Rayna Hale's Story

"Don't leave," Rayna had begged him after the party. It had been dark in her room, and they had both consumed too much alcohol. But Koby stayed with her…-

When Koby first saw Jake with Rayna, he immediately thought “leftovers”. They were both crying on the bathroom floor about their mistakes – their regrets…-

“I wouldn’t be surprised if a slut such as yourself slept with my best friend, The arguments they had before they barely knew each other over Jake…-

“I thought I was going to be home alone today,” Rose’s voice purred across the room to Koby. His lips were on her’s in seconds, and they hadn’t even noticed Rayna rushing in and out of the sorority…-

Drunk kisses at parties… Always pulling away too soon…-

The fights, “Stop living in a fairy tale Rayna,” Koby’s words would have hit her harder than the last line of insults. He believed everything he did, she wanted because she was with someone else. He believed all he ever was to her was a rebound...-

“No, Rayna, I don’t think I do. Because I don’t think I can be with someone who likes someone else,” Koby was just outside the door when Jake was almost shouting at Rayna. It hurt to see her in such pain…-

“I have nowhere else to go… I’d be on the streets… Again…” Rayna had asked Koby if she could move in. Her and Jake were done, and the sorority had to be left since the homeowner hadn’t paid their due. Koby took Rayna in…

“You can kiss me now,” The words had rung through Koby’s mind the whole time that he held her up against him…

“I love you too,” It was whispered, it was quiet, but Rayna had finally said it to Koby, sending goosebumps all along his skin...-

“Rayna Grey, will you marry me?” Koby had finally popped the question! Rayna was jumping up and down, squealing yes a million times, her eyes watering. It had taken over a year for Koby to get the guts to ask her, and Rayna was expecting it soon. Koby smiled, standing up from his on-knee proposal. Rayna cupped his face and brought his lips to hers…-

“… You are now Koby and Rayna Hale, you may now kiss the bride,” Koby leant in, cupping the beautiful face which was to be his, and sealed the deal. She was now his Rayna Hale…-

“I want to have kids…” Koby’s voice was nervous, but Rayna had frozen. Surprised. “I want to have a family with you,” He said a little more confidently. A smile spread across Rayna’s face, and they went off to the bed room, teasing each other…-

“Oh my gosh, Koby!” Rayna squealed from the bath room. Koby frowned and slowly walked through their bedroom to the bathroom, where Rayna was standing in her underwear, holding a little stick. “I’m pregnant!” Koby’s jaw dropped. Excitement pulsed through him. He ran up to Rayna, picking her up and letting her legs wrap around his waist. A million kisses were trailed up her neck to her lips. “I love you,” Koby said, looking up in her eyes. She smiled down at him, “I love you too,” … -

Koby had been holding Rayna's hands while they watched their small tv. It was a final cry out about the zombies before their tv cut out. That was when they had lost complete eletricity. Everything was cut off. No internet, no connection to anything. Koby had already put planks up on the doors, shadowed the windows with curtains and put more planks up against them. He was lucky that the warehouse down in the city was open and free for everybody to grab whatever they needed... Well it wasn't like there was anybody there to stop him.

Rayna looked up at Koby, her eyes full of worry, almost sadness. She looked down at her not-so flat stomache. Koby looked down at her stomache too, a large buldge underneath her clothing. He placed a hand on her stomache, almost expecting something to happen, something to react, but nothing. There was just warmth, and a connection to the little being his wife was carrying. He looked back up at his wife, and smiled. His deep green eyes were warm, full of love and everything he wished for their future. Rayna looked up at him and tried to smile, but all that spread across her face was worry. Koby planted a small kiss on her lips, and a kiss to her stomach.

"We'll be fine," He whispered to her. He glanced around their newly boardered shelter that they had adopted in the middle of the town, staring at all the planks that was serving as protection. A constant droan was heard outside, the moans of all the undead walking outside. Koby hadn't been game enough to look. It was gruesome. The first time he had been close to a... a zombie was when he had to make a dash to the closet grocery store. They were raiding the fresh meat. It was disgusting, and he had vomited every where. But he got canned goods, enough to last the both of them a couple of weeks. He had to make trips every day to get a good enough storage held, but the sadness he felt was over whelming. He would see maybe a handful of real people at the grocery store and on the quick run back to the new house. It was disappointing. There was basically no one left. The biggest pang of fear he felt was for his unborn child. How were they going to deliver this baby when it came to it? Rayna was six months along!

Rayna nodded, taking in a shaky breath before trying to smile again. Koby knew that she was probably hungry, but they had to ration out their food, and it wasn't easy. They had disagreed about how much food intake they should eat, but they had settled on three meals a day. It wasn't easy, especially for a pregnant woman and her husband, but Koby was determined that they would manage. He looked across the room to the fridge and then to the cupboards. He sighed, "We'll need to be eating the frozen and cold stuff now... Especially since the powers out," He said quietly. He rubbed the back of Rayna's hand in comfort, and instinctively she looked down at her hand, then her belly again. Koby bathed in her beauty, the way she so instinctively reacted to his touches, and the way she would look at her belly. All of that, all of that was his, and his alone. He was so proud of that. But to think that an apocolapse had started just as he was getting his family together... He was verging on falling apart. But he was keeping it together for Rayna, for their unborn child.

Koby stood up, stretching his limbs. The new house they had adopted was located in the middle of the town, closest to the essential buildings that held everything they would need, but maybe almost the most dangerous place. Herds of zombies had been coming through maybe once a week in the past month, scaring the living daylights out of Koby. They would bang on the walls, the windows... Nothing had gotten in, not yet. But it was most definitely something he was unsure about. He knew they would have to move soon, but it was too risky, especially with a baby on the way. So many thoughts had been going through their mind, but he didn't know what to do.

"Koby," Jake called out to him. He turned to face his, uh, "friend". He raised an eye brow and Jake gestured for him to come over. Jake and Rose had come with Koby and Rayna once the apocalypse started. It was their group, their family, despite their differences, they couldn't picture themselves without them. They were suffering a great lose of their friend Andrew, who was eaten by a zombie, right in front of Jake and Koby. Koby remembered vaguely, driving like a manic with Rayna to Jake's house. As much as he'd hate to admit it, but Koby still had to be a brother to Jake. He remembered Jake just standing there, watching Andrew on the lawn, tackled by two, three maybe four zombies, getting eaten. Words couldn't describe the scene before him.

"You know we have to move again soon," Jake lowered his voice. Rose was sitting in a corner, sleeping. That's all there really was to do, sleep. There was almost nothing to do. Koby looked down at Jake who also sat against a wall. Koby nodded and pursed his lips.

"We can't, not yet, especially when we don't know where," Koby shrugged. "Rayna needs to be relaxing, preparing for the baby in the next couple of months," Koby kept his voice low too. It wasn't something to be reckoned with. 24/7 they were surrounded by zombies. The group understood the risks of moving Rayna, but they had up to three vehicles outside for travelling, but where could they go?

Rayna came up behind Koby, placing a hand on his back. "I'll be fine guys," She forced a smile, but it was weak. Her face was more pale than usual, and Koby didn't like it. He sighed and tried to smile back, but it hurt when he knew Rayna was struggling some days, more on others. Jake shrugged. He couldn't even look at Rayna, no surprise.

Rayna breathed deeply in her sleep as the nightmare repeated.

She was in the hospital for her daily check up when the doors were locked. She grasped Koby's hand so tight, she knew what was going on. The zombies had arrived, taking on the hospital. She was almost 5 months along and they were having another check up. She could see people rushing for exits, blocking doors and clearing the halls. She clung to Koby as the doctor told them not to worry. But all they did was worry. With their first born on the way, what would happen? Would she even survive long enough to see her child? Suddenly Koby was a zombie and he bit her neck, waking her from the dream.

She rubbed her eyes, noticing Jake was still on watch. She looked back at Koby who was half awake. She knew he had trouble sleeping ever since the apocalypse started, and it hurt her to see him suffering. The pregnancy did help her sleep, being tuckered out from the kicking and hormones. The hormones had been killer. She cried everyday, but usually tried to go away when she did. She knew that Koby hated seeing her weak like this. But the moments where she wasn't crying, in pain or throwing up, she was happy. She knew the little being growing inside could amount to big things, whether making her own safe town or finding the cure. She had hope for the baby.

Rayna was helping go through the food with Rose when she accidentally cut her finger. "Ouuch.." Rayna winced in pain. She noticed Rose quickly going to get the first aid kit they had aquired from an empty school bus. Rose began wrapping her finger and holding pressure. "..Thanks.." Rayna said quietly as Rose went back to chopping vegetables. Rayna then heard her name over by the men talking. She walked over, trying not to make too much noise. "I'll be fine guys," She said with a forced smile. She knew they were talking about moving. Last time they brought it up was a week ago when Koby insisted they stay. But the old cafe wasn't working anymore. The boards on the windows were getting weaker and they could hear more zombies coming by. Floods of even bigger zombies. Rayna knew they needed to move soon, or else some bunch of zombies was going to break in. "I know you want to look out for me," Rayna said as she put her hand on Koby's shoulder. "But we are all going to die if we do not get out of here. I think we need to head to a smaller town... Somewhere less populated?" Rayna said with one hand on her belly. The lump of her was now starting to fidget. She reached for Koby's arm as he rubbed her back. "It's fine... Just the little rascal keeps kicking..."

Jake cleared his throat, "I agree. We'll soon be dead. So start packing, it's time to move out." Rayna then smiled again, this time with a little feeling. Feeling of relief. She headed to where Rose was still dealing with the food. "Start packing. We leave tomorrow."

Rose came over to where the rest of the group was, she couldn't help over hearing Jake, Koby and Rayna speak about moving. "Won't it be too risky to move? So soon?" An unattractive frown engulfed her features. Koby sighed, looking at Jake who was shaking his head.

"It'll be too risky to stay," Koby spoke for Jake. He had his arms now crossed over his chest, letting go over Rayna. A loud bang on the window beside them made them all jump, standing up in a group together. The banging continued, hushing the four of them until the beast outside the window gave up and moaned, walking away. Koby let out a sigh of a relief, a foolish smile on his face. "See?" He raised an eyebrow, speaking quietly. Rose shrugged and slowly walked back to the food she was preparing.

Jake, Rayna and Koby all stood in a little group in silence. There wasn't much to say anymore, there wasn't much to do. Life was now on hold until they figured out what life really was. The baby was the only last bit of hope left for all of them. Jake was shattered, becoming almost depressed from missing Andrew, where images came into his mind every now and then of his friend. A shaky sigh escaped his lips as he looked down at the ground. He was an probably the most excluded person from the group before the apocalypse started. But Koby had assumed to accept the past and move on. They had to be friends.

"Alright," Koby sighed, looking at Rayna. "I'll go get our stuff together, we'll eat then we've got to go, while it's daylight. We have all our cars here," His voice trailed off as a plan began to form in his mind. "Where will we head?" He looked back at Jake who leaned against the floorboards, taking a view from outside.

"Away from here, anywhere where there is less... things," His voice was gruff and final as he turned to face them all again. Rayna was looking at the ground or at her belly, Koby couldn't tell. But he placed his arms around her pulling her in.

"Go help cook, eat, I'll get things sorted," Koby smiled at her and nodded. She tried to smile back before wondering over to Rose. Koby turned to face Jake again. "We have three cars here, Rose's, mine and yours," Jake nodded, understanding where this was going. "I'll take Rayna, of course, and all of our stuff, but we need you or Rose to take things like blankets..." Koby raised his hands in a balancing scale, trying to get across his plan in so many words and less. Jake nodded slowly.

"Alright," He slurred out the word. "We can't carry too much. We need to find a gas station sooner rather than later as well," Jake stated. Koby nodded. He fumbled with his hands as the moaning outside the bordered window grew louder. Koby cocked his head to the side, urging Jake to walk away from the window.

"After we eat, we run out to the cars packing our things, we leave the girls in here until we're ready," Koby began, imagining it all in his head. "We'll grab any sharp objects that we can find, and kill them if they get near us. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves," Koby looked at the cafe's kitchen, hoping that there will be some knives available. Jake nodded and breathed heavily.

"Let's get this shit together and go," Jake said. Koby nodded and headed towards the lounges where customers would once have sat in relaxation, but now where himself and Rayna slept. He picked up clothes, shoving them into the suitcase they had brought with them. It would be heavy, but at least they wouldn't have to carry it for long. The thoughts he had of doubt about how long the cars would run varied. Jake and himself could always get the gas out of Rayna's car from where they left it, but it would be too risky. Koby doubted there would be much gas left at the station to begin with. With a sigh, he zipped up the suitcase and watched Jake brush cans of food and the rations into plastic bags and tying them. Rayna had begun to help him. Rose had almost finished preparing the meal.

Koby waited at the entry of the cafe and waited for Jake. It looked like they had almost everything they needed for the moment. Just blankets and other various items that could become useful was left. "We'll open this door and run straight to the car. They are parked literally just outside the cafe." Koby explained. Jake rolled his eyes nodding, holding onto the handle of the door.

"Ready? One, two... Three!" Jake swung open the door, letting Koby dash out to his car and Jake followed to his own. Koby opened the door quickly but silently, trying to be as stealthy as possible. He threw the suitcase in the back seat before hearing a low growl from inside the car. "Shit!" He yelled. A zombie sat munching on a snack - maybe a nosy animal? Perhaps human? - in the front seat. Koby heard Jake slam his car door shut, and he appeared behind him. The zombie was too busy to notice just yet.

"Quick, back into the cafe to get knives and everything else we need then we're gone!" Jake hissed, pulling Koby by the arm and dragging him inside. Koby was almost frozen to the spot, but finally budged. Koby leaned against the wall inside as Jake closed the cafe doors. Was this the life he wanted his child to grow up in? How can he let Rayna into this world? He was nervous, scared, but he knew there could be a safer place. Rose and Rayna appeared with some food to quickly chow down.

"We have to be quick," Jake said to the girls. They both nodded, Rose biting her lip in fear. She would be driving in her car alone. Jake looked at Koby before looking back at Rose. "I'll drive behind you, Rayna and Koby will drive in front," He explained. Koby just nodded, agreeing.

Once they finished eating their last meal, Rose and Rayna had collected the last final items that would become important later on before Jake, once more, swung open the cafe doors. Koby clutched onto Rayna's forearm and ran with her towards the car. "Stay behind me," He hissed at her, knife poised. He ran around to the front where Rayna would be seated but the zombie from a little earlier was gone. He frowned, looking into the back. Nothing. There was no more remains of whatever it had been eating either. "Quick," He gestured for her to get in. She climbed into the car, taking deep breaths to calm herself, and Koby got in behind the wheel. He looked behind him outside, waiting for the go sign.

He heard a car horn, assuming either Rose's or Jake's, but started the car up. Rose had peeled away from the cafe and pulled up beside Koby. "I'm ready, Jake is behind me," She shouted through the window. The moaning of the zombies became louder and more aggressive. Koby nodded and drove forward, throwing a U-turn, away from the depths of the city. Before he managed to pick up speed, zombies were throwing themselves towards the car, one managed to even climb on top, but soon fell to the ground from the speed the car picked up. Koby looked in his mirror and saw Rose right behind him.

"Okay, okay, we're alright," Koby said in reassurance, more to himself than to Rayna. She was pale, but smiling, and that made Koby feel good. He placed a hand on her thigh and she entwined her fingers with his. "I love you," She whispered, smiling at him. "I love you too," He smiled back before looking back to the road.