No Cure

I just hugged Callix out of sheer fear. Afraid to die. Afraid to be bitten by monsters around me. Of our six together, only three of us left breathing: me, Knight, and Callix. And here we are in the middle of nowhere where we see the wave of zombies that will judge our end. It's an apocalypse, anyway. We have nowhere to go. Wherever we go, they are there. Hunting for us to be their supper. We are going to die anyway, so what's the purpose of fighting? We have nothing to eat, no water, no animals, nor plants-- just us and these brain eaters. But then, the people we hope will help us escape in this country have become Zombies as well.

"I'm scared, Callix." I couldn't help but cry as the image of the zombies running towards us became more straightforward and transparent. They are so many, we have no escape. This is where the world will end.

"Close your eyes baby. I'll count 1 to 3 and you'll run. Knight will take care of you. Alright? " He said while bandaging his bleeding fist. Then I shed my tears even more.

"No, Callix. I won't let you stay here, alone. Let's just wait for them and die together. " I said bravely. I couldn't speak anymore as he pressed his lips on mine-- making me weak. Calming me. Giving me an assurance that time would be fine soon. But I know things won't be fine again. Not ever again.

"Baby, listen to me. I need to save your life with our baby. You understand? "

"You knew?" I asked tearfully; he smiled. A smile that melted my weak heart. Why is it so painful to see those smiles? It's like saying goodbye. "Live, so our child can live too. I love you both." He kissed me once again and happily waved a hand at me as he walked backwards to meet the wave of zombies-- to save me.

Knight immediately pulled me away, but I didn't want to. I don't want to leave Callix behind because that's what will gonna' kill me.

"Milena, just save yourself, please. Think about your baby." He said calmly while pinching his nose. I quickly shook my head. No. Callix needs my help. I know that he needs me—that he's scared too. I won't leave him.

Knight didn't let me go to see Callix. I don't know if he's still alive or what, but whenever I think he's gone, my chest hurts. Pain. Pain that I couldn't name. That's what I'm feeling right now. I tried to look for Callix once again, but my eyes could no longer find him. 

"Run!" Knight shouted as the Zs looked in our direction. I did not move immediately due to panic. It's too late. Knight protected me. The brain-thirsty Zs caught him and pulled him to a direction where he had been for a feast. I just covered my mouth. Eyes widen.

They're dead. Everyone is dead. It's only her, the baby in her womb, and the Zs. Milena runs as fast as she can. To save her baby and her life. But not everything has been that easy. Carried by hunger, thirsty, and tiredness, she suddenly fell to the ground and feel the strong impact of her head sunk on the cold cement. 

It's been a year since the deadly virus has started. It kills all the livings, such as plants, animals, and even humans, quickly, and unbelievably. The world is slowly falling apart. In an instant, the virus had taken over everything. What is even more incredible here is the dead's resurrection and its appetite for the human brain. They called it Zombies, but I call them Zs. I did not expect that the day would come when the world of the dead would take over. I thought zombies only exist in books and movies; I haven't expected that there will be a time when I will see not just one but a zombie country.

"You okay, baby? "

I looked at the speaker and saw Callix. I immediately smiled and hugged him. I didn't notice that he is already here-- safe, no injuries. 

"You're finally here. I missed you." I said as I grabbed his neck and hugged him tightly. He responded with a hug, too, then give me a soft kiss on my temple.

We walked closer to my broken window, and from the terrace of my unit, we had a great view of the whole city. The world has changed. The colour of the sky is always orange in the morning, and turning red during the sunset. And yes, it's terrifying.

"Knight, Dagger, Rex and Rage are waiting for us. We need to go." Callix whispered to me who immediately frowned. I broke away from his embrace and looked at him thoughtfully.

"I'm not going anywhere." I said firmly. "I waited for you for almost 5 days because I thought, the reason why you go here is because you found out that I have run out of foods and water."

"You can't stay here, Milena." He said emphatically while gritting his teeth. "You have no foods and water here. What you only have is electricity. How could you live with that?"

"This is my unit, Callix. "I cut him off. "I'm safe here because I know.. I know that I'm far from those undead who want to eat my brain!" thereafter, I heard some gunshots. The door opened violently, and four rushing men entered.

"Sorry to interrupt your sweet moment, dude. But .... Zombies are coming. We need to go. "

I raised an eyebrow and looked at Callix. "I'm staying here. "

"Baby ..." he called using his soft and sweet masculine voice, but I shook my head.

"Leave me here. Get out. Go."

"No." he rolled his eyes. "You want here? Then I'll stay here."

"Why are you so stubborn?" I shouted at him, then glared. " I can live my life alone! "

" Come on, guys. Anytime, the Zs will be here too. Blame Rage because the undead found him so charismatic and followed him from 3rd floor up to this floor," Rex said, pointing at his twin brother Rage, using his sarcastic voice.

"Let's go, Milena." It's Callix's authoritative voice. I looked at him then sighed. "I know that you're scared. But hey. Look at me, baby." he commanded, so I obliged. "I can't leave you alone here. I don't want you to starve to death. So please, understand me. Let's go to Dagger's house. He has stocks there." Callix held both of my hands then brought it to his lips, giving me a soft and light kiss there. 

"Protect me. "I whispered to him.

"I will, baby." He murmured to me so I smiled. We were about to leave when we heard a series of gunshots. What just happened next is the familiar growls and noise of zombies.

"Oh, fudge! Zombies are here! Seriously? How fast are these guys? Did they take the elevator?" Dagger continuously asks while giving a zombie shot each one.

"Let's go." Callix said. I nodded, then quickly grabbed my sling bag and packed some of my clothes.

The gunfire was still steady. Suddenly I became so nervous. What if I get bitten by one of those Zs? Will I be like them?

"Use a rubber shoes or slippers, baby. You can't run if you're in heels." Callix calmly reminded me like there was no massacre going on outside of my room.

I immediately changed clothes and went out first. I was about to have a heart attack when a bullet flew close to my eyes. When I looked at that, it was the smiling Rex I saw.

"Sorry, Milena. That zombie wants your brain. So I gave him an appetizer." He said while pouting at a Z that he knocked down. I just frowned and followed Knight.

"Where's Callix?" Knight asked when he saw that Rex and I were the only ones entering the fire exit. Maybe there is no Zs here.

"I'm here." Callix said as he arrived with a large bag in his hand.

"What are you carrying? Grenade?" Rage sarcastically asked.

"This is my baby's make ups, laptop, charger, powerbank, favorite sandals and jewelries. Stop asking, you have no electricity on your house, so, just go." He answered without even letting his friend to respond.

We immediately followed Callix as he led the walk downhill. It's dark and noiceless. "On what floor are this again? "Dagger asked, cutting the awkward silence.

"18th floor." I replied. The man just nodded and then continued walking. Minutes passed, we were still quiet on the descent. Fear that we might interrupt something that will cause us to be flooded by the brain-thirsty Zs.

We stopped when Callix, who was in the forefront, stopped abruptly. I was about to ask when he signalled us not to make noise. We slowly walked downhill, and as we got closer, the noise we heard became even clearer.

A few moments later, we saw a Z that was constantly turning its head as if it is smelling something. Callix nodded when he looked at Dagger. The two seem to understand each other. I just confirmed it when Dagger immediately pulled out a knife and slowly went to a Z. Only then did he notice that its eyes were covered.

Who is a fool to blindfold a zombie?

Dagger effortlessly knocked down a Z by stabbing its head. We were on the eighth floor when we heard another faint groan. Sounds familiar. Looks like Zs did that again. But unlike before, it looks like there are more on the next floor.

"These zombies are in everywhere." Rage said disgustedly.

"Shoot them." Knight ordered. Five of them pulled out their guns one by one, and I was immediately embarrassed when I realized I didn't have a single weapon in my hand to protect myself.

"Use this." Rex said, then handed me a small knife. "Just in case of emergency. You know." he winked at me. I was startled when Callix suddenly pointed a gun at his temple.

"Stop flirting with my baby, Rex. Or else, I'll shoot you." Now, Rex's twin, Rage, pointed a gun at Callix's forehead. "Shoot him, I'll shoot you too. That's my brother, dude."

"Hey, hold on." Dagger yelled at the three. "Zs' growls are getting louder. It looks like they're making babies so they can multiply. Let's go. Calm your balls. " The three stared at each other badly then immediately lowered their guns. I hit Callix's shoulders and signalled him to stop.

We walk back again, but even before we were halfway, there were five zombies blocked our way. As we have seen before, these zombies are also blindfolded. Callix shoots one but killed five. How amazing, isn't he?

"Did you notice that zombies here are always blindfolded?" Rage asked.

"Maybe there's a psycho here who loves to play hide and seek with them, I guess." Callix replied with a shrug.

I looked at the five dead zombies again. Maybe Callix is ​​right. Whoever did it was brilliant. As a result, the Z cannot see anything, so only its sense of smell is used to find its prey.

We reached the parking lot, and I immediately breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that there was no trace of a Z here.

"Zs can't enter here coz' gate will only open and close once when the car comes out or enters." Rage explained as if he had read the contents of my mind.

Five-coloured mustangs. My forehead furrowed. "Is that yours?" I questioned Rex, who put a key on one of the cars.

"Yes." Rex said proudly as he tapped his red mustang car.

"Well, actually, this is a 50-50." it's Callix.

"50-50?" 

"Day 22 of apocalypse. We were carnapped by some strangers. We left in nowhere, then we saw a huge mansion. We went inside just to see that there's no remaining alive left there. I mean, they are already Zs. So, we took these awesome cars. "Knight explained briefly as he nodded.

It is bad to steal, but what can I do? I was sure that we would really need a car. This apocalypse is sick, as well as those undead who want to eat their brains.

I got in the car with Calix, and I was amused seeing that they drove the cars one after the other. They seem to have a number to follow like car 1 first, car 2 second, car 3 third, and so on.

"Is Dagger's house far away?" I looked at Callix and asked the time we got out of the parking lot.

"Not really." he answered shortly. Then an immediate silence mediated between the two of us.

I couldn't look directly at what way we were going through because I was really terrified seeing Zs every time I looked outside. Their stares are frightening. They look at us like foods in a 5-star hotel. 

"Is there a problem? "I asked Callix when I heard him sighed deeply.

"I'll tell you something. "

"Hmm? Go on. What is it?" I adjusted my seat so I could listen to him better.

"The truth is .. we're going to Dagger's house to get ready." Callix replied. "We are not going there because we needed his food. We will go there to pick guns, knives, armor suit and protection."

"What do you mean?" I confusedly asked.

"You see, Milena. This country is not safe anymore. Knight contacted his family and said that there was a safe place for us. A zombie-free place. "I nodded my head. Well, that's good then. At least, I could now say that leaving my unit is the best thing I did during this apocalypse.

"Then we'll all go straight there?" I breathlessly asked. But to my dismay, Callix shook his head. 

"Only the three of us. You, me, and Knight. "

"What?"

"Understand our situation, Milena. " Callix respond immediately. "The helicopter is only for 1 person. But Knight ask his mom to send another helicopter for another two people. Which means, justthree of us would fit on board."

"And what about your friends? Rex? Dagger? Rage?" I am annoyed. Their decision was very selfish. This is not fair. I am sure that those three also want to live their lives in a zombie-free place. They had enough!

"We will use them as our bait. That way we can get to the place we planned."

Minutes had passed, and I didn't respond. I just stared at him. Trying to read his mind. Leering because up until now, I still can't believe that Callix could do that to his friends.

"The virus has no cure." he said in a very earnest tone. "Surviving or be one of them." he continued while looking at the horde of Zombies. "I will choose to survive." he grabbed my hand, but I immediately withdrew it. This is not him. My Callix is not selfish. But I understand him. I really do. I just can't accept the fact that we're slowly becoming monsters because of this apocalypse. "So forgive me if I'm planning to betray Rex, Rage and Dagger. I just want to save you. " 

He grabbed my hand once again and whispers. "I love you, Milena. "