There's Light at the End of the Tunnel

Chapter 19

He snakes his arms around my waist and gently rubs my stomach, his head on my shoulder. I put the gun on the dresser next to me and put my hands on top of his. Picture perfect moment, but there's no cameras or photographers anymore...

"How much longer?"

"For?"

"The baby sunshine" He kisses my cheek

"About seven and a half months"

"So long?" He asks impatiently

I laugh, "Yes that long. Time will fly though don' worry. In a few weeks I'll be showin'. Gonna need maternity clothes again"

"Think there's a store for ya 'ere"

"Probably. Before we move back I wanna go there and start gettin' some supplies. And your book"

"Of course. That damn book... Can ya read it to me?" He sighs

"What like story time? But kinda gross?"

"Yeah"

"Sure thing" I smile

"Good 'cause I couldn't read it"

"Weirdo"

Later that day, the sun finally comes out after days of cloud cover. The sun slowly starts to melt the many inches of snow.

Let us fast forward a few months into the future. Throughout the winter, nothing too exciting has happened. No intruders, no killings, no one has been bitten. The winter was bitterly cold, but they made it. Now that the snow is gone, the season of spring comes around. Flowers begin to bloom, the thunderstorms light up the sky. They went back to their original home, just as they left it. No traps, not destroyed or overrun.

"How many more months" He asks impatiently, for the third time today

"Four my love" I smile and rub my growing stomach

He sighs, "Why so long?"

"Ya ask almost everyday, it's gon' seem like forever if ya keep that up" I laugh

"Ya know 'm impatient. Plus I wanna see our baby" He pouts sitting next to me on the bed

"So do I but I don't ask myself everyday"

"'Cause ya keep count everyday" He kisses my forehead

I smile, "I have to"

"I know ya do. It's cute though"

"It's motherly like"

"Ya gon be a great mama"

"Hopefully..."

"Don' think 'bout it" He says as he wraps his arms around me.

"I know, sorry"

"It's alright sunshine"

The day rolled on with nothing to do. We didn't have a reason to leave, plus it was slightly dangerous for the both of us. We could walk out and they could be walking down the street.

I convince him to let me go for a walk out in the open field, our front lawn. He lets me go, throwing on my sweatshirt, I head out. Feeling the slowly warming sun on my face revived me in a way. Over the long cold winter, I realized how much I missed the hot sun of Georgia. I hop onto the fence and just have some me time. Everything is so quiet anymore. No cars passing by, no horses in the fields, just emptiness and the moaning of the dead.

Hence sitting on the wooden fence, I clear my mind of everything. My daughter, the outbreak, being beaten half to death. Sitting there alone made me realize I could forget about the past. I'm starting over, and I have been. A calming feeling came over me and I decided to go back to the house. Walking down the long dirt drive was him. Crossbow slung over his shoulder, along with his bag. He doesn't look too happy...?

"Hey, what's wrong...?" I ask grabbing his wrist as he passes

He pulls his hand away from my grasp and stops, "Why don't ya tell ME what's wrong"

"Nothin's wrong..." I say, confused

"Oh yeah? Ya ain't cheatin' on me?! That even my kid!?" He yells, pointing at my stomach

"W-what are ya talkin' 'bout...? I don' understand.."

He holds up a picture of my brother and I. He was giving me a piggy back ride, both of us laughing, having a good time.

"Where did ya find that?" I ask watching what I say

"In the drawer next ta the bed. Who the hell is this!? A secret lover ya still seein'!? What am I no fuckin' good for ya!?" His words go through me like I was just shot...

"...T-that's me and ma brother..."

"But I seen ya brother and he look nothin' like this!"

"That was my step brother. You met ma real brother once, long time ago. He didn't like ya, so every time you n I hung out, he was never 'round"

He glares down at me, fury in his eyes.

"He looks nothin' like ya!"

"Different ma's..." This was true, my dad took him from her

"Let me know when ya wanna tell me the truth" He storms off

"I watched him die. He's gone forever. Just like y'all be if ya leave" My voice rises, he stops, 20 feet away from me

"Ya still lyin' ta me?" He slowly turns to face me

"Why would I lie ta ya..."

"Wouldn't want to break us apart for the baby"

"Why would I leave ya..." Every time I ask him a question, my voice cracks

"Find someone better than maself"

"There ain't a soul in the world who is better than ya..." I look at the ground, knowing he was gonna leave anyway

"Will ya stop lyin' ta me" He is still pissed off.

With tears in my eyes I let him win, sarcasm in my voice, "Yeah, I'm lyin', this whole damn time I lied to ya. Ya know what stay here. You tell ME when ya ready ta believe me" I storm passed him

He reaches for my hand but I move it and keep walking down the drive to the road.

"They gon' find ya..!" He shouts after me, his voice shaky, he was crying

"I hope they do!" I turn and yell back to him, tears streaming down my face. No, I didn't want them to find me, I just needed to say something so he would think twice.

"No..." He says quietly, I could barely hear him.

With my hand on my stomach, and knife in the other, I make my way to town.