RudyGasparrini

People fear death for many reasons. For some, the fear of what comes after. The fear of being forgotten. A threat to the meaningfulness of life. Being forced to stop life projects.
This was what the world feared before. Now, what we fear is what we become 
After Death.

A suspenseful story told by different characters over the years of the zombie apocalypse. The group consists of high school kids and deals with troubling events in which not everyone survives. 

TW: This story contains graphic descriptive content, strong language, and disturbing descriptive images and is intended only for mature audiences.

AFtER DEAtH

Chapter 9: For the Rest of Our Lives

Rudolph and Edin tended to Dallen's wound while Khai, Aiden, and I tried to search for somewhere to live. There were very few of the dead here. It was odd because in the beginning, when they invaded the school, there were hundreds. But it's not like any of us were complaining of their absence. We cautiously explored the surrounding neighborhoods, hoping to find a safe and secure place to call home. The eerie silence of the deserted streets only heightened our sense of vulnerability, reminding us that danger could still be lurking around every corner.

"What about there?" Aiden pointed it out. It was a small brick apartment. "The high ground will do us good." The small brick apartment seemed like a promising option, providing us with the advantage of higher elevation to keep an eye on our surroundings. Its sturdy structure also gave us hope for better protection against any potential threats. As we approached the building, we couldn't help but wonder if it would offer the safety and security we desperately sought.

"Yes, it's perfect." Khai made a sharp right, and we pulled into our new home's parking lot.

"Edin, stay here with Dallen; we'll be back soon," Aiden informed. They nodded, and we got out of the car, grabbing our knives on the way out. Khai broke down the door, and Aiden was the first to go in.

The place smelled like rotting meat. A combination of the broken refrigerator and the people who decided not to try, each of their wrists slit as they sat together in the hall. The stench hit us like a wave, causing us to gag and cover our noses. It was clear that this place had been abandoned for quite some time.

The place had six houses in total. Three two-bedroom apartments and three one-bedrooms. We cleaned out the bodies, emptied the old food into the nearby dumpster outside, cleaned the floors with water from a nearby pond, and smiled at our finished work. It took us the whole day, and by the time we were done, we had fallen asleep in our new bedrooms almost immediately. There was one rule, though: no one slept on the bottom floor until it was safe. It wasn't safe yet.

Dallen and I shared a house while Edin, Aiden, Rudi, and Ash took the left. Leah and Amy refused to share a room with any of us; they shared one of their own. I couldn't blame them, though; even though we got along well, my friends were all still here. Two of theirs weren't. Khai slept in the hallway, though I knew she wasn't going to actually sleep. Rudolph had offered her the couch in their house, but she refused. Probably for the same reason.

Aaron and Rudi were fine with sharing a room together; they were really close friends—maybe even more, but I never asked. As for me, I didn't mind sharing a room with anyone as long as I had a comfortable place to sleep. The thought of Khai sleeping in the hallway made me feel guilty, but I understood her reasons for not accepting Rudolph's offer.

I really hoped that this was going to be a place we could call home. We had all been through so much together, and finding a stable and welcoming home was something we desperately needed. The thought of finally settling down and creating a sense of belonging brought a wave of hope and excitement to all of us.

Chapter 9 (For the Rest of Our Lives)