C.D. Cardinet's Blog

Cheap wine sloshed about in the dark green glass as he tilted the container upwards, spilling the sour drink into his mouth and down his chin. He let the bottle fall as he looked around the empty hall. Moonlight snuck in through glass paneled windows, spraying the ground in an eerie whitewashed light. Trash was littered here and there. The refuse was kicked up against the sides of the lockers that lined every empty space of wall in the building. His own back felt the cold, lifeless embrace of the lockers behind him as he arched his back, letting the feeling rush back into his numb ass.
He took another swig of wine and let his free hand fall to his wooden baseball bat at his side. He pulled the bat up and placed the bottom of the handle on the ground, propping his arm up as he shut his eyes and imagined the place he was in during school hours. His fellow students would trample the halls in an effort to make it to their next class, trying to sneak in a bathroom break or a make out session with their significant others.
He had his own girlfriend he would sneak off with behind the basement stairs, right after third period when their paths crossed as if by the fate of their class schedules had allowed them to do so. He would always hold her gently by the back of the neck as his tongue slipped into her mouth, and she would rub her hips all over his. It was simple enough, but to them, it was the world.
Kristy. Her smiled always brought warmth to his heart. Maybe it was young love like all the adults around him claimed it was, but he didn’t care. It was love, and that was enough. She would always harass him about his future. She cared more than most in his life, “What are you going to do when you get out of high school? You can’t just skate by with the cool shtick for your whole life.” She always smiled when she talked to him, but his answer was always the same, not just when she asked, but when anyone asked. His parents, his teachers, his friends, it was always the same answer.
“I don’t know. It just never seemed like it would matter to me. Every time I think about it, I just go blank.”
Of course, Kristy was the only one happy with the answer. She was always happy to be with him and him with her.
He let out a long sigh and took another swig of cheap wine, wincing as it washed over his tongue and down his throat. It warmed his belly on this cold night. Fall was sweeping across the land, evicting summer from its month’s long hold on his city. The summer had been a long one too. No once was he able to see Kristy, and it had ate at his heart all summer long. He had hoped to find her here tonight, on the last summer day before their senior year started.
He didn’t know what he was going to do with his life, but he knew who he wanted to spend it with. He had saved up enough to buy her an engagement ring. Nothing special but it would be enough for her. Justin had called him stupid for trying to get married so young.
“Dude, what the hell? You’re not even out of high school yet.” Justin punched his arm, “Do I need to call you an idiot again? Cause I will.” Justin adjusted the Mets hat on top of his head. It was his favorite one.
“It just feels right, you know? I can’t explain it, but it is the only thing I can think about in my future. Not college, not a job, but just being with her.”
Justin smirked with the corner of his mouth, “Yeah?” Justin punched his arm again, “Just don’t break her heart then, hmm, or I might have to kick your ass.”
He punched Justin back and then the two wrestled to the ground.
He was able to see Justin for most of the summer. They had been sleeping over in the nearby woods, camping out when the whole thing started, when he had lost track of Kristy. Justin and he were able to stay alive and prosperous for most of the summer. They kicked ass and took names.
“Take the bat, man.” Justin handed over the wooden bat.
“Why? Wouldn’t the machete be better?” He took the bat from Justin’s hands and looked it over.
“Dude, you were always good at baseball. The only reason you stopped was cause all the jocks kicked your ass the first day of high school.” Justin smiled, “We both know it.”
He nodded and chuckled a bit, “Yeah, and were where you, hmm. I thought you were supposed to watch my back? Instead I got a black eye and a split lip.”
“Well, you can’t blame me.” Justin leaned back against the nearby wall, “I was getting hit on by Hannah, plus she gave me a little sumpin’ sumpin’, if you know what I mean?” Justin raised his eyebrows several times before he got punched in the arm. Justin reeled back, “Psh, it’s not like Kristy came and gave you special treatment either. She took care of your boo boos.”
He shrugged, “I guess that’s true. Can’t complain there.”
Justin turned his Mets hat backwards and took the machete in his hands, “Shall we?”
During that summer they raided stores and fought off others that would do them harm, but it couldn’t last, nothing good ever did. He got separated from Justin one day and that was the last that he saw of him. There was a part of him that hoped he would find Justin here at school on this night as well. Who knew what happened to Kristy and Justin. Hopefully both of them were long dead by now. That was the best fate one could expect these days.
He knocked back the bottle of wine, not stopping until he chugged the whole bottle down. He gagged a few times but finished the bottle anyway. He let his arm drop to his side. The bottle clanked against the dirty floor. He sniffled as a tear streaked down his unwashed face.
His head shot to the side as the sound of an empty soda can stole his attention. The can rolled out of an open doorway and out into the quiet hall. He stared at the doorway for a few moments. Nothing stirred from what he could see. He stood up using the bat as leverage. He glanced out of the nearby window. The trees were still, so wind was out of the question. Something was here.
He wiped the tear from his face with his sleeve. He felt a bit woozy as he took a step towards the doorway. He looked at the wine bottle in his hands. He didn’t know he had drank that much until he stood up. The wine had defiantly taken hold of him. He hurled the wine bottle at the doorway. It crashed into the doorframe and shattered into hundreds of pieces. The crash of glass rang out into the hall like a gunshot.
The sound of shuffling feet came from within the classroom. He strode over to the doorway and peered inside. There was a figure shuffling around in a cluster of desks. The moonlight hit the tree outside the class’s windows, casting the figure in shadow.
He entered the room and closed in on the figure. He had done this dozens of times, and now it didn’t even faze him. It almost seemed natural. He raised his bat into striking position and closed the gap to the figure shuffling around.
As soon as he was close enough, he spoke out to the figure, “Hey, rot brains, I got a present for you.”
The figure turned around and wheezed out a long drawn breath.
His bat dropped a little as he saw who the figure was. A Mets hat was secured to the greasy head of hair. He knew instantly it was Justin.
Justin raised his arms up and tried to walk past the desks, but he just kept ramming them like a broken machine. Justin’s left arm was severed at the elbow. Strips of skin dangled from his stump as he wheezed again.
He looked away from his friend. It was something no one ever needed to see, but somehow he knew that this was the fate of his friend. His eyes teared up. There was only one thing left to do. “I’m sorry friend.” He swung the bat at Justin’s head.
A dull thud sound filled the room. Justin reeled backwards for a moment before he renewed his assault. Justin’s cheek was smashed in, while his jaw hung loosely beneath his head.
His head snapped around as he heard the sound of a door being bashed open in the hall. A massive crowd of moans traveled into the room. The horde of shuffling feet drowned out all other sounds, and they were headed straight towards the classroom.
He looked back at Justin’s corpse. It was still trying to get past the clump of desks. He needed to hurry, he still had one more person to see tonight. He swung once more with all his might. His bat crunched down on Justin’s head with a squish. Justin crumpled to the floor and he turned around, swatting the air with his bat. Chunks of rotting flesh flew at the walls of the classroom, spattering science projects with gore.
He turned to flee the room, but he was too late. They were already pouring into the room. The first one dived at him, its mouth full of chipped and rotting teeth. He swatted it away with his bat and it flew into a toppled over desk. The second one rushed him head on. He kicked it aside onto the first. He raised his bat high. He just needed to get out of this room.
He was about to bring it down on the next one’s head when he became paralyzed. It was her. She was finally here in front of him. After all these months, he had found Kristy.
He smiled at her and dropped his bat. He pulled the ring from his pocket and held it out to her. “Would you marry me?” He said swiftly as she wrapped her arms around him and sunk her teeth into his neck. “That must be a yes.” He smiled and started crying with pure joy. They crashed to the ground and he looked over to the clock on the wall. The minute hand had just passed the midnight mark. Even though he had a terrible first day of high school, he had always loved back to school day.