The Infection
The Escape
"I'm surprised you survived."
I stated.
"Well Liza, that's not nice."
"Not what I meant, I just didn't put that much thought on you. I even forgot you had a kid."
"What? I meant that little to you?" A smirk played across his face.
"Two dates, is meant to leave a lasting impression?"
I thought back on the day I first met Chris.
We met at a restaurant in downtown Colorado a little place buried in a corner.
If you weren't looking you would drive right past it.
I was fifteen minutes late, I don't remember clearly but I know it had something to do with Mona.
He sat in a wooden bench watching his clock.
I walked up to him just as he pulled his gaze from the ticking time.
I was taken aback when I saw his eyes, so crystal clear, the intensity of his shade of blue hit me like a freight train.
I introduced myself and apologized for being late.
"It's absolutely fine, I'm Chris."
He rose and extended his hand.
The smell of his cologne lingered into the air.
"Well if I had known Tim would have actually set me up with a gorgeous lady, I'd have taken up on his offer sooner."
"Well, you're not too shabby yourself. Tim left out your precise punctuality."
"Can I let you in on a secret?"
"Sure."
"I only got here five minutes before you did."
I stared at him in shock.
"So you let me apologize for being late but you weren't even on time?"
"Hey, when a beautiful girl is in the middle of an apology I'm not gonna stop her."
I laughed.
"You're literally a walking pick up line, yeah?"
"Yes. Pretty much."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"My kid's baby sitter was running late and I had to watch the start of the Toy Story for the 100th time today."
"Oh yeah, Tim mentioned you had a kid. What's his name?"
"Jackson, Jack for short. He's seven now."
"Mine's has yet to get there, she's at what she calls the fabulous five's."
He chuckled.
"That's cute. Five was a little less fabulous for Jack."
His wife had passed away two years ago, car accident occurred on her way to work.
As I heard from Tim.
"So, yeah let's eat."
He grinned and opened the door.
I learned a lot about Chris that night, he was witty, smart, sarcastic, arrogant and slightly cocky.
But somehow all of these qualities made him kind of charming.
"Oh my, well aren't you a man of many talents."
I spoke with a sarcastic grin as he told me about a night that he picked up juggling.
"Hey, you don't know how tough juggling is until your kid asks you to pull a Jojo's circus act."
"Oh you don't know tough, until your daughter watches the gymnast at the Olympics and asks you to do floor excersies."
"Oh really floor excersies? Sounds exciting."
He raised an eyebrow as a sly grin came on to his lips.
"Not that kind of exercise, my friend."
"Ah, so we are friends now?"
"Acquaintances."
He grabbed his heart like he was in pain.
"Acquaintances, ouch, so this last hour and a half that we've spent meant nothing to you?"
I laughed.
"Of course, how else do you think we've become acquaintances?"
We continued in this banter for what seemed like hours on end.
"So Miss Westmore, would it be to impromnt to ask you on another date?"
I placed my hand on my chin as if I was in deep thought.
"Hmm..."
"Hmm? So is that like sound for a no?"
"I think it would be wise for us to go on another date."
"Score!"
"After that I think I'll take back that date."
"Nope, can't do that. You already said yes."
He smiled.
"No, no, no. I can still take it back"
"Fine, I'll just go lay under a rock until you give me that second date."
"How about next Friday?"
We reached my car that was parked a block away from the restaurant.
"Next friday, eight pm?"
"Sure."
"I'll call you sometime this week, let you know the plan."
"Who said I was letting you make the plans?"
I unlocked the car and he opened the driver's side door.
"How about we discuss the plans then?"
"Yes, that's much more reasonable."
"Good night, Eliza."
He leaned on the door frame, the same grin he's had all night spread from ear to ear.
"Good night, Chris."
I decided to lean in and peck his cheek.
But, as figured he turned his cheek and I hit his full lips straight on.
He placed his hand on my cheek and I pulled away.
"Ah, that was sneaky but not really all that surprising. "
"No surprise at all?"
"Nope."
"Well I'll have to try harder next time.
"Good night, Chris."
I said with an eye roll.
"Night, Liza."
I got in the car and drove off.
Well back to present day, Chris explained that him and Jack had made their way up here last week. They have been staying in the market for three days.
"Jack is the reason all the toys are strewn. He made it eerily similar to a scene from the infected."
"I can see that."
And as soon as the words left my lips.
"MOMMY!" a scream rung against the walls of the abandoned market.
I ran, and for the first time in what seemed like a long time I had someone running behind me, one that I didn't have to kill.
"Mona!"
I heard her bb gun shooting in all directions.
I reached her and saw two infected creatures at the bottom of the shelf.
I shot one in the back of the neck, it was a boy.
He looked about eighteen.
The other a girl, stared at me.
She opened her mouth, a paralyzing scream escaped her lips.
She threw herself atop of the dead boy.
Chris pulled out his own gun, shot her in the head.
The blood splattered against the white and blue tile and strung upon the shelves.
I inspected myself, making sure not a speck of blood covered me.
"You good?"
Chris asked.
"Yeah, I'm clean. You?"
"As a whistle."
I reached for Mona's hand and pulled her down to the ground.
"Mona, this is mommy's friend Chris and his son Jackson."
Jackson interjected.
"But you can call me Jack."
He stated with a wink and a smile.
"My, he is a replica of you."
I laughed and shook my head.
Chris joined in on the laughter.
"It just comes naturally to him."
Mona now interrupted.
"Mom, did you get the cereal?"
"Oh no! Let me go get some."
The four of us walked around the rest of the market, looking for anything that would not perish.
I grabbed a pack of meat that smelled somewhat fresh.
"What are you gonna cook that on? A wish and a promise?"
Chris reached for a can of peas.
"I have a little grill."
He looked at me wide eyed.
"No way."
"Mhm."
"Oh man, I havent eaten anything grillable since.. I wanna say September."
"Well, there is enough meat for all of us. If you'd like to join us for dinner."
He pondered the thought as Jack tugged on his leg.
"Please dad, pleaaaaseee."
"Alright, we would love to join you."
We walked outside, the sky clouded over the tiny market place.
"We better make that meat soon. It looks like it's gonna rain."
I stated looking up.
"You wanna ride with us up the mountain?"
"I don't wanna leave our ride here, I'll follow you up."
"Dad, can I ride with Mona?"
Jackson pleaded with his father.
"Do you always have to do the puppy eyes?"
He ruffled his son's hair.
"If it gets me what I want."
He tossed his son over his shoulder.
"If Miss Westmore doesn't mind, than sure."
Chris turned his back to me, so his son faced me instead.
"Now ask nicely."
"Miss Westmore, may I please ride with you?"
I laughed.
"Sure kid, hop in the back."
"Yes!"
Jack slapped his dad's back and wiggled to be set free.
"Don't be a pain in the ass, Jack."
He buckled Jackson into the backseat.
"I'm sorry about that."
Chris spoke as he scratched the back of his head.
"It's not a problem."
"It's been awhile since he's had another kid to play with."
"Same goes for Mona."
We looked into the window of the silver chevy.
They already began playing rock, paper, scissors.
"Well we better head up."
I hopped into the drivers side, the engine roared to life.
I waited for Chris to reach his car.
It had been parked behind the market.
We reached the area of mountain that Mona and I resided earlier.
Chris suggested that we make meatballs.
I suggested that he cook them.
To my surprise, he did.
"See this is more of a surprise."
"What? That I like to cook?"
"Yes, you don't seem like the type."
"There's a lot about me you don't know, Liza."
"I see that."
Chris continued cooking on the tiny grill.
I watched as the kids played together, running around the field and rolling about in the grass.
As if beyond this mountain, no such thing as the infected existed.
"Maybe you guys should stick with us, you know just for a while."
I turned to face Chris.
"You sure about that?"
"Sure, why not?"
"It's this charming face."
"Don't fool yourself, I'm asking for the kids."
"Sure, sure. You just want me around."
"Cook the meatballs and hush."
I smiled.
He wasn't totally wrong, I did need some adult company.
Maybe he'd take some burden off my shoulders.
I stated.
"Well Liza, that's not nice."
"Not what I meant, I just didn't put that much thought on you. I even forgot you had a kid."
"What? I meant that little to you?" A smirk played across his face.
"Two dates, is meant to leave a lasting impression?"
I thought back on the day I first met Chris.
We met at a restaurant in downtown Colorado a little place buried in a corner.
If you weren't looking you would drive right past it.
I was fifteen minutes late, I don't remember clearly but I know it had something to do with Mona.
He sat in a wooden bench watching his clock.
I walked up to him just as he pulled his gaze from the ticking time.
I was taken aback when I saw his eyes, so crystal clear, the intensity of his shade of blue hit me like a freight train.
I introduced myself and apologized for being late.
"It's absolutely fine, I'm Chris."
He rose and extended his hand.
The smell of his cologne lingered into the air.
"Well if I had known Tim would have actually set me up with a gorgeous lady, I'd have taken up on his offer sooner."
"Well, you're not too shabby yourself. Tim left out your precise punctuality."
"Can I let you in on a secret?"
"Sure."
"I only got here five minutes before you did."
I stared at him in shock.
"So you let me apologize for being late but you weren't even on time?"
"Hey, when a beautiful girl is in the middle of an apology I'm not gonna stop her."
I laughed.
"You're literally a walking pick up line, yeah?"
"Yes. Pretty much."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"My kid's baby sitter was running late and I had to watch the start of the Toy Story for the 100th time today."
"Oh yeah, Tim mentioned you had a kid. What's his name?"
"Jackson, Jack for short. He's seven now."
"Mine's has yet to get there, she's at what she calls the fabulous five's."
He chuckled.
"That's cute. Five was a little less fabulous for Jack."
His wife had passed away two years ago, car accident occurred on her way to work.
As I heard from Tim.
"So, yeah let's eat."
He grinned and opened the door.
I learned a lot about Chris that night, he was witty, smart, sarcastic, arrogant and slightly cocky.
But somehow all of these qualities made him kind of charming.
"Oh my, well aren't you a man of many talents."
I spoke with a sarcastic grin as he told me about a night that he picked up juggling.
"Hey, you don't know how tough juggling is until your kid asks you to pull a Jojo's circus act."
"Oh you don't know tough, until your daughter watches the gymnast at the Olympics and asks you to do floor excersies."
"Oh really floor excersies? Sounds exciting."
He raised an eyebrow as a sly grin came on to his lips.
"Not that kind of exercise, my friend."
"Ah, so we are friends now?"
"Acquaintances."
He grabbed his heart like he was in pain.
"Acquaintances, ouch, so this last hour and a half that we've spent meant nothing to you?"
I laughed.
"Of course, how else do you think we've become acquaintances?"
We continued in this banter for what seemed like hours on end.
"So Miss Westmore, would it be to impromnt to ask you on another date?"
I placed my hand on my chin as if I was in deep thought.
"Hmm..."
"Hmm? So is that like sound for a no?"
"I think it would be wise for us to go on another date."
"Score!"
"After that I think I'll take back that date."
"Nope, can't do that. You already said yes."
He smiled.
"No, no, no. I can still take it back"
"Fine, I'll just go lay under a rock until you give me that second date."
"How about next Friday?"
We reached my car that was parked a block away from the restaurant.
"Next friday, eight pm?"
"Sure."
"I'll call you sometime this week, let you know the plan."
"Who said I was letting you make the plans?"
I unlocked the car and he opened the driver's side door.
"How about we discuss the plans then?"
"Yes, that's much more reasonable."
"Good night, Eliza."
He leaned on the door frame, the same grin he's had all night spread from ear to ear.
"Good night, Chris."
I decided to lean in and peck his cheek.
But, as figured he turned his cheek and I hit his full lips straight on.
He placed his hand on my cheek and I pulled away.
"Ah, that was sneaky but not really all that surprising. "
"No surprise at all?"
"Nope."
"Well I'll have to try harder next time.
"Good night, Chris."
I said with an eye roll.
"Night, Liza."
I got in the car and drove off.
Well back to present day, Chris explained that him and Jack had made their way up here last week. They have been staying in the market for three days.
"Jack is the reason all the toys are strewn. He made it eerily similar to a scene from the infected."
"I can see that."
And as soon as the words left my lips.
"MOMMY!" a scream rung against the walls of the abandoned market.
I ran, and for the first time in what seemed like a long time I had someone running behind me, one that I didn't have to kill.
"Mona!"
I heard her bb gun shooting in all directions.
I reached her and saw two infected creatures at the bottom of the shelf.
I shot one in the back of the neck, it was a boy.
He looked about eighteen.
The other a girl, stared at me.
She opened her mouth, a paralyzing scream escaped her lips.
She threw herself atop of the dead boy.
Chris pulled out his own gun, shot her in the head.
The blood splattered against the white and blue tile and strung upon the shelves.
I inspected myself, making sure not a speck of blood covered me.
"You good?"
Chris asked.
"Yeah, I'm clean. You?"
"As a whistle."
I reached for Mona's hand and pulled her down to the ground.
"Mona, this is mommy's friend Chris and his son Jackson."
Jackson interjected.
"But you can call me Jack."
He stated with a wink and a smile.
"My, he is a replica of you."
I laughed and shook my head.
Chris joined in on the laughter.
"It just comes naturally to him."
Mona now interrupted.
"Mom, did you get the cereal?"
"Oh no! Let me go get some."
The four of us walked around the rest of the market, looking for anything that would not perish.
I grabbed a pack of meat that smelled somewhat fresh.
"What are you gonna cook that on? A wish and a promise?"
Chris reached for a can of peas.
"I have a little grill."
He looked at me wide eyed.
"No way."
"Mhm."
"Oh man, I havent eaten anything grillable since.. I wanna say September."
"Well, there is enough meat for all of us. If you'd like to join us for dinner."
He pondered the thought as Jack tugged on his leg.
"Please dad, pleaaaaseee."
"Alright, we would love to join you."
We walked outside, the sky clouded over the tiny market place.
"We better make that meat soon. It looks like it's gonna rain."
I stated looking up.
"You wanna ride with us up the mountain?"
"I don't wanna leave our ride here, I'll follow you up."
"Dad, can I ride with Mona?"
Jackson pleaded with his father.
"Do you always have to do the puppy eyes?"
He ruffled his son's hair.
"If it gets me what I want."
He tossed his son over his shoulder.
"If Miss Westmore doesn't mind, than sure."
Chris turned his back to me, so his son faced me instead.
"Now ask nicely."
"Miss Westmore, may I please ride with you?"
I laughed.
"Sure kid, hop in the back."
"Yes!"
Jack slapped his dad's back and wiggled to be set free.
"Don't be a pain in the ass, Jack."
He buckled Jackson into the backseat.
"I'm sorry about that."
Chris spoke as he scratched the back of his head.
"It's not a problem."
"It's been awhile since he's had another kid to play with."
"Same goes for Mona."
We looked into the window of the silver chevy.
They already began playing rock, paper, scissors.
"Well we better head up."
I hopped into the drivers side, the engine roared to life.
I waited for Chris to reach his car.
It had been parked behind the market.
We reached the area of mountain that Mona and I resided earlier.
Chris suggested that we make meatballs.
I suggested that he cook them.
To my surprise, he did.
"See this is more of a surprise."
"What? That I like to cook?"
"Yes, you don't seem like the type."
"There's a lot about me you don't know, Liza."
"I see that."
Chris continued cooking on the tiny grill.
I watched as the kids played together, running around the field and rolling about in the grass.
As if beyond this mountain, no such thing as the infected existed.
"Maybe you guys should stick with us, you know just for a while."
I turned to face Chris.
"You sure about that?"
"Sure, why not?"
"It's this charming face."
"Don't fool yourself, I'm asking for the kids."
"Sure, sure. You just want me around."
"Cook the meatballs and hush."
I smiled.
He wasn't totally wrong, I did need some adult company.
Maybe he'd take some burden off my shoulders.