It was at approximately nine in the morning when all hell broke loose. Project COBALT was in full swing, and the infected were swarming the city in a large horde. The houses near the border had no chance of survival, all devoured without a second thought. The numbers of the walkers didn’t even increase from the first few. Alicia thanked her lucky stars that news had been gotten in time and that they were able to grab Nick and fuck off to some remote location. The tension in the air had been replaced with a solemn chill as the news of Griselda’s death in the hospital was made available. Ofelia sat next to Alicia, her normally sparkling eyes downcast and trying their hardest to avoid looking at her father. Instead she focused on Alicia’s pale hand, refusing to twitch almost like it could cause a spark and set off both of their families. However, she was asleep on Ofelia’s shoulder, murmuring nothings that were meant for another. “Matt,” she remembered, glancing at the tattoo on the younger girl’s wrist, nearly grimacing at the image of it at conception, full of pus and blood dripping onto the carpet.
“Probably have to get used to it,” Ofelia thought to herself, noticing the car had slowed to a halt. She nudged the sleeping form next to her, who awoke with brown hair mussed and face still looking half asleep.
“We’re here?” Alicia said, voice slightly croaky from sleep but still it’s soft and flowy self, like liquid caramel or silk. Ofelia felt a blush rise in her cheeks at her friend’s beauty, even when awake.
“Come on sleepyhead, this’ll be our home for a while,” the taller woman said, leading Alicia out of the car, still dressed in short jeans that showed her long legs (not that Ofelia was looking, of course), a flannel jacket around her waist and a tank top. It did not suit the open wilds, that was for sure. Even if the footwear was now sneakers and it was currently summer, winter was going to be in a few months and clothing that scant, no matter how enjoyable, was not good for colder weathers.
“So what’s the plan?” Alicia whispered to Ofelia, watching the others do their various tasks from building shelters to finding food. Though she was still sleepy, she noticed the tension between Ofelia and her father, as well as her own two parents.
“We secure the area, and wait it out,” Ofelia answered grabbing some weapons from the stash that they managed to get while raiding the medical facility. While not military grade sniper rifles, there were various weapons that were just about as useful, only from a much closer distance. “These will be useful,” she continued, handing a pseudo machete weapon to the brunette, who took it daintily, unsure of its strength or viability.
“Well let’s go kick some walker butt,” Alicia said, keeping her voice calm and low. There was no need to draw attention to the two of them, especially with the gaps caused by the loss of Griselda. The two women explored the empty desert, flat for miles around. Both wondered how they could support seven people in this meagre land. Out of the corner of Ofelia’s eye she spotted a walker, lazily shuffling towards the two girls. She quickly tapped Alicia on the shoulder, knowing that if there were more she couldn’t see another set of arms wouldn’t go useless.
Alicia took point, carefully making her way over to the creature. The scent of decomposition wafted her way and it took all of her strength not to crinkle her nose in disgust. Sand shifted under her feet, and she begged any deity not to let her slip in the heat of battle. A small voice in her head reminded her of the tall woman behind her whose firm back was touching Alicia’s, causing tingling to run up and down her spine. “It’s anticipation,” she justified to herself. If it was something more, that would mean that she had gotten over Matt, and that would mean Matt was dead to her. She had to hold out hope that someday by some miracle everything would go back to normal. Even if the world was ruled by the undead at least she would have her other half. It snapped that this would not happen when she saw its face, twisted into one that is simultaneously apathetic and ravenous.
Matt was slumping towards the two women, his clothes ragged and torn from his features, revealing the chiselled chest that was once Alicia’s. Everything about him was the same except for the dishevelled clothes and the glassy blue eyes. She honestly wished for them to be back to the beautiful brown ones that had looked upon her with affection for years. The tinier woman almost turned to ice and shattered at that very moment, staring in horror at the milky eyes that were once of the man she loved. Ofelia noticed the tension and turned around, worried there were too many for them to handle and was slightly confused at only the one walker.
“Matt,” Alicia murmured, eyes starting to water slightly making contact with him. A force seemed to pull her towards him, making small steps towards his shambling form. At some time in this the tears fully fell, dripping down her cheeks noiselessly. Her eyes closed around five feet from him ready to accept her fate.
“Alicia!” Ofelia called, rushing over to the smaller girl in fear for her life. However, the girl in question simply lifted her machete and sliced his head clean off, watching the body go still at her feet. The head lay a few metres away, tongue lolled out like a worm in a corpse. Ofelia grabbed the shaky teenager as she slumped to the ground, staring at the beheaded body with tired eyes. They seemed older than a seventeen year old girl, hard and knowing of the world around them
“He was wearing that when he kissed me for the first time,” Alicia said suddenly, not meeting Ofelia’s eyes. The taller woman was holding her with her head on the smaller brunette’s shoulder. “It was just before the exams at the end of the year. There was an art project and I couldn’t do it for the life of me, so I went to my best friend. He helped me, but I flicked paint on him when I was annoyed. We ended up wrestling on the floor in his art studio, and when I was on top he kissed me to throw me off my guard.” Ofelia was surprised at the moment of rawness from the girl, which were few and far between even before the fall of humanity according to Nick.
“We were fifteen,” she finished before starting to sob uncontrollably. Ofelia turned the tiny girl into her chest, stroking her back like her mother did to her as a child. Murmuring sweet nothings into her ears, Ofelia realised how much Matt meant to the girl. The stone cold queen that she had known, despite her seeming emotions, was completely gone around Matt. Every person in her life had known different parts of her, but it seemed only her lover knew them all. It was beautiful in a way, to have only one person in the world who truly understood you, which made it all the more tragic that now no one did, by her hand no less.
“We met when we were both in third grade,” Alicia continued, voice hoarse from the sobbing which had only softened. “We were paired up for a project and he did the pictures and I did the words. I was the most controlling bitch back then. Nothing much changed, I guess. We ended up arguing about what we should do, and the teacher said that we should compromise. Neither of us took that too well,” Alicia laughed through her tears, a light sound that soon dissolved into sobs. Ofelia wished almost selfishly to hear the girl to laugh again; it was a beautiful sound.
“I-I never had anyone that close to me,” Ofelia confessed, trying to console her without invalidating her. “But I can see this is hurting you a lot, as it should. You do not need to feel any way other than how you are. It’s okay to lower your guard for once.” Alicia craned her head up, looking at Ofelia with puffy red eyes that still looked as beautiful as the first time she had seen her. She leant in, lips the colour of blood. The two kissed, a salty thing of passion and mourning. When the two broke, Alicia refused to meet Ofelia’s eyes in shame, embarrassed at what she had done. Ofelia lifted her head with her fingers, and blue met brown.
“I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. But dear,” Alicia braced herself for the heartache. “You just had to kill what used to be the love of your life. Give yourself some time to mourn him, to find your footing as a person. I will wait until you are ready. You should do the same.” Alicia realised the wisdom in the older woman’s words, and pulled the both up to their feet.
“Come,” she said to Ofelia, her voice still slightly crackly. “They will be worried about us.” She started walking into the direction of base camp with Ofelia to her left, weapons in their dominant hand in case of any more run ins. Without a second thought Ofelia grabbed Alicia’s empty hand and the younger woman reciprocated by putting her head on the other’s shoulder. The worst was yet to come, but for now they were two teenagers, and everything will be alright soon.