Chapter1

Cara and Anna are on their way to Cara's hometown but they encounter a few obstacles along the way.

I let the tenderness of his voice carry me, away from the disaster of home. I watched his eyes look at me with all the love in the world. I rested my hand on his gentle face and allowed his hair to tickle my fingers. He wrapped his wings around me, sheltering me from the disease of the world. He never let go, and the moment felt right. I did not want it to end. His touch, his heartbeat became a part of me, but it was just a dream. Before I knew it he was gone. My heart shattered and melted. He swore to stay by my side.

Now I cry alone, my tears hitting body after body. I could see lives destroyed before my eyes, but I continued on. I know he is out there: my angel. He protected me once, when the sky was bright then turned dark. Now I must protect him when only disease leaves its mark. The bodies do not stay where they fall, but become zombies crawling for blood. Weapon in hand I walk towards the pack. Slashing my steel blade, watching heads role; I know with each battle I come closer to him. I will find my angel. I will not let my search end.

The wind pierces my skin like a bite. As long as they don’t bite me I know I’ll stay alive. My journey has just begun and I invite you to join me. Although I warn you the road ahead is stained with blood. If you are brave enough take my hand and a cure we will find. Don’t leave my side I will protect you through the plague. I will wipe your tears when they happen to shed. I have my reasons and so do you. I will find my angel and always protect you.

We continued to walk for what felt like hours. That girl who treaded behind me still remained a mystery. The road was flooded with abandoned cars that became victim to moss and poison ivy. I looked back to see she was lost in thought. I tightened my grip on my steel companion as we approached a house. It looked abandoned but I was not going to assume things based on looks. The screen door of the house hung slanted on a hinge. Everything was quiet which meant wither life or death.

“Come on,” I said to her.

She shook her head, taking her mind out of the clouds. We entered the house and the story of the family was revealed. There were toys scattered along the floor, coated with dust and blood. Family portraits were either cracked or torn. The house was abandoned or….

I could hear Anna squeal as I turned around. She was standing in the kitchen. I recognized a familiar moan: zombies. I rushed over to where she was. They were no longer people. They may have still had flesh and eyes, but their hearts were gone. I assumed them to be the people who used to live in the house. Their skin was pale. Their bones protruded through most of their body. The hunger in their eyes made me want to vomit. I threw myself in front of Anna and pulled out my blade. They made their way closer to us, slowly, slowly. I waited until they were only arms length away, and with one quick stroke I wiped both their heads off. Their heads fell to the floor with a loud thud. I picked up their heads and threw it out the kitchen window followed by the skinny bodies. I closed the window and stood there for a moment, waiting. Two down, one to go.

“Cara,” Anna whispered.

The sound of her voice alerted me that it was right behind us. I turned and pushed Anna behind me. I looked down to see a little boy. I could feel my body pulse with the desire to take him down, but my heart stopped me. Looking at him reminded me of my brother, but the pleasant memories of my brother were replaced with the nightmares. I had a brother, but he’s no longer a human. With that in mind I quickly sliced the boys head off. My hands began to shake, but then I could hear his voice, comforting me. Even if I imagined hearing him I was glad I could experience the thought of him.

“Cara?” Anna asked.

I turned, snapping out of my day dreams. I placed my hand on her head and ruffled her short hair.

“Let’s get you to bed,” I said.

After walking her upstairs, I trekked around the house, making sure to lock all the doors and windows. I gathered any kind of supply I could find but most of the house had already been trashed. I walked into the room where Anna was, and I walked into her gaze.

“Can’t sleep?” I asked her in a soft tone.

She shook her head and made room for me to sit down next to her. I sighed as I plopped down into the bed’s mattress.

“Thank you,” Anna said.

I looked down at her and smiled.

“You always say that,” I replied.

“Because you always protect me, so I just want to show my appreciation.”

“I know,” “I whispered in her ear.

I brought the blankets closer to her, making sure that she would sleep warm. I never really get any sleep, that’s just the way life is now, but tomorrow will hopefully be different. I think that each day holds something special, but so far my hope is fading. I want to learn more about Anna. We have been together for a couple of months but she doesn’t speak much other than constantly telling me thank you, but now that I think about it there isn’t much to talk about. Why would you want to talk when the only thing in your mind is death?

I gently shook Anna awake.

“Time to go,” I told her.

There was no time to waste. The sun was rising meaning most of the zombies were enter places looking for darkness. I had a goal to travel to my hometown. The only problem was that it was over 200 miles away. Since I left and found Anna there has been a group of hunters hot on our trail. No, not zombies but human hunters. While I remained in the secluded maze of the city there was word going around about an army being formed. The thought made me worry. I did not want to become a puppet for the government, and now my duty is to protect Anna.

I could see Anna collecting her backpack and waiting for me to walk ahead of her. The look she gave me reminded me of when I first met her. It was night. The wind carried the sound of zombies to my ears. I rushed with her in my hands. When I looked down at her in my arms she gave me the same look. Her eyes were full of sadness and confusion.  We walked out of the house and embraced the warm daylight.

We began to walk in silence down the long concrete ocean as we always have. I felt a warm sensation on my hand and when I looked down I noticed she placed her hand in mine. I looked up at her but she continued to face forward. The feeling of holding her hand made my heart melt. The world around us was crumbling down and as much as I wanted to get close to her I knew it would not be wise for her to get close to me. As we were walking I looked out into the distance and began to see a familiar figure. I let go of Anna’s hand and began running down the dirt path that we were on. I called out to him, but he did not answer.  I stopped running and just stood there for a moment. I closed my eyes and when I opened them he was gone. How could I be so delusional? My emotions overwhelmed my senses.

I focused my hearing on a piercing cry. I quickly spun around and ran back. As I ran closer and closer to where I left Anna; I could see her on the floor, surrounded. I pulled out my sword but was shoved violently to the ground from behind. I shifted my wait and looked up to meet the eyes of a drooling, blood thirsty, savage zombie. It looked at me and screamed in my face, spit landing on my cheek and forehead. I used my legs to trip it, and ready myself. It came charging at me and I cut at its chest. The zombie must’ve been sick for a long time because it was not going down easily. Blood gushed out of its wood but it continued towards me. I chopped its left arm off, blood oozing all over the ground. The zombie came forward and I was finally able to deliver the final blow. After having a lot of my strength taken from me adrenaline took over as I went towards Anna. She was kicking, trying to push the zombies away but there were three of them and they were too strong. I ran towards her, using my arms to try and pick up speed. I couldn’t stop but think that I was selfish and as heartless as the zombies that killed. It was as if I killed her with my bare hands. I left her by herself; I left her to die. By the time I got there the zombie’s were getting rowdy and Anna was so terrified a pool of tears surrounded her.  I sliced leg after leg, arm after arm. As I put all my energy into chopping them down I screamed. I wanted all my anger to leave, since I let it build up inside me. The deed was done. My hands, arms, face were splattered with blood. Anna looked petrified and so was I. I offered her my hand, but she did not take it. The look in her eyes was a look of disappointment and fear. Was she afraid of me?

In this situation I was the monster and I could not forgive myself.

“I’m sorry,” I said turning away.

I could not look her in the face. It would be too much. Spending days and days, turning into years and years of my life killing others, killing those who were once human, overwhelmed me. I trained myself to hide emotion. There was no time to cry, no time to mourn. If I were to look Anna in the eyes I could’ve broken down, and I did not want to take the risk.

Her hands were trembling and she slowly stood up. She seemed to look at me thinking whether to leave me or accept my apology. She walked closer to me and extended her pinky out. I lifted my head from the floor and looked at her with curious eyes.

“Pinky promise,” she said.

“Pinky promise?” I asked.

“Yes. Promise me you will never leave again,” Anna whispered.

I took my pinky and wrapped it around hers.

“Don’t worry I don’t break promises,” I told her.

Although it seemed that we had moved past the traumatic moment there was still tension in the air. There was no quite a distance between us and where we were last attacked. Considering that Anna almost got killed we were making considerable progress as far as getting to know one another. The promise I made to her kept playing in my mind over and over. It made me think of him. If I had heard those words a year ago I would have fallen on my knees and cried, but now it’s different. Thinking about him and the promise he made to me makes me laugh. He made a commitment. We both sacrificed so much: family, friends, everything. And for what? Nothing could stop the virus from spreading but maybe if I had not fallen in love I would not be such a wreck. Why do I spend every waking moment thinking, hoping, praying that I would see him again?

There are other men out there. Men who are not yet infected, but none of them compare. I suppose it is the special connection. In the back of my mind I hope Anna never leaves my side because although we may not talk much, just knowing she is with me comforts me.

“Anna?” I asked trying to get her attention.

She did not answer but instead focused her attention on me.

“May I ask what your life was like before this happened?” I said slowly, trying not to rush.

“I don’t remember. Most of my life has been this,” she said gazing off.

“I see.”

“And yours?”

“Too long to tell,” I said attempting to smile.

She didn’t keep persisting on the subject so our conversation ended almost as quickly as it started.