The Apocalypse Brides Promise

Chapter 2

*Playback of plane tape 1*

Greetings viewers, this is 12.

And like my friend, I'm going to explain what lead up to the date April 1st, 2033.

My friend, 13... She's not exactly the explanation type, and she might not have given full detail on what happened that day in 2025... The day her and I made the largest promises of our lives. The one that we still hold to this day. Let's go back shall we?

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It was a warm, summer evening... The leaves danced in the trees as a ballerina dances on the stage. 13 and I were going out to the park to study/hang out. Our families were close so they trusted us enough to travel on our own. Well, they trusted 13 more than they trusted me... I was always the rebellious one, so that meant sneaking out and getting us in trouble, and then sneaking out again while grounded and getting into even more trouble.

Despite this, our families were understanding and let 13 and I hang out.

In the park, we had one certain bench that we always sat on. It was the one closest to the duck pond, a willow tree, and a tool shed, you know, in case there was a sudden zombie uprising and we needed to defend ourselves.

Well, that was the main thing we were talking about actually, the apocalypse. I was writing some things down, taking notes of any possible outcome of a zombie outbreak. If there was a specific zombie that may have been more dangerous then the rest, we'd brainstorm what may be their weakness and the quickest way to kill it.

It was after I had written one of the final details about a 'Screamer' that I had glanced up at my childhood best friend. "Hey, 13."

She replied with a hum, glancing up from her sketch.

"How about we make a promise. When the apocalypse actually happens, you and I, we get married." I spoke, a smile clear on my lips.

13 had rolled her eyes in a playful fashion which resulted in me being confused. "Yeah, sounds like a great idea." She spoke with sarcasm. It hit me that she thought I was joking.

"Oh, wait- hold on, I'm being serious-!" I giggle, covering my mouth to avoid laughing too loudly. Her eyes widened for a second and she raised a brow at me, one of her curly locks found its way to her face. "13, what's the worst that could happen?" I questioned.

She appeared to be in thought for a moment. I mean, for Sophomores, this would be a big dedication of time... But she finally smiled back at me. "Well... It's not like the apocalypse will happen anytime soon..." She began, "... Okay, yeah! Let's do this!"

I punched the air cause that was always one of my natural reactions to everything. I held my pinky out. There was never a stronger promise than a pinky promise. That's what I had thought anyway.

When 13 rejected the pinky promise, I raised a brow, kinda concerned. She began to shuffle in her bag, pulling two fake, orange roses from it. I had looked at her, confusion likely clear. "Care to elaborate a bit, 13?"

"Well, I assumed since this is the biggest promise we've made... We should use something more than a pinky promise to remember it, 12." She explained, a soft smile on her lips. I took one of the fake roses with care, looking it over.

"Well, thanks!" I exclaimed, likely jittering all over that bench. I knew by 13's head shake and playful eye roll that I was being over the top.

Most of the memories from that day forward were slightly fuzzy, but I knew every year of high school was a new adventure. We grew more athletic, and we were no longer coming in 12th and 13th place, as a matter of fact we came in places 1st-5th. The nicknames stuck though. Everyone who knew us knew to call us those nicknames. Even the teachers (otherwise we might not have responded to them).

In the final two years of high school, I was in an ROTC program, thus increasing my athletics. My friend 13, she grew stronger in her gardening club. Our interest differed, but we were still alike in many ways, and we had always been there for one another.

We still met everyday after school to go into the park, bringing coffee, notebooks, sketchbooks, our phones (musical playlists), and bread for the ducks. We would write down game plans and we even planned about where we might be located in the future. She was planning to be in Iowa, so I had made a mental note of that. I could've been anywhere, so we agreed on Iowa to meet if the apocalypse happened.

One day, I had written down in big text in a notebook:

"*Game-plan objective: Meet in Iowa and prepare the bunker."

13 had called it silly, but I thought it was necessary. Over prepared? That's me. I wanted to remember. I wanted to stay close to 13 no matter what. Weather the apocalypse was going to be in 50 years, or maybe 80. We'll kick zombie ass. Even if we are old women, we didn't plan to go down without a fight.

It was after high school and a couple high school aerospace classes that I went into a Florida flight school to learn more about flying. My favorite was a newer plane, one that was solar-powered. It was basically my plane while I was there.

Sad thing was, I had lost contact with 13 after a year that she was in collage. I was happy that she was perusing her dreams, as I was mine, but I always knew that there was going to be something that was going to bring us back together.

I wouldn't recall all of those plans for nothing if it wasn't meant to happen...

That thought leads to the current events of what's going on right now.

*Recorder clicks*

It was moments ago that I heard the news over the plane radio.

"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..."

Butterflies filled my stomach and a smile formed on my lips. 13 would be contacting me soon enough, I know she will. For now, I find the location of the closest airport. It's getting late and my plane won't be able to run much longer without the sun.

*BZZZT* *BZZZT*

I look at my buzzing phone, a soft smile on my lips. I look at the screen and just as I had expected, the name "13" was there in big letters. I swiped up, answering the phone. "13, long time, no see..." I spoke softly. I experienced a bit of turbulence within my plane, so I flew to the nearest no-tower airport and I landed.

She rambled on about what had happened, and I laughed softly. "I heard all about it over my plane radio. I've been waiting for this since... well... as far back as I remember." I spoke into the phone. I stare at the rose I left laying on the top of the cockpit, slowly reaching out and picking it up.

I smile, twirling it around in my fingers. "Remember the promise?" I questioned. I know she did remember. Her memory is well, she's just not good at describing things.

"You know I remember! The question is, do you remember the game plan we made?" 13 questioned.

"Meet in Iowa at your shop, if I remember correctly."

13 hummed in response. I look around my plane, humming at how quiet it was. "Hey, 13... Text me your coordinates. I'll be meeting you there soon."

"On it."

"You always are."