As the deadly infection spreads, enveloping the world in suffocating despair, you are forced to endure the new horrific reality alone. An unexpected encounter with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. Your first meeting with him almost ended in...
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"You did what?!" The words tumble out of your mouth. The shock and fear cause you to speak before you can try to bite down on your tongue and think of what you want to say. Your eyes widen in horror, your vision blurring as the implications of his words settle in. As you sit next to him, your fingers run through your hair. You push loose strands out of your face. Your other hand motions towards his duffel bag stashed under the bed.
Simon tells you he 'took care' of the strangers. But you figure he meant something other than keeping one man captive.
Simon described how he cornered one of the men. The man was unarmed, except for a shabby kitchen knife. When the stranger attempted to flee, Simon disarmed and restrained him. But while he held the man in his grip, he started to yell. His friend, alerted by the sudden noise, came rushing towards the two of them. In his hands, he held a gun, which he didn't hesitate to point at Simon's head. His fingers hovered over the trigger. Yet before he could pull it, a group of trudging biters, drawn by the loud sounds, crawled out from the bushes in the backyard. Seeing this new threat and realising that he couldn't shoot Simon without harming his friend, the gunman, overcome by panic, tried to run away. Although, he didn't get far. He stumbled over his feet in his hurry and fell to the ground in a graceless heap. His gun slipped from his hands. Biters surrounded him, and in the blink of an eye, the man was dead.
After dragging himself and the man, who was still struggling to get free, out of the sight of the dead, so they wouldn't become the next thing biters eat, Simon struggled to figure out what to do. He knew he should have sliced the man's throat and be done with it. But as he hauled the stranger into the house, he realised he couldn't do that. Before getting rid of the man, Simon needed to get some answers from him.
"What if his people come here looking for him? You can't keep him here," you say, your eyes fixated on Simon's hands. He cleans his knife, wiping the sharp blade on the fabric of his black pants as if he were simply dusting off crumbs. The sight of blood makes your stomach churn. You grip the blanket, using all your strength to keep yourself from fainting. Suddenly, breathing becomes an arduous task. Each breath feels like a battle — as if you're underwater, lungs filling with water instead of air. You gasp, desperate for oxygen. Only when Simon places his hands on your trembling shoulders and locks his eyes with yours, telling you to slow down and mimic his deep, measured breaths, do you manage to calm down and regain some semblance of control.
"I could - should - have slit his throat, I know. But first, I need to make him talk," he says, and you nod, focusing on his brown eyes. "Perhaps they were just randomly searching this area again? They might not know that I'm here, hiding with you."
He cups your cheeks, his warm palms enveloping your face. His thumb moves in gentle, soothing circles, caressing your skin. Leaning in, he presses his lips against your forehead. As you meet his gaze, you sense a momentary hesitation in his eyes. His muscles tense as his eyes fixate on your mouth. This is not how you had envisioned your first kiss with him, but you close the remaining distance between your faces. Your lips touch, and you can taste the faint remnants of dirt and a metallic tang on the tip of your tongue. A sheen of sweat coats his forehead, adding a subtle saltiness to the air. When you press your palm against the back of his head, you feel the texture of his unkempt hair, slightly gritty against your skin. But at the moment, none of that matters. You surrender yourself to him, feeling a fusion of warmth and tenderness. Simon doesn't want it to end, but he musters the strength to pull away, knowing that you won't do it. Both of you are left breathless, your chests rising and falling rapidly. Your eyes remain closed, feeling his hot breath on your skin.
