Peace. Love. Zombies.

Epilogue: Eli's Perspective

“Before we bury her, is there anything anyone would like to say about her?” I raised my hand and walked up to the podium.

“Um, what can’t I say about, Gwyn?” I started. “I blame myself for her death. The week before she, um, we went to a restaurant she dragged me to and these guys dragged us to the alley where we found her. We were questioned and it wasn’t long before I was knocked out; they wanted her to stop helping the Emperor. She stayed with me until I woke up. When I found her in that alley, I stayed with her, but she didn’t wake up…” I wiped away a fear that was threatening to fall. “That night, I woke up and I saw her standing over the counter. I was still tired and everything was pretty fuzzy. She told me to go to sleep and I listened. Maybe if I didn’t listen, then this wouldn’t’ve happened. Maybe if I made her get back in bed, this wouldn’t’ve happened. Maybe if I talked to her, or asked her if everything was okay, this wouldn’t’ve happened!” I paused, slowing down my breathing and letting my fists relax. I needed to calm down. After I did, I continued.

“Gwyn was an amazing girl; she didn’t deserve this, not even for all of us. She was gorgeous, kind, badass; she was my Gwyn. I loved her, and I was planning on marrying her after all our serious business washed over. Now I can’t, because some bastard killed her, but I’m not letting her go without her having the ring of her dreams…” I pulled the ring out of my pocket and walked over to the casket. The ring was extremely simple, a silver band with a big amethyst gem sitting on it. Engraved on the outside was “Eli loves you…” Engraved on the inside was “…forever.” She would’ve loved it, cried over it maybe. It was simple. She didn’t like the fancy extremely girly rings.

I picked up her hand and slipped the ring onto her lifeless finger. My broken heart clenched in pain as I looked at her face, a face I’d never see again, a pair of lips I wouldn’t be able to kiss again. A hot tear fell on her cold skin. Even when she was dead, she was beautiful, gorgeous even. She was wearing a black and red gothic dress that reached down to her ankles. Her feet were bare, like they would be if she still had a pulse. Then again, if she was alive, she wouldn’t be wearing this dress most likely. Her hair was combed through and brushed and a bouquet of red and white roses were in her hand with a white cherry blossom in her hair. If only you were here Gwyn. A gust of wind went through the area and I shivered, which is weird since we were easing into summer. It felt like arms were around me.

“You did great, babe,” I heard her say. It’s been going on since she died, this feeling that someone’s holding me or touching me. Then hearing her. At night, I’d dream of her, it’s different every time. It’s like she’s still here, like she didn’t leave yet, just her body. Some days, I’ll wake up and there will be scribbles, sometimes words, on the note pad by my bed. As scary as it is, it sort of comforts me.

“Thanks,” I whispered. I kissed her forehead for the last time in my life before walking back to my seat.

“Thank you, Elijah, anyone else?” I gritted my teeth at my full name. Gwyn never used my full name, not even when she was upset with me, it never came out of her mouth. A familiar boy walked up to the podium, my one and only real competition for her.

“Um, I’m Blake, a former friend of Gwyn’s. She lost all any trust and happiness she had with me and it turned into disgust when she caught me kissing a girl while she was talking to Aaron, Nick, and Cameron about Vichen, the woman who tried to kill her. Anyway, on the night she was murdered,” I winced at how easily he said it, “I ran into her, sort of. I knew she wasn’t up to any good. I asked her to live, she said she didn’t know if she could. She knew this was going to happen. She had her mind set on this so I couldn’t stop her but she wanted me to pass this on to Eli.

“She loves you more than a fat kid loves cake, you’re the milk to her cookies. She wants you to live on, be happy, even if it is without her. She just asks that you don’t forget her, ever. She loves you, Eli. There’s no doubt about that.” He said.