Antichrist

The one thing I hated about signing myself up for this whole run thing was the waking up early. After not having peaceful sleep in what felt like centuries, the prison bed I called home felt like heaven. The sun was barely in the sky, but the darkness was fading. Lying on my back for a second, I closed my eyes and thought of what life was like before. I always did that. It was a way to escape the flesh eating corpses that now somehow seemed to be the only reality. Sci-Fi wasn't a genre anymore. It was our lives. It wasn't fun and whimsical like Zombieland either. It was cruel and unforgiving. everything you had could be gone in seconds... everything.

I had elected to drive myself. Before the outbreak, 1 was 13, and Chelsea was 16. She taught me how to drive once everything got bad. If we ever needed a getaway car, I was that girl. Nonetheless, I don't think they trusted me, because I ended up in the backseat with Carl. Glenn drove and Maggie had shotgun. Daryl led us out on a Harley.

"So Dana, you were all alone?"

Maggie turned around to look at me.

"It must've been hard..."

I shrugged.

"You get good at shooting and running. That's all there is to it," I said. "You run into snags here and there, but it's survival of the fittest, you know?"

She looked a bit surprised at my answer.

“Of course I’m real thankful that there are people out there like you… I’d’ve died had it not been for this one,” I nudged Carl. He shot up and cleared the sleep from his voice.

“It was really my dad,” he said. His cheeks flushed a rosy pink and he looked at me quickly before turning to look at the passing forests. Abandoned cars lay sprawled across the road. Every now and then, a rogue walker would blur by and stagger after us. It was funny to watch them, thinking they stood a chance against a car.

Eventually we all reached a clearing a few yards from the main street of the small town. There were a few old convoys and dusty shops… the entire place looked like an old John Wayne movie. Daryl sent Glenn and Maggie to look for the antibiotics, and told Carl and I to check the small general store up the road. Outside It had begun to get hot, and so did I. I felt my bangs sticking to my forehead as I walked to our post. I took off the flannel I had on and tied it around my waist, making sure to reposition my gun in the ties.

Carl pushed open the door to the store. It was dark and musty, But cool on the inside. The shelves were pretty full.

“Jackpot,” I heard him whisper. I saw his hat disappear down one of the aisles and I took to the opposite direction, tugging on my gun and backing down the nearest aisle.

“Hey, while you’re down there can you check out for some lady sticks?” I called.

“Why can’t you do it,” he shot back in a childish tone.

“They’re just cotton on a string,” I laughed. “nothing to get all weird about… unless you think we have cooties…”

I made my way around my half of the shop before finding him in an aisle full of junk and taking a seat beside him. I took a pack of Sno Balls from the box he had opened and took a small bite.

“Soooooo,” I stated. “The son of the president. President Rick. First son Carl. First Daughter is cute lil’ asskicker… First la- I’ve never met your mom…”

I connected the dots in my head.

“I’m so sorry.”

He sat next to me with a stone face. He sighed and stood up, taking up the bag he had filled.

“We should probably get going," he said. “I think we’ve got enough, don’t you?” he started to the front. I followed close behind in silence, feeling a terrible guilt well up inside me.

“I really am sorry,” I said again as he opened the door and stormed through.

“Don’t worry. It’s fine. You didn’t know.”

I reached for his shoulder.

“But Ca-“

“I said its fine!” he yelled, jerking away. “Let’s just get these back to the car."