My name is Chris, Ive lost track of time. It feels like years since I first started running, but I think its only been a few months. Days turn to weeks, and the weeks drags on, such is the new way of life. And yet, despite the violence and chaos, I dont really miss the old world...

Saturday, November 20, 2010

A bond

     The sun was sinking.  Dusk settling in and giving way to night as the trio returned from their scavenge.  Food and other necessities are dropped and divided amongst the groups.  I sit off to the side, as I don't really feel like I fit in here, despite the fact that Ive been welcomed in with open arms.  Noticing I wasn't in the crowd, Kat comes to my side and drops a bag in my lap.  "Don't know if you got the note, but I owe you a bag of these."  Smiling as I look down to see a big bag of Gummi worms in my lap.  I look back at her.  "Well, aren't you just the sweetest?"  She sits down next to me and begins asking me all sorts of questions about the state of the world around us.  "So you have been traveling across country, are there...are there any other 'colonies' like ours out there?  Surely we cant be the only ones left."  She stares deeply into my eyes as if to fish the answer out herself.  "No, there was a group of people held up in one of those fancy apartment buildings in St. Louis.  Also I don't know if anyone was left there, but I had flown over a fortified farm somewhere between there and here.  We are making a comeback, someday life will be back to normal.   Or as normal as it can get." I scoot a little bit closer to her, remembering how it felt to connect with another person.
         She sees my less than slick move, but doesn't outwardly reject it.  Deciding to try my luck , "So, whats your story?  How did someone as cute as you end up living on a roof, scrounging the town with a bunch of rough looking guys?" I laugh as I lightly jab her arm with my elbow.   Looking back to me, "Well, if you must know, I lived in that subdivision right over there."  She points to the houses that seem to stretch to the mountains themselves.  "The day those things came I was at home.  The usual Saturday, lazy day.  Until the back door was knocked in.  I knew her, or what used to be her." She stops to run her fingers through her light brown, almost reddish hair.  She continues but I cant concentrate.  Shes so beautiful, I feel like I could stay here with her forever.  But, no, Ive got to go home.  Her body nothing short of perfection, not to mention the cool persona she gave off despite the hell unfolding around us.  I snap out of it to hear the end of her story. "After making into town here, I hid in the hotel.  Luckily for me they were using the hotel as the temporary shelter before migrating to the rooftops.  Since then Ive been putting my medical knowledge from school to use here, treating whoever I could."  Her green eyes looking into mine, I really think I'm falling in love here.  I open my mouth and ruin everything. "I cant stop thinking about how cute you are.  I know there is a lot more to be worrying about, but I just cant help it."  Blushing I look away, thinking I had blown everything.  Instead I feel her hand over mine.  "Ill admit, not the best thing to bring up, but I'm not going to shoot you down...just yet."  She grins before scooting closer herself, at least I didn't scare her off I thought to myself.
           The sun had set and we sat on the edge of the roof, staring at the mountains.  We had been talking for hours about nothing in general.  Our favorite bands, the lives we had led before the outbreak, TV shows we loved and hated.  For one night, the rest of the world had melted away.  It was just the two of us on the roof, getting to know each other under the glow of the moon.  And for that I was eternally grateful.  For the first time I had truly felt like I could just stop running and start living.  Our conversation was interrupted by Will, who had let us know that that nights meal was about to be ready.  "Come on you lovebirds, you might miss dinner if you stay there." Laughing as he walked away I stood up and extended my hand to hers, "Come on, lets get something to eat.  Who knows, this might count as a date?"  Really pressing my luck with that one I thought.  "Sure, I hadn't been on a date since high school."  she takes my hand and we head towards the bridge that lead to the 'dinner' roof.  "Damn, high school?  You're as bad as I am.  But you probably had more opportunities than I did back then." she laughs at my obviously lame attempt at flattery. "I did, but I always though my 'geek' side would intimidate most of the guys that liked me."  She shows me a tattoo on her wrist, one of a very familiar video game icon.  "Well Ill be.  I knew there was something else about you.  Geek girls are my weakness.  No lie." stopping to examine it further, I think that maybe all of this had happened to lead me here.  I, so far, am convinced I have found my other half.  "Come on slowpoke, were going to miss dinner!" Pulling me along the bridge we join the group as our conversation was lost amongst the multiple conversations coming from every table.

1 comment: