Long Live Us

Jack didn't smile anymore. The loss of Alex had been the hardest on him. The others had already moved on.

"There was nothing we could do," Rian said, sitting next to Jack where he was curled up on Alex's bed.

"Yes there was!" Jack snapped. "We could've stayed there like real friends would've. We could've been there for him. I would've died for him. You didn't even help."

"I'm sorry, okay?" Rian said harshly. "Look, you're alive. That's what matters right now. Alex may be gone, but you're alive. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Fuck you!" Jack spat. "He was my best friend! I might be alive, but Alex isn't! If I could've got him out and let the zombies eat me instead, I would've."

Rian sighed and got up. "Jack... You just have to get over it. I'm sorry, but you can't be upset about it forever. Alex is gone. He's not coming back."

Tears made their way down Jack's cheeks. The thought of Alex being gone forever made his heart burn with serious case of heartbreak.

"Leave me alone," he whispered.

"Jack-"

"No! Get the fuck out!' he screamed.

Rian sighed in frustration and left Jack alone. He'd never get over it.

* * * *

"We have to go get more supplies," Zack said. "Are you coming Jack?"

Jack looked down at the ground. "Do I have to?"

"It would help a lot," Zack said softly, giving Jack a sympathetic look.

Jack sighed and got his backpack, heading outside where Cassadee and Rian were already waiting. They wandered through Baltimore and found an abandoned grocery store. Zack, Rian and Cassadee filled their bags with supplies while Jack stared out of a window. He was staring at the building he had left Alex in. It hurt him to know that Alex was probably dead and his remains were probably in there. It made him feel sick to his stomach. He turned around when he heard Cassadee scream. A zombie had come out of the grocery store's bathroom and was trying to attack them. They all grabbed their backpacks and ran out of the store. As Jack was running, something caught his eye. In the middle of the street was Alex's jacket. He ran to it, despite the zombie coming after them. He picked it up and ran back to the others. When they got back to Alex's house, Jack went back to Alex's room and cuddled with the jacket. It still smelled like him.

* * * *

Rian noticed that Cassadee was acting strange after the encounter with the zombie. She had been staying away from them and not talking as much. Rian just figured she was scared. Later that night, he went to bed without thinking about it.

About three hours into his sleep, Rian woke up to a groan. Not just any groan, it was a zombie groan and he knew it was close by. He grabbed his gun from the desk and walked up to the bathroom door where he heard the noise. There was definitely a zombie in there. He quickly got Zack just in case he needed back up. Zack opened the door and there was the zombie, standing by the bathtub.

It was Cassadee.

Rian froze completely. His girlfriend was a zombie. Tears filled his eyes as she started coming toward him. He knew he didn't have a choice.

He shot her.

* * * *

They held Cassadee's funeral in the backyard of her house. There was no where else to do it. Rian was obviously holding back tears. It didn't take them long to bury her, but they spent an hour just naming all the good things about her. Jack wished he could've done this for Alex. He could've given him a nice funeral instead of just leaving him there.

They went back to Alex's house after they were finished and they each went to a different room. Rian didn't talk to anyone and locked the door behind him. Zack just sat in the guest room and read a book he found. Jack went back to Alex's room and inspected the jacket he had found. He reached into the right pocket and pulled out Alex's phone. He scrolled through the pictures and held back tears when he saw pictures of them together. He was about to turn off the phone when he saw that Alex had a draft message. He decided to read it, it wasn't like Alex had anything to hide from him. He bit his lip when he noticed that the message was addressed to him. Slowly, he opened it.

"Hey Jack I gotta tell you something, but don't freak out. Kay?

I think I'm in love with you... xoxo Alex"