The Apocalypse Brides Promise

Chapter 1

Testing, testing. I hope you can hear this.

So, if you wanna know how this all happened, we have to go back in time. Way back to 2025.

Back to good ole high school. Those were the days. Where my best friend, 12, and I were fantasizing and over-analyzing about the idea of an apocalypse. We loved the concept of surviving in an apocalyptic future, where we shot down the zombies and fended for ourselves. It would be scary, but also super badass. I loved the idea.

When people think of the apocalypse, they think about a fall-out or radiation. Hell, maybe even a nuke war. But 12 and I, estimated that in about 50-80 years, there may just be a vaccine or test gone wrong, and zombies would roam the world.

Oh, and I should mention, my name is 13. Well, technically, it's a nickname. We acquired them by getting 12th and 13th place in a middle school competition for some athletic thing. We weren't exactly the athletic types back then. Though, it is kind of funny how the two apocalypse nerds, who fantasize about survival, fail an athletic competition. We talked about those places like they were 1st and 2nd. Thus, the nicknames 12 and 13, who everyone knows us by.

We were Sophomores at that time, having been friends since Kindergarten. We lived right next door, and we kinda just bonded. So did our parents. One day, when hanging out with 12 after school in a park, she had thought of something pretty silly in my opinion. She suggested that we make a promise to each other. It's not like we haven't made promises before, it's just that this one was a bit ridiculous.

She said, and I quote, "Hey, how about we promise each other that when the apocalypse comes around, we get married."

I laughed and nodded my head, "Yeah, sounds like a great idea" I had said sarcastically with an eye-roll. But, 12 was actually serious.

"I'm not kidding!" She chuckled. "I mean, what's the worst that can happen?"

I thought about it for a minute and responded, "Well, it's not like the apocalypse will come anytime soon," I said. "Okay, yeah, let's do it!"

12 held out her pinky since we pinky promise a lot, but I rejected, thinking of something much better to keep this ridiculous promise. I, for some reason, had some fake roses in my backpack and took out two orange ones. I love flowers and plants, which is probably why I carried fake ones around all day. 12 looked confused, to say the least. "Care to elaborate?" She asked.

I handed her one of the roses. "Well, since this promise is probably the biggest one we've made, I just thought that we should do more than a pinky promise to remember it" I explained.

She nodded. "Oh, okay then-! Thanks 13,"

I smiled and nodded, putting the rose I have back into my backpack.

And that's how it all began, with a simple promise and a rose. Though, it's not actually as simple as it seems. We take our promises very, very seriously. Like this one time, we promised each other in 5th grade that if one of us were to sneak out, which it would most likely be 12 doing, the other one has to cover for them. The first time 12 snuck out, which was 3 years later in the 8th grade, I covered for her.

After that day of the big promise, we had referenced it a million times for jokes. After high school, I went to a college in NYC for future botanists and florists. I was also taking drawing lessons. I had no idea what 12 was doing, though. We had lost contact after about a year into college. I wish we would've talked more.

As for the rose, I kept that thing with me for a long time. Every time I looked at it, I thought of that day of the promise. Back in 2025. We were only, what? 15? It was silly, but it's nothing I'm not up for doing. I hoped 12 would still have it, the promise was her idea after all.

When I went to college, I was devastated to leave everyone, but I wanted to pursue my dream, and that was to be a botanist and florist. So that's exactly what I did. I went to a school for just that. I made a few new friends there, but it was getting boring talking to the same people about the same thing all the time. I missed 12.

After those 4 very long years of college, I decided to save up some money and open a flower shop with my apartment on top in Iowa. A few of my paintings could also be found in the shop. It was my dream come true. And after a year of owning the shop, that's when it happened.

"Attention citizens, this is not a drill nor an April Fools joke. We have had a containment breach. Take cover. This stuff spreads with a single bite. I'm afraid to inform you that the apocalypse is among us..."

After hearing that message, I wasn't shocked, nor scared. I actually recall myself chuckling to myself. No one was in the shop, so I locked it up and put the 'CLOSED' sign up. I headed towards my desk where I keep my phone, dialing a number and picking the orange rose out of my cup holder. I couldn't wait to tell 12 the good news.

*Recorder click*