Chapter Five
Briggs
We continue moving, the fire behind us a small blip in the distance. I can’t shake this awful feeling in my gut from what we just saw. An entire church filled with zombies, all locked away. Why did they do that to themselves? Why’d they just let themselves die?
I shake my head, trying to dispel the feeling. Those people made their choice. Sure, it was an idiotic choice that turned them into an undead army, but it was a choice nonetheless.
Isn’t that what life is? A series of choices we get. Those choices determine the type of person we are, or the type of person we want to be. Nothing is set in stone. Apparently, not even death is set in stone.
Okay, I really need to stop trying to be philosophical. That was always my brother’s thing, not mine.
My boots crunch fallen leaves as we walk into a dense patch of trees.
I love being this far up north. There’s always a tree to sleep in.
The downside is the weather is slowly turning cold which means it’ll start snowing soon.
Snow means it’ll be harder to survive and keep warm but on the plus side, the zombies freeze when it’s cold enough.
They’re like fish, able to survive through the freeze and come out again once everything thaws in the spring.
“Should we find a tree for the night?”
Wade startles, like he’s forgotten I’m walking beside him. He turns towards me, trying to hide his expression but I see the way his eyes are far off. I think he’s trying to shake that church off just as much as I am.
“Yeah. Although, my thigh is going to scream at me the whole way up.”
“I can help,” I offer but he quickly shakes his head.
“I can do it. I have to prepare myself for when--” his words cut off and he quickly looks away. “I can do it,” he adds softly.
I’ve only known Wade a short amount of time but I already find myself caring about him.
Maybe it's the fact that I haven’t found another person to travel with since my brother died or maybe it’s how we met, but something about Wade draws me in.
I want to trust him. I want to travel with him. I want to make sure he’s alright.
My chest aches when I think about going on my own again.
I want Wade to stick around. I want us to find some level of trust. I just don’t know if he feels the same way.
I wouldn’t blame him for his distrust, especially after everything he’s been through.
I’m willing to put in the work to show him that I mean him no harm.
We pick trees opposite from each other, climbing up as far as we dare until we find a high, solid branch to sit on. Wade makes a pained noise as he climbs but with lightning quick speed, he’s sitting on his branch above me.
“Show off,” I say, making him smile down at me. His face lights up when he smiles. It somehow makes him even more handsome. I like it when he smiles.
I follow behind, shimmying up my tree until I can propel myself up onto the branch. I take off my backpack, resting it behind myself and then take off my jacket, wrapping it around my front like a blanket.
I like resting up here. It makes me feel above the world, even if it’s just for a little while. I don’t dare say I feel safe, because I’m not sure safe is something we’re ever allowed to fully experience again, but this is about as close as I can come.
“Do you have a belt?”
Wade raises his brow at me. “Why would I have a belt?”
I pull my backpack into my lap, grabbing out the extra belt I snagged at the last house we went through. I toss it over to him, thankful that our trees are close enough for this. “Use it to strap yourself onto the branch. It’ll keep you in the air in case you turn over in your sleep.”
“Good thinking,” he says, getting himself strapped in. We each pull out a can of food from our bags, quietly eating. A bird nearby chirps as it finds its nest for the night. Everything feels oddly peaceful.
Tonight’s dinner is a can of refried beans which would taste so much better if I could warm it up but I think the last thing either of us wants to do right now is start another fire.
“I think we’re close to the Canadian border,” I say between bites, trying to make conversation.
“Do you have a plan or direction you’re going? Or do you just wander?”
I shrug. “I don’t even know. I guess I’m just curious if there’s any place you’d like to go? Do you have a family out there? Anyone you’d like to try and find?”
There’s a long pause before Wade lets out a long breath. “No. I’ve got no one. No plan or direction.”
“Have you ever left the country? We could head up to Canada, find a place to bunker down in during the winter. The zombies all freeze during that time so we’ll actually be alone for a while.”
“I don’t hate that idea,” he says after a moment. “Could be my only chance to cross the border. I wonder if the Canadian government handled this any better than our own.”
“I have no idea. I’m from the South. Last year, my brother and I made our way up here during the winter and that’s when we realized it’s safer when everything is frozen.” I take another bite of my beans. “Although, it’s a lot harder to find resources when everything is frozen.”
Wade nods his head. “That makes sense. We’ll have to stock up while we can.”
“And maybe do some hunting. I’ve never seen a moose before but surely we could take one down.”
Wade’s lips tip up as he looks over at me. “I could take a moose.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
I’m not sure what’s going on. It was only this morning that Wade told me he didn’t trust me. Now we’re planning on running away to Canada together? Just like that?
I know better than to question it. I don’t want to be alone and it’s clear that he doesn’t either. It’s that desperation for companionship that makes it easy to work with him.
“Where were you from? Before all this?”
“California.” Wade takes another bite, slow to answer like he’s debating how much he wants to say.
“Remember at the beginning, when they were broadcasting safe zones?” I nod my head.
“My family decided to travel to one. My whole family are werewolves, it’s genetic.
When we arrived at the safe zone in Vegas, it was crowded and awful.
All five of us were crammed into a hotel room together, unable to leave.
Someone delivered shitty gruel for every meal.
It was a nightmare and we weren’t allowed to leave. ”
“That sounds fucking horrid.”
“It gets even worse.”
“I would expect nothing less. Having that many tucked together like that sounds like a recipe for disaster.”
Wade nods his head. “I’m sure you can see where this is going. Someone got in with a hidden bite. All hell broke loose. They couldn’t contain the outbreak and we had to run. That was the first time I saw what happened when a werewolf gets bitten.”
I wince. When a werewolf is bitten, they’re not just changed into an undead zombie like a human is.
Yes, they’re turned but it’s less groaning and shuffling and more unhinged animalistic monster.
Zombie werewolves are terrifying creatures who only live to eat.
They’re fast and strong and don’t give up until they’re put down. “Fuck, Wade.”
“Yeah. It was my dad. The rest of us ran but the military gunned us down, not wanting anyone to spread it further. I was the only one who got away.”
“I’m so sorry, Wade. Jesus.”
“When I let myself get bitten, I knew it wouldn’t kill me. I knew I’d turn into a beast. Honestly? I was hoping it would change me into one of those monsters because then I would have wrecked that camp and everyone inside of it.”
A shiver goes through me at Wade’s words. I understand why he felt that way but I’m incredibly grateful that whatever is going on with Wade’s DNA had other plans. I’m glad that we’ve found each other. I’m glad I’m no longer alone.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
Wade finally meets my eyes, his face drawn and unsure. “Thanks. Sorry to trauma dump on you all at once.”
“It’s okay, I started it by asking.”
“What’s your story?”
I open my mouth but my voice is suddenly gone. I close my mouth again, looking away. My hand goes to the tags I wear around my neck.
“Fuck, sorry. You don’t have to tell me.”
“Once we find a safe spot and a bottle of whiskey, I’ll tell you the story.”
Wade’s lips tip up again. I can’t get over how handsome he is when he smiles. “Deal.”
I tuck my backpack behind myself again, using it as a pillow. As I stare directly up where there’s a small part between the branches. I can see the sky. The stars are just starting to come out and they’re beautiful, brighter than ever now that there are no street lights.
Hope is a funny thing. As much as I try to keep that feeling tucked away, hope can’t help but grip my heart tonight.
This feels like the start of a new chapter, the start of something new.
It’ll take time to mend all the hurt that we’ve both been through, but it feels like with time, the two of us can come to some sort of understanding.
I hear something below us and I look over the edge, finding a deer instead of a zombie like I was expecting. I smile as I watch him graze. Not everything is death and despair. Not everything is bad. Even through the shitshow that is our current life, there’s still some good to be found.
“Hey, Wade,” I whisper, getting his attention. I nod down at the deer and he stares for a long time. Both of us watch this deer like it’s the most entertaining thing in the world. In a way, it is. When I look over at Wade again, he’s smiling.