Echo

Where Have All The People Gone?

"Everyone stay inside. The miltary are failing to keep the infected from crossing the border. Its spreading into America and this is now a world wide emergency. If you see someone acting rash or aggressive, please dont make contact-"

The Tv was abruptly shut off by my dad. Probably as an attempt to keep me from worrying. But, how could I possibly not worry?

"You dont need to hear all that, im sure they will get this thing under control," he says in a peaceful tone. He takes a seat beside me on the couch.

"Why are you trying to stay so calm? The world is falling apart dad," I take a deep breathe fiddling with my fingers, a common habit of mine. "We need to be worried. Alan is out there."

"Im sure your brother is fine, worrying wont keep us sane," he says more to himself.

"He was supposed to come home this week and we haven't heard from him." I let myself fall to the side. I cuddle my arms to my chest and sink into the christmas themed pillows we still havnt put away.  My legs still dangle off the couch limply.

When my dad didn't respond, I started to feel bad. I projected my anxiety on him when he's trying to keep it together for me. I need to keep it together for him.

"Im sorry, you're right. Im sure everything's going to work out." I nod, trying to reassure myself that what I was saying, was true.

"That's the spirit." he smiles and his dark grey blue eyes squint in unison. He then gets up to do the dishes since we had just eaten.

I sit up to turn on the tv and skip through the channels. I want to watch friends with dad like I usually do. But everything was news and warnings so I shut it back off with a heart fluttering sigh.

"Maybe we could look at what DVDs we have," he suggests, drying his hands on a blue kitchen towel.

I get up and we both go to the oak shelf beside the tv. After a few minutes of finding a movie worth watching, we settled on John wick. The first one. One of our favorite movies.

Soon the movie started to play and I was already dozing out. Stress is tiresome.

My eyes had just closed when an overbearing crash wakes me like a million cups of coffee would. A blood curdling scream forces adrenaline through my veins.

"Dad?" I ask in a shutter of emotions.

"Stay here." He makes his way to the front door and slowly opens it. I hold my breath. He peaks too the left, then the right. He hurriedly shuts and locks the door. "It's here. Pack your stuff, pack light."

I nod trying to keep my composure and run to my room. I grab my hiking backpack and throw an extra outfit, two blankets, and my favorite picture in it. A family photo of my dad, mom, brother, and I. The last time the all of us went camping together.

I change into some black baggie jeans with a leather belt, a grey tank top, and some combat boots. I grab my favorite led zeppelin zip up jacket that was once my brothers and throw it on.

I carefully grab my mom's cross necklace out of my jewelry box and put it around my neck. A delicate silver cross with sapphire in the middle.

All the adrenaline is making me feel like I need to run or shake it out because it's so stiffening. I usually run everyday but because of what's been happening, i've been isolating myself in our 3 bed one bath apartment.

When I walk back out to the living room to tell dad I was ready, he's in the kitchen putting water and food in a bag. I also notice the first aid kit we usually take hiking but never had to use laid out on the counter. I set my bag by him just in case he needs to put stuff in my bag too.