Chapter 1 - Stuck on You

I always loved this woman you know, since high school.We met in English class, she was reading " Of Mice And Men ", one of my favorites.I had no confidence but that day to talk to her about it.

I feel she had pity as that day on we went to a diner after school.The day was August 15th, a day to remember.I waited for her at in front of the school when the day was over.There she was, oh Scarlett, we set off.We walked as I couldn't have the car that day, dad needed it.

We were barely seniors by then, so we'd feel adulthood soon.We walked as she stayed shy until I asked "You excited, it's senior ?"

She shrugged it off as she stared at the ground with a smile.I felt awkward but kept the day going as we arrived.

We entered as it wasn't so crowded, and overstaffed if you ask me.We got to a booth as the waitress approached.

"What can I get y'all ?" She asked as Me and Scarlett looked at each other in confusion.

"I'll have a nice cheese burger with fries and a nice slice of that good old Apple pie please ma'am…." I said as she started to write it down.

She then asked Scarlett "what about you sweetheart ? " she said as Scarlett took s second and said

"I'd love a the Red Waffle combo please….and can you please add some strips of bacon….please…" she said nervously as the waitress finishes up writing.

"Okay I got it and how about drinks ?" She asked as I replied

"Cherry Coke please….." I said as Scarlett added on "I'd also like a cherry coke ….."

I just couldn't get my eyes off Scarlett, the damn angelic skin white as the moon.

"Alright darlings, I'll take these and the food will be out shortly…." Said the waitress as she took the menus with her and walked away.

"Thank you miss …." Said Scarlett as she stared back at me and laughed.I was curious as I didn't look right and asked

"What the hells a Red Waffle combo ?"

She took a brief moment and said

"Well it's just red velvet waffles with cream and strawberries on them, it also comes with a a small plain burger, hence why I added bacon…."

She said calmly as I just admired her way of talking.It's the type of person that is private but if you can get the right crack on them, they'd talk for decades without skipping a breath.

"That's sounds pretty damn good, I should've gone that, but hey who doesn't love an all American cheeseburger and fries…." I say jokingly as she laughed.It's silent for a Moment as I ask her

"You know this is our last year, You plan on going to College ?" I ask as she says

"I do, maybe Folk bridge but the it's tuff to get in there …." She says as I say

"I know what you mean. Plus it costs like what, 25,000$ ?, forget that I'd rather try my luck with the lottery if I had that type of money …." I said as she laughed.

I slowly noticed the little television near the end of the diner showing horrific news.

"As Reports show, since March of now, the virus that plagued us has only gotten a new variant and exposed many to Zombie-like effects and have been shown first in May when a group of monkeys got exposed and attacked a group of people at the Bronx Zoo…."

Said the reporter as they're live at hospital.

I am at awe at this as many other look at the tv and speculate theories already.

"All bullshit, just fake news to hide us from the election " says a man as another man adds on

"Meh this won't kill me, hell I've survived worse …." He said as Many murmur amongst each other.I pay no mind to it as my only focus is Scarlett who is just sitting there and starts to play with her hands.

"So Scarlett, I see you never really talk to many people in school….." I say as she adds on

"Not really, just don't like talking to people but I guess you're alright…." She says as I smile.

Finally the waitress returns with our food, she places it down gently.

"Alright y'all enjoy now …." She says as we start to dig in.

"Thank you ma'am" I tel her as Scarlett is already devouring her food.I just couldn't help but laugh as she quickly ate like she's never ate before.She's so thin yet eats like a fat woman, it's adorable.

"Well aren't you gonna eat ?" She asks me as I snap out of it.I start to eat my burger as she's already finished two of her four waffles.

"Uh, Scarlett you gonna want anything else ?" I ask as she replies

"Nope, this'll do just fine …" she says something a big goofy smile.Back again to the television which is giving late breaking news every minute.

"As stated by the President, "if you have been in contact with someone who has had or has the virus, please visit any local medical stations nearby, if you can't find one please call 933 as it will give you full directions to one near you….."

It said as now the diners in a bit of a panic as arguments spew as one worker has been showing signs of the virus.

"Now you get that Motherfucker outta here, he'll get us all sick !" He yells as me and Scarlett slowly mind our business and continue eating.

"Now wait a minute -" says another worker as a different man yells

"No waiting, you heard the man in the tv….get him the hell outta here !" He yells as others agree in anger.The sick worker starts to faint in the kitchen room floor as a worker tries to help him.

"Christ call 9-1-1 Will ya ?!" Demands a worker as the waitress who helped us pulls out her phone to make the call.A crowd forms near the doors entering the kitchen as the are Angered but also worried for the sick worker.

"That seems like trouble don't you think ?" Asked Scarlett as I replied

"Yea yea it is …." I say as now a worker checks it see if he had a heartbeat, no dice.

"Christ he's not breathing , is anyone a doctor ?" He yells as no one responds and just talks amongst themselves, by now some people have started to leave.

"An ambulance will be here, but they said it'll take a while …." Said the waitress as she a man angrily ask "how the hell is an ambulance gonna take a while, it's there damn job to help him…" he says as another man says

"Aren't you the same bastard who wanted him to leave ?" He says aggressively as they start to scuffle and cause a ruckus.

"We should probably get outta here Scarlett…" I say as I get up quickly and take her with me.

"But we didn't pay …." She says as we walk to the exit.

"Good old diner and dash Scarlett …." I say as we're about to leave until we witness a truck crash into the building across the street.We stop at the door, at shock to what we've seen.The commotion in here gets worse as now the unconscious man awakes slowly and as no one's notices he attacks a worker watching the two men fight in the diner.The worker screams in pain as the zombie starts to bite his neck.This causes them all to look as they're at shock.

"Jesus Christ !" Yells one man as another says

"You crazy cannibal bastards !" He yells as he goes in to confront the man, thinking he's alive.

He grabs him and shoved him and says "The hell you think this is boy -" he says as he interrupted.The zombie attacks him and scratches at his stomach aggressively.

"To hell with that !" Yells a man as other join and jump the zombie.The punch and kick but as they demolish it, it gets out some scratches and bites.

"Let's get outta here !" Says Scarlett as we finally exit the diner and walk the sidewalks.

"Where do you live Scarlett, I gotta take you safely ?" I ask as she says

" I live next to school, so not so far from here but you should really go see your family …." She says as by now havoc had occurred in the streets.That truck that crashed, the driver was bitten but shrugged it off.Finally he started sweating and breaking down slowly until boom in that moment he crashed.People looked on to help as he attacked at least two to three people by then.Setting off a slow chain reaction, if you'd want to know as well.

The people in the diner quickly turned as they attacked each other.It was a massacre of biting and attacking and lunging.

"It's just my father at home, I'll call him right now !" I say to Scarlett as we cautiously walk the streets.No one ever warned you for a zombie apocalypse until someone gets bitten.

"Dad….dad I don't know if you're seeing the news but be careful, I'm coming home right now !" I say as I've been put in his voicemail.

"He's not answering…." I say as she ask

"How far do you live from here ?"

She said as we stop at a red light, cars start to crash and zombies start to slowly lurk around.

"I'm at least a 10 minute drive, pretty bad …" I say as she says

"Oh that's horrible, we'll my moms can at least drive you….so come to my house ! " she says as the light turns green, we run as cars still don't stop at red lights.Drive right past us, almost hitting us dead I'd assume.We keep going as we arrive at her home, somehow getting through the chaos in the streets.

"Mom, Mom !" Yells Scarlett as we enter the home.She runs around as I follow just in case, we look in the kitchen then the living room.We see nothing until we go to her mother room.We see her laying on the floor, dead from a gunshot wound.

"Oh no, mom- oh ah !" She expresses as she starts to tear up and lay on the hallway floor.

I am at shock as I don't know how to act and vomit as I see her lifeless body.Scarlett starts to tear up as I try to comfort her.

"Scarlett, Scarlett breath in please, listen this is very awful it really is, I feel you I really do….losing your mother….it's very- it's very destructive for someone…." I say as she tries to stop the crying.

"That feeling wont end if you let it keep existing, the sadness.Just please get up, we have to go and keep living…." I say as she sobs and slowly gets up.She slowly walks in the room but rushes it out and starts to cry, i quickly enter.I check her mother pockets to see no keys, I look through the drawers and find them.A set of keys with a keychain that shaped like a license plate that says " four beers is the limit …".

I quickly get out the room and find to see Scarlett in her room getting some special belongings in a duffle bag.As she's finishing up I says

"I got the keys…..you ready ?" She gets the duffle bag on and starts walking out of her room.

"Yea ….let's go …." We both quickly walk through the hallways and pass her mothers room.As she walks by she still sobs a bit as I close the door.We both make it to the driveway to get in the car, it's a blue Dodge Caravan.I start to drive as we head off to my home.

We'd finally arrive as we driven through hectic events in the streets.I park in the street as I see my neighborhood being looted, it's mainly liquor stores and restaurants, it's a mix of looters and Zombies all over.I quickly enter the apartment building as I get out my key.We enter as I close it on the way in.

"Right here, apartment 1…" I say as we enter quickly.I see my dad sitting in his chair watching the news as it's the same reporter explaining more the current situation.

"As of now the president has ordered for all to reach any outpost nearby you, if you can, call 933 for more information …." He says as my dad says

"Hey kid ….who's this, the girlfriend ?" He says calmly as I say

"Dad, the hell you doing, do you not see what's going on in the world ?" I ask aggressively he gets up from his chair and says

"Yea I know and I've witnessed it kiddo…." He says as I rush to my room to get my other backpack, it's empty as usual.I gather my things, I also add a switchblade and hammer.

"Hello sweetheart it's nice to meet you, do you need help to get somewhere maybe your family ?" asks my dad to Scarlett ad she nicely says "no thank you sir, I'm okay here …."

I quickly go to the kitchen to get the toolbox in the cabinets.

"Scarlett, I forgot but in my room, under my bed can you get this green bag I have, you won't miss it …." I say as she quickly hurries in.

"Scarlett, oh what a beautiful name …" says my dad as I add duct tape, a kitchen knife and screwdrivers into the backpack.I also take bandages, cotton balls, rubbing alcohol and scissors.I enter ten living room and put the backpack on the couch as dad just looks at me as he goes to sit back on his bed.

"Dad, what the hell, we gotta go man…." I say ad he says

"I ain't going kid …." He says as I notice he's sweating profusely.

"Why the hell not ?" I ask as he says

"Well As you know I've been reading up on these conspiracies on this virus making people into the undead and how it attacks.It could be scratches, bites, It'll turn you into those infected bastards…." He says as he switches the channels to one playing "Casa Blanca".

"Dad, so you're saying what you got scratched or what ?" I asked as Scarlett returned with the green bag, she hands it to me.

"Yep, son of a bitch neighbor attacked me as I was coming back in after getting the mail….I knocked him out but he bite my back…..any minute imma turn into one of them….so I guess this my goodbye son…." He says as I finished packing.I go over to dad as I try not to cry,

"Don't you cry you, Monroe's are built to last boy…." He says as he starts to take of his watch.

He hands it to me and says

"Remember me my son, as now I shall meet your mother once again…..no go, live on for me boy …." He says as I put the watch on and slowly walk back outside.

"I love you dad …." I say as me and Scarlett exit.

Dad just laid on his bed, watching Tv and enjoying his last moments.

We quickly got out of the apartment and got into the car as I see three men lurking.It's Charlie, an old childhood friend, haven't talked in years.

"Hold up now Bruce, gimme the keys !" He says as he and the two other men approach me and Scarlett.

"Im sorry Charlie but I can't do that pal, we gotta go…." I say as I keep Scarlett behind me.

"Nah nah, Gimme the Keys now, we gotta get outta here, plus you and her won't last out there man….you know them tv shows and movies about this...it don't end well…." He says as the two men surround us.

"Back the fuck off Man !" I yell attracting a zombie nearby.It slowly lurks towards us as Charlie says

"Get his ass man !" He demands as one man shoved Scarlett to the ground as Charlie and The other man attack me.They push me at the Caravan as Charlie punches me, they start to beat on me as I see Scarlett on the ground hurt.I quickly get up from the beating and shove one man away as I punch Charlie.The third slams me against the car as he has me pinned.I go on to knee his stomach as I throw him to the ground.Charlie and the other man attack me as the man holds me and Charlie starts to punch me.Scarlett has gotten up by now and starts to grab on to Charlie

"Get off him !" She yells as she smacks him repeatedly.He turns his attention to her as he gets her off her and slaps her.

"Stay down bitch …" he says as the third man has joined in to attack me again.I and frustrated as I head-butt the man holding, he lets go as I slam the third man's head into the window of the caravan, cracking the window.Charlie notices as he turns to me and we start to scuffle alone.That zombie had arrived and out of nowhere starts to eat on the man I head-butted.He screams in horror as I slammed Charlie to the ground.Scarlett has gotten up and I tell her

"Start the car !" I yell as I toss her the keys.She rushes around the caravan as the zombies still distracted with the man it's devouring.He still screams as it's attracting more zombies.I have been beating on Charlie, over and over until I hear Scarlett yell

"Bruce, come on !" I turn as I get up and rush to the passenger side.I enter as Charlie slowly got up and starts running.Scarlett starts to drive out of the neighborhood as Charlie runs towards us

"Wait please, Christ please wait !-" he yelled as a zombie attacked him outta nowhere.I see it all from the Rear-view window, horrific but justified.

"What now Bruce ?" She asked as I we drive towards the boulevard.

"Take us to the Folk Bridge mall parking lot….we'll go up there for now …." I say as she says

"Okay, alright…." I start to look out the window to see the boulevard looking calm as the apocalypse hasn't hit.We wait at a red light as other cars are as well.

"Christ…..imma gonna miss my friend, probably won't see them again ….oh and senior year is over, unless maybe you know the government calms this down…."Says Scarlett as I add on

"Maybe….for now all we know is survive…." I say as the light turns green, we drive as a bus passes by, barely missing as it crashes into the gas station.We keep driving as we've witnessed the crash.

"Looks like this place is being infected already …." She says as we pass the train tracks and get to the Mall.

We've parked and camped out at the top of the parking lot.It's five stories and deserted, so it seems perfect, only one entrance too.We look down at the streets and mall area to see it crumbling.

"He hit you kinda hard back there, you feeling alright ?" I ask as she opened the side door of the caravan and had opened her duffle bag.

"Yea I'm alright, he hits like a girl anyways …." She says jokingly as we both laugh.From her duffle bag she's pulled out two energy drinks and hands me one.

We start to drink them as I say

"Was never really a big energy drink guy, not even coffee you know …" I say as she says jokingly "when the hell did you open the can …" we laughed more as see a man yelling at us

"Help !, help me !" He yelled as I tell her "get down." We duck as he continue to yell

"Please, god please help !" He yells as a zombie is chasing after him.The zombie catches up and lunges at him, it starts to devour him as he yells.I get up to look as I see this, She gets up as well.

"Damn you, damn you both to hell !" He yelled as the zombie is eating him aggressively as it bites his neck next.All we can do is just stare as he's damned us to hell.

"I know it's awful what we just did, but it's gonna be how we're gonna have to live to survive….alright ?" I say as she replied,

"No I fully understand it's just, there gotta be moments more subtle we're we should help, like this guy no way we could've helped, but in other occasions….we have to help …." She says as she sips her energy drink.I take a sip of mine as well and say

"Yes, alright…."

We both Just stare at the man who damned us to hell getting devoured by the zombie as we enjoy the energy drink.I hope what's next to come, will have mercy.I just hope Scarlett will survive this, crazy to think through all this I just think of her.