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A memory circled inside Alejandro’s mind like a broken record, always repeating before he could realize what was happening. But he knew it was something important.
The people in it had to be someone he’s known for his whole life. But any defining features were lost in the broken mess of his mind.
Always repeating, he would yell out someone’s name, someone whom he hated yet kept dear to his heart. Then what felt like nails or teeth would send a shock of pain that traveled up his leg and through his body.
It contaminated his mind, made it fuzzy and warm inside. It felt like thousands of worms crawling under his skin. Like parasites worming their way into his flesh, and leaving him a husk.
Over and over, he would recall this memory. To the point, he was unsure if it was actually his. He felt like a visitor inside this recollection, watching it as if behind a foggy glass. Recalling what happened was troublesome; it was made even harder by how fuzzy his mind had been. He wasn’t sure whether he’d always been this way or if this was a recent development.
Alejandro didn’t even know how much time had passed since that memory. Days, months, or years. It was hard to tell nowadays.
His body, his senses were dull. When he brushed against something, he never registered it. His sight could only see moving blobs pass him, and his hearing would only hear the screams of his food and the gunshots that attempted to kill him. He couldn’t understand why they didn’t like him. He remembered he was quite a charmer; perhaps those days have finally come to an end.
He felt trapped.
Repeating the same memory so often, it felt like he was removed from his physical body. He couldn’t control it; it would walk around with its kind, searching for their next meal. Walking was hard; he would always trip up every other step, maybe the strange ache in his leg was the reason. But he couldn't see what was going on down there. Blame the blurry vision.
So, he kept on walking and walking, no matter how long it was; he had to eat. He was always hungry and never understood why he couldn’t be satiated.
Then one of the creatures he walked with fell to the ground. The bright crimson that splattered out of its head was a stark contrast to its sickly green skin. Its pink insides decorated the gray concrete below; it was almost beautiful in a way.
The sound of a gunshot, multiple gunshots, rang in Alejandro’s skull. He and the others slowly brought up their heads and turned their attention to the source of the shooting.
Shockingly, once he looked over, it felt like everything went clear, like finally breathing through your nose after days of being sick. It was as if an angel came to Earth and gave a blessing for his soul, a new chance of life. Alejandro’s mind no longer replayed that memory; he could finally see clearly who was in front of him and live in the present.
He could feel the wind through his hair, see the sun above, and hear the groans and splatters of blood from the undead. Alejandro didn’t care about the carnage happening around him. He was far too focused on something else. In the middle of the mess of guts and gore was a boy his age holding a handgun.
Black leather gloves were wrapped around the pistol grip. They skillfully aimed and fired at the undead's heads as they staggered closer, keeping their composure as if this were a daily occurrence. It was as if the blood that sprinkled through the air were shining stars framing the boy’s beauty; perhaps his vision hadn’t fully cleared, if he was still seeing things.
Old instincts pushed Alejandro closer to the boy. He hoped he wouldn’t be too hungry during the encounter or that a bullet would go through his skull. It would ruin everything if either of their heads were crushed. The boy’s dark brown hair flipped through the air as he turned to shoot at zombies behind him.
This was Alejandro’s chance.
He quietly stumbled closer to the boy, now acutely aware of his broken left leg. Yet there was no pain, so he kept walking. With each step he took, another dozen heads were reduced to mush until there was no one except the two of them.
Alejandro could hear the others’ breathing, could listen to their rapid heartbeat. Did he always have this ability? Alejandro wasn’t sure, nor did he mind.
The boy reloaded his handgun effortlessly, unaware of Alejandro’s presence. So with his sickly hand, Alejandro touched the boy’s shoulder.
Then a bullet grazed his left cheek.
Alejandro managed to grab the other’s wrist, forcing the gun to be aimed elsewhere. Another bullet is shot, yet the noise doesn't disorient him. It wasn’t hard to do, even with all those layers of clothes; Alejandro could tell the boy was underweight. His cheeks sunken in, his brown eyes framed with dark circles underneath.
Alejandro's lips cracked open, forcing himself to speak after so long of not doing so, “Such talent! But you shouldn’t shoot so recklessly, mi salvador.”
The man’s eyes widened before he attempted to pull his arm away. “How the hell are you speaking? Dead people don’t speak!” He questioned bewilderedly.
Alejandro’s eyes lit up, so he died? Of course! That would explain everything, but how? He pushed that question aside; he would think about that later; he was currently enjoying the fact that other zombies didn’t have his level of intelligence yet. What made him so different? What caused him to wake up?
Alejandro smirked, responding to the frightened teen, “My mama has told me that I am extraordinary; perhaps she was correct in that assumption. I am Alejandro Burromuerto.”
The boy raised an eyebrow, the permanent wrinkle on his forehead creasing. He continued his incessant attempts to escape Alejandro’s grasp, “Uh-huh. You mean to tell me you’re part of that wealthy family who left the moment the outbreak happened? Tch- It doesn’t matter, you’re dead meat.”
Alejandro’s stable leg is met with a steel-toed shoe, toppling him over. Then a bullet barely missed his head, striking him in the neck instead. He watched as the other boy ran elsewhere, somewhat intrigued by their lack of speed and stamina.
That boy gave him plenty of valuable information. So his family is far from here. Alejandro doesn’t recall them very well. Sure, he knew he had parents, perhaps some older siblings. Yet the smaller details, like names, weren’t surfacing.
That’s no matter; that skilled man woke him up from the torture of that memory, connected his mind to his body. Alejandro knew he couldn’t leave him alone; perhaps he could continue to use him and find out what caused him to become this creature.
Alejandro stood up, pulling out the bullet from his neck with zero struggle. He threw it onto the ground. He set out on his journey to wherever the boy, his savior, had run off to.
After the eventful evening Noah had, he eventually made his way back to camp. Unfortunately, he lacked new supplies to bring back. You can’t blame him for returning empty-handed.
Talking zombies was something he hadn’t predicted. Who would’ve? All the zombie movies, all they did was groan and moan. Not ‘Oh, my savior, you’re so talented with your gun’ or whatever the zombie said to him.
At the site, Noah cautiously maneuvered through the barricades and traps before unlocking the door to the heart of the base. Which was Izzy’s parents' home, but Izzy claims it’s just her home now.
Sure, maybe it was unhealthy for her not to talk about why her parents were gone, but he hasn’t said anything about his own. So, he hasn’t and will never question why Izzy’s parents weren’t here, especially if it was anything like how his family passed.
At least one family member of his survived.
Noah threw his backpack onto the ground and smiled as he was greeted by his last family member. They circled him and slobbered everywhere. It was his dog, Ark, of course. He bent down, petting her all over, unable to resist baby-talking to her, “I missed you too, Ark. My baby~ You won’t believe what happened to daddy today.”
There was shuffling above him. A piece of the ceiling fell, and unsurprisingly, Izzy popped up in her yellow action suit, which she had cut up to make it look ‘cooler for the apocalypse’. With a wide grin, she said, “Ooh, what happened, Daddy Noah?”
Noah promptly stopped petting Ark to look up at Izzy, her hair brushing against Ark’s head. He cringed, “Eugh, never say that again, Iz…”
Izzy giggled, continuing to speak, “Wanna know what happened to me? I met up with this giant rat, like a green mutant type of thing. At least, I think it was a rat. It was hissing at me and had a nice hat. I should’ve taken the hat, I bet you’d like it. Oh, but it’s too small. It wouldn’t fit your big head, NoNo.” She poked him on his forehead before doing a flip and landing on her feet flawlessly. “So what happened to you?”
Noah stood up, watching Ark climb up onto the couch. “I think the zombies are evolving. One of them spoke to me, said their name was Ale…Whatever… He was one of the sons of that wealthy diplomat dude. Left him behind or something, cause now he’s walking around with other dead folk.”
“Ooh! I want to talk to a zombie! I’m so jealous, you’ve gotta introduce us.”
“Uh, maybe a different time.” Noah removed his shoes before he sat down on the couch.
Izzy followed behind him, “Aww, okay…”
“So, where’s Owen and Eva?” Noah asked.
“Big O is sleeping; he looks just like a beached whale, so peaceful and cute. And Eva is beating up the garage!”
Noah frowned slightly, “I hope you mean training in the garage… My stuff is in there.”
She waved her hand dismissively, “Nah, it’ll be fine. Maybe check up on her. I’ve got a rat to hunt!” In one swift action, Izzy jumped off the couch and entered a random vent.
“Uh-huh, just be careful, okay?” Noah yelled out to her.
A thumbs-up emerged from the vent, “I always am!”
He rolled his eyes, “Right…”
The sound of Izzy shuffling around in the vents became distant as Noah sank deeper into the couch. He was exhausted. This outbreak has been going on much longer than Noah would’ve liked. Sure, he enjoyed the first week off from school, when no one knew why they were quarantining. Eventually, people started leaving their homes, and it became clear why everything was closed.
A couple of months have passed since then; he would’ve started senior year by now. It’s not like he wants to go back to school. But he didn’t think everything could just go back to normal after all this. How would he make it through the world without his family?
Noah sighed. He needed to distract himself. There’s no need to think about that. He’s got Ark and his friends. That’s all he needed. They’ve survived five months together; he could do it for another! He just needed to make a form of contact. Which is why he needed to ensure Eva wasn’t wrecking his work. Noah stood up, dragging his feet all the way to the garage.
Noah opened the door to the garage and was met with the sight of Eva beating up a boxing bag. He was glad Izzy was exaggerating Eva’s behavior. He slowly walked inside, closing the door behind him, “Hey Eva…”
With one last punch to the punching bag, Eva turned around, her breath heavy, sweat dripping down her face. She attempted to tuck her hair behind her ear, seemingly forgetting it was cut short. “...Hey.”
Noah could tell she was still tense, so he stayed put. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, “Everything good in here? Izzy made it seem like you were destroying the place.”
In a gruff tone, Eva responded, “Yeah. I was just thinking…Did you need something?”
“...Uhh, I met a talking zombie,” Noah said in a casual tone as if it were a normal statement.
Eva straightened herself and paid more attention to the conversation. “Talking? They’re talking now? What did it say?” She inquired.
Noah shrugged, looking away. “Said he was part of that one family. The one who escaped via helicopter. But he didn’t seem like the others; he wasn’t gargling and groaning. He didn’t even try to eat me!”
“Are you sure? They could be learning new tactics to find food. Make you feel safe before sucking out your brain. What did it look like?” Eva cracked her knuckles, getting ready for a fight, “We can’t have that skill multiplying. I’ll get rid of it.”
“I shot him already, it’s fine. You know I don’t miss.”
Her muscled arms fall to her sides, much calmer than before. “Good… How’s the radio transmitter doing?”
“It’s coming along. I’m sure we can get a connection in a couple of weeks.”
Eva walked closer, setting a hand on Noah’s shoulder. Her hand was heavy on his lanky build, almost knocking him over, “That’s great! Then we can escape this hellhole!”
Everything went dark for a moment, then flickered on a red light. The red cast over the room was chilling. Next came a repeated alarm shriek. Eva and Noah quickly entered the main house. Eva braced herself as Noah drew his gun. Ark ran between Noah’s legs, entering a defensive position.
Something had passed their barricades.
Alejandro had followed the boy to a wrecked neighborhood, spotting a house that was obviously occupied. The outside consisted of barricades and traps, and these obstacles were doing their job. Zombies were wedged between wooden spikes, and others fell into deep pits, their fragile bodies scattered from the fall. But a zombie with heightened intelligence, aka Alejandro, would experience no trouble with these traps; they were nothing to him. Even if some strange, familiar, nagging voice was laughing at him, claiming he’d find some way to fail something so simple.
He brushed off the voice and staggered closer to the house. He easily maneuvered around the sharpened points of sticks, and when he accidentally set off a trap, the arrows that pierced his skin did him no harm. He pulled the arrows out of his flesh with ease and continued with his unsteady walk.
The voice laughed, and he instinctively rubbed his arm.
An alarm further away went off, so Alejandro followed the shrieking, assuming the sound was coming from the heart of the base. He stepped around landmines and barbed wire, the distant sound becoming louder.
Eventually, Alejandro reached the house’s entrance. He quickly dusted himself off; he had to be presentable for his ‘hero’. He knocked on the door, instead of his zombie fellows' usual ‘breaking down the door’ procedure. He was a gentleman, and he’d maintain that behavior after death. He wasn’t going to break down the poor boy’s door after all his work of putting up these traps.
There was shuffling behind the door, the sound of a couple of entities walking around. Yet, there was no answer. How rude. Sure, he came uninvited, but it was still polite to greet guests right away. If that stubborn boy didn’t want to welcome him properly, then Alejandro would just have to open the door himself.
He turned the handle, slowly opening the door. The door burst open, and a canine pounced at him, sending him to the ground. Its teeth dug into his rotting flesh, shaking him around. It didn’t matter to Alejandro; the bite didn’t hurt at all. With his free hand, he grabbed the dog by its scruff, his nails digging into the animal’s flesh.
It whined pitifully.
Out of nowhere, a bullet knocked off his jaw, the force launching his head back. He now lay on the ground, his dry tongue sagging. The weight of the canine left him, and he found himself face-to-face with the skilled zombie killer alongside an unknown muscular woman standing over him. Alejandro picked up his dislocated jaw and snapped it back into place.
He raised his hands in surrender, pleading with the two, “Let us calm down… My apologies for frightening you both. I am not here to cause harm.”
The girl clenched her fists tighter, bringing them up to her chin. Her eyes don’t leave his figure, keeping track of his every move. “It’s talking,” she announced.
The scrawny boy held the canine close to his side, his expression tenser than before, “Yeah, Captain Obvious. I have ears,” He huffed out.
She groaned, “You know what I mean! You said you killed it!”
“I thought I did!”
“Well, you didn’t, and it followed you!”
“Then I’ll just kill it here!” The boy exasperatedly said.
The gun is aimed at Alejandro’s head now, the boy’s finger grazing the trigger. Alejandro’s eyes widened, “Aye! Let us not shoot or kill! I am here to chat. I’ll even refrain from eating your dog if that will help.”
“We ain’t talking to a dead guy!” The girl butted in.
“I won’t bite, I swear! I’ll help out. I just need to know about my life before… “ Alejandro gestured to himself, “This happened.”
Loud footsteps came from behind the two; from one of the rooms emerged a much larger man. He was dressed casually in a white hoodie with a blue colored maple leaf printed on the back. The man pushed back his blond hair, clearly in need of a haircut. He looked at the situation at hand. “Noah, Eva? What is going on here…?” The larger man questioned.
So that’s his name, the boy who woke him up was Noah. His savior.
The two, now named Noah and Eva, looked back at the larger man. “Owen. Go back into your room,” directed Noah.
Alejandro would’ve attacked if this were his past ‘roaming around aimlessly’ days, but he did need help with his memory loss. And this Noah guy has shown great potential with this quest. If he could wake Alejandro up from his repetitive dream, then he was sure this boy could unlock his memories from before.
Alejandro opened his mouth before the larger man could leave, “Big fellow, why don’t you tell your friends to stand down? I assure you, I am no harm to your team. I am Alejandro Burromuerto, the son of a diplomat. What would someone like me have against any of you?”
Eva glared at Alejandro before attempting to swing Owen’s choice into their favor, “Don’t listen to it. It’s using you!”
Alejandro frowned, “If I were here to harm any of you, wouldn’t I have done so already?”
Owen hesitantly nodded, “Yeah… We should hear the zombie out, guys.”
The smaller teen sighed, his forehead wrinkling further, “Owen, no. It’s a zombie,” Noah’s gun returned to his side, “It’ll end up biting us, and we’ll be infected.”
Eva groaned, “This is going nowhere. Let’s just kill it!”
“Let’s compromise!” Owen pleaded.
Eva looked at Noah, desperately trying to get him to convince Owen otherwise. Noah’s shoulders dropped, “Fine, Owen. We won’t kill him.”
Owen smiled widely as Eva’s eyebrows furrowed. She yanked Noah closer by the collar, “What are you doing?” She yelled.
“Just hear me out…” Noah ushered Eva closer, whispering in her ear. Alejandro attempted to move in closer to hear what they were saying. Some part of him was upset over their blatant conversation about him. The two backed away from each other. Then the angered woman swiftly turned around, and her fist met Alejandro’s head, knocking him out.
Some time had passed. Alejandro found himself securely tied up, and the sound of whispering surrounded him. Alejandro didn’t know why it bothered him so much. His head rang as the sound of a helicopter entered his ears. But when he opened his eyes, there was no such vehicle. Rope tied him in a garage filled with fitness equipment and scrap technology. He tried to get used to his surroundings, his vision creating doubles of the entities inside. The whispers came from four people: Noah, Eva, Owen, and a ginger lady. She was new.
The dog that had been whining before was playing the role of a guard dog. It was a pitiful display. Where his nails had dug into its flesh was now crusted over with blood. It paced around the room before locking eyes with him. It barked, alerting the team to his consciousness.
The ginger lady jumped in front of him, walking on her hands and knees around him as if a rabid animal. “It’s awake! Speak to us, Oh zombie.”
Eva grabbed the crazed lady’s waist, pulling her away from Alejandro. “Izzy! Don’t get too close!” Eva instructed.
Alejandro smirked, “Oh, please, I have already stated that I am not here to cause harm. I simply need help. You’ve already helped wake me up… Noah.”
Noah raised an eyebrow, “I don’t recall…”
“It was quite recent. When you were out there shooting the mindless zombies, something about you woke me up. The way you shot each one of them down, the blood and guts decorating your skin in its pattern.” Alejandro sighed wistfully, recalling the recent memory.
Izzy, who was still in the hands of Eva, spoke, “Aww, what a sweet meetcute. Let’s keep him! C’mon, Owen! Don’t you want another pet?”
Owen tilted his head, genuinely considering it before Noah butted in, “No, no! We’re not keeping him here!”
Izzy frowned, “But we already have him on a leash! I’ll take him on walks and train him where to go potty!”
“I am not a pet…” Alejandro added, “Though I would enjoy staying for a while.”
The two responsible ones groaned. Eva spoke, “Even if we wanted it to stay, we don’t have enough food to keep it around…”
Alejandro butted in, “Do not worry about that. I will not eat your food, I’ll find my own.”
“Yeah?” Eva taunted, “Human flesh and brains?”
The undead man went quiet; he wasn’t sure what else he’d eat. But he needed to stay, “Perhaps… I could try something other than a human…”
The gun-holder stepped in front of the dog, furrowing his eyebrows. “Don’t you dare.”
Alejandro shook his head, “No, no! I already said I wouldn’t eat your dog.” He thought for a moment, trying to come up with anything. “I’ll try zombie flesh!” he blurted out. He wasn’t sure if that would satiate his hunger, but it was something.
The four looked at each other before huddling together, whispering once more. Alejandro’s eye twitched, his smile increasingly becoming forced. Why were they talking about him like he wasn’t here?
Noah parted from the group, facing Alejandro, “We’ll need a demonstration. Show us you can eat your own kind.”
He furrowed his eyebrows, worry evident on his face. In a swift motion, Alejandro’s head is covered with a bag. Still tied up in rope, he’s hauled over Eva’s shoulder and brought outside.
The short journey outdoors gave Alejandro plenty of time to panic. He’d never eaten another zombie; he doesn’t even remember eating humans. His mind had been so foggy a few hours ago. Could his now-conscious brain be able to eat someone else’s brain? A distant memory of his proved otherwise. He didn’t have an iron stomach, and now that he knew what he’s been eating for however long, what he’s been craving, he couldn’t help but gag.
Alejandro was thrown onto the ground, the bag was taken off his head, and the rope was unraveled around him. The four stood behind him, several feet away, still wary of him. He pushed himself up from the floor. Then managed to balance himself. He glanced around, searching for a zombie. Slightly hoping one never came.
He wondered what was wrong with him. Alejandro could barely control himself from lunging at the canine, at Noah! But now that he’s thought about eating someone, he doesn't want to do it.
Saliva filled his mouth, his throat constricting. He watched a horde of zombies pass him. Alejandro looked back at the four, the three smaller ones ready to kill a zombie if needed. He looked back at the zombies. He stumbled closer to one, grabbing it by the shoulder. It tilted its disfigured head towards Alejandro with no intention of attacking. Alejandro’s hands moved to the sides of the zombie’s face. The zombie groaned but made no move to escape.
Alejandro closed his eyes, stifled a gag, and pushed in further. The skull underneath his hands cracked and splintered, and the blood and brain gushed out through the cracks. The remnants of bone and gore on his hand are hesitantly licked up, and it’s like something flipped on inside his brain.
He couldn’t get enough like a kitten to catnip, a moth to a flame.
Alejandro brought up the limp undead, gnawing at its remains as if it were his last meal. Limbs were ripped off, bones cracked, and turned in unnatural ways. The warmth of the meat filled Alejandro's mouth, bursting with flavor he had never known before. Its succulent liquid flowed down his throat, filling his stomach with its fluids. Once each bone was stripped of its muscle, and he was covered in its vital fluid, he turned back to the group with a manic smile.
Owen had his eyes closed, and Noah caressed the big guy’s arm as Eva and Izzy stared in disgusted interest. Alejandro smirked, “There you go! I promise I won’t eat any of you. All I want is your help.”
Noah sighed, “Fine.”
Eva turned to him with a shocked expression, “What? Did you really let those two persuade you?”
“A zombie is eating another zombie; they won’t attack each other, and he can’t die. He doesn’t eat our food. He won’t need any of our resources. If we think about it logically-”
“-If we think about it logically, then you’d know we shouldn’t recruit it! We’ll end up its next meal!” Eva yelled.
Izzy’s hand is brought up to Eva’s shoulder, lightly massaging her, “Eva, Eva, Eva. Just think about it. We keep Owen and Ark around, let’s have another pet!”
Noah added, “And if he tries anything, all we need to do is kill him. I won’t hesitate, and I’m sure you won’t either.”
Eva thought about it, then groaned, “Fine. But if anything happens, it’s your fault.” She pushed past Noah, almost knocking him over, and walked into the house.
Alejandro walked closer to the three; blood dripped down his chin onto his wrecked clothes. “Just so you know, I would never treat you that way,” He grabbed Noah by the shoulder, pulling him closer, “Let the two of us journey far lengths to save my memories.”
The barrel of a gun is placed on Alejandro’s head, “Don’t touch me.” Noah demanded, “And explain what you mean.”
Alejandro took a few steps to the side, his hands in surrender, but his smile still present. “I mean for the two of us to journey somewhere to jog my memories. While I was roaming around in my zombie-like state, a memory of mine repeated endlessly. I believe this memory might be the answer to why I’m like this. And I want your help, Noah. You woke me up in the first place; you’ll return what’s left of mine.”
Noah scowled, “As I said before, I don’t recall ever helping a dead man.”
“It was something in the way you killed the other undead that woke me up. It was exquisite, and I wish for you to work your magic again.”
Izzy butted in on the conversation with a large smile on her face, “So, a field trip! Can I go? Can Owen go? Can Eva and Ark go? Can we?”
Alejandro’s eye twitched as he attempted to maintain his smile. “Well, it would be easier if it were only Noah and me…”
Noah pressed the gun into Alejandro’s cheek, “More people means better scavenging and better protection. It would be better if they all came.”
Alejandro’s eyebrows furrowed, his expression strained, “I do not see why we need more protection when you’re extremely skilled with a weapon, and I can roam across zombie-infested areas.”
“You wanted help, you’re part of the team now. Which means you’ll have to compromise. We bring the others, or we don’t go. That’s final.”
The dead man laughed, amused yet irritated, “Fine. Bring along your friends. But I expect you to have them tight on your leash. I will not be babysitting them.”
Noah slid his gun into its holster and gestured for Izzy and Owen to follow him inside the house. “Stay here, Alejandro. We’ll be inside packing.”
“Thank you for the help, amigo.”
Izzy ran into the house, dodging all the obstacles, leaving Noah and Owen behind. Owen needed some extra help getting through the barricades, so Noah had to guide him. It didn’t matter too much to Noah; Owen hadn’t been outside in weeks. So this was good for him. Once inside, Noah and Owen separated into their designated rooms.
Noah grabbed a spare bag hidden under his dirty clothes and miscellaneous items. He started to pack the essentials, including canned food, water, the portable burner, extra bullets, a map, deodorant, and a book or two. Everyone knew you needed entertainment during the apocalypse. (To prevent insanity) And he couldn’t get his computer to work to play Kosmic Kaos, not like anyone would be online. Everyone was likely dead or not smart enough to connect to the internet. Fly high, Cinderhella243. So, reading the same book over again would have to do.
He zipped up the bag, then sighed at the reason for packing. Noah couldn’t believe he let a zombie join the team, especially an annoying talking one. Perhaps these days of killing the deceased and hanging around lunatics have forged his way to insanity. Whatever the reason could be, it didn’t matter if he could see the light reenter Owen’s eyes.
Since the apocalypse, Owen had lost a lot of weight due to rationing, and his old friends and family were nowhere to be found. So if adding this suave zombie man could lead to Owen’s happiness, then so be it. Noah will allow the dead man to walk into their home rent-free. But that didn’t mean he’d stop aiming his gun at the guy; it felt nice to see the fear in the zombie’s eyes. Other zombies were too stupid to realize what was happening.
Noah swung the bag over his shoulder along with the backpack that held the transmitter and equipment. He thought if they were traveling for a while, he’d be able to find something to mend the radio. But now he needed to plan the journey. Obviously, the diplomat’s house would be the main destination. If Alejandro lived there as well, something in there would have to jog his memory.
Though it wasn’t like Noah knew anything about that old rich man. The entire family kept to themselves most of the time, and Noah had no good reason to hack into their bank accounts. So he didn’t do any research on them. But he was sure Izzy would know; she’d disappear for days, traveling, back in their non-apocalyptic high school days. It was quite upsetting to hear that once project deadlines rolled around, and Izzy’s parents never cared enough to know where she ran off to.
But before he went to ask Izzy about it, Noah called Ark over. She ran up to him, circling his legs. He carefully kneeled to be level with her, his hands resting on her face. In a soft tone, he spoke, “Hey, Ark… I’m going to be gone for a while, and I need you to stay here. As much as I’d love to have you along, I can’t let you get hurt anymore. So be good, and guard the house, alright?”
Ark whined and stepped in closer, her nose poked Noah’s chest. He ran his fingers through her golden fur as he purred out reassuring words, “I know you don’t want me to leave. I don’t want to leave you as well… But you have to. I’ll be back soon, okay?” Ark barked softly before licking his face. Noah took this as her understanding of what she had to do. He kissed her on the forehead before standing. Noah gave Ark one last smile before leaving his room to check on the ex-couple, Owen and Izzy.
He peeked inside Owen’s room and saw Izzy draped over the bed with her head hung over the side of it, the blood rushing to her skull. Owen sat on the floor with a bag between his legs and an array of objects and snacks in front of him. Izzy exclaimed, “We’re finally going somewhere! It’s a vacation!”
Owen chuckled at Izzy, “Yeah, it kind of is.”
She flipped onto her stomach, her hair covering her face. “I hope Noah and Eva stop being such big grumps about it. It’ll be fun to be on the road walking to wherever the world takes us.” She parted her hair to look at Owen. “Don’t you think so too, Big-O?”
“Definitely,” Owen said, who had only packed food and a teddy before zipping up his bag, “And maybe we’ll find another human!”
“Yeah, like a mutant human! Who’s really strong, like a kaiju!” Izzy jumped up, mimicking a city-destroying monster. “Raagh!”
“No, Iz. I mean a real human, like us.”
She stopped, looking at Owen with a smile, “I’ve traveled around, and I haven’t found one. I’m pretty sure they’re all dead! In the cold ground. Getting eaten by the worms and maggots~.”
Owen’s face scrunched, clearly upset over Izzy’s assumption, “Don’t say that… You don’t actually believe that, do you?”
Noah walked inside, butting into the conversation before Izzy could answer that. “I’m sure we’ll find another living being, Owen. We haven’t seen anyone you know die, so there’s a possibility that they’re still alive.” Noah said reassuringly.
Owen smiled, appreciating Noah’s words, “Yeah. They’re alive. They have to be. All of our families are!”
Noah and Izzy cringed, both of them mentally disagreeing with Owen’s last statement. Yet, Noah agreed outwardly just to make Owen feel better. To keep his happiness present.
Noah inquired, “So, Iz, do you know where the old diplomat used to live?”
“Oh! The big house on that hill? Yeah, it’s a step and a hop across the state!”
“Across state? That’ll take days, weeks if we take you guys!” exclaimed Noah.
Izzy waved her hand dismissively, “Nah, it won’t take that long.”
“Uh, yeah. It won’t take long for you… I’ll go pack some sleeping bags.” Noah walked out of the room and into the garage, where Eva was once again beating the punching bag. But this time, there was actual anger behind her punches.
He’d have to do this without getting Eva’s attention.
Noah quickly walked over to the camping supplies, pulled out the sleeping bags, and then walked back to the door. A loud smack made Noah jump. He turned around and saw Eva glaring at him. Her hands were clenched tight, tight enough for her nails to dig into her skin. “How could you let a zombie onto our team?” Eva huffed out, “After all they’ve done to us? You should know better than all of us! But you let their stupid fantasies guide your thinking!”
Noah tightened his grip on the sleeping bags, maintaining his assertive tone, “I’ve already told you, I’ve got it under control. Are you going to pack or continue to mope in here?”
“I’m not moping!”
“Right, you’re just decorating the wall with holes? Whatever problem you have with my choice, don’t put your anger on anyone other than me. Owen is finally smiling again. That’s all that matters to me.”
For a moment, it’s silent, and Noah was about to leave before Eva opened her mouth once more, “See if Owen’s still smiling when he’s eaten alive in front of you.”
Noah doesn’t respond, biting his tongue to keep from doing so. He instead walked out of the garage into the house. He walked to Owen’s room, throwing the sleeping bags to Owen and Izzy. He walked down the hallway a bit more before leaning against a wall. He took a few deep breaths. She was just upset; he had to keep reminding himself of that. She didn’t mean it.
Once they’d packed the proper supplies instead of random crap Izzy and Owen thought would be beneficial, they walked back to Alejandro, who looked to be plotting. It seemed a bit evil, but that could be because of his sunken eyes and cheeks. Once Alejandro saw Noah, the grim expression faded, replaced by a wide smile. “Ah, there you are! Ready to go?”
“Yes, we’re ready. I’ve decided we’ll walk to your house, which is on the other side of the state. I’ve taken this as an opportunity to scavenge. So we both get something out of this.”
“Then let us depart.”
They began their journey to Alejandro’s home, and he took this time to examine his new teammates. From a single glance in their direction, Alejandro could sense the tension stewing between two members, Noah and Eva. He knew this tension was his fault, but what was so bad about having a member of the Burromuerto family tagging along? It was an honor. Who does Eva think she is to get upset over Noah’s decisions? It was a great choice to bring him along; who wouldn’t want this physique in their presence?
But if the tension remained, perhaps Noah would abandon his friends, and they could travel just the two of them. It would be easier to control one man instead of four. And whatever trick or magic Noah used to wake him might show up once more, no journey needed.
Though the real reason why he wanted to split up the team was that Owen and Izzy’s voices had started to annoy him. They hadn’t even figured out their leader’s and wannabe leader’s strained relationship; they were far too focused on what they’d eat and what they’d kill. Alejandro didn’t want to spend weeks on end with them. He’d rather gouge his eyes and ears out and eat them so that he didn’t have to acknowledge them. But he couldn’t ruin his face even more, so he refrained.
That voice laughed at him once more, like a teasing sibling who he couldn’t get rid of. Alejandro chose to ignore it.
Upon closer inspection, Alejandro noticed that Noah had been deliberately placed next to him, acting as a barrier between Alejandro and the gang. He understood they didn’t want him to attack, and that he was really itching for some bloodshed, but they could start treating him better!
He wasn’t a threat to them anymore; he had proved it. For now, at least.
If one of them accidentally fell off a cliff, he had nothing to do with it! Alejandro returned his attention to the gun-wielder. Noah held a map, noting down their current location. His expression is quite calm for a man whose ‘friend’ is killing him with her eyes.
Alejandro leaned in closer, examining the map. “So, how long do you think it will take for us to get there?”
Noah turned his attention to Alejandro, “Around three weeks at minimum.” He gestured at Izzy and Owen, “That is, if these two don’t do anything rash.”
Alejandro whispered in Noah’s ear, “Then why don’t we leave them behind? Leave them all behind?”
He’s lightly slapped in the face by the back of Noah’s hand, earning a glare from the boy as well. “We’re a team, we go together.”
Alejandro moved back and crossed his arms, grumbling under his breath, “Fine then… Can’t blame a man for trying.” He turned his head, his nose aimed at the sky. Eventually, his shoulders slumped, and his playful, posh nature faded when he saw that Noah was paying him no attention. He sighed, letting his arms fall back to his sides, deciding to do something better with his time than pout.
Now that Alejandro could see clearly, he examined his surroundings with a newfound interest. The five walked through the ruins of the suburban area that encompassed Izzy’s home. Animals scurried along the cracked macadam between the rubble of broken homes, huddling together in the thick foliage and fallen orange leaves for shelter.
Autumn trees lined the streets, blocking the sun’s rays, not like there was much to begin with.
Overgrown shrubs climbed their way out of the ditches alongside the roads. Abandoned cars were scattered around, opened, and ransacked of their belongings. When he squinted his eyes to look closer inside one of the cars, he saw two mangled corpses holding each other. An older person and a child. Their cheeks were sucked in like bad plastic surgery, and where their eyes used to be are now two black holes, openings for the bugs to call their home.
Alejandro returned his attention to the team; the tension between Noah and Eva created a stuffy atmosphere, in his opinion. Silence continued between the group; no other noise but the wind flowing through the foliage. A distant scent of water filled the air, growing increasingly stronger.
The absence of conversation lasted a long while. The trees and bushes are now barren, revealing the gray sky above, clues of the approaching autumn. The scenery no longer looked as luscious as before, now that it’s filled with traffic lights and street signs.
Eventually, they started to walk along a highway. They stepped in remnants of human guts and bones, and Alejandro had to rush ahead to avoid licking the road clean. He wished his zombie brain would cooperate with his human ideals, because he wasn’t ready to stoop that low to eat.
From behind him, he heard Owen run up to Noah, hunched over and breathing heavily, “Are we there yet…?”
Noah raised an eyebrow before glancing at his larger friend. “We just started walking.”
“I… let’s take a break… Please.” Owen said between gasps.
Noah looked back at Eva and Izzy, the latter gave a thumbs-up, agreeing. Noah focused his attention back onto Owen, “Sure, big guy. Take a seat.” He gestured to the side of the road.
Alejandro stopped in his tracks, unable to hide his distaste for Owen. He approached Noah, whispering, “We’re stopping? We’ve barely walked; at this rate, it’ll take us an entire year to get there.”
“It’s not like you’re any faster, stump. It’s just a short break, we’ll continue in a few minutes.” Noah sat next to Owen, removing his bag to take out a small snack. Alejandro watched as Owen gobbled it down. How disgusting. How could someone like Noah hang around someone like Owen? Perhaps Noah just enjoyed having an active pet. What other use could Owen have other than nauseating entertainment?
Alejandro begrudgingly sat down, leaning against the railing. He watched as Eva opened a can of peaches and shared them with Izzy without hesitation. Owen nudged Noah, urging him to give him another snack. Noah obliged with a small smile. They all ate, except Noah. No wonder the boy was underweight; that mutt eats it all. It was upsetting to see the man who saved him continue his selfless journey with people who don’t know his worth.
After some time, they were back on the highway and walked its length. In the distance, a gas station came into view, and soon they were in front of the ruined area. Some freak accident must have happened to cause all this. The fuel pumps had completely blown up, with the remnants of a truck wedged between one of the stations. The explosion reduced the canopy to scrap metal.
Noah pointed at the gas station, “How about we take a quick pit stop? Might find something we’ll need.”
The team agreed to look around, and Alejandro begrudgingly followed behind, needing to keep face. If he kept disagreeing with Noah and kept planting seeds of doubt on Noah’s leadership, he’d find himself with his head blown off. No hesitation.
Alejandro entered the fuel station and took a look around. The floor was crumbling beneath his boots. Rats dispersed across the ground, hiding in the cracks in the walls. Many items on the shelves were taken, scattered, or broken. The lights flickered; they hung from the ceiling by a single wire, and the conductors inside the wires poked out. A strange liquid pooled in the ceiling, creating discoloration. The mysterious fluids dripped rhythmically onto the tiles. It was a wreck, no place for someone of Alejandro’s status to be in.
But it was the apocalypse, and he was mature enough not to complain. So, Alejandro leaned against a wall he deemed clean enough and watched as Noah searched through the shelves. He shouldn’t have bothered with looking at the others, but he did glance in their direction. In a convex security mirror aimed at the three idiots, he saw a gray figure stumbling through the aisle next to them. Its skin was shrink-wrapped to its bones. Its jaw is slack, hanging by a single tendon. But that didn’t stop its insatiable hunger. The undead creature edged its way closer to the three others.
Alejandro stayed put.
Izzy poked her head to look at the next aisle, a gasp leaving her mouth, “I found a new friend!”
Owen ran next to Izzy with a large smile on his face, assuming she’d found a survivor, “Really?”
The grotesque creature groaned, and the remains of its last meal bubbled out of its throat. It lunged at Izzy with outstretched arms. Izzy grabbed the bony wrists of the being and kicked it in the chest. This action ripped apart the ligaments and flesh, successfully disconnecting the arms from their sockets. The zombie is thrown back into a wall, and the wall breaks from the impact. Izzy presented the disconnected arms to Owen and Eva behind her, as if she were presenting a fish. The two looked back in disgust.
Noah walked into the scene with a look of disbelief, “What’s going on? Put those down, Izzy!”
Izzy whined, “But NoNo… I wanted to play fetch with our new friend.”
The gun-wielder groaned, “He isn’t going to play fetch with you; he isn’t a dog.”
“Meh, he’s close enough.” Izzy threw the arms at Alejandro, barely missing his head. “Catch, boy!”
Alejandro looked down at the arms, pushing down his feelings of resentment, “...Thank you. For the meal, Izzy…”
From the hole in the wall, multiple bony hands grabbed the sides. A horde of zombies pushed their way inside the gas station. They climbed on top of each other, clawing their way closer to the humans. The team looked at the scene in surprise. Noah, Izzy, and Eva quickly readied themselves for battle.
Noah took out his handgun from its holster and blew up zombie skulls. Izzy ripped and pulled body parts off any undead that got too close, throwing them in Alejandro’s direction as if it were a game. Eva, who took this situation as a release of anger, crushed the heads of zombies with a single punch.
Owen backed away from the fight, bumping into a zombie in the process. Alejandro watched the scene with interest, loving the fear on the defenseless oaf’s face. Unfortunately, the brains of the zombie are splattered on the floor, the sound of a gunshot ringing through the air. It was quiet for a moment before Noah reached out for Owen, checking on his status. Alejandro smiled at the terror on Owen’s face. Most people aren’t built to witness such bloodshed. This should show them that Owen isn’t needed on this trip.
Alejandro’s smile dropped when Eva glared at him, not wanting to ruin his already awful reputation. Then Eva turned her head at Noah, grabbing him by the shoulder and pushing him into looking at her, “Our new teammate didn’t help us one bit!”
Noah’s wide eyes returned to their half-lidded look, his tone as apathetic as ever, “The attack took us all by surprise.”
“Owen could’ve got bitten!”
Noah hesitated with his response, looking at Owen with a complicated expression, then back at Eva, “...I’ll talk to Alejandro about it.” Eva removed her hand from Noah and gestured for Owen and Izzy to continue their search around the gas station.
As the three looked around, Noah pulled Alejandro away from the others. But before Noah could say anything, Alejandro stated, “Before you scold me, I stated earlier that I will not be babysitting your teammates. Don’t you think they should be trained better? Why bring Owen along when he can’t defend himself? What lousy leadership.” Perhaps that was too harsh to say. Alejandro shouldn’t be exposing himself to execution. But he needed them gone!
Noah poked Alejandro’s cold, clammy chest, “You don’t get to insult my leadership! You could’ve done something, anything! You were right there!”
“But he didn’t get hurt, now did he? Let’s focus on the present, not the what-ifs. Alright, Noah?” Alejandro patted Noah’s shoulder, stumbling away to look elsewhere - Noah’s left with an extra wrinkle in his forehead.
It became evening, and the team and Alejandro walked out of the gas station with matches and fuel that hadn’t burned up in the explosion. Once again, Alejandro was placed on the farthest side of the team with Noah as the barrier. Alejandro heard Noah mumble under his breath about the lack of radio parts.
They continued their walk until the last sliver of the sun disappeared on the horizon. They slid down into a small ditch beside the highway and set up a makeshift camp. Noah took out his portable burner and set a can of soup on top to warm it up. The burner provided warmth and light to their surroundings, not that Alejandro needed the warmth, but he could sense that Noah was loving it.
After eating, they huddled together in their sleeping bags and prepared to sleep. It was chilly, the earlier warmth fading away. Alejandro hadn’t had a sleeping bag, so he rested against the dead, yellow grass. He tried to fall asleep, but as soon as he closed his eyes, the sound of a helicopter's blades appeared above him. He would sit upright and look into the sky only to see nothing but the stars.
He gave up sleeping and kept watch instead. The silence was pleasant, no more unnecessary conversations and uncomfortable tension, just the wind flowing through the land, moving the leaves in its dance. The crickets sang their song as the nearby river rushed by. Then a sudden warmth rested on his left arm. When Alejandro looked down, he saw that Noah had found his way next to him.
And he didn’t push him away.
This may be a method to help Alejandro remember something. And if it wasn’t, Alejandro didn’t mind it too much. His eyelids flickered from open to closed, and the sound of that helicopter drifted away from his mind. But its replacement was far worse, “Leave him,” it repeated. It was different from the laughter. Deeper, louder. He was sure it wasn’t talking about Noah. But before Alejandro could question that statement, sleep had lulled him into a deep slumber.
Noah looked at the map, annoyed as his foot tapped the road repeatedly. He was trying to determine their current location. But, he knew for sure they weren’t at the distance he predicted they should be at.
They were actually miles upon miles behind!
And sure, he can admit there was some user error on his part. There wasn’t a marker on the map that showed him where they were, like in video games. But that was barely anything compared to the others!
It didn’t help that Alejandro was lacking a second functioning leg. What made it worse was that he kept standing behind when they fought zombies, only approaching to eat the mangled bodies. And with one less person helping them fight, it took longer to take down the undead than it needed to be! OH, and the guy kept talking to him! It wasn’t his fault that he happened to lie in Alejandro’s vicinity while sleeping; he was unconscious, and it was awkward. Since the guy keeps on talking to him, Noah can’t pay attention to where he’s leading everyone, and can’t pay attention to his friends when they straight up leave!
Izzy and Owen run off together to do whatever the hell they like. Each time he looked for them, he hoped they weren’t making out. He didn’t want a repeat of the time they dated in sophomore year. One, Izzy’s a horrible girlfriend, and seeing them suck lips was downright disgusting.
And then there’s Eva. She also liked to leave, always blowing off steam somewhere, and the noise of her knocking down trees kept alerting the zombies to their location. He hated it; he wished he hadn’t agreed on this journey. He wanted to be home, playing Kosmic Kaos as his sisters cluttered the house with their sports gear, which he’d trip over trying to get to dinner on time, even if it annoyed the crap out of him.
He wanted things to go back to how they used to be, when he didn’t have to push away the thoughts about his family’s last moments, when he didn’t feel guilty for living the way he did, if he just spent more time at home. If he stopped getting into fights with his mom. Suppose he listened to her and made something out of his life instead of rotting in front of a computer. He could’ve become a pilot or any of those stupid dreams he had as a kid. Now all he can do is hope to live another day.
A heavy hand rested on Noah’s shoulder, which immediately got him out of his spiraling thoughts. Noah turned his head to see Eva’s concerned expression. This was the first time in a while that he had seen her not angry at him. She spoke blankly, “You look like shit.”
He raised an eyebrow, somewhat pissed, “Wow, really? I hadn’t noticed.”
“I’m just saying you need to get out of that big head of yours.”
“Why don’t you start that off for us? You still mad at me?” He questioned, masking his sincerity with a hint of indifference.
“I am. It was a stupid idea to bring that zombie along and even more stupid to follow its commands. But I can set that aside for now.”
“I see the anger management classes helped.”
“Whatever, stop stressing out.” She poked the area between his eyebrows, rubbing the area, “You’ll get another forehead wrinkle.”
He pushed her hand away, glad she was allowing him to do so, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“That’s literally the opposite of what I’m asking you. Stop using your head. Why don’t we take a break? Then we can plan something out and get that zombie to pull his own weight.”
Noah glanced back at the map, then back at Eva. He let out a sigh and pocketed the map. “Yeah, okay.”
The two returned to the group. Izzy and Owen were sitting on the dirt road. Alejandro stood at a distance, leaning against a wooden fence. Izzy told bizarre stories that one would assume were fake if it weren’t Izzy speaking, as Owen nodded along. Alejandro watched Owen and Izzy with his nose scrunched up and his lips downturned into a scowl. The deceased man couldn’t hide his disdain for those two; Noah had figured it out since day one. But he is glad Alejandro hasn’t bitten any of them yet. He hoped Eva could see that, too.
Noah and Eva joined Izzy and Owen as they listened to her stories. She went on and on, never fully completing the last tale before moving on to the next, always adding more and more until your brain couldn’t comprehend what she was saying. Noah took off his holster belt and his bag. He took out the burner inside his bag and set it up to make some canned beans and one can of ravioli for Owen. He didn’t want any of Owen’s usual behavior to be kicked up by fifty percent.
The open cans of food cooked over the burner, then they ate, and they laughed, and before he knew it, the grey skies turned dark as the sun set, and Noah started to hate that he had agreed to take a break. They could’ve walked farther or found an abandoned house to stay in for the night. But nope, they didn’t do that! Now it’s almost night, and the wind has picked up, swirling through the trees, carrying the leaves in its dance and striking Noah with its coldness. This area was infested with trees, and dense forests came with blind spots and zombies in those blind spots. He stared into the endless black hole that was the forest as Izzy babbled on about the time she took the residential mean girl on a ‘fun’ trip. He shivered, clutching onto himself.
Alejandro then spoke up, interrupting Izzy’s rant, “I am going to grab firewood.” He suddenly left, his figure disappearing far too quickly in the darkness of the woods. For some odd reason, it irked Noah that he was going in alone. He knew Alejandro didn’t like the team, but he couldn’t do everything by himself.
Noah turned to his friends and said, “I’m going to help him.” Noah stood and entered where Alejandro had disappeared. It was far too dark now; the trees were so packed together that the last of the sun’s rays couldn’t shine through. He maneuvered between tree trucks and branches, his clothes being snagged a few times. Noah cupped his hands around his mouth, calling out, “Alejandro!” When no response came, Noah let his arms fall to his sides. He grumbled under his breath, “Where is this guy?”
He tried to call out once more, “Alejandro!” Then Noah bumped into something, and he fell to the ground. He groaned, rubbing his lower back. This was too much trouble; he might as well let the zombie get lost here.
Before he could stand, something wet dripped on his head and traveled down his face; he grimaced. Noah looked up and saw two glowing eyes above him and the undead’s open mouth. It definitely wasn’t the zombie he was looking for. The zombie launched itself closer to Noah, its jaw clamped shut, nearly missing Noah’s head.
Noah fell backward, the leaves under him piling over him. He began to shuffle backward before swiftly getting to his feet. He patted where his holster rested, “Where the fuck is it?!” Yet he couldn’t find his gun. Noah growled, and the zombie growled back. Noah turned around and ran through the darkness. “Shit, shit, shit! Eva!” he called out. The zombie lunged after him on all fours. The sound of its shrieks was occasionally interrupted by the sound of blood gargling out of its throat. Its bones twisted unnaturally, cracking from the pressure of running. As it ran, its pink viscera was dragged behind it, rustling through the leaves. And it was only getting louder and louder.
Noah wasn’t the best runner; he never was. He skipped PE by forging a doctor’s note. Now he’s wishing he didn’t! It hadn’t even been a minute, and he was already out of breath.
He yelled out again, “Izzy!” The growls behind him felt far too close. Noah took the chance to look behind him and saw its beady eyes and salivating mouth only two feet away. Noah looked back in front of him, silently accepting his death as he continued to run. In the process, he ran into a tree. Now disoriented, Noah slid onto the ground, the leaves crunching beneath him. He looked back at the zombie, which was hunched over him, its mouth agape as its slobber dripped over his face. Noah made one last feeble attempt to call out, “Owen…”
He closed his eyes, his body stiffening as he awaited his last moments to end. What would his friends think? How would his dog feel knowing he had broken his promise of coming back? At least now he could be with his family in his next life, if that’s even possible. And he’d wait for everyone else to join him.
But now that he’s thinking about it. He’s been waiting for a while, and he doesn’t feel dead. So, Noah opened his eyes, squinting to see in the dark. He spotted the zombie, now headless and limp on the ground, and Alejandro, who was licking his fingers of what seemed to be his latest meal. Alejandro glanced down at him, his green eyes glowing in the dark. “Ah, Noah. I heard you calling out for your friends, so I thought I’d get here first and lend a hand. Such a shame none of them came… Makes you think how unreliable they can be, yes?”
Noah’s heavy breathing calmed down. He stood up, using the tree behind him as support. He scowled, “Don’t talk about them like that. They’d help me. I’m sure they couldn’t hear me, that’s all.”
Alejandro smiled condescendingly, “Hmm, right. That’s why.” He leaned in closer to Noah, his expression more serious, “What I understand is that I’m much more reliable than those- your friends, and I believe it’s best if we push them away. We wouldn’t want them to get hurt. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt. You are my savior, after all. And I’m glad I was able to return the favor.” Alejandro gently wiped the drool off Noah’s face. Alejandro’s expression was far too sincere in Noah’s opinion.
He swatted the dead man’s hand away, “They’re staying, and that’s final. I’m not abandoning my friends!”
“I don’t understand what you see in them!” Alejandro admitted, “They’re killing machines, maniacs, slobs, and completely incompetent! I’ve tried to get along with them for your sake, to be nice and as charming as I remember myself being. But I can’t do it! It never used to be this hard, but keeping up that mask now… What’s the point? I have no reputation to keep up anymore. So, forgive me for not wanting to deal with them.”
“Okay? Like that was some big revelation? I know you don’t like them, but you-”
Alejandro interrupted, mocking Noah’s voice, “I wanted help, and I’m part of the team now. Which means I have to compromise! I understand that, Noah! But you are far beyond them! You are the diamond surrounded by coal, the light at the end of a dark tunnel, the oasis in the desert. You don’t deserve them!”
Noah raised an eyebrow at the sudden comparison, “It’s the opposite, actually! I don’t deserve them. I question why they stay every day. Why did they decide to go back for me? I was at my darkest moment, and they lit it up. …They were my saviors. Like how I’m supposedly yours.” Noah paused, thinking about the day the outbreak started.
Noah began to tell a story of his past, “We didn’t have a clue what was going on outside when the outbreak started. All we were told was to stay inside. One day, zombies broke into our home- My family’s home.”
Alejandro leaned back, listening closely to Noah’s words.
Noah continued, “We were eating dinner when the window was smashed through. A horde of them crawled their way in. My sisters and my mom readied themselves with anything they could find: baseball bats, rackets, pans, and chairs. And I didn’t do anything, I watched as they got torn limb from limb. When I finally managed to do something, it wasn’t to help them. I ran…” Noah let out a shaky breath, forcing any feelings from surfacing.
Even with the tightness in his throat, Noah proceeded with his story, “I ran and hid in my room in the closet. I don’t know how long I stayed there. But when the door opened, I saw them. Owen, Eva, Izzy. They took me to their base, and I have lived there since. I didn’t tell any of them what happened that day, except for Eva. It’s probably why she’s so upset I let you in… So, I won’t leave them because they didn’t leave me.” Noah took a deep breath before grabbing some firewood.
Alejandro watched Noah closely, his eyes flickering across his figure, examining and processing the information. Then he began to help Noah. Once the two grabbed an armful of firewood, they walked back to the team silently. The three were still laughing and telling stories.
As Noah watched the scene before him, he couldn’t help but feel upset. He understood they couldn’t hear him scream from the woods, but it still hurt that while he was running for his life, they were none the wiser. Noah and Alejandro set down the firewood, the former frowning as he saw his gear, specifically his gun, at the campsite. Noah took out the matches from his bag and lit up the wood. He attempted to push away his unwanted thoughts by focusing on the flames. He raised his hands to the growing blaze and listened to Owen tell a disgusting tale.
From behind the group, he saw Alejandro sit down, leaning against the wooden fence. Even with the poorly masked disgust on his face, Noah could see Alejandro ease into the conversation. Even scooted closer to the gang, despite his hesitation. Noah smiled as he saw Owen gladly include Alejandro. He always liked seeing Owen in a good mood, and it always put him in a good mood as well. Noah fully relaxed and the memories of his family’s last moments exited his mind, though never truly forgotten.
The sun rose, its presence only noticeable by the darkness turning a lighter shade of grey. Alejandro sat up and glanced at his sleeping teammates. He thought about eating them all instead of Noah, and blaming it on some other zombie, but the story Noah had told him the night before prevented him from acting on his thoughts.
If Noah had such horrible memories correlated to the undead, how come he allowed him on his team? Alejandro’s gaze landed on Owen, the oaf was talking in his sleep, and he understood why Noah let him in. He’d never truly know how one would hang out with the dimwit, especially someone of Noah’s caliber, but if Owen made Noah happy, Alejandro would spare him for a while longer.
He waited for them to wake up, learning early in the trip to never shake them awake. One time, he was kicking Owen's back fat, yelling for him to wake up already, and earned himself a black eye. It was an accident, but it was still irritating to walk around like that. He didn’t want his already deformed face ruined further. So Alejandro watched Noah’s chest rise and fall; Noah’s friends had forgone their blankets to sit atop him. It was a sweet scene, Noah huddled in blankets with only his head sticking out of the mass.
Eventually, the team woke up one by one, Noah, unsurprisingly, being the last. Izzy carried him under his arms, shaking him up and down. “Noah~” She sang out, “Wake up!”
As Izzy tried to wake Noah up by shaking him relentlessly. The other two decided to be ‘productive’ with their time. Eva rewrapped the bandages around her knuckles as Owen stole a snack from Noah’s bag and swallowed it in one bite.
“Stop it, Izzy!” Noah demanded, his voice wobbly from being shaken. Once Noah was on his feet, he stumbled to his bag, grabbed the map, and slung the bag over his shoulder. Noah examined the map and began to lead the way. They took their usual arrangement, with Alejandro on the farthest side of the team and Noah as the barrier. Alejandro didn’t mind; he enjoyed conversing with Noah even if his responses were short.
They walked along the dirt road until the dense trees surrounding them gave way to a lively creek. The smell of water hung in the air, and the sound of a river crashing into the rock below was present. Noah led them into a ‘shortcut’ through the woods, the trees not nearly as close together as the ones before. Even the rays of sunlight managed to pass through the clouds above. They walked on rocky terrain. Plants pushed through the cracks in the ground. There was the sound of birds in the sky, migrating to a warmer place. Through the mix of orange and green leaves, they uncovered the stream’s resting spot. A decently sized lake with a house on the beach.
Owen gasped, “A beach! We could have a beach party!”
Noah frowned, “We need to keep walking, Owen.”
“But just imagine it!” Owen spread out his arms over the land, “We could swim, start up a nice barbecue-”
Alejandro butted in between the two close friends, “That’s a wonderful idea, Owen.” He needed to win them over and prove to Noah that he could handle his friends just fine.
Owen smiled, rubbing the back of his neck, somewhat flustered. Noah tugged Alejandro closer, “What are you doing? Aren’t you always complaining about our detours?”
Alejandro nodded, “I am. But we have been traveling for some time now, and I think a nice scrub down would do us some good.”
Noah’s annoyed expression faded away, thinking over the suggestion, which gave Izzy enough time to start sniffing everyone. Annoyed by her behavior. Eva grabbed Izzy by the waist and threw her into the lake.
Noah looked at the scene in surprise before he sighed, “Okay, fine. Lake party. But everyone, be quiet, and don’t ruin your clothes. Strip down.”
Izzy popped up from the water, her ginger hair covering her face. She giggled, responding to Noah, “ Whoa there, Noah. Calm down.”
Noah glared at her, “Didn’t mean it like that! You’ll get a cold walking in wet clothes, or worse… I’m going to check the house, see if I can find anything useful. Don’t die.”
The team nodded as Noah left. Eva and Owen strip down to their undergarments before jumping into the chilly water. Alejandro stumbled close behind Noah, a few steps in, and Noah turned around, “I don’t need your help, go have fun.”
Alejandro pouted, “I don’t want to risk what happened last night…”
“Look, thanks for that. But sometimes, I like being alone. And I have my gun on me, I’ll be fine.”
Alejandro stared at Noah for a while, hesitating to leave. Noah continued to speak, “You don’t want to hang out with them, do you?”
Alejandro nodded, somewhat ashamed of how easy he is to read, “I mean no offense, but-”
“Go,” Noah interrupted, “I know you don’t like them, but I'm sure you’d rather make it home than have me decorate the ground with your brains, right?”
Alejandro grumbled under his breath, but obliged. He walked back to the others. They splashed around in the water; Owen and Izzy’s skin is already red from the cold. Alejandro sat on the sand near enough to the water that it lapped against his boots.
He stared at his deformed leg, still unsure how it had broken. The flesh that surrounded the wound was now a mixture of unsaturated purples and reds. He could see the shrunken muscles inside, all shriveled and blackened from the cold. His fingertips grazed against his clammy skin, exploring the crevices that would have been gushing out blood if he were human. Then he started looking down at his hands, there was dirt and dried up blood caked underneath his nails, his skin either too large or too small for his bones, sagging in some parts, way too tight in others. The skin transitioned from a deathly grey to black at the fingertips. He had been postponing his beauty routine for a while.
He’s interrupted from his thoughts as a large wave splashes over him. He parted his hair to see the cause, scowling when he saw the oaf washing up next to him.
Owen chuckled, “Oops, sorry about that, Al.”
“It’s Alejandro.”
“Right, Al-Alejandro. Why aren’t you joining us? The water’s cold, but it feels great!”
“I do not think it would be a good idea to join.”
“Come on, Iz and me like you! I’m sure Eva will come around soon.”
“It’s not only that… I’m a zombie, I’m sure whatever has made their home in my body will contaminate the water.”
Owen frowned, “Oh…” The big guy thought over something before standing up, “I got it! I’ll bring the water to you!”
Before Alejandro could protest, he was splashed in the face with more water. However, it did feel nice to get a wash; he didn’t even want to think about how long it had been since his last shower. Alejandro grimaced, “Thanks, Owen…”
The big guy plopped himself next to Alejandro, shivering heavily, “No problem.” Through his chattering teeth, Owen continued, “So~ you and Noah were alone in the forest together. You have any fun?”
If blood was flowing through his body, he was sure his cheeks would’ve flushed up, “No! It’s not like that. I killed a zombie, we talked, found firewood, and came back. I assure you nothing bad happened, at least, nothing I can’t handle.”
Owen smirked, “Uh-huh.”
Alejandro scoffed, “Why would you believe anything else occurred? Have you forgotten my kind eats yours?”
Owen looked off to the side, “No… But you’re different. You haven’t tried anything, and you even hang out with us! I know Eva and Noah don’t fully trust you, but I do.” He looked back at Alejandro with sincerity in his eyes, “I hope we can be friends.”
Alejandro masked his surprise; he knew the oaf was far too trusting, but now it had to be a ploy. How could someone want to be friends with a zombie? Sure, he was Alejandro Burromuerto! But he also craved human flesh. He was a danger to the human species; his kind was responsible for the lives that were lost. The reason behind Noah’s family’s death.
Owen shuffled awkwardly next to Alejandro, looking off into the distance, “But, y’know… We don’t have to be.”
Alejandro sighed, “No, it’s alright. We can be friends.”
The big guy smiled, “That’s great! I may not find my old friends, but I’m glad I can make new ones.” Owen stood up, the sand sticking onto him, “I’ll be in the water, you can join us if you want.” He ran, splashing into the water and creating a massive wave from the impact, splashing Alejandro again.
Alejandro wrung out the water from his hair, disgusted by how it turned the water murky. After twisting as much water as he could from his clothes and hair, he lay down on the sand. He felt the grains of sand sticking onto every wet surface it could find on his claggy skin. He looked up at the grey sky, relishing in the warmth the occasional sun ray would give him. Then he looked at the house in the distance, the one Noah had disappeared into. He hoped Noah was doing okay, but he was an excellent shot, so maybe he shouldn’t worry too much. He closed his eyes, watching the blobs of light and darkness move against his eyelids. It was pleasant, the sound of the water splashing, the occasional chirping of birds, the rare warmth. After a while, he heard the crunch of sand. He opened his eyes and saw Eva, wrapped in a blanket, sitting at a distance from Alejandro, glaring at him.
“If you are here to ask about Noah and I, I assure you I did not harm him,” Alejandro reassured.
Gruffly, Eva responded, “Yeah, I heard. Killed a zombie. But you could have set it up to make yourself look better.”
“I did no such thing. I did not plan for Noah to follow me. I didn’t hear him until he started calling out your name. You didn’t do anything to help; you stayed behind, laughing with those- your friends. While I saved him from being eaten!” Alejandro retorted. Eva huffed, turning her head away from him. Alejandro continued, “If I wanted to make myself look better, why would I save him with no one else watching?”
“So that he likes you more than us!”
Alejandro sat up, presenting his hands in surrender when Eva readied herself to fight. “That is somewhat true. I do want my savior to like me, and perhaps my old ways are surfacing. But I’m trying to enjoy the rest of you. I’ve already abstained from human flesh, what more do you want?”
“You could help us out! We kill the meals you eat; you could start fighting or scavenging. Do something!”
Alejandro huffed, “...I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Don’t keep it in mind, do it!” She demanded.
Alejandro knew he had to stop being petty and do something. He remembered that he wasn’t like this ever. Maybe in his head, but he never let those thoughts surface. The thing was, now he was dead; he didn’t feel like he should be keeping up that mask. His family was far gone, and any ‘friends’ he had are likely dead. So it felt like he had no one left to impress, no reputation in ruin, because this was how they had met him. He was only a flesh-eating monster. They had no further expectations of him.
Yet, Owen seemed to like him and saw him beyond being a zombie. Even with Izzy’s strange ways, he understood she cared in some convoluted way. Noah and Eva were harder to read. The idea of enjoying each other's company swirled in his head; he should make some effort to continue that plan. Alejandro finally responded, “I will help out more.”
Eva nodded, “Good.”
It went silent between the two, a somewhat comfortable tranquility as Izzy and Owen roughhoused in the water. Alejandro closed his eyes, resting his head on his arms. When he listened closely, he could hear Eva’s breathing, her heart, and the slight chatter of her teeth. Just a small reminder of the blood pumping through her, the blood he became accustomed to eating.
He opened his eyes, unwilling to partake in those thoughts. He had just gained some trust from the team, and now his zombie side wanted to act up? It was awful. Alejandro sat there for a long while; the others were already back in their usual gear, a fire was made, and they all gathered around it. The warmth felt nice, and the company was… Okay. He added a few comments here and there, trying to reach out as much as they do. But he never fully let loose. The fire flickered about, parting from its source as ash, then succumbing to the earth.
The sound of heavy boots against sand came from his left, and there was Noah, who was out of breath. Noah raised his arm, holding a technical piece, “Look, what I found! A power supply circuit!”
Owen smiled, “That’s great! …What’s that for?”
Noah plopped himself down on the sand, “For the transmitter. So we can communicate with others.”
Noah got a couple of ‘Woos’ and other praises, and a far too strong pat on the back by Eva, which was followed by a string of apologies.
The night lasted for a while, the fire not yet extinguished. It grew dark enough that Eva, Izzy, and Owen huddled together and slept. Noah was still awake, connecting the circuit in the radio transmitter. Alejandro watched from a distance, enamored by how focused Noah was. Then Noah spoke, “So, how was it today? You get along with the other kids?”
Alejandro scoffed, hiding a chuckle, “I did actually. It went extremely well.”
“Anything is as long as your head isn’t caved in.”
“True… How did searching the house go?”
“Nothing too interesting. There was a dead person in the bed, and it smelled awful.”
“Right, nothing interesting then…” Alejandro’s gaze lowered to himself, swiping over his broken leg, “I no longer want to kill your friends. …As badly as before.”
Noah paused his movements, looking up at Alejandro, “Uh, yeah. You should’ve felt that way since the beginning. But, good for you.” He said in a monotone voice.
“I thought you’d appreciate that outcome; that is why you made me stay with them.”
“Yeah, but it was also ‘cause you were starting to annoy me. Talking about how I’m your savior and whatever.”
“Because you are.”
“I’m not, I didn’t know who you were, I don’t know how I woke you up, and I didn’t mean to. It was all a coincidence, and I need you to understand that. You can’t treat me like a god when I haven't done anything to warrant it. It gets weird fast.”
Alejandro didn’t respond. He had grown too attached, he understood that. It was the feeling of being saved that caused this obsession to fester within. He craved it so much, yet didn’t know why. Somewhere deep inside him, long ago, it felt like he was hanging on the edge, and he reached out to someone he knew, and they failed to carry him out. And at his lowest, Noah woke him up. A complete stranger, who wasn’t aware of their accomplishment. Maybe that’s why he kept calling Noah his savior. But he had to realize that wasn’t the case; it was purely a coincidence, just as Noah said.
Alejandro sighed, “My apologies, I’ll refrain from now.” Alejandro’s hand rested on his broken leg, exploring his bone shape. Noah looked satisfied with his answer, but then started crawling closer. Alejandro’s gaze examined Noah, who now sat next to him.
“Give me your leg,” Noah instructed. From seeing Alejandro’s confused face, he elaborated, “Let me try to fix it.”
“What about your transmitter?” Alejandro asked.
“I finished it while you were stuck in your head,” Noah beckoned Alejandro closer with his hand. The dead man obliged and extended his broken leg. Noah grabbed two nearby branches and some cloth from his bag. He positioned the two branches on either side of his calf, extending over his knee and just below his ankle. Alejandro’s gaze did not leave Noah’s hands on his leg. Noah then wrapped everything together with the cloth, tightening it to prevent unwanted movement. Noah sat back, “There, a splint. Go find yourself a stick big enough to use as a cane.”
Alejandro smiled at Noah’s handiwork, “I appreciate your help, amigo.”
Noah hummed in acknowledgement before lying down on the sand, using his bag as his pillow. “Are you going to keep watching me, or are you gonna sleep?”
“Ah, right,” Alejandro lay down, a few feet away from Noah, “Good night, Noah.”
“Yeah, good night…”
Alejandro closed his eyes, but didn’t sleep. He listened to the serene noises of the lake. The water splashed against the shore, crickets chirped, birds flew above, and the wind flowed through the trees. But he focused on one sound, Noah’s heartbeat, trying to ignore the helicopter blades above.
Noah had gotten the team back on track. It took a week of going through many shortcuts and unsafe terrain, but they were finally at the distance they were meant to be at. They were back on the road and were quietly passing a suburban neighborhood. The place was packed with zombies in each corner, but Noah had noticed that Alejandro had started to take a lead in killing the undead.
Alejandro would chomp off the heads of the zombies with a swiftness that not even his gun had. However, it wasn’t any prettier than a zombie’s head being blown up. However, he was just glad Alejandro was finally doing something. The splint seemed to speed him up a bit; Alejandro didn’t have to hop or drag his leg behind him anymore. He could now set some weight upon it with the help of a large branch acting as a cane.
Though Noah only noted it because it meant less work for himself.
They roamed through the neighborhood, stopping occasionally to rummage through abandoned cars. A reminder of the old world, of those who could not ride through the hordes of zombies and ran instead, leaving their belongings for refugees to find. Most of the time, the tech was unusable, fried, or water-damaged. The food had long expired, so all that was left was trash.
While digging through a relatively nice-looking car, Noah spotted Alejandro willingly conversing with Owen. They both seemed happy, though Owen much more than Alejandro. Yet the dead man still engaged with Owen. He mentioned that his family had plenty of nice-looking cars at their home, and that choosing a car was like selecting an outfit for the day. Noah knew he was rich, but damn, that was a different type of rich.
They continued their walk on the road, and pine trees lined the streets as houses dwindled. The lush grass became shorter as the season turned to late fall. Rouge animals crossed the streets without fear of being hit. The team began walking along a highway that was overgrown with shrubs. Fences line the highway, blocking access to the river on their right and the large rocks to their left. This meant plenty of blind spots and hiding places for the dead to attack. Noah kept a close eye on his surroundings.
As he did so, he saw that Izzy had replaced his usual spot in their formation. Compared to the days before, Alejandro was always on the far side, and Noah next to him; then, however, the rest positioned themselves. But here was Izzy eating berries she shouldn’t be, and handing those berries to Alejandro.
Noah lowered the map and questioned Izzy, “What are you snacking on, Iz?”
“Nothing,” She said, though considering how swollen the lower part of her face was, it came out sounding like ‘Nafing’.
Alejandro, who wasn’t affected by the berries, set his hand on his chest and looked apologetic. “If I had known they had such an effect, I would’ve never let her eat them.”
Noah raised an eyebrow, “Right…” He swatted the remaining berries out of Izzy’s hand, glancing back at Alejandro, who was frowning. “Wait, you were being genuine?”
“Of course, I was! Who do you take me for?” Alejandro crossed his arms, looking somewhat offended at Noah’s lack of trust.
Noah pulled Alejandro closer, whispering, “Someone who didn’t like my friends a while ago.”
“I thought you would like to know that I’m trying to get along with them.”
“...I am. It’s just unexpected.”
Noah returned to the middle of the formation and led the team. Izzy’s mouth unswelled after a while; he was glad that it wasn’t anything severe. Or maybe it was just Izzy’s strange durability. Noah would occasionally glance over at the two. They seemed content in each other’s company, one more than the other, but still. He didn’t realize that leaving Alejandro alone with his friends was actually gonna work. However, there could be underlying reasons for Alejandro’s behavior. The dead man could be playing nice because Noah told him to. He just hoped Alejandro would keep it up. If his friends were happy, then Noah was happy.
As they walked along the road, Noah couldn’t ignore his aching legs, yet he kept marching. Silently wishing he was back home in bed with his dog and a working TV or any kind of electronic, really. He was experiencing some major Kosmic Kaos withdrawal. Once again, fly high, Cinderhella243. May the day come when they battle together once more.
From how distracted he was by reminiscing and the what-ifs, Eva had to pull him back, yelling, “Look where you’re going! There are zombies up ahead!” And, of course, she was right. In front of him was a horde of zombies. The undead bumped into each other aimlessly before all simultaneously turning their heads to look at them. They groaned and moaned, trudging their way closer.
Noah grumbled under his breath, “God dammit…” He pulled out his handgun as Izzy and Eva readied their fists, and Alejandro readied himself, too. Noah took a glance behind him, looking at Owen, “Stay back, okay?”
Owen gave Noah a thumbs-up before stepping away from the horde.
Noah began shooting the heads of zombies clean off. Their brains splatter to the ground before their bodies collapse underneath them. Death occurred so fast that the zombies would have no idea that they were dying before life was drained out of them, which was sort of upsetting to Noah in a disturbed way. Maybe he shouldn’t feel so upset over not seeing his victims- the zombies squirm around in pain. That is, if they could feel pain, begin with.
Eva and Izzy hurried into the crowd of the stumbling undead. They parted ways, each claiming their own side. They ripped off bony arms, shrunken yet saggy like an old person’s body. The ends of those arms, which hold nails you could compare to talons, are simply thrown to the side. The zombies lunged at the girls, only to find themselves reduced to stumps with no limbs to move around freely. Jaws were curbstomped off or ripped barehanded, reduced to shards and mush. With the only moving part of them being their eyes, the zombies could only watch as either Eva or Izzy crushed their skulls.
Alejandro followed close behind the girls. He captured any zombies who got too close to the girls. And either through superhuman strength or the lack of durability in the zombies, Alejandro managed to lift the zombies. With a hand on its neck and a hand on its calf, he pulled. The tissue and the bones pulled away, ripping inch by inch. The remaining liquid within the zombie spilled across the floor and onto Alejandro’s figure. Then its spine gave under Alejandro’s strength. The dead man threw all his victims off to the side of the road. The mangled zombies squirmed in fake pain with no way to escape for Alejandro to eat later.
Noah shook his head, attempting to focus on what he was doing. Being a distracted shooter isn’t a good thing. He didn’t want to disinfect a bullet wound or bury a friend. A blown-up head after another, it was repetitive work, and disgusting, but a job that needed to be done. Noah always imagined putting his video game skills to use in the real world, but he didn’t know this was how he would showcase them. A TV show would’ve been better and preferred. Noah continued to shoot, but when he pulled the trigger, nothing but steam came out. Noah had run out of ammo. It was nothing surprising; a handgun can only hold so much. So, he swung his bag off his back to look inside and dug through all the random crap his friends put in to bring back home.
Then a scream rang out behind Noah. He looked back and saw Owen fending himself from a zombie with a pathetically small stick. Instinctively, Noah brought up his gun, but of course, nothing came out. He threw his arm down in anger and began rummaging through his bag some more. Cursing under his breath, he wondered why they never taught Owen how to fight.
Owen yelled out, “Oh, crap! Guys?” Multiple zombies now surrounded Owen, looking at him as if he were the greatest feast in the world. And perhaps he was, considering all the meat on his bones.
Noah had dumped all the items in the bag at this point, wishing he’d taken some kind of fighting class when he was younger. Maybe then he wouldn’t have to rely on long-range weapons. Then a loud whack rang out as a large stick was thrown at the zombies. They fell to the ground due to the force of it.
Owen was safe.
Alejandro arrived at the scene quickly and checked over Owen’s health. Owen simply smiled at Alejandro’s courageous act, “Thanks, Al- I mean, Alejandro. You’re a real lifesaver!”
Alejandro smiled back, “Of course. But, you may want to look away for now, amigo.”
Once Owen obeyed, Alejandro ripped the heads off the zombies and bit through their skulls with zero effort. Noah watched as the dead man savored the taste on his tongue, watched as Alejandro licked up the remaining brain tissue off his fingers. It was oddly attractive? Noah chalked up the feeling to being glad Alejandro had saved his best friend and maybe the lack of other social interaction, especially from guys who looked like Alejandro.
Izzy and Eva finished killing the original horde of zombies and were talking amongst themselves. Owen returned to Noah’s side with a wide smile, “Did you see that, Noah? Alejandro saved me! If you told my past self that a zombie would be saving me from other zombies, I would’ve thought you were lying!” Owen chuckled as he helped Noah put the items back in his bag.
Noah smiled back, “I’m glad you’re still alive. I can’t believe Alejandro saved you.” Eventually, Noah found the box of ammo, but he was upset he hadn’t seen the box sooner. But he was glad Owen was safe and happy about getting a new, real friend.
He swung his bag over his shoulder, and they resumed their walk. They stepped over the remains of zombie meat. Alejandro grabbed the food he had left over. And as Noah watched Alejandro eat the squirming zombies who moaned and groaned under his grasp, he didn’t cringe. He was getting too used to the man’s behavior. Just imagine what it’ll be like when they reform into a new society; his brain is definitely messed up.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Eva keep pace with him. She spoke, “Y’know, bringing along that zombie was a gamble. But… I think it was a good one.”
Noah faced her and smirked, “Really? You’re not butthurt about it anymore? Thought you’d keep a grudge for life.”
“I’m being serious. I’m not mad at you anymore.”
“Oh…” Noah’s smirk fell, thinking over the news, “That’s good.”
Eva raised an eyebrow, “Thought you’d be happier about it.”
“Yeah. I am happy. But, I’m still processing Owen almost dying…”
“Right. I didn’t get there in time, I should’ve.” Eva hung her head in shame.
“No, it’s alright, Alejandro saved him. It doesn’t matter who did it, I’m just glad he’s alive.”
“Yeah, it’s managing fine. No freak accidents, and it’s even started to help.”
“It? Eva, Alejandro’s a he. I know he’s a zombie, but he’s proven himself human enough. He’s even taken the chance to get to know you guys,” he dropped his serious tone, trying to bring the mood up. There was no reason to be so defensive over the guy. “And you’re all a handful. I’m surprised he hasn’t killed himself out of annoyance.”
“That’s Izzy and Owen! Don’t bunch me in with them!”
“Nah, you’re totally crazy… It’s just the kind of people I attract; nothing’s wrong with it. I’m actually starting to like Alejandro.”
Her eyes widened, furrowing her brows in bewilderment, “What? I mean, to each their own. But a zombie?”
“In a friendly way! I’m not like Izzy, trying to get with krackens and kaijus.” Noah gazed at Alejandro, a small smile forming on his lips. “But he’s pretty cool now.”
A day had passed since the initial scare of Owen’s death, which was avoided due to Alejandro heroically saving the day. He had noticed his two stubborn teammates, Noah and Eva, had started to resent him less. Alejandro felt proud of himself, yet that pride diminished when he began to question why he saved Owen.
He hadn’t fully gotten over how disgusting that individual is, but Alejandro still tried to be friendly anyway. Owen was overly sweet, far too kind for his own good. It was hard to decline his friendship request when it was so sincere, so real. Yet the question was, had he saved Owen to make himself look better? Was he playing the long game, gaining his teammates' trust only to break it by eating them once he was done with them?
Sure, it was a frequent fantasy to kill Noah’s teammates and then convert Noah into a zombie so they could roam around the land forever together. But he got over that weird savior thing!
Didn’t he?
He understood Noah didn’t mean to save him. Yet those feelings for Noah continued. Perhaps forced proximity played a role? Was two and a half weeks long enough to feel this deeply for another?
No.
Not deeply.
It was just friendship. A real one.
He simply wasn’t used to the feeling. All his relationships from the past were fake, at least, the ones he could remember. There was nothing wrong with being proud of saving another’s life. He didn’t do it to make himself look good. And he felt a normal amount of feelings for their leader. And if there was anything strange about it, he could blame it on being woken up by Noah. But honestly, who wouldn’t feel a little something for the one who saved him?
That mocking voice in his head laughed at him, and he couldn’t help but feel inferior.
Alejandro pushed his thoughts aside and focused on the present. He looked over to his right. Noah walked beside him, his dark chocolatey eyes concentrated on the map in his delicate hands. How did Noah keep his hands so soft and his nails unchipped during the apocalypse? Alejandro glanced at Noah's shoulder-length hair, which bounced with each step. He looked down at the way Noah’s lips were slightly pursed from how focused he was. His mind drifted to small and sweet fantasies…
…Alejandro decided to focus on something else.
The team was still walking on the same road as last night. The river ran along their right, and the left was still a dense forest. However, there was no point in traveling through the woods, for that would mean climbing onto its raised and rocky platform. Also, he was sure there were no houses nearby, and with past experiences…
He didn’t want Noah traveling through thick woods anymore.
Alejandro’s thoughts were then interrupted by Noah’s voice saying, “Fine. We’ll take a break.”
The dead man turned around to look at Noah in confusion. He then spotted Owen, who pumped his fist into the air in excitement. That man always wanted to take a break. Lately, Alejandro’s been okay with it. It meant more time with N- the team.
They sat on the asphalt road, and the portable burner was set up to cook a few cans of food. Alejandro didn’t pay much attention to it, not needing to eat human food anymore. But he did pay attention to the cook. Noah once again cooked for the others and not himself. Alejandro understood they couldn’t eat all the time now that food was rare, but he was sure Noah could indulge some more. And if they're so worried about running out of food, they could make Owen skip a few meals; it wouldn’t do him much harm.
He watched the team talk amongst themselves. Until he got nudged in the arm, he turned to his right and saw Owen.
Owen had a smile resting on his face, and snacks in his hand as usual, “I know I already said this, but thanks for saving me. I thought I was gonna die.”
Alejandro smiled back, “Of course, amigo. I would never let harm approach you. At least, nowadays I won’t.”
Owen chuckled, then thought over Alejandro’s words, “Wait, only nowadays? What about before?”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t mean anything by it,” said Alejandro, who waved his hand dismissively.
“Oh, okay. So…” Owen hesitated, taking a few bites of trail mix. With food still in his mouth, he spoke, “I think Noah likes you.”
Alejandro leaned closer to Owen, his smile widening, “He likes me?” He quickly noticed how excited he got by the statement; embarrassment washed over him. Alejandro cleared his throat before restating his question with his usual suave nature, “So, you believe he likes me?”
“Definitely. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. Especially when you’re flexing those muscles,” Owen raised his eyebrows suggestively.
Alejandro was sure that if he weren’t dead, blood would’ve rushed to his face. The compliment felt nice, especially nowadays with his rotting figure and the lack of people who saw his worth. He spoke slowly, maintaining his composure, “I see… I’m flattered, but I don’t understand why you’re telling me this.”
“Don’t you like Noah, too?” Owen questioned, “Izzy and I have seen you staring at him a lot. It’s not because you want to eat him, right?”
“I would never!” reassured Alejandro.
“That’s great! So, do you like Noah back?” Owen leaned in closer, and a cheesy smile spread across his face.
“I enjoy his company, yes. I do believe we have become great friends.”
Owen slightly frowned, “Well, okay… Then I’ll make you the bestest of ‘friends’” Owen wiggled his eyebrows, shooting his finger guns before running off towards Izzy.
It was clear that it was not Owen’s intent. Alejandro simply rolled his eyes and went back to relaxing. Owen and Izzy whispered to each other, making it very clear that they were. Luckily, Noah and Eva didn’t pay any attention to it.
So, Owen was trying to match-make Noah and him…
At least, that’s what it looks like. Alejandro didn’t know what to think about it. Sure, he liked Noah. Maybe a little more than normal. But it was only friendship. What would his family think if he fell for a man? Alejandro let that thought drift away. There was no point in thinking about his family when they were nowhere to be found. He had to focus on the task at hand. He had to make it home and find out how he died.
Owen eventually returned to his side, along with Izzy.
Alejandro raised an eyebrow at their mischievous expressions, “If this is about Noah, you can leave me out of it. We are friends, no more than your own relationships with him. So, as much as I adore Noah for saving me, those feelings are completely platonic.”
Izzy and Owen glanced at each other before they huddled together. Once again, whispering to each other. It irked Alejandro that they were talking about him right in front of him, but he let it slide. They didn’t mean any harm.
Izzy was the first to turn back to him with an interrogating look on her face, “So, how do you feel about Noah? Just in a general way.”
Owen spoke next, “Yeah, we’re not asking anything romantic right now. It’s a shovel talk. Y’know? To see how good a friend you are to Noah.”
The two nodded, urging Alejandro to speak. They were horrible at manipulation, but he’d entertain them. “How do I feel about Noah? Well, he is exceptionally skilled with a handgun. His skill in shooting zombies was what woke me from my clouded mindset. He is why I am sentient enough not attack you, why I no longer crave human flesh, and why I am on this journey. I owe everything to him. I wish to stay by his side for life. I’ve even thought about turning him into a zombie, so that we can roam around Earth together. Not even death would do us part.”
Once Alejandro said it out loud, it did sound weird. He shouldn’t think of a friend this way. And what did he even mean by ‘Not even death would do us part’ if his feelings were platonic?
…Mierda!
So, maybe the two idiots were right. Perhaps his feelings for Noah were leaning towards romance. The two were already smiling smugly at him, knowing they'd won. Alejandro frowned, narrowing his eyes, “Fine! I happen to like Noah more than normal. But that does not mean your idea of match-making will work.”
Izzy leaned in closer, “Oh yeah! And why is that?”
“I’m dead! I’m a zombie, the creatures that you rip apart for survival. How would he like that? My kind eats you.”
Izzy crossed her arms. Her tone is neutral, as if she were speaking facts, “So? Noah likes fantasy combat games; you’re definitely his type.”
A confused expression is washed over Alejandro’s features, “What kind of comparison is that? That is not how it works. Those computer games do not compare to real life. I am sure he would prefer someone with a beating heart. Someone who can lull him to sleep, to keep him warm.”
Owen butted in, “But your arms must be great to be held in!”
Izzy nodded, “Yeah! And you can do cooler stuff! Like when you ripped that zombie’s spine apart! That was badass! And so much more like… Uhh.”
Alejandro gestured at Izzy’s hesitation, “See! You can’t think of anything else about me.” Alejandro wasn’t the man he used to be. No, he was never the man he pretended to be. He has never been able to one-up my brother, so who says he will manage to do it while being dead?
Izzy waved her hand dismissively, “That doesn't matter. Noah wouldn’t have high standards… Okay, no. He would. But still!”
Owen butted in, “She means that you still fit those standards! Dead or not!”
Alejandro looked between the two, “Why are you so determined to keep this argument up?”
Owen responded, “Because you’re our friend. And I can see that you make Noah happy. And I know I may never see my other friends again, so if I can make the ones I have now happy, then I’m happy.”
Izzy nodded, “Plus, Noah needs a boyfriend. It’s probably why he’s so pissy all the time.”
Alejandro sighed, straining himself to reply nicely, “I… appreciate your help. But, that’s not how it works.”
The two of their spirits looked lost for a moment, and they looked at each other in hopes of coming up with a new plan. Then they smiled at each other in a way that made it seem like they were up to no good. Alejandro watched as Owen scooted closer to Noah and nudged him in the arm. Noah glanced at Owen, his eyebrow raised. Owen then blurted out, “Alejandro likes you.”
Alejandro’s jaw goes slack, bewildered at Owen’s matchmaking technique. He looked at Noah, checking to see his reaction. Noah’s face contorted in confusion, and he glanced at Alejandro, which made the dead man look away in embarrassment. Noah finally spoke, “Okay? I already knew he liked me. We’re friends.”
Owen clarified, “No, not in that way. He like-likes y-” Alejandro threw a small stick at Owen’s head, stopping the large man in his tracks. Owen rubbed his forehead, looking at Alejandro, who acted as if he weren’t the culprit.
Noah quickly glared at Alejandro before looking back at Owen, “In what way?” urged Noah.
Owen looked at Alejandro, then back to Noah, “Never mind. It’s nothing, little buddy.”
Though Noah looked at Owen with suspicion, he dropped the topic, “Okay then…”
Owen returned to Alejandro’s side, “What was that for?”
Alejandro questioned, “Why are you telling him that? Do you not know what subtly is? That is not how you flirt, nor how you match-make.”
“I was just trying to help…”
Alejandro clenched his fists, attempting to calm himself down, “And I’m grateful for your sincerity, but I do not like Noah in that way. At least, I shouldn’t. You both wouldn’t understand.”
Izzy frowned, crossing her arms, “We’re great at understanding.”
“It would be wrong of me to tell personal stories that Noah should tell you himself… But simply put, there’s no way he’d date a zombie.” Alejandro stood up, excusing himself from the team. The two wannabe matchmakers solemnly watched him leave. It was understandable why the two would think Noah and Alejandro would be possible; they weren't aware of Noah’s misfortune.
But Alejandro was.
Alejandro didn’t walk far. Once his teammates looked like small blobs, he stopped. He leaned against his makeshift cane, sighing. He doesn’t remember if he ever felt like this before. But some part of him wished he had, so then this confusion wouldn’t be so disorienting. It was a mixture of shame, insecurity, and longing. It was rather pathetic. He can’t help but think someone he knew would laugh at his misfortune. Yet, no face appeared in his memory. He rubbed his arm instinctively.
When he thought back, he remembered being adored. He didn’t know who surrounded him, but he knew he was popular. He was charming, every girl’s dream boy, and perhaps some boys as well.
But after dying and seeing himself as this decaying corpse, every good thing he thought about himself felt like a sham. His charisma felt ripped from him, and all the motivation he had to keep that facade up diminished. Alejandro was no longer the man he was before; he was far worse. He couldn’t pretend he was better for Noah, because he wasn’t. He’s proven that countless times.
Yet, Noah still allowed him on the team.
He should stop dwelling on his behavior. He’s done everything that he can, and it seems like Noah has seen his progress. The only thing stopping anything between them is that he is dead. Though Owen and Izzy won’t understand why and he’ll keep it that way.
There’s no chance that Noah, the man whose family got eaten alive by zombies, would date Alejandro.
For the past week, Noah had noticed Alejandro running off now and then. At this point, Noah lost count of how many times that zombie left, and Owen went to retrieve him. It wasn’t like Alejandro went very far; there’s only so much road he could travel with a broken leg. Another thing Noah noticed was how weird his friends have been. Sure, they’re always weird, but this was a new type of strange. It made Noah glad that Eva wasn’t upset at him anymore. They could relate to how sane they are together.
Perhaps the strange behavior they had was related to that random statement Owen made a while back. Alejandro liked him or something? It was probably a friendship thing; Noah learned not to assume. It was better to keep your hopes down than long for something that would never happen. From romance to goals to grades, it is best to keep your hopes in check so that when you ace it or not, you won’t be too disappointed.
So, Noah thought nothing of the statement.
Noah continued to lead his team along this seemingly endless road, the one they’ve been walking on for over a week. It felt like deja vu each time they woke up and walked across its path. At times, it felt like the trees were repeating, but that was likely the exhaustion getting to him.
On a positive note, Noah found a small shortcut through the woods up a mile ahead on the map. A trail that would cut their time not by much, but it was something. A change of scenery would be nice. Before he committed to taking that path, he made sure his gun was in his holster, readying himself for potential threats.
After a while, Noah spotted where the trees parted, revealing a gravel trail. His small shortcut to Alejandro’s house. He turned onto it, the gravel, beneath his steel-toed boots, being crushed with each step he took. His teammates followed close behind. Noah heard the familiar sound of stumbling next to him. He glanced to his left and saw Alejandro.
“Amigo, do you honestly believe this is a good idea? You are aware of what happened that one night.” Alejandro worryingly questioned.
Noah waved his hand dismissively, “It’ll be fine. The trees aren’t so close; I have my gun. And if we have to, we’ll take turns keeping watch.”
“I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“I said I'll be fine. I’m not completely helpless.” Despite Noah’s constant reassurance, Alejandro stayed right next to him like a lost pup. The dead man checked every angle and every blind spot.
Noah rolled his eyes at the random protectiveness, chuckling to himself. He supposed he couldn’t be upset over it. He did almost die that one time. And why would he say no to less work? Let Alejandro fight off the zombies as payback for the time he didn’t.
It was quiet like always. Trees surrounded them, plenty of them bare, yet a handful still carried a colorful blend of warm colored leaves. The sounds of the forest surrounded them, and the wind blew through the trees, dropping off orange and yellow leaves at their feet.
Izzy and Owen mindlessly talked behind him as Eva grumbled to herself. The sun was out, but didn’t provide much warmth. So Noah was freezing. It didn’t help that his friends seemed to care little about the weather while he felt like he was dying.
Noah kept his attention on the map, trying to ignore the cold. The occasional rodent would scurry about. They would climb and hide in the towering trees or a hole. Soil mixed with the rough texture of gravel beneath them and merged into a rich brown dirt, creating their path.
After a long walk, they stopped. A blanket of clouds covered the sky, blocking the sun’s rays from reaching the Earth. Although the world dimmed, it wasn’t too dark. Just dark enough that Noah’s heart raced faster, readying for a sneak attack. He glanced around, his surroundings playing tricks with him. Noah let out a soft sigh. There was no need to panic. He squinted to see through the darkness, trying to make out what was real and what was his imagination.
A cold, withered hand rested on his shoulder. Noah tensed up, then quickly realized it was just Alejandro. In a soft tone, Alejandro spoke, “Noah, I believe I see a place where we can rest.”
Noah turned to look where Alejandro was pointing. In the distance was a lookout tower, likely for wildfires. It seemed surprisingly well-maintained given that it had been out in the woods alone for over five months. He supposed they could rest for a while.
Noah looked down at his map, planning their next steps and calculating how long they could stay. Then he realized… Noah smiled at Alejandro, “That’s a lookout tower! One with bedding, food, and equipment! One that could have the pieces I needed for the transmitter!” Noah stuffed the map in his bag, gesturing for his friends to follow, “Come! We’re taking a break there!”
They walked to the lookout tower and climbed up the stairs. Once at the top, he and Owen were out of breath. They almost fell over in exhaustion before they opened the door.
Inside the tower were a bed in the corner, a small kitchen area, and countless survival supplies, especially for fires and electronics. Of course, when Noah tried turning the computer on, it didn’t light up. Even if it had lit up, there was no wi-fi, so it was useless for him to try. But he could use the components within the computer for his transmitter.
Noah settled himself on the bed with the computer and monitor, taking out his tools to open it up. Alejandro sat beside him, watching closely. Owen and Izzy were raiding the kitchen, finding canned food, and Eva packed new equipment and bedding.
He looked through the wiring inside, gutting the computer and monitor to find the pieces he needed. And there they were. A modulator circuit and an electronic oscillator circuit. Noah hadn’t felt this happy in a while. He presented the pieces to Alejandro, “Once I fix the transmitter, we’ll be able to talk to people.”
Alejandro smiled, yet his gaze rested on Noah, “I’m delighted to hear this! What will you do once we get in contact?”
“Well, hopefully, we’ll find a new society. Somewhere safe without zombies.”
Alejandro’s smile twitched, his gaze looked off to the side, “Without zombies… Of course.”
Noah raised an eyebrow at Alejandro, whose mood rapidly dimmed. Then, out of nowhere, Owen yelled out, “I have to use the bathroom, crazy bad!” He grabbed up Izzy and Eva, holding them under his arms. Then gave Alejandro a wink, and dashed through the door and down the stairs as the girls yelled at him.
Noah turned back to Alejandro, who wore an embarrassed expression. Noah questioned, “So, what was that about?”
Alejandro shrugged, “I do not know… Perhaps we should leave them alone.”
“Yeah…” said Noah in a suspicious tone.
They sat on the bed in silence, and awkwardness surrounded them. Why had Owen left like that? He never knew what was up with that man. But it might be related to Alejandro’s frequent absences and Owen bringing him back. Maybe it was even related to that strange statement Owen made.
‘Alejandro liked him…’ or something like that.
Did he really?
Noah looked over at Alejandro. The zombie’s face contorted with a somber expression. It was likely about the whole ‘no zombies’ thing. But that was what Noah wanted. He wanted to go to a place where he didn’t have to fight anymore. That meant a place with no zombies.
And it wasn’t like Alejandro was fully part of the undead. Sure, he definitely looked like one and ate like one. But, Alejandro managed to abstain from eating human flesh. He hasn’t once tried to hurt them, even when admitting to having thoughts about it. Proving thought isn’t always a precursor to action. So, if they entered a new society, maybe Alejandro would be able to live among humans.
But Alejandro should know this, and Noah wasn’t good at feelings. So, it shouldn’t matter if Noah didn’t speak up about it. Maybe the tension would leave?
…So it didn’t. It was evening, and the other three were running around outside like children. In comparison, Noah and Alejandro sat in the tower.
On a bed.
Alone.
To ignore the situation he was in, Noah busied himself with the radio transmitter. It was far more important than someone’s feelings. Yet, he couldn’t help himself from looking over at Alejandro and feeling guilty for not saying anything more. And then he’d scold himself for thinking weird things. But come on! For a zombie, Alejandro did look good. He couldn’t even imagine how the man looked when he was alive.
Alejandro turned back to look at him. Unfortunately, at the same time, Noah was staring. The zombie smirked, yet it had a somber feel to it. Alejandro broke the silence, “After I get my memories back, after this journey, what do you plan on doing?”
Noah was surprised by the random question, but answered, “After trying to contact someone, I think I'd like to go back to our base. Then take the longest nap ever with my dog.”
Alejandro smiled at the thought, “I see…” That smile fell, his tone much more serious, “Am I allowed to come with you?”
He tinkered with the transmitter in his hand, hesitating in his response. Noah was never good at serious conversations; he was far too arrogant back then, using sarcasm to avoid anything real. He likely still is now. He forced himself to look at Alejandro in the eyes and respond, “Yeah, of course…” Noah supposed he should bring up the new society thing, “And if we contact a new society, one without zombies, I’ll find a way to bring you along.”
Alejandro raised an eyebrow. He leaned in closer, “Even with the possibility I may eat you alive?”
Noah didn’t back down, letting Alejandro shorten the gap between them, “I trust you won’t. You’ve got some memories back, haven't you? You’re still human. Kind of.”
“Right…” Alejandro looked to the side, a contemplative look on his face. “However, I remember very little about my life, only the vague stuff.”
“At least you remember something, that’s good enough. What do you remember specifically?” questioned Noah.
“I remember that my name is Alejandro Burromuerto. I’m seventeen. I have a father, a mother, and two older brothers. But I can’t remember their names.”
“Knew some of that already.”
Alejandro rolled his eyes, but continued, “I was quite popular with everyone at school. The top of my class, actually.”
“Okay, now you’re just bragging.”
Alejandro chuckled, “and I was the team leader of the soccer team. But I guess I won’t be able to play any time soon…” Alejandro glanced down at his leg, his fingers grazing over it.
Noah’s snarky tone got replaced by a serious one as he watched the scene before him, “I’m sure we’ll find a way to get you a working leg. We’ll get back into a normal world soon, and we’ll bring you with us, no matter what.”
Alejandro shook his head, “I do not think they will allow a zombie anywhere near a new society. That is the whole point of a haven, is it not?”
Noah shrugged, “Maybe. But I’ll get Eva to beat up anyone who says otherwise. You’ve proven yourself as safe. I- Owen likes having you around. So zombie or not, I’m okay with it.”
Alejandro cocked an eyebrow, smirking, “Just Owen?”
“Izzy and Eva too… and me,” Noah confessed.
Alejandro resisted showing too much happiness on his face, “I’m glad to hear that. I thought- with what happened in the past and the zombies…”
“It’s fine. I mean, it’s not. But you know,” Noah sputtered out, “I’ve gotten used to the craziness surrounding me with those three… Having you around isn’t that weird.”
“I like being around you, too, Noah,” said Alejandro in an oddly sincere tone.
They sat in silence for a while, listening to the wind blowing through the trees and the distant playful yells of his friends. Noah didn’t know what came over him, but he brushed his hand against the bedsheets and closed the distance between his and Alejandro’s hands. He stopped once his pinky touched Alejandro’s, waiting for the other’s response. Alejandro chuckled before intertwining their pinkies.
They stayed like that for a while, blushing like schoolgirls as they savored each other’s company. It was a small gesture, and yet, it was everything to Noah.
Alejandro has been thinking over his time with Noah for the past week. They’ve gotten increasingly closer. Surprisingly, it seemed Owen’s idea of running away with the girls was actually working. He’s had plenty of time alone with the gunwielder and gotten to know so much more about him. Although it was a tad confusing. He didn’t fully understand what a ‘Cosmic cows’ was.
Alejandro didn’t remember being so excited for a date before. He went on them to appear nice. It was rude to reject a lady without giving them a taste, after all. He also enjoyed how flustered they were around him; it was sort of pathetic. But now he was the jittery one during the date. Well, a hang-out. It’s not officially a date.
Not now, at least.
He decided he should focus on the present, especially considering how weird this place was. For the majority of the past week, they walked through the woods. But now, they’re in a ghost town.
Abandoned houses were scattered throughout their surroundings. The smell of water lingered in the air. Uncracked, smooth roads were oddly quiet and lacked the undead. Yet, Alejandro’s mind couldn’t stop ringing. Everywhere he looked, the feeling of leaving his body would occur, like a ghost watching their own body moving. A kind of deja vu.
Everything here seemed familiar. From the diners to the corner stores nearby, Alejandro swore he’d been here before.
They walked through the ghost town, their nerves heightened by the eeriness of their surroundings. Noah walked in front of them and held the transmitter in the air. Now that it was fixed, Noah has been desperate to find a signal for the past few days. Alejandro didn’t mind the ‘setback’; he also started to think about what would happen if they managed to find a new society. He thought about the domestic life he could live with Noah and his friends. So, he followed behind Noah as the gunwielder presented the transmitter towards the sky.
After walking for a while, there was an agitated groan behind him. Alejandro turned to see the cause of the noise and spotted Izzy dragging her feet. She grumbled, “I’m tired! This is worse than the time I was hiding from the RCMP…” She approached Noah, wrapping her arms around his neck, “Let’s go to that sick arcade over there!”
Noah glared at her, “If you have energy to go to the arcade, then you aren’t that tired,” he peeled Izzy off himself. “Also, I don’t think the machines work.”
“But what if they did?” Before Noah could stop her, Izzy was already running towards the building. Owen followed close behind.
Alejandro chuckled, sending his condolences to Noah. “How about we entertain them this once? I’m sure we all want a break. Isn’t that right, Eva?”
The muscled woman huffed, but began walking towards the arcade. Alejandro smiled cheekily at Noah, who sighed in response. “Fine. It’s been a while since I went to one.”
As expected, none of the machines worked. But that didn’t stop Izzy and Owen from playing around. They drove the non-functioning driving machines, looking at black screens. Izzy is somehow winning the race. Later, they ran off to steal the prizes from the claw machines by crawling inside. Alejandro rolled his eyes at their shenanigans, excusing himself from the arcade floor.
Alejandro walked towards the front desk and searched for cash. However, they wouldn’t have any monetary value today. But it could be important if a society is found. As he searched, that strange out-of-body experience appeared again.
Suddenly, a new voice formed near him, a man’s voice that said, “Don’t worry, Mom and Dad won’t even know we’re gone.” Alejandro turned around, searching for the source of the voice. It felt too close, too real, and unlike the previous voices in his head.
His eyes landed on Eva. He asked, “Was someone speaking?”
Eva raised an eyebrow at him, looking at him like he was crazy. “No one was talking.”
His brows furrowed in confusion, “Are you sure? I swear I heard someone…” Alejandro looked around him once more before he brushed it off as nothing. Forgetting his original plan at the front desk, Alejandro sat down at one of the booths to watch the two hooligans play around.
Some part of him wished he could experience the same child wonder they still retained. Deep in his mind, it felt like he’d been here before, running around just as those two did when he was younger.
After Izzy and Owen drained their energy playing every single game, the team walked out to explore the town once more. Walking across the sidewalk, that feeling of deja vu appeared. He’d walked here through this town before. Blurry figures in his memories took shape, yet the face remained obscured.
It was a man who was older than him by a couple of years. They wore earthly tones and had straight hair, even though it was naturally wavy. Alejandro remembered he was close to this man. He looked up to the man, physically and emotionally. Even so, Alejandro couldn’t remember his name.
They continued on their walk along the road. Occasionally, they scavenged through trash and buildings. Izzy ran around the group, entertaining herself. Owen couldn’t keep up any longer and stayed behind with Noah, who was still trying to get a connection.
Then, suddenly, Izzy ran past Alejandro to jump into a lake, splashing the crew in its coldness. Noah and Eva grumbled, scolding Izzy simultaneously. The ginger did not listen, urging her friends to enter the lake alongside her. The coldness of the water didn’t bother Alejandro as much as his team, yet the action reminded him of something.
“The water isn’t that cold,” said the voice from before.
Alejandro looked around, yet saw no one there. Deep inside him, he trusted the voice. It was unlike the others. Their voice was sweet, comforting, and familial. But he knew it wasn’t real. He had to focus on the present.
Eva pulled Izzy out of the water, setting her down on the dirt. Izzy shook out the water, like a dog before jumping onto her feet. Noah rolled his eyes and walked away. The team followed behind. The sun was almost setting, and they had made little progress towards his living quarters. Occasionally, Alejandro saw Noah asking Izzy about the house’s whereabouts, yet the girl would only say if they were getting hotter or colder. It wasn’t like his house was marked on the map, but Alejandro knew they were close by. They’d get there sooner or later.
The neighborhood they were in was the safest place they could be. As he looked around, he could tell everyone who lived here had money to spend. There were few signs of an apocalypse even happening here, only evident by the overgrown foliage.
Speaking of overgrown foliage, the team passed by a soccer field. Alejandro stopped to examine the lonely field. The grass had grown tall enough that you could barely see the goalposts. He thought back to the times he played.
He was mesmerized by the tragic display on the soccer field. Memories of his time playing with someone dear to him flashed before his eyes. The fog that clouded his mind had been lifted. Alejandro couldn’t stop himself from speaking out of pure shock, “Carlos…”
Owen turned to look at him, a confused expression on his face. “What was that, Alejandro?” Then, the rest of the team looked back. Alejandro smiled as he could finally recall a family member’s name and the memories related to his elder brother.
“I have a brother named Carlos! He-He used to sneak out of the house and go here. He would take me with him at times,” Alejandro sputtered out in excitement. He turned towards the team, his eyes almost sparkling, “I know where I live!” He staggered past the team, leading the way to his house.
Noah ran up to Alejandro, a smirk on his lips. “Glad we don’t have to walk around aimlessly anymore. Happy that you’re almost home?”
Alejandro couldn’t stop the smile on his face, “Definitely. However, I enjoyed my time with you far more.”
Noah’s eyes widen at the sudden comment, “Yeah. Me too.”
They traversed the lands, and Alejandro used the memories of sneaking out with Carlos to guide the way. He remembered the roads they drove through at night, and the fences they’d hide against. It was silly to think about it, knowing Carlos was only exaggerating about needing to sneak around. Nevertheless, it was exhilarating as a child to think of how mischievous he was being.
Soon, the sun set, and they had to make camp. Eva broke down the door to one of the houses, allowing entry. It was a two-story house, it had a porch, and had large windows. A basic starter house for anyone who was upperclass. With how rich the past owners were, the mattresses left behind felt like clouds. That’s what Noah told him. Alejandro hadn’t lain down yet; he looked out the window into the night sky as his teammates readied themselves for sleep.
Alejandro remembered the late-night talks Carlos and he would have after playing a round of soccer in the dark. They were about nothing important, and Alejandro liked that. Carlos never had high expectations for Alejandro. He was content with the way his little brother was, but was happy to watch him improve otherwise.
Unfortunately, those nights passed, and he’d wake up in his parents' house. Another day to pretend to be the boy he wasn’t.
Then Carlos left.
Alejandro never knew where he had gone, wasn’t allowed to know where the family disgrace was sent. Still, Alejandro could hold onto the memories of Carlos and cherish him that way. He hoped his brother was alive somewhere, hoped he was doing better now that he wasn’t part of the Burromuerto name. If he were, then maybe Alejandro could see him again.
He wished to see his whole family, even if one last time.
He felt a tug at his belt hoop and looked down to see Noah pulling him closer. The gunwielder didn’t even have his eyes open. Sleep was in the process of lulling him in. “Come. Sleep,” Noah demanded tiredly.
Honestly, it was cute. Alejandro felt a dull sensation of butterflies in his stomach. He let a goofy smile spread across his lips and followed the demands of his savior. He lay next to Noah, lying his head against Noah’s. His eyes fluttered shut, and his breathing slowed down. And finally, the sound of a helicopter was dulled by the sound of Noah’s heartbeat.
The next day rolled by, and the team groggily got ready to walk even more. Alejandro wouldn’t be surprised if any of them came out of the journey with nice-looking calves. Considering the team had an entire luxurious house to themselves, they went to do some self-care.
Unfortunately, Alejandro could only watch as they wiped themselves down. Not needing to do much, considering he was dead, but he did hog the mirror to check on his hair. He made sure not to stare at his corpse for too long. He wondered how his teammates ever got used to looking at this sunken, gray face?
Later, everyone was looking as well as they could during the apocalypse. Now, freshly shaven and clean of dirt. They walked out of the house, and Alejandro led the way. The team walked through the neighborhood, through roads and shopping districts, until finally, in the distance, was Alejandro’s house. It was a three-story, modern house up on a hill with a gate to separate them from the ‘poorer’ folk. Alejandro calmed himself down; he shouldn’t get too excited yet. They continued their journey all the way until they were up to the gate.
His teammates ogled at the building while Alejandro pushed open the scratched-up gate. Owen exclaimed, “This is your house?! It’s so cool! Just think about all the house parties you could have!” Owen woo-hooed, running up the trail to his place. The rest of the team followed behind.
Up the driveway they went. Their way was lined with lush trees and shrubs that matched the ones around the house. Once on top of the hill, you could see the swimming pool with a balcony above for shade, and the large garage that held a catalog of expensive cars. They even had a helicopter pad, though the helicopter was nowhere to be found. There also seemed to be claw marks against the wall, leading up to the roof.
Alejandro opened the door, presenting the inside to his team, “Welcome to the Burromuerto household.” They walked inside, admiring his abode. The intricate details traveled up the walls and into the pillars, all relating to their family’s sigil, the bull.
The inside of his home was surprisingly organized after months of zero upkeep. Each artwork displayed on the wall wasn’t even a centimeter crooked. The vases and table decorations are in the same spot. No carpet has been lifted or shifted to the side. The major difference was that everything was dusty and dark. Which meant there were zero signs that someone had ransacked it. Alejandro enjoyed that fact, returning home to see everything he had cherished broken or stolen would’ve made their destination a lot less enjoyable.
Izzy yelled through the rooms, listening to her echo. Owen looked around in curiosity, though the look in his pupils as he eyed the paintings of food made Alejandro wary. Eva maneuvered around the priceless trinkets scattered about, looking like a bull in a china shop. Noah continued his journey without getting a connection, but it was clear he looked out of his usual element. Alejandro couldn’t help but feel prideful.
He clasped his hands together, talking to the group, “How about I give a quick tour? I’m sure that will help jog my memories while entertaining you, my guests.”
The team simultaneously agreed and followed behind Alejandro like baby ducks following their mother. They walked to the living room. It was larger than a typical middle-class living room. The space would’ve been filled with luscious plants in large pots, but the plants had died. So it lacked its usual luster. But it was still extravagant for the four behind him. Owen and Noah sat on the large couch in the middle of the room, sinking into its softness.
Noah sighed in relief, “I haven’t laid in a couch in forever… You think we can carry this one back home?”
Eva chuckled, sitting with the two boys and setting her feet up on the glass table in front. “Sure, we can take it home. But, you’re carrying it.”
Noah pouted, “Nevermind then…”
Izzy stuck her head in the fireplace, giggling. She then pulled her head back out, her hair and face covered in soot and cobwebs. Alejandro helped wipe the soot off Izzy as the three talked about stealing his family’s flat screen TV instead. He knew they’d be impressed by his living quarters. From one glance, you could tell his family was well off. It made him feel like he should start acting the part.
‘There was no reason to talk to the poor unless it was to gain their favor.’ A voice deep in his memory said. Luckily, it wasn’t Carlos. But he was sure it was someone he held dear to his heart, even when it felt like he shouldn't.
After a short while, Alejandro continued leading the team around his place. He showed off the kitchen, which lacked any food; perhaps someone had scavenged through his home. Or his family packed it all up when they left.
The kitchen, unlike the other rooms, always felt more homey. Less like a room you’d find in IKEA and more like a place you’d actually live in. He remembered running into the kitchen as a young child to find his mother at the stove, cooking.
He’d sit down on a stool and await his favorite meal to be pushed in front of him. A nagging voice next to him would tease him about being a ‘momma’s boy,’ but he was always too focused on the meal to listen.
But one day, he stopped eating it. He couldn’t handle the teasing any longer, the laughter as his stomach got poked at.
‘A Burromuerto male can not weigh down his family’s name, especially when it comes to looks, Al.’ The voice laughed at him. Alejandro decided to ignore it and pushed the group elsewhere.
He decided to show off the sillier rooms. The kind of rooms you’d have when you had money to spare. Such as the karaoke room. This was a nice place for parties. It was to create a welcoming atmosphere for potential clients and to keep up their reputation.
Alejandro actually prided himself on his singing, and most of his classmates longed to hear it. Then, he remembered the late nights when he’d have to clean up after their messes. Why couldn’t they have helped?
Alejandro watched Owen and Izzy try to turn on the microphone, but it didn’t work due to the lack of electricity. In the corner of his eye, Noah stole one of the microphones, pocketing it. Alejandro raised an eyebrow, smirking, “I didn’t take you for petty thievery, Noah.”
Noah playfully rolled his eyes, “We could use one of the microphones for the transmitter, so we can communicate better with the person on the other line. Have you remembered anything yet?”
“I have, but nothing related to my death. So we must keep moving!” Alejandro led the team out of the karaoke room and explored the countless other rooms in the house. Up the stairs they went, and now, they were at the entrance of his room. Maybe he’ll remember something.
He gently opened the door. His room was dark, the only light being from the sun shining through his window. It ccastits glow on his bed and desk. Alejandro walked in, wiping the dust off his desk.
A small model of an allosaurus stood on top of it, despite it not being his absolute favorite dinosaur. He appreciated it.
His fingers grazed against the hard-covered books set on his shelf before his gaze traveled to the rest of his room, which was messy. Clothes were thrown around, and his bed wasn’t done.
‘A Burrumeurto should always remain clean.’
He must’ve been in a rush to pack. But where to?
The rest of the group stayed outside his room, not playing around as they did in the previous ones. Noah suddenly asked, “Remember anything?
Now that he was in his room, he should be remembering something. Yet… “No, nothing,” Alejandro answered. Was this journey all for nothing?
No, he got plenty out of it. Even if they weren’t his memories, he still made friends. Real ones that liked him despite his flaws. And he was okay with that.
He turned around, letting his shoulders fall. His voice was calm, “How about we look at one more place?” The team looked at each other reluctantly before they followed Alejandro. They walked up the stairs to the highest part of the house, the roof. Alejandro opened the door leading to the top, “Here we go!”
The roof was like a second patio, a place where his family held ‘casual’ dinners with important people. Alejandro rarely joined the ‘fun’, using the excuse of studying to leave their prying eyes. But they were gone now, so he could freely look around.
But once he looked around, it was nothing like how it was before. The chairs were all strewed, along with the tables. Glass cups and plates were smashed. Furniture was ripped apart; he could even see bitemarks in the wood.
It was a mess, completely different than the rest of the house. Alejandro traversed through the mess, looking for an answer to why. He stepped onto the helicopter pad, looking down at the nauseating black and yellow. An ache in his leg shocked him, like someone’s nails digging in his skin, feeling up underneath his skin, lifting his flesh from muscle.
Then, a sudden, intense intrusion occurred in his mind, a memory once lost, long forgotten.
He blurted out the story of how it happened.
His death.
-The helicopter was hovering over the roof. Alejandro ran as fast as he could to the aircraft. He yelled out to his parents, pleading for them to wait for him. They didn’t look at him. José seemed to be the only person other than himself who was panicking. Alejandro ran up the steps of the helicopter, taking only one step up before he got yanked down by cold hands. Alejandro reached out and tightened his grip on the helicopter’s landing skid. He attempted to pull himself up as the undead tugged him down. “José!” he yelled out.
His brother reached out an arm, finally putting aside their rivalry to save him. Alejandro reached for his hand, their fingers grazing. Then a sharp pain shot through him, and warm crimson flowed down his calf. Alejandro heard his brother call out for him as he fell back down to the landing skid. It became increasingly difficult for him to pull himself to safety. He attempted once more as the pain traveled under his skin, like parasites worming their way through his veins; he felt it all. He reached out again, and José was only millimeters away. Then, through the groans from zombies and the blade of the helicopter spinning, Alejandro heard his father say, “Leave him. He’s been infected.”
José looked back at their father with an angered expression, “You can’t possibly mean that! We’ve got to help him.”
Through gritted teeth, their father spoke, “Leave him, José. And that’s final.”
Alejandro saw his brother look back at him before retracting his hand and leaving Alejandro to free-fall into the gang of zombies underneath. -
As he finished recalling his death, the entire room went silent. Everyone looked uncomfortable, yet empathetic. And if Alejandro could cry, he would’ve. He hadn’t expected his death to be so painful to remember. He could barely withstand the floodgates opening to all of his memories.
From the crib to the tomb, he hadn’t lived a fulfilling life. Every day was spent trying to one-up José and trying to prove his worth to his parents. But in the end, he failed.
Ultimately, it was bittersweet. Despite their disagreements and their rivalry, his brother did care for him. And in the end, his father did acknowledge his existence. Alejandro wasn’t sure if he was happy to get his memories back, but was glad he decided to go on this journey regardless.
Alejandro chuckled out of disbelief, “I don’t know what I expected. I had to be bitten to turn out this way. I knew my family left without me. I don’t know how I didn’t put two and two together…”
Noah’s hand rested on his shoulder, “I don’t think any of us would’ve guessed…”
Eva joined in, “Definitely. And no offense, your parents are assholes! How could they leave you like that? Their own son!”
Owen pulled him in closer, “Yeah! We would never leave you behind! So… I hope you’ll stay with us now that you got your memories back.”
Alejandro smiled at their words, forever so true to themselves. “Of course, I’ll stay. I do not know where I would be without all of your help.”
Izzy then spoke, “Uh, speaking of help. Noah, your box is making weird noises!”
Noah walked up to Izzy, looking ready to scold her for potentially breaking the transmitter. But then a voice crackled through the speaker, “Hello, is anyone there?”
Noah immediately grabbed the microphone from his pocket, connecting it to the transmitter. He brought it up to his mouth and spoke, “Yes! Someone’s here! Five survivors are here.”
The team looked at each other with hope in their eyes, quietly celebrating as Noah talked to the person on the other end. They’d found other humans!
As the conversation, Noah turned towards the group, retelling the information. “So, a helicopter is coming to get us here. Once they get us, we’ll return to our base and pack our stuff, grab my dog, and off we go to safety. So, let’s stay put and keep watch.”
All of them, except Alejandro and Noah, went back into the house to raid it. Alejandro didn’t mind too much; he had to grab the stuff from his room as well. The two sat next to each other, the wind flowing through their hair. Noah turned to Alejandro, “I can’t believe we contacted someone. It hadn’t done anything for so long, I thought I didn’t fix it properly.”
The dead man looked off into the distance, over the land which he called home. “Do you think my family will be there?”
“Did you want them to be there?” Noah questioned, “After what they did, I would hate them.”
Alejandro shrugged, “I suppose, but it is hard to hate my family. I do love them dearly, even after everything.”
“I guess. Maybe they will be there and Carlos too.”
Alejandro smiled, “Yes, I can only hope.” He turned toward Noah and grabbed onto Noah’s hands. He looked him directly in his chocolatey eyes, “Noah, I’m glad you are bringing me along.”
Noah looked down at their hands and back at Alejandro with a crooked smirk, “I said I was gonna, didn’t I?”
Alejandro leaned in closer, close enough that he could see the faint red on Noah’s cheeks. “I wish to stay with you for life, and perhaps, you’ll allow me to help you defy death so we can be together even after everyone succumbs to dust. You and I will remain, because not even death will do us part.”
Noah looked at Alejandro, completely bewildered. Nothing came out of his mouth for a moment before he managed to squeak out, “...I love you too?”
Alejandro smiled ear to ear at the confession, holding Noah’s hands closer to lay a kiss on them.
From behind them, their friends teasingly ‘oooh’ed at the scene. Noah jumped up and went to push them away, his face and ears flushed a dark red. The three giggled, walking down the stairs as Noah scolded them for being ‘creeps’.
Alejandro stayed behind, giggling to himself. What a lively bunch they all were. But he needed time to himself. He hadn’t fully processed his death because the transmitter suddenly spoke.
He didn’t know how the people saving them would react to a zombie. Would they experiment on him or kill him on sight?
He sighed; he knew neither would happen as long as his teammates were nearby. They wouldn’t allow it. He sat up, brushing any dust off his clothes before walking back into his house. Alejandro packed up some essentials from his room. Clothes, hair products, soap, photo books, and his dinosaur model for emotional support. It was he and his allosaurus vs the world.
It took a while, but the helicopter came. Alejandro froze at the sight of it, and the officers yelled out orders on the radio and his team. Noah gently grabbed onto his hand, “I won’t let you go.”
Alejandro untensed, “Thanks, Noah.” He brought up Noah’s hand, kissing it. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my death with you.” With that said, Alejandro and Noah walked towards the helicopter entrance.
The officers brought up their guns at the sight of Alejandro. Fortunately, Izzy and Eva disarmed them before they opened fire.
“The zombie is with us,” said Eva.
Izzy nodded, “Yup! Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.”
The officers looked at each other in confusion, but lowered their weapons. The team entered the helicopter, sitting down on the stiff seats. Noah leaned against him, resting his head on Alejandro’s shoulder.
They flew up, watching the land they treacherously walked through go by quickly. It was bittersweet, yet it created a new chapter in their lives.
The zombie looked down at his savior, a small smile creeping onto his lips. Alejandro whispered to Noah, knowing full well the guy was already asleep,
“I won’t ever forget you.”