Knight Terrors: A Zombie Apocalypse Survival Tale Read Online Free PDF Page B

that everyone was looking at me.  I was expected to speak.  I could reminisce later.
         Looking up I could see that everyone was now crying, including Tracie.  This funeral was for the ones she had lost too.
         “When the world ended a few weeks ago most of us decided to keep going.  To keep on living.  We didn’t have grand ideas of defeating the zombies and creating some brave new world.  We just wanted our families to be safe.”
         “We have all suffered horribly.  Wives, mothers, husbands and children:  all lost.  Every one of those deaths has touched me more than any of you realize.  As your leader, I feel responsible for all of them.  I swore to my wife and children that I would keep them safe. I failed.  I’m sorry Tabby, Mal.  I’m sorry buddy.  Karen, I’m…”
         Karen was shaking her head.  Tabby left Mike’s arms to come put her arms around me.  I knew that I had to be a leader for these people but I didn’t care.  The kids, Karen were all that I cared about.  Then, I could hear other voices.
         “It’s okay, Ryan.”
         “You’ve done the best you could.”
         “It’s not your fault, Ryan.”
         I shook my head and shook Tabby off of me as gently as I could and looked up to Mike’s eyes and nodded.  He took Sam’s feet and I took her arms and we gently laid her in the grave.  He stepped back and took Tabby’s hand again.
         “I’m sorry Sam.  I love you, wife.”
         Grabbing the shovel, I gently placed a shovel full of dirt onto Sam.  One, then another and another as the tears fell.  Tabby took the shovel from me and startled me as she did.  Looking into her teary eyes I could see the woman she’d become over the last few weeks.  I let her take the shovel and place a few shovel fulls of dirt onto her mother.  Karen did the same, taking the shovel from Tabby.  Mal came over and held my hand.  I asked him if he wanted to do what we did and he just shook his head.  Thor lay down at Mals’ feet and whined.  The boy sat down and put his arms around the dog.
         I took the shovel back from Karen and continued to fill in the grave.  It didn’t take long.
         When I finished, I let the shovel drop.  Tabby was crying into Mikes’ shoulder.  Karen cried as she held Mal’s hand.  As I looked around I could see that everyone was crying and some were holding hands.  Surrounded by all these wonderful people I’d never felt so alone.
         One by one, the people in the group left to settle in for the night as best they could.  Each one came to see me and expressed their sorrow in some way.  Some spoke, some just put their hand on my shoulder.  Karen tried to leave but Mal wouldn’t let her go.  Mike left Tabby with a kiss so she could be with us. 
         Tracie was the last to leave.  She stopped next to me.
         “I’m sorry for your loss, Ryan.”  I just nodded.  “But, thank you for saving me today.”
         I looked up and met her eyes.
         “I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for you.  And these people are all alive because of you.  That’s obvious.  They need you.  Remember that.”
          I nodded and dropped my gaze.  I heard her go.
    The four of us sat on the ground next to the grave.  No one spoke.  What do you say?
         After some time, I realized that Mal had cried himself to sleep next to Thor.  I asked Karen and Tabby if they would take him down to our living area. 
         “I love you, daddy,” said Tabby.
         “I love you too honey.”
         Alone now, I thought of the good times Sam and I had.  Laughing about nothing, holding hands, exploring new things.
         I knew that I’d failed to keep her safe.  There was no way I was going to lose Tabby, Mal or Karen.  The rest of the group was important, but family came first.
         I got up, stretched and started down toward the parade