Apocalyptic Love

Nightmares

As expected Matt was furious when I explained the events to him, I knew he was angrier at the savages than me, but what seemed to push his anger over the edge was the fact that I risked my life for a girl I barely knew. Crystal was part of our group and he cared for her, but none close to his devotion to me.

"You could have run, done anything, but you put yourself in danger" His voice echoed through the thin walls of the farmhouse, the vein in his head slowly bulging "You could have died for fucks sake!".

My anger was at a peak "You don't think I know that" I hadn't realised I was screaming until he jumped back "Dad taught me everything to know about guys like that, what I did was the only way to get us both out" Matt crossed his arms across his chest "You think I'm still a kid, that I can't handle this shit, but I can. I got us both out of there, safe. I survived for a whole year on my own before I found you, you don't think I've ran into guys like that already?".

I knew Matt still saw me as a kid and as close as I was to my uncle, he didn't see the person I was now. The moment he went on tour for the first time without dad his focus turned to me, teaching me everything he knew – how to protect myself, knowing how the mind works and how to tell the difference between good or bad.

Matt sighed pulling me to his chest "I know bug. Your all I've got left and I don't know what I would do if something happened to you, I just want to protect you".

I looked to his brown eyes "I know, but I can handle this. I'm not a kid anymore, you've got to learn to trust me Matt" The man looked proud as he brushed the hair from my face, his eyes like a mirror of my father's. Looking at him felt like home, something I didn't know I needed until now.

"I trust you" He pulled away first "But if we see that son of a bitch, I will put a bullet between his eyes".

I couldn't help but laugh "Do one in his left hand so its matching".

Walking down the stairs Carter attempted to pass me with his head down but I gently gripped his wrist "Hey" he stopped barely keeping eye contact with me.

Something about him intrigued me, he seemed so far away from everyone else, distancing himself on purpose and I personally knew that was a lonely place. They way he handled me in the woods to how he was acting now – After crystal thanked me she told me the moment she got back Carter sprinted out after me, this persona he was putting on now was an act.

He stared at me with his baby brown eyes and my pulse started plummeting, the boy was attractive there was no denying that.

"Um" My train of thought was lost the moment he started staring "Thankyou".

"For?" His voice deep.

"Coming to get me in the woods and calming me down".

Carter tried to keep his face straight but as he looked away I noticed a slight blush creeping across his fair skin "No biggie" his answer was abrupt and rushed as he stumbled back up the stairs leaving me alone to my thoughts.

Compared to the dramatic morning, the rest of the day passed smoothly. I took out a few staggering corpses that ventured to close to the house while the rest of us were either resting or keeping watch on opposite sides of the base.

When the sun finally started to set my body felt weak, my eyes heavy as I tried to focus on the vast acres of land spreading around the farmhouse.

"Go rest" My uncle had joined me, his rifle slung across his shoulder as he pulled me to my feet.

For once I didn't argue, my body was screaming for rest when I carried myself upstairs to one of the many empty bedrooms and threw myself on the double bed. I couldn't remember the last time I slept in an actual bed, usually it was makeshift cots with blankets or the floor, but this felt like heaven. It didn't take long until I drifted into darkness, but when that came the nightmares always followed.

My parents and I were trapped in the backroom of the shop, the crowd of dead pushing against the frail door as the metal hinges began to loosen. My mother's face tinted red and blotchy as tears still streamed down her cheeks, her shaky voice letting my brother's name slip through each wrenching sob.

"You need to climb through that window and get to safety" My father tried to push me to the window, but I dug my heels into the floor, we all knew I was the only one small enough to fit through which meant they would be trapped, awaiting an inevitable death.

"I'm not leaving yous" I was crying as I looked to both of them, taking in each detail of their faces. If this was our last moments together I wanted to memorise them – My mother's blue eyes, the exact replica of my own, the way the highlights in her dark hair glistened under the dull glow of light. The gentle touch as she cupped my cheeks and the way her thumb grazed my skin lightly showing a love only a mother could hold.

"Baby please. You need to get out of here, you are so strong, and you can survive this even if it means without us" I pushed my head into her neck, grasping her tightly as my tears soaked her shirt "We will fight, that I can promise you, but if we don't make it out you need to live" Her hands grabbed my shoulders, her face determined "Not survive, you live. Don't let this world take who you are baby girl" Her lips pressed one last lingering kiss against my forehead before I turned to my father.

My father had tears of his own pouring down his stubble as he pulled me to his chest "You remember everything I taught you bub, okay" His arms were crushing me but I welcomed it "I love you so much" My mothers arms wrapped around the both of us, if this was our last time together at least we had this.

"I love you both so much" The tears were unstoppable as I climbed through the small window, but I couldn't look back. The moment I stood to my height I heard a crash, the door holding my parents between life and death came crashing down.

My eyes were forced open with the sound of gunfire, each bullet echoing of the walls. We were under attack.

Edited