Zombie Survivors

Sam

         Sean and Madi were in the truck and turning it on as Dawnya climbed into the back and we climbed in on either the trailer or the truck and soon we were pulling out of the gate, all of us agreeing to leave Brynlee and Jessica at the farm and that we would get what they wanted for them. Then we were on the road, I looked at my girlfriend as she climbed up onto the roof of the truck and let the wind ruffle her hair. I sighed as I remembered last night, she had gotten meds for her head when she climbed into bed with me. Her soft pajamas old and worn as she got close and hugged me.

Moving my book out of the way mumbling about sleep. She clutched onto me and fell asleep almost instantly. I thought about how she's changed over the years, gone almost every day except for a few days at a time. Then she'll smile at me, and I'll think she's the girl I met all those years ago. But it never reaches her eyes, they've hardened into something tired and scary. But as I covered us up in the thick quilt that she was fond of I couldn't even see her in her scary moods.

And with her face like this shows everything once she's asleep, all the small little scars, the tiny little blemishes and small patches of sunburn freckles. Her hair pulled back into a ponytail still as she laid on my chest. I grabbed her hand and saw the recent wrappings from last weeks excursion, some jackass with a knife who should really be in the ground right now. The wound would add another scar under her belt, one more that I wish she didn't have to deal with. But on the bad days, she can be scary as hell.

And considering her shorter stature it was hard to believe that she could force herself to be that scary, but when she dawns her darker clothes and makeshift protective gear and weapons, it wasn't that hard to see. With her hair pulled back the reddish brown that glinted in the sun as she stood out there and slaughtered zombies, truly terrifying.

Then she does something like this, something that I can remember talking about and wanting to be there for her on bad days like these. Days when she thinks to much, or kills someone she thought she could trust. On days like that she'd just lay there and keep her eyes on the door. But on days like this when she just hurts, she'll kling to Brynlee or me and just want a little peace.

I can understand that.

And I've never been more grateful to have known her, because of her I've gotten here. And I guess having friends like these in the apocalypse are pretty dang great. Because they've saved me so many damn times. And it all started when this timid mouse of a girl saved me, and now I can't even call Madi mousey. Not since all this began and she literally saved my sorry butt more than thirty times. But the first time she saved me, it was a mess.

She found me in the middle of hell and knew me from the pictures on Dawnya's phone and school. She grabbed me and dragged me to the others. And when I saw Dawnya, she looked at me and I went to her and hugged her as tight as I could. Because the both of us on that day had seen horrors that no one respectable should see. And all I could think was she was there, she was alive, and she was safer than anyone else that first came to mind.

And as we hugged there was a small thud as a little kiddo hugged Dawnya's back and I saw Sean standing there holding her tiny little pink backpack looking pale and lost. I grabbed her too and pulled them both in the tightest hug I could force. I looked up to see Sean and Madi clinging together as Madi shook with sobs. Sure she saved me, but she also saw what happened at the elementary school and soon I saw Sean shaking as well from what happened to him. Though it took me a few years to actually know, Dawnya told me after I asked. And God, I can't even fathom her pain some days, I really can't.

It wasn't the last time I saw any of us cry, Sean, Madi, even myself, but it was the last time Dawnya allowed herself to cry in front of any of the others. People died, and threw us in the worst possible ways and yet she never cried in front of any of us. Not to anyone, not Madi, not Brynlee, not Sean.

Not even in front of me.