Raiding Apartments

I was on a beach, walking slowly in the sunlight. It was peaceful and calm, like everything in the world was perfect. I looked to my right and saw a crystal clear, blue ocean and a deep blue sky. I looked down, and I saw pure white sand.

Finally, I looked to my left and I saw Keanu. He was wearing a black tank top and swimming trunks. He took my hand in his own, raised it to his lips, and kissed it. I smiled in response to him.

All his white teeth were showing. He was grinning widely at me, and it made me feel safe. He pulled off his tank top to reveal a very toned body with subtle muscles in the right places. I found that I liked it very much.

Then suddenly, his smile turned unsettling. He never blinked or looked away from me, and his grip became tighter. The sky seemed to darken as well. I tried to pull away from Keanu. He tried to kiss me, but I didn't want it anymore.

His smile stretched wider, into an unsettling, creepy stare, and with the hand that was not holding my own, he ripped the bullet from around his neck and shot himself in the head with it.

At that moment, a walker that looked like River burst from the bushes and began to tear at Keanu, who was already bleeding on the ground. Dead. The River walker turned its hungry eyes on me, and I couldn't move. All I could do was scream.

I woke up with a start, my hand clenched around my gun as I sat up quickly in bed.

I forgot my own surroundings for a moment and had a brief panic. Keanu's footstep thundered toward me and he threw open the door.

"Aah!"

"AAAH! WHAT?" He yelled.

"REEVES!"

"WHAT?!"

I clutched my heart and swore to myself. "Holy... you're... alive. God. Reeves!" I panted.

Keanu had settled down from his own fright and sat on the foot of my bed.

"Dream?"

"Yeah," I sighed. My face was red.

"Are you okay?" He looked at me with genuine concern, then eyed the gun in my hand. I threw it across the bed so he didn't feel threatened.

"I'm okay now," I stammered.

"I know what it's like. I can hardly sleep anymore. I feel like every night, something bad is gonna happen,"

I nodded grimly, "Every time I close my eyes, I see the dead."

"So," he continued slyly, quickly trying to change the subject, "you dream about me?"

"Shut up--"

"But we've only just met!"

"Shut up, Reeves!"

He laughed, "Okay, okay, calm down."

I rolled my eyes.

"What were we doing in the dream?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and I buried my face in my pillow in embarrassment.

Keanu laughed to himself, and I sat up again. Sunlight was pouring in through the blinds by the bed, and for a moment, it almost felt like everything was back to normal. It didn't even really occur to me that Keanu and I had just met; it just felt like two friends together.

Of course, looking outside held a different story, and the fantasy that everything was alright quickly faded, but it was nice to pretend for a moment.

"C'mon, I made breakfast," he said, pulling me out of my thoughts and continuing the idea of normalcy. He offered me his hand, and I climbed slowly out of bed.

I followed him out of the room and into the living room as he guided me with his good hand, and he motioned for me to take a seat on his bed.

I sat down and he returned with two plates, complete with toast that looked like it had been burned with a lighter, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Sorry it's not breakfast material," he rubbed the back of his head, "The toaster doesn't work, and the stuff in the fridge went bad."

"It's perfect. Thank you," I grinned at him and he sat down next to me.

His eyes widened suddenly and he held my arms down so I couldn't eat, "Crap! I didn't even ask if you were allergic to peanuts! Are you?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his concern. It was very sweet of him.

"No, Reeves, relax. Thank you though,"

Keanu relaxed on the couch next to me with his feet on the table, and we ate sandwiches together. The fantasy of normalcy was still upon us.

"What time is it?" I asked him, not wanting to look outside at the sun for fear of the peace breaking.

He checked his watch, "9:30. I didn't know when I should wake you up or anything. You kinda woke up yourself anyway, so I mean..."

He seemed a bit antsy, like he didn't quite know what to do with me sitting there.

I didn't blame him. He seemed like a nice guy, but I still didn't exactly know what to do with the fact that we were almost strangers. He played with his bandage casually.

I ate my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and realized exactly how hungry I was. Suddenly, this sub-par sandwich was the greatest meal I'd ever eaten. I ate it like it was the last meal on earth, then licked my lips for more.

Keanu laughed and it focused me again.

"What's funny?"

He pointed at me with a disarming smile, "You are."

I felt my face heat up.

"You got jelly on you,"

"I'm hungry, shut up," I mumbled, wiping my mouth quickly.

"You missed,"

"Shh," I rubbed my hand all over my face.

"You got it,"

"Okay, okay," I was a bit frustrated and embarrassed, "I eat messy when I'm hungry, sue me."

"Do you want more?"

My brain said no, but my stomach said yes.

I ducked my head, and Keanu let out a chuckle.

"I'll make another one, go get dressed. We're gonna go through some of the other apartments here, maybe get some more supplies,"

"I can make my own sandwich," I countered, but he stood up.

"Yeah, but I'm insisting. You fixed my hand, I'll fix your meal. Okay?"

"Okay, but just this once," I smiled, getting off the couch to grab my bag and change.

I paused as I watched him stride to the kitchen and start making another sandwich. I watched his hands work, and my eyes trailed over his form. He slept in boxer shorts.

"Hey Reeves?"

He looked up from spreading jelly on bread and flipped some hair out of his face.

"Yeah?"

"You think it could always be like this? Apartment complex, a few friends...?"

Keanu thought about it, "That would be really nice."

"It would," I repeated, then continued into my room.

As soon as I was out of sight, I let my act drop. I was still upset as ever, and I couldn't blame myself. Ideally, I had wished this type of life for me and my parents: an apartment complex big enough for the three of us, with neighbors willing to work together to survive.

It should have been my mom and dad in the bedroom, me on the couch, Keanu next door, and every morning we could invite him over for sandwiches. We could team up on supply runs, maybe even start a garden ouside, or hunt for animals in the woods.

It could have been that simple. It could have been a bearable end of the world if they were here.

I shut the door and took far too long getting into something clean, and I took far too long staring blankly at my feet and the calluses on them, far too long feeling the metal against my chest.

Keanu knocked on the door with my sandwich and I didn't even have a shirt on. I pulled one on as quick as I could and wiped all evidence of emotion from my face.

He came in and sat down next to me and I ate until I was full. He put his arm around me while I finished.

After we ate, Keanu and I took the dark stairway up to River's apartment on the third floor.

Sam was still on the couch, but she was asleep. Keanu knocked on the door across the hall, where Wil was sleeping, and he opened up, half dressed. Emma came with him, limping slightly as she did.

Jade and Corey were already inside, and Daniel had stayed in the chair to watch over Sam.

River looked like he hardly had any sleep, and he hadn't even changed his clothes.

We split into teams. Me, Keanu, River, and Jade, and then Daniel, Wil, Emma, and Michael.

We sat around to discuss what we needed, when Sam woke up. She woke up and groaned, holding her head. Wil noticed first, and jumped out of his seat.

"Samantha! How are you feeling?"

She blinked into focus and hissed in pain. "What happened?"

"A walker bite. I cut it off. These people, they're friends. She--" He gestured to me, "she stitched you up."

Samantha whimpered as she sat up.

"It hurts. Everything hurts,"

"I'm sorry," I replied, stepping forward. "I tried to fix up your leg."

"No, thank you," she said hastily. "What's your name?"

"Charlie," I said, and River stepped in for introductions.

"We're actually heading out to go through the other apartments. You should stay here, though. We don't want to upset the stitches."

"I'm okay with that," Sam sighed, "I don't even think I can walk."

"I'll stay with you," Wil nodded. She shrugged.

"Thanks. How long was I out?"

"Since last night. Maybe 15 hours,"

"Woah," she murmured. Wil sat on the arm of the couch.

"You guys will be okay one person short, right?" Wil asked.

"We should be," Michael grinned. "You guys have me, after all."

We set off into the empty apartments to dig for bandages, any sort of medicine, and any weapons. Any food left, we were instructed to pool and go through once we reunited in River's apartment.

Keanu and I were a good pair, searching nightstands and generally overlooked areas for medicine.

We were about to check out room 268 B. Keanu tugged on the door, saw that it was locked, and stepped back to kick it in like he usually did.

River suddenly threw himself in front of us, shoving Keanu back against the wall. He swore under his breath.

"River! What--?"

"Don't move. That door wasn't shut or locked yesterday...,"