Zombies

XX

{Author's Note}

This is the ‘last’ chapter of the book, and I want to throw out a quick thank you for the tremendous support I’ve gotten. Don’t fear though, on Sunday, I will be posting an epilogue for all you beautiful people to neatly wrap up the story. But, I really would love to see some major support on this final chapter. I want everyone to comment their favorite part, overall, and/or from each perspective. I wish I could personally thank each one of you for your insane support, and stay tuned for the epilogue. 

 

Ashley:

“Do we stop?” I asked as we drew nearer. “Why would we stop- wait. Is that Jordan in that car from Youtube?”  Mitch asked. “Yeah, I recognize them. Let’s pull over.” I said. Sydney groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Why can’t we just keep going..” She sighed, yearning to avoid any sort of contact with over humans if possible. When Mitch and I got out of the car, everyone paused, frozen in distrust and surprise. I supposed they knew you can’t trust everyone you knew before the apocalypse, like Ryan. Then, the truck’s car door opened and Sonja’s head poked out. “Ashley? Is that you?” She asked. Her eyes were red as if she had been crying a lot. “Yes! Hi Sonja! Fancy seeing you here. Are you on your way to Seattle?” I asked the obvious. “Uhm, yeah. Are you going there too?” She asked. I found it wildly humorous to have such a casual conversation in such a drab, dangerous world. “Mmhm, yeah. Do you want us to wait for you?” I asked. Sonja looked to the man changing the tires. “They can wait for us, right?” She asked him. “Do you know them?” He asked back. She nodded her head, and the tire man approved us waiting for them. “What a weird turn of events.” I said, looking back to Mitch. “Yeah, seriously. Whoever thought we were gonna end up meeting a bunch of other friends right outside Seattle.” He said. We got back into the car to wait for them, and the tire man came up and knocked on the driver’s window. Mitch rolled down the window, and the man handed him a small, handheld radio. “Welcome to the team, I guess. The name’s James. Use channel three to talk to us.” Mitch threw a side glance at me. “Uh, thank you sir. I’m Mitch. This is Ashley, and that’s Dan and Sydney. Pleased to be with you today.” Mitch introduced us. “Pfft, yeah. Pleasure.” He said, beginning to walk away, but he turned back. “I’m sorry, it’s just, smaller groups are easier to take care of. If you’re with me, I feel responsible for you, and I just lost a member of my group.” He said, then walked away for good. The man looked tired, and I sympathized for him. I didn’t get as annoyed as I once did, because I knew everyone I had met since the start of this had experienced the same thing I did. They had all lost friends to the infected as well as other people, they had seen the horrors of the spreading disease, they had lost their family, or were separated from their family. Mitch switched the radio to Channel Three, and all three cars merged back onto the road, ready to continue the adventure. Soon, the ghostly empty city of Seattle loomed ahead of us in the evening’s shadow. Unlike photos I had seen of it, it was lifeless and dark. “We’re getting close, guys. Hang in there.” James’s voice crackled over the radio. We followed his truck down many empty roads, and swerved past exceptionally large hoards of zombies. “I guess a lot of people made it this far only to get infected.” Sydney sighed, looking at the undead. “That’s sad, but we’re not gonna be like them.” Dan promised her. His comment was enough to make her smile a little, and she didn’t speak again. Mitch kept glancing at me like he wanted to say something, but never did the the whole way. Finally, the gleaming lights of the air port came into view, and the hum of an air craft coming down for landing filled my ears. “We’re gonna make it! We’re actually gonna make it!” Sydney spoke again, her eyes lighting up. We drove up to a concrete barrier that surrounded the air port with heavily armed guards on posts all around it.  Besides us, there were a couple cars lined up for entry. When we reached the gate, a guard asked us a couple security questions, then let each of our cars in one by one. We were in the back of our ‘train’, and as James’s car passed through, he announced they were in. Then Jordan and Aurey got in, and announced they were in over the radio, and finally were accepted in! We had made it! We were directed into the safe parking lot that was already overcrowded, but eventually, what seemed to be hours later, we finally all found parking spots, and met up at the main building. There was working electricity, a first aid centre, free drinking water and food. It was miraculous. As we walked into the brightly lit building, Mitch pulled me aside for a minute. “Hey Ash. I just wanted to say, it’s been an incredible journey. I’m glad we did it together. And I also just wanted to say, I love you.” He was smiling brightly and widely. He leaned down, and kissed me. I was too shocked to react for a moment, but then I smile back and kissed him back. Eventually, we pulled away and turned back to the airport. A flight would be leaving in thirty minutes, and we had to meet up with the others and get to the terminal before it deported.