Chapter Nineteen

A safe-haven for now...

Chapter Nineteen

 

 

         The lobby was quaint.  It wasn’t fancy but it was obvious the decorator was appealing to male ambiance.  Everything was black leather with steel additions.  The sofas, a long one on each wall, was of thin, leather cushions with stainless steel legs and arm rests.  It came off as eclectic instead of stylish.  The large, receptionist desk was made the same way, only there were no metal feet.  It was a large, curved piece of lush leather with a mercury-like finish. 

 

 I tried the phone but there wasn’t a dial tone.  I knew there wouldn’t be.  I decided to check any other areas on the lobby floor, for any fridge’s that could hold scraps of something for us to eat, other than the junk we had.  I found nothing and other rooms were locked.  I didn’t want to check them anyway- desiring no more surprises.

 

With nothing more to do than figuring a plan, we sat and did nothing.  I was morose, having accomplished nothing but another hole for us to hide in.  I wondered what my life was like before all of this.  What was my job, what did I do?  What happened to me that stopped me from remembering?

 

I looked across the lobby.  Somehow, Shawna had fallen asleep as soon as her head hit the sofa cushions. I decided to follow suit; we slept like angels, considering there were walking devils outside our refuge. I think it was their shuffling near my window that woke me. 

 

I opened my eyes to a heavy darkness.  I had no idea what time it was since the clock didn’t have glowing numbers.  I kicked myself for not keeping better watch but I knew it couldn’t have been avoided.  We hadn’t slept in who knows how long.  Our bodies were exhausted and we really hadn’t eaten anything that could provide true energy. 

 

I gazed out, into the nothing that surrounded me, thinking if we’d find others out there.  Deep down, I held a strong feeling that I had a family, a marriage with a love that was worth fighting for.  I would have to find where I belonged because at the moment, we were dispossessed; we had no place to call home and no one to love.  All we had was one another and we didn’t really like each other enough to consider family an option.

 

I was beginning to drift again, when I caught a flicker of light form the corner of my eye.  I shot into a sitting position, my heart thumping like a prairie dog’s foot.  It looked like a flashlight beam but as I stared at it, down the hallway, I knew it wasn’t.

 

“Shawna”, I whispered.  I listened to see if she’d respond but I got nothing.  “Shawna!”  Sternly I called out but she still didn’t stir.

 

I stood quietly and grabbed the shotgun and felt my pocket to make sure I had a couple of shells for back up.  I made my way towards the flickering light.  It seemed like it beckoned me, it wanted me to check it out.  Then I remembered the light before, while in the ceiling of the candy store.

 

As I got closer, the light dimmed.  It was still bright but it seemed to know I was getting closer and it didn’t want to blind me.  I also got the feeling that it wasn’t harmful.  I was in no danger.  Why I felt so, who knows but I quietly made my way to the elevator hallway.  When I turned to the right, I didn’t see the body of the flat-faced zombie…

 

***

 

“Hey! What are you doing over there?”  The woman turned to find a handsome, young man laughing while walking towards her.  Her face was hazy and unidentifiable.  The guy’s was clear and exciting to look at.

 

He was handsome, his skin shining in the sunlight.  His hair was brown with light highlights.  His eyes were a golden brown, almost hazel.  The woman loved that smile.

 

She smiled back, turning her body to show the man the wriggling, bass on the end of her hook.  He shook with laughter and slipped in the wet grass while trying to help her reel it in.  They oozed happiness, with love.  Her dark skin, shining with pond water and sweat from the summer heat made her glow.  She was his golden goddess.  He’d loved her the day he first saw her, even though she’d refused him. 

 

Behind him, two children giggled and ran over to view the prize catch.  The little boy and girl smiled with the man’s miniaturized faces.  Their laughter was infectious and they all made melodious music.

 

The scene changed and the bi-racial family was going across a large pond on a paddleboat.  The youth sat on the back, their backs to their parents and giggling while ducks followed, waiting for handouts of popped corn.  The parents exerted their energy to sending the family over the calm water. 

 

It was a bright day; the sun was golden and the firmament a clear sapphire.  It was a day of frolicking and play.  Some people were running around the park and there were others who’d rented a paddle or rowboat.  It was perfect.

 

Next the man and woman were fussing in a yard.  The children were nowhere to be seen.  Before the scene played out, it switched to another where the family were looking out over the Grand Canyon.  Then just as quickly, they were on a log ride, plunging to watery depths!  They scenes kept changing; some were good, happy, angering…  times in lives that made life worth living.

 

Flash after flash of the family in different locations and activities appeared.  So much.  Too much… It was a floodgate of images, so familiar yet foreign.  The handsome man’s face was so close:

“I love you Zen”, he whispered.

“I love you too”, she responded with a giggle.  “More than life itself.”

 

***

 

“Hey, are you alright No Name?”

 

I opened my eyes, seeing Shawna.  It was dark outside, very dark, making it even darker where were hid.  I hadn’t realized I’d fallen asleep.  I sat up on the couch and threw my legs over to the floor.  I stretched quietly and looked at the girl, who still stood nearby.

 

Her face was shadowed but my eyes adjusted to the darkness enough to see lines of concern etched onto her face.  “What?”

“Nothing.  You were just mumbling in your sleep.  I thought it was a bad dream or something.  Sorry to wake you.”

I rubbed my eyes, “Nah, it’s okay.  I needed the rest.  How long have you been awake?”

 

“I don’t know.”  She sat next to me,  “I can’t see the clock”.

“Yeah.”  Silly me, it’s dark.

 

I stood up and peeped through the drapes to see an empty street.  It seemed strange that every evening the Nasty’s disappeared.  It’s like they clung to a bit of normalcy, going to bed when the food is resting.  Then as soon as the morning sun rose, they were back on the prowl.  Hunger knocking at their dead and empty door.

 

“Do you think they, you know, think?”

“Huh?”

“Do they know they’re dead, I guess.”

 

I thought about her question.  What constituted dead?  When a person was in a coma, unmoving with terribly low vital signs they were still alive.  They didn’t move, eat or speak but they were alive.  These things, these ambulatory monsters had no vitals, no communication and no heartbeat but they walked and they ate.  They knew what they wanted even if it was a sort of animal drive.

 

“I think they know some things.  Exactly what that is, I couldn’t say.  I do know this, whatever they know, I hope it’s all they know.  I don’ t want them learning and coming after us faster or anything else that puts us at a disadvantage.”

“I know.”

 

Shawna moved back to her sofa and relaxed.  “Do you think everyone is dead?”  Her voice floated to me from nowhere. 

“No.  We’re alive, aren’t we?  There are others.  Maybe in a few days, we run into a few of them and find some safety.  Maybe even find your family.”

 

She made a noise that let me know she wasn’t buying it.  I wasn’t either but it did sound nice.  I stood and walked a bit to stretch my legs.

 

“I think I know my name”, I said.  By the shuffling, I could tell Shawna had sat up.

“Really?”

“I had a dream.  I think I remembered some things about my past.  I did have a family; I had a little girl and boy.  Real cute too.”

“Wow!  How’d you remember?  You hit your head or something?”

“Nah, I just saw these images and stuff.  It was all really fast but someone said they loved me.  Who knows when it was.  Or even if it was real.”

“I bet it was- or it could have been a movie.  You said there were a lot of images and stuff.”

“It was weird.  A movie huh?  Maybe.  It was cheesy love story then cause it was pretty sappy.  Probably right, not my life.”

Author's Note

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