Gone

Chapter 10

We drive for a while.

"What's your name?" He asks me.

"Teressa."

"I'm Kal."

"How far is it?"

"Not too much farther, be patient."

I roll my eyes. I don't know why but I just feel weird about him. Do I like him?

"What's that cut mark you got on the right side of your cheek? I saw it when we were talking outside the store."

"Oh, uhh it's just from glass."

"Oh. Ouch."

"Yeah. The stitches are annoying me."

"I bet. I had stitches as a kid in my knee and it bothered me so much I yanked one out."

"Jeez."

"Yeah. Wasn't gonna wait any longer to get them out."

"And you tell me to be patient."

We laugh. I blush.

I start to fall asleep and close my eyes. It's getting close to dark. I hear a noise. Growling. I look up and out the window as Kal drives slowly down the street. I see a runner. It's walking. I look closely at it. She's familiar, and I suddenly recognize her.

My sister. My little sister. She died. Now she turned. Into a beast. A beast that has now taken control of her dead body.

"Stop the car." I say, sadness in my voice.

"What?"

"Stop the car!" My voice shakes and cracks. Embarrassed by it.

I stare at her. She doesn't see me. She's wearing the same clothes. Blood stains all over. The bite on her shoulder still hangs loose, guts showing. I start to cry quietly to myself. I think he can tell. But I don't care right now.

"Who is it? Did you know them?" He asks calmly.

"She was my sister. My little sister."

I cry louder. But I don't scream. I can't breathe. I feel something. I feel his hand touch my left hand on my lap. I look at his hand in mine. He raps his hand tightly around mine. I stare at it. He stares at me. I look at him.

"Sorry." He says, blushing. And moves his hand away.

I feel more sad and more uncomfortable when his hand leaves mine.

"No. Leave it there." I say.

He puts it back. I feel warm. His hand against mine, tightly grabbing it. I'm more comfortable when he touches me.

"Do you want me to put her out of her misery?" He asks in a soothing tone.

"She's already dead. It doesn't matter now."

"Alright."

We drive away.

We sleep in the car for the night. I fall asleep right away. A loud noise interrupts me and wakes me up. The sound of a gun shot. I look at the driver's seat. Kal isn't there. Where is he? What's going on? I get out of the car and shut the door carefully so it doesn't make a noise. I see him. He's looking down at something and puts his gun in his back pocket.

I walk up to him. He picks up something and holds it in his arms. A body. Who's body is that? I walk closer. He sees me. He turns around and I can see his face and the body's face. My sister.

"I wasn't gonna leave her like that. I can't. If she was important to you, you should burry her." He says.

I nod. I understand. He's right.

He digs up a pit in the grass. I wish I could of buried her at my house like Max, but we are too far away from my house right now. Her body is on the grass. Laying there. Dead. Gone.

I stare at her. Don't cry. Don't cry. Not now. You can later.

He picks her up and places her body in the pit carefully and gently. He's so kind. He digs the pit back up.

"There. I'll let you say your goodbyes. I'm gonna get some sleep." He puts the shovel in his trunk and gets back in the car.

I look at the pit. Now you can cry.

I start to cry slowly. One tear drop falling down my cheek at a time.

I didn't know she was gonna go like this. I walk up and kneel down.

"I'm sorry you had to go like that. I'm sorry." I start to cry even more.

"I imagined you and me going shopping for your prom, your graduation from eighth grade, me testing your boyfriend, helping you drive. But the world is crap now. Shit. Just complete shit. A big pile of shit that we stepped in. I'm not gonna let this stop me. I will always remember you. And I will find mom and dad. And I will survive." I say.