2 Years Ago
He needed some air, he knew he was needed in the ER but he's been in the ER for 48 hours. He downed enough energy drinks to make himself cringe. The vending machine in the break room was empty thanks to him. He's been tending to patients nonstop, all day, all night. Suddenly Chicago's in a state of emergency. He didn't know what he was looking at. No matter how many tests he ran, how many doctors he consulted. He was keeping people comfortable; MED was running out of restraints. People were walking around in the morgue, he heard they haven't seen multiple employees for days. Will thought rabies, every patient was negative. He agreed with Will, Rabies made sense. All the symptoms were coherent with Rabies. The dead walking, the dead groaning, biting and growling only reminded him of zombies. "What're you doing out here!?" Maggie came through the rooftop doors with her pager in hand. He explained he needed a moment to breathe, and she sighed, coming over to rest a hand on his shoulder. He was overlooking the city when there was an explosion in the distance. He shielded Maggie and moved them away from the railing. Simultaneously the hospital window shutters shut, and his phone rang. He picked up and Will was on the other end. "GET TO THE HELI AND LEAVE, YOU HEAR ME?! YOU CAN FLY RIGHT? LEAVE CHICAGO ETHAN, I'M NOT PLAYING. YOU'LL DIE IF YOU COME BACK IN HERE, I'M INFECTED, EVERYONE IN HERE IS ABOUT TO BE INFECTED. GO WHILE YOU HAVE THE CHANCE."
"What's happening?" Maggie asked when Will hung up. Ethan motioned to the heli pad on the upper level and headed there, Maggie was on his tail. He wanted to turn around and break into MED but he had to find April. She was out of town right now visiting some folks in Florida. "ETHAN!" Maggie yelled from outside of the Heli. "We're leaving Maggie, Will called me and said I should and I trust him. Do you trust him?" Maggie climbed in and buckled up. The city was a disaster, everywhere she looked there was a fire and people running for their lives. She put on the headset; she couldn't even hear the propellers till she came out of shock. "Where are we going?"
"A private airstrip on the outskirts of Chicago. I know the owner, we toured together. Maggie I'm worried sick about April, FUCK! Why didn't I take off with her?" April's a caregiver, he couldn't picture April keeping her distance from the infected. "Calm down Ethan, we're coming for her." He appreciated Maggie, he needed reassurance. April was alive, she was barricaded in the hotel waiting for him. April is his world, she can't end.
1 Month Later
Maggie rang the water out the washcloth and wiped her face. Her collarbones were more prominent, she was noticeably thinner. In her underwear, outside of her scrubs she was unrecognizable. Everything changed, she was rationing and physically active. Stress played a role in her appearance. Where was her husband? Was he alive? Maggie weighed the pros and cons of going back in her head. Concluding, Ben would say stay with Ethan, where she's relatively safe. They landed on the airstrip a month ago. Ethan's friend was limping aimlessly outside. Ethan put him down with his bare hands. The building on the property was off-grid, powered by a windmill. The bathroom door opened, Maggie looked up and saw Ethan's reflection in the mirror. "Get dressed, we're going into town." Ethan was going to find a way to April. He's been collecting fuel, stocking up and planning.
In town Maggie and Ethan entered the pharmacy. Ethan headed to the back; he broke into the little room housing meds. He was looking for antibiotics, anything to relieve pain, ease allergic reactions, patch up wounds. Maggie lingered to the women's hygiene and health section. She analyzed the pregnancy tests. A groaning sound was coming from the other side of the aisle. Ethan reappeared and watched an infected woman come into view. Maggie was unaware, he called her name repeatedly. He handed her a pregnancy test, she came to and put it in her satchel. He stabbed the woman as she approached them. Outside of the pharmacy a horde was just visible in the distance. Ethan and Maggie ran back to the airstrip. Maggie took the test quickly then helped Ethan load up. The two pink lines showed up boldly midair. "I'm pregnant."
A multitude of emotions coursed through Ethan. Disappointment, fear and gratitude. Likely April and him wouldn't share a wholesome moment like this. He loved Maggie, she's another woman in his life but April was his wife. He was in love with April and Maggie was in love with Ben. Neither of them wanted to be put in the position where they're separated from the ones they love. Neither of them asked for their lives to be turned upside down. He never fathomed anything would happen between Maggie and him. He was concerned, how would Maggie and their baby receive proper health care? And how would he protect his new family?
1 Month Later
In Union, Kentucky Ethan encountered a small group of survivors living in the woods. He was scouting the area and Maggie was miles away in the helicopter. A young man, his wife, a teenage boy and an elderly woman were living in various trailers on the campground. He introduced himself and stayed there overnight before ultimately introducing Maggie. Maggie never slept on the ground, Ethan ransacked the town and returned with a camper van. The beginning of a pregnancy was crucial and being a Doctor Ethan had prenatal knowledge. He provided vitamins, a balanced diet, stability and comfort. The van was home for a couple months. The helicopter was somewhere nearby. The helicopter was their secret, choosing to siphon gas here and there instead of enlisting the help of others. People would kill for a pilot and helicopter. Ethan liked to help people. He checked them out, distributed meds for their conditions. The helicopter was off limits.
Mark, the young man, was married to Rebecca. Their camping trip started off as a penny-pincher's honeymoon which ironically saved their lives. The couple got lucky choosing an isolated vacation destination. Dolan, the teenager, retreated to the campground with his dad during the outbreak. His dad was actually a part of the group but went missing. Mary and her late husband had owned the campground; she lived there for over 25 years. Mary's husband passed away years ago. Ethan reframed from making new connections. He had enough on his plate. Maggie particularly liked Rebecca, Rebecca was a new nurse. Everything was perfect, everyone lived in unison.
2 Months Later
Mark entered the campground and Dolan was right behind him with Mark's arm. Mark collapsed by the campfire and Ethan, who was walking the perimeter with Maggie ran to Mark's aid. Ethan used Mark's belt as a makeshift tourniquet. "GET ME THE ALCOHOL!" Maggie retrieved a bottle of whiskey from Mary's trailer Ethan poured the bottle on Mark's amputation. "He was bitten, I-I cut his arm off, I'm sorry, I-I I'm sorry…" Dolan was rambling, Maggie wrapped Dolan in her arms and reassured him, he made the right choice. Rebecca, Mark's wife, who was washing clothes in the pond nearby joined them. Ethan checked Mark's pulse and shook his head. Under normal circumstances Ethan would have resuscitated him, put him on life support, ran tests for infection and underlying medical conditions. "I'm sorry." Ethan announced Mark's death, Rebecca whipped out a gun and shot Mark and herself in the head.
In a split-second Rebecca and Mark were dead. Ethan and Maggie headed to the heli, no goodbyes. Maggie wanted to stay and help Mary. Ethan put his foot down, Mary was dying, and Mark was bitten by Dolan. Ethan examined plenty of infected wounds at the hospital and Mark's wound lacked the characteristics. Dolan brought the arm for show, to prove his innocence. Ethan immediately removed Maggie and himself from the situation. Dolan was dealing with something and murdered Mark. Why? Ethan had no clue, and he wasn't wasting energy figuring out Dolan. After Ethan examined Mark's dismembered arm he tackled Dolan, knocking him out. He and Maggie disappeared, all Dolan and Mary heard were propellers that evening.
2 Months Later
Ethan landed in clearings in woods. He'd travel on foot into different towns and siphon gas while she stayed in the heli. Her baby bump was all the motivation he needed to return. For months they've lived out of the heli and traveled from town to town. Alone, even when Ethan encountered survivors, he kept his distance. "If we have a girl, we name her May and if we have a boy we name him June. May Willow Choi and June Will Choi." Maggie made up her mind, they were perfect. She scooted closer to Ethan; Ethan converted the space in the heli where a stretcher would be into a bedroom. They were lying in bed together, there was a bad storm, and the wind slightly shook the heli. Ethan was rubbing her round belly and smiling. He loved the names, naming their child after people they loved. What better way to honor April and Will. They were always there for them. "I like that." Maggie heard a knock on the heli, she assumed some fallen branches were hitting the side of the heli. Ethan sat up and grabbed the gun, he let off a shot when the door was yanked open. Ethan was shot in the shoulder and flew back; his upper body broke the window and Maggie was dragged outside. Ethan was pulled out of the heli from the other side.
"GET OFF OF HER! GET OFF OF HER!" Ethan shot someone in the chest before being disarmed. He was kicked in the leg and taken off his feet. A gun was shoved under his head. Kids in football gear surrounded him. Maggie was laying on the ground with a rifle against her forehead. A kid approached Ethan; He kneeled down and grabbed Ethan's face roughly. "We're the scholars and we're presenting you with one choice. You either fly us and the heli to our camp or you and your family die here in the middle of nowhere." Ethan looked at Maggie pressed against the cold, wet ground and the image shattered his heart. "She's pregnant, let her go and I'll join you, I'm a doctor, you need someone like me." Maggie heard the kids and Ethan load into the heli. She laid on the ground staring at the night sky and lightning till the next day. Ethan was gone.
Maggie picked herself up and traveled out of Georgia on foot. A year later Maggie reached the Florida border. She'd be lying if she said she did it alone. Ethan, Ben, April, Will, Sharon, Daniel, Natalie were all there. In her heart, she felt everyone guiding her - and there was a part of herself she discovered. She was strong, strong enough to have a baby alone. In an abandoned shipping container in the middle of a waste field. June Will Choi looked exactly like Ethan. She was strong enough to survive with June strapped to her chest. It was difficult giving birth and surviving alone but rewarding. Ethan instilled so much into her which helped her survive. Without him she wouldn't have known how to start a fire or skin an animal or defend herself. Maggie stuck to small towns, side roads and the woods. She came a long way in 2 years and Sanibel, Florida was home.
The Present
Ashley kicked in the crab shack doors. She told Jay she'd heard a baby last night; they were in town for a couple days finding school material. Jay moved her behind him and proceeded in. The storefront was empty, the backroom was occupied. "A horde is migrating north, there was an explosion I'm sure you heard last night. My group and I live on an island, we're safe there. We're offering you and your family somewhere to ride out the storm." Jay explained. "Jay?" Jay holstered his weapon and opened the pantry door. 'OH MY GOD' he said under his breath. Ashley watched him pull a dark-skinned woman into a hug. Maggie excitedly motioned towards a crib. A bed and crib were in the small colorful room "I can't believe you're alive! OH MY GOD, meet June Will Choi." Ashley left Jay and Maggie. Outside, a couple infected were making their way up the dock. Ashley threw knives into their heads. Behind them there was a zombified toddler crawling up the dock. Jay and Maggie came outside to see Ashley kicking the toddler off the dock and snapped. "Ready? Because zombies don't promise tomorrow."