“Benji what the hell are you doing?!” Elektra shoved the gun
into Benjamin’s hands. It was loaded and Benjamin stared at it, his hands
shaking. The group of undead began to approach faster and faster. “Son of
bitch, I guess if you have to do something-“She shot three zombies in the head “-You
have to do it yourself.” She finished. Benjamin aimed the gun toward an approaching
zombie. It was a girl, who looked around the age of 12. The gun wobbled back
and forth in his hand, he couldn’t get it to straighten out. “BENJI! SHOOT GOD
DAMMIT!! SHOOT!” Elektra yelled firing at the two zombies in front of her. He
pulled the trigger, sending the bullet whizzing past the dead girl and into the
arm of the zombie behind her. He wasn’t made for this; this wasn’t what his
life was supposed to be. He was supposed to go to College, meet a girl, and get
married. You know the usual stuff, not killing zombies with one of the sexiest
girls he’d ever met. Okay…maybe he didn’t mind that last part.
One month ago, Elektra and her crew had found Benjamin holed up in his house, barely surviving off the food he had. The rest of his family was in Florida, presumably dead; while he was stuck here in Illinois, with his uncle who was now a zombie. Elektra grabbed him out of his bathtub, told him if he wanted to live he had to come with her. (And when he made a joke about the terminator, she kneed him in the balls.) Now they were back at the base. Old Mason’s Carnival Attraction which like all the other places on earth was abandon and broken down. Elektra and her crew were on the south side, They made camp in the fun house. Now they were on the North side, fighting zombies. Although Benjamin wasn’t doing much of that. He’d never held a gun in his life.
He raised the gun one more time, taking a deep breath like he’d seen people do in the movies. This time when he pulled the trigger, the bullet slid right through the girl’s head and out the other side. He felt like he wanted to puke. “Benji come on, there’s too many.” Elektra yelled. She and the other three began running toward the gate. They were supposed to go hunting today, but that didn’t happen. After locking up the gate, they made the trek back to the fun house. “Thomas, do you still have Ammo?” Mikey asked. “No man, I used it all. There was more undead today than yesterday.” He said. Elektra sighed. “Well I’ve still got my ammo.” Doug said looking through his fanny pack. “What about you Benji?” Mikey laughed. They knew he still had Ammo because he didn’t even use his gun. He used Elektra’s. “Shut up Mikey.” Benjamin said half-heartedly. He walked faster, ahead of the group. He didn’t feel like dealing with this today. Elektra caught up with him, her strides matching his. She was quiet and he decided to keep his mouth shut. He snuck a glance at her, her long hair was tied up into a tight bun. The setting sun turned her cheeks pink and Benjamin took a deep breath. “What?” She asked. He was caught. “Uh nothing..uh do you want your gun back?” He asked. She looked down at the gun in his hands. “No, you keep it. You fire better with that one than the other one I gave you.” He gulped. “Wow..uh thanks Elektra.” He said. She smirked. “No problem Benji Boy.” She was the only one who could call him Benji without him getting irritated. Once they reached the fun house the other three went to their special spaces. “Benji you’re taking watch.” Thomas said giving him the binoculars. He wanted to protest, especially since it was his third time this week. But he knew there was no point; it was like digging a hole deeper and deeper until finally they pushed you in. “Fine.” He said. He climbed the old net that led to the second tier of the fun house.
One month ago, Elektra and her crew had found Benjamin holed up in his house, barely surviving off the food he had. The rest of his family was in Florida, presumably dead; while he was stuck here in Illinois, with his uncle who was now a zombie. Elektra grabbed him out of his bathtub, told him if he wanted to live he had to come with her. (And when he made a joke about the terminator, she kneed him in the balls.) Now they were back at the base. Old Mason’s Carnival Attraction which like all the other places on earth was abandon and broken down. Elektra and her crew were on the south side, They made camp in the fun house. Now they were on the North side, fighting zombies. Although Benjamin wasn’t doing much of that. He’d never held a gun in his life.
He raised the gun one more time, taking a deep breath like he’d seen people do in the movies. This time when he pulled the trigger, the bullet slid right through the girl’s head and out the other side. He felt like he wanted to puke. “Benji come on, there’s too many.” Elektra yelled. She and the other three began running toward the gate. They were supposed to go hunting today, but that didn’t happen. After locking up the gate, they made the trek back to the fun house. “Thomas, do you still have Ammo?” Mikey asked. “No man, I used it all. There was more undead today than yesterday.” He said. Elektra sighed. “Well I’ve still got my ammo.” Doug said looking through his fanny pack. “What about you Benji?” Mikey laughed. They knew he still had Ammo because he didn’t even use his gun. He used Elektra’s. “Shut up Mikey.” Benjamin said half-heartedly. He walked faster, ahead of the group. He didn’t feel like dealing with this today. Elektra caught up with him, her strides matching his. She was quiet and he decided to keep his mouth shut. He snuck a glance at her, her long hair was tied up into a tight bun. The setting sun turned her cheeks pink and Benjamin took a deep breath. “What?” She asked. He was caught. “Uh nothing..uh do you want your gun back?” He asked. She looked down at the gun in his hands. “No, you keep it. You fire better with that one than the other one I gave you.” He gulped. “Wow..uh thanks Elektra.” He said. She smirked. “No problem Benji Boy.” She was the only one who could call him Benji without him getting irritated. Once they reached the fun house the other three went to their special spaces. “Benji you’re taking watch.” Thomas said giving him the binoculars. He wanted to protest, especially since it was his third time this week. But he knew there was no point; it was like digging a hole deeper and deeper until finally they pushed you in. “Fine.” He said. He climbed the old net that led to the second tier of the fun house.
It looked out over
the rest of the old carnival. The stars were beautiful like always, with no
light around to mess it up. He stared up at them for so long, he didn’t hear it
when Elektra came up. “Benji.” She said. He turned quickly. “Hey..sorry..Uh I
was just looking at the stars.” He said nervously. She looked like she was
about to cry. “Elektra..what’s wrong?” He asked. She plopped down on his
sleeping bag and began to cry. He had never seen her like this. She was always
Elektra the fierce. It was the first time he ever saw her like a real seventeen
year old girl. She wiped the tears from her face, but only more fell. “I-“ She
sobbed. “I have to show you something.”
She began lifting her shirt and Benjamin’s eyes went wide. His palms were
sweaty and his heart beat faster. Then he saw the bandage. It was caked with
dry blood. She slowly undid the bandage, revealing a bloody wound where skin
was missing. “Holy shit.” Was all he could say. The bite was unmistakable. She
only sobbed more. “What am I gonna do Benji?” She asked, her eyes pleading. “When..when
did it happen?” He asked. She sighed, placing the bandage back on, and pulling
down her shirt. “Earlier today..when I was looking for more batteries. One of
them got in. I didn’t see him..and..and.” She choked on her words. Benjamin
pulled her into a hug, careful not to bump her wound. They stayed like that for
several minutes. He was quiet while she sobbed into his shoulder.
“You have to shoot me Benji.” She said quietly. He pulled away from her. “What?!” He asked. Her eyes were red but she looked as fierce as she had hours ago. “I’m serious. You have to. I have two days left before it happens. I need you to..to take care of it.” She said. He shook his head frantically. “Me?! I can’t do that Elektra!” She tsked. “Of course you couldn’t. I don’t know why I asked.” She began getting up. “Hey what a second. What’s that supposed to mean?” He grabbed her arm and she winced. “Sorry.” He said. “We both know what it means Ben. You aren’t like the other guys. You’re to compassionate.” She said. He was angry now. “Are you calling me Weak?” He asked. She was quiet. He was stunned. “Oh my god Elektra! You are so stupid!” He yelled. She was stunned silent. No one in the group talked to her like that. “I’m stupid?!” She asked annoyed. “YES! YOU’RE STUPID! I DON’T WANT TO KILL YOU BECAUSE I’M WEAK! I DON’T WANT TO KILL YOU BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!” He said.
His face was hot with anger, and his fists were balled up at his sides. He didn’t know he loved her, but the thought of her not in this world with him made him scream inside. He did love her, and it scared him. She just stood there and looked at him. “Well…aren’t you gonna say something?” He asked. She lifted her head and kissed him lightly on the mouth. She leaned back and smirked. “Oh Benji..I don’t know why you love me. I’m a mess Benji. I can’t love you. Because this isn’t the kind of world anymore where love is welcome. Look around you Benjamin.” She gestured to the rest of the carnival. It was rusted and in the distance you could see the gate. “I don’t care.” He said. “Ben..you can’t love me..because in two days I’m gonna be a monster. I’m not even gonna know who you are!” She started to cry again, the tears slowly falling down her face. “So you have to do it Benji, please if you love me..you have to.” She grabbed the gun on the floor and shoved it into his hands like she did that morning. “Please!” She pleaded. He started to cry.
He hated this stupid world. He wanted to go back to the world before, when this place was a real carnival with rides and games and happiness. He wanted to throw darts at balloons and win Elektra a giant stuffed bear. He wanted to hold her hand and kiss her. “If you go..I go.” She began to protest, but he stopped her with a kiss. A real kiss, the ‘take that Romeo and Juliet’ kind of kiss. After they parted he put the gun down, grabbed her hand and led her to the edge of the fun house roof. They both looked down and calculated the distance. They looked at each other and nodded. Elektra stood on the edge and Benjamin joined her. “Are you sure you wanna do this?” He asked. She squeezed his hand. “I’m ready for the final ride Benji Boy.” She smiled. “Fuck Zombie Apocalypses.” He said smirking. Together they jumped and for one small second Benjamin really believed he was on a ride at the carnival. He could smell the funnel cakes and hear the people screaming on rides. He held onto Elektra as tightly as he could as they fell to their deaths.
“You have to shoot me Benji.” She said quietly. He pulled away from her. “What?!” He asked. Her eyes were red but she looked as fierce as she had hours ago. “I’m serious. You have to. I have two days left before it happens. I need you to..to take care of it.” She said. He shook his head frantically. “Me?! I can’t do that Elektra!” She tsked. “Of course you couldn’t. I don’t know why I asked.” She began getting up. “Hey what a second. What’s that supposed to mean?” He grabbed her arm and she winced. “Sorry.” He said. “We both know what it means Ben. You aren’t like the other guys. You’re to compassionate.” She said. He was angry now. “Are you calling me Weak?” He asked. She was quiet. He was stunned. “Oh my god Elektra! You are so stupid!” He yelled. She was stunned silent. No one in the group talked to her like that. “I’m stupid?!” She asked annoyed. “YES! YOU’RE STUPID! I DON’T WANT TO KILL YOU BECAUSE I’M WEAK! I DON’T WANT TO KILL YOU BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!” He said.
His face was hot with anger, and his fists were balled up at his sides. He didn’t know he loved her, but the thought of her not in this world with him made him scream inside. He did love her, and it scared him. She just stood there and looked at him. “Well…aren’t you gonna say something?” He asked. She lifted her head and kissed him lightly on the mouth. She leaned back and smirked. “Oh Benji..I don’t know why you love me. I’m a mess Benji. I can’t love you. Because this isn’t the kind of world anymore where love is welcome. Look around you Benjamin.” She gestured to the rest of the carnival. It was rusted and in the distance you could see the gate. “I don’t care.” He said. “Ben..you can’t love me..because in two days I’m gonna be a monster. I’m not even gonna know who you are!” She started to cry again, the tears slowly falling down her face. “So you have to do it Benji, please if you love me..you have to.” She grabbed the gun on the floor and shoved it into his hands like she did that morning. “Please!” She pleaded. He started to cry.
He hated this stupid world. He wanted to go back to the world before, when this place was a real carnival with rides and games and happiness. He wanted to throw darts at balloons and win Elektra a giant stuffed bear. He wanted to hold her hand and kiss her. “If you go..I go.” She began to protest, but he stopped her with a kiss. A real kiss, the ‘take that Romeo and Juliet’ kind of kiss. After they parted he put the gun down, grabbed her hand and led her to the edge of the fun house roof. They both looked down and calculated the distance. They looked at each other and nodded. Elektra stood on the edge and Benjamin joined her. “Are you sure you wanna do this?” He asked. She squeezed his hand. “I’m ready for the final ride Benji Boy.” She smiled. “Fuck Zombie Apocalypses.” He said smirking. Together they jumped and for one small second Benjamin really believed he was on a ride at the carnival. He could smell the funnel cakes and hear the people screaming on rides. He held onto Elektra as tightly as he could as they fell to their deaths.
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