"I think she's waking up," a soft voice calls, the sudden noise making my head ache and spin behind my eyes. I go to open them slowly, a bright light casting into my eyes painfully, causing me to squeeze them shut again. I groan as a throb pulses from the back of my hand.
The heart monitor next to me intensifies it's beating as I begin to panic, not knowing where I am or how I got here.
"Lucy," a familiar voice cooes into my ear, making me stiffen. Kit. He smells heavenly, as if he's sprayed on a forest scented cologne. His soft lips plant a kiss on my temple and I begin to open my eyes again, thankful that his head has shielded the lights.
"Kit," I croak, my words dry as my throat strains. His worried expression quickly diminishes with a smile before he hands me a white cup with water. I struggle to sit up but when I do, I down the water as if I've been travelling through a desert for three years.
"She's awake, that is good news," a new doctor announces to everyone in the small hospital room. For a second I forgot that we were going through a zombie apocalypse.
"How did I get here? Is everyone okay?" I quickly ask, raising my sore hand up to Kit's shirt which I tug desperately. He looks down at me with relieved eyes, a small smile playing on his lips.
"I'll tell you everything soon," I nibble my lips before giving my attention back to the doctor. He looks middle aged with his brown hair and barely formed wrinkles, a white coat draped over some rather casual but clean clothes. A pen peeps out from his pocket while an ID card hands from his neck.
"According to our tests, Lucy is going to be just fine, of course, she will have to stay here for monitoring in case anything happens during her recovery but she will be out of here within a couple of days," the doctor declares cheerily before leaving the room with two nurses. I glance at everyone who is left in the room, they all look okay, actually, they look better than ever.
"How did we get out of there," I ask quietly, fiddling with the white sheets that are draped over my legs and torso. An IV drip is plugged into my hand with a slow dripping medicine, the stand blending in with wires and the heart monitor next to my bed. A few chairs are empty around my bed, the cold light from the small window illuminating onto the pristine white floor and walls. It's just like a regular hospital room.
"Just after you passed out, Cameron carried you to the van while Sarah killed any zombies that were following after you. Gale, Henry, William and I kept guard and used all of the ammo we had to get rid of the zombies that posed a real threat to us. The landmen tried attacking but four military trucks had sandwiched the landmen against us and killed them all. They took us to their base and tended to our wounds." Kit finished his recount and sat down in one of the chairs, same with everyone else. I began to think hard about the event.
"What happened to me?" I ask curiously, wondering if I had turned into a zombie or what. Sarah was the one to speak up, her cheeks stained with tears as Gale held onto her hand in support.
"You were bleeding so much in the car, apparently the zombie had torn a very important vein when it bit you. By the time we made it to the base, you were barely breathing and the bite on your back had gone like Kit's, the big spider bite looking thing. By now Henry had already given you the last dose in hope that it would help your body fight of the infection." She began to choke on her words so Cameron finished the rest off.
"You're so lucky to be alive right now. You were in a coma for forty days Lucy. They were worried that the bite, infection and vaccine had mixed negatively and caused brain damage, since you weren't responding to any of the medical precautions." I began to tear up as I took everyone in. They all waited forty days for me, praying that I would wake up. I sniffled as tears began to fall from my eyes.
"Why did you's wait for me? Why didn't you leave for New York?" I asked sadly. There was no hesitation in their replies.
"Because we are a team."
"Friends are meant to stick together."
"We tried to leave but they didn't let us."
I laughed at William's response knowing that he probably wasn't joking. Everyone joined in before we just sat smiling at eachother.
"So what's the plan? I mean, we have already been given the last vaccinations and it turns out this base has access to the one in New York so the supplies have already been sent. Do we stay here?" Kit asks genuinely, sitting forward in his seat as he waits for Gale's response.
"I don't see any need to go to New York unless anyone here has family members there," everyone shook their heads which egged Gale to continue. "I believe we should stay here, they have already began the build of houses and have fully sustainable farms that will feed everyone here. They even have lessons for children similar to school."
I nodded my head and sunk back into the pillows of the bed, a relieved sigh blowing from my nose. I feel safe. For the first time since the apocalypse, I feel safe.
"Okay well I think we should leave Kit and Lucy alone for some time," Henry chuckled before standing up, grabbing Cameron by the arm.
"No, what, why?" William punched Cameron in the back to urge him to stop blocking up the door way before Sarah shut the door with a cheeky grin. I look at the closed door with a smile.
"I missed you Lucy," Kit says randomly, sliding his hand into mine lovingly. I soften my gaze as I look into his eyes which look like a golden pool of honey. I tilt my head as I rub his hand with my thumb, the small gesture causing a smile to appear on his lips.
"I missed you too, even though I was in a coma and had no idea until five minutes ago," I giggled causing his pearly white teeth to show. He leans up over the bed and embraces me tightly, being careful of my sore back and hand with the IV drip. In that moment, I sighed. I feel safe.
Two months later
"Kit!" I squeal on the couch as he jabs his fingers into my ribs, tickling me mercilessly. I claw and try to pry his fingers away from me but to no avail, his low chuckle rumbling throughout the large loungeroom, drowning out the soft hum of the record player.
"Kit no please stop I need to pee," I say with tears streaming down my face, which is sore from smiling. He quickly retreives his fingers and feigns disgust, sitting back up in orignal position next to me on the couch.
I place a hand on my heart and breathe raggedly, a large smile on my lips as I realise how far we've come as a couple. I sit up next to him and eye off our delicious dinner that he made for us to celebrate our two month anniversary. Steak, salad and a roasted potato sit on both plates which rest on the glass coffee table. Two candles are lit in the middle of the glass while a vase of roses protrude from near the record player. The soft melody provides a welcoming rhythm as nothing but peace, tranquility and most of all privacy, greets us.
We moved into one of the newest houses that popped up in the town that's being built by the base - Freedom Valley. It's a cliche name, but also fitting. It's housing all of the survivors, for a small fee of working two hours every day. I work in the hospitals helping the elderly while Kit works in the farms herding cattle. It's such a simple lifestyle, and in return, we live in a one bedroom, one bathroom house that's fully furnished with pieces from old abandoned houses in neighbouring towns.
"I love you Kit," I mumble, scooching forward so I can better reach my dinner. He places a gentle hand on my jeans and leans over, putting his face into my hair. I feel him inhale and I close my eyes, thankful to have him in this regenerating world. He leaves my hair with a departing kiss before eating his dinner too.
"I love you too Lucy," he smiles, pouring some wine into two empty glasses.
As for the others, Gale and Sarah live together a few houses away. Sarah works with me in the hospital but Gale trains young men to fight and protect our growing population. They live in a bigger house because of Gale's ranking but we are all happy for them. William and Cameron live right next to Sarah and Gale both working with cattle while Henry is a rather well-known doctor now, living with a young but smart woman. Who knew he could still get it.
For now, we are all living simple lives with eventful pasts, knowing that we lived to tell the tale of the Cold War.
YOU ARE READING
Anubis
Short StoryA couple of teens manage to survive the Anubis outbreak, a human killing disease that was released after an icecap broke off in Antarctica. Their only hope is to make it to New York for their second dose of the vaccine, without it, they're as good a...
