The Strong Will Survive

Chapter Ten - KC

Zombie-catching was not one of the cool things on my bucket list. It never was, and it never will be. Even in a video game. Those hit too close to home, even though before, I liked zombie video games as much as the next weirdo. It's just, they were creepy and gross.

Jared and I drove around the formerly awesome streets of New York City. He was the one with a license, so he drove because he, quote unquote, "didn't want me to die." Uh, hello? I've driven since I was thirteen! Danger is my thing! This was the traditional protective-- dare I say it?-- BOYFRIEND (whew, I got it out of my system) move that I've seen in movies, with Marianna, all around me. I hated it, but he was ruthless. I wasn't wearing my steel-toed boots, so I couldn't fight back when Jared dumped me upside-down into the passenger seat and buckled me in. He smiled. "This is payback for that flip last Saturday!"

"Yeah, yeah. You loved it and you know it. Just be glad I left my boots at home."

"Just flip yourself around and let's get going." Jared kissed my forehead, and I stuck my tongue out at him. He started the car, and we were off to find a zombie.

Zombies weren't that hard to find, but hard to catch. That crossbow I made? I used it, but it really didn't do much good. After a while, I took Jared's revolver and used that to fight off the zombies. Jared picked one for me to incapacitate, but not kill.

I hit it in the leg and then ran toward it to put it in the bag that we had brought. It had blond hair in a braid and Ugg boots. I thought that maybe it was Marianna, but no. It was my worst enemy, Meghan Robertson. "Why couldn't we just take this one down and pick another one?"

"Why, is this someone you know?" Jared asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"She was the lead bully all through school. Since I met Marianna, Meghan was jealous that I apparently stole her best friend. She pretended to be really nice for a while, but after a few years of an uneasy secondhand friendship, she revealed herself to be a shallow, unfeeling cochon. But, she was just jealous of me. Tell me, what do you see here that's not fabulous?"

Jared laughed. "You really retain your confidence, don't you? My parents never told me that I was good enough, and then they were gone. I never had that self-confidence that you have. So, I work hard to feel like I am good enough."

"Well, I want this zombie to suffer. I'm feeling like an evil mastermind today. On a related note, have you ever wanted to sit in a big spinny chair, turn around in it, and say 'I've been expecting you' in a menacing voice?"

"Uhh, what a wonderful way to change the subject. I mean, obviously. That sounds really fun."

"Tell you what. When we get out of this mess, we'll find one of those chairs and do the thing. Alright? Until then, you don't mess with me. You're lucky that I'm not wearing my steel-toed boots today."

"I sure am. I still have bruises from last time we were alone together."

We drove off away from downtown. The city had really been destroyed. My old apartment building, my school, the Empire State building. It was all... Gone. I was glad to see the school gone, but the streets, the buildings, the landmarks, their skeletons were the hardest to see.

Jared turned the radio on in the car. "Renegades," one of my favorite songs. "Long live the pioneers, rebels and mutineers. Go forth and have no fear, come close and lend an ear." He sang, obviously trying to distract me from the dying city. He had a smooth, deep voice, surprisingly, one that made me smile. I sang along, my alto voice harmonizing with his tenor.

Meghan the Zombie groaned and strained against the canvas sack. I reached back behind me and kicked her (it? Do zombies have gender? I'd never gotten the chance to ask. You don't generally have a conversation with something that's trying to eat your flesh and brains. Maybe I should ask some of them to tea sometime. Nah, I hate tea... And also things that want to eat me.) She stopped fighting. I've still got the scare factor.

We got back to the Costco, and Lilly was there with her little friend Benji. I didn't trust Benji that much, he looked scruffy and creepy. They were sitting on the outside barricade, waiting for us to come back and let us in. Jared and I got out of the car and I unlocked the door.

Costco was just as we had left it. There were two camps: one for me and Lilly, and one for Jared. The bathroom was still there. I mean, how do you steal a bathroom? My bunk was as untidy as ever, and Lilith's was perfectly in order. Jared had his bunk tidy but the floor around it was a war zone. Home sweet home. Or should I say, Costco, sweet Costco?

The creepy petite garcon, Benji, was walking right next to me and staring at everything, like he was gathering intelligence for something. "Okay. How about you stop staring and-" I said some things in French that I now regret, but I didn't then.

I felt like Benji was a spy for the other side, but there was no other side in this war. If only I could see his face among the tangles of too-long, out-of-control, dirty beyond belief, blond hair. He looked so suspicious. I slowly pulled out my pocketknife, folded the scissors out, and jumped at Benji. He fell back, startled as a deer in headlights. "Are you a spy for someone? Who sent you here?"

"Huh? I'm not a-"

I was pushed off of the little sneak by Lilith. "How could you? I trust him, and you should too."

"Oui, ma cherie. J'essayais juste de lui donner une coupe de cheveux."
"What is she saying? Is she trying to kill me?" Benji asked with a quiver in his voice.

"I was only trying to give you a haircut. You have the hugest split ends I've ever seen. You'd look a lot more trustworthy with shorter, cleaner hair. And, you never know. This one might just fall for you," I said, smiling and pointing at Lilith.

"What? No!" Benji and Lilith said in unison.

"Yes. I'm French. Aren't we French supposed to know these things?"