Lucille's Story

1. Pre Apocalypse

I looked at Chris, my fiancé as he climbed out of bed and off to take his morning shower. Christopher Negan, love of my life and future husband. He has a stocky, athletic build and thick black hair.

I turned on the news while I waited on Chris, so I could shower. The tiny stall could not fit both of us, unless we wanted to be unable to move enough to be able to bathe. But this was the last week in this tiny apartment. Next weekend we would officially move into our new house. Where all of our stuff but the bare essentials already were. We are just waiting on the college kids Chris hired to finish laying the new carpet and painting.

I gasped as I looked at the latest update on Atlanta, where the "virus" was breaking out like mad. Chaos was shown, buildings on fire, gun shots going off, and people dying. I had a feeling there was more to it, but the press wasn't letting it out.

"Showers all yours, Luc." Chris said, snapping off the television. "I wish you wouldn't watch that garbage."

"But in Atlanta there's a virus. A major outbreak of it."

"So? Its just a disease. They'll find a way to wipe it out. A cure." Chris said, unconcerned even after I'd explained to him what I had seen on the news.

"Are you ready? I can't waiting to check out this hunting and camping superstore." Indeed Chris was excited about the new store. I'd agreed he could get a hunting rifle, as an early wedding present.

"That stores only an hour from an Atlanta. I don't want to catch this virus. Whatever it is."

"You worry far to much, Lucy. From my understanding, they've got it contained to the city."

So went to the store. I looked around in amazement at the size, it was massive. And in the center they had a very realistic display of wildlife. The most stunning being a male mountain lion with its mouth open in a silent roar.

After an hour of wandering around, mostly browsing and picking up a few items we thought were neat. Chris had wanted the big 4 person tent that had window flaps and came with a air mattress. "Maybe next summer we can go camping." I said as he eyed the outrageous price. "We'll go camping this summer. Just in our old tent." Chris said as he headed for the gun section. There was a long line and I was glad he had a license already. That was what half the people probably were getting, which took that much longer.

"Oh my god!" "Is he okay?!" "Quick call 911!" I heard the shouting from multiple voices. A crowd circled around what had to be somebody on the floor. Possibly a heart attack or a seizure.

"Let me get a look at him! I know CPR and am certified in first aid," the one man working the hunting rifle section said. The crowd parted enough to let the man in. I could see a man on the ground, passed out, but he looked close to death. He wasn't moving, breathing, or displaying any obvious signs of life.

The employee started CPR, and the man stirred. Everyone started clapping, but suddenly the man attacked the employee, ripping viciously into the employees neck.

"Holy crap!" Chris cursed and I turned to bury my face in his shoulder, but he pointed to the first floor of the store. People attacking each other, eating each other like animals. Like a mountain lion would do to his prey. I quickly realized these people weren't people anymore. This is what the news was trying to hide. All over the store people were turning into these things.

"Zombies." I whispered as Chris dragged me by the arm to wherever he was going. I was to shocked to care. Luckily these creatures hadn't made it to the 2nd floor, but that would change in minutes. Living people were going after these zombies, trying to talk to them, to help them. Only to be attacked, which would make them turn into a zombie as well.

"Come on Lucy. Their coming up here!" Chris urged as he was practically dragging me with him.

"But those people.."

"Its to late for them now. We have to save ourselves." Chris hopped over the counter to the glass cabinets where the rifles are. One of the sliding glass doors had been left open in the chaos.

Grabbing 2 rifles and 2 boxes of bullets. "Here. Hold it like this and look through the scope." Chris instructed, adjusting the rifle on me.

"You're going to sit in there and shot those thing," he said pointing at a boat suspended from the ceiling for display.

"What about you? I'm not leaving you." I protested even as he grabbed a large heavy box that was abandoned in the middle of the floor.

"Just trust me and try to keep the boat as still as possible. I'm not sure how movement will effect those cables." With that I reluctantly placed my feet on his shoulders. A horde of those things we're lurching our way. I could just barely grasp the edge of the boat.

"Come on, baby. Pull yourself up." Chris encouraged, he wasn't even straining from my weight. Impressed and surprised by his strength, I pulled my upper body into the boat. It swung as I threw my legs over the side.

Panting I sat on the floor of the boat and shed the gun off my back where Chris had strapped it tightly.

Glancing down just in time, I saw Chris busting open a display case. I couldn't see what it was, but it had to be a weapon. He held something glinting high up in the air, knowing I was watching. The light reflecting off of it told me it had to be a knife. A few surviving people made their way to the display case and all crowded around Chris. The zombies that weren't distracted with eating headed towards them.

Stabs were thrown everywhere, but yet they kept coming. The group had formed a circle and we trying to kill them together. Spying a stray zombie, I aimed my rifle just as Chris had instructed after loading it. Body stabs weren't working obviously. So I aimed for the head. My hands shaking and clammy, I fired my very first shot.

I let out a small scream of excitement as the bullet hit its target, and the zombie fell dead to the ground. The gunshot however, had attracted the attention of every zombie in the building. "Aim for the head! The HEAD!" I screamed as loudly as possible in Chris's direction. His head turned in my direction, but his eyes didn't dare move off the zombies. A slight nod, signaling he had heard me. Zombies started falling all over the place as the others took my help. I picked off any zombie that was far enough away from the group. Firing 10 more shots but missing 6.

"Shit." I muttered as the rifle clicked, signaling it was empty. I didn't have the ammo or any idea how to refill it even if I had a bullet.

Half an hour later, the chaos had died down. The cops had finally shown up and tried to help the remainder of us. A few officers got bit, trying to help the zombies. Thinking they were still human.

"I'm going to go find a ladder." Chris yelled as loudly as he could at me. Fortunately, he'd found a store employee that should be able to help him. Soon a long ladder was wheeled up to the boat.

Chris embraced me as soon as I was on the ground. Kissing me hungrily, and I returned it. Words weren't needed, we had both been fearing for the others life.