a letter to human.

A Story by norajesus

What's my current location? Zabeel Park, Dubai. It's the New Year, what a marvelous start to 2050. Dubai was my escape from my daily life, I was a typical boy from Al-ain, my life was all about fast cars and big cash, I wasn't good in school, I flunked math and my attendance was hardly on point. 2949 was a year of change, not only to me but the whole world. It all began in Tokyo, Japan. Zombies apocalypse, yes I am not even kidding you my dear reader, it took five days for it to be spreading around the world, worst race of zombies? I probably would say Asians; they are fit and fast, they can swallow you in a matter of seconds, I call them the short beasts. Unlike us the Arabs, I say we consumed a lot of meat as humans now that we turned to zombies; we can't have 15 minutes of chasing a meal. It's been almost six months since the start of this apocalypse. The Russians claimed they have a cure while the Americans warned people to not be fooled by these claims, if you ask me; I believe no side. All I cared about for the past six months is my surviving; I have already seen my beloved people turn to beasts. I have no energy to deal with politics. Either way, the communication database no longer work, no news has travelled between cities these past days.

During my surviving journey I met a Pilipino survivor, who claimed there is a shelter in Dubai for the survivors, I asked him why he left the shelter and his answer was "I'm searching for my love". I'm not quite sure if he meant his lover was alive and he is searching for her or if he wants to fall in love, I wouldn’t say that it’s the perfect timing to search for a lover, but those Pilipino people are so romantic that sometimes I feel like a rock compared to them, no I don’t mean the legend wrestler. I didn’t bother asking him for more details due to the fact that a zombie interrupted us. When you feel like a burger, you got to run, and by run I mean never stop, run until your legs can carry you no more and when that happen, run even more. Never be a burger! Not for the zombies! Well, I became a vegetarian after the zombies attack, I thought I should mention that, but don’t be fooled, it's not due to the fact that I now feel how a cow feels when we butcher her, but I'm afraid it might be infected.

I came to my favorite city, the city of people, life and love. I came here not only because of the rumored shelter but also for the feelings I always have when I see the streets of Dubai, every time I see Burj Khalifa it feels like I'm still a nine years old boy with large imagination, I used to imagine that we would have an Arabic king kong version where I'll be the hero who rescue the beautiful blonde lady. In the past, Burj Khalifa was the tallest building in the world, and it felt so huge, but Dubai had exceeded the expectations, each year we witnessed another rising building and now Burj Khalifa is no longer lonely. I'm the lonely one now, even the zombies are having fun together! I always wondered how they really think. I mean I know they attack us for surviving, but do they even think? Animals like lions would hunt for surviving, but I'm sure the scientists proved that they are conscious animals, they do think and have feelings. I have punched and kicked a couple of zombies; do they think that I don’t like them? Did I hurt their feelings? No one ever tried to negotiate with them, I mean what if we could sit in a rounded table and talk some senses to them, probably with a warm cup of coffee. I'm sure the French would have a way with it, they always do.

My dear reader of this letter that I'm leaving in this historical bench, you might wonder what I'm babbling about, I am writing this because today would be my last day as human. Yesterday I was attacked, my left hand was scratched, and in other words I won't survive for another moon.

I made it to 2050 while a lot haven’t; I find that a blessing and a curse, I have grown a thousand years as survived the darkest year on earth. It's not quite easy to watch your loved ones turn to beasts; it takes lot courage to choose between killing them or be killed by them. I didn’t think I was able to make such choices but war makes a solider out of all of us yet it bends our hearts and cleanse our souls. It strips the dreams we had and reveals the world to us as it is with no magic or fantasy, yet as it shatters our wonderlands, it plants hope in our hearts for a better tomorrow, and it unites us with one dream, one hope, and one wish. A peaceful world where this is no war, no greed, no fear and no zombies. I'm writing this letter with a hope that someone would read it and remember me as a human being, for once I am turned there will possibly be no soul that is left with a memory of me as human.

My mom used to tell me that great souls turn to stars that shines our darkest nights once they pass away, I wonder how much of that is true. But if it was, will I be a warm star? Will I shine the darkest night for a scared little boy? Will I guide a mother back to her daughter? Will I make a change? I haven’t made changes to others as a human, do I deserve to be turned to a star? I don't understand how the zombies work, I'm not quite sure where will my soul be, but I am certain of one thing, I lost the chance to be a shining star, I have passed old men that needed my help, I have ignored every charity event I could possibly ignore, and I have turned the news off every time they spoke about countries going under war. At this moment I realize how selfish I was, I don’t deserve to roam with the great ones and I certainly don’t deserve to shine the earth. But my dear reader you still have the chance, your time is still yours, you can be a shining star, you can be the warmest of all. Let my mistakes be your guidance, let my words not be gone to waste. Love those who needs love, and protect those whom can't protect themselves, be the shelter you always wanted for yourself and as you burn, you shall heal. With this, I shall end my letter. Keep me in your memories.