Epilogue
Wade
Spring is in full swing as I step outside my house.
The air is crisp but finally starting to warm, the snow melting, leaving behind brown sludge and mud.
It’s ugly, but it’s also beautiful in its own way.
Soon enough, the grass will be poking back up, our crops able to be planted, and new life will sprout. I’m really looking forward to that.
I walk around our house to where our well was built. Breathing in, I can’t help but smile. The air is fresh. From here, I can see where Devin and Briggs are working. Just getting sight of them makes my chest loosen just a little bit.
Walking over to the well, I let the bucket fall down, filling it with water before dragging it back up. Then I take the water inside, setting it on our fire to start warming up.
Devin and Briggs are walking the perimeter, making sure the fences all look good and taking care of any zombies who might be bunched up where our noise makers are located. They’re an efficient team. I want to make sure they have warm water to wash up with when they get back.
We’ve found a steady routine between the four of us. At first, I was worried we wouldn’t mesh, but the worries were thankfully unfounded. We all get along great. We’ve learned to lean on each other and trust each other.
It feels weird, not being alone anymore.
It doesn’t take long for the water to start boiling. I pull the pot away, bringing it into the kitchen and setting it onto the counter. I find two washcloths, setting them beside the pot along with a bar of soap.
Once that’s all done, I get to work on making us some food. Now that it’s starting to get warmer, the chickens are back to laying eggs more regularly. That’s exactly what I fry up for us all to eat along with a can of SPAM which I slice and fry so it’s not too dissimilar to bacon.
Just as I’m finishing up, the sound of the front door opening hits my ears.
“Perfect timing,” I call out, “there’s hot water in the kitchen for you guys.”
I grab the skillet from the fire, bringing it into the kitchen. Devin and Briggs are already washing themselves up as I set it on the table and pulling some plates from the cabinet.
It strikes me very suddenly, how very domestic this all feels. If I squint, it’s almost like we’re just a couple of neighbors having dinner together. It’s almost like my partner was off running errands and I was waiting at home for him.
It’s a nice feeling even if it’s also kinda strange at the same time.
My heart feels very full. I never let myself imagine something like this being possible. For a long time, I was just waiting for my life to be over because then, maybe, I would find something resembling peace.
Who knew peace would come in the form of a human who’s excellent with throwing knives, kind enough to save a stranger, and prefers to be the little spoon when we’re snuggling?
“That smells so good,” Briggs says, tossing his washcloth into the sink and turning towards me. He steps up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing the back of my neck. “Who knew you’d be such a domestic housewife.”
“Fuck off,” I say with a growl, shoving my elbow back into his stomach.
Devin snorts as he finishes up his cleaning. I hold out a plate for him and he takes it with a small nod. He sits at the table, waiting for us to get our plates.
“Thank you for the food,” Devin says as we sit down before digging in.
A hand grips my thigh under the table. When I look over at Briggs, he’s eating, the tiniest smile playing at his lips. When he looks at me, I raise my brow in question. He just gives me a squeeze in answer.
“How’s everything looking?”
Devin narrows his eyes at me. “Are you asking me how many zombies we saw?”
“That too,” I say, smirking when I realize he’s being defensive.
Briggs giggles. “Four. You were right, Wade.”
“You’re just mad you have to pay up,” I say, tossing my chin up at Devin.
“I didn’t want to give up the chocolate I found,” he says with a sigh. “But a bet is a bet.”
“Damn right.”
“You’re gonna share it with me, right?” Briggs asks, giving me a small pout.
“I don’t know,” I say slowly, “I think you said there would be fourteen. Was there fourteen zombies, Briggs?”
“You’re heartless,” he says dramatically, making Devin snort.
When the sun goes all the way down, Lawrence joins us in our kitchen. He brings the chocolate bar in question, tossing it over to me. I claim it with a grin.
“Best bet I’ve ever made,” I say, opening the package and breaking off a bar for myself. It’s been so long since I’ve had anything this sweet it’s almost overwhelming.
It’s so fucking good.
I feel two sets of eyes boring into me. I break off two bars, tossing one over to Devin and then turning and feeding the other to Briggs. His eyes go so soft it makes my chest ache.
“You do love me,” he says between moaning about how good the chocolate is.
“Don’t let it go to your head,” I say softly.
“Stop fucking moaning,” Devin hisses out, making the four of us burst with laughter.
This feels good. Maybe it’s too good to be true. Maybe someday it’ll all blow up in our faces, but I don’t care because right now, this is perfect. We’re going to keep fighting to make this work, to make this place safe. That’s enough for me.
“You jealous?” Briggs says, wiggling his brow at Devin.
Lawrence chuckles. “He’s got nothing to be jealous of, trust me.”
“I don’t think I wanna know what you’re implying,” I say, shaking my head and pointedly ignoring the way Devin is blushing.
“Come on,” Devin says, standing up. “We’ve got cows to milk.”
“Is that a euphemism I don’t know about?” Briggs asks. Devin cuffs the back of his head on his way to putting his plate in the sink.
“You deserved that,” I say with a shrug.
Devin and Lawrence head outside, making their way over to where our cows are kept. They have to be milked at the same time every day to make sure the milk supply keeps up and to keep the cows from growing uncomfortable.
Briggs and I make quick work of washing our dishes and putting them away. Once we’re done, he leans his head on my shoulder, the two of us looking out the window, watching Devin and Lawrence work.
I let out a sigh, feeling content and warm. Briggs mirrors the sound.
“I love you,” I tell him softly, barely above a whisper but I know he’s heard me.
“I love you too. Even if you don’t share the rest of your winnings.”
“Of course I’m gonna share. Don’t be stupid.”
Briggs hums, the sound soft and happy. He wraps his arms around mine, pulling me away from the window and towards our bedroom.
“Let’s go to bed, Wade.”
“Isn’t it too early?”
“Maybe,” Briggs says with a shrug. “But I want to be close to you.”
We have a big day planned for later that night.
Lawrence and I are going to travel further than before.
We’d really like to find a pharmacy and stock up on medicines we might need in the future.
We’re not sure how long we’ll be gone so going to bed early and holding Briggs sounds like the perfect way to spend the evening.
We strip out of our clothes and get into bed. We lay on our sides facing each other, our hands soft against each other’s skin. Briggs looks at me softly, so full of affection. It makes it hard to breathe.
“You’ll be safe tomorrow?”
“Of course. Nothing could stop me from finding my way home to you.”
Briggs gives me a soft smile. “I like that we have a home.”
“Me too.”
We’ll never truly know what tomorrow might bring. We’ll never know what we’ll find. Despite that, there’s certainty in the here and now. We have this place. We have Lawrence and Devin. Most importantly, we have each other.
I kiss Briggs and realize, this is enough. This is my safe haven. This is my home.
For a long time, all I knew was fighting for survival. All I knew was pain and disappointment. With Briggs, I’ve learned to love again. It was a struggle to get here, but it’s been worth it.
“I love you,” I breathe out with a soft sigh against the side of Briggs’ head. In answer, I hear soft snores against my chest. I smile to myself, feeling overwhelmed with how happy and at peace I am. I’m so peaceful, that I quickly follow him to sleep.
THE END