New message from Bailey!
A notification popped up, making the guy blush, his cheeks glowing bright red as he stared at his phone. His fingers hovered over the photos she sent. They were censored, needing him to click on them one by one before getting access. Quickly assessing his surroundings, he ducked, his eyes tracing each line of her body.
He felt his pulse quicken, warmth pooled low in his abdomen. The heat coursed through him, his skin prickling. He wanted to reach out, wishing he could touch her delicate skin. His mind drifted, filling in the details and making him hazy with desire. Just as he was about to lose himself with wanting, his device vibrated, alerting him of a new message. He immediately scrolled down, licking his dry lips. "Did you like them? Will you meet me now?"
The front door suddenly creaked open, causing the boy to drop his phone. Two men came in, each carrying a box with designated supplies. One of them looked at him with a raised brow. "You okay, Ronnie?"
Ronnie hastily picked up his phone, clicking his tongue in annoyance to hide his agitation. "I'm fine, Ryker. Thanks for asking." He answered, glaring at him and briefly changing his expression before turning to the other guy besides his brother. "Levi," he greeted, taking his leave afterwards.
"Ronnie!" Ryker tried to call out, but his younger brother ignored him, rushing to get upstairs. A gentle pat on the shoulder made him shake his head, facing Levi.
"Let him, Ry. He's going through the rebellious phase. We were all like that when we were younger. It's normal. He'll talk when he's ready."
Ryker let out a tired sigh. "That's easier said than done. In our time, we didn't have to deal with literal monsters loitering in the city."
Levi opened his mouth to respond, but the woman that walked past them caught his attention. "Gabby," he called out, excusing himself and handing Ryker the box of medicine supplies. But the woman paid them no heed, dropping her carriage on the wooden table. She immediately headed for the stairs, finding herself wanting to get some fresh air.
Their temporary shelter, a two story apartment, has an open rooftop, giving a tiny view of the fallen city. The night breeze immediately soothed her skin, sending a cold shiver down her spine. She approached the edge, hugging herself while her heart hammered unsteadily inside her chest. Gazing at the dark, barely visible town she took a deep breath, finding no solace anywhere she looked.
"Gabriella," Levi paused, catching his breath. He watched her slowly turn to him, meeting her fiery gaze. A moment of silence passed between them, letting them hear the distant rumble from the sky. It was followed by a flash of light that formed a crooked streak on the horizon.
"Why did you do that?" She asked, her hands balled into fists.
"Because she made her choice," he responded firmly.
"I did too," Gabriella snapped back.
Levi shook his head. "We can't lose you, Gabby," he looked at her tenderly. "And besides, we couldn't have done anything for her. She was clearly infected and she knew it."
Gabriella turned away, her frustration slowly fading. "They'll surely kill her," her voice faltered, enveloping them in a tense silence.
"We don't know that," Levi attempted to reach out, wanting to pull Gabriella into a tight hug. But he held back, dropping his hand almost immediately. "Besides, death will be a sweet escape from this dreadful reality. I think that girl knew that too."
Gabriella pursed her lips. She knew he was right.
Several months after the zombies had taken over the world, the government launched Z.A.D. in the hopes of saving what was left of humanity. However, like the normal dating applications, it had its repercussions. One of which was, finding a match can either be a blissful union or a tragic ending for one or the other.
She let out a sigh, watching the sky as another streak of lightning illuminated their dim surroundings. "Most of the survivors believe that stupid app is a saving grace and that the government can help. But they could hardly see how these tags—green, yellow, red—simply replaced the rich and poor class in our society."
Levi took a deep breath. "Well, people are scared. As ridiculous as it may seem, this app gave a sense of relief, some form of hope and more of a distraction. We may not like it, but it's not completely useless."
Gabriella hated the fact that she couldn't rebuke his claim. They stood face to face, the palpable silence spoke more of what their mouths could no longer utter.
Levi reached out, wishing he could erase all terrible memories and thoughts that troubled her. They were only inches apart, if he took a step forward, he would close the tiny gap that separated them. But before he could make that decision, the metal double doors loudly swung open. A bewildered Ryker approached them, his frantic gaze immediately catching their attention.
"My brother," he uttered, his voice breaking. He fell on his knees upon coming close to his comrades, lowering his head. His shoulders shook as he tried to find the strength to speak. "Ronnie."
Levi crouched, tapping his friend's shoulder. "Get yourself together and tell us what happened."
Ryker pulled out the broken phone he found in his brother's room. "I heard some noise from his room. But I didn't mind it, thinking he was still pissed about something. I put the supplies aside before deciding to check on him. Then…" he gestured at the device, unable to keep going. "We have to find him."
Levi inspected the damaged screen, noticing the unusual cracks on it. "Dang, he seemed to have deliberately smashed it."
Without saying a word, Gabriella snatched the phone from Levi's hold. She tried unlocking it, clicking her tongue when it appeared functional. The display was difficult to configure, yet she managed to find the Z.A.D. app.
Despite the challenge the broken phone posed, she managed to narrow the search, finding the latest exchange the kid had with a girl named Bailey.
"Ah, heck," Levi muttered, peeking over Gabriella's shoulder. He immediately saw the red tag glowing below the screen. Its hue was very hard to miss.
Shoving the phone back to Ryker, Gabriella grumbled. "He didn't go far. Levi and I will find him. But I need you, Ryker, to get all our stuff loaded into the car. Have Dally and Ace help you. You guys should head toward the supermarket a few blocks from here. We'll meet you there and we'll find another safe place to stay."
Ryker nodded, getting back on his feet. Each of them immediately headed in a different direction. Just as they reached the first floor, a loud, shrill shriek echoed from outside halting them altogether, their hearts thumping unsteadily against their chest.
Several seconds had passed before Ryker took a deep breath and looked from Gabriella to Levi. "I'm sorry," he uttered and quickly sprinted toward the door, car keys jangling from his hand.
"Wait!" Gabriella shouted but Ryker was already gone. She turned sharply toward Levi, gripping his hand tightly. "I'll go after him. You take Dally and Ace. We got to keep moving."
The determined look on her face gave no room for argument, leaving him with little choice. He nodded reluctantly. "Be careful."
Gabriella squeezed his hand, offering a tight smile. "You too."
With that reassurance, the two parted.
The SUV was just pulling out when Gabriella caught up. She immediately hopped in, exchanging worried glances with Ryker. "We'll find him." She promised. "And we'll save him no matter what."