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

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Leaving's easier when you can actually see where you're going. I mean that both figuratively and literally. I feel bad for leaving Leah, I know even if she didn't want to admit it, she needed me. Or maybe I just needed her, but I needed Evelyn more. I didn't know if she was dead. I started thinking that I might never see her again. I pushed those thoughts away but they kept coming back.


I hope Leah is able to create a home for Amyas, God knows the kid deserves it. I just hope it doesn't go to her head, a leader is nothing if they put themselves or their bloodline first. 


I'd walked for longer than I thought I would have to. I felt like an easy target considering I was out in the open with nothing but a gun with one bullet and the inability to see. I hadn't heard the sound of voices in forever and it didn't feel right when that changed. 


They were familiar, I was expecting them not to be. It didn't register at first but when it did, I knew everything would be okay. 


I don't want to say I thought that our struggling died with the community but a man can hope, can't he?


Maybe I was surprised, maybe I expected worse but then again, I've learned to expect the worst. What I heard was not what I expected.


Rudi came running back to the community, a look of horror frozen on his face almost permanently. He wouldn't tell us what happened, not at first. The words were too hard to get out. When he finally said what he saw, I understood why it took so much effort. 


"I know where Airianna is," he exhaled dramatically. I know I gave him a look of confusion. I tried to hide it but my attempt was pathetic. 


"I saw her too," Juna emphasized with concern. I didn't have anything to say. Processing this was almost impossible. I don't want to say I believed Airianna to be dead but it's been so long. I had to believe what I thought would keep us alive. Dwelling doesn't keep you alive. 


The others looked at me for answers. Answers I didn't have. I didn't know what we were dealing with. I didn't know what we were about to get involved with, but I knew we had to do something. Airianna may be Rudolph's daughter but in a way, she's mine too.


Chapter 11 (Not Star-Crossed)