Always and Forever: A Zombie ACRES Story

"I love you."

"I love you too, but right now we have to keep our heads." Sam can see the panic in Heather's big, brown eyes. "There is something going on around here."

"What is it?"

"I don't know yet, but I don't think this was a normal outbreak."

"So why is that our problem? Can't we just leave?"

The car is speeding down the highway. The wind coming in through Heather's window is blowing her hair. She is cold, but she cannot close the window. The fresh air is the only thing keeping her dinner from ending up all over the dashboard.

"There was so much blood -- there still is." Heather turned to look in the backseat as she says this. She can still see Tasha all over the seats, even with the blankets covering the mess. Tears start rolling down her face. Sam looks at her sideways, feeling his own pain.

I just want to make it all better for her.

With hard determination, Sam speeds on ahead. He is determined to save them, but he doesn't know what to do next. Everything he has seen and read could never prepare him for the reality of it all.

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know." Sam has been dreading this question since they left the gas station. When he saved Heather from that zombie, Sam was her hero. What about now that he doesn't know what to do? "We need to find someplace safe -- Someplace away from Seattle and this outbreak."

"My parents."

"What?"

"We can go to my parents' house. They live in Kennewick, so that is four hours away."

"Do you remember what happened when I met your parents?!"

"That was an exception."

"An exception?!"

"Look you want safety away from Seattle, right? Is four hours is enough distance? Plus we know my dad will protect us."

"Protect you. When I saw his gun, he wasn't really trying to protect me, if you remember correctly."

"Either way, he has guns and I'm his baby girl."

"Fine, but if he threatens to shoot me again, I'm out. I'd rather deal with the undead than your crazy father."

After turning the car around, Sam heads back towards I-5. Knowing there is no way the police will not be at the gruesome gas station scene, he decides a back roads approach is better. After another hour of driving, Sam checks to make sure Heather is truly asleep. Once he is sure she is, he pulls into a gas station.

"How ya doin?"

"Not bad. I'm a lil' lost though. Trying to get back to I-5."

"That's easy dude. All you have to do is pull out at our -- "

Sam stopped paying attention. A news report on the clerk's laptop caught his attention.

"The incident just outside Seattle seems to be just an isolated incident, and we are being told that it is well under control. Government officials have assured us they have questioned Richard Roslun and he is claiming that Roslun Global denies having anything to do with the Seattle outbreak, though the cause is still to be determined."

"Bullshit!"

"Dude, if you don't like my directions, then don't ask!"

After apologizing and listening to the directions again, Sam runs outside and jumps in the car. Tires squeal as the car tears out of the parking lot as fast as Sam can make it.

Isolated incident? Roslun denied involvement?

Somewhere between the slamming of the car door and the squealing of the tires, Heather had drifted back into consciousness. Looking around somewhat confused, she asks Sam, "Why are you driving so fast?"

"Things are bigger than I thought. There must have been two outbreaks tonight. Or maybe one big one. Or maybe this is the Final Outbreak!"

"Honey, slow down. You aren't making any sense. What happened?"

Same takes a deep breath and starts speaking slower. "I stopped at a gas station to ask for directions."

"You asked for directions?" Heather starts laughing.

"Yeah, cause that's helping right now."

"Sorry."

"Anyways, so as the guy is giving me directions, I see this news report come on his laptop."

"He was able to have his laptop at work? Lucky."

"Baby. Focus." Sam had to pause and focus himself. The anxiety was bubbling inside him again. "So this reporter talks about how there was an isolated outbreak in Seattle, but now its under control."

"So we're safe? We can go back home. What's the problem?"

"The problem is that it wasn't our neighborhood."

"How could that be?"

"Multiple outbreaks maybe? I don't know. All I do know is that we have to get out of here now."

Down the road they went. As the miles wore on, the sun crept over the horizon in front of them. There was no talk of zombies or Roslun on the radio - or in the car. From the outside, this appeared as nothing more than leisurely drive. A young couple, in love and laughing, driving through the mountains.

Inside Sam's head there was a much different scene. Zombies and theories swam around in his mind. How could there be two outbreaks? Were there two outbreaks? Sam only saw three zombies. Does that actually qualify as an outbreak?

"Ahhhh!"

Sam didn't even have a chance to answer these questions before Heather's scream snapped him back into reality. While his mind had been pondering their predicament , a man had walked out into the road.

With a screech, the car skids to a halt just feet from the man. By the time Sam realized this was not any normal man, the zombie had turned and was making his way towards the car. Sam shifted into gear and slammed on the gas. The car lurched forward for a second, until Sam lost control.

The car managed to swerve around the zombie and slam into a cement median. Sam jumps out and quickly finds they have a flat tire. The rest of the car appeared to be in working order. He looks over at the zombie that is now making his way towards the car.

"Heather, I need to change the tire." Sam grabs the keys from the ignition and runs to the trunk. Luckily, Tasha kept a jack and a spare in her trunk.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Stay in the car. If this asshole gets too close, I'll shoot it between the fuckin' eyes."

With the speed and precision of a pit crew, Sam jacks up the car and pulls the flat off. As he grabs the spare from the trunk, he notices the zombie reaching Heather's window. Sam pulls the gun from his waistband and takes aim.

Click.

Click, click, click.

"Shit!"

Sam throws the gun to the ground and tackles the zombie. The zombie manages to grab a foot when Sam attempts to make for the car.

"Sam! I'm coming!"

"No! Stay in the car!" But his screams were too late. Heather was already out of the car and charging at them. Heather brings the butt of the gun down hard on the back of the zombie's head.

"Quick, run!" Heather grabs Sam's arm and pulls him to the car. "Get the tire on, baby, hurry!"

Sam begins to put on the new tire. In his haste, he fumbles with the lug nuts, dropping them on the ground.

"Fuck me!"

"Sam, hurry!"

As Sam is trying to gather the lug nuts, he hears it. It isn't the scream of a woman fighting. It isn't even the scream of a woman in trouble. It is the low gurgle of a woman having her jugular torn out, rendering her unable to scream.

"HEATHER!"

Sam bolts to his feet, looking over the car just in time to see the zombie rip a mouthful of Heather's throat off. Her body falls to the ground while the zombie turns to make his way towards Sam, a chunk of Heather hanging from his mouth.

"You son of a bitch! I'll fuckin kill you!" With the tire jack handle in hand, Sam bashes the zombie's head in. "I was trying to save us -- to save her." Blood splatters all over Sam with every swing of the handle. "I was so close! Why?!"

Finally Sam exhausts his energy. As he is looking down at the grotesque mess on the ground, another sound gets his attention.

"She's moving. It cant be true."

Heather slowly stands up, blood dripping from the spot where her throat used to be.

"No! Please God NO!!"

Sam looks into Heather's eyes. The life has left them, but he still sees his love. All the memories they have ever shared run through his mind. The joy..The pain -- and now, the end.

As Heather approaches Sam, he gently pushes her back. With every advance she makes, Sam's sorrow becomes more uncontrollable. When it has finally reached its level, he raises the jack handle high into the air. Using both hands, he brings the jack handle down onto her head, piercing it through her skull.

"I love you -- Always and forever."

Read the other Zombie A.C.R.E.S. stories at ZombieACRES.com

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