The finest hours of the apocalypse

Chapter 4: Mosquito Screams

I look at the time on the truck radio. It's been five minutes since we passed the zombies eating that guy. I have so many questions like, is the man that the zombies were feeding on going to turn into a zombie or is he just going to get eaten? Does the virus spread by a bite or maybe just any contact, or could it be airborne? Is there a cure?

At the thought of my last question I redirected my attention to the window and thought of my family and if they got the disease. If Brett and Zeek got the disease. If I did. I can feel my face heat up preparing for tears to trickle down my cheeks. I turn my head more towards the window so I can let them out without Zeek seeing. I didn't want him to get worried. I didn't want him to feel pressured that it was his responsibility to keep me safe. Most of all, I didn't want him to think I was weak. I didn't want him to think that I couldn't handle this, the apocalypse. I didn't want him to think I wasn't strong enough to deal with it all, but maybe I'm thinking to much about what he would think about me.

I close my eyes and let the tears fall. Every other time I've ever cried I would try to fight the tears back just causing the time to be more stressful. This time I didn't fight it, I just let it be, and you know what, it feels great. I feel immensely sad in the moment, but the tears are like little drops of sadness leaving my body.

"Hey Adrian" Zeek called my name and without thinking I turned around. I guess in my calmness, I forgot I was crying. "Hey are you okay?" How did I know he was going to say that? I looked the compartment between the seats and pulled out a travel size tissue pack.

"Yes, now go on" I said calmly, pulling out a tissue and dabbed the area under my eyes.

"Right, okay so there's a gas station coming up right here on the left" Zeek told me.

"And...?" I implied for him to go on with his point.

"I was thinking we could fill up on gas"
He replied. I don't know why but I feel very empty and right now I just don't care. About anything.

"Didn't we just get gas?" I said with an attitude. His eyes slightly widen at my attitude, but he didn't comment on it because he knew I was stressed out.

"Yeah but I was thinking that we might not get another gas station for a while. I mean you never know. The tank is only a little over half full" he replied calmly.

"okay then" I slumped back in my seat. I really didn't feel like having a conversation about the gas. I just don't care. A couple long seconds pass and we see the gas station coming up in the distance. Zeek pulled next to the gas pump and got out of the truck. As he was pumping gas, I realized I really had to pee. So I opened up my door and walked towards the convenience store right behind the gas pumps. The store and the pumps weren't connected like the other gas station was, and this store is a bit smaller then the one before.

I walked into the store and scanned for a bathroom. My eyes spot a bathroom in the back to the right, I start that way. I walk into the bathroom and do my business. I flush and just before I open the door, I hear a noise. It sounded like a shuffling of some sort. I bit my lip and tears stream silently down my face as I think of the possibility of it being a zombie. I slowly lower myself onto the floor and look under the stall door. Just as I thought, it's a zombie.

I slowly stand back up and back up against the wall. I could still hear the noise, it was getting closer. It was like it could sense me. I slowed my breathing and tried to calm down so I could hear the zombie better, but even then I could hear nothing over the violent beating of my heart. It was now ringing in my ears like mosquito screams.

In mist of my chaotic thoughts and anxiety I was snapped back by a violent bang on my door. I shut my eyes as tight as I could because I knew it had found me. I opened my eyes for half a second and noticed that the bolts holding the stall door on the wall were getting hammered out. I squeezed my eyes shut again, pulled my hands up to my ears and begin to sob. This is the end, I'm going to die.

Right when I thought it was over for me I heard the loud thump of an object against something and then it sounded as if something big fell on the floor. I opened my eyes and brought my hands to my face and wiped the tears away before slowly turning the lock on the door. I cautiously opened up the door to find Brett on the other side holding a bloody piece of metal.

After my mind had registered that he killed the zombie, I pulled him in for a big hug. His arms were tightly around my back. I buried my head in his shoulder and dried my tears on this shirt. When we came out of the hug I slid my hand from around his neck onto his biceps.

"Thank you so much" I squeezed his biceps and let go. I turned around to face the zombie. "I know that wasn't easy to do" I gave him a quick hug and then kissed him on the cheek.

"You're right I wasn't but I'd do I again if I had to" he smiled and gestured me to walk out of the bathroom before him.

We got back to the truck and explained what happened in the bathroom to Zeek after we got in the car. Brett was telling the story.

"I walked into the store and before I could look around for anything I heard these really loud bangs towards the back so I followed the sound to the bathroom" Zeek and I were turned around in our seats listening to him in the backseat.

"Once I noticed it was a zombie I walked back out and found a broom in the closet next to the checkout area and twisted off the actual broom part, so there was nothing left but a metal bar. I went back into the bathroom and just did what they do in the walking dead, I hit the zombie in the head. It only took one hit to smash it's skull. But anyways I didn't know that Adrian was in the stall that the thing was beating up against s-" Brett got cut off by Zeek.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" Zeek said frantically scanning me for any wound
what-so-ever. Brett had a confused look on his face when he saw how much attention Zeek was giving me. I looked at Brett then back at Zeek.

"No I'm fine thanks to Brett" I smiled to Brett and then turned back to Zeek. Zeek's eyes suddenly became glazed with jealousy. Brett just laid down and turned to face the seat back. With Zeek's eyes still soaked in jealousy, I put my hand on his arm and then to his cheek. I traced my thumb around his bottom lip but I knew the time wasn't right yet. I pulled my hand away and he bit his lip. I knew he was tempted just then, I was too but, we will wait for the right time. It was quite in the truck until Zeek broke the silence.

"Hey um, I'm glad you're okay" Zeek said awkwardly.

"Yeah me too, but you aren't jealous of Brett right?" At my words his face flushed red.

"I just wish it was me that's all" he said in a more seriously tone. I rest my head on his shoulder.

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It's now 10pm and I'm laying in the bed of the truck with my pillow and blanket just watching the stars when I hear a door open I sit up to find Zeek walking out to me.

"Ah, so I see where you've been hiding" he says leaned up against the truck bed wall. I pat the area next to me, he puts up his index finger at me and goes back into the truck. He comes out with his bag of clothes and a blanket. He climbs into the truck bed and props his head up with his bag of clothes and then takes on of the extra blankets I brought and lays it over himself. Without hesitation I put my arms around him and rested my head on his shoulder.
Later that night we fell asleep.

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Thank you all for reading this chapter of my book! If you have any questions or ideas you can comment or message me! Remember to vote! ily💕