Zombie Love Story

Okay so let me preface by saying this is in it's very beginning stages meaning that I have written a first draft only and that is what you are about to read. I adore the show The Walking Dead on AMC about zombies and that inspired me to attempt (key word here) to write my own zombie story. Here goes:

"Silence!" Jeff angrily whispered in Skyler's general vicinity. It was impossible to tell where the shuffling was coming from, but Jeff could sense it was close. Skyler was more trouble than he was worth. Why did I agree to let him tag along? wondered Jeff as he attempted to slow down his racing heart.

(CLANG)

"Shit, he's done it now. Every zombie within two miles will be able to find our location," Jeff mumbled. He was on the move heading toward the sound and preparing exactly how he was going to tell off Skyler. As he cautiously inched around an abandoned station wagon he was pleasantly surprised to see Skyler's lean frame hovering over a freshly killed zombie. The clang had been from the shovel connecting with HWY 193 as Skyler drove it straight through his victim's left cheek, just below the eye socket. The cut had been clean, but it was abrupt enough to dislodge the left eye from its socket and it now dangled a few inches from the pavement hanging barley by one remaining tendon.

"Well done Skyler! Did you see any others?" Jeff asked glancing around. "Nah," Skyler said flippantly, still beaming from his latest manly feat. "You should've seen me Jeff!" Skyler proclaimed, "I killed 'em clean with one blow. A single blow man!" Jeff had never seen Skyler so vibrant and filled with life before. He smirked to himself as he felt a small sense of pride. After all, it was him who had shown Skyler where and how to strike for the most effective kill. Suddenly Jeff came back to the present and remembered the shuffling he had heard only moments ago. He motioned for Skyler to be still and turned his ear to where he had previously been.

He couldn't hear the shuffling anymore, but decided it was best to move forward immediately on the chance that the sound was from a death creature. And, he couldn't ignore the fact that the sun was only a couple hours from setting. He couldn't chance being on the open road in the dark. Skyler and he would be better off to find a place to make camp and get some rest for tomorrow's long journey. Tomorrow is when they headed to Austin. There was rumor of an old army outpost that had a large community of living. Austin was an 8 hour journey from where they were and they needed all the strength they had. Jeff chose first watch after they settled high in an abandoned tree house. Skyler was younger and needed more rest. As Skyler's breathing steadied and settled into a rhythm, Jeff began thinking of Florida and that vacation he took with Elise 2 summers ago. She had the most radiant green eyes and a smile that warmed his soul. Jeff felt a tinge of sadness and before a tear could well up he moved his thoughts toward the day he first laid eyes on Elise.

It was a cold November day. One where you walked a little briskly to pound the chill from your bones. A day when a slightly red nose and blowing warm breath into gloved hands was a unifier across socio-economic status, race and gender. Everyone felt the cold, everyone was the same in this way. Jeff was up early and halfway through his four mile trek to his job at the rubber factory. [He woke up every morning at 4:45am and began his routine. The coffee pot would be finishing up as he stepped from the steamy bathroom. He would sit and read the paper while sipping his coffee, strong and black, and watching the neighborhood slowly come to life. He would rinse his mug and hang it up before lacing his steel-toed boots and donning his Carhartt. South Dakota was a cold place to be in the fall.]

Normally, he took the route past the middle school and creek, but that was an extra half mile added to his journey and the chill in the air made Jeff select the route through downtown. He loved this winter route because the shop owners would be unlocking their stores and setting up as he cantered through the small square. His favorite shop was a bookstore tucked between the CVS and a furniture store. You might miss it unless you looked up and saw the neon sign situated in the second story window. It was simple and said only IMAGINE, but its soft blue glow made Jeff feel at home. The advantage of this route was the twenty or so extra minutes it allowed Jeff to peruse the bookstore.

He entered the door and climbed the creaky, wooden stairs to his haven on the second level. Mrs. Millie greeted him with a warm smile and soft hello, "Good morning Jeff. We've got some new books on WWII this weekend. One is even about the Holocaust. I saved them behind the counter so you could have first look." Mrs. Millie was kind but don't let her 88 year old exterior fool you, she was still quite spry. "Thank you Mrs. Millie. I brought you some of my teryaki beef jerky today," Jeff replied.

You see, Jeff and Mrs. Millie had an arrangement. She saved all the books related to WWII for him and once a month he brought her some of his deer jerky. Exactly how this arrangement came to pass is a story for another day.

Jeff made the trade and headed to his favorite chair to skim the selection and decide if any were worthy of purchase. As he sat down he noticed what appeared to be a heap of clothing on his left in the aisle related to literary classics. He turned and looked more closely at what he now recognized as a wiry young lady. She had dark brown curls that, caught just right in the light, had the slightest hint of auburn to them. She looked up and smiled and he was forever hers from that day forward. Jeff snapped out of his trance and returned the smile. She had on so many layers it was impossible to make out her figure beneath them. Jeff could care less as long as she always smiled at him with that smile that filled his soul to bursting. He couldn't speak or move, all he could do was bask in her radiance.

Finally, Jeff regained control of his limbs and forced his legs to stumble toward this bedraggled beauty. "Hi, my name's Jeff. Do you need any help finding anything?" he asked as he casually tried to lean against the shelf. "Actually, I'd love some and I'm Elise," she said with a voice almost as lovely as her smile. Suddenly the clock chimed 6:30am and Jeff snapped out of his daze and realizes he is going to be late for work. "Do you come here often Elise?" Jeff asks hurriedly regretting his lame word choice, "Meet me here next week at 3:45pm same day?!?" She laughs and replies, "Well, since you didn't leave me much choice I guess it's a date!" Jeff's body is lighter and he's floating down the steps and out the door as he takes one more glance over his shoulder to see Elise back in the floor humming and smiling as she scans the section he led her toward. She's even beautiful when lost in thought.

All day long at work, Jeff keeps reliving those precious moments. The week creeps along and it seems like decades pass before Thursday arrives again.

Thursday creeps along just as slowly and after suffering through several agonizing hours of anticipation his shift ends. Jeff quickly dons his heavy winter coat and scrambles out the gate, beaming the entire walk to the bookstore.

He arrives and nervously climbs to the second floor, greets Mrs. Millie (who is more giddy than usual) and heads straight for the classical literature section. Elise is not there. His heart sinks and his breath catches in his chest. His shoulders slump and he wanders over to his favorite chair to peer through a few books before he forces himself to return home. Stupid he thought. Why did I get my hopes up? Obviously she wouldn't be here. I am a fool. As Jeff sinks somberly into his over-sized chair he realizes he forgot to grab a book. He sighs and hoists himself from the chair a little more upbeat as he recalls the new WWII books Mrs. Millie had set aside for him should still be on the shelf. He turns into the aisle and notices her feet first.

He slowly looks up from the moccasins and follows the thin legs in navy blue tights up to the hem of a light purple dress that hugs all the right places of an athletic but shapely woman. He reaches the smile and sparkling green eyes and realizes this lovely figure is Elise.

"You came?!" Jeff says surprised. Laughing, Elise responds, "You didn't leave me much choice. Plus you have kind eyes and strong hands so I figured it wouldn't hurt to see you again." And there's that smile. Jeff strides toward her and...

(SLAP)

His cheek is on fire.

Shit, I feel asleep. Skyler is throwing their gear haphazardly into their packs. Jeff can't believe he dozed off. He's angry at himself, his cheek still stings, and he's grasping at the fleeting image of her smile. "I've been shaking you for ten minutes dude!" Skyler irritably states, "I had to slap you man. Get your gun, we're surrounded by at least eight." Shit. Shit. Shit. Why am I such an idiot, Jeff thinks while grabbing his rifle and surveying his surroundings. As he looks out of the treehouse Jeff spots...

(to be continued)