relax. A single touch can erupt her into attack mode, for once, Emery scratched him on the arm. The scar is a constant reminder of the effect of her family’s death, of her trauma. Other nights, however, is like this night, where Andrew can love her to the point where she is at peace for a while. He knew what he was getting into when he first met her.

They met in Mr. Anderson’s class five years ago, sitting a few seats away from each other. Andrew had the hugest crush on Emery, from the minute he heard her angelic laughter, he knew if he can listen to her laugh for the rest of his life, he will die a happy man. At the time, Emery had bubble gum pink hair, her wide-rim glasses on her face. Her freckles complimented her complexion, adding character to her pure beauty. Emery was Mr. Anderson’s top student, passing the class with ease while Andrew struggled with his assignments. So, one day, Mr. Anderson match Andrew with Emery, so that can give him a leg up with his grades. Of course, they were going to pass their project with an A, but sitting in his room, Andrew and Emery grew close, expressing their feelings to each other. Emery wanted Andrew the minute he walked into the classroom on the first day, for everything about him aroused her. From the way he would style his copper blonde hair into a slick back hairstyle or the way his light green eyes would mesmerize her, Emery was hooked. She wanted nothing more to be underneath him, and when she was, she craved every second of bliss with him. Emery has never been in love before, but with Andrew, she discovered what it felt like to be cared for. He understood her pain with her family, and their first night together, he took her into his arms, cuddling her close after her night terror. That’s when she knew it was meant to be, for he didn’t judge her nor question what happened. He expressed his loss with his parents, sympathizing with Emery and sharing his darkest secrets.

Andrew wasn’t perfect in any way, for when he was younger, he shoplifted and hijacked a car. Without parents, cops didn’t know who to give him too, so he spent time in juvenile camp, straightening up his act and getting out early. His aunt took him in and taught him all of the information he needed to get a high school diploma. He has been rejected admission into the University of South Carolina the first time, but not giving up, he self-taught himself chemistry and engineering to get accepted into the university a year later. Andrew felt blessed to be at the school, for if he weren't given a second chance, he would have never had the opportunity of meeting the love of his life. Emery accepted him the way he was, and there was no evidence of judgment from her about his past. Her smile brightened up his life, and his compassion touched her heart.

Holding each other, identical smiles are on both of their faces, and their hands interlace with one another. Three hours from now, Andrew and Emery will have to get dressed for their morning classes and spend their day in labs and classrooms. With Emery’s schedule, Andrew barely gets to see her throughout the day, settling on visiting her in one of the labs she teaches. They will grab lunch together with their friends but enjoy dinner together alone at their apartment. After looking over assignments and notes, Emery will fall asleep first, and Andrew will follow. That is their daily custom, continuing the same process the next day without any fails. However, change was intermingling in the atmosphere, causing an adjustment into their routine.

Tomorrow is Emery’s birthday, and if her predictions come true, something terrifying will shock Andrew’s and Emery’s world. Only the future knows what is in store for the couple.