The Night The Moon Fell

Once you’ve become attached to something, you don’t realize it. Material things should mean little to humans, but we are only human so these things mean the world. And in your time of dying you have little time to realize this theory that is true.

 

The night the moon fell it fell in the form of a Styrofoam crescent.

~

Aaron and I ran to the shelter. He squeezed me through the gap in the boxes and bolted the doors. The sky was lit with fire; we were trying to save our baby. Her name would be Jacky Lynn and she was supposed to have the best life, but all we could give her now was a dead world. He walked towards me, grinning crookedly. Sometimes I wondered if there was a man inside of him, working all of the controls, smiling, moving, and even kissing. Aaron isn’t a distracted man, but mood swings dent his personality.

“Mary, calm down. You’ll entice labor.”

“Aaron, you know as well as I do we are not going to make it out of here alive.”

When he gets angry his face lights up, but this time it did not and if it did, I hadn’t noticed.

“We will make it through this and Jacky will, too.”

“I hope you’re right.”

We sat, facing each other, looking into one another’s eyes for a long time. Maybe we thought we would never get to see each other again. I hoped that would never happen. I hoped that by the Grace of God we would survive this tragedy.

I jumped to the sound of pounding on the door. Aaron motioned for me to stay quite and snuck over to the door. Looking through the window, I imagine he saw our pursuers. We would let no one in. he fled to our spot and shoved me deeper into the messy shack.

“They’ve been changed,” He whispered.

“How do you know?” we ducked at the persistent pounding as if lowering our heads would make them flee.

“Their eyes are red like the sky.”

We both swallowed deeply and I patted my swelling tummy. Thankfully, I wasn’t as big as the other mom’s. Some of them were having triplets and twins. Jacky Lynn would be unique, I thought.

 

Finally, I fell asleep in Aaron’s lap. His soiled jeans stained my freckled cheek, but he was warm and Jacky and I were cold. Violent shivers woke me from my slumber.

“Aaron – baby.” I shook his shoulder. He didn’t wake.

“Honey.” I became frantic in my actions. Minutes later his eyes opened, still hazel as before.

I sighed for relief.

“Could you find some blankets? Jacky and I are cold.” He returned with two fleece blankets and laid them over our bodies. We slept for what felt like weeks. My ‘week long sleep’ turned out to be a two hour cat nap. Pounding shook the metal walls. Aaron checked the door. It had to have been someone good because he waved me over. General Brooke’s was standing outside the door. The site of Brandon always chilled me. His roll in JROTC led to this. He was in the military. I cried more than his wife did the day he left for war.

“Brandon, is it safe?” I was only allowed to address him by his first name.

He glanced at my belly and nodded.

“Are you alright?” I asked, worried at his lack of speech.

He nodded again, tears in his eyes, and then looked at Aaron.

“You should transfer Mary to the building.”

“Where is it?” usually, there was a scent of hostility between the lines of their words, but today, as they talked about me, it was different. The acidic feeling had worn away.

“Walk down the hill. A guard will take you…” Brandon caught my worried gaze at the sky.

“Never mind. I’ll come with you two.”

The hill we had to walk down was very lengthy and the terrain wasn’t pregnant women friendly. Both Brandon and Aaron helped me traverse the landscape. I missed the wind and rain I knew we would never have again.

“How are you two? The zombies have been killed, by the way.” I cringed at the words; Brandon watched me.

“We’re scared,” I answered, rubbing my belly, comforting Brandon’s child.

“We’ve got this under control, Mary.” He looked forward, lips pressed together as if saying my name was a chore.

“Oh!” I gasped. The balls of my feet rolled on uneven ground. Brandon caught site of me first and wrapped a strong arm around my ribs. I felt us slide slightly before we stopped. I looked into Brandon’s eyes as he looked at me. A tear slid down my cheek. I had the feeling he would have removed it, but Aaron came trotting towards us.

“Thank you, Brandon - Aaron.” I brushed my dress off and continued walking, but I did not make it very far.

My cry in pain alerted my two boys.

“Mary? What is wrong?” Brandon arrived first.

“I … I feel faint.” Sweat dripped from my face. He looked towards the sky.

“We need to get her to the building.” Brandon said sternly.

“Okay,” Aaron agreed.

“Wait.” I breathed in and out, focusing my energy on staying conscious.

“Mary? Stop whatever you’re doing.” Brandon said frantically.

My eye lids fluttered quickly. Cold, clammy hands grasped my cheeks.

“Brandon, please don’t leave me.” I uttered, the heat weakening me.

Brandon’s lips were inches from mine when I froze. Behind Brandon, the moon had fallen.

Aaron walked around it several times, glancing at it at odd angles, hoping to understand its presence.

“Aaron, be careful,” I said as he reached for it. My voice was barely audible.

The crescent had the look of Styrofoam and as Aaron brought it closer, I could feel energy radiating from it, like heat from the moonless sky.

“Aaron stop it. Quit bringing it closer.” My head dropped back.

Brandon’s hand swished at Aaron. Suddenly, the world became brighter. The sun’s intensity and hue increased greatly. I shielded my eyes as Brandon shifted me comfortably into his arms.

I could hear Aaron’s sigh in the back ground, knowing he was irritated.

“Thank you, Brandon,” I whispered. He didn’t reply. I decided politeness would not break him.

Bouncing up and down with Brandon’s heavy steps, I observed the landscape. Every blade of grass was dead or dying. The flowers were wilted and cracked in various spots. Inside, I cried for these organisms, which could not run as we could. They had to stay there and endure the harsh conditions until, finally, they died.

I noticed everything had a red tint to it. My olive green dress was slightly red, Brandon’s cheeks, and Aaron’s dehydrated lips. The world was ending and we were left.

Several hours later, we arrived in front of the ‘building’ Brandon talked about. Inside, it looked quite empty. There were no personal inside.

“Is this it?” Aaron asked. Brandon rolled his eyes, sighing, and set me down. Aaron steadied my small baby bump and frame. At that moment, he held my hand. I clasped it with force, mesmerizing the warmth and love it held. While Aaron and I embraced, Brandon tried his hardest to open the doors of what looked like a mall. I wondered why the doors were locked.

“Brandon, could it be that a gas leaked inside? They may have locked it for safety purposes.” He scoffed at my theory, cocking his head. I lowered my eyes, ashamed.

In synchronizing movement as Brandon opened the door, A Fine Frenzy’s Almost Lover played through my mind;  a love song of an almost lover and how he left her. The thoughts she had of him in the song were just the thoughts I had about Brandon; a hopeless romance, a hopeless dream, a luckless romance, and heartache. The way he jerked the door open, swung his whole body and used his strength to save his daughter. I imagined that was his purpose for saving my life. He wanted his daughter. I was just the holder of the child like a nanny watching it through its first nine months. Frowning, I let go of Aaron’s hand and walked into the building. They both followed. It was very empty. Turned over chairs and broken flower pots showed the stores worthlessness. Kicking the leg of a chair, I picked another one up so I could sit down. I sighed with relief and sulked into the chair. Brandon and Aaron whispered harshly.

“I know you’re trying to help, but…”

Brandon cut him off, saying, “Look, we both want her to survive and live. Get over yourself. I’m sure if you could pick her up and carry her for hours you would, but you can’t so you won’t.” he sighed afterwards. It was a sigh I remembered all too well.

Aaron stuttered, trying to say something, but not quite fitting all of the words together like the alphabet was in discord, too.

 

I awoke in the late hours of the night, or early hours of dawn. The sky was black. I couldn’t see anything at all. Getting off of my chair, I stumbled to the floor. Under my hand was something soft and polished. I gradually felt upwards. It was too late when I realized it was a zombie. It jerked me up by my shoulders. I squeaked, a sign of distress. Its breath was foul; those red eyes piercing mine, glowing in the darkness.

“What do you want?” I spoke quickly.

“Boy.” It answered. I cocked my head, confused. Because of this, it slapped me. Hard. Blood soaked my front teeth.

“Green suit?”

It nodded. I shook my head in disbelief: they wanted my Brandon.

“No,” I growled. It threw me on the floor, cracking my ankle. I screeched in pain.

“Brandon!” my voice echoed throughout the mall. Another zombie’s feet padded toward me. I covered my face and screamed again. This time, I heard more shuffling. Cloth covered my mouth, suffocating me. The blackness swirled into a hole. I couldn’t keep my balance. My top half fell onto the ground. The cloth wasn’t there anymore, but I was loosing myself. The sound of bones cracking was the last I heard.

 

Beautiful, crisp light hovered over me. I could see the grateful sun. It sat high in the sky, white in color. Every bone in my body felt broken and I couldn’t move. I lay on uneven ground. It wasn’t until my eyes closed did I realize the life inside of me.

“Jacky.” I whispered, pursing my lips. I willed my arms to move, to touch his child, to graze the clothing I wore, but the connection wasn’t being made. A kitten’s meow could be heard in the distance. I tried moving my head, but of course it didn’t work. A man’s voice replaced the kitten meow.

“Aaron?” I asked the sky. I missed him terribly, his warm touch, the sweet look in his eye.

“Mary…? Are you okay? Wake up, Mary.”

“I’m awake,” I answered, hoping he could help me move.

“Mary? Wake up!”

“What do you mean?”

“Brandon! Help me; I can’t get her to wake up.” This time I gave up. He couldn’t hear me, I reasoned or maybe I wasn’t talking at all, maybe I was dead, but I thought I was living. This could be a form of Hell for all I knew; it was surely painful enough. Cold water shocked my senses, pulling me from the Hell I was in. I shook my head and whipped my eyes, coughing as if I was drowning.

“Mary?”

“What!” I answered, displeased at his ignorance.

“Open your eyes.” I did as I was told. Everything looked normal.

“What do they look like?” Brandon asked.

“Brown, which is good.” He hugged my body, though I was still lying down.

“I couldn’t move, the sun was white, and I was broken. The baby! What about Jacky?” I still hadn’t moved. I didn’t want to so I closed my eyes again.

“When we woke up you had blood crusted against your knees and ankles. The zombies threw you down hard. I’m surprised you’re not dead, Mary.” Brandon’s words were harsh, but I could hear the fear within them. He knew what he was doing and he hoped it was working.

“Why do they want you?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Well, you must have some idea.” When I opened my eyes, his face was inches from mine.

Glad my hand could move, I grazed his cheek.

“Don’t you love him?”

“I do.”

“Tell me why you’re practically having an affair then.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Hmm, hmm.” While he closed his eyes, I kissed his cheek. “You’re more than an affair; you’re a blessing.”

“I’d like to think the same thing.” He paused. “Mary, I’m not sure the baby is going to make it.”

The world fell. “W-what do you mean?” my lip quivered.

“They, the zombies, battered your body. I’m just unsure.” I sat up and caressed Jacky.

“She is your child, too.” My eyes were hard as I looked up at him. Tears welled up in my eyes, distorting my vision.

“No, no, no!” I jammed my fists into his leather jacket. He tried restraining me, but I kept hitting him as if it was his fault. I did not blame him, but hitting anything other than the father of my child would have seemed wrong. I looked into his eyes again and saw tears.

“Oh, Brandon.” I swiped them away. Secretly, I had been hoping for this. I knew his defenses would fall. H couldn’t be a military officer forever. As his lips quivered, his face wrinkled. He sobbed, he sobbed like the child he was. And, as a mother, I held him. I held his distorted, aged body in my frail arms.

“I wanted that child. I wanted to raise her and watch her grow.” He whispered. “I wanted to be in love with you again.” He looked at me, taking in my appearance as if it had changed, and kissed me hard. We fell back, my hands free. It was short lived, but I knew he loved me. That was what mattered.

“This world has been washed away, Brandon. God has emptied it for us.”

“Someday, we will perish and die, but not soon.”

“I love you, Mary White. I do.”

 

Months passed by, and soon we adjusted to the heat. Our bodies were tanned and during the night we clustered together. The cold was almost as bad as the heat. Aaron was able to deal with our break up. I love Brandon Brooks and Aaron Moore loved another woman, he confessed.

Jacky Lynn White never made it into the world, but Luna Rose definitely would.

If anything love overcomes all and tragedy brings us closer.

 

 

The End of an Old Beginning.