FOUND Love

The train engine hummed it’s selfish, senseless rhythm. Roy could feel the tiny THUNK of each passing railroad track. A chill ran down his back. The winter cold was also a passenger. We may have functional trains after the collapse of society but still no running heat in them. The mantra rang in his head: what we need, not what we want.

Yeah yeah, Roy thought to himself. He rubbed his mismatched gloves together, attempting to generate heat and mostly failing. His thoughts fell to The Collective, the ironic One World Government that, above all else, values pragmatism. Strange how simple that task was once all the world governments fell. Turns out - social engineering is a powerful tool. That, plus simple organizing allowed those that took far more than they gave, to meet their just demise. The contingencies, the bunkers, all for naught when you unknowingly invite the enemy inside. A Zombie Apocalypse in 2019 - you’d think we’d be ready, that we would have been prepared, yet the human element of PANIC was the prevailing force.

It took a few years of pure chaos and heartbreak, but the most incredible thing happened: survival become an exercise in partnership, not selfish viciousness. The sense of community that immediately gripped the human race was palpable. Not all of them of course, some that cherished selfishness & greed survived. It’s still the human race.

A small cough pulled Roy out of his internal musings and he turned his attention back into the cabin. The sun lit up the inside, brilliant and inviting. The rays raced along the wall in a silent, desperate race. A pair of deep blue eyes were staring back at Roy, and he saw a muted intensity in them. He fought down a sharp pang of worry.

“Samira, my love?” Roy asked gently.

4 years was a short time for that phase, my love, to be reinvented. Samira felt love was this pre-deterministic force in the universe. That love would conquer all. And perhaps that was true before the bite. But the entirety of the human race shifted in a single day. Traditions, anticipations, potential, and progress; all slipped away like sand at the waters edge.

“Not quite sure, my love. Something seems…off. The crossing, it’s like they’ve shifted somehow.” Samira finally replied back. “You know how much I study these trips, Roy.”

Roy knew that tone well, the “you’re-asking-questions-you-know-the-answer-to” tone. “I see the same empty towns, well, besides the biters.” The train chugged along without fear or consequence. Immune to the cold. Unaware that the world had even come to near complete collapse. All it knew was motion, was to carry, was to arrive.

“Yes…so…what has shifted? Less biters the further north we go, to be expected. They can’t deal with the cold or heat. Northern Winter, Southern Summer. We know this. It’s why the trains have become our lifeline.” Roy said.

Thoughts of the biter’s origin ran through Roy’s head at the comment. The running theory, that some group created this zombie situation to target our leaders, well, it will be never confirmed. Seems that truth, whatever it is, was irrelevant now. Because survive the human race did. Some of us that is. Most still fell to the bite. The bite brought life to the dead’s blood. And the threat of the bite remains today in the horrifying herds of the middle land where temperatures favor the blood.

“Look closer, my love.” Samira said again. There it was again, the rehabilitated phrase, my love.

Roy looked into those exceptional blue eyes again. And the sharp reminder of found love in this bizarre world was recaptured. This stranger, that was sitting at the same table at a work conference when the Biter’s took over, had become his. And He, hers. He knew it then, who else could could provide a generous laugh at his lame opening joke. (You got blue eyes. Me too. Let’s start a club.) Of course, that was also the last time either of them spoke with their families. Like Samira, Roy never returned home.

Samira smiled and placed her hand on Roy’s. “You’re not looking. Try again.”

Roy obliged but refused to let her hand slip away and gripped it with fingers interlaced. He squeezed twice in rapid succession. She replied with a triple squeeze. A smile painted his face and he turned to review Samira’s observations.

“I suppose…hmmm.” Roy pondered aimlessly. “The flags are up at each crossing station but I haven’t seen anyone observing the trains.”

“Exactly!” Samira exclaimed.

“It’s also a heavy snow.”

“…I also know that.”

“Therefore….” Roy said in that sheepish voice he pulled out sometimes.

“Therefore, something’s wrong.”

“It’s just an observation, Samira.” Roy said while squeezing his grip again but this time no reciprocation.

“You’re not thinking!” Samira shouted, louder than intended but didn’t back down.

Roy ate these words like a boy eats his pizza: unbothered. His time with Ellen, in his other life, was calm. Everything plan organized, every bed made. A bad day was when they forgot to take out the garbage the night before pickup. He even recalled a fight over it once! Such innocent times. A wave of complete sadness washed over Roy. The general rule he followed was to just push it away. Push those memories so far away that they can never be found. Nostalgia lost all value, all purpose. Now it could only bring pain.

“Well, it’s December, not November. It was our turn to close up the housing. We’re just arriving late.” Roy said hoping the words can pierce the veil of skepticism.

“I forgot about that. I barely remember that time exists. How do you still know the exact date?” Samira said with a calmer voice and she squeezed Roy’s hand.

Roy just smiled back and just took in this moment. Sharp resolutions, such as these, were a staple of this post-world union. There was no time for complications, just work mostly. The train trips where the periods of respite that everyone got. A sort of custom adopted by The Collective. And he remembered every ride with Samira because they were the only memories he possessed now.

“Someone has to, my love. But to be truthful, it keeps me sane. And in a weird way, I feel like it gives me some purpose. Roy always know the date, right?” Roy grinned with confidence.

Samira felt the goosebumps climbing her arm. She took her freehand, gripped the back of his head, and pulled him in. Lips met in joyful union. A kiss that lasted either 5 seconds or forever, no one could ever know. His hair were in there natural place, laced between her fingers. Upon it’s natural conclusion, lips parted.

“How could I have done this without you?” Roy said with a grin.

“You couldn’t” Samira replied back with a matching grin.

Suddenly, a series of bumps (also like turbulence) began rattling the cabin. So intense, Roy let go of Samira’s hand and held onto the handle nearby. It was like the speed bumps on the side of the highway when you drifted off slightly onto the shoulder. The pair looked at each other, concerning growing in their eyes.

“Roy! Roy! What’s happening?!?” Samira shouting her anxious words.

“I don’t know, something’s wrong!” Roy shouted back.

Then the banshee scream of the train breaks roared into life. Roy and Samira were thrown from our seats and slammed into the ground. Roy’s left wrist snapped on impact. Samira landed nearby but no audible bones cracking. Screams rose outside their cabin to match Roy’s own.

After several heartbeats, the train was still. Motion had ceased. Only groans and grimaces of the new tenants of the floor could be heard. Some shouts came out from the conductors cabin, but it was muffled. Roy didn’t think it mattered, but it was also difficult to think. The pain in his wrist was flaring up and consuming all his attention. His breathing was heavy but slowly coming under control.

“Roy! Oh dear, are you okay?” Samira’s concerns rang out as he she groaned while moving towards Roy.

“It’s only a flesh wound.” Roy said trying to grin but it was pained.

“Shush now. We need to get help.” Samira said trying to now let her words sound as distressed as she felt. Something is wrong

It was then that a lifetime happened in a moment. A single word, a simple utterance, that was the catalyst. It came without warning but all knew the word. BREECH!

The train came to life, as if it were a suddenly exposed ant colony; chaos everywhere. Boots stomping in every direction, widows being broken, shouts of the soon-to-be-dying. It had been several months since Roy and Samira has encountered a Biter. And now, they were being attacked.

“How? HOW?!?!” Samira shouted in equal parts anger and fear.

“Doesn’t matter. Check the hallway.” Roy said, mentally preparing himself.

“No, please. I don’t….I just….” Samira said as she hesitated.

“Now’s not the time! My damn wrist is broke.” Roy snapped.

A flash of angry flared in Samira’s eye but quickly softened when she realized his wrist was broken.

“Oh, my love. Let me check.” Samira said moving towards the door.

The initial screaming had mostly subsided but still plenty of activity. People were scrambling everywhere. BREECH wasn’t just a sighting or warning, it meant an attack.

Samira gently pressed the sliding door and slowly it opened. She peered out and her heart sank. Only 4 cabins down, was a Biter. It was decrepit and pocked decay. The Biter’s melted face was eating away the face of another passenger. Luckily, the passenger was already dead. Samira’s surprised gasp was just loud enough for the Biter to look up. It’s discolored eyes, a horror in truth, looked into Samira’s. That was the moment she truly knew fear, it were her best friend. The Biter started to move upwards and screamed. The same scream all survivors had come to dread above all else.

Samira slammed the door. Her breathing heavy. She tried to speak.

“Biter….He…Saw…Me…Please…We have to…please.” Samira tried to explain but the words weren’t coming out.

“Biter? In the hallway?” Roy asked.

At that moment, something started to bang on the door. The biter’s scream was ghastly and strangely wet. A peculiar detail in this dire moment. The door was holding but not for long. Samira let out a tiny whimper and squeezed his hand.

Luckily, they had all their gear. And that gear included a shovel. Roy scrambled to the other side of the cabin, where their stuff was placed, and dug through it to find the shovel. The pain in his wrist continued to sing it’s song of agony though it was starting to dull. Roy lifted the shovel as best he could with 1 hand, positioned himself so he could rotate to get some force. The Biter continued to destroyed the door, his snarls desperate as he had managed to get an arm through.

Sweat ran down Roy’s face and stung slightly. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but this god damn shovel in his hand. Roy looked at Samira first, he needed the strength. And his resolve was refilled in that glance.

Roy screamed as he lifted, spun, and swung the shovel at the widow. The clang of the shovel as it met the widow was loud and the vibrations were so painful that Roy dropped the shovel. The window cracked but did not shatter. He yelled in anger as he picked up the shovel again. He yelled in determination as he swung with all the power he had. He yelled in triumph as the shovel shattered the glass window.

Samira joined in the yelling. It was then at the Biter broke through. The Biter shoved through the door but fell to the ground as it entered the cabin. With only a few feet between them and it, the pair grabbed each others hands, and leapt through the window. During the descend to the ground, they split apart. It would be the last time they ever held hands.

A few heartbeats as they recovered, Roy and Samira both stood up so they find each other. A momentary respite. It was then they heard more snarling. A group of Biter’s stood there just outside the train where the broken glass , almost like a welcome party. The time had come for the final maneuver: RUN.

Roy ran away from the group. He pumped his legs long and hard. A few steps into this dangerous dance, he turned back because he remembered; Samira. It was like they both knew, because as he turned his head, so did she. And each was running in opposite directions. Their eyes locked for the briefest of moments because the running demanded the attention. Her eyes were bright and terrified. A pang of sadness hit Roy as he lost sight of Samira, of the crossing station, of light itself. He ran into the darkness because the darkness meant survival. It also meant that the only company he had now, was his own. The phrase “my love” seemed to disappeared during that escape too.