Empty-Headed (Ending)

A/N: These last few bits jump around some. This is the last chapter I will post here. Maybe, someday, inspiration will strike again, but for now, this is the end. Thank you, if you read all of this. It means a lot to me.

Chapter 3

With the events over the last few weeks, Evelyn couldn't stand to see her husband leave. Yes, it was true that they'd run incredibly low on their food supply. In fact, they'd just about run out. Yet, she'd give anything to keep by his side. So far, they'd been able to survive this dark and twisted new world together. It didn't make sense for her to stay behind while he went out to hunt for them. Especially if he didn't come back...

The mere thought made her body feel cold. There were many nights she'd laid awake while he slept soundly, wondering when it would happen. Her only purpose for living at this point was the man beside her...

And so, when Argus began preparing himself for the hunting trip, she became increasingly distraught. Leaning against the wall, she watched carefully as he picked through the most essential tools to take. The past few months had taken their toll on him. Her once ruggedly handsome husband, who seemed to hold onto his youth eternally, was now looking a bit like a run-down old man. His soft brown tresses were now riddled with patches of gray. Deep grooves embedded themself in his forehead and the wrinkles around his eyes were just a bit too heavy, weighed down by the never-ending bags under them. Her heart clenched in her chest, and she swallowed hard at the lump in her throat.

Evelyn spoke, barely above a whisper, "I'm coming with you."

Argus shook his head. This was a conversation that had happened quite frequently. It always started this way and always ended the same,

"It's not a good idea."

"And it's a good idea for you to go out there alone? What if you get attacked? I can help you."Her voice was suddenly stern. He could feel her eyes like daggers on the back of his neck.

"Evee, " Argus sighed and looked to his wife solemnly, brows raised in complete sincerity, "I just can't. If anything were to happen to you, I..." He stopped and looked down at his bag, zipping it up slowly.

"What makes you think I'm any safer here? Do you think Addie and I'd be able to fend for ourselves? They could come here as soon as you leave, but you'd never know. You'd come back, and I'd be--"

"Goddamnit, Evelyn!" Although quiet, his voice was harsh, "Will you just let me have this? Just give me the peace of mind in thinking you'll be fine here. Let me believe that nothing can get you. I know the risk, dammit! But you are a hell of a lot safer here than out there!" He swung the bag over his shoulder and stepped over to her, placing his large and callused hands on her shoulders and looking into her eyes, "Listen, please just stay here and be quiet. You'll be fine. I'll be fine. I'll be quick, I promise. I'd never leave you alone."

Staring back into those clear, steely eyes, she blinked back a few angry tears and gave a slight nod. It killed her inside to admit that he was right. Still, she hated watching him walk out that door, never knowing if he'd come back.

Tenderly, he kissed her forehead saying, "I love you, Evee. I'll be home with dinner." On that note, he zipped up his jacket, pulled on a woolen cap, and was out the door, battling the frigid air.

A chill darted through her as the wind gusted inside. Although it was cold inside the small barn, it was even colder outside. She rushed to the door and latched it tightly. The barn was suddenly entirely too quiet. Outside, the wind whistled softly, creeping in through tiny cracks in the wood. Addie and Hope were up in the loft, sleeping. They'd been taking turns watching in shifts and now, it was her turn to sleep.

For several minutes, Evelyn stood and weighed out her options. She'd always been known for her stubborn tendencies. Zipping her jacket up tighter around her, she grabbed her pack and filled it with a few smaller items that might come in handy and picked up her small pistol. He'd left it for her in case of attack. Now, she'd bring it with her for the very same reason.

And with that, she was rushing out the door.

She shivered, pulling the heavy door closed as tightly as possible. Then, she was out into the blustery world, following Argus's tracks in the snow. He couldn't have gotten too far...

Despite the crispness of the brisk air, it felt good to inhale. Evelyn reveled in the fresh feeling as it pricked at her nose and into her lungs. These simple feelings stirred in her thoughts of how she would have dreaded having to go out in the cold in earlier years. Now, it was a blessing to be able to feel the chill on her skin, to see her breath puff out in clouds before her. It meant that she was still here. She was still alive.

Although she wanted to catch up to Argus, she moved at a slow pace. The sun cast warm yellow glares across the snow, making it sparkle and dance depending on how one moved. Rarely did she take the time to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around them. It was odd how, when it seemed the very world as they knew it was crashing around them, the rest of the world seemed to continue.

A sound of scuffling behind her caused a coldness to run through her that could not be held accountable by the weather. She breathed in quickly, breath becoming shallow as her heart beat thundered in her temples. There was no mistaking the sound of shuffling and grunting. Slowly she turned and the sight before her nearly caused her to lose her breath entirely.

There stood not one but three grotesque and highly emaciated beings only feet away. At this point, it was hard to tell what gender any of them used to be. From the loose orange vests they wore, Evelyn could only assume that they'd been out hunting when all of this began. With sullen faces and gaping jaws, they moaned and snapped their teeth, misty eyes searching wildly for the scent of life they all seemed intent upon. And then the first one locked its wild gaze on Evelyn and, from its belly let out the most blood-curdling scream she'd ever heard.

Everything happened instantly. She screamed and fumbled for the pistol at her side. The three infected wasted no time lunging toward her, arms outstretched and jaws cracking hard as if to chew the very air before them. Moving backward, she lost her footing and slid quite a ways down a slight slope. Snow kicked up around her, whipping her in the face and stinging her skin. The world spun momentarily before she shook herself out of the daze and searched for her pistol frantically.

The hill didn't seem to stop the frenzied eaters as they slid down it and continued in full force toward her. Evelyn found the gun and whipped it before her, pulling the trigger instantly.

"Shit!" The first bullet had missed.

Standing, she hurriedly distanced herself and fired another shot. The creature screamed as the bullet pierced its arm, but it didn't seem to slow. Frantically, she shot again and again. She hit the things each time, but it only slowed them down a little. At this point, she grew desperate. There was nothing she could think to do. With the gun still in hand, she turned and began to run.

As fast as her legs could carry her, she was sprinting out and over the banks of the snow. With unnatural speed, the things moved. Her only plus was that the ground was covered in snow, it made it slick and they'd occassionally slip. Yet, this was a handicap of hers as well. As she neared the entrance of the nearby forest, her foot caught an incredibly slick patch of icyness, and she fell. Hard.

A sharp pain jumped through her as she cracked her head hard against the ground. She groaned, stars flashing before her eyes, and tried to pull herself up, but a sudden pain in her leg stopped her. Looking down, she could tell from the angle that her foot was bent and that she had broken it in her stumble. Angry tears filled her eyes, and she cried out. It was too late. Her time had come.

As the biters descended upon her, she screamed out in anguish and fear. Their teeth connected with the closest flesh, ripping and tearing through her skin as if it were nothing more than paper thin.

*****

Steady... Keep it steady. Argus stood amid the forest, a bow in his hand. The crudely fashioned arrow he aimed carefully as the young deer walked into its path. He pulled the bow back tighter and was about to let fly when a scream wrenched through the air, followed by several gunshots.

"Fuck!" As the deer ran in fear, the man turned sharply and began to charge in the direction of the shots. Argus had never been a particularly religious man. His views had been even further changed when all of the world started to. Yet, as he ran through the snow, weaving in and out of trees, he prayed to any greater power he could that the screams had not belonged to his wife. The mere thought drove him through the trees faster than he'd ever run before and it was in a matter of moments that he was in the clearing.

Anger and fear mixed as the scene unfolded before him. Three of the biters were swooping over some limp form, tearing into it hungrily, the snow beneath them all a deep crimson. A pistol lay not too far away from where Argus stood now. It was the slight peek of honey-blonde hair that made Argus instantly spring into action. His body was hot, pumping with adrenaline,

"You fuckers!" He screamed, swooping upon the pistol and barreling toward the feasting trio. The nearest one turned and let out a hiss, spitting blood and flesh as he cried. Argus wasted no time pulling the trigger and delivering a direct head shot. Its body fell limp. Now, the others reacted in a similar way, standing and rushing forward, jaws gnawing and teeth gnashing. Argus finished them off quickly, delivering them each a single blow to the head and causing them to drop where they stood. His breath came out in angry huffs, which quickly turned to heightened anguish as he turned to look at his wife's still form, blood and innards covering the snow around her.

The white shirt she had been wearing was now a vibrant red hue, tattered and hanging from her beaten form. Argus abandoned the gun and threw himself to the ground next to her, "Evee, Oh God no!" He brushed her cheeks, pushed her hair from her face, and pulled her form to him.

She winced at the movement, her blue eyes paling considerably as she looked into her husband's face. Remnants of tears drifted down her white cheeks, "I'm s-so sorry, Argus...I-I just couldn't... lose you."

Argus gripped her body closer, unable to control his own eyes from welling up, voice cracking in desperation, "No, no... Don't say it. You'll be okay. Don't say that." He pulled her face closer to his, pressing his lips to her forehead and rocking her gently back and forth. As if by some miraculous twist of fate this would cause all her wounds to heal. "No, no no.. Please..."

She was bleeding out in his arms. There was no way he could help her and they both knew it. This was where they ended a marriage of 10 years. 'Til death did they part.

"A-at least I'll get to see the girls now..." Her voice grew softer with every word, eyes closing, and for the first time since the beginning of this devestation a smile touched her lips. Barely a whisper, she gave her final breath in the form of, "I love.. you..."

And he collapsed, screaming into her lifeless form. He was reduced to nothing more than a sobbing wreck, weighed down by the crushing realization that he was now completely and entirely alone in this godforsaken place that their world had become. No longer did he have the comfort of knowing a familiar face. His family was gone. The last and only bit of the old world had died in his arms. Hell, he didn't even know if anyone was left in the world other than himself. It had been weeks since they'd come across another living soul. His mind reeled at the possibility that this could be the truth.

With hands shaking, he moved away from the lifeless body and frantically grabbed up the pistol. This was it. There was no way he could make it now. He had nothing left to live for. He may as well end it all. Pointing the barrel of the gun in his mouth, he gave a final look to his wife on the ground and pulled the trigger.

Click.

"No!" He pulled the trigger again.

Click. and again and again. Click. Click.

It was empty. The last was used in his attempt to save her... His body felt limp and cold. Consumed with grief, Argus allowed himself to crumple to the cold ground, sobbing, and then coughing. He heaved dryly, his stomach attempting to purge itself although it contained nothing. The smell was overwhelming him. It cut the air, stinging his eyes and nostrils. He spit and then lay in the snow, a man at the end. Hopefully, they'd be attracted by the scent of death. He prayed one more time that a horde would pass by soon. He wouldn't fight if they came.

Several moments passed in which Argus lay in the snow, staring at the sky above him. A dull pain hammered at his temple, and he squinted against the sun's blinding rays. If he could lay here and wait forever to die, he would. Yet, a singular thought surfaced as he focused on shallowing his breath; Addie. Addie and Hope were still there, waiting for him to return with dinner. Without him, they'd never make it.

It took everything in his power to pull himself off of the cold, wet ground. Argus had to get back to the girls. Honestly, at this rate, he was their only hope of ever surviving the winter. It was with a heavy heart that he picked his wife's limp body up into his arms. Slowly, he trudged through the snow, making his way back to the barn. While he walked, his mind was blank, numb, and cold as the world around him.

Addie was startled at the sight of Argus as he came back into the barn. There was blood splattered across his clothes and face. She didn't need to ask what his empty expression meant. She'd heard the gunshots and screams, already having a good idea of what was going on. Yet, to see him alone and covered in blood, a panic surged through her.

"W-what happened?" She moved toward him, a hand outstretched. He said nothing, brushing past her and grabbing an old shovel that rested against a nearby wall. Her heart leapt, and she swallowed hard, but didn't speak as she watched the man sweep outside once more. It was pretty obvious what was going on. The room spun and she knelt down to the floor, one hand clutched around her stomach. It churned and knotted itself up instantly.

Outside, Argus set to work. Thrusting the shovel into the cold ground, he moved as quickly as possible. Surprisingly, the layers underneath the initial layer of snow weren't as frozen as he thought they'd be. Whether it was the fact that the snow acted as an incubator for the ground underneath or, perhaps he was just driven by his frustrations, it didn't take long to begin to dig.

He had to move fast. Who knew how much attention they'd attracted? At this rate, an entire horde could be moving toward them. Yet, he needed to do this. Evelyn deserved a proper burial, and this was the best he could do. His breath came out in short puffs before him as he tried to clear his mind. Working diligently, several moments passed by in which he did nothing but dig. Images raced forth; the day they met, their wedding day, the birth of their first child, and then the second...

Argus stopped, leaning heavily upon the shovel, his breathing short and heavy. He couldn't. Just couldn't do it. One hand rubbed tenderly at his stinging eyes, and his shoulders shook involuntarily. A chill ran through his spine as the winter's cold air came in contact with his hot skin.

Addie came up next to him, her face white and eyes wide. She was bundled to the best of her abilities against the chill. In her hand was another smaller shovel. She didn't say anything and began to dig. Argus found his strength, and the two continued in silence until a shallow grave was dug.

Argus dropped his shovel to the ground and went to his wife's bloodied form. Somewhere far off, he hoped she'd wake up before he reached her. Somehow, maybe this was all a dream... Every other nightmare he had ended. Why couldn't this one be the same?

Slowly, he bent and picked her up. It was an strength he almost didn't think he had which he used to carry her to the grave and lay her inside. The familiar sting crept back to his eyes, and he began to cover her form with the dirt.

"Shouldn't we say something?" Addie's voice was soft, almost lost to the breeze.

"No. No words." Argus's voice was perhaps a bit more gruff than he'd intended. Addie nodded and shoveled the dirt back into the hole.

****

Later, inside the barn, Addie sat, entertaining her small child and trying to get her to eat what little they had left. The night was falling swiftly upon them. Argus had mentioned leaving as soon as light came up in the morning. They were no longer safe where they stayed. The potential for attack was too great. As much as she hated to agree, they'd known that this place would not last them forever.

Argus sat upright near the entrance. He was drinking something, some sort of liquor or something. Addie wasn't sure. She hadn't even known he had it. For the most part, the three had been very honest with each other about what they carried in their packs. Although it was only alcohol, Addie vaguely wondered if he hadn't been hiding other things from her as well. While the thought was off-putting, she also didn't think the man deserved an interrogation at this exact moment. No, if anything, he probably needed to rest. Snuggling her wee one close, she attempted to appear as nonchalant as possible,

"It's your turn to rest. Don't want to be falling asleep when we leave tomorrow..."

The man snorted and took a long swig from the bottle. It wasn't much. Just a bottle of Scotch that was now less than halfway full. Evelyn had carried it with her from the beginning of their strange journey and the two savored what little bits of the world before that they had. They'd take small sips here and there; the harsh liquid in the bottle reminding them of a better time. When they'd, perhaps, hit the bottle a bit too hard to rid their minds of what now seemed to be such trivial things as late bills or natural deaths in the family. A bitter smirk graced his lips as he thought about those days. Was it wrong to call a "natural death" trivial? Now, it seemed such a fortunate thing. They were the lucky ones. They'd made it out just in time.

It was true that maybe he should have slept, but sleep wasn't something he was prepared for, and months had already been riddled with dark dreams. Why even bother with it? Besides, he knew he'd only toss restlessly about until it was time for them to leave. No, he was far too anxious about what might come upon them in the night. He needed to be prepared. If anything were to happen, he couldn't risk not being able to react in time.

And so, there he sat, taking slow sips from the bottle in hand, and staring at the near door. This was the only way in or out of the barn.

Addie frowned at this silence. Yet, she knew there'd be no sleep for either of them tonight. Although it would probably help the older man regain his thought, she hardly expected him to give in to the idea. She drew near where he sat and took up a place next to him, her dark eyes falling to stare at the door before them. She said nothing, and couldn't even begin to think of anything to say. What could she? That she was sorry for his loss? No, somehow, that wouldn't cover it. She shivered absently, whether from the cold or something else she couldn't be sure.

"We had two girls..." Argus spoke but with a distant quality. It was not as if he was talking to her, but more so to himself, and Addie just so happened to be the uninvited eavesdropper.

"God, they were beautiful. Looked so much like her; her hair, her smile..." He choked, which turned into a harsh bark of a cough. Taking another quick swig from the bottle, he wiped his wet lips against his jacket sleeve, "Chloe and Lily... Beautiful girls.

We lost them a few months before we found you...You're lucky you still have her. This place ain't nice to families... Hell, I probably wouldn't have helped you if it was just you."

Addie studied his face. It was apparent he'd polished a good amount of the liquor off. The eyes were glassy, and a soft pink touched his cheeks. Everything else about him was more drawn out and darkened. Perhaps it was the cast off of their lowly oil lamp sitting upon the floor that caused the shadows to linger so terribly. Or, it could have been that the darkness of the world was finally catching up to him. Either way, she felt sympathetic and uneasy all at once.

"What happened to them?" She kept her tone soft, even, pulling her tiny child to her and hushing her as she gave protest.

It took him several moments to answer, "They were... taken. Not by those things... By people. We went to the city, trying to find others...Maybe we could join them. Maybe they'd have food or at least a clue about any of this... Well, we found them, " He chuckled dryly, "There were so many of them living above the city. They..."

******

When Argus was asleep, she leapt at the chance. She had to see if she could talk to Chris one more time. She needed to see if they could work things out; for her daughter's sake. There was only so much time left in this world. If they worked together, they were more likely to be able to protect Hope. As much as Addie disliked the idea, she knew it was true. Yet, there was no way in Hell that she would subject her little one to the ideas this group held onto. If anything, Addie wanted to preserve her daughter's innocence for as long as humanly possible.

If she had to die fighting for this, she would.

So, as soon as the older man was asleep, she tucked her baby in tight. She knew that if anything were to go wrong while she was out, wherever Argus was would be the safest place for the child to be. Regardless of whatever thoughts may have been lacing his mind, he still had that paternal instinct within him. Sometimes, he was quicker to think of Hope than Addie, much to her own shame. Oftentimes, he'd only brush this away and tell her it was because he had more experience. Addie wasn't so sure... Sometimes, she just felt inadequate.

Slipping into her boots and pulling her jacket close around her small frame, she grabbed up her knife and the small gun she had and made her way into the outside world. The snow was crisp and fresh, making soft crunching sounds as she embarked. The moon was full and round in the night sky, bathing the world in soft light. She moved as silently as possible, her destination within the city itself.

It didn't take her long to find the man she was searcing for. He was on patrol, standing atop a tall building and surveying the area for any trespassers. As the beam of his flashlight fell to her, Addie squinted and gave him a wave. Perhaps this was dangerous, for she knew he could easily just shoot her or call the others over to take her out. Yet, instead, a rope ladder unfolded before her. Taking a deep breath, she began to climb the ladder slowly.

As she reached the top, she heard him speak,

"Addie, I- you're alive!"

"Don't act so surprised." She shot him a glare, pulling herself up slowly, "Though, I got lucky... I doubt we would've made it without Argus's help."

He studied her face for a long time before, "That guy, is he- are you?"

Addie gave him a look and rolled her eyes, "Really? This is the first time you see me in months, and you're asking me if I'm sleeping with someone else? Seriously, get your priorities in order!"

"No, you're right. I'm sorry. How is she?"

She gave a small smile, "Good. She's growing so fast... She's already trying to crawl."

A genuine smile leapt upon his face, "Really?" And then it fell, "I wish I could see her... You should come with us. We are safe here. You'll never have to worry about her getting hurt. He's a great man. Odd ways and a bad past, but this world has given him a second chance. You can't hold it against him. We are surviving."

"Surviving by sacrificing others to feed yourselves? Honestly, you're no better than those things swarming the city. In fact, you're worse because you have the conscience to tell you not to do it!" She shook her head, "There's no way we'll ever be living with you. I'm sorry, Chris. If you want to be a part of our lives, then you need to come with us. Hope and I will never be a part of that."

"You act all high and mighty! This is what needs to be done. It's survival of the fittest now, Addie. You'll die out there with that old man. Soon, your food supply will run out. Then you'll see. Hope will be screaming for food and you'll have nothing. Then what will you do? Besides, we really are on to something here. There's a group in the hospital that has been working on trying to find a cure for this thing. They really might be getting close. Addie, we might be able to live without fear again. This is your last chance. I can't promise that you'll be safe anymore if you don't stay. After this, we're enemies."

She was silent for a long time before giving a slow shake of her head, "Then I guess I better get going before you decide to eat me too."

His hard expression fell, and he reached out to touch her arm. She pulled away instantly. "Addie, don't do this to me. I- I thought you were dead. We can still have a normal life. We have a chance to live on. Please, think about this."

"There's nothing left to think about. If you're idea of 'normal' is cannibalism, then I'm sorry, I never want to be normal. Hope will never eat the flesh of another human. Not while I'm alive anyway."

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away, going back the way she came.

********

They'd made it to the city. By whatever means, they'd made it. The "-------- Welcomes You" sign had been covered in spray paint and grime. It was hard to make out exactly what had been graffitied upon it, but Addie was pretty sure it was something crude and not at all helpful to their current situation. Despite having made it this far in Argus's old truck, the vehicle was hanging on for all it was worth. It really wouldn't last them much longer. The tension knotted up Addie's stomach involuntarily. There was no way anything good could come from entering the city. She knew this and was absolutely certain the man next to her was aware of it as well.

But there they were, sitting in the midst of abandoned cars on the highway merely feet from the entrance. With the engine off, their breath came in soft puffs, the warmth of the heater being sucked away almost instantly by the small cracks in its windshield. In the bright sunlight, only a few shambling figures moved. Argus looked to her solemnly,

"Are you ready?"

Addie pulled Hope closer, the child sleeping restlessly against her chest and locked eyes with him. She nodded, "Mm hm."

"Let's go."