An Unexpected Friend

Accidents happen

September 28th. The week leading up to it amounted to the worst birthday she'd ever had. The celebration had been delayed due to an emergency which of course she didn't mind at all, her uncles well being mattered more than cake and she was happy to wait until he was better. But he never did. Actually nothing got better. Things in the matter of days span out of absolute control and suddenly the world was a mass crazy shit show impossible to understand. There was nothing left to understand except for run. Run and stay alive was her mantra now hoping to god she could find a way out.

But after watching things she couldn't try to piece together or else she'd have a meltdown again, she stopped trying to seek out help. Leaving the city seemed to be the only way that made sense. The military killed anyone infected or not. And these zombies if you could even call some of them that were beyond sound logic. It was like someone had taken the most heinous and disgusting parts of living organs and mashed them together. Nothing after seeing that let her sleep. So she just sat awake in the store that had the sense to have boarded windows. No one was inside save the few corpses of the zombies she had forced herself to face.

Somehow she had snapped enough to be able to swing something and break bone. Maybe it was just the inherent need to live and fear but it disturbed her how easy it was to break bodies once she had already done it once. It was best not to think about it. Curled up in the store she was lucky that it was a convenience store. Most of the food was inedible but the virus had hit so fast people didn't even have time to clean out all the shelves or the backroom she managed to break into.

She couldn't guess for the life of her how she had survived for so long. She wasn't particularly strong and at 5'4" she wasn't very big either. In honesty she knew it was the split seconds of pity people had for a young girl running. They would wait an extra second to hold a door or pull her up. Those seconds cost their lives and set in her stomach to haunt her forever. Hating being so small and weak despite being an adult at 22 she cursed her stupid floral dress and leggings. Of course it wasn't like she could have dressed for the apocalypse, maybe her own self hate at becoming a damsel was what drove her to survive for so long. But she still cried after every kill she had to deliver.

Knowing she was a liability had kept her away from others, running off alone. It was stupid but if she had to see anyone else die because of her she wouldn't be able to live with herself. Her decision led her to the store eventually where being attacked forced her to break a broken pipe off the wall and bash a head in. Liking the pipe she kept it and stayed holed up inside while trying to act like she could make a plan. Wait for military? Find a car? It was all risky and uncertain. Breaking down into tears once she had the time to actually breath she wept silently for her friends and in horror at herself for the things she had done. Crying for almost half an hour made her feel almost better and soon once it was out of her system pure anger started to set in.

Of course there was nothing to really be angry at in particular and it was more a bitterness to whatever fates had led to this happening. It was unfair to be simply put. Cursing her situation made sure she stayed sharp and helped her to take down what seemed to be the cashier that had holed himself up in there originally. Pitying him she was once again mad at the world that had ruined this poor man's life. He seemed to have been hiding a cash register which made her sad, it really was worthless now. When the cashier got up a second time she shrieked out loud when he almost grabbed her ankle and bashed his skull in. Hand going to her mouth as she shook she could only pray nothing had heard it.

The night dragged on not giving her sleep. Going to the backroom felt somewhat safer so she stayed there while trying to group her thoughts. Staying in here didn't seem so bad save the smell. And she couldn't help but feel proud of herself for managing to stay alive. Her moment of self pride didn't last long as the glass to the front door was smashed sending her reeling back almost falling to grab her weapon. The smash was strange telling her something bad was on the way. Thoughts of the even worse creatures she had seen flashed through her mind filling her with fear. Rushing for the door to the backroom she moved behind it as it was the only cover closest by.

The store was now deadly quiet as she braced herself squeezing the pipe tightly close to her chest. Willing her pounding heart to be silent she tried to stay focused telling herself not to hesitate once she saw it. Hesitating meant it would have the upper hand and all of this would end in pain and her own blood. A figure creaked into the store over shards of glass and strewn food wrappers. Pale light came in through the broken door illuminating and letting her see a shadow approaching the door.

Slowly raising the pipe up her arms shook but she ignored it just as a hand came into view. An exhale came from the figure as it moved to look around the door. The tension threatening to make her heart burst she leaped forward and swung up the pipe ready to bring it down onto the beast. A meager cry from her terrified but determined voice yelled out in effort before swinging down her weapon.

A man clearly startled by her sudden attack yelped in alarm and brought up and arm to deflect her swing. The split second it took to recognize he wasn't a monster was enough for her to slow but only by a bit. The pipe thunked on top of his head most of the blow fortunately deflected off his arm as she gasped in shock immediately pulling away while actually squeaking in surprise. Her hands came up fast to apologize as the man grabbed his head groaning in pain and looked to her with concerned confusion.

"OH GOD- jesus I'm so sorry!!"