They Walk

Chapter Thirty Two

The next couple of days go by in a blur, as I’m in and out of consciousness. The visitors in my room rotate, and they all tell me stories of what the new people are like. Claire tells me that we’re not the only other people in the building, though most fled in the first couple days of infection. All that are left now is a few old couples and a few families. Then there is Randy and Kelli, who Claire says are married and that he’s a cop. That’s whose apartment we’re in now, she tells me. There is another guy Brady who is apparently Randy’s partner and is always hanging around. His girlfriend is with him, and her name is Lauren.

Claire says that since so many of the apartments are empty, that anyone is welcome to stay in them.

When Sam visits he tells me that the guys in the building have a generator hooked up, and we have power and hot water. I’m so excited at the thought of a shower that I almost jump out of the bed. But I’m so shaky on my feet; he has to help me back down. He promises I’ll have a long one when I’m feeling better.

I totally hold him to it.

Dan comes to see me the most, and gives me updates on Maria and vice versa. We talk sometimes about mom and dad and know we can’t stay here forever. They are out there somewhere, and probably doing what we’re doing, wondering if we’ll ever see each other again. We don’t talk much about those we’ve lost, and I like it that way. I know we will have to eventually, but for right now it hurts too much.

Gabe mostly comes to see me at night, when we can be alone for a longer period of time. He tells me about how Randy has this awesome weapon collection, and I think back to the crossbow. I definitely can’t wait to get out of this bed, just to check them out. He tells me he met this guy Noah, who’s in the army. Apparently, his sister lives in this building but Gabe has never met her. Noah doesn’t talk about her much, and Gabe doesn’t push him. They do talk a lot about how the infection of the dead started though.

And believe it or not, it was the cold immunization shots.

Go figure right?

One night a couple days later, after finally getting that shower that was promised. I’m just finishing getting into a pair of silk jammies from Kelli, when there is a knock on the door. I have to walk over to it slowly, since I’m still a little unsteady on me feet. Gabe is on the other side, and I can’t hold back the smile as I open the door. In a fast approved tradition, we sit on the bed together and talk about things. But tonight’s topic hits a little close to home. He tells me that Noah has been talking about the places that people were evacuated to. He says that there is a good chance that’d we’d make it to them if we wanted to go searching for our families.

He finally tells Gabe that his sister is there, probably looking for him, like he is for her. He has a car and is planning on leaving, but would be willing to take some of us with him if we wanted to go. Hearing this is like music to my ears, to be able to find my mom and dad. I would give anything to be able to be held in my mother’s arms and to have her tell me everything is alright. And Gabe knows this, that’s why he’s telling me. He doesn’t really have any other reason to go off on a search mission. My heart swell at the thought of him caring so deeply for me, and I can feel tears in my eyes.

“Hey, don’t cry Mags, please.” He leans over and wipes my tears before they fall down my cheeks with his fingertips.

“It’s just; I want to find my parents so badly it hurts.” I say as I take his hand in mine and place our entwined hands between us on the bed.

“I know that’s why I told Noah that we’d go with him. We leave the day after tomorrow.” He says with a smile.

I can’t hold back my own smile, but it falters. How can we just leave, after finally having a safe place to sleep and knowing the dead can’t get inside past the storm proof security doors? I feel terror trying to push its way up inside me, and I can’t hold back the shiver as I think back to everything that has already happen in such a short time.

Am I really prepared to sacrifice more, on something so uncertain?

Seeing my hesitation, Gabe leans into me so that our foreheads are touching.

“I promise you Maggie, that I won’t let anything happen to you. And one way or another we will find your parents and anyone else. I won’t stop until we do. You have my word.” He whispers the last thing, and his face comes closer to mine.

Sighing, I know then that it’s worth it to take this chance.

If we don’t, then what do we have to live for? Feeling Gabe smile so close to my lips, I know he understands that I came to my decision. I raise my arms so that I can touch his hair, and I run my fingers through his long dark waves. He places his hands on either side of my cheeks and pulls me the final distance to his lips. Our lips touch so lightly at first, and then everything that we’ve waited for comes to light, and we both deepen it at the same time. Coming up for air, we are both out of breathe and shaking.

We lay down then, and being held in Gabe’s arms I fall asleep knowing there is hope for the future.