Dead within a Decade

Chapter One

"Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry" Anna mutters to herself, slowly sliding her body down the side of an abandoned brick building, trying to make her body as small as possible. "You can do this Anna, how hard can it be" She glances at her darkening surroundings and closes her eyes, resting her head in her hands. She instructs herself to breath.

In. Out. In. Out.

She repeats that for several more moments. She glances around again, spotting a few abounded cars and empty houses. No one's around. The silence is deafening, no cars rushing past, no music blaring from windows, nothing but the blood rushing through her ears. She takes a few deep breaths, preparing herself for what she has to do next. She needs to find somewhere to sleep before it gets too dark. She looks towards the houses surrounding her on the estate. She hasn't seen anyone in nearly three weeks. She'd heard alot but she's avoided every noise big or small; people muttering or shouting, alarms, cries for help, the crashing and banging from outside. Guns going off. Anna shakes her head trying to rid the thoughts from her mind. The only reason she was alive was because her neighbour and fellow student in the university halls building had died right in front of her door. That was the first thing she'd seen this morning when she finally decided to leave her musty sanctuary. Billy's dead body, his dried blood covering the hallway flooring. She hadn't realised it was him until she recognised his bright colourful tattoo sleeve on his left arm, a bright contrast against his dead, pale skin and the dark dried blood that covered everywhere else.

Not a promising start to her journey home.

Anna had been holed up in her small room for nearly three weeks, but it felt so much longer to her. The violence that had echoed from outside was enough of a deterrent for leaving her safe place. Her Dads last message to her just reinforced that.

"Stay inside Anna, ration your food, fill every, bucket, bowel and bottle with water. Just don't leave that building. No one knows what they are. Stay inside hunny, we'll work it out, your brother and I are coming up to get you" His words resonated around her skull.

She feels numb.

That was two and a half weeks ago.

Anna takes another deep breath, glancing around again. She hadn't heard from any member of her family since. She tried phoning back but there was no answer, then there was no signal. She had kept her phone on her anyway, just in case. Her dad had told her to stay put but when she started to notice smoke in the distance she realised that buildings were burning, from arsonists or accidents she didn't know. What she did know was that she had had enough of waiting around. Her small enclosed sanctuary was starting to turn into a cage. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see her mum and dad, punch her older brother. She needed to know they were ok.

In. Out. In. Out.

"Ok, step one" she mumbles, brushing the hair that had escaped from her pony tail from out of her face. "I've got to find somewhere safe to sleep"

Pushing herself up from her slumped position on the floor, she grabs her back pack that she had dropped during her freak out moment. Looking up at the variety of houses she contemplates her options. None of the houses looked like they were currently occupied. However, that's what she had hoped to portray back in her room at the university. She starts walking down the roadside, being as quite as possible. To her left was a bunch of terist houses all squashed together. To her right was a row of long thin back gardens that led to some more squashed houses.

Very claustrophobic Anna thinks.

She glances around again, checking for any signs of life. Still nothing. She carries on her walk brisk trying to be as quite as possible, looking for somewhere safe for her first night on the streets. She sighs thinking about the nights ahead that will mirror her current situation.

After several minutes of walking and each house blurring into the other, Anna stops. It was getting darker. She needs to pluck up the courage to find somewhere soon or she wont have the advantage of sunlight. Sighing, she wanders to her right and peeks over one of the fences, choosing to ignore the upfront, abandoned houses to her left. The fences all look the same but were stained different colours, each fenced garden also had a gate in the middle allowing someone to enter or exit the back garden onto the path next to the road. The garden wasn't overly big, but big enough for the small family that clearly lived in the house. Toys litter the garden and there's a sand pit closer to the house outside some patio doors. A home once full of life appears to be abandoned. Anna shivers, not wanting to find out what happened to the family. She was about to move on to the next garden when she spots a small summer house to her right. Squeezed into the corner of the garden and covered in ivy. The surrounding fences were hugging it into its cramped 90-degree corner. 

Anna ponders the idea. It would save me from trespassing into someone's house and it's a lot less personal.

Breaking into a stranger's house would make the situation a whole lot more real and she wasn't ready for that just yet. Anna reaches for the handle and lifts the old metal lever, gently pushing against the wooden gate. It squeaks as the gate's hinges rub together. A loud grunt comes from her left. Anna freezes. She strains to listen, praying it was a stray cat wandering around but she knew cats can't make sounds like that. This grunt was primal, it awoke instincts within her that weren't necessary in today's society. The hairs on the back of Anna's neck stand and she becomes hyper aware of her surroundings. She could tell it was behind the row of houses to her left. The ones she thankfully opted to ignore.

She knew that sound. She hated that sound. That sound echoed around her university halls the first week the shit hit the fan. She didn't know what happened or how it happened, but she trusted her dad and followed his advice.

Without turning around Anna slides through the crack she made when opening the gate, keeping hold of the handle. She stops and holds her breath. Gently she lets go of the gate, hoping it won't make a sound. She stares at the wooden frame attempting to predict whether it was going to give her away to the odd creature somewhere behind her. She breaths a silent sigh of relief when nothing happens, the gate remains where it was.

Anna creeps silently towards the summer house. She stops by the door and waits. Straining her senses for any signs or sounds that the creature was still nearby. Knowing that she can't wait around all night she nudges the door. Staring at the garden gate as the summerhouse door creaks open Anna holds her breath. Nothing happens.

Slowly releasing her breath, Anna steps into the small wooden structure. She edges around the door and slowly closed it. Without stepping any further Anna slowly sinks to the floor. Ignoring the cold damp that seeps into her clothes she leans back against the door, forcing herself to listen again. The silence lengthens and when she doesn't hear the garden gate squeak again she makes herself relax and look around. There wasn't much in here, some more toys and some cushions for outside garden furniture that she hadn't seen outside. Anna ignores those though, even though they would provide comfort Anna didn't want to risk making sounds when moving again.

She hugs herself, attempting to ward the evening chill from her body. She didn't know what time it was and she didn't have a watch. Not that time mattered anymore.  It was slowly getting darker and she needed to rest up for tomorrow. No way was she wandering about in the dark with those things out there. Not that she will be able to sleep, she was still so wired up with the adrenaline pumping around her body.