It Shall Be Called The End Chapter 2
Ginger, Her Name Is Woman
Chapter 2
It was 4 hours later that I woke her and led her back to the corner of 5th and laurel. It was a smooth trip and for the most part really quiet, I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything different; it’s usually pretty quiet around this time. When we got there I showed her where the shower was and got her a towel and soap, while she argued with me about going out and getting her some cloths. Being the type of person I am, I went anyway. She soon found that once my mind is set there is really nothing that can change it.
While on my little shopping trip I took extra care to find things that I thought she would like, things that would make her look pretty and even found some perfumes and lotions I thought would make for a nice change in the way things smelled around there. I managed to find a nice supply of tampons, razors, Advil, and Midol in the pharmacy section of one store, but became entranced when I passed through the jewelry section. It had been so long since I had a woman around and even then I could rarely afford to by her something really nice. It was a risky decision since I haven’t been into any of these stores and thus didn’t know if it was clear or not, but I figured why not, it would be nice to see her smile. People don’t smile anymore, well when you find people alive.
Making my way into the store through a broken window I am sure to be as silent as possible. I didn’t have to go far before I found what I was looking for. There in the front case sat a silver heart shaped locket with rose vine engravings all over it. I knew it was perfect because as soon as I saw it I thought of her. Quickly grabbing it and a gift box I made my start for the door. I didn’t take 6 steps before I heard a very familiar crunch from behind me, they must have smelled me when I came in.
“SHIT!” I breathed as my heart and feet raced out the window, followed by a resounding wail and pounding of feet. Strangely as I ran I felt a certain sense of nostalgia remembering back in Jr high getting chased by the school bully and his friends. The only difference is that these bullies don’t feel anything but hunger and never tire. Finding a corner I take it and stoop down behind a car to get a glimpse of what I was dealing with because I wouldn’t be able to sprint the whole way back to the apartment like this. I am, of course, still a fat guy. After a few seconds I see three dead fucks round the corner sniffing the air like a dog and licking his lips. Should be easy enough to deal with, I’ve been in worse situations before and after the dead thought it a good idea to get up and eat people. Again I pull out my trusty combat knife and lead rod I keep strapped to my leg and wait for the last one to pass the car. Slowing my breathing and calming my heart rate I step out and jam my knife into the temple of the first one I come to, then cave in the skull of the second. Blood and decay splatters me as I turn just in time to be tackled to the ground by the third. Holding it at bay by its shoulders I notice the extreme stench of rot secreting from its body like the smell of road kill after several days in the hot sun. Working my hands up to its neck I feel the skin start to tear away as my grip tightens, and finally I feel its vertebrae and as quickly as possible twist and pull till it breaks, leaving the creature hovering lifeless above me.
About thirty minutes later I arrived back at the apartment completely exhausted. When I walk through the door I find a towel wrapped ginger springing up from behind the couch with my bat and in total shock at my appearance.
“What happened?”
The words reveal how frightened she is for it is no secret what happens once you have been bitten.
“I had a run in with a few of them, no big deal”
“No big deal?!”
“I assure you I haven’t been bitten”
“Take off your cloths”
“Excuse me?”
“Take off your cloths!” she holds the bat tighter than before, a signal to let me know she means business.
“Ok fine, but you do understand that that bat holds no threat to me right?”
“Just fucking do it!”
Funny thing really, when you are fat you know your fat but sometimes you never really think about it, but when you are getting naked in front of a pretty girl you become very aware of every roll…..and scar. For a moment we stand there looking at each other, me naked and her in a towel. She eyes me up and down and walks around me to do the same. Every secret, every imperfection and hurtful thing that I have gone through is revealed at this moment, I guess If I’m going to have her around for a little while I have to become vulnerable at some point. She comes back to face me, looking into my eyes, and I drop mine.
“What happened to you?”
The words seem to shy away from my lips in an effort to keep some secrecy for myself.
“Just some things along the way, you know the whole end of the world thing.” I say letting in a slight sense of my self consciousness.
“Here” I say handing her the box with the locket in it. I forgot I was still holding it after the events that transpired.
“I made a detour and figured you might like it, I also got you some other things as well” I stoop down and hand her the bag as I pick up my cloths.
“Now if you will excuse me, I am cold and covered in decay. I need a shower”
I begin to make my way out of the room as she opens the box. I hear a slight gasp and then her voice breaking the silence.
“Wait! John…I…..I’m sorry”
I don’t turn around but just nod.
“Its fine, those things have to be done these days. I probably would have done it too”
I begin to take another step but am stopped again by her voice.
“Please John wait, just turn around and look at me”
I turn around and I don’t really know why, I figure more out of curtsey than anything else. I mean it’s not like I would be expending that much energy doing it. When I stop and look at her she let’s go and drops her towel revealing her naked form. I am a bit taken by surprise, being that no woman has ever just dropped her towel in front of me before, but also because of what I see. She has scars all over her like someone had been burning and cutting her, yet still she looked beautiful and perfect in my eyes. It was getting dark and I hadn’t turned on the generator yet so the only light was that of the fading sun reflecting off her firm skin. I noticed it really made you appreciate her curves as the light rolled across her breast and down her hips. I stood there for a moment and then walked close to her and grabbed her towel to wrap her up.
“Your still wet and can catch a cold”
“I wanted to make it even, I’m sorry to make you do that”
“It’s fine, really. I’m going to get a shower and then turn on the power so we can see and get something to eat”
*************************************
Scrubbing all the death off proved to be more of a chore than expected. I didn’t mind though, it gave me time to think things through. I mean honestly I’ve known this girl for a total of like eight hours and we talk like we know each other intimately. Hell we have even seen each other naked and that usually never happens until at least the third date, well maybe longer in my case. Still the issue is that I don’t know a thing about her, and I’m not sure if it’s a good thing that I’m allowing this. I guess the need for human contact overrides my sense of security.
After a good hour of scrubbing, the stench and blood is gone. Man I remember the days when a long shower meant masturbating not scrubbing dead people from under your fingernails. I get dressed and make my way down to the soundproofed basement and cut on the generator so we can have some light. When I return ginger is in the living room on the couch in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt I had found for her.
“I don’t know how you did it but you managed to get my exact size in everything, even my panties and bra”
“I guessed”
“Lucky guess then”
“I grew up around women and had a lot of friends that were girls. I went shopping a lot so I guess I still remember how to do it”
I head into the kitchen to find what we are going to eat tonight, probably ramen again.
“It’s weird I haven’t had underwear in over a year, I’m not used to it at all” she says as she adjust the underwire in her bra.
“You’ll get used to it again”
“Yeah I guess”
“You don’t have to wear them if you don’t want to, I just didn’t know if you would or not. It’s been awhile since I had a lady around—“
“I’m not a lady! And you know what, maybe I won’t wear them!”
I noticed a deep resignation as she said this and I watched as she began the dance that is a woman taking off her bra while still wearing her shirt. I’ve seen it many times while driving through town.
“Oh! Dammit to hell!” she spits as she wrenches off the jeans and sweatshirt removing the undergarments and then slips them back on.
“Feel better?”
“Not really”
“Then what was the point?”
“I just….I’m not a lady ok?!”
“Ok fine, ill just say that you are a member of the female species then”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I just figure what else am I supposed to say about you? I haven’t been around a lot of people in awhile, especially not a girl. I was just trying to be kind, trying to treat you better than whoever gave you those scars. Better than the brotherhood”
I saw her eyes flash at the mention of the scars.
“Chicken or beef?” I say after a few minutes.
“Huh? What?”
“What flavor ramen would you like? Chicken or beef?”
“Oh sorry, chicken please”
“Chicken it is”
I get the water boiling and grab a couple bottles of water and hand her one as we wait, and let her know its ok to take a look around the place. I did some converting when I got here and made it my own. I even rummaged through the art museum for some décor stuff like paintings and the like. I also went to the old antique shop and stocked up on vintage vinyl after coming across an old record player. When the food is done we sit down and eat, it was quiet at first but then we started talking and even laughed a little. When it was done I washed the dishes and got out some glasses and a bottle of wine, which we shared while watching Harvey, an old Jimmie Stewart movie.
“You aren’t trying to seduce me are you?”
“No, it was a habit of mine before everything died that I would have a glass of wine or two after dinner with my sister while watching an old film”
“That’s sweet” she said with a faint hint of envy.
“Yeah, I’ve tried to keep to my routine. It helps me keep my mind through all this”
“Yeah”
“Yeah”
The air seemed to grow awkward again, which I tried to combat as all men do.
“So, you want to play Xbox?”
“Sure!” she said with a laugh. We played video games into the night, laughing and joking until about 3 in the morning. I showed her to her room and went to my own and got ready to sleep. It wasn’t long before I heard a faint knock on my door and she was standing there in her sweat shirt.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, it’s just been awhile since I had a night like this, you know….safe. It meant a lot to me”
“It’s my pleasure”
“Also…..I uh……do you mind if I sleep in here with you? Night time is a scary time for me and I’d feel safer here”
“I take a moment and then answer”
“Yeah, sure come on”
She comes in and I shut the door when I turn around she had taken off her sweat shirt revealing her naked form once again. Shrugging it off I crawl into bed and she cuddles up to me and holds on as if to make sure I will never leave. We lay there till our dreams take us in to twilight revelry.
