stone cold |twd|

chapter 03

VIVIAN DAVIS SAT ON THE HOOD OF HER BEST FRIEND'S CAR, HER GOD-BABY SLEEPING IN HER ARM'S.

The traffic was at a stand still on the highway. Everyone had turned their car's off to conserve gas. Most people were standing on the street, talking to each other and trying to figure out the situation. Some had camped out, bringing out portable heaters and camping chairs. Some people were a little too prepared, in Vivian's opinion.

"How is he?" Jillian asked, setting the diaper bag next to the brunette.

Vivian looked down at the twenty month old baby in her arms, "He's sleeping now."

"About time." Jillian sighed, stroking her baby's head, "I got him, I'll put him in his seat."

Jillian took her baby from Vivian's arms and walked around to put him in the car seat. Trevor came out from the woods, "No one knows what the hold up is."

"I'm sure by morning we'll have answers." Jillian stated, standing up fully after putting her baby in his car seat.

Vivian reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She had been trying to call her family, her siblings, but no one picked up.

Trevor looked over at the brunette, "How are you holding up?"

"Phones are down." Viv sighed, closing her phone and putting it back into her pocket, "Looks like I won't be getting back to Chicago any time soon."

"I'm sure your family is fine." Jillian squeezed Viv's knee, "Besides, this can't be much worse than Chicago."

Vivian smiled and knocked her shoulder into her best friend's, "Chicago's worse. Which is why I'm so worried. I haven't been away for this long since I went to college."

It had been hours since the announcement for everyone to make their way to Atlanta. It was the safe zone. So naturally, everyone began to pack and drive.

Vivian was only visiting. It was only supposed to be for a few weeks.

But then they started cancelling flights. Airports were shut down, along with bus stations. Vivian had no way to get back.

So she was heading into the city with her best friend and her family when she should be trying harder to get back.

The sounds of helicopters reached her ears and the brunette glanced up, watching the military aircraft go by. The baby began to cry and Jillian sighed, "Damn helicopters." She mumbled before going back to comfort her child,

"Fucking babies." A man in the yellow car in front of them scoffed, "Gonna bring more freaks down on us."

"No, that's gonna be your smell, big man." Vivian scowled at him as she slipped off the hood of the car, "Can't believe men like that have wives and children." She said to her friend, sending the man a dirty look,

"I'm hungry." A young boy said as he played checkers with another girl,

"I know, Carl. We all are." His mother said from the jeep next to Trevor's car.

The woman from the yellow Cherokee spoke up, "Why don't I get him something to eat? Ed's into all this survival stuff. We've got enough MREs to feed a small army."

Carl's mother nodded, "I'd sure appreciate it."

Vivian watched as the woman went into the car and her disgusting husband followed. They kept their voices low, but she knew they were arguing about giving the kid food.

The brunette rolled her eyes and reached into her bag, where she grabbed a bunch of snacks from their last stop to get gas. Gripping the two Big Kat bars and a bottle of water in her hands, Vivian went over to the kids and handed them the candy, "Here."

They both looked up at her with big eyes and smiled as they took the candy, "Thank you!"

Vivian nodded before heading back to her friend's car and the boy's mother came up to her, "Thank you for that."

She shrugged, "Don't want them getting cranky now."

"I'm Lori." The woman introduced,

"Vivian." She replied, 

Lori opened her mouth to speak some more but the man who she was with, her husband maybe?, slammed his hand on his steering wheel as he played with the radio frequencies.

She turned and walked back towards him and Vivian turned to her friends, "Maybe I should scout ahead? See if anyone knows anything."

Trevor nodded, "I'll come with." He turned to his wife, kissing her forehead, "We'll be back."

"Stay safe."

The duo walked down the asphalt, passing by more people and cars. More helicopters flew above them and Vivian dashed off the highway and into the woods, following the direction of the aircrafts, Trevor following her,

Turns out, many people had the same idea. Dozens of people gathered on the hillside, only to watch as bombs were dropped on the city of Atlanta.

"Oh, my god." Vivian whispered, her mouth open in horror, "What are we supposed to do now?"

"Survive." Trevor answered, watching the city go up in flames, "That's all we can do."

Vivian could only pray that Chicago didn't succumb to the same fate.