• The desolate city lay before their eyes. Their damaged, scarred, traumatized eyes constantly saw what wasn't there. Bodies, moving and not, seemed to litter the streets. The real scene before them was barely distinguishable from the scene their minds placed in their vision. Though every body was distinctly different, inside their mind's eye every image merged into one gruesome stereotype come to life. The stereotype haunted them day and night, robbing them of precious sleep.
    The girl, Anise, turned to the boy next to her. They were young, barely adults, but matured far beyond their years by the evil they had seen and experienced. Her short straight black hair was held away from her this face by several clips. Her questioning eyes lacked the life and youthfulness they once held. They searched the boy's profile, hoping to see a reason as to why they were there.
    "Amasa, I thought you said we should avoid cities at all costs. Why did you bring us here?" Anise asked softly, curious about her boyfriend's seemingly impulsive behavior.
    Amasa's cold, hard blue eyes finally turned to glance at hers. His stoic expression no longer surprised her.
    "Remember Howard and his group?" Amasa didn't wait for her to respond. He knew she remembered every living face clearly. "He mentioned a safe zone here. He said on the northern part of Manhattan was a large group of survivors working to clear out the city. Howard was going to lead everyone there."
    Amasa's words hit Anise like the bunt of a gun. A safe zone? Safe? She thought the word had been lost to both of them long ago. She could feel tears welling in her dark brown eyes and tried to stop them. Hope sprang upon her like her tears. She was torn between hugging Amasa and just falling to her knees and crying until she ran out of tears. She knew better than to do either but her vision still blurred. Her slightly calloused hands rose to her face to obliterate the salty monsters that threatened to fall upon her cheeks. Amasa's statuesque gaze softened and his arms reached out to hold her. She flinched at his touch out of instinct and she apologized immediately.
    "It's real this time. They'll take us in and we can live a normal life." He tried to calm her, but her sobs continued. "Sh. I hear something."
    Anise's eye went wide and she covered her mouth to stifle any sounds attempting to escape. He let go of her shaking form and pushed her away from himself gently. They waited for the tell tale moan. Anise kept her back towards Amasa and her eyes peeled for the enemy. Meanwhile, Amasa removed his .45 caliber pistol, silencer attached, from its hiding place.
    No moan penetrated the silence. No feet, shuffling or otherwise, could be distinguished from the rustling of the trees around them. Though no animals could be heard either. Neither of them dropped their guard as they walked beside each other to breach the city limits.

    It was not until they were many blocks into the seemingly unpopulated city that the silence between them was broken. No communication was allowed unless it was in the form of a low whisper. No matter how deserted any landscape looked there was always a chance of being hunted, and they could not take the chance of being caught. Capture meant death in the most violent and brutal way. Their terrifying form would treat them with complete indifference, as death from them was the same for everyone.
    "Why don't you give me a gun, hun?" Anise slipped her hand into his and moved even closer, invading every ounce of personal space he had.
    Amasa could feel how empty the gesture was. Even as her other hand came over to rub his arm he wanted to pull away. Their relationship could never be the same as it was before the war and he felt it everyday, he had a feeling she could too. His muscles tightened a bit as his heart broke a little more. Another piece fell away never to be recovered at the mention of a gun. Amasa gave her the firm rejection she always received.
    "I don't feel safe." Her expression switched from that of a seducer to one of pain and anger. "How am I supposed to defend myself when you gave me all of the second-rate weapons?" Her whisper turned harsh and she pulled away.
    "You've been safe for a year with those 'second-rate' weapons, Anise. You'll be fine." He offered up a faux smile when he wanted to cry, scream, yell, something, anything to make her stop asking.
    Anise received the smile with a dead stare. The dark rings under her eyes, from so little sleep, and her utter lack of movement sent chills down his spine.
    "Come on. It's going to get dark soon and we still haven't found a shelter." Amasa's arm wrapped around Anise and he kissed her scalp.

    "Over here." Anise whispered down the hall to Amasa in the small apartment building. Her hand franticly urged him towards her. "The fire escape is right there." She pointed through the open door to the opposite side of the silent apartment.
    Amasa looked to Anise and tilted his head toward the apartment. She nodded, tacitly understanding that she was better equipped for close combat. He followed behind her cautiously and closed the door to impede anyone trying to enter.
    The bedroom, with its twin bed, was empty. The living room, kitchen, bathroom, spare room, and closets were all empty. The only full parts of the apartment were the refrigerator and cabinets. The smell of rotting food wafted from the closed door as canned food remained scentless on the shelves.
    They were elated at the fact that their emaciated forms would be able to gorge themselves tonight. Both of their stomachs growled loudly at the promise of food. Amasa set up a barricade at the front door of the apartment while Anise filled both of their bags with food then took out her knife to pry open the remaining cans.

    Sunlight harshly shined through the windows on another day. Anise had been awake for hours while Amasa slept. Her eyes drifted to his gun an innumerable amount of times during the night, but with rescue and civilization so close she had decided to live on. To stop herself from crying and waking Amasa she forced her thoughts to drift from one subject to another, each one lead back to her past or future and threatened to bring forth tears.
    A light banging reached her ears. It didn't sound strong and it repeated at a steady pace. Anise stood and approached the front door to the apartment. She looked through the peephole and spotted her worst fear. The enemy stood outside banging, begging to be let in. The fearful moan penetrated the air and her breath quickened.
    More moans began to fill the air, perforating the silence she had enjoyed for so long. More mangled bodies appeared in view of the peephole. The flesh-eating abominations were attempting to break in. Each maimed appendage add more force to the door. The door was shaking with their uncoordinated attacks upon it and more were on their way.
    Anise ran to the window only to see another gruesome face peering at her. She turned and ran into the bedroom where Amasa lay silently. If she had listened she would have heard the shot ring through the air. If she had watched she would have seen the decaying face on the fire escape defaced by a rain of shells. Instead, she panicked. Tears streamed from her eyes as she closed the door and removed the pistol from Amasa's grip, rousing him.
    Amasa's tired voice was muffled by the sound of a bullet piercing a skull. His eyes went wide and took in the entire sight of Anise. The hole in the back of her head was hidden, but the hole in front was not. He sat up slowly as everything else seemed to fade away. His arms reached out and held her still cadaver. One hand reached to stroke her hair, blood covered it quickly, while the other removed the gun. He rocked back and forth cradling her.

    Gunshots silenced the moans of the walking dead outside the door. A group of eight stormed though the door, and the barricade, into the apartment. They fanned out to clear the area. Only one gun went off and it was only once.
    "Hey Howard! I found one. Got it right between the eyes." A heavily armed and armored man boasted as the leader, Howard, approached.
    Howard stepped carefully towards the couple and frowned. "I really thought they would make it. They were so close." He crossed his chest for them before turning to his team. "James, come with me and we'll burn them, everyone else clear out the rest of the building."