[GirlsDeadMonster]

This is the thought process of an unknown male. Please enjoy.
Rock and a Hard Place Five

Lament

Sitting here wondering how did it all come to this. Warm fire in the hearth, lukewarm whiskey in my hand; the amber liquid is less than half full. I gulped down most of it in one swallow. I wanted to savor the burn down my throat, lets me know I’m still alive.

For how long, though? Shit. The blood from my hand dripped to the floor; I watched the splatter on the white carpet that I’m sure some OCD filled wife kept meticulously clean. Sorry Mrs. Homeowner, but white carpet? Really?

I had been staying in this big empty house since the outbreak, I found a well-stocked pantry and a weapons cache in the basement. Ha, I couldn’t believe my luck. I was just intending to rob the place, not set up residence. Times had been hard, no work; not for a felon at least. Since I got out, I tried to stay on the up and up, but with the wife nagging about bills and groceries, and shit like that, hell, I had to get money somewhere.

She’s dead though, the wife, and Shelly; my little girl. Can’t say I’m too sad about the wife, I guess that some harsh shit to say but she was cheating on me anyway. But Shelly…my daughter. I tried to get back to them, to lead them to the safety of this mini mansion but I was too late. They were torn apart; there was nothing I could do. I hurried back here and here is where I stayed. I ignored what was going on out there, people screaming, yelling for help. How could I help them when I couldn’t even save my own? Nah, I drank to dull the screams until finally, one day, they just stopped. Only the dead walked out there now.

Then I saw Shelly wandering out there. Her brunette head bobbed up and down, she always did that when she walked. She would say, “Daddy, when fairies not flying, they walking on their toes. I wanna walk like that. I wanna fly, daddy.” But that wasn’t Shelly, her face was ripped, her eyes pale, and one arm was missing. No, that wasn’t Shelly but still….Fuck.

What kind of a God would let this happen? I have never really been much for prayer, I doubt God listens. But in that moment, I prayed that things were different. That my Shelly was alive and I had another chance to be the father she deserves. Maybe she was different. Maybe she wasn’t the mindless zombie the others were.

Why her and not me? I let the tears roll down my face freely; no one was here to see anyway. I don’t think I’ll ever lay eyes on a living person again.

I was dumb to try and coax the thing that was my daughter to the house. I was an idiot to try to tie her up with a belt. I was a moron for trying to talk to her. I thought I could handle her. I just had to make sure. She bit me and sealed my fate. Dumb. If I get a headstone it will simply say, “Lazy Husband, Bad Father, and One Dumb Fuck.”. Now, I’ll just sit here, drink this liquor, and think of all the things I should have done differently. I pushed Shelly in a closet. I just couldn’t bring myself to smash her skull in.

There was no point in waiting any longer. I took the remainder of the whiskey and poured it over my head. It stung my eyes. I grabbed the bottle and poured its contents around the room. I reached for my lighter and threw it against the wall.

Flames ate at the walls as if the fire was alive. I welcomed the heat as I sat back down and waited for the fire to take me. The thing that was Shelly banged on the closet door. Soon, my little girl, soon. Please, to whatever God that was still taking request, take me to my daughter.

[the Walkin Dude]

Damn, GIDM i love your writing, and might i venture to say it has a dark side to it. Great, Great Job. And i think i see some poet in you.

[GirlsDeadMonster]

Damn, GIDM i love your writing, and might i venture to say it has a dark side to it. Great, Great Job. And i think i see some poet in you.

Your opinion means a lot to me. Thank you.

[stickoffury412]

I have to complement you as well considering I have just started writing over on this side as well. Its a very gloomy (but good) story so far, its really interesting you went for 1st person pov and so far we only have one main character.

Excited to see where it will go, great job so far

[walkerbait13]

Wow, this one is your best yet!! Can't wait for the next one:). I love how you jump to the ends of different characters' stories. Very dramatic.

[GirlsDeadMonster]

I have to complement you as well considering I have just started writing over on this side as well. Its a very gloomy (but good) story so far, its really interesting you went for 1st person pov and so far we only have one main character.

Excited to see where it will go, great job so far

Wow, this one is your best yet!! Can't wait for the next one:). I love how you jump to the ends of different characters' stories. Very dramatic.

Thanks. My Rock and a Hard Place is just a collection of short stories told from different points of view. It gives me a chance to be totally different characters with one main theme, their personal take on the ZA. Thanks again, I love hearing from you.