Love and the Apocalypse

Chapter 1

         Merula walked into the now deserted and rundown grocery store and started scanning for the items she needed. She tried not to make any noise in case there were other creatures lurking about in the store, but as she turned a corner her elbow harshly collided with a display of cans. They fell to the floor making a bunch of noise. She heard a loud roar behind her and when she turned she saw three big burly zombies. One had a beard and the other two had dirty faces with skin missing in spots.
        Merula raised her daggers and readied herself to fight for her life. She saw the exit sign behind the three zombies and knew she needed to go through them to escape. As she prepared to charge towards the three zombies she could hear the shuffling of feet as more zombies came up behind her. She knew she was trapped. Merula charged at the three zombies in front of her and they charged at her. The zombies behind Merula started running after her. At the last second Merula leaped into the air and kicked the bearded zombie in the chest. She sliced the necks of the other two zombies on either side of her before stabbing the bearded zombie, who she landed on, in the head. Merula stood up after that sheathing her daggers before running out the doors.
        After Merula ran through the doors of the abandoned store, she turned left and raced down an alley. She heard loud crashing and banging behind her and she knew the zombies were chasing after her.  Merula looked back behind her and noticed that they were gaining on her. She ran faster but could hear the footsteps as they got closer get louder.
       Suddenly, she felt a hard tug on her long red hair. Merula spun around and kicked the zombie that had hold of her hair making it fly backwards into the hoard of zombies chasing her. She spun back around and dashed down the alley crossing intersections without a sideways glance. She needed to escape. She was too young to die and she refused to be caught and turned into a zombie. Merula ran through another intersection and took a backwards glance as she crossed. Suddenly, she was slammed to the ground by something tall and strong. She didn't know who or what it was. All she saw was darkness as she felt herself bring lifted by strong arms.
      He tried to stop when he saw the girl but it was impossible at the speed he was going. He was running for his life from strange creatures. They weren't zombies but they weren't humans either. They were monsters killing anything in their way. He had heard the monsters already gaining on him and they got closer after he ran into the girl. Without hesitating to think he scooped up the girl and ran in the direction she was heading.
      The monsters and zombies collided with one another and causing many of them to fall to the ground. He ran faster even though he was already running as fast as he possibly could. He took many turns down random intersections and did not stop until the monsters and zombies were lost and left far behind him and the beautiful girl in his arms. He gently laid the girl on the ground and sat down and watched over her. Soon she started moving and he knew that soon she would be awake.
       Merula lay awake but she did not open her eyes. She lay still and silent taking in everything around her body. She knew she was lying on the ground and she knew she was not a zombie. Yet there was still something that was not right. How had she not been turned into a zombie? She thought she would be one for sure when she fell. Then she remembered she did not fall. Merula bolted upright and looked around until her eyes landed on a handsome  black - haired and blue-eyed man. "Who are you?" She asked with her voice slightly shaking.
       He had watched her sleeping form for about an hour after he had laid her down. He had noticed she had really long beautiful red hair with some blonde streaks in it. Her body was fit with all the right curves. Her breath rose peacefully and fell swiftly as she slept. He jumped when she suddenly rose up from the ground and fixed her gorgeous golden - brown eyes on him. He immediately became so lost in her beautiful eyes that he barely heard her question. He shook his head and answered, "I am Orpheus". He looked at her and smiled as he asked, "Who are you?"
           "I am Merula. Seeing as we seem to be the only survivors out here I have a place not far from here where we could hide," she answered him nervously. She rose to her feet and looked down at him. "Would you like to go?" She asked.
         "I would love to go,"he answered with a smile and got to his feet. Merula nodded and turned and raced down an alley. He followed her keeping pace with her. Soon, after many turns and near death battles from creatures ambushing them, they came to a tall and abandoned crumbling building. She led him up three flights of stairs and down a hallway. The hallway had many doors and seemed to be untouched. About halfway down the hallway Merula stopped and opened a door and went inside. Orpheus followed her inside and saw an old room. The walls were worn and tearing. There was a bed but its sheets were torn and it looked dusty. The only light came from a couple of lanterns that somehow managed to hang on the walls. A small gas stove with a sink were up against a wall to the right of the door. There was also a table with a couple of candles on it. Merula turned towards him. "Do you like it?" She asked a hint of hope in her voice.
         "It's not too shabby. In fact, this place would have a five star rating compared to most other places,"he said as he dropped his bag on the floor by the bed.
        "Well make yourself at home. I will cook some food, "Merula said and walked to the stove. She grabbed a pan from a cupboard whose door was falling off and put it on the stove. She went to a fridge that surprisingly still worked and pulled out some food. Orpheus pulled out his sleeping bag from his pack and laid it next to the tattered bed. He walked to the table and sat in one of the rickety chairs that were on either side and watched Merula cook.
         Soon Merula put the food on a couple of plates and took them to the table. She put one in front of Orpheus and sat across from him. Orpheus pulled out a lighter and lit the candles on the table to give them some light. He looked at his plate which consisted of steak, green beans, and potatoes and started eating. Merula looked up at him and smiled and asked, "Do you like it?"
       "Best food I have had in months," Orpheus answered smiling back at her. He continued to eat savoring the flavor. "How old are you?" He asked her curiously.
       "I am twenty-one and yourself?" She said.
       "I am twenty-three. Are you a weapons expert or are you just lucky?" He questioned playfully.
       She chuckled and said, "I am a melee expert. I have been using knives, daggers, and swords since I was ten. My father trained me in hand-to-hand combat as well."
      He whistled and looked her up and down. He smiled,"You don't say? I have been shooting a bow and arrow for years. My father also trained me in hand-to-hand combat".
      "We should get along great then," She said and laughed lightly. She noticed he was staring at her looking her up and down before smiling and shaking his head. "Like what you see?" She asked giving a mischievious smile. He blushed and nodded. She stretched and yawned as she said, "Let us go rest and tomorrow we will see".
       "Okay," he said and went and laid on his sleeping bag. She stepped over him and laid on the bed. They both slowly drifted off to sleep and did not wake until a loud bang on the door made them jolt up from their dreams.