The sun was just beginning to set as we came over the rise. The thick black smoke we had seen earlier was little more than a wisp now, emanating from the charred remains of the walls and floorboards. Tracy’s eyes were thick with tears. She knew that abandoning the cabin was a prudent decision, but that was when she could return to it anytime. All those memories, time spent with her family up here, all gone up in smoke... literally. “Don't stop, I don't want to see.. Just keep going” she sniffed as we drove past what was left of the house. Several walkers, attracted by the fire, stumbled through the smoking ruin, their clothes and skin charred from the flames. Their cooked muscles prevented them from moving quickly and m they weakly reached out as we passed them.
We wrapped around the house and continued upward, the mud-caked ruts causing our overburdened vehicle to bottom out as we navigated the narrow road. The trees grew thick and close, and more than once the branches scraped the windows, grasping at us from all sides. Because of the difficult conditions we could not move very fast, and despite the short distance we had to travel it was now almost fully dark. The dim headlights of the sedan shone only a few feet ahead, illuminating the poorly maintained road. Neither one of us had said anything since the house. “Want to listen to music?” I asked cautiously, hoping it might cheer her up. She sniffed and smiled at me. “No thanks, I just want to be with you.” She wrapped her hands around my upper arm and laid on my shoulder. I couldn’t express how much love I had for her. It was real love, not some temporary infatuation. I loved being around her, loved who she was, loved how she talked to me and how she treated others. I loved her bravery and how she was still emotional about things that mattered. I loved her sense of humor. She could lighten even the most serious of situations with her smile, and she understood the subtle importance of never taking a joke too far. I smiled as I thought about her, and as our car ambled along I could her breath slow and deep, and feel her head slowly slipping off my shoulder. I shifted slightly so her head could rest against the back of my chair, and lowered one shoulder to make it easier as she slept.
She whimpered in her sleep. Was she dreaming? Was she afraid? She let out a soft gasp, as though surprised by something, but her eyes never opened. “It’s okay” I reassured her quietly. “I’m here.” I would do anything for her, and I think she knew that. I thought about the world just a short while ago. The job, the people, the things we thought about or worried about. I thought about my Twitter feed and Facebook status. I might never get to indicate that was no longer single, or put a selfie of the two of us on Instagram, but it was actually kind of exciting. There were no bills, no insurance, no public transportation, no lengthy decisions about whether to go grocery shopping or get fast food for dinner, no co-workers to compete with for her affections. It was just her and me, starting a new life together. Considering the fate of the rest of humanity, I think we had it pretty good.
“Tracy.” I whispered gently so I wouldn’t wake her too abruptly. “Tracy wake up.” She opened her eyes, rubbing them and looking ahead of us. “What’s the matter?” She sat up groggily. “How long have I been asleep?” I pointed out the window at a large, dark cave hewn out of the rocks. Metal mine carts lay on their side near the opening and an abandoned guardhouse stood stoically at the entrance. I stopped the car and got out, walking over to her door. Opening it up I took her by the hand and lifted her to her feet. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her, then withdrew a pace, looked her in the eyes and said. “Welcome home.”
