Aftermath

         The year, is 2058, six years after the first wave of the zombie apocalypse. It happened in three stages, all of which took fifteen years to overcome. The first wave was the shortest, lasting four years. The second wave the longest, consisting of six years, then the last five. The first six years were probably the hardest years anybody has ever experienced. More than half of earth's population was turned into flesh eating monsters, thousands, millions of people killed themselves to die their own way, not at the hands of whatever these creatures were. Nobody knew what they were in the beginning, people tried to help them, save them, bring back their souls. In the end, nothing worked except for a bullet straight to the head. People soon found that out, as their loved ones started to drop in front of their own eyes. The body count raised, survivor rate plummeted. Everyone thought the military would step in, save us, maybe even the government would do something. But it didn't take too long to figure out that they probably needed saving too. The living were going insane, some had hideouts, some were equipped, others, weren't. Thoughts of food running out ran through heads 4 years in, food was scarce to begin with, now, there was almost none, anywhere. Nobody was the same as when the outbreak first started. Everyone had seen too much, killed too much. Everyone was cold, desensitized. People were starting to be warmer now, finally starting to be warmer, after six years of the horrible creatures not coming back, people started to put trust into one another again. But it was hard to forget the Dark Times.
         We were speeding down the road, when the first outbreak started in my town. I was sixteen, sitting in the back seat with my boyfriend Chase, my mother was driving and my little sister Kate was in the passenger seat, the song playing on the radio cut off and a short news cast took its place. The outbreak has reached our little paradise. I suggest you gather your things quickly and get out of town immediately. Head for big cities, military has set up camps in big cities. I repeat big cities in surrounding areas. The song that was playing didn't turn back on. Nothing came back on, on any station.
"Mom.." The car was parked at the side of the road as others zoomed past us. "Mom, what are you doing? We have to go."
She nodded, and took a deep breath, then pulled away from the curb. "Where are your parents Chase?" Chase looked horrified, he hadn't seen his parents for the past week, they had gone to Mill Valley to see his grandparents to see how they were doing with the outbreak getting closer, and closer, see if they should pack them up, and bring them home with them. It turned out they were fine there, had a pretty secure basement, but they were going to stay there for a while more to visit. I suppose they outstayed their welcome.
"T-they're still in Mill Valley, they were coming home on Saturday.." He sounded like he was going to cry. I kissed his cheek and held him tight as we kept speeding down the road.
"Okay honey, well, you'll stay with us until we can get you to them. Sound good?" He nodded, and squeezed my hand.
"What about dad!" Kate screeched. It was the first thing she had said since the pod cast, the first time she looked truly panicked.
"He's at the hospital, he had to work sweetie, I'll call him right now." Mom whipped out her cell phone, her fingers were a blur as she dialled dad's number. "Mark..? Mark are you okay?... What! Well what are you still doing there, GET OUT. You can't help everybody and you'll get killed trying. Please baby... O-oh m-my g-god..." She clicked off her phone, and dropped it in her lap. The car sped up. Kate just kept looking at mom, Chase's protective grip on my hand never loosened. As we passed the hospital the car slowed slightly, hesitated at the driveway entrance, then sped up again once mom saw the front door entrance. People with terrible wounds came pouring out the doors, others came as well, slower though, and they looked much worse. Their skin, was peeling off, you could see from the road, and the way walked, they shuffled almost, though you could see they struggled to go faster. Even though they were slow, there were many of them, the numbers worked in their favour, they kept grabbing at people, they weren't always successful, but you could see they hurt some of the people, they grabbed at their arms and their news wounds holding them tight as they ran for safety. Some people weren't so lucky, we watched in horror as people were taken down by these things, and getting eaten alive, even from here you could see the gruesomeness. People's insides were being ripped out and eaten in front of them while they watched, limbs were ripped off, it was worse than a horror movie.
         We finally made it home, mom pulled the car up right to the front door, blocking it so nothing could get to it except us.
"Stay with Kate, go to her room and help her start gathering essentials." I pulled my mother off to the side, so Kate wouldn't here, "you aren't actually going to head to a big city are you? This is like population control.. We'll die if we go to a big city mom, there will be way too many of them." I could see this hadn't run through her head yet.
"Why would they tell us to go to a city if the city isn't safe..?"
"Because they don't know yet. Wait until everyone who head that pod cast gets there, plus everyone who already lives there, and anyone who just stumbled across it gets there. Way too many people, didn't you see at the hospital? They're slow alone, but in packs, they can take down anything. We cannot go to the city mom. Please. We' be safer here."
She nodded. "You're right. I love you honey." She pulled me in and hugged me and kissed my head.
"What happened on the phone with dad..?" I finally asked.
"Someone scratched his arm, it was bleeding, and he was helping a limping patient to the back door, then he found another wounded person and started helping them to the door as well. Apparently there was someone shuffling along behind them but he thought they could get to the door before them, the door was locked then I heard screaming. It wasn't him screaming if it makes you feel better, it does me a little, he was saying he loved you and Kate, and me. I think there's a chance he got out.."
"Oh my god.." She pulled me in again, holding me tighter, one more kiss, one more squeeze.
"Okay. We have to get ready." The released me and dashed off to her room. I sped up the stairs into my sister's room, and quickly helped finish up her packing, led Chase into my dad's closet, they were a close size and he would defiantly need to change his underwear eventually.
"I'm sorry we can't stop at your house.. I wish there was time, so you could have some of your things.." I was wasting precious time, but he looked so sad.
"I have some things in your room, a book or two, a sweater, I actually even have a picture of my parents. It's fine, go get packed." He kissed my cheek then turned to gather his clothes. I threw two long sleeved shirts, three sweaters, two t-shirts, a pair of shorts, a pair of capris, and a pair of boots into my biggest backpack. I changed into yoga pants, slipped off my sweater, pulled on my jacket, grabbed a handful of socks and underwear tossed them into the bag, then my hairbrush, hair ties, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, lots and lots of toilet paper, a light blanket all got tossed in as well. I threw my bag over the stairs into the foyer, then grabbed another bag from the closet and zoomed around the bathroom, grabbing medical supplies, all of the pills, anything in the medicine cabinet, shampoo, conditioner and threw them all in.On my way out I tossed four towels over my shoulders and ran down the stairs. Chase had put together four boxes of food and was running around grabbing things like flash lights and batteries. Kate was hidden in the curtains staring at the mess outside.
"Kate, chicky.. you shouldn't be watching this, come here."
"Bald guy from across the street is one of them. He's chasing some blonde lady down the street, she's screaming."
"Oh my god, Kate, come here!" I didn't wait for her to listen this time, I pulled her out of the curtain and hugged her tight in my chest. "I love you." I whispered. "Just, sit here, or help Chase. Don't look outside please. You'll be out there soon enough."