My final note is gonna be here before you read -
Thank you so, so, so much to everyone who has read this far whether you vote or comment or read silently or just read the epilogue for the hell of it haha. My love of zombies is one of my insanely nerdy tendencies and I can't believe people are actually interested in that.
You people are lovely. And the best.
As far as a sequel goes, Im thinking no - I kind of feel like their story is wrapped up now and it would ruin it to add to but thanks for being interested in one haha. :) I hope this ended in a way you wanted it to and just tell me what you think. Thanks so much for your support, I'm so grateful.
If you're interested, I'll be posting a new story on here if you're even slightly into my writing but feel free to leave it at the zombies ha ;D
Thanks again, I love you. Especially thos ones who constantly left constant nice comment, votes and support, sticking with it. This chapter (again) is dedicated to somebody who did that. Cheers!
Over and out,
Lauren x
((Hi! Revisiting this after a few years and I've read every single comment and still do whenever I get one, so thank you s o much. No words for how much it means to me, even though I wish I could go back and rewrite this whole thing haha. Thanks for getting this far if you did, and if you like this genre, I have another book which is pretty similar knocking about on my profile which is far more recent. Thanks so much for all of the support!!))
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'It's the one year anniversary of the return of the final survivors today and exactly eleven months since the last known infected man died of starvation, immune to the ever-famous TenBri cure. Today also marks the premiere of the film which outlines the heroic journey of Harley, Keith, Lucas and Perc...'
The noise abruptly stops as I turn the radio off, rolling my eyes at Keith whose hair is newly wet from the shower, matted against his tanned forehead. Greece agreed with him; while I burned as we bobbed across the sea on our very own summer boat, he came away with nothing but a glorious tan.
'I wish they'd stop calling us heroes' I tell him with a raised eyebrow to which he bursts out laughing, entwining our hands.
'Maybe we are heroes' he says thoughtfully, 'I mean if you read it in the paper...'
'Shut up' I smack him playfully, 'I saw my face in another magazine yesterday and the shot they got of me was horrible-' he cuts me off and I shiver at the memory.
'No shot of you is horrible'.
'Schmoozer'. I flick his nose and walk back into the living room, collapsing onto the sofa and eyeing up the TV. I laugh quietly when I see another news article with our faces plastered all over it. 'The Elites' it reads and I roll my eyes again and this time Keith groans too.
'If they call us that one more time...'
'We can't complain' I raise my hand, 'My bank balance has never been so high' I frown, suddenly stabbed with guilt 'I don't know if I like it though'.
'I do' Keith says and his eyes light up with boyish delight, 'I'm gonna get that car I was telling you about-'
'Steady on trolley boy, walk before you can run'.
We sit in our apartment and watch the article for only a few more seconds before we begin to feel awkward and change the channel, watching an out-dated comedy movie instead.
'Read for tonight, sunshine?' he asks and I nuzzle into him, sighing heavily.
'I should be excited but... I'm nervous'.
'Course you are, it's your big day'.
'I'm scared it wouldn't make them proud...'
'Woah'. He looks serious, eyeing me up, 'I'm so, so proud of you and they would be too. In fact, they are proud. Somewhere'.
'Are you sure?'
'Course I am. Plus, the movie has some legit Keith artwork in it which is just a massive bonus...'
'Cocky' I say but he has every right to be. Months after we returned to land where we were bombarded week after week with interviews and attention, a few select survivors were allowed back to England to collect belongings. Keith's apartment was untouched and in a small room in the back lay canvas after canvas of some of the most beautiful work I've ever seen. In our living room stands proudly a painting of us and I never tire of seeing it. Since he's become a graphic designer, those paintings are few and far between but that just makes them more amazing. It's been a long while since England was deemed to be safe again, but none of us can quite face going back yet to pick up at least a little where we left off. Someday? Maybe.
'Julia called' I tell him, suddenly remembering, 'She's definitely coming tonight'.
'Julia?' He looks confused and I roll my eyes with a laugh.
'This is why you shouldn't call her 'Blondie', you forget her real name. My mum's sister, remember?'
'Course, sorry' he grins sheepishly.
'Harley!'
Joel skips out of his room, beaming at us and my heart skips a beat. After all this, I never tire of seeing him - his face is always a godsend. The first day I met him again in a refugee camp in New York was the most incredible moment of my life to date; he was stood looking lost with tears in his eyes then when he saw me... he threw himself into my arms screaming bloody murder as we fell to the floor in tears. Telling him about Mum and Dad still haunts me in my dreams as many things still do but after almost a year seeing various psychiatrists, I think I'm beginning to put it behind me. I still see those evil, dead faces when I close my eyes sometimes, I still feel the raw depression I felt on those days, still feel immense guilt for the people lost and strangely, I see Bruce. But it's getting better; ever since Lucas and Percy moved in together it's been even easier for us to all meet up, even with Percy's new science apprenticeship with William and Santos, Lucas' new found love for psychology and mine and Keith's demanding jobs. Joel gets all the attention he ever wants and frankly, though in the beginning it was difficult to adjust, it was just that little bit easier than we'd anticipated.. Settling back into normal life was the most strenuous part but we hadn't been out of practice for too long so when we picked it up again, it got easier day by day till one day, it just stopped being an effort.
To this day, the cure has saved thousands of people. Though millions couldn't be helped, there are people, including my brother, who are walking around now thanks to those test tubes we brought back. William and Santos are heroes now and so they should be, I never tire of seeing their faces in the paper.
Not long after we arrived in America, my brother collapsed and was rushed into intensive care. Looking back, it seems like something we should have anticipated - the stress on his body was something that almost literally no human had ever been put through before. The botch job the soldiers had done removing the bullet had caused some sort of infection, and injecting him with the infection and the cure caused damage which almost killed him. The doctors couldn't believe he'd lived as long as he did, but I could. He needed to come back to us, and he did. And somehow, after weeks in hospital with Percy, Keith and I living at his bedside, he came around.
He woke up, and he came back to us again.
'Y'alright?' Keith asks bemusedly, and I realise I'm laughing.
'Just thinking. All this stuff on the radio, getting ready for tonight...'
'It's gonna be hard, sunshine' he pulls me into a hug, playing with my messy, unbrushed hair, 'But we'll need to get used to these anniversaries, I don't think the world will ever tire of us' he chuckles and I laugh with him, gesturing for Joel to come stand with us, beaming at his own childish smile.
'People like someone to believe in. Just so happens that's us. Even though I don't feel like I really did anything' I add. For the most part, I'd been floored. Taken aback, panicked. I wasn't a regular, brave hero. I got by, we all did. We just survived.
'Course you did, silly' he looks serious then smirks, 'Made my life a whole lot more interesting'.
'Bet I did' I grin back, 'Do you still miss Sainsbury's?'
'Nope, but they miss me'.
'Bet they do. You alright, Joel?' I ask him, pulling him straight into an embrace with Keith and I.
'Yeah' he nods vigorously, 'When are Lucas and Percy coming? Am I staying there tonight?'
'Do you want to?' Keith asks him ruffling his already messy hair. He nods happily again and we both chuckle fondly.
'Then that, you shall' Keith tells him and I agree.
'Are you looking forward to tonight, Joel?' I ask him somewhat nervously. He's so young that I almost don't want him to come but then, I don't want to do this without him.
'Loads and loads' he sends me a toothy grin and just like that, my fears vanish.
'Right then sunshine and Jojo, tea and some juice I think and then we'd better start getting ready. Tonight might just be the biggest night of our lives'.
***
Lights flash everywhere as I step from the car, clicking on the ground in my heels with the sheer red dress which is falling gracefully around my ankles. Keith takes my arm the second I'm out and the cameras are going crazy; people scream for us and I have to squint to make out anything in front of me. I smile at my brother who appears to my right and takes my other arm and then at Percy, who is beaming and waving, loving every second of this organised madness.
Together we stand, and this is the money shot they want. A million more flashes as we beam and laugh and I enjoy it, we all do. Of course I don't understand our fame and I don't understand our wealth but people believe in us and frankly, that's difficult to be angry at. Sometimes I still flinch at loud noises and I still look behind me every few seconds but in moments like these, I forget to be scared. We all do, even though with our experiences, we've all had to deal with our own issues right now they're beaten into submission.
This is a moment where we can just breathe. In fact, we can breathe all of the time now.
We're lucky.
Joel jumps out of the car and I tuck him into my side, again the flashes to crazy till I wave at them to calm down a bit.
'Harley! Harley, Keith! How does it feel to be the modern Romeo and Juliet? Tell us your story, are you star crossed lovers?' somebody shouts this over the noise and I snort with laughter, raising my eyes at the boys around me.
'Star crossed lovers?' Lucas scoffs and I punch his arm.
'Guys, guys, over here!'
'How do you feel on this one year anniversary?'
'Harley, Harley, how does it feel to be directing a film about your own journey?'
I turn to the skinny blonde woman who is asking, noting she's from the BBC and beckoning to me with a microphone. In a surge forward, I'm pushed in front of her and I decide I'm going to answer.
'It's not my journey' I tell her, 'It's every single person's journey'.
'Do you miss your parents?' She asks excitedly, knowing she's onto something, 'I hear they feature heavily in the film?'
'The film is dedicated to them, to all of our parents and the ones we've lost. Percy's family and his friends, Lucas and I's parents, friends and Keith's family and friends too. All the people who were lost and the survivors too'.
'Brilliant! Your story is one which people are completely infatuated with, your heroic and frankly storybook journey firstly to save your parents, then yourselves and finally to bring the cure into the arms of the good guys. Is it crazy? How do you deal with your new attention?'
'We answer sensible questions' Keith steps in for me and tugs me away for which I'm grateful.
I look at the boys with Joel now next to me in his small suit, overwhelmed much like I knew I'd be. It's impossible to believe that the Sandler Young, the reigning Prime Minister will be just through these doors past this red carpet alongside presidents of several countries and celebrities from across the globe. They're here to watch the film that Keith, Percy Lucas and I put together and I'm excited and terrified. This is the project which we designed to keep us sane when we started here in America but it turned into something explosive, something amazing and something beautiful.
'Hey, movie stars!' I hear a voice and gasp, looking straight over at the source. Sure enough, Lauren and Matt are stood behind the bar separating us and I grin over at them, surprised.
'I thought you couldn't come!' I yell out, making my way clumsily over to them.
'As if we'd miss this' Lauren raises her eyebrows but laughs loudly, 'How are you?'
'We're all good' I look back over at the others who are talking to various other people, 'How are you two?' then I notice something glinting on her finger.
'Wait...'
'It's exactly what you think' Matt laughs, 'Engagement ring number two. You're invited, a few weeks from now'.
'Congratulations!'
'To you too. Go enjoy it' Lauren tells me and I embrace them both, my heart hammering uncontrollably. I don't know if I'm ready.
I have to be.
'Why do I have a feeling' Percy states nervously, 'That this is going to be the start of the rest of our lives? That this is where we have to move on?'
We all stand silently for a moment, contemplating.
'I think you're right' Lucas says eventually as we seem to forget that our photos are being taken, that we're stood talking in the middle of the red carpet.
'Do you think anybody will let us forget?' I ask.
'No' Keith shakes his head, not missing a beat, 'But maybe they've got the right idea. This has made us... us. I don't know where I'd be without you lot'.
'Aw' we all mock in a fond way as he leans to kiss me, sending the cameramen haywire again.
'Percy!'
'Your girlfriend' I point over to where Caroline, his beautiful soon-to-be girlfriend stands smiling at him. They met not long after Percy started his apprenticeship and now they're practically inseparable.
'She's not my girlfriend' he protests but the blush creeping along his cheeks says otherwise.
We're suddenly silent again as a voice shouts and I know we're supposed to be inside by now. Clutching hands, we take a simultaneous breath and move in through the daunting double doors of glass, walking dubiously to exactly where our names are inscribed on the seats and collapsing ungracefully when we find them.
'Heels' I mutter, jabbing at my feet.
'So ungraceful...' Keith sighs but I know he's joking. Joel sends me a smile and I clutch onto his hand, waiting minute by minute for this, for our lives on screen. Time passes, we talk animatedly but none of us are really listening to one another. We're too tense, too nervous. This film has rave reviews, five stars but none of that is important to me, not for this film. I just want to watch it and feel something. I want to feel free. I directed this but I haven't... seen it, as such. I helped cast it but I haven't felt it. I added home movies but I haven't seen their significance to the film, haven't watched them properly through fear. I'm going in blind. I'm scared.
My heart jolts as colour bursts onto the screen and the room hushes. I recognise it as a home video of mine and Lucas'; we're running around in the garden at five years old with green hoses. Mum gets water all down her back and she laughs hysterically, Dad pretends to help her but then turns the hose on her face till she squeals like a teenager. The opening credits roll and a girl who vaguely resembles me comes into view. She's scared. I'm scared.
I look to my left at Keith and Percy, those two boys. They saved me, I saved them. We're glued together, all of us. As I look to my right, I see Joel staring intently at the screen but Lucas catches my eye, sending me the most heart-warming smile. I don't stop looking as Keith reaches for my hand and a warm sensation jolts through my body.
I relax. I don't think I'm scared anymore.
'Are you alright?' Keith whispers and I turn to him, unable to supress my smile.
'I'm amazing'.
'Harley?'
I turn to Lucas who hisses at me a millisecond later.
'Yeah?'
'Well done, sis'.
'Oh... thanks'
My lip quivers as I look from the screen to the people around me, to the screen and back, screen and back. My life is up there in perfect colour and my life is sat next to me, one seat away from that, to my right and left. I'm still haunted and I'm still scared, still reluctant. But I'm happy, we're happy. I've gained so much and  lost so much; one year and a day ago, I thought my life was over. But we're here together and none of us are going anywhere. We have to let go of the bad memories now, hold onto the good ones. Sat here, I don't doubt we can do it because together, we can.
I don't know how to feel. I sit watching the movie; I cry, I laugh, I marvel and I feel proud. Mostly, the tears are of happiness, of feeling so grateful.
The screen goes black, the curtain goes down. People clap, they cheer, they weep. I sit. They begin to leave, we all just sit and stare at the screen. We remember.
I didn't think I would feel free but I do. I feel like there's a world waiting for me, at my fingertips, within reach and without limitations. I feel like I'm finally, finally ready.
I am.
'Harley... are you ready to go?'
I think. I wipe the tears from my eyes and I smile: a real, true smile.
'Harley?'
'Yeah. I'm ready. Let's go home'.
And we do.