Dead or Alive

Epilogue

A few months went by and slowly the world began going back to normal. We found as many survivors as we could and gave them the vaccine. The Lurkers who weren't beyond repair were brought back with the cure. The names of everyone in our group was added to the lab papers so we were given credit as well as the other lab techs. All of us are allowed to live in the lab until we decide otherwise. I was offered a full-time job as a lab tech and to finally do my dream career. I'm not the only one who is living their dream. Aaron started becoming a writer now that the internet is back up, Scarlett began teaching the children in a nearby community, Alexandrea started working as a therapist for the survivors who are suffering from PTSD and depression from the shit that they saw, and Hailey started taking up drawing again. Not too long after the vaccine was created, Aaron proposed to me. Since there were no jewelers anymore, we used a piece of string as the engagement ring. I wear it everywhere, gaining some odd looks from people who don't know the context. Everyone seemed so much happier once the vaccine was created. It was like a huge weight was lifted from our shoulders and we finally started to see how life truly was. Life began returning to people's eyes. People actually smile and mean it now. People are truly happy.

I walked down the halls after a long day in the lab. We were trying to predict possible mutations that the parasite could take so we could have a vaccine ready whenever the mutation takes place. My feet were hurting from standing for so long, but a huge smile was plastered on my face. I quietly walked into my room, trying not to disturb Aaron who has been working on a writing project but won't tell me what exactly it is. I saw Aaron sitting in front of the computer; his shoulders hunched forward and tense, and he was staring intently at the screen as he quickly typed. I quietly walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his chest and I rested my chin on his shoulder.

"Hey, Handsome! How was your day?" I asked, watching him type intently.

"It was good. How was yours?" he asked, not ceasing the typing.

"It was alright. Now I'm just glad that I'm back with you," I whispered.

We stayed like that in complete silence for a few minutes.

"Can you please tell me what you're working on?" I whispered, kissing him right below his right ear.

"Well, it was going to be a surprise, but I can't keep anything from you. It's a book about our journey during the outbreak. I decided to write it from your perspective since you've done way more than I have," Aaron said.

"Awww! That's really sweet, Aaron!" I exclaimed.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"I love it. What's it going to be called?"

"I'm thinking about calling it Dead or Alive," Aaron said.

"That sounds like an awesome title! But, how about you take a break from writing and come to the cafeteria with me," I suggested.

"You know I can't say no to you," Aaron chuckled after a few moments of thinking.

My smile widened as I grabbed his hand and we walked out of our room. We saw multiple lab techs walking through the halls. Each of them looking significantly happier than they were months ago. Just as we went around a corner, I ran head first into Cody.

"Woah! Sorry, Amala! I should've been looking where I was going. Anywho, you are just the person I was looking for!" he exclaimed.

"What is it?" I asked.

"So some Navy recruiters stopped by and asked if anyone was interested in enlisting! When I told them I was, they agreed to send me to boot camp!" he explained.