This Isn't the Zombie Apocalypse

38. Full Circle

We kept on going.

Ana didn't bring up the Big, Huge Deal, and neither did I. We aimlessly wandered, stopping for breaks where we ate and slept and wrapped our many, many wounds with torn strips from the few clean-ish clothes I had packed. (Because, except for my backpack, all other supplies had been left in Sarah's shiny BMW. The one time I suggested going back, Ana got this hollow look in her eyes. (I didn't bring it up again.)) Ana limped heavily, and I worried that we would never find someone to help her. I worried that, even though I was dead, I kept on acting like I was alive.

I worried about a lot of things. Mostly, I worried about when we would next see Life and Death.

oOo

We walked until we came to a long, winding dirt road that didn't fit into the abandoned urban setting we were at. Then we finally stopped.

"This is—" I started.

"—the road we met on," Ana finished. "How?"

"I don't know," I answered.

We sat on the side, and I watched, wondering if anyone else would pass by like before. I passed the food and water to Ana as we waited, and sure enough, not too long later, a shiny BMW came zooming by, and in it— I stood. "Was that Sarah?"

Ana looked just as gob smacked as I was. "I think— I think it was."

I watched as it continued on down the road. I watched as it passed by a dark shadow before disappearing. I watched as Death walked closer, and when I turned my head the other way, I watched as Life moved closer as well.

"Do you see—" I began.

"—Life and Death? Yeah, yeah I do." Ana reached for my hand, and I helped her up as Life and Death continued to get closer and closer, until they stood not ten feet apart.

Suddenly, I heard another car zooming down the dirt path. That and my mom's favorite radio channel. Then my dad's old convertible came into view, his arm hanging out the window, sunglasses flashing in the sunlight. My mom sat in the passenger seat until she saw me, and then she stood and leaned over, waving and calling my name. "Mom?" I called back. "Mom!"

She beamed, looking healthy and strong, and she said, "Good bye, Calien, my love!" And then dad drove past Death and disappeared like Sarah's BMW.

"What...?" I took a shaky step forward, trying to find them. Trying to get to my parents. Somehow, I ended up between Life and Death, Ana behind me.

"Cal," she warned, and I turned to her. "I think it's time to see if your idea is true," she told me, and I knew that—I knew it, but I still wanted...

I thought Death was unfair. Why did Fate want me to do this?

I searched once more for my parents, but they were gone. Dead. I nodded, whispered, "Okay," and faced Death while Ana faced Life. I took one step forward, and so did Ana.

Step. Step. Step.

Closer. Closer. Closer.

And then I was right in front of Death, about to look it dead in the eye, when it became that familiar face. Just for a second. And then I did look Death in the eye. It looked like... I whipped around, saw Ana walking toward Life, and turned again to face Death.

It looked like Ana.

I ran back and grabbed Ana. I threw her at Death's feet, and she gave me a betrayed look. But I didn't have time to explain. I couldn't, because she was blanketed in darkness, and I was enveloped in light.