Live For Me

It finally happened. Terrorists finally designed and attacked with a biological weapon. They were strategic about it too, terrifyingly strategic. They attacked families with children first, putting the biochemical into school lunches and infant formula. No one had been expecting it and well over half the population of the country was wiped out in a single night, either infected or killed by their children.

At that point, the government declared a state of emergency and martial law, but really it was too late. Chaos had erupted and zombies were crawling the streets at night, eating and infecting anyone that they found. At the point that they started breaking into homes to pull survivors to their deaths, the remaining government and military officials decided to actually do something to help.

People were air lifted from the roofs of apartment buildings as armored convoys led by tanks moved through the streets to rescue uninfected people from their homes. My lover and I were one of the twenty some odd people still left in our building and were taken to military base where we were housed with another family. I had no idea if my family was still alive or if they were safe since we hadn't talked since they'd thrown me out when I'd told them I was gay.

Thankfully, the family that we were being forced to live with was too busy worrying over the state of the world to have an issue with my lover and I. Jake was quiet for the most part, actually having family to worry over. I was more worried about his family than my own since they'd welcomed me with open arms. It had been nice to feel accepted for who I was and I could only hope that Jake's little sister had been one of those who took their lunches to school.

We'd been there for a couple of weeks when the influx of people finally died down. Our meals were done military style and we had to go down a mess hall to eat, surrounded by hundreds of people. I wasn't thrilled with it, especially since it had all started with the poisoning of the school lunches and I had trouble bringing myself to eat a whole lot. Only the desire to survive and be with Jake made me eat anything at all.

"Jake? Will?" a voice called behind us as we headed down to the mess hall for dinner. Jake turned immediately and I slid behind him some, still a little off after everything that had happened.

"Mom! Dad!" Jake called and I felt myself smile a little that they were alright. His little sister Jessica was behind them, looking worse for wear. I could only imagine what they had gone through if they were only now being brought to the base. I hung back as they embraced, letting them have their moment. It was nice to see. At least Jake should be happier after this.

"Will, come here," Jake's mom said, holding an arm out to me once it was realized I hadn't moved any closer. I walked over and let her pull me into a warm embrace. "Have you heard from your parents?" she asked after a minute and I felt Jake stiffen a little beside me.

"No..." I murmured. "It's okay though... I was dead to them before this happened..." I added and felt the arm around me tighten. My family had always been a touchy subject with me, but I knew she had hoped that they could get over it in the face of the end of the world as we knew it.

"Well, I'm certainly happy to know my boys are both alright," she said, covering up for the lack of familial love on my part. I smiled a little and gave her a little squeeze before pulling back.

"I'm happy to see you guys, as well," I said softly. "I know Jake's been worried sick." I jumped a little as Jake pinched me in reprimand. He hated anyone knowing how much his family meant to him not wanting appear like less of a man. I rolled my eyes at him some and took his hand.

"Let's go eat," his dad said, gesturing towards the mess hall. We had only just started towards the doors when screams and roars of rage erupted from within the building. In the next instant, the alarm was sounding and soldiers were rushing towards the mess hall with their guns drawn. I stood there, frozen in fear as I stared at the shattering windows, terrified people trying to escape through them, even as others poured through the doors.

"Come on, Will!" Jake yelled, pulling hard at my hand. I let him pull me away, following his family as we fled back towards the barracks where we had been put up. I could hear the screams behind us, from both the infected and their victims and couldn't stop myself from turning to look. That had been a mistake. Jake pulled at me to go in a different direction than straight and without seeing where we were going, I stepped on something and cried out as he pulled my arm hard. My foot had gone into a sewer grate and had become stuck.

"Jake!" I cried as my hand slipped from his and I started working on trying to pull my foot free, my eyes darting between my boyfriend and the infected that were starting to run wild across the base. He came back to me, trying to help jerk my foot free before hastily trying to untie my shoe so that I could run. But we were out of time. We'd been spotted by one of the infected and she was coming our way.

"Go! Jake, please go!" I said, trying to push him away as I continued to struggle with my trapped boot. He paused, looking at me even as his family called for him. That was the difference between us after all. He had a family who was concerned for him. All I had was him and I wanted him to keep living.

"Go!" he yelled, turning his head towards his parents. "I love you, Will," he said before grabbing my face in both hands and kissing me hard. I returned the kiss, tears spilling down my cheeks before I screamed at the feel of teeth sinking into my shoulder. I pushed him away.

"I love you, too," I whimpered. "So go!" He stared for a minute as I screamed again in pain, but then took off after his family. I was glad, even as my world started going dark, that I could watch him at least try to survive for another day.