Friday afternoon
As the bus rumbled through the dead city, trying to escape from the creatures, Ava found herself gripping a cold metal pole for support. Her breathing was uneven, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she took in her surroundings. Her damp hair clung to her face, and her clothes were filthy as if she had been wearing them for days.
Her eyes, glistening with unshed tears, lifted to see Lucas, her boyfriend, sitting on a nearby seat. He looked exhausted. His blue shirt was torn, his face streaked with dirt, and his usually vibrant blue eyes seemed even more intense beneath his damp, darkened hair.
"Ava, are you okay?" he asked, concern lacing his tired voice.
She tried to force a small smile but found herself struggling. How had she ended up on this bus? Was this a dream? It had to be.
As she glanced past Lucas, she noticed a woman sitting behind him, cradling a young girl in her arms. Ava squinted, trying to make out her face, but the woman was turned away, her features blurred in the dim light.
Where am I? Ava wondered, her pulse quickening.
Her gaze shifted to the front of the bus, where she spotted Bladen—one of Lucas's friends—gripping the steering wheel with tense hands. That's when she realized they were on an old yellow school bus, speeding through the ruined streets.
Ava turned toward the window, and what she saw made her blood run cold.
The city she once knew was gone. Buildings were in flames, crumbling into piles of debris. Cars lay overturned, shattered glass reflecting the flickering firelight. The streets were littered with corpses, but what horrified her the most were the creatures crawling among them.
They weren't human—at least, not anymore. They were taller, and stronger, with hairless, pale, melting skin. Their sharp, snake-like teeth gleamed as they let out guttural growls, and their red-black eyes locked onto the bus with predatory hunger.
Ava's lips parted in shock.
She turned to Lucas, desperate to warn him—they needed to hurry! But before she could form the words, the bus jolted violently, hitting something in the road. The sudden impact sent her tumbling forward.
Then everything went black.
Ava jolted upright in bed, clutching the sheets tightly to her chest as she gasped for air. Her red hair was damp, sticking to her forehead and slick with sweat. What was that? Her heart pounded as she frantically glanced around, trying to ground herself. Then, reality set in—she was back in Lucas's room.
A slow breath of relief escaped her lips. It was just another dream.
A warm hand touched her upper arm, and she turned toward Lucas, who was sitting up beside her. His messy dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and his striking blue eyes—framed by thick lashes—watched her with concern.
"Ava, are you okay?" he asked.
Seeing him awake, his familiar presence grounding her, she finally exhaled the lingering tension. "It was just a dream," she murmured, thankful it wasn't real.
She adjusted the sheet higher over her chest, suddenly aware of her bare skin beneath. Memories of their earlier intimacy flooded back—they had meant to study, but studying had quickly been forgotten.
Lucas smirked, shifting closer. "Whatever it was, it was just a dream," he assured her, his voice warm and steady.
Ava bit her lip, her eyes locking onto his. "You know… we were supposed to be studying," she teased, tilting her head slightly.
Lucas let out a playful chuckle, his smirk deepening as he moved even closer. "We are studying," he said, his voice teasing, giving her a mischievous wink.
Heat crept up her cheeks, but she couldn't help but smile. The tension between them ignited once more as he leaned in, his lips brushing against hers. The lingering traces of her nightmare melted away as she kissed him back, her heart pounding like wildfire in her chest.
As their kiss deepened, Lucas shifted over her, pressing her gently down onto the bed. His body hovered between her legs, his warmth enveloping her.
Ava broke the kiss, breathless, as the fire between them threatened to consume her again. "We should get dressed," she murmured, her lips still grazing his. "You have practice later."
Lucas met her gaze, a lazy, irresistible smile curling at the corners of his lips. Dimples appeared at the edges of his eyes, making her heart skip a beat.
"We still have time," he said, his voice dripping with seduction. "You're too hard to resist like this… I can't let you go."
A shiver ran through her at his words, her skin burning under the heat of his bare body. She licked her lips nervously, tension coiling between them once more.
His touch sent another shiver down her spine as their lips met.
She melted into his kiss, lost in the sensation of his hands exploring her body, tracing every curve hidden beneath the sheets.
Before she knew it, she was completely enveloped in him, his hardness pressing against her. Her lips parted as she gasped, her eyes fluttering shut, surrendering to the rhythm they created together.
She loved Lucas with all her heart. Even though they had only been together for three months, her love for him was just as intense as the day they first met in the principal's office. When she finally opened her eyes, she was met with Lucas's gaze—raw, deep, and filled with unspoken emotion.
His breathing was heavy, his movements deliberate, and though he said nothing, every touch, every kiss spoke volumes. In that moment, words were unnecessary; their bodies conveyed everything they felt.
Later that afternoon was it time to go home since Lucas ice hockey practice and Ava need to get to the house before it is getting late.
The streets of New Jersey were quiet in the late afternoon, with most people hurrying home after a long day. Ava, on her skateboard, was gliding along the sidewalk, heading back to her house when she passed the local shop near her neighborhood.
She came to an abrupt stop, a nagging feeling settling in her chest. She needed to buy a test.
For weeks, strange things had been happening to her—lightheadedness out of nowhere, an unusually short and light period at the end of the month, and bizarre food cravings. She hadn't told Lucas. She wasn't even sure how to bring it up.
And she definitely couldn't tell her mother, not when she didn't fully understand what was going on herself.
Biting her lip, Ava picked up her skateboard and hesitated in front of the shop.
After a moment, she took a deep breath and walked inside, heading straight to the aisle where pregnancy tests were stocked. She halted, staring at the different options in front of her. Which one should she take? She just needed a simple answer—yes or no.
Her stomach twisted as she reached for a digital Clearblue test. It was straightforward; if she was pregnant, it would even estimate how far along she was.
She placed the box in her hand and, as an afterthought, wandered down another aisle where jars of pickles lined the shelves. Lately, she had been craving the strangest things—plain steak with piles of fried onions, pickles with everything.
Just thinking about it made her mouth water. Since she had a little extra money, she grabbed a jar before heading to the checkout.