Survival By Night

Chapter 2

I should have pissed before I left. Everyone should use the bathroom before they leave, apocalypse or not, just something to trust me on.
     After changing my pants and using some precious water to soak my accident, I am on my way again. Can it get any worse? Yes. Will it get worse? Of course. Nothing ever gets much better after you piss yourself in public because a branch scrapes along a fence. Well, maybe if you see someone else do it, that might make things a little better for you. Luckily no one was actually around to see my moment of glory.
     It's pretty desolate out here. The usual sounds of the morning, people starting their day, cars and trucks going here and there, planes overhead, are long gone. Now just the occasional bird or small animal trying to find a safe place are the mornings new normal. Why couldn't I have just waited till tonight to start my journey? Cause I'm an idiot I guess. At least I haven't seen or heard anything yet. Not that it's likely to happen. It's been quiet for the last few weeks but who am I to complain.
     I've only got about an hour of darkness left. What am I going to do when the sun comes up? Good question. A question I should know the answer to. I should know a lot of answers. But here I am in the dark in more ways than one.
     My neighborhood is quiet. No Ms. Winters with her yippy dog. No kids running around getting into trouble. No dogs barking. Oh god, the dogs were so annoying, barking at all times day or night. I miss the dogs. What am I saying? Those dogs drove me nuts. Ok I don't miss my neighbors but well yeah the dogs. I miss them. Not today though. They would probably bark at everything or chase their tail. What am I doing? I'm not even out of my neighborhood and I think I'm losing it. Breathe, Daryn, breathe. Ok I'm good. Just a few more streets to go. Just get to the highway. That's all I need to do. Man, it is just too quiet.
     As I turn the corner I see it. It's just standing there. Maybe I can walk around. Yeah it won't notice me. There is a line of cars down the left side of the street. I can use them as cover and just creep around this clown. Yes a Clown, not an idiot standing in the middle of the road. Well ok an idiot, but an idiot dressed up as a clown. Who does that in the middle of the apocalypse?
     I just have to get behind the cars and I should be able to--No, no, no, crap he's turning around. What should I do? If I run I can probably make it around the cars and keep going until he is left far behind. Ok that's the plan. I take a step and he puts his hands to his eyes. Is that what I think it is? He's doing the fake binocular thing. He acts surprised. I take a quick look around. Is anyone else seeing this weirdo? No, the apocalypse, remember? He holds up his hand in a wait a minute signal. For a second, I'm thinking ok what is going on. Then an overpowering thought breaks through. RUN. So I do. I'm not waiting around so I take off. Before I round the corner to head for the highway I hear a clown's horn. Did I imagine that? Not stopping to find out, Don't look back. Keep looking forward. I speed up as I see the highway just ahead. Its deserted. Good thing because I didn't stop as I left the neighborhood. I turned left and just kept running. I knew there was a nice wooded area on the right. It was much farther than I thought. I should have walked this part before now. Too late.
     I reach the wooded area after about 10 minutes. I am definitely out of shape. Who knew a clown could give you a nice workout? I'll rest here and figure out which way to go. Oh who am I kidding. I just want to lay down and die. Running is not an option very often. Or, like ever again. Unless I see another clown. I don't dislike clowns. Clowns are pretty funny. Just not end of the world, standing in the middle of the street, looking crazy clowns. I guess I can laugh about it now. At least I didn't piss my pants again.
     Sitting here in the quiet is pretty unnerving. No traffic. No activity in the distance. Am I the last to leave? Well, next to the last. That clown didn't seem to be going anywhere. I close my eyes for a few seconds and then pass out.
     Something wakes me up. An odd sound. I look around though my eyes aren't fully open yet. I stop on a shape about twenty feet away. Oh no. Even as the light is fading, I can see the frilly hair, the stupid hat. It isn't moving. It's just standing in front of a tree. What do I do?! Hyperventilate I guess. Is this how I die? I've barely started my journey and already I'm going to die at the hands of an apocalypse clown. That's weird. It's head and arms are hanging down. I don't hear anything except the crunch of leaves as I take a step forward. Wait. What am I doing? Stop walking toward the creepy clown. It didn't move. I take another cautious step toward it. Still no movement. When did I get brave? I've never been brave. Is that writing on it's chest?
     Before I know it I've stepped about three feet from it. My heart is racing. I'm shaking. The clown hasn't moved. There is an arrow through it's chest with a note saying 'you're welcome'. I spin around but see nothing. No one around. I run back and grab my gear, shove it in my pack, and take off down the road. I don't look back. Never look back. Nothing ever good comes from looking back when something like this happens. One good thing is I didn't piss myself again. I'm getting better.