Desolate

“I don’t have time for this!” Zakk snapped as he pushed past Jordan and up the basement stairs.

“You’re ridiculous!” she shot back, slumping her shoulders and slamming herself on a stool next to Paige. Paige patted Jordan’s shoulder.

“He’ll eventually talk to you. It’ll all be ok eventually,” Paige said softly. Jordan sighed and stood up and walked past Charlie, who was wrapped up with Oliver. She suddenly hated and resented her at that moment. She’d fixed things in a matter of minutes and she just couldn’t. She didn’t even know what the problem was.

She flopped onto the couch and sighed again. Austin sat next to her casually and scooted next to her until his legs touched hers.

“Go away,” she grumbled, “you’re a terrible person and I don’t like you.”

“Come on Jordan, you have to see my logic,” he said softly, grabbing her hand. She moved her hand away and shook her head.

“Jordan, I hate to see you upset,” he murmured, stroking her arm. She moved her body away but felt too heavy to stand up. He scooted closer to her and rubbed her shoulders slowly.

“Hey! Do you want me to kick your ass again?!” Charlie snapped. Austin quickly stood up and ran up the stairs without a response.

“Why didn’t you do anything to stop him?” Charlie asked.

“I don’t know. I just didn’t,” she mumbled as she stood up. She made her way up the stairs and down the hall to where Zakk’s room was. She tapped on the open door with no response.

“Please talk to me,” she whimpered. He shifted his body slightly but didn’t say anything.

“Why won’t you talk to me anymore Zakk?” she said again. He sighed and looked at her.

“I doubt that Austin would make this a big mystery for you,” he grumbled.

“He was…very vague,” Jordan said softly.

“Oh, well that’s just too bad,” he said sarcastically. Jordan narrowed her eyes and rushed towards him, grabbing his collar and shaking him.

“Tell me what’s wrong!” she yelled. He swatted her hands away and glared at her.

“Why should I tell you anything?!” he demanded, standing up firmly, towering over her.

“That’s just it!” she exclaimed, “you used to tell me everything and now as soon as one guy comes in, you become a mute!”

“No! Not just one guy!” he snapped, “your fiancé!”

“I don’t care about him Zakk,” she said, softening her voice to almost a whisper, “and you shouldn’t either.”

“Jordan it’s not that simple and you know it.” he mumbled.

“No I really don’t Zakk. That’s why I’m asking you to explain it to me!” she sighed.

“Fine!” he yelled. Jordan stepped back at his suddenly intimidated voice. He took a few seconds to calm down and sighed heavily before he continued, “you wanna know what he said to me? He told me that you could just end up like my girlfriend and I should just stay away from you.”

“Zakk, why do you take anything he says seriously?” Jordan asked softly.

“Because Jordan…” he mumbled, “because I’m in love with you and if I really believe that, I need to make sure you don’t end up like…that. It was hard enough watching her head be blown off.”

“Zakk, I won’t let that happen,” she murmured, reaching out to grab his hand. He yanked his hand away and backed away from her.

“Just leave me alone Jordan. This will be good for both of us in the end,” he mumbled.

“I can’t believe you Zakk…” she said slowly. He didn’t say anything else but his silence was a good enough answer for her, “as far as I’m concerned, you’re no better than the jerk who made you believe that.”

She rushed out of the room and fought the urge to slam the door behind her. She rubbed her eyes and sighed. She opened her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair.

“Wow…” Charlie said softly.

“How long have you been listening?” Jordan inquired.

“I heard Zakk yelling and I came up here to make sure things didn’t get violent,” she answered with a shrug.

“I can take care of myself,” she said firmly.

“Yeah, I could tell by the way you forcefully pushed Austin out of the way when he cornered you in your room earlier,” Charlie retorted.

“Why are you talking like you know what you’re saying?!” Jordan snapped, throwing her hands in the air and pushing past her.

“Hey I’m trying to help you!” Charlie shot back, “I’ve tried helping him too but you both are just one big train wreck and you won’t accept the help you’re being given!”

“Maybe that means you should just mind your own business!” she yelled, throwing her fists in the air.

“Fine! Next time Austin puts the moves on you like he did, I just won’t help you since it’s none of my business!” Charlie screamed. They glared at each other for a few moments before Jordan slammed her bedroom door shut and listened to Charlie stomp down the hall and down the stairs. She threw herself onto her bed and screamed into her pillow as she curled herself into a little ball. She cried into her pillow and eventually dozed off on the tear soaked pillow.

She woke up to the sound of voices outside her door. She sat up and rubbed her head as she walked to her door and opened it. She saw Oliver talking to Zakk, who obviously wasn’t listening. But something didn’t seem right.

“What’s going on?” Jordan asked sleepily. Oliver and Zakk quickly turned to look at her and Zakk grabbed his backpack and made his way down the hall without answering her.

“Wait, where are you going?” she asked, suddenly awakened. He continued his silence as Jordan followed him down the stairs, repeating her question.

“I can’t stay here anymore Jordan,” he finally answered, “I can’t go day by day seeing you all the time. It’s just…messing with my head too much.”

He walked out the front door and ignored Jordan’s pleas and cries for him to stay. He turned back and stared at her, as if reconsidering his decision.

“Zakk!” she screamed, pointing over his shoulder. A zombie had seen him and began running towards him at a speed impossible to beat. Zakk couldn’t be saved even if he ran the fastest he could go.

Jordan was about to start running towards him when Oliver grabbed her arms and held her back.

“Let go of me!” she screamed, trying to wriggle out of his grip.

“There’s nothing you can do Jordan. You’ll both end up dead,” he mumbled calmly. Jordan fell to her knees and everything seemed to be in slow motion, like a bad car accident. Zakk fell to his knees just like her and seemed to accept his fate.

“Move,” a voice ordered, pushing past Oliver and running to Zakk’s aid. Jordan stared at him more carefully and realized it was Austin. She breathed heavily and watched him tackle the zombie to the ground. He laid flat on the ground and let the zombie tear his flesh apart, his blood gurgling in his mouth and spilling onto the sidewalk.

While the zombie was distracted, Jordan ripped herself away from Oliver to Zakk’s side. He was too stunned to stand up on his own. All he could do was look back at Jordan with his tear stained face. She helped him onto his feet and ran back into the house before the zombie could finish Austin off. She stopped as she handed Zakk off to Charlie and Oliver. She turned back and looked at Austin, who stared at her as his last bit of life was slowly draining out him. She smiled faintly before she turned and ran back into the house.

“Are you stupid or something?! What were you thinking?!” Charlie scolded as Oliver grabbed a gun and went outside to shoot the zombie, “you know you mean more to us than you think you do.”

Zakk looked into Jordan’s eyes and she just couldn’t find the right emotion to express her feelings towards him. She didn’t know what to think of him at the moment. She just stared blankly at him for a few more seconds before she finally spoke.

“Would it have been worth it…just to be away from me? To believe what Austin told you?” she asked softly. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. She sighed and began to walk away.

“Jordan…” he mumbled softly. She stopped and turned back at him.

“Now let’s see how it feels to be ignored,” she said. She turned back and ignored Zakk calling her name as she continued walking up the stairs. There was an uncomfortable silence and all you could hear was the sound of Oliver’s gun, the splattering of blood, and the shrill scream of a dying zombie.