Tom went through a flurry of confusion, not knowing whether or not he should be angry. But he felt sorry for the man, even not knowing his real sorrows.
He let out a gasp of pain as he slowly lowered himself and laid down beside the stranger. He removed his glance to not disrespect the serviceman, who tried to muffle his grievous weeping by covering his face with one arm.
Tom was afraid of some sort of retaliation for his next actions, but he felt it right. He slowly inched his hand over and slipped his fingers around the tear-ridden man’s free hand. The man flinched from surprise, but he did not pull away. Tom held the man’s hand, not saying a word, only giving him the time to mourn.
Tom felt strange. The ground was cold and hard. He lay at Death’s door, but the expected churning anxiety and panicking reluctance when giving in to his demise was not there. He was surprised at his calm and peaceful state holding the large warm hand to console the serviceman.
Yet, he couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t like he gave up on living. He still regretted not running away. Who knows, maybe he could have escaped if did run away earlier because no one knew the future. But running now was no longer an option. Yet, Tom did not feel the need to run anymore. He found a weird soothing solace in being near the man he just met.
Moving uncomfortably on the ground, Tom took deep breaths to ease his aching wounds. The man stopped his mourning and glanced over at Tom with a face no longer crying but a face that said he wanted to make peace.
“I… Sorry about… you know, what I did to you. I do not know what took over me. I hurt you out of rage. That was wrong of me. I sincerely apologize.”
Tom stopped squirming. He felt a prick in his cold and guarded heart. He didn’t dare turn to look at the man. The words stirred something deep and hidden inside him, mixing and reacting with his troubled past. The unexpected words made Tom tear up.
He was abused and repeatedly told he was worthless for so long that he began to half believe he deserved to be hit and used by others. To hear an apology for the wrongs he endured shook him to the core. All the pent-up emotions welled deep inside him almost rattled free from his control. Tom choked, turning away and trying to hold back the complicated emotions slowly leaking out of him.
The young man panicked, feeling guilty at the odd sniffling noise coming from his side. Tom did his best to hold everything inside, but the man’s apology stirred more than Tom could handle. Tom broke, and everything gushed out.
“Fool. I just can’t with you. Why didn’t you just run away with me?” Tom turned towards the man and cradled himself into a ball, wailing out all the wrongs done to him.
“Why did they have to be so cruel with their words? Why did they have to beat me till I’m broken and blue? Why did they have to rape me until I couldn’t walk? Don’t they know I struggled all by myself all this whole time? If they didn’t want me on their team, then fine. I was fine on my own, but they wouldn’t let me be. Living alone was already hard enough. They-“
Tom’s venting of tearful memories was cut short.
He grunted in pain from being forcefully pulled and snuggled into something warm and safe. Although his physical wounds still ached, he found his past traumas slowly melting while embraced in the comfortable beating chest nuzzled against his face.
Tom’s wailing turned to muffled whimpering.
The broad shoulders of the man overtook Tom’s and wrapped around him in a protective embrace. He curled around Tom, not saying a word, only gently rubbing his back as Tom’s held-back tears from years of abuse slowly drenched his shirt.
The zombie horde was upon the two men in a hugging embrace. However, Tom and the young military personnel cared not and continued grieving in their own small world.
“I know this does little, but I do hope you feel a bit better. No one deserves what you lived through.” The military man whispered into Tom’s ear as he held him in a careful embrace.
Tom’s ears felt burning hot from the man’s low soothing voice. For once, he accepted being held by another and nuzzled into the safe firm chest that gave him respite from his troubled woes.
“I wish I found you sooner. I would never let you go through those awful experiences. No one should. If only my ability-“
As if answering his wish, the still-pointing golden arrow glittered brightly, showering sparkles of light down on the two men huddled together on the ground. Tom’s eyes stretched wide, seeing the golden sparkles. He turned his head up and looked in shock at the golden arrow. He’s only seen the golden arrow once, and it never radiated so vigorously.
“What is that?!” The young man shouted in alarm.
“You can see it?! You can see the arrow?!”
The man looked at the excited eyes peering up at him, still close to his chest. Confusion plastered his face. He opened his mouth to ask more, but there was no time for questions.
The man hurriedly unlatched himself from Tom. Still in a laid-out position on the ground, the muscles of his thick arms exploded as he rolled over and planted his powerful hands on the ground. His thick arms bulged and expanded with vigorous strength as he shoved hard at the earth, angling himself as he launched a kick up at the neck of a diving zombie.
A sharp snap and choking groan muffled into the surroundings as the undead fell to the earth with a thud, returning to its natural dead state. Tom nearly missed the serviceman’s lightning-quick actions. Before Tom could even get up to help fight, the pair of muscled arms scooped him up from the ground.
Holding the boney Tom in a princess carry, he jumped up into standing. An unseen determination lit up his eyes, glaring with a dangerous threatening aura at the oncoming undead. He closed his thick muscular arms tighter around Tom, swearing to himself that he would protect at least Tom until the end.
The zombies groaned with a renewed frenzy, finding a resisting prey agitated their predator instincts. They dashed forward, jaws wide open, ready to bite down and shred warm flesh. Tom looked up and could not recognize the resolute serviceman. He stood tall and confident with vibrant blue eyes shining sharply at the rushing wave of undead.
Sensing Tom’s awe-filled gaze, he glanced down and gave Tom a smirk. Feeling caught red-handed, Tom lowered his gaze with blushing cheeks. He wanted to smack himself for daring to think that the military man looked pretty cool at that moment.
Before Tom knew it, his entire body jerked back as the man launched off the ground to a step back. Even with Tom’s body weight, which didn’t amount to much as he was a hollowed bag of skin and bones, the serviceman nimbly dodged the leaping undead.
Tom suddenly flew forward. The man stepped to the side after the dodge, pressing forward with a mighty kick off the ground. A low kick to the back of the zombie’s knee sent it tumbling to the earth. The military man wasted no time and twirled, spinning Tom in a half circle and stomping down at the crunching rotting neck below his military boots.
Tom’s world was running circles around him, but his mouth dropped, seeing the man kill two zombies in a blink of an eye while still holding onto him. But Tom knew the man’s streak would not last long.
“Drop me down! I’ll help you fight!” Tom shouted, eyeing the swarm that encircled them.
The man did not reply. He looked at Tom and his already grievously battered state, shaking his head. Tom clenched the collar of the man's uniform tightly, trying to pull him lower in a show of strength. But his threat failed. The man smirked, shaking his face that said to Tom to leave it to him.
Tom hated feeling like he was useless, and his past harassers constantly reminded him. But he never fully gave in. Whether he knew it or not, Tom struggled, always trying to find a way in whatever predicament he was caught in.
But a strange feeling welled up from inside him. It did not feel bad having someone protecting him. His heart skipped a beat, moved by the valiant display on his behalf. No one ever did anything for him. They only took everything he had, but now someone gave him something with nothing to gain in return. The serviceman would die saving Tom, but Tom did not believe he was worth it. Even though he just met this person, for this person, Tom was willing to sacrifice his everything.
“Please! Stop! You can still make it! You’re strong. I just saw it. Let me distract them so you can run away! Save yourself!”
A never seen anger burst from the man. He lifted Tom up with a yank. Tom winced, grunting in pain. Opening his eyes, Tom came face to face with the solemn serviceman who was about to explode. Tom’s torso ached from the tightly wrapped muscular arms around him. He was so close to the handsome face he momentarily forgot to breathe.
“I dare you to say that again. See what happens. Me, run away? And leave you behind!? Never! I will never leave you! Brand this forever into your mind! I will not leave you! Not until I die!”
Tom gulped, afraid of the threat but desperately wanting to believe every word the man just said. He gasped, coming back from his flustered senses. Another zombie collapsed to the floor with its neck snapped by a jump kick. Tom could not help but awe again at the serviceman’s fighting prowl. But reality hit him. The man could survive if he wasn’t holding him back.
“No. Thank you. You don’t know how much your words mean to me. But live. Survive. Let me down. I know what I need to do.”
“Dammit, idiot! I warned you!”
Tom’s eyes stretched wide. Soft lips pressed against his. Time froze. He looked into the man’s eyes and saw a dangerous fiery passion ignite within. Long fingers slipped up the back of his neck and through his hair; every feel, searing hot to the touch. Tom gripped the man’s still tear-drenched shirt, melting into his lips.
It was not enough. The service man wanted more of Tom. His large hand wrapped around the back of Tom’s head, grabbing Tom by his hair, and pulling him closer as a warm tongue penetrated his mouth. Panting hot breaths ensued, and the man devoured Tom.
But an abrupt sharp pain ended the steamy kiss. Countless rotting mouths bit down and both Tom and the man. They let out an agonizing scream as flesh ripped from their arms and sides. With mouthfuls of meat, the undead gave a moment's break as they swallowed down the flesh. Taking advantage of the split second, the military man jumped back, but only into more zombies. It was the end. There was nowhere else to go.
The serviceman fought as best he could, never letting go of Tom. But there were just too many. With no room to move for a kick, he no longer cared about himself. He carried Tom in one arm, using his free hand and forehead to smash away any zombies that dared to attack Tom. Tom tried to punch away the others attacking the man, but they were now pinned by the many jaws biting down on their bodies and were unable to move.
Frenzied moans and groans overtook their screams and shouts, but the serviceman gave one last sentence to Tom. Their eyes connected, and he said it slowly so Tom could read his lips.
“I am sorry. Seems like this is as far as we go. Meet me again in the next life? I promise I will better protect you.”
Tears streamed down Tom’s face. No one cared about him like this before, and now with his life energy escaping him, he found someone who would. He cursed the world for his cruel fate.
“Damn murdering zombies! Damn shitty world! Damn sexy military guy! I don’t even know your freaking name! GODDAM GOLDEN ARROW! Do something! Anything! I don’t want it to end like this!”
