True Love Never Dies...

Something for Halloween '09.

True Love Never Dies...

Legion

01June09

　

　

　

He locks sight on the target through the scope of his rifle. A scavenger. They come less frequently now. Less of them he supposes. Food has been scarce for awhile, but it has gotten much worse of late. The world has moved on and he knows this. He exhales. His finger slowly exerts pressure upon the trigger of his weapon. The prey knows nothing of what is about to happen. It only has a fascination for the bait that was placed to lure it within range. Temptation is a deadly thing.

A muffled pop fills his ears as the trigger fulfills its mission. The bullet slips through the barrel and its silencer slicing through the warm summer air until penetrating the skull of its intended target. Bullseye!

Its head shreds into a jigsaw of mutilated matter as its knees buckle beneath it before plummeting backwards onto the ground. Its breath is needed no more. Mark peers around the scope and grins.

"So easy." he mutters to himself.

He glances around carefully from his vantage point making sure his target had not been followed. He knows this from experience. It is why he had added the silencer to the rifle. He had made that mistake once before and it almost cost him and his wife their lives. On that hunt, he had come across a small doe looking for something edible in a clearing as the winter was subsiding. The report from the rifle had alerted one of the forsaken that was nearby. Mark had not noticed the creature. As he was preparing his kill for transport, it had spotted him. The thing had slowly followed him to their encampment. His wife had come out to greet him and to help clean the kill when the follower appeared out of nowhere and attacked. There was a struggle and all three had ended up wrestling on the ground in the dying winter snow. Mark had finally dispatched it with his hunting knife he had managed to pull from his boot, but not before it had bitten Trisha on the arm.

But that was then and everything had turned out well. He, now, had it all under control. He was much smarter and wiser now. Installed the silencer and took his time with the kill and the prep making sure nothing was a threat as he did so. He could see nothing nor sense anything. He stood up from the prone position he had been lying in for several hours. His bones creaked. He was getting old. All this was getting old. Mark walked down to his kill still scanning the area for movement. As he came upon the body, he realized it was a young one. Trisha would be elated. The older ones were a bit more gamey and didn't satisfy her as much. She still ate them, but he could register her dissatisfaction. This one was a bit small, but would suffice. It probably hadn't eaten much in a week or so. At least it was out of its misery.

Mark placed the ties upon the carcass where he needed them and then, with the rope in hand and over his shoulder, began to drag it back to the encampment. He couldn't wait to get back. Not only was there no place like home, but it was dangerous being out here in the wild outside the protection of their home.

Home. He remembers coming here years before the world changed. They were survivalists, him and Trisha. People had laughed at them for throwing everything away and heading for the mountains. There were definitely some adjustments to be made, but it turned out it was all worth it in the end. Built their own little hide-away with all the luxuries of home minus the television, the radio, and the computer. It was their dream and they were living it. Free from the confines and constraints of a mocking society. Now, most of those people that had laughed at them weren't laughing anymore. They had either ended up as food or had become the forsaken undead now. Caught up in the turmoil of the change that ripped asunder civilization as they knew it. Mark did not know what had caused the calamity, but he had survived it and continued to do so. He would not become one of the forsaken if he could help it.

Trisha was waiting for him. He trudged onward while thinking about it all. He remembered as a kid how he always liked to watch those crazy zombie movies that Romero made. How scary and gory they were. So cool he thought. He didn't think that way anymore. How prophetic ol' George had been. Prophetic indeed. The irony of it all is that he could probably pass as an extra in one of his damned movies now. "How you like it now Georgie?" he mumbled as he walked on dragging his catch behind.

He tried to pick up his pace a bit. It was getting late and he knew that Trisha would be hungry. She was always hungry. Eating for two now. Perpetually. She had told him she was pregnant a month before the attack where she had been bitten. How happy they had been for that month. But everything was okay now. He had it under control. She had gotten sick which they both knew she would. He watched over her. Taking the best care of the only true love of his life that he could. The contagion had spread fast. She was consumed with it within twenty-four hours. He knew what was coming and he knew he should have put an end to it, but he just couldn't. She was all he had in the world that meant anything to him. He couldn't bear to lose her, and her with child made it even more impossible. Instead, he had pulled the winch cable off the Jeep that did't run (no gas anymore to run it with) and had tied her to the center column of their house with it before the final moment of change. The change that also destroyed the young fetus within. A constant undead thing struggling within her decrepit womb.

Afterwards, when she had awakened into her undeath, she struggled viciously against the cable. Gurgling and growling while trying to rip the chord from around her neck. Eventually, she grew tired of the struggle and accepted it. She still tried to attack him from time to time if he came too near. He made sure that didn't happen. As much as he had loved to have her mouth upon him in the past, that longing could not be sated now. Anything else was a pipe dream as well. She would be pleased with this kill though. The last few had been old. Old meat, though edible, didn't give her the same satisfaction that younger meat did. Always left her immediately craving for more. He didn't care for it either, but it was better than starving. Unfortunately, it was all that had come up near their encampment here of late. Until today.

A young one had appeared. This one looked to be in its early twenties if that old. Not tainted by age like the last few. Probably had eluded the zombies out of pure luck for he didn't appear to be much of a survivalist. Wasn't even dressed for the wilderness. Probably had come out from the city a few days before. Looking for food and safety away from all the hell that had befallen the earth.

"Well buddy, you don't have to worry about that anymore." Mark thought aloud. Yep, it would be nice to have some decent meat for a change. Trisha would love it as well. He never thought he would be able to accept the idea of eating another human, but when food is scarce you do what you got to do. He had hunted out what he could of the area. Most of the game was gone and Trisha couldn't eat that anymore anyway. It was human meat or nothing for her. So, that was all he would hunt now. Just to keep her happy. He had actually developed a taste for it himself. Didn't see the point in extending his search for animals that might have lived further away when he could share the fresh meat he was providing for Trisha. True, it disgusted him at first, but he learned to live with it and then, eventually, like it.

Perhaps he'd cook some of it up tonight with the wild onions he had found in the woods a few days before. Sounded scrumptious. Of course, Trisha would never go for that. She would have loved it before the change. Well, not with human meat back then of course, but perhaps with some venison or even rabbit. She didn't like it cooked anymore. She only preferred it raw now. And raw is what she would get. But that was okay. It would still be good just to be with her (somewhat). Dinner with his girl. Even if it was at arm's distance.

Yep, just a ghoul and his girl. It's true what they say. True love never dies...twice.

Reviews

[R.G. Johnson]

Liked the fresh point of view of your character. Undead romance is not nearly as hot as it should be. I was caught up in the tale from the beginning. Very cool.

I would extend fragments like "A scavenger." and "Dinner with this girl." into full sentences. But that's more a stylistic thing when it comes to modern storytelling. Other that that, I felt like I was watching a short film. It is a striking piece of writing.

all good things.
RG

[Ladysue]

wow, this was gruesome indeed. You really have a very creative and imaginative mind. Very captivating...Awesomely done...

[LSS]

Stephen King could never have devised a more gruesome tale than this. But how compelling. Before you revealed the kill, I suspected there would be some sort of impact on his family, but the devastation was worse than unimaginable. This should be made into a full length movie. Not a horror film, as you suggest a compassionate survivalist; holding even the reason for killing human's until the last reveal.
Riveting read, thoroughly enjoyed.
Lar

[Through the Gateway]

What a delightfully gruesome piece, Legion. I had an inkling what was going on, but still enjoyed the piece thoroughly. It was very well written and the narrator had a quiet acceptance that was deliciously chilling.

Excellent!

[nostal]

I LOVE THIS!
Very well written and intriguing throughout.
Great job.
Characters are great and the plot is awesome.

[aiyanna]

What can I say? You write so very well . a professional comes to mind..this how ever was just not my cup of southern tea . I thought I might just cry from the sadness of it all.

[Sheila Kline]

This is really different with a "fresh" perspective on romance! I have found it intriguing and am glad I took the time to read all the way through it....very interesting story line! Human meat, venison, girlfriend, ghoul, survivalists,.....unique concept!

[Sean M. Addams]

kind of creepy in a way.... liked the storyline in this alot and character development was good too... overall i thought you did a great job on this!!!