Dystopian zombie era

Chapter 17

Halley

I listen to the beep of the heart machine. I watch as his chest rises and falls with every breath he takes. I spot small hairs on his head. My hand is wrapped tightly around his and he looks up at me with his warm blue eyes.

"You're beautiful." He croaks out. He looks so different now. Different from the man I met but the same man I fell in love with.

It's difficult having to see him like this, with a drip in his arm and plastic tubes in his nose. His black curls are now gone, leaving only a shaved head. He looks frail and weak.

They said he was cancer free. They said he was a survivor.

They lied.

"Aren't you hungry? You've been sitting here all morning?" His voice is hoarse and barely audible. "I guess I am a bit hungry."

"Go eat." He tells me. His eyes flutter shut for a moment before they open again and focus on me. "You'll be fine?"

"Yeah." I reluctantly remove my hand from his and get up, gathering my bag in my one hand. As I turn around, I feel a tug on my sweater. "I love you." I smile and try to blink the tears away. "I love you."

I walk out of the hospital room and briefly wipe my eyes. I walk down the long, white hall passing a few nurses on the way. Luckily for me, the café isn't too far away. I reach the nurse desk and spot the small, empty café a few feet away. It smells like strong coffee inside. I walk to the counter and look at the menu board on top. "Morning miss. What would you like?"

"Uh, a cheese and ham sandwich and a latte please." She nods and types it in on the register. "How many sugars?"

"Three."

I hand her my card which she swipes in the card machine and I put my pin in. She gives me a receipt and I wait at one of the tables. A short bald man enters with two little girls. They each hold his hand and sing a little tune. The man sits down and sighs, while he watches the girls. I can't help but chuckle and he notices me. "They're a real handful." He tells me shaking his head but I see him smile.

"Are they yours?" He nods. "Yeah. My wife just gave birth to our third daughter yesterday." I smile. "Oh, congratulations." He smiles. "Thanks. I'm Brandon by the way."

"I'm Halley." One of the girls stand up on a chair. "Lola get down from there." He hisses. The cashier signals for me and I get up and get my things. "Thanks." I wave at Brandon before I make my way back to the hospital room.

I barely make it out the café when nurses rush past me. "We have an emergency in room twenty five." I freeze in my tracks.

Room twenty five? That's his room. Panic surges through me and I run after them. The latte spills over the cup and onto my fingers but I don't care. Nurses are swarming into the room and I run faster, trying to get there.

"What's happening?" I call frantically as I stand on my toes trying to see over their heads. "Ma'am please stay back." A nurse gently pushes me back as a doctor enters. "No, that's my boyfriend in there. What's happening?" I cry out as tears stream down my face.

He was fine moments ago. What's happening now? "Ma'am please wait outside." She tells me again before she enters the room and closes the door.

I don't know how long I've been sitting here on the floor. It feels like hours before the doctor exits. He picks at his gloves. "Are you family of  Mister  Boston?"

"I'm his girlfriend." I stand up. "Is he alright?"

"Do you know his family?" I nod. "But is he alright?"

"His heart stopped. He passed away." I stare at the doctor, not really registering what he said. "No that can't be. He was fine just moments ago!" I let out a scream and crumple to the floor with tears running down my face. My heart feels as if a part of it is missing and it hurts so much. "He can't be dead. He can't be dead. He can't be dead." I repeat it over and over again hoping this is a bad dream that I'll wake up from.

Someone's hand is on my back. "Come on missy. Let's go to the bathroom so you can wash your face." I can barely see who's next to me and I can't stop sobbing.

The love of my life is gone.

~~~

It's been twenty one days since he died.

I run a hand through my long brown hair. I have the urge to cut my hair so badly. Today is the funeral. It would've have been earlier but there were complications. That time was enough to let me mourn in peace but also not get the closure I somewhat needed.

My eyes gaze at my reflection on the mirror. I tried my best today, really. I look at my green eyes glistened with tears. My mouth covered in a dark, velvety shade of red. The black, smooth dress that hugs my curves. The black and white jacket draped over my shoulders.

The high black heels fitting just perfectly around my feet.

There's a soft knock on my door and I spot my mom poking her head in my room. "Are you ready honey?" I nod.

The service was lovely. The flower arrangements were the only bright things in the church. I got up to speak and cried silently as my heart broke while looking at him in the coffin.

After he had been buried, I stayed there until everyone left and placed a rose the same colour of my lipstick near the headstone.

The ride back home was silent but I made my decision.

When we enter the house, my parents walk straight to the kitchen. "Can I... talk to you guys?" My heart is pounding. They're going to be furious, I know it.

"Of course honey." We walk to the living room and they sit down on the three seater while I stand. "Is everything alright?" Asks my dad, face full of concern. "Yes I-... When he died I thought about a lot of stuff and I've decided to drop my art studies to become a nurse. I wanna go to med school and help people. People like him. I wanna be there with them when no one else is."

Here's the thing. Since I was young I've always wanted to be an artist. I was really good at it too. My parents noticed my talent and got me anything art related. They saved up tons of money to get me in the best art school. An expensive one at that. So I'm nervous that they'll be furious at me for wasting their money to do something new.

"Oh Halley, that's wonderful honey. I support you all the way." My mother clasps her hands against her chest. "What?"

"If that's what you wanna do then we'll be by your side every step of the way." Says my dad nodding approvingly. "So you're not mad?" Even though my heart broke earlier, I can feel the tiny little pieces reassembling. "Not at all. Why would we be?" I can feel my eyes fill with tears.

This time, not with sadness but joy.

I cling onto the necklace that he gave me when we were sixteen.

I hope you can see me up there and that you're as happy as I am.

~~~

A/n: This chapter is Halley's backstory.