Project 43
2627

There are moments in life that we all wish we could take back and today was one of them but... for all the wrong reasons, I guess.

Nathan and I may never have the same relationship we had. It started with me sneaking out. My trip went as planned; everything was fine. Until I started to bike away.

I smelled a sickly-sweet smell that I'm starting to associate with them. It's rotting and it makes me wonder if maybe if the rumors about masks aren't always so far off. My foot froze on my pedal poised to go when I turned my head towards the line. Closest to me was a young boy. A kid. No more than five or six...

My heart broke as I saw his skin turn color quickly, curled up in a ball next to his siblings that were around his age attempting to get their mother's attention. It was like a moment out of a horror movie. Only... this is my life now.

And I just...

FROZE.

I can barely see the page as tears fall. It was...

The images just keep flashing in my mind over and over. Blood. Screams. One of them that small and vicious. It wasn't after a meal it was after spreading its sickness. The younger ones where bit before the mother even had a clue. She was down as the kids screamed running. Someone killed the kid with a shovel before the mother was suddenly on them biting their leg. More screams- the younger ones had turned. Chaos.

Children turn faster than adults... fun fact. At least they certainly seemed to. All I could do was watch. After a while all I could hear was my breath.

Finally.

Finally, I felt my leg pushing myself forward- not because I wanted to get away but because some small voice whispered that Nathan would be upset with me. He'd come down here.

I couldn't endanger Nathan.

By the time-

I'm sorry my hands are shaking trying to even write this...

...

By the time I go home I was panting running up hill with everything only to fall to my knees realizing Nathan... he wasn't here.

"No." I heard the words come out of my mouth in a voice I couldn't even recognize as my own as it wailed.

My only thought was on Nathan as I through down my bike and everything that was weighing me down. I was only halfway down the driveway when I had to draw my pistol. Two people had been following me and I hadn't even realized it.

It was something that Nathan had warned me about. That survival trainings taught me could happen. All the video games I had enjoyed especially recently. As well as horror movies.

Point being more people did not always mean a good thing.

"Whoh please. Don't please. Me and my brother were down there. We live nearby and didn't think it would be safe, so we just followed you since you were on a bike!"

"Yeah, you looked like you knew what you were doing without a car. We're not trying to hurt you or anything, we don't know where else to go." The second one was shorter but both of them sported dark brown hair and facial hair. One of them wore a sports jersey like he was headed to college basketball and the other had a tie and glasses. I didn't miss the blood on his sleeve.

I had to replace Nathan. But I couldn't just abandon the house. I also felt bad if I didn't help them because they seemed to be just as scared as I was. I put the gun into my belt again. "Hurry I need to go look for my friend. Let's get in the house."

Carefully I showed them the way inside, explaining the traps along the way. They actually seemed really impressed with everything. Their names I found out are Abel and Ronnie. Abel was the one in the jersey and as soon as he saw the food and I told him to help himself that was really the last bit of interaction I had with him.

Ronnie though...

Ronnie told me that Abel was in college basketball on a scholarship. Their parents passed away before the outbreak and Abel didn't feel comfortable leaving him with their aunt while he was finishing collage. Beyond that?

I couldn't concentrate as I pulled out the first aid kit and he pulled off his shirt. It wasn't the fact he was attractive so much as the smell he gave off. It seemed to be coming off his every pour like a natural scent.

Focusing on cleaning the wound I noticed it was just a scrape, but the blood seemed to just keep coming from the edges of it which had been soaking the cuff of his shirt. Part of me...

Part of me also...

-part of me wanted to lick it.

I know. It sounds gross and I didn't, but it was like a big juicy tender steak with the most amazing aromatics I just wanted to run my tongue over it. Telling myself now I have an iron deficiency makes sense but... kissing him?

Don't ask me how it happened- maybe no one really knows how their first kiss happens it just does. I'm way out of my depth. I remember looking up from his wound trying to just pretend to be worried not like some crazy person about to lick him like a dog. Then his breath fanned over my face and our lips where meeting. I remember it being a very wet sloppy kiss. My mouth just wouldn't stop pooling with saliva, which was really gross, but he didn't' seem to mind.

"Wow ok I'm the older brother that called dibs. Honestly didn't know you had it in you Ron." His brother said through a bite full of sandwich.

I sat straight up- somehow, I had straddled his lap. The first aid kit had scattered on the floor. Ronnie looked... dazed. Tired.

Abel didn't seem to notice as he made himself at home in my corner of pillows I had built, on is phone already laughing on whatever was on it.

"Are you... ok?" I asked Ronnie, the sweet smell he had seemed to be less intense or maybe I was getting used to it. The blush that crept up my cheeks was only kept at bay with my concern for his health. He looked suddenly very pale.

"Yeah, I'm alright I'm just going to rest for a bit." Ronnie said with a small smile.

Honestly...

I wasn't sure if he'd be alive when I came back.

But I had to replace Nathan.