The Infected: Blog Story (18)

eighteen: reflections

It's hard to picture a happy ending with Felix. But then again, I can barely imagine a life without him now. We've been surviving for the past fourty two days and some would argue we've been doing a poor job. My limbs are weak, my mind is as sharp as a dull knife, and with this unexpected pregnancy, my hormones are shifting worst then freight elevators.

But as I try and catch some shut eye in the back of the Jeep, somewhere isolated in the Appalachian valley, my mind suddenly drifts to a series of what ifs. What if I had ran towards David's house instead of back home? Would David be alive now instead of Felix? And what if Felix had been unable to manage his sister's attacks?

Felix shifts in his sleep an he accidently elbows me in the ribs. I can't take it. I wiggle myself out of my sleeping bag and slip my way into the front seat. The windows have a thick frost on them, and in the black of the night I am unable to see anything outside the Jeep. I hate that!

I turn the key into the ignition, sparking the car to life on the batterie's energy and decide to check the radio. It's become an obsession of mine. Still nothing though, on every channel it is nothing but static. I sigh catch my reflection in the vanity mirror above my head. The flap is down and I can see my face for the first time in three weeks.

I look dreadful. My eyes are puffy, my skin is grey. My lips are nothing but thin red lines that cover my teeth. I'm a shadow of my old self. My bushy brown hair is a tangled mess and impulsively, I feel like chopping it off.

I start rumaging through the glove compartment and find nothing. Then I remember the first aid kit in the back besides the water cooler. I try not to make a sound and open the door. I check back to see if it has awakened Felix when it happens. The door flies open, pulling me with it and I fall in the snow beside the Jeep.

I get to my hands and knees and find myself in front of a very large zombie. And he doesn't look frozen to me. It snaps it mouth and tries to lunge at me.

"FEELIX!!" I scream and jump to my feet just as the bastard swings its claws at me. This one is quick and he is ferocious. His skin has barely decayed although it is striped black with veins and he has that distinctive rotting smell. The evil in his eyes is unbearable to look at. It has every intent to rip me to shreads and I have nothing to defend myself with.

I try and run around it but the zombie is fast and before I can move it lunges. It can't scratch me. Dear Lord, please don't let this fucking bastard touch me. I let out a shriek as I kick it in the shin, breaking its leg as if it was a rotted log. It caws and moans and tries to grab onto me as I run past it. Doesn't even care about his wound. The bastard only wants my flesh.

"FELIX!!" I open the door of the Jeep and grab mister sleepyhead's axe. I swing back around, raise the axe above my head and bring it down on the zombie's skull, severing his head in half.

I linger there for a minute, as snow begins to fall around me. Black puss begins to stain the white blanket of snow around the zombie. I look up at the moon and it shines so bright tonight. My heartbeat settles down.

Normal as if I just had sunday supper I place the axe back inside the Jeep, grab the scissors from the first aid kit and raise them to the lock of hair I have in my hand.