The Beginning of the End

4) Car Ride

My mom is frantically driving through the streets while Nate and I look at the scenery.
It was calm enough until I saw an ambulance and a police car with a bloody body on the ground.
Luckily, Nate was too busy with his set of cards to even bother to look up.

I can tell Mom is getting frustrated with the traffic.
Looking around, I unbuckle my seatbelt and climb to the front seat.
"Mom...whats happening?"
"Can't talk right now sweetie, just wait."
"But Mom-"
"Go back with your brother, you're distracting me and I need you to watch him."
Back on bro duty aren't I.
I'm practically not a kid anymore, I should know what's going on. It's not fair.
Sitting back down in my seat, right before I can reapply my seat belt, Mom makes a sharp turn and I go flying to the other side of Nate.
Mom stops the car.
"Mom, what happened?!" It was my last straw. I needed to know what was going on.

Silence.

Then, Mom pulls over to a small curb and turns to face Nate and I.
Nate doesn't care, while I sit up straight waiting for a response.
"Ok, listen. I'm going to need you to be very calm when I tell you this."
I readjust myself as a sign for Mom to continue.
"So you know how Dad's been away at the base camp for a while, well today he called,"
HE CALLED.
"Wait what?! He called?! Why didn't you tell me?!"
Mom gives me a stern look and a shush for me to shut up and listen.
"He called, telling me about the news. You know what the news have been saying right? Virus?"
I nod as I am aware of the freaky virus. Nate looks up.
"Well it turns out, the virus has grown out of the governments control. Your Dad told me that they're shutting down because the base was overrun."
"Overrun by what?" I ask.
"Something alive...but dead. Anyway Dad told me go somewhere safe just in case the virus continues spreading and they can't stop it. He gave me discrete directions and told me to go as far away from the city as possible. So we're going to one of the camps near the countryside. Remember? The one where you met Adam, Dads training partner? Well Dad said he'll try to meet up with us at the destination...then he cut off."
I can't breath, I get a headache. All this information is too much. I read a few books about it, but I never thought it would become reality. The so-called "zombie apocalypse " might be happening. I'm not ready.
Before I could finish my thought, a high pitched scream interrupts me.
It's coming from Ms. Palmers house.

Out of the corner of my eye, I witnessed the most horrid sight, something I didn't think I would ever have to see.
There on the ground, was Ms. Palmer surrounded by a pool of blood.
On top of her, was a man about my height gnawing at her body. Guts everywhere. It was a gruesome sight, and as soon as the man looked up and pointed his interest to us, Nate starts crying.
Mom steps on the gas as more of those "things" start making there way to us.
Trying to calm Nate down and holding my vomit in, I start processing my thoughts.
Are we gonna die? What if we don't make it? What about Dad, is he gonna be okay? What about Susan, Brenda, Catherine or Melissa? They probably have no idea what's going on! How am I going to do this.
Mom's driving even more recklessly than before. Which is adding more stress to my body.
I look down at a sleeping Nate on my lap. "What am I gonna do," I sigh. "Oh wait." I remember. My 'Bow and Arrow 3000 + night vision installed'. I haven't used it yet, but maybe it'll come to use.
Sadly, my stomach starts turning and twisting at the thought of killing one of them. Ugh.
Don't you have to get the brain?
Whatever, I can't start thinking about this now, it's still a long way until county side camp.

* * *

I probably drifted off to sleep because I don't remember arriving at Virginia. I must've missed the chaos back at the start.
Nate's awake, Mom's barely awake, and I'm wide awake.
I can't stop thinking of Ms Palmer. The horror of the scene was just unbearable.
She was a quiet neighbor for one. She liked to get up early, and do her morning chores. I remember one time I was selling Girl Scout cookies and she bought almost half in stock. She said that helping others was what was gonna make our world flourish and strive. It was gonna bring peace.
Poor Ms. Palmer.
"Lauren, will you check the back for water please?" Mom croaked.
Luckily the water isn't far so I twist and grab it with ease.
Then I see it. My bow and arrow.
I put the water aside and I stretch to reach what could be my savior later on.
Giving the water to Mom, I gaze at my new prized possession.
So majestic.
"Mom, where are we?" I don't want to sound like those kids that say 'are we there yet' so I say something simple and mature like.
"Honey, I don't know. Hopefully we are close, we just have to get off this interstate." Mom look incredibly tired and impatient from where I'm at.
Looking out my window, I see traffic. On Nate's side, I see traffic.
What a nice view.
It turns out everyone's trying to go as far south as possible.

BOOOOOOOOM
SCREEEEEEEEEECHT
"AHHHHHHH"

A loud bomb sound comes from behind us. Cars start honking and crashing into each other.

"Mom?" I turn to Mom for a plan, but she's not there. Her door is open so she probably went outside.
"Nate where did Mom go?"
Nate didn't get a chance to say anything because the trunk suddenly flung open.
Mom.
"Mom what are you doing?"
"Lauren, Nate, come...there's been a change of plans."
Before I could take action, Nate climbs over and gets out of the car.
Wow, stubborn boy got his medicine.
Getting out of the car with my bow and arrow, the air was filled with helicopter sounds and oil stench. People were running everywhere. Bombs kept lighting and you could hear the faint sounds of guns firing around.
"Lauren, get over here." I quickly follow Moms voice to the trunk.
She was giving Nate his backpack and showing him the ways of how to defend yourself with a kitchen knife.
Mom turns to me and tells me to grab as much as I can carry without falling behind, before she gives more supplies to Nate who said wanted to be 'strong' for us.

BOOOOOOOM
"AHHHHHHHHHH"

There goes another life.
•••

A/N: OK YES I MADE THIS CHAPTER BETTER THAN THE LAST ONE YAY...
anyways, feel free to leave comments and I know I have some grammatical errors and such so yea
Next chapter coming soon!

~Italy