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~~~CHAPTER 10~~~

A good number of your comrades are already dead by our hands.....

That was the only thought in my head the entire time we were on the road to our base. It had been nearly a day, starting from the time we were ambushed up until now, but according to our earpieces we were getting closer to home. But I wished I knew exactly what time it was. The truck's clock said 12:45 am, but I couldn't be certain if it was correct or not. Moreover, I was surprised this truck had so much gas in it. We stopped a few times to look for food, but fuel apparently wasn't an issue.

I was driving at the moment, with Francis in the back and Harry in the passenger seat. Having taken their turns driving already, they were resting. I didn't know how Francis was able to sleep back there, but he'd probably managed to sleep through a lot worse in his life. Harry, I had no idea.

As for myself, It had been a while since I got to drive a car, and I had to admit it felt pretty good. The sheer feeling of freedom, knowing that when you're behind the wheel, you can go anywhere the hell you wanted... It brought back some good memories for a change. Memories of a non-apocalyptic world. I used to drive everywhere, even if it was to somewhere two minutes away. Just because I could. But those memories were quickly shattered by Smith's haunting words looping over and over in my head like a broken tape.

A good number of your comrades are already dead by our hands.....

Christ... I was really starting to think I was going completely INSANE from this cycle of love and loss. And if not now, then it was probably inevitable. If we get back to base and I found something I don't like... There was no telling what I'd do. The last time my heart and soul were crushed so badly, I could only mope. But now, with superpowers thrown into the mix... I only hoped that the zombies would kill me before I hurt any of my friends.

A good number of your comrades are---

"You're not going to stop thinking about her, are you Greg?"

I turned to the right. It seemed Harry wasn't asleep after all. He hadn't said a word to me since Smith's interrogation turned sour. Truth be told, I had to remember that he only found out about my past life two days ago, so this was a side of me he'd never seen before. It was clear that he doesn't like it very much. But that look he gave me... He was scared of me. He had seen me pissed off before, but not like this. But while Francis is sleeping, this was a good time to talk it over...

I turned my eyes back onto the road. "Harry, we need to talk about a few things, and this is a better time than any. Francis is asleep, Smith is out of our hair, and we're not fighting zombies or OGD. I just want to put everything into perspective for you. Okay?"

He sighed with relief. "Greg, I'm your friend. I just want to help you. You were so happy this morning, and now you're nearly back to the way you were the day I met you. You know that Francis told me about what happened to you before we fought Team Delta, but now I want to hear it from the source. It'll help me understand better."

Sigh. "You're right" I said. "Just don't start crying on me."

Jeez, how many people am I giving history lessons on myself to? The HAC scientists, Francis, Isaac, Kyla, and now Harry... When will it end? Why do I insist on letting people know why I'm so screwed up?

I'd already answered this question before... It's because they NEEDED to know. They all wanted to help me, and God knows I needed it.

I took a deep breath and began to flash back once again. But this time, I went back much further than usual. Harry's my best friend, so he deserved the long version.

"It all started the night I met the love of my life...."

~~~

~Two and a half years earlier~

"Three.... Two.... One...... GO!"

I brought the glass to my lips and began drinking like crazy.

"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"

Not..._gulp.....gonna lose....gulp......this time...gulp......_

"Awww, Tom, speed it up, man! Greg's gonna beat ya!"

He could only respond with something muffled by the glass in his mouth. But his was half empty. Mine was mostly empty. I had him beat....

"COME ON, GREEEEEEEG! Kick his ass!"

Just a few more gulps.... DONE!

It was the first night of my freshman year in college, and it was already going exactly how I'd hoped it would: good friends with good drinks having a good time. We had just finished moving into an apartment together, and were celebrating the start of our new lives away from home the only way college kids could. Sure, we were all eighteen/nineteen years old at the time, but that never stopped anyone from sneaking in a few beers. I was convinced that the campus security would let us slide if we were caught just because it was day one. They know how it was; they were our age at some point, too.

"And the winner is... OSSLAND!!!" My roommates cheered and slapped me on the back. Except Tom, he was still going at it. He refused to let good beer go to waste. I flipped my glass over and smacked it onto the table, taking care not to shatter it.

"All right, all right, you win round two, Greg. Time for the tiebreaker!" Tom shouted. As a self-proclaimed 'professional' drinker, he wanted to keep his reputation alive.

"Nah, man. If we're going clubbing after this, I'm stopping at two" I replied. "And plus, we need a mostly sober guy to find out how to get back. I'm doing you guys a favor."

I wasn't not one to do a lot of drinking, but for the sake of partying or drinking games, I'd knock back a couple easily. But I had no intention of getting wasted myself; I didn't need to be to have a good time.

"He's right" my roommate Mike said. "I'm already pretty tweaked as it is. And Kevin... Wait, how many did you have?"

Kevin just shrugged. Probably had a good five or six, I had already lost count.

"Fine" Tom replied. "When we get back, then. Unless, of course, I just walk in and collapse on the couch or something. That happens to me sometimes."

"Deal." We shook on it.

Mike interrupted us with "But for now, enough pre-party drinking. Let's clean these cans up, hide the rest, and hit the town! We've got twelve hours until classes start, so let's make the most of it!"

We all replied with a sarcastic "YES, SIR!"

An hour later, we had found a club that accepted students our age, at the small cost of being a non-alcohol club. Mike, Tom, and Kevin were upset, but since none of them felt like walking around anymore, we stuck with it. I was fine either way, I just wanted to dance around and have some fun. But once we walked in, we were immediately captivated by the lights and music. It was perfect for dancing the night away, with huge woofers in the background adding the right amount of bass to the mix. Everyone was getting into it; moving their bodies and getting lost in the beat. Unfortunately, the club itself was packed, giving us little room to move, let alone dance. It seemed like everyone had the same idea as us tonight. But people came and went frequently, so we were each able to find our own openings and made the most of it.

After a good half hour of straight grooving to the beat, I felt nature calling, and pretty quickly to boot. I'd never been to this club before, so it was a struggle to find a bathroom. But by the time I found one and finished my business, I realized that I was the wrong room. There wasn't anyone else in here, but I just knew something was wrong after my bladder was empty and I was able to think clearly.

Geez, the pink wallpaper might have been a dead giveaway...

I quickly ran over to the sink and washed up, desperate to get out before I was noticed. But as I was drying my hands, I heard someone else walk in. Her footsteps had that distinct high heel click to them, so that also confirmed my worry.

This isn't good... But maybe she'll think she's in the wrong room and not me_..._

"Hey, uh... I think you're in the wrong room. The men's room is on the other side of this one."

Well, so much for that idea... Time to face the music...

I tried not to sound like a creep. "I'm sorry, the door was open, and I didn't notice..."

I had finished drying my hands and was turning around to properly talk to this person face-to-face, but the sight of her made me drop everything.

She was so beautiful... So... perfect... The long red hair, the piercing green eyes, and that cute little scar...

But I already described Cali in detail before, so I don't need to do it again.

When she saw me, I could tell she was awestruck as well. At the time, I guessed I was a lot better looking than I gave myself credit for. True, we were both definitely dressed for the occasion, with her wearing a short black dress and heels, and me wearing a buttoned-down shirt with black jeans and shoes. But it wasn't our choices in fashion that did the talking. It was all in our eyes. We both knew that this was love at first sight.

Let me better explain: you ever hear couples say it felt like they were hit by lightning when they first saw each other? Well, that was exactly what happened with us. Only this wasn't any regular lightning, oh no. This was Zeus' lightning. Plus Thor's lightning. The whole damn 1.21 gigawatts.

"...I didn't notice a lovely lady like you walk in just now."

She smiled. "My, aren't you sweet. Maybe it's a good thing you're in the wrong room after all."

"This wouldn't be the first time. I always hang out in women's bathrooms to meet all kinds of ladies" I said in my signature overly-sarcastic tone. She laughed at that.

All right, I've got her laughing. Now comes the hard part...

"But now, let me be a gentleman and properly introduce myself. My name's Greg Ossland." I offered her my hand.

"Nice to meet you, Greg. I'm Cali. Cali Greenlaw."

She extended her own hand and we shook. We both walked out of the ladies room and back into the fray, still holding hands.

"Cali, huh? That's a beautiful name...."

~~~

For the next few hours, the two of us danced like crazy. We couldn't really talk, due to the music being so loud, but our body language said more than our lips ever could. Cali could dance as elegantly or as dirtily as you please, much to my pleasure. I wasn't as good as she was, but I was a guy; I didn't have to be. Around midnight, both my roommates and her small group of friends found us, momentarily drawing our attention away from each other. I told my friends that I was going to take Cali home, and suggested that they get a cab. They understood, but still didn't want to spend any money. I said I'd reimburse them later, which seemed to work for them. I couldn't tell what Cali was saying to her friends, but she kept turning to me and back to them, making them all giggle about something. That something was most likely me, of course. But they gave their approval, and also left the club.

It turned out that Cali was living at home, which was near my apartment, and went to a college that neighbored ours. Thankfully, I had already familiarized myself with this area, so I was able to lead her back to her house with no problems. Again, like a proper gentleman should. We spent the whole walk getting to know each other and sharing our interests, discovering we had a lot more in common than we thought. Cali was my age, studying medicine at the college near mine, and loved the same three things that I did; fast cars, movies, and video games. She was literally the perfect girl for me. Perfect for me in every way...

I walked her up to her doorstep. "Well, my lady, your castle awaits. I really enjoyed getting to know you."

Cali smiled, then unlocked and opened the front door. "So did I, Greg. You're polite AND funny, two things I really like in a guy. Not like some of those drunken idiots at the club..." She walked back over to me. "But it doesn't have to end right out here tonight. My parents are away and my little brother's sleeping over at a friend's house. Wanna come in for a few?"

Oh SHIT, this night just went from good to better to EVEN BETTER!

Wait... I'm getting ahead of myself. Does she want sex, or just to talk more?

Hell, either way, I've got SUCH a good feeling about her!

I... I really like this girl... I like her a LOT...

"I'd love to" I replied with a huge smile.

We sat on the couch in her living room and talked a little bit more, just like part of me was expecting. It was nearly 1am by this point, but we were both as awake as ever. After we ran out of things to talk about, we turned on the TV to see if there was anything worthwhile to watch at this hour. Cali turned off the lights, and we lied down next to each other on the couch to watch. I couldn't identify the movie we were viewing, but it was a romantic one.

It really set the mood though, because after it was over, Cali suddenly switched the TV off, then turned towards me and tenderly looked into my eyes.

"Greg, I know we only just met and everything, but I really like you. I mean, I really like you... And I think you really like me, too."

My heart soared, beating faster and faster with every word she said. My body temperature was rising and my blood was certainly flowing, if you catch my drift, but I tried my best to not explode with sheer happiness.

"Oh, there's a STRONGER word that I'm thinking of right now, but I... I don't know if the time is right" I replied. "It's true, we just met and everything, so I don't wanna mess this up before it even starts."

She lowered her head so that it was just above mine, and replied with pure honesty. "I think I know what you mean, sweetie. And its okay, because I was lying earlier; I'm pretty sure I feel the same way as you do."

She loves me...

I gently closed the gap between us, and we kissed. We put so much passion and energy into that first kiss that it quickly turned into a full-blown make-out, both of us going at it with plenty of lust and hunger, but true conviction above all else. It felt so AMAZING! It felt so RIGHT! I was in LOVE!

But after a few minutes, she suddenly broke it off and got up from the couch. I swear my heart stopped for a second in response. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Nooo..." she said seductively. "It's just that I realized I never gave you a tour of my house. We can start with my bedroom, if you like..." Her lustful smile perfectly matched her words. Fast as a gunshot, I rose to my feet and swiftly picked Cali up, cradling her in my arms. She wasn't expecting that, but I could tell that she didn't mind in the slightest. It definitely turned her on even more if the look of excitement and surprise on her face was any indication.

"I'd love to see your room. Just point me in the right direction."

~~~

I wearily woke up the next morning, though Cali's bedside clock told me it was actually noontime. From where I was laying I could reach my pants, and grabbed my phone out of my pocket. I had three missed calls, and I had already missed two of my classes.

Well, that's not good.

I rolled over and saw that Cali was also awake, but perfectly happy with me at her side. She winked at me and blew a kiss.

Worth it. Totally worth it.

"Do you mind if I say the magic words now?" I asked.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close to her. "Not at all. Say it for me."

I wrapped my arms around her as well, making her breasts press perfectly against my chest. We both began to fall back asleep in a comfortable lover's embrace, both of our normal schedules be damned.

"I love you, Cali."

"I love you too, Greg. I love you so much."

~~~

"For the next year and a half, we were completely inseparable. We went out all the time, we did our homework together, and we both got along perfectly with each other's friends and families. And yes, we fucked pretty often, too. I was the happiest I'd ever been in my life..."

Harry needed a few moments to process everything I had just told him. Which was fine, because I had to hold back a few tears before I got to the end of my memory; the part where it went from my happiest moment to my saddest moment.

"And then came November 17th, 2011, otherwise known as Z-Day. Cali and I woke up, and saw that the infection had already begun. I wanted to stay put and defend the apartment, but she insisted we find our families first. In hindsight, it was the right thing to do, but zombies can change the meaning of 'right thing to do' to 'suicidal thing to do' overnight. And that's exactly what happened. Because by the time we got to my house, my parents were already dead and being hauled away, and Cali was jumped by a zombie while we were both distracted. He bit her three times before someone could get a clear shot, and all I could do was hold her in my arms until the soldiers moved us to a shelter."

Damn, I can't tell anyone about this without that stabbing pain in my heart and my eyes watering up. But nothing new here...

"She died there, Harry. I never even saw her again. She died from shock and blood loss, but it beat death from the zombie virus. After a while, some HAC scientists came to our shelter and asked for volunteers for their 'special project.' I figured I'd go with them since I had absolutely nothing else to do with my life. A few days and one gas chamber later, there I was; half man, half animal, all misery. I soon met you and Francis after that, so everything else about me you already know."

Harry finally composed himself after a long silence. "My God, I can't believe you went through all that, Greg. Francis made it sound like it was nothing compared to this... I... I'm so sorry, man."

I tried to reassure him. "No, Harry, I'm the sorry one. I'm sorry I kept you in the dark for so long. I know you already forgave me, but I feel like I don't deserve it."

Harry was unfazed. "Well, if it'll put your mind at ease, you can earn my forgiveness if you answer another question. But it might be kind of painful for you to answer"

"I don't care. Shoot."

Harry paused briefly. "Why, after everything you and Cali had together, are you willing to move on to Kyla?"

I sighed deeply. "I'll be honest with you, I've been asking myself the same question all day, but I think I've finally found the answer. I had already accepted the fact that Cali is dead, but I still couldn't let her go completely. I wasn't sure if me and Kyla could work as a couple because of that. But I realized last night that if it could take a single horrifically bad day to ruin my life, then maybe a single good day can put it back to the way it was. And that's just what happened after we tied against Team Delta yesterday: I had a really good time hanging out with everyone, and it gave me the confidence to talk to Kyla. One thing led to another, and well... Now we're an item. Remember how quickly I said Cali and me fell in love? The same happened between me and Kyla."

"That makes sense" Harry said. "But you sound like you still have doubts about it."

"I do. I'm just hoping that they'll fade away in time. I love Kyla, Harry, I love her just as much as I loved Cali. Other people have moved on from one love to another, so there's no reason I can't do the same. And hopefully, Cali would've wanted that. You think so, right?"

Harry nodded. "If I was dead and my girl was alive, I'd want her to find someone else who would make her happy. She would deserve it. You deserve it."

"Thanks, man. But enough about this, we're getting close to home. Go wake Francis up and tell him to get ready. We might be in for another fight."

"All right." Harry zipped to the back of the truck to get Francis up while I shut off the truck's lights as we approached the outer gates of the base. They were blown wide open, so it was clear that OGD had already made their move. My only hope was that Smith's mentioning how not everyone was to be attacked at once was still true. If not, then it was already too late. But there was just as good a chance of us being right on time as well.

Kyla... I'm coming to rescue you. I don't know where you are, but I'll fight through this whole fucking base just to find out where you are. I will NOT let you die....

I drove through the gates, and prepared myself for the worst.

~~~

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Next week, serious ass will be kicked. And a totally expected guest makes a return...

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