FULL ECLIPSE (Book #2)

𝕿𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞

"I don't understand, Brayson..."

I really don't. We've made it to the checkpoint. We've made it through all those lurkers, death, gunfire, storms. We didn't come this far to just come this far! The chopper is right there and everyone's safe. Why then run off like this? Why not just get on? Why risk it all when-

He lifts one of his trousers pant leg to reveal a gnarly bite on his shin. The blood around the bite has dried up. The veins going up his calf are pitch black, and when I look back up at him, I can see the veins in his neck also turning black. I shake my head, perplexed and too stunned to speak.

"Back in the tunnels," he sniffles, "when that thing grabbed me."

So all those times when he would randomly limp or when he stepped on something 'sharp', he was bit? And I didn't know?

"Why didn't you tell me, Bray?"

"Couldn't, Dean," he smiles softly. "Yous needed all the help yous could get. Knew I wouldn't make it inside the chopper but I wanted to see yous make it."

"Bray," I shake my head, fury building up in me. "You still... You still should've told me, man! Fuck!"

"It wouldn't've changed anything."

I step back, running my hands through my hair, "t-there has to be a cure. My dad and Uncle Emmett's with us now. They can help us."

"Dean, stop."

"They've got connections and all they have to do is-"

"Stop, Dean."

"Is make some calls and-"

"Stop, bro!" Bray shouts. "...There's no cure and even if there was, it's too late, I can already feel it in my veins. I can feel myself chan-" he winces in pain, "changing."

"Brayson..."

"Dean, I ain't wanna turn into those motherfuckers," tears drip down his face as he points the gun into the distance. "I ain't wanna turn into them!" he wipes the tears off with the back of his hand, the same hand holding the gun. "There's one bullet left in this thing, take it," he holds the pistol out for me. "I can't do it myself..."

"No," I clench my jaw.

"Dean..."

"I said, no, Bray! Fuck, man!"

"You're almost out of time and so am I! Would you rather see me like this or like one of those?"

"Fuck you, Bray!" I shout in fury. "Fuck you..." and the fury turns to tears that I can no longer keep in. "I've lost her, I can't afford to lose you. You're my best friend, you're my brother."

"And I wouldn't change it for the world," Bray smiles sentimentally. "Even in a world-" he winces again, "even in a world full of zombies. Thank you for being by my side, bro. For letting your dad be my dad, for taking me into your family whenever I fought with mine. For backing me up with everything at school even when I was in the wrong. I love you, mate."

"I love you too, Bray."

"That's gay..."

I laugh but all I'm feeling is agony.

"Take the gun now."

I go up to him and place my hand on the gun. But before I take it off him, I pull him in for a hug.

"I hate you, Bray."

"It's okay," he sniffles.

"What's the point of having a zombie apocalypse without my best friend by my side?"

"You'll be okay, Dean, I promise. Take care of them for me, yeah?"

"I will," I squeeze him harder, "only if you promise to save me a seat."

"I will," he sniffles some more, "on the baddest cloud I can find."

I step back, and now the gun's no longer in his hand but mine. I examine it in my scarred-filled hand for a moment. This is the gun we took from school, back when all this shit started. Never did I think it'd be the same gun I'd kill my best friend with. And if I knew, I would've never picked it up, I would've never left Monty's. It feels like a brick in my trembling hand when I lift it up. Bray just smiles softly and closes his eyes. He's ready for me to pull the trigger and end his life, end the years of friendship we had together – the countless homeruns, the mutual fights, everything.

Is he selfish... or selfless?

Whatever it is, I can't do it. I'm not strong enough. But I know I'm out of time when I feel the ground below me shake. The missiles have launched and have hit their target, our hometown. I can feel the shockwave coming towards us as the trees behind Bray split open.

There's no other way, no other way, no other way, no other way... I pull the trigger.