The Life After the Return:

I wanted to run. My legs were sore. The pain that shot through my spine was slowly spreading to the rest of my body. It had only been one week since the return of the savages. The air was pungent and smelled of burning flesh. Families have been ripped apart, and towns were destroyed. 

The days following the attack felt like years. Agony, heartache, depression, and hopelessness followed me around as I climbed through the rubble searching for shelter. Everything was gone.

It was a bright, Tuesday morning like any other day. My little brother, Jonah, and I were getting ready for school as usual. My mother, Susan, was cooking chocolate pancakes, and my father, Harrison, was already at work. It was a picture-perfect day, and I was dressed in my fanciest outfit. My dress was a dark red color that came up to my mid-thigh decorated with sequins. My short, brown hair was straightened which caused it to land above my shoulders. My makeup was flawless, while my red lips dazzled in the sunlight. I felt gorgeous. 

I was upstairs putting on my 2-inch heels when I heard my mother’s blood-curdling scream. I rushed out of the room. Through the hallway window, I saw a glowing creature walking through my yard. Brownish-slime mixed with what appeared to be blood clinging to its flesh. Obnoxious groans could be heard even though the creature was outside my house. The thing’s clothes were tattered and barely hung to its flesh. I tried to scream, but no noise came out.

Frightened for my life, I ran back into my bedroom. The sound of exploding glass came from downstairs. The creature had entered my house. I froze at the top of the staircase. The horror was towering over my little brother Jonah who was innocently playing with his toys. 

My mother screamed for me and my brother, but it was too late. It latched on to both my mother and brother with uncanny speed. She was wailing, and Jonah was silent, his face a deadly shade of white. The thing’s mouth opened impossibly wide exposing its yellow rotting teeth. As it bit Jonah’s arm off, I almost fainted. The blood flowed out of my brother and he went into shock. Our white, soft carpet was soon turned to a wet, red mess. His head was then torn off in an explosion of blood and bone, but the beast was not finished yet.

My mother was next. Her eyes met mine, and her gaze locked on me as she was dragged out into my front yard. From my angle up the stairs, I watched as the horrendous creature pushed her to the ground. It grabbed her brown hair, and I will never forget the ear-piercing cry from my mother. Its hand gripped her throat tight. Her eyes went blank as she lay motionless. The creature then bent over her, spilling my mother’s blood in our yard.

I was frozen in fear. I had no clue what to do. It was the most gruesome event I had ever encountered. Crying in silence, I climbed out my bedroom window and down the gutter hurrying to leave. I needed my dad. This was the only thought echoing through my head. I had to get to my dad’s workplace. His tire company was three blocks away. 

To my horror, the streets were covered with more scenes of carnage with limbs everywhere. I felt my stomach become mush. I stumbled, out of breath, onto the street the tire company was located. An enormous creature, much like the one at my house, started towards me. It was moaning and breathing heavily. The sickening mixture of mucus and blood dripped from its body onto the already desecrated concrete. I screamed, and it was on me before I could escape. Its jagged fingernails ripped into my right shoulder. Its power was immense. 

I had two options. Try to get out of what I thought was a zombie’s grasp or suffer the fate of my death. Wanting to live, I pulled hard on the fingers gripping my skin. Somehow, he let go for a brief second. Blood poured from my shoulder, and I darted toward the nearest entrance to the tire company. 

The tire company was usually neat and organized. Today, it was utterly chaotic. Flickering lights were hanging from the ceiling, and the carpet was stained red. Papers were scattered everywhere. The office cubicles lay demolished, and the computers crackled while smoldering in the gloom.

I frantically searched for my father. I looked under desks, in supply closets, but I found nothing. It was deserted. Helpless, I fell to the ground crying. All hope seemed lost. 

I heard someone cough. Could it be my dad? I whispered, “Is anyone here?” The response was another cough. “Hello? Is anyone here?” 

“Over here,” someone answered. 

I followed the voice to a small corner I must have overlooked. There, I found a girl around my age. She looked terrified. Just like me. 

“I’m Chloe,” I said, “What happened?”

She replied, “I’m Abby... Abby Simpson. I-I was here to get tires for my car my dad just bought me for my seventeenth birthday. Then, these-these things came through the windows and tore the people apart. I hid here hoping to be spared. I guess I was lucky.”

My heart hurt, but I asked, “Did you see a middle-aged man named Harrison?”

“He was the one that was going to help me today. He went to the back of the store and never came back.” 

I felt my heart crack. My dad was gone. I began to sway back and forth. The realization that I no longer had a family struck me.

“I need to find my brother,” Abby nervously said, “Can you help me?” I nodded. It was the only thing I could do.

I helped her up. She was about 5’3, had short blonde hair, and had a pale complexion. Her eyes were green, and she was covered in freckles. Her face was marked with dirt, dried tears, and sweat. 

Shaking, she looked straight into my hazel eyes. She collapsed into my arms, and we both cried. The pain of my ripped shoulder tore through my soul. Trembling, I assured her and said, “We will find your brother.” 

I needed to be strong for Abby. Even if I was slowly dying inside, I had to be positive. We could find him if we had a game plan. “Where was your brother going today?”

“He was supposed to be at the high school football practice. Please God, let him be okay.” 

As we walked outside, I noticed dark clouds covered the sky like a carpet. The sun was gone. Would it ever come back? Abby was struggling to stay alive and I was shattered. 

We needed to find her brother. Maybe, she could regain the hope that she lost. We headed to the football field, and I couldn’t help but notice the puddles of blood that covered the streets. We hid behind corners and wrecked automobiles as we tried to avoid the carnage these creatures had unleashed throughout my hometown. If they found us, we were dead. The unpalatable smell of the air made me nauseous, and I threw up. The smell of vomit and blood made Abby look queasy as well. How could I possibly help her? I was a mess. 

At the football field, we searched the locker rooms. Surprisingly, they were clean. No blood or guts. The floors were recently polished and the air was fresh. Suddenly, we heard a crash and then the sound of a shower turn on. 

I abruptly yelled, “Who's here?”

“It’s Wade! I thought I was the only survivor. I came here thinking I could escape the chaos and hide in here until it was over. I didn’t mean to scare anyone, I just fell and accidentally hit the shower handle.”

“WADE! It’s Abby,” she excitedly announced, “You're alive!”

 I quickly assessed Wade up and down. Even in the chaos, something fluttered within me. He looked to be eighteen, he was tall, his tan skin glistening from the recent accidental shower. He shook his blonde hair making the small droplets splatter to the floor. He looked straight at me and tilted his head. “Wait, Chloe? Is that you?” Wade and I had been classmates since the fourth grade, and we were at one time, good friends.

I replied, “Wade? I didn’t know you were Abby’s brother! I went to find my dad at work after the attack, but he didn’t make it. That’s where I found Abby.” I struggled to fight off the tears again. 

“I didn’t know Harrison was your dad! I’m so sorry,” Abby sadly added, “Also, Wade is my step-brother, so I don’t see him much. Wade, what happened? It seems like there hasn’t been an attack here yet. We need to get to safety.”

“You’re right. They aren’t here yet. Chloe, do you have any idea of where we should go?”

“An abandoned army barracks is on a hill, overlooking the city. We should be safe there.”

As I walked out the door, I stopped. My stomach turned to knots. Standing in the doorway was one of the creatures. It was huge and covered with the same mixture of slime and blood as all of the others I had encountered. Time stood still. Wade, noticing I was frozen, jumped in front of me and threw his football cleats at the monster. They stuck to its face with a wet smacking sound.

“Run! I’ll catch up with you! Take care of my sister! Stay safe until I find you!” yelled Wade. His comment touched me. 

Abby and I ran for our lives carefully avoiding the monsters that guarded the city. We noticed an opening between the line of the brutes and rushed through it. The slimy figures charged at us, but I tore my heels off and fought them. 

It took us five minutes to reach our destination. Relieved, I looked across the city. The city was a disaster. The sky was dark, the buildings crumbled, and I could see gory human remains scattered throughout. I felt my tears start rolling down my cheeks again. My life would never be the same. 

Abby grabbed my hand and said, “We’ll get through this. Look, Wade is coming up the hill now.”

Wade was sweaty and on his face, was a streak of mud, or was that blood? I decided to meet him halfway down the hill, while Abby still stayed to protect the base.

Wade was both exhausted and exhilarated. “I destroyed those zombies. I never knew my football skills would help save my life. I tackled the three of them, stuck my sharp cleats into their flesh, and ripped their gruesome skin from their heads.”

I nervously giggled. “Great job Wade. I know we can get through this now that we have you.”

He blushed. “Chloe, we have each other.”

We reached the campsite and fell to the ground in exhaustion. We had no family, but as Wade said, we had one another. That was enough. 

Wade found some sticks and built a small fire for us. We talked for hours until Abby fell asleep. I looked at the stars hoping they would give me comfort. For a while, I felt safe. 

Wade walked up behind me. He grabbed my waist. His touch was gentle. I looked into his eyes and whispered, “What’s going to happen next? Where can we find true safety?”

He pulled me in and his soft lips met mine. The passion this kiss held was electrifying. My hands slid up his abdomen until they crossed around his neck. Taking a short breath, he answered, “Don’t worry about the future. Focus on the moment.” 

I did not know what was happening with the murderous creatures in the night. I did not know what was going to happen tomorrow. All I knew was for the moment, I was safe.