Dead Days

Chapter 5

     The further we move into the city, the worse the scenery gets. New York City doesn't even look recognizable anymore.

Stores are raided for everything they have, cars abandoned and or totaled. The amount of bodies triple as we enter the heart of the city.

The amount of ash in the air is so thick it's acting as a fog, I have to turn on my brights just to see well enough to drive.

"Thank you, again." Cassie says, to break the silence. "I don't believe I would've made it out of that school if it weren't for you."

"Are you kidding me? You could've taken on the world with that broken broom stick. I was scared to even come near you!" I say with a smile.

Chuckling, she says, "Yeah, I was pretty bad ass wasn't I?"

"Got that right." We both laugh.

"But, seriously, thank you." She says again.

"No problem, and besides, you saved my ass right after so everything is copacetic."

"So, what's your story, Mr. Jack?"

"Oh, please, I'm only 27, just call me Jack. Well, I was born in Lumberton, North Carolina. I stayed there for about six months before my parents decided to move to Conway, South Carolina. That's where I lived most of life." I pause, letting that soak in.

"At 18 I signed to the Marines. I was in the reserves for about a year, then I was deployed in Iraq. I was honorably discharged at the age of 24. I went back home to Conway, met a girl named Lauren." I pause. Saying her name sent a knife through my heart.

"Hey, it's okay, you don't have to explain anymore if you don't want too."

"No, it's okay." I regain composure and continue.

"We wanted to get out of the country so, for her 25th birthday I surprised her with two plane tickets to New York City where our new house awaited our arrival. I landed a job with the NYPD, loved every bit of that job." I pause again, preparing myself for the next part.

"Every bit besides the ending of it. Six months ago I was involved in a bank robbery. I had apprehended every suspect but one. Lauren was also at the bank being held hostage. The last suspect standing had Lauren held as a human body shield. He had a bomb strapped to him that was connected to a dead mans switch. Lauren bit him and she, him, and three other people died that day..." I stop talking, the knife in my heart being wrenched left and right.

"I'm so sorry." Was all Cassie said. The next few minutes of the car ride everything was silent besides the sound of the engine.

"What about you?" I finally ask.

"Me?" She asks, "There's not much to my story at all. I grew up here in the big apple. I'm... I was a senior in high school. I was the lead cheerleader. Won three state championships, by the way. Anyways, yeah, that's pretty much all I have in my book."

"Sounds pretty interesting book to me."

"Don't kiss my ass." She says with a smile.

The car starts to sputter as we pull up to a Shell gas station. Two cars sit at two adjacent pumps. The gas nozzle still in one. All of the front windows of the station are busted out.

The shelves knocked over in a desperate attempt to stockpile food. The lights inside flicker. I pull to an open pump and cut the engine.

"Wait here, I'll make sure the coast it clear."

"I'm not a little kid, Jack."

"Fine, just don't make any noise." She rolls her eyes and opens her door, taking the shotgun with her.

As we're nearing the building the sounds of sloshing and chewing become audible. I hold a hand up, signaling for Cassie to stop.

The sounds continue. I point two fingers to my eyes and do a circle over my head, signaling her to keep a watch out. She nods and I step through the busted out door while trying not to step on any glass.