Title of Story: Ending
Rating: M
Pairing: Edward/Bella
Genre: Horror/Tragedy
Word Count: 4,347 (wordcounttool dot com)
Story Summary: When shit went down a few years ago, I never imagined seeing the United States of America so desolate. Empty. Well, mostly empty, anyway.
Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.
Ending
~I want your world to begin and end with me. - E.L. James.~
I check my weapons, which these days, don't really consist of much like they used to. A sawn off shotgun, a glock, and a butchers knife. There's a baseball bat in the back seat, but I don't like to get up close and personal when I'm slaying.
I make sure my vest is on properly, tight and unpenatrable. At least, I hope so. I tuck the glock away and grab the shotgun and my black duffel bag before jumping out of the car and onto the deserted, once suburban street.
When shit went down a few years ago, I never imagined seeing the United States of America so desolate. Empty. Well, mostly empty, anyway.
Movement at the end of the street catches my eye, and I duck behind the nearest tree. No point in wasting bullets. Glancing around, I spot the lonely looking house, pretty much the same as every other in the area. Perfect for a little looting.
I keep to the shadows, slinking around the side of the middle class house until I reach the back garden. Hearing movement, no doubt the fucking biter from the front, I creep in the back door and close it s quietly as possible. Maybe it'll vanish if it doesn't hear anything.
At first glance, this place makes me sad. The kitchen seems homey. Family orientated. Kids drawings are pinned to the refrigerator and small, pencil drawn lines on the door frame mark the ages of some poor kid who probably didn't make it through the fucking infection.
I sigh, shaking my head, and make my way around the kitchen table to the door in the corner.
Most houses don't have a lot of food stocked these days, but it's still worth a try.
When the breakout initially happened, local new stations had been informed their viewers to stay inside and avert panic. Stupid fucking idea if you ask me, but hey. I'm the one still alive. Larger stores still have nearly full stocks of food and water, but I try like hell to avoid that shit. After the last time, I sure as shit won't do that again.
When I pull the door open, my eyes blink. And blink. And then I shake my head. Because the pantry is god damn full to the brim with food. My mouth waters just seeing all the cans and bottles. I start filling up the bag, tossing in everything my hands touch. I'm contemplating a second trip to refill when a sharp click rings through the silent room.
"Get out...of my house."
I take a second to weigh my options. Female voice, so most likely small. Shaky tone, clearly hasn't associated with anyone in a while. She's scared.
"I don't want to cause any trouble." I try to sound soothing.
"Then get the fuck out of my house." The woman sneers, her voice still trembling.
"Look," I turn around, coming face to face with a shotgun, behind which stands a petite brunette. "I thought this place was empty."
"Well, it's not." She cocks the gun.
"Fair enough," I nod, and move carefully around her.
She keeps the gun pointed at me as I move, my eyes taking inventory over her. Dark long hair, dark eyes. She's like a kitten, trying to be tough. It's cute, really. And if it were five years ago, I'd have turned on the charm.
I'm almost to the back door when I hear it.
Moaning. Growling.
I move faster than she can comprehend, marching past her with my glock pointed in front of me, and head up a flight of stairs. The noises become clearer, and when I barge through what I assume to be a bedroom door, I'm disgusted.
"No, Please!" I hear the girl yell as she races up the stairs.
My eyes are glued to the woman on the small bed, with her arms strapped to the headboard with belts. She growls unintelligibly, her rotted teeth snapping and crunching at the air.
"Get out!" The brunette rushes in front of me, with her shotgun pressed to my chest. "Please, just go."
"You're feeding her?" I spit, noticing the half chewed limbs discarded around the room, and the stench of rotted flesh.
"You don't understand." She shakes her head at me.
"You're fucking sick!" I sneers, pointing a finger.
"I didn't ask for your opinion." She growls at me.
The woman behind her snarls.
"She's dead." I point to the beast on the bed behind her. "You know that right? She's fucking dead."
The brunette turns away, staring around the room.
"And as soon as she get's out of those poorly strapped fucking restraints you got over there, it's you she's gonna come after."
"She's my mom!" The girls screeches, her eyes glassy. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"
"Put a bullet between her eyes and fucking end her misery!" I yell at her, because come the
fuck on.
Really?
"It's not that easy!"
"I should just kill you both." I hiss, pointing my gun at her.
I expect to see fear. Anguish. Something that shows she's scared to die, but instead she only closes her eyes and steps closer to me. So close the barrel of my Glock presses against her forehead.
"So do it." She whispers.
"Bella..." The fucking monster behind her moans, her voice doubled barreled like a demon.
Innocent and devilish. "Sohungry."
"You should go." The girl warns me as her eyes drift open and lock on mine.
"So should you." I pull the gun away from her.
She shakes her head at me and smiles. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Bella!" Her mother roars, and Bella flinches.
But still her eyes don't stay from mine.
I should just leave. This isn't my responsibility to bear, and I swore after losing everyone close to me that I'd remain alone. It's just easier that way.
So I can't explain why I grab the girl. Why I strike the back of her head with the butt of my gun, just enough to knock her out. And after wasting a bullet in her mothers head, I definitely can't explain why I scoop Bella up into my arms and leave the house with her.
I'm going to regret this so hard.
-Three Months Later-
I roll down the window, rubbing at the back of my neck and cringe at the sticky sweat and grime I find.
"Couldn't have you at least stole a car with air conditioning."
I take a really deep fucking breath. "Yeah, because the first thing on my mind when I stole the car wasn't the full tank of gas, or the fact that it, you know, works. No. I was making sure we'd
be nice and cool."
Bella huffs at me, and turns back to staring out the window.
She still hasn't forgiven me for the whole, shooting her mother and rendering her unconscious thing. Its been three months of eyes rolls, scoffs, huffs, disgusted snarks and all around bitchy behaviour.
Hey, I tried to be nice. I even went back and grabbed her some clothes, along with some of that other girly crap. Like soaps and fruity shampoo's. And yes, I made a third trip back to the house to restock the bag with food and water.
I knew I'd fucking regret it.
But I can't deny, at least she's here. At least I'm not alone.
But she doesn't have to know that.
"You were in the military?" She asks, her eyes still on the passing desert beyond the passenger window.
"What?" I ask, because frankly I'm shcked she said more than her usual "Fuck You."
"You're tags." She points to my neck.
I tuck my dog tags away from her prying eyes. "Uh, yeah."
"Hmm." She stares back out the window. "A soldier."
"Yeah, so?" I ask defensively.
"So, where were you when the outbreak began?" She turns to me. "We were promised military reinforcement, but no one ever showed up. Everyone was left to fend for themselves."
"We didn't know." I tell her stoically.
"But they said-"
"We didn't know!" I cut her off harshly. "We weren't told a fucking thing, okay? One minute, I was on base just outside of Baghdad, and the next I was on a plane home. By the time we landed everyone was dead. Gone. Fucking infected and turned, and we didn't know a thing about it."
She's silent for a long time, while I seeth, staring out the windshield at the vast empty road we're on.
I remember going back to my family home, and seeing blood smeared up the once pristine white front door. By the time I got inside...
I blink, pushing the images from my head before they settle and begin to hurt. No point reminiscing the past.
"Sorry," She whispers, so quietly I almost miss it.
"And what about you, little miss fucking silent?" I gripe at her. "You expect me to sit here and dish out my life story while you say nothing about yourself?"
Bella looks at me and shrugs. "There's nothing to tell."
"Try me," I throw a glance her way, rasing an eyebrow in the process.
"Fine." She sighs. She pulls a hair tie from her wrist and wraps her hair into a bun, exposing her pale, smooth neck.
So soft...
I shake my head. She looks at me funny.
"Okay, so. I was born and raised in Forks, Washington. When I graduated High School I moved out to Seattle to attend UW. Studied for three years and got my teaching degree. And I moved back to Forks just before this all happened."
"How old are you?" I ask, because I genuinely have no idea. She looks around eighteen, but I know she's not.
"Twenty two. What about you?"
"Twenty seven." I answer.
"Where were you born?"
"Chicago."
"College?"
"No. I signed up for the military when I turned eighteen."
"That;s cool." She nods. "Any brothers or sisters?"
I'm silent, and then, "Not anymore."
We don't speak again for the rest of the day.
-Three Months Later-
"Things you miss most about life before the outbreak. Go."
"Uh..." I blink. There's so many things I miss.
She does this often. Makes up little games to amuse herself. Fill the silence. I go along with it,
because sometimes she can be pretty fucking funny. Especially when she gets all flustered, trying to win one over.
"I miss TV." She shrugs, turning back to the fridge in front of her.
We're raiding, yet again.
"Beer. Man, Ice cold beer." I sigh longingly.
"You could probably find that. In fact, I'm sure I saw a couple of bottles across the street." She smirks.
"No point. Have to stay alert." I shrug.
"I don't think one beer would lower that iron clad defence of yours." She rolls her eyes, and
stuffs a few questionable looking jars in the duffle.
"True. But I wouldn't stop at just one beer. I need a fucking case load to deal with this shit." I chuckle bitterly.
"Hmm."
We're silent again, and it's comfortable.
"McDonalds." I try.
"Ooh, In and Out. God, those were yummy." She laughs.
"Movies."
"Music."
"Showers."
"Sitting at an actual table to eat."
"Lounging on the sofa."
"Gardening."
"You garden?" I ask, turning to face her.
"Yeah, in the summers. I miss that. Oh! Having an actual bed to sleep in." She points at me.
We both groan at the same time.
"Fuck, that sounds nice."
"Yeah, almost as nice as sex."
"What?" I blanch.
"What?" She turns away from me. "I didn't say anything."
"Yeah. Yeah you did."
"No, I didn't."
"You said you miss sex." I smirk, folding my arms.
"I...Well...so?" She huffs.
"That's such a...I don't know. Guy thing to say." I grin at her.
"So, because I'm a woman, I can't miss sex?" She places her hands on her hips.
"I never said that." I shake my head.
"Then what are you saying?"
"That it's not something you'd expect to hear from a girl. A guy, yeah."
"Whatever, you know you miss it too." She zips up the bag, pushing to towards me. "You probably got laid that often you can't function properly without it. Ha! That would explain the stick up your ass." She grins.
I snort. "Har Har. Actually, I was on duty for a year and a half with no break before this all
started. So, that didn't leave time to get my rocks off."
"Wait, so that's like...almost three years without sex?" She gapes at me.
"Yep," I say, marching ahead of her. The bitterness in my voice isn't easily hidden.
"Wow." She mutters behind me.
-Three Months Later-
"Yeah, almost as nice as sex..."
"Yeah, almost as nice as sex..."
"Yeah, almost as nice as sex...
"Can we find a house to sleep in tonight?" Bella shivers, wrapping her hoodie tighter around
herself.
"I don't think we have a choice. We'll freeze in this." I mutter, my thoughts snapping away from ripping her clothes off and warming her myself.
Ever since that stupid fucking game a few months back, I've thought of nothing but sex. Sex with Bella to be more precise. It's fucked up really, because she annoys me more than I ever thought was possible. She grinds my gears and fucks with my head, and yet every time she moves I have to suppress a groan. Because everything she does suddenly seems so freaking sexy.
"That one looks good." She points to the partially cover house on the corner, surrounded by trees and hidden off from the rest.
Clearly, whoever lived there was a fucking hermit.
I park in behind one of the large trees, and jump out of the car. I throw leaves and branches over the front, just in case anyone should happen by this way. Which is unlikely, what with everyone being dead and all. But still, I don't need some fucking survivor stealing our ride.
I grab the bags from the back seat, and Bella grabs her backpack before we dash through the snow to the front door. I'm pleasantly surprised to find it unlocked. Bella flips on a light, but I turn it off.
"What-"
"Best not to attract attention." I nod, looking outside the window.
She doesn't answer. She simply turns and jogs up the flight of stairs, disappearing into the darkness. I glance around, looking for something heavy. I drag the couch and place it in front of the door, and wedge a baseball bat beneath the handle. It's not much of a lock, but it'll do for the night.
Bella's scream breaks through the calm silence, and my feet move before my brain registers the action. I pull out my gun and take the stairs two at a time until I bust into what appears to be the master bedroom.
"Bella?" I yell out.
"In here!" She calls back to me.
I race out of the room and find her in the bathroom. Smiling.
"What the fuck?" I stare at her.
"Look!" She squeals excitedly.
She pulls back the shower curtain and reveals the running water from the shower, steam slowly filling the room. I want to weep at the sight.
"Damn," I breathe.
"I know!" She claps her hands excitedly, and its so cute it makes me laugh. "I'm first though, so get out."
"How come you get to go first?" I ask.
"Because I'm the girl, and you're going to be a gentleman." She grins.
"Yeah, but..." I trail off, unable to speak.
Her top comes off, and she's completely unfazed that I'm still in the goddamn room. And all I see is pale, perfect skin. And small breasts, concealed in a plain white bra. Just the right size to fit in the palm of my hand. I'm sure if I just-
"Edward?"
"Hmm..." I mumble.
"You are going to be a gentleman, right?" She asks, so I look up, and the look in her eyes is enough to slay me.
It's like she wants me to fail.
"I...I...yeah. Um, I'm just gonna...er...go." I mutter, scraping my palm across my neck awkwardly as I drag my eyes away from her.
"Okay." She sais quietly.
Before she can say another thing, I close the door with a quiet click.
I try to go about my business robotically. Check the perimeter. Change into something
comfortable. Reload the guns. Check the stock. But all I can think of is Naked wet Bella.
I drop to the bed with a groan, mentally bitch slapping myself for feeling like a horny fifteen year old. That's not how I was fucking trained. I should be able to control my emotions better than this. So, when I glance up and see a picture of a happy couple on top of the night stand, and find the box of condoms in the bedside drawer, my decision completely changes.
Fuck it.
My clothes are off faster than I can think, and a condom is wrapped around my hardening cock as I make my way back to the bathroom. I twist the doorknob and smile when I see it's unlocked.
Gentleman, my ass.
Through the steamed up glass, I see her silhouette. And fuck me if she's not the most beautiful sight I've seen in years. Or ever.
I waste no time pulling back the door, and step in behind her. She makes no move to acknowledge my presence and I'm two seconds away from sprinting out the fucking shower, when her hands suddenly reach back and intertwine with mine.
"What took you so long?" She whispers.
I pull her to my chest, and bury my face between her neck and shoulder. "Sorry."
She turns with a smile. "It's okay. Just take a hint, in future."
I don't let her say anything else. I pin her to the wall and kiss her with everything I've got.
Fuck the end of the world, she's all the company I need.
-Three Months Later-
"God, that was good," She pants, leaning her head against the wall.
"Mmm hmm." I hum, dropping my hands from her hips to brace them on the wall.
"We should do this more often." She snorts, and I laugh into her hair.
I pick up my pants, fastening myself back up as she pulls those skimpy ass shorts she's wearing back on.
It was risky, but she's been teasing me all day. So when we walked into the deserted bar, I'd pulled her into the bathroom to fuck her six ways from Sunday. What can I say, she brings out the fucking teenager in me.
"We should get going." I sigh. "We need to find somewhere before dark."
"Okay." She nods, pressing forward to wrap herself around me. "I'm starving."
"Really?" I ask playfully. "Well, you could always snack on...you know..."
I glance toward my dick. She punches my arm.
Because of our playfulness, I don't here the bar door opening. I don't hear the shuffling. And I definitely don't hear the fucking groaning.
So when we exit the dank toilets, I'm shocked to see four of the fucking things, all glaring at
us hungrily.
"Edward," Bella whispers, pushing up against my back.
I reach for my gun, and realise it's in the car.
"Oh fuck..." I mutter.
"Hungry." the guy with only half an arm growls.
"Back in there," I shove Bella into the bathroom. "Crawl through the window and get to the car."
"No, wait-" She tries.
I shove her and yell, "Go!" Before swinging the door closed, blocking her from me and the four zombies behind me.
Training kicks in as they hurdle towards me, and I land a roundhouse kick to it's chest. The next one tries to take a bite of my head, and I manage to uppercut his throat with my fist.
I hit and hit and hit, but no mater how many times I strike, they keep coming back.
I manage to duck and weave, sending to of them crashing into the bar before I duck outside and race for the car. I throw myself into the drivers seat just as they start to stagger out the door. The keys in the ignition and we're flying down the road before they get anywhere near us, though.
"Fuck." I hiss, glancing in the mirror. "That was fucking close. Are you okay?"
Bella's curled in a ball, quietly crying to herself as she stares out the window. Her whole body shake with the tremors of her sobs.
"Hey, it's okay." I reach a hand to the back of her neck, rubbing circles on her soft skin. "It's okay now, we're safe."
She shrugs me off. "Don't touch me."
I blanch. "What?"
"Stop the car." She insists.
"Not a chance." I scoff at her. "Are you fucking insane? Of I stop now, they'll catch up to us."
"Then stop at the next gas station."
"Bella, what the fuck are you talking about?"
"Just do it!" She yells at me.
. . . .
A half hour later, we pull up at a rickity old gas station. She jumps from the car like she's been electrocuted, and walks away from the car. I sigh, before following behind her.
"Mind telling me what the fuck you're freaking out about?" I yell to her back. She doesn't respond. "Hey! Talk to me, Bella! It's not like we haven't encountered those fucking monsters before!" I yank her to face me. "Look, I know its tough but-"
I stop talking abruptly, and yank myself away from her.
"Oh shit." I breathe.
"There was one waiting out back." she sobs. "By the time I dropped down it was already too late, and I tried, Edward. I swear I tried, but it was so fucking heavy and big and...and it just...i-it fucking...God!" She screams, turning away from me.
My eyes are still focused on the bite mark on her forearm.
"I don't want to die." She cries, dropping to her knees. "It's not my time yet!"
I don't answer.
"I don't know what to do." She tells me brokenly.
The sad thing is, I do.
I mechanically walk back to the car, pulling out her backpack. I grab the duffle, and take out the few cans of food we have left before I toss them inside. I don't look at her as I walk back. I don't look at her as I pull her from the ground. I don't look at her as I place the backpack on her shoulders.
I walk her back towards the gas station, and check the small store over before pulling her inside.
"Take this," I mutter, handing her my glock. "Just in case."
She says nothing.
I say nothing.
Because I have no clue what to fucking say.
Instead, I walk away from her. I get back in my car, alone, and I drive away from my only happiness. Leaving her alone.
It's only when she disappears from my rearview mirror, do I start to freak the fuck out.
"FUCK!" I scream, hitting the steering wheel repeatedly.
I thrash, I writhe and I fucking cry. My hands end up covered in my own blood, as well as the dashboard before I turn the car the fuck around and speed back to her.
When I reach the station, I find her crumpled against the wall, hugging her backpack and my gun to her chest. I throw myself from the car, and kneel in front of her.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I whisper, pressing kisses all over her face.
"You should go." She tells me, and I freeze when I hear the change in her voice. The double
barrel.
"I'm not going anywhere." I fall beside her, and pull her to my chest.
"You still have a chance." She snuggles against me, betraying her own word.
I say nothing, simply pulling her closer. She shakes against me, and I know we don't have long.
"Thank you," I tell her.
"For what?"
"For trusting me."
She chuckles weakly. "Thank you. For taking me away from that house."
She doesn't say another word as her back arches, the snap of her spine audible. Her mouth opens in a silent scream and her nails dig into my hands. And all I can do is watch with tears in my eyes. When her body finally slackens against me, and her breathing stops, I remove the glock from her limp hand.
I hear the growlers from before, racing down the road towards us, and I shake my head. No way will I let her turn into one of them.
With a kiss to her forehead, I place the gun against her temple and pull the trigger.
"Sorry boys," I call to the horde coming towards us. "No live meal for you tonight. Just dead carcasses."
Then before the pain of loss can rush through my system, I shove the glock into my mouth and fire.
Fuck it. I'm done. And I won't live in this world alone anymore.
I'd rather follow her.
Because in truth, it feels like my world began and ended with Bella Swan.
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