A Lust For Life Ch. 02

A/N: Thank you for your votes/comments/feedback. Sorry for the wait. The zombie muses just kept grunting at me. Luckily some other muses visited me and helped me out. No sex in this chapter, unfortunately, but we're getting there. I hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think- don't forget to vote/comment!

/

Everyone sat in relative silence as Sean and Flynn talked quietly in the kitchen, their voices occasionally growing louder but their words difficult to make out.

While I waited, I couldn't help but replay the disgusting sounds of bones crunching, of Flynn battling Matt on my bed, of the snow globe shattering into a million pieces on its final try. Vanessa wept and struggled in my arms, catching glimpses of Flynn struggling with the boy she still thought of as her soulmate.

Then Sean came in with a knife and jammed it right into the zombie's head. He cringed as he did it but even I knew it was what was needed to be done. I was just grateful it didn't have to be me. What used to be Matt moved no more and fell to the floor in a silent heap.

Vanessa started screaming in my arms; it was difficult to keep her back. "No! What have you done?! Why did you do that? Oh my God, Matt! Oh my God!" She collapsed in my arms when it finally sunk it he was gone. "No!"

I was just as shocked; seeing someone you know stabbing someone else you know in the head with a knife is not the most pleasant image, regardless of the circumstances.

Sean tried to calm her down. He told her about the things outside, what they were and how Matt had become one of them.

"Not possible," she whispered.

The shock and terror were too much for her, and words and soft hugs could no longer reach her. She eventually stopped screaming and crying.

Now she sat beside me in the small living room, mute and staring into nothing. I didn't know if she understood what was going on or if she even cared. She seemed to be as dead as the zombies outside. Jennifer tried to wash her face with a warm washcloth but Vanessa didn't even react. My friend and I looked at one another, lost and terrified.

We were all weary but knew we had to leave; we heard screams and unmistakable thumping noises around us. It was only a matter of time before those things got inside the apartment.

Josh paced back and forth. "We need to get out of here." He ran his hands through his shaggy dirty blonde hair. "Sean! Flynn! Let's go!"

The brothers came out slowly, eyeing us all. "We're going to take everyone to our farm," Sean told us. "Nothing could have possibly happened out there."

'Yet' was the word he left out.

My other best friend in the world, Sara, started crying and walked over to him. They linked hands. I heated up, remembering the personal moment both Flynn and I had seen them share.

Briefly my eyes met Flynn's and I noticed his cheeks reddened slightly too. He had a hunger in eyes, much more different and welcome than that in the eyes of horde of undead below. I didn't know where it was coming from, but since it was the less terrifying of the two shocks of the day, I embraced it.

Flynn and Sean went on and explained what would happen; both had large SUV's and volunteered to be the drivers. It was about 45 minutes away. They were insistent nothing had happened to their family.

"It's really far from other people," Flynn added. "They're fine."

I didn't want to upset them but I doubted their family was "fine". I doubted anyone was fine, whether they were feasting on other people or not. I knew, however, I had no better options. Where would I go? None of us said anything to disagree. Sean and Flynn were our leaders now.

"How do we get downstairs?" Tyler asked. He was one of Josh's good friends.

I thought we might have had an economics class together one semester in our first year. Had we been at a regular party, I might have brought it up to him... but it didn't matter much now, did it?

Flynn walked over to the fire escape and peered out. Instantly he was pale. "Shit."

One of Kristen's friends, Chelsea, looked out the window, too. First Chelsea made a gurgling noise and then she started throwing up uncontrollably. Their two other friends, Rob and Tricia, rubbed her back and moved her away from the window.

"Oh my God," Kristen whispered, taking in the image of her friend vomiting. I watched her glance out the glass, too, unable to resist. Her mouth then popped open and I thought she was also going to start throwing up.

Her bloodshot eyes happened to meet mine. It was like she was begging for me to tell her whatever horror she was seeing wasn't real. I could only imagine what was going on out there, and that was a comfort I simply couldn't give.

With curious reluctance I stood, leaving Jennifer to tend to Vanessa. Sara walked up to the window with me in silence and we stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing out on the street we'd been living on for what felt like forever. It was one that had always been cozy and familiar. My father always said we lucked out in finding such a nice apartment on such a safe street and in such a good neighborhood.

Now it was, pardon the cliche, a living nightmare.

I had been wrong: I couldn't imagine what Kristen and Chelsea and Flynn had seen. The sight of mass quantities of people ripping other people's body parts off as easily as they'd tear off a piece of meat from a chicken breast was vile and terrifying. They moved as quickly as I could, or perhaps even faster. Their actions were methodical, mindless, and relentless. Their violence surprised me, even at this point after what I had witnessed. Their mouths violently tore into their victims. Happily they swallowed down other humans, relishing in the taste or whatever pleasure it gave them. It was sickening.

A boy about my age- he may have once been good-looking if he hadn't been so discolored and strangely detached from the chaos around him- walked over to an old woman pleading on the sidewalk. Another man was feeding on her leg. A middle-aged woman had her arm. He walked over, emotionlessly... calmly. One leg raised up and then stomped down onto her head; then he bent down and started gobbling her up with two hands like a child eating fistfuls of candy.

Sara screamed and tripped backwards, though she was thankfully caught by Sean. My eyes wouldn't move from the scene, as desperately as my mind wanted them to close shut and pretend it all wasn't happening.

A hand touched my shoulder and I turned. Jennifer stood there, tears in her eyes. She took my hand into her's, exerting light but comforting pressure. It dawned on me it had been a long time since someone had held my hand, and right now it was just what I needed.

"What's going to happen?" she whispered. "I've never seen anything like this. I've never seen you look so terrified before. I've never seen SARA terrified before."

She sniffled a little and looked out at the street. Again my eyes were dragged back. I watched an old man doing his best to chase after two small children. We could hear them screaming "Momma!" through the window.

"What's going to happen?" she asked me again, her light brown eyes as begging as Kristen's earlier.

I had no answer. Josh walked over and kissed her messy (for once) blonde hair. "Come sit down, baby." He smiled at me half-heartedly while he dragged her way, trying to soothe her with promises he shouldn't have been making. "It's going to be okay. I'm going to take care of you."

A few minutes later Sean stood in the middle of the room. "We're going to try the fire escape. We obviously can't get through the hallway... Flynn and I are going to go first, then pull the cars around. Watch out for them. Then, and ONLY then, start climbing down." He looked over at Josh, Tyler, and Rob. "Guys, take care of the girls."

They nodded in agreement, though I noticed Rob nodded slowly as if he were thinking deeply about something. I remember Sara considering dating him once and then turning him down when he finally worked up the nerve to ask her. She said he didn't have enough spark, enough heart. Watching him sit there, sweating, anxiously rocking back and forth like a junkie I agreed with her. He was out for himself; I could see it in his eyes, in the flexing of his legs. He was ready to bolt.

"We'll be back," Sean said firmly, bringing me back to the moment.

I swallowed heavily, my throat dry at the image of the two strong guys leaving us weaklings behind and venturing into the hellish world of which I only got a twenty second glimpse.

Flynn looked at me for a long moment and then at the rest of the people in the room. "Look out for us. We'll be back. Soon." He echoed his brother's promise, almost as much for us as for him.

I imagined us back in the time of great warriors preparing themselves for battle, the adrenaline and rush of bravery coursing through them. And the fear.

I wanted so much in that moment and I couldn't even understand it. I didn't want to see him go. I didn't want any of us to go, for any of this to happen. The moaning around us, the sounds of pleas and screams, however, reminded me this was our reality. People rarely got what they want, even before people became cannibals for no reason.

Then, before what they were doing had completely hit me, Sean and Flynn were climbing down the fire escape. Breathing steadily was an impossibility for me as I watched them put one foot and then the other on each step. We all watched them move silently but as quickly as they could, whispering things to each other.

All of us gasped when we saw a hand claw out towards Sean. He shocked us when he whipped out a sharp knife and started stabbing it. He continued climbing down, leaving the wounded but unfeeling hand still reaching out, clasping at air. Flynn expertly moved around it.

Finally they reached the bottom. Both looked up at us. Flynn's eyes met mine briefly again, this time with more intensity. I hoped it wouldn't be for the last time. Then they were gone, off into the foreign dimension our world had reluctantly entered to fetch their cars.

Sara started freaking out. "What if they don't come back? I've been so nasty to him. I think I love him. What if he doesn't come back?"

The others paced, freaked out, sat down, stood up. Jennifer still tried to coax a response from Vanessa, worriedly glancing at Josh from time to time. I remember looking at them and thinking they really were in love. And I didn't doubt Sara loved Sean, and vice versa. I felt sad in that instant, thinking this was likely the end and I never knew anything like that. I never would.

My thoughts in that moment were somewhat superficial, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't help wondering if I'd been too much of a hermit as Jennifer often accused me of being, if I should have called my dad more often to make sure he was taking care of himself. I thought of all the books I'd wanted to read, the movies I had jotted down to eventually rent, the songs I'd never hear again. It seemed so insane. Not for the first time I wondered if this was some cleverly crafted and vivid nightmare, inspired by the countless zombie movies I'd seen over the years.

Then I glanced over at my friends, at the other people in the room and their horrified expressions, at Vanessa and her blood-covered clothes. I listened to the quieting screams, the gruesome sound of things munching on other things, and I knew this was a nightmare.

Only it was really happening; I wasn't asleep. Something happened, something terrible, to alter the world.

"They're there," Josh told us after an excruciating wait, the excitement and relief unmistakable in his voice. "Let's go."

Tyler climbed down first. The plan was he'd help the girls and ward off any zombies that came near. We forced Vanessa down first, but she wouldn't move so Jennifer went with her. Josh watched with anxious eyes, as did I. I only had a handful of important people in my life and those two ranked high up there. Thankfully they made it down and Jennifer shoved Vanessa into Flynn's car. A zombie made its way over to her while she buckled Vanessa in; Tyler battled it off while Jen ran over to Sean's car. Eventually it seemed he crushed its skull because it sunk to the ground and he appeared at the bottom again.

"Okay, now you," Josh said to me, tugging my arm over.

"How come she gets to go before us?" Kristen asked. I think she attempted to sound snotty but her terror shone through her tone.

Josh sighed. "We'll all get down there, just-"

"It's fine," I told him. "Let her go."

He stifled whatever he wanted to say and helped her down the first few steps. She made her way down easily and climbed into- surprise, surprise- Flynn's car. I could just imagine his face.

Sara was next. I insisted. She took my hands into her's, much like Jen had before and stared into my eyes. I thought, not for the first time, that I truly had some great friends.

"You're my best friend in the whole world. We're going to make it through this." She kissed my cheek. "I'll see you down there."

She, too, made it down without incident. I insisted the other two girls, Tricia and Chelsea, head down before me too. Something made me linger in that old apartment. I didn't want to leave the comforts of its walls, even though those comforts were superficial and temporary. Secretly I was also terrified of going out there where true hell waited for all of us.

I peered down when finally it was my turn. "I'm scared," I said without thinking to no one in particular.

Josh squeezed my arm. "Me too. You gotta go down there, though. There's nothing up here for you anymore."

I looked at him, at his stunning blue eyes. "Jen loves you, you know," I muttered stupidly.

He grinned- really grinned. "Yeah. I know. I love her, too. Now get down there. She'd be really pissed at me if I didn't ensure your safety, too."

"This is really fucking heartwarming," Rob grumbled from right behind us, "but I'd like to get the fuck out of here. Let's move."

The sound of banging on our door woke me up. I was delaying all of our safety. I nodded and took Josh's hand. I climbed over and out and started down the fire escape. I tried to zone out and not listen to greedy mouths smacking and grinding on the bones and flesh of others. I desperately attempted to ignore the sounds of running feet beneath me, of furniture and God knows what else being tossed in the apartments I passed as I descended. Hungry, angry, ferocious, animalistic groans surrounded me on all sides. I felt myself nearing the ground. Peering down assured me I was almost to Tyler, who waited with a big bat.

Then I felt it: a firm, tight hand wrapping around my ankle. It must have been the same hand from before, relentless in its search for its next snack. A cold, wet thing slurped around my skin. Without thinking I screamed, drawing the attention of a dozen of those things in the distance. I didn't have time to curse my stupidity for I felt teeth on my ankle. I jerked away and nearly fell off the fire escape. I heard both Josh and Tyler yelling things at me, but it sounded as though it was all underwater. Nothing processed inside of my panicked brain. I just desperately fought against the faceless mouth that was eager to bite and ravage me from a darkened window.

"Get off!" I heard myself shrieking. Like it could understand. Like it would.

Teeth scraped against my sensitive skin. Now I thought it would be ME who might vomit. Its hold was incredibly strong and I was positive I was as good as dead- or worse, become like them.

Then I saw Rob climbing down quickly, followed by Josh. They would help me. Knowing Josh, he'd have some sort of weapon on him like Sean. A nice sharp knife, I hoped. I kept managing to pull my ankle away just far away from its mouth, which was vital because I knew what a bite could do.

Finally Rob reached me. "Rob," I nearly sobbed.

But he pushed past me, nearly knocking me straight into the zombie's eager and waiting mouth. He ran further down, exchanged words with Tyler I couldn't understand, and got in Flynn's car like nothing happened. Tyler was still yelling but I was too much in shock to comprehend. My body still knew to fight against the relentless pull of the zombie's hand but my leg was growing tired. I was suddenly SO tired. And I had been right about Rob; Sara was SPOT ON about him.

Then someone was slashing at the wrist of zombie and I felt the hold loosen. The mouth no longer panted desperately against me. Cold fingers slipped off me, reluctantly but easily. I realized Josh had saved me.

He yanked me with him because my limbs had become utterly useless. He thrust me inside Flynn's car and slid in with me. I saw Tyler scramble to Sean's.

"Thank you," was all I could whisper. He just nodded.

The dead were all around us now, bumping and smacking the cars like animals in a jungle. They wanted their food.

The motors started up and Flynn's car started to move. I was hardly aware of my surroundings; I knew I was sitting next to Vanessa, who sat next to Rob. Josh was squeezed into the left of me. Kristen sat in the front seat.

"You're an asshole," Josh spat. I turned my head slowly and realized he was craning his neck to glare at Rob. "A real piece of shit. I never knew it until today how much of a dick you could be."

Rob didn't look the least bit chastened. "What the fuck was I supposed to do?" he asked casually.

He was looking at a naked female zombie who just stared at us as we drove by. She was around thirty, a little puffy. She was also green, blue, and pale white all over. She watched, open-mouthed. Her eyes were empty.

"Not fucking push her aside and run to your own safety like a little girl," Flynn ground out from the front. He took a particularly sharp turn that had us all digging into one another.

I realized Vanessa was shivering beside me and my concern for her broke through my shock for a moment. The boys continued arguing amongst themselves but I ignored them. "Are you okay?" I whispered into her ear.

Then the car swerved. Flynn attempted to avoid a zombie who strangely looked a lot like me. I understood his reluctance to run the thing over; it must have freshly turned. It wasn't as disgusting as the others. It didn't look like it had been rotting long. It stood, nearly like it was confused, by the side of the road. It watched our progression carefully.

"How can this be happening? Why is it happening?" Kristen sniffled from the front seat. She wrapped a hand around Flynn's arm. I caught his small frown in the rearview mirror.

Rob snickered. "Who gives a shit how or why? It just IS happening."

"You're such an asshole," Josh muttered, shaking his head.

Then Sean's car abruptly stopped in front us, halting our own car and shoving our bodies chaotically around.

"What the fuck!" Rob bellowed.

We were quiet as we situated ourselves. I made sure Vanessa was okay. She still wouldn't respond to my questions.

"What's going on, Flynn?" Josh asked quietly, peering above Flynn's seat to catch a glimpse of what was happening in front us.

I was basically in the middle, and therefore had the best view. Nothing seemed to be happening to me.

"Is he out of gas?" I wondered.

"No," Flynn said. He inched forward in his seat. "My brother is going to do something very stupid. I can just feel it."

Moments later, Sean flew out of the car and slammed his door shut behind him. He snaked through a small crowd of snapping undead and towards something in the distance. We couldn't see what.

"What's he doing?" Kristen asked stupidly.

No one could answer. Flynn just cursed.

Then Tricia, Kristen's friend, jumped out of the car herself and ran in the same direction. She was flailing her arms and screaming something we couldn't hear above the cacophony of grunts and angry hunger all around us.