TWOSETVIOLIN • Little Ship Moments

Stay

Red lights were blinking in the distance, the alarms were blaring, and the footsteps of the people were ringing loud in the enclosed hallway of the safe place. A safe place that wasn't so safe anymore. Brett and Eddy were at the very back, but luckily, no living dead were on their heels. 

They rushed to the bus, filling in to go to the next safe place. It was their only hope now, and even when it was very much possible that this same place would be infiltrated once again, they had no choice. They were everywhere, on the roads, in the buildings, everywhere. There was no escape.

The guard who had bravely chosen to stay back to allow people in held a hand in front of them. "What is that?" he asked, pointing to the violin case Eddy had on his back.

"My violin, I'm sorry, sir, but I cannot leave it. Please..."

"Fine, but if it causes any sort of trouble with the people or the space, we're throwing it out, even if it's a Strad." Eddy nodded, going in the bus to the very back, as Brett followed suit.

"Thank you, sir."

The guard was beginning to get on the bus when a voice called out. "WAIT!" 

He looked back to see a woman in white scrubs, stained by dried blood. "Ma'am, we're very much full, and because of that blood covering your uniform, it is not sure that you haven't been infected. We choose not to take the risk."

"But I have it!" she exclaimed as she brought a black box in sight. "I have the cure!" 

Her response caused everyone's heads to turn. Could it really be the cure? Or was it all a lie?

The same questions seemingly rang in the guard's head as he considered her. "Fine."

Everyone was silent as they sat on the bus. It felt like everyone was holding their breath as if they were thinking a simple inhale would bring one of the monsters to turn their head around and alert the others.

The guard took his radio-transmitter and whispered, "Gate 79, we're approaching, ready your gates."

Static.

No reply.

Then, like a dam had been broken, noise from the other end.

Panting from the guard who seemed to be holding the communicator, heavy footsteps, fast and urgent, and the sounds of what seemed like a military group behind him. But all of them knew that it was far from the truth. 

It was them.

All of them, coming to get the man.

"Security was breached. Don't approach. Don't ap-"

They heard the small drop and his scream for a second before it was cut short. The guard in front of Brett and Eddy was trembling before them, pale as he looked at something. Something right behind the pair.

BOOM! 

A rotten, living corpse suddenly appeared. Everyone stood up all so quickly, but everyone knew better than to scream, than to attract any more attention that was already there.

When the monster decided to move on, the guard whispered as silently as he could, "We will leave, right to the gate beside the one we were approaching. It's the only way. We can't use the bus, it will attract more attention. We can only walk, make the least amount of sound possible."

He nodded as a signal, and the door opened. Everyone rushed out, with the pair and the nurse going out last. The car horn began blaring, Eddy's violin had hit it accidentally.

Every head snapped to their direction, and everyone began to run. "HELP!"

The nurse. Brett and Eddy looked at her as they ran farther and farther away.

"Please! Get the cure! Here!" She threw the box as far as she could as they were devouring her, turning her into one of them. 

"Eddy, Eddy, I've got to go, I have to get it." 

"Brett! NO!" Eddy tried to pull him back.

His best friend didn't listen. He ran, got the box, and reached out. 

But he tripped. He tripped for a moment too long.

And he stood there. He stood there with tormented eyes. Shivering under the wind. Only a whisper away. "Stay, Eddy, please..."

Eddy could only listen, for he wanted to stay by his best friend's side forever, just like he had promised.

-Val (Nutellingyouwhome)