Shorts

Zombie Apocalypse

We were running. Only us two, carrying our backpacks with supplies that we needed to survive. Knife in hand, gun in the other. Trying best as we could to avoid getting close to anything that moved. Running through abandoned buildings and empty streets. Everywhere we went, there was at least one decaying body. But we've gotten used to that sight already. It was the apocalypse, after all.

We've been trying to get out of the infected zone and get to safety for a week now. We defeated countless of the undead. We weren't killing them - we were simply putting their bodies to finally rest; the people they once were had already been lost.

We ran into a house to take a short break. My friend shut the door and i went to check if there were any people or zombies inside. There was one zombie in the kitchen - I shot it and searched for food. I found none. We ate what we had and headed out again. Checking the map, we decided that it was best to go down one of the main streets. Soon, we came across a barricade, so we went right, into an alleyway, planning to go around it. We turned a corner and came across a large group of zombies.

A piece of a wall fell behind us, blocking our way back. There was around twenty of them, and two of us. We shot fourteen and then ran out of bullets. There was still five left, not counting the one without an arm and leg, as it didn't pose any danger.

Without any other choice, we took our knives and ran at them. I slashed and beheaded one, then stabbed the second three times. My friend put a knife through the head of one of them, then saw bricks falling and pushed the other undead underneath them, killing it. However, he didn't jump back in time; one of the bricks fell on his arm, injuring him. The last zombie was right next to him. I didn't get to him quickly enough. He couldn't fight back. The zombie bit into his hand. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground as I threw the zombie off of him and finished it.

I kneeled next to him and put his hand in mine. It was bloody. He paled as the venom started spreading in his system. We both knew it was the end for him. I felt tears running down my cheeks. He was crying too. 'You know what you have to do' - he said removing his hand from mine and sitting up. 'I know' - I answered. We hugged one last time.

I went and picked up my gun, which I had previously thrown onto the ground. I took a spare bullet out of my backpack and loaded my weapon. I stood a few meters away from my friend and pointed the gun to his head. He didn't try to move away. He wanted me to do it. He smiled at me through tears, trying to cheer me up, but it only made me cry more. I didn't want him to leave me.

Neither of us were ready for it. We were all we had left. But both of us knew it had to be done. 'Goodbye' - he said. 'Goodbye' - I answered. I pulled the trigger. I watched him as he fell; his body laid on the cold stone. I felt numb. I wanted to cry and scream.

But it wasn't the time for that. I needed to go, if I wanted to survive. I stopped thinking. I collected my things, not feeling anything. I put a flower on my friend's body and turned away. Then I ran in the direction we were supposed to go together. But I was alone.

I continued my journey, trying not to think about what I had lost. Now wasn't the time to mourn. I can do that later, when I'm finally safe and out of the apocalyptic land.