(: I want to thank everyone who was following this story from day one and for putting up with me!
I know I'm notorious for never finishing a story, but I'm putting an effort to try to finish my stories! I hope you liked the final chapter! (:
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The sun shone through the few windows of Dead Reckoning. We were all quiet as we rolled into the bright town of Sarasota, Florida, a few set backs and road blocks caused the trip to take us about two months. Slack was curled up on a chair in front of the maps, her light breathing was calming as the truck rolled slowly. Riley drove carefully, eyes watching the gated community up ahead. Charlie and I sat against the cool, metal wall, I'm pretty sure Charlie had slipped off to sleep.
"Do you think they'll let us in Riles?" I asked, hearing the brakes lightly being stepped on.
Riley kept quiet for a minute before nodding his head.
"We called in before hand. Key's funeral is soon, we have the body. So they'll let us in." He said in a monotone voice. His tone didn't hurt, it was just Riley's way of trying to distance himself from a difficult situation and I couldn't blame him.
Riley hummed, reaching out for his identification cards for the guards at the gates as we slowed to a stop. I bit my lip, closing my eyes and pretending to sleep myself. All Riley needed to do was say the last name 'Karter' and we were automatically let in. The streets were bright, humans walking around normally. The last of the elderly walking and basking in the sun, just happy to be alive as children dashed around in groups playing. Even though it was safe here, children are recommended to keep in groups.
I gently nudged Charlie awake, he shook himself awake and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pressing a sloppy kiss against my cheek. I giggled, kissing him back as Slack groaned, stretching herself awake. We nodded to each other as Riley pulled up to the address we were given. Men dressed in black pants and shirts began climbing on top of the truck, pulling the coffin off the roof. I stood, dusting off my black sun dress and straightening my black dress-sweater. Charlie fussed with the collar of his back shirt, his torn jeans wrinkled and dirty. Riley wore a black shirt under his green jacket, his black jeans relatively clean. Slack wore black capris with a back, loose tank top.
As we stepped out of the truck, someone's arms were already around my neck.
"Ohh! Lapè! It's amazing to see you, even if the occasion is so morbid!" A short, stout, woman cried, kissing my cheek. She was tanned, with short, sandy hair and deep set wrinkles. She had warm brown eyes with her ears pierced multiple times. She smelt faintly of cigars and the lightest dusting of aged perfume. I sniffled, wrapping my arms around her somewhat hunched shoulders.
"Aunt Donna.." I whispered, kissing her cheek as Key's coffin was carried over to the freshly dug grave and polished headstone sat.
"Lapè?" Slack asked, as I pulled away and went back to Charlie's side.
"Guys, this is my aunt. Shes-"
"Key's mother?" Slack winced, but relaxed once Donna shook her head.
"No, I'm her mother's sister." Donna smiled softly, tilting her head as she examined my group of friends.
"Aunt Donna, these are my friends Riley and Sl-" I said, but was once again cut off by Slack.
"Sheryl." Slack said, attempting to shake hands with my aged aunt, but was pulled into a tight hug. Slack was stunned, but quickly returned the hug with a smile.
"This is my Charlie.." I said, a blush igniting our cheeks as Aunt Donna placed a big kiss and hug on the stammering man. Donna smiled, pinching his good cheek playfully.
"Good for you Lapè.." She whispered happily as we watched from a distance as Key's body was lowered into the ground with the rest of our dead family. She excused herself, rushing over to some still surviving family members.
"Lapè?" Slack asked, as Riley and Charlie nodded. I snorted.
"Sheryl?" I giggled back as she playfully rolled her eyes.
"Sheryl Annalise Carbalak. Plucked a few letters out and got Slack." She shrugged, as Charlie wrapped an arm around my waist, they all waited for my answer.
"My Daddy spend alot of time in Haiti. Lapè is Haitian-Creole for 'Peace'. Lapè Maricia Karter." I shrugged as a few more old, familiar faces came to re-acquaint themselves with my new friends and I. After a tiring day of crying, both in despair and in joy about who was still living. I held my new born baby girl cousin, Prayer, in my arms.
I said goodbye to all the people I knew as we piled back into the truck at the end of the day. I gave them all my radio signal, promising to talk to them. Aunt Donna pushed herself to the forefront of the crowd to give me a teary smile and another kiss.
"Why do you leave?" She asked, making Charlie freeze up beside me. I smiled, wiping away her tear with a trembling hand.
"'Cause...the only way I can get through this is with this man, right here, beside me." I said, squeezing Charlie's hand. He smiled, blue orb shining bright as a single tear escaped his 'bad' eye. Donna let a few more tears fall as she nodded, kissing us both. Slack was in the truck waiting for us, as Riley was speaking to a few small children about the lack of hope up north. They were much better staying down here.
Charlie and I got back into the truck, the tired looking Slack stepping closer to the loud speaker. Riley was speaking to one last group of children, their orbs glowing in adoration for their new found hero, his weapons and war stories igniting scenarios and dreams in their never ending imaginations. We smiled and laughed as Slack gave the group of 'boyfriend stealing children' a small glare and turned on the speakers system.
"Riley, if you want to get to Canada this year, GET IN THE TRUCK." She shouted, watching as he turned around to smile and wave. He patted a few more kids on the head before some young women came rushing to his side. I sighed as Slack growled, slamming down on the button one more time, shouting profanities at Riley and the young women.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU HUSSIES-" She kept on ranting, shoulders shaking.
I snorted, curling in Charlie's lap as we sat in front of the screens, popping in GPS navigation to Canada and resetting the trucks compassing systems. Charlie grabbed my chin, turning my face to plant a firm kiss on my shaking lips. His eyes positively glowed as I hummed into the kiss. A silver ring with the same shade stone as his orbs rested on my left ring finger, a simple silver matching ring on his own left.
"I love you Peace...Lapè.." He blushed, a smile coming across his face. I snorted, kissing him passionately on his scarred lips.
"Call me whatever you like, as long as you call me yours. I love you too.." I whispered, pressing another kiss on his trembling lips.
"-I SWEAR TO GOD RILEY DUMBO, YEAH YOU HEARD ME DUMBO! GET YOUR ASS IN THIS TRUCK OR ME AND OUR DAUGHTER ARE GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS!"
I did mention that Slack and Riley were pregnant...didn't I?
Ending notes:
The four found themselves in a small, remote settlement in Northern Canada. With a lack of zombies, and the settlement of only 100 humans, they decided that it was a perfect place to settle down. The quartet managed to scrounge together enough money to buy two homes directly down the way from each other. They were each other's only neighbors for three miles, leaving the four alone for the majority of the time.
Slack and Riley had a beautiful baby girl named Rocket first. She was beautiful with her father's golden hair and her mother's dark eyes. She was stubborn, but noble and kind. Next came their second child, a baby boy named 'Wonder'. They named him Wonder because he was exactly that. Slack didn't realize that she was pregnant until two months in, and had been drinking and smoking. They worried he would be damaged or sick, but he was perfect, an absolutely wonderful miracle. He was the reason Slack no longer smoked, but she still loved the occasional drink.
The two were finally married after the gorgeous brown haired, grey eyed boy was born. Riley cried when he was born, he had the eyes of Riley's younger brother.
Peace and Charlie had been hitched quick about a month into their trek to Florida, but held off on kids until Wonder was born. Peace gave birth to their daughter Aurora when Rocket was 16 months and Wonder was 3 months old. She had her mother's red hair and father's blue orbs. She was the only child of theirs that wasn't passed down the 'mismatched eye gene' as Peace called it.
Charlie and Peace then had their second and third children, a set of twins, a boy named Beyond and a girl named Wildflower. He had blond hair with mismatched brown and light blue eyes. Wildflower had almost neon orange hair with one navy blue orb from her father, a bright blue orb from her Aunt Key.
Next came Slack and Riley's third child, Mulligan. He was that awkward child that looked like neither parent. With some investigation, Slack realized that he looked just like a hybrid of both of their grandfathers, with pale-blond, almost white hair and hazel eyes. Peace popped out another kid, a brown haired, orchid and brown eyed baby girl named Image. Then came Slack and Riley's son Mano, with dark brown hair and blue eyes.
Then came me.
My name is Jude Denbo, I am the youngest of Riley's and Slack's children. The zombie outbreak as withered away, humanity slowly going back to what my parents and aunt Peace and uncle Charlie have called 'The Old World'. We still live in the woodlands of Canada, and my family is pleased that I will most likely never see a 'Stench' in my lifetime.
I've learned one thing after listening about the fight my parents, my aunt and uncle had gone through. I smile, turning to look at my best friend and secret crush: Image.
Love don't run. It stays here right now.