Before Everything and After

Feeling like my head is going to explode, I take aim and shoot her in her right lung. I've missed her heart, but her collapsed lung will cause her to die soon anyway. I drop down next to her and let the tears pour down my face. "I'm so sorry, Marissa," I cry, cherishing her name on my tongue.

She gurgles, something that sounds like laughter. "Thank you, Nick," she whispers. I love her voice.

I remember what happened yesterday, when we had been really out of it. I can remember the conversation completely now. More tears pour down my cheeks. "Yesterday," I choke out, "I told you I love you. I didn't realize how true it really was until now."

Marissa tries to snort, but only succeeds in coughing up blood. "I know, I realized what you said before I went to sleep."

"I love you so much. I'm so fucking stupid for not acting on it sooner. We could've had years together." I sob, leaving behind my pride to just cry in front of the dying girl I loved.

She shakes her head weakly. "It's'okay," she slurs, more blood dribbling out of her beautiful mouth. "I told you… to kill me quickly… and painlessly…"

I search her dying eyes for hatred, but I only find dry humor and pain. "I'm sorry… I just can't bear to part from you."

She sighs softly, and I have to lean in closer to hear her. "You'll be with me soon, Nick…. I think I've had the virus since Saturday night… when that one girl kissed me… the one that was with Tyler too… and we kissed last night…. Nick, I'm so sorry for turning you into a zombie."

I watch with horror, piecing the puzzle of her words together. I was going to become a zombie. I begin to feel sicker and sicker, and I remember that this was one of the symptoms: flu-like shit. I shake my head. "No!" I choke on my own bile.

"I'm… sorry. I love you, Nick…. Goodbye," Marissa breathes out, then twitches to a calm.

I sit there for a few minutes, staring at her and trying to somehow stop myself from turning into a zombie. I contemplate trying to shoot myself, but moving sounds painful and slow. I lay out, sweating and feeling like I've suddenly caught the flu. I shiver from chills and rub my face a little. When I take my hand away, there's a little bit of skin from my face hanging on my nails. I smile and then I feel it. People. Food. Brains.

I jump up and move slowly up the ladder to the door. They're out there, and I'll get them. Through the racking pains taking over my body, I feel invincible. I feel weightless. I feel like I will take over the world. I feel emotionless, and it feels great.

I slowly head out of the basement, out of Tyler's house, and out into the woods, following my sudden great senses. I walk through the trees, and even though the twigs whip away some of my skin, I don't even care.

Because I'm going to get what I want. And what I really want right now is brains.