“Natalie there was nothing you could’ve done,” I said.
“I don’t think that’s true,” She said. “A week later, I was staying in a parking lot like this. I was just staring into space. I hadn’t eaten that whole week. I just stayed in the SUV, wishing I was dead. Then I saw them. Those guys, they caught up to me. They recognized the car, they were pointing at it. That’s the last thing I remember until I came too out in the parking lot with zombies coming after me. They smelled the blood.”
“You were bleeding?” I asked.
She shook her head, “No, but I was covered in blood. I killed them.”
“Natalie, you had to protect yourself.”
“Maybe, I don’t know if they were going to hurt me I was just so angry. They killed my family for no reason other than they could. I thought maybe everyone had become that way now. Ruthless killers. I didn’t know if trust was something that was part of the past. That’s why I tried to attack you and Ian.”
I nodded, “I figured as much. I’m so sorry Natalie.”
She wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Me too but it’s done now. I can only move forward and try to survive. That’s what my dad wanted, that’s why he told me to go. Though, I don’t think he’d be very proud of me these days. I killed 3 people.”
I sighed and rubbed her thigh, “You and me both. It’s not a good thing but we did what we had to do. Sometimes survival is an ugly thing.”
She nodded, “Yes, it is. But then sometimes you meet people who make all this bullshit worth it.”
I nodded, “People worth fighting for.”
“Like Ian,” she said.
I smiled weakly, “Ian indeed.”
“Why weren’t you two a couple? It was very obvious you liked each other.”
I sighed and shook my head and told the lie I kept telling myself. “The world now just doesn’t seem like a place to try and start a relationship.”
“But isn’t the world now even more reason to hold on to that kind of thing if you can come across it?”
I shrugged, “Maybe for someone who is stronger.”
“You’re strong,” she said.
“In some ways, not in others though.”
She nodded then asked, “Where is your family?”
I sighed, “Well, I wish I knew.”
She looked at me confused and I continued on. “Well, my parents died a few years ago. That was tough but I’m kind of happy they didn’t see this. I mean I’m sure they would’ve been fine because my dad was tough, he taught me everything I know but still it’s so ugly out there, it’s conflicting how I miss them terribly but are so happy they missed the zombie apocalypse. My sister Shelly,” I stopped as I suddenly felt very emotional and was fighting back tears. I think it was a combination of what Natalie had told me and the not knowing that plagued me every day.
“What about Shelly?” She asked softly.
“I honestly don’t know. She was on Guam when it happened.”
“Guam?”
“Yeah, her husband was in the Air Force and stationed there. The last conversation I had with her before we lost service she was trying to catch a flight to California. We were going to meet there somehow,” I said and began to laugh. “It seems like such a stupid plan now.”
“Not stupid, hopeful but not stupid,” Natalie interjected.
I sighed, “Yeah. I know based on that conversation that my niece Jackie and brother in law Adam didn’t make it but I don’t know what became of Shelly. I hope she’s okay.”
“Me too,” Natalie said. “What happened to your niece and brother in law?”
“I don’t know for sure. My sister didn’t go into detail but it sounded like they must’ve been attacked. ”
“Damn, that’s awful.”
I nodded, “Yeah but Adam kind of had it coming. He was cheating on my sister. She was planning on leaving him and she was supposed to fly out here but we hadn’t bought the tickets yet.”
I heard Natalie swallow hard, “That’s really awful.”
“I have a feeling when this is all over; everyone is going to have their share of awful stories to tell.”
Natalie nodded in agreement. “Most likely. Who knows if we’ll ever be able to really live after this.”
“Well, I know one thing for sure. If the world is ever normal again, I’m never working at a damn call center again. That’s more soul crushing then living through a zombie apocalypse.”
Natalie laughed, “My cousin used to work at one of those. She hated it.”
“Where is she?” I asked.
“New Mexico. She moved there three years ago. My aunt and uncle lived in Prescott. I wanted to try and go there to them but I don’t know if it would end up being worth it.”
“We could go,” I said.
“Yeah?”
I nodded, “Yeah, why not? It gives us a destination. A goal to work towards.”
She smiled, “Nice. Hopefully they stayed there. Seems no one stayed at their home.”
“Nope. They really didn’t.”
“So, how did you end up at the complex?”
I thought back to when everything started. Emma and I had been sharing a place not far from there and left to head to California. Our car broke down not even a mile from our old place. I was working on the engine when we were attacked
