ZOMB-POCALYPSE

Chapter One

Chapter One

I hum to myself as I walk out the front door wearing my cheerleader outfit. It's a nice feeling to know that my parents trust me enough to leave me home alone for the weekend while they go to New York City. True, Mrs. Newman from next door is keeping an eye on me, but a girl can dream about true independence, can't she?

My phone rings right on cue. "Hey Mom," I say without looking at the caller ID.

"Hey Hun, how's it going?" Mom asks, and I can hear the anxiety in her voice. It was Dad's idea to let me stay home on my own; I know my Mom thinks sixteen is too young, but I'm practically seventeen.

"It's going great. I'm just on my way to cheer practice." My feet echo on the concrete as I walk along.

"I'm glad that you're so organized," Mom laughs into the phone. "You're doing better than your Dad. He forgot his razor and tie at home, and I had to run out to the store extra early this morning before his meeting."

I laugh. My Dad isn't usually so forgetful, but this big business opportunity at his firm has given him a bad case of nerves.

"I swear, he'd forget his head if it wasn't attached to his body," Mom grumbles, but it's good natured. I know she doesn't actually mind. "...so you are getting a ride home with Abby tonight?" My Mom changes the subject fast enough to make my head spin.

"Yep, she'll be getting done soccer at the same time I'm getting out of cheer practice." I hold the phone with my shoulder for a minute as I grope around in my bag to make sure I have my water bottle. I feel its shape in the bag and grab the phone again with my hand.

"Good, I don't like you walking home after dark," Mom says, and I sigh.

"I know," I mutter. "But Blairsville is pretty small town, nothing exciting or bad ever happens here," I remind her.

Now it's Mom's turn to sigh over the phone, "I know Hun. That was the only reason your Dad managed to convince me to let you stay home alone."

"Mrs. Newman is checking in on me," I remind her. Though, now that I think about it, I haven't seen the old woman since my parents left.

"I'm glad she's still managing to look in on you, she called me yesterday and said she was coming down with something. She sounded terrible on the phone—I'm glad it wasn't serious."

I make a non-committal sound in the back of my throat. "Have you been taking in the sights?" I ask to distract her.

"Yes, Dad and I went to Central Park and the Statue of Liberty yesterday. I've just been hanging around the hotel room so far today. I have an appointment at the spa later though."

"That sounds great, Mom. I'm at the school now, can I call you later?" I ask, cutting her off a bit as I walk up the steps of the school.

"Sure, Jane, that sounds good. I love you."

"I love you too," I say as I hang up. I walk into the gym, and my steps pause. There are only six girls waiting on the mats instead of the usual twenty.

"Everyone late?" I ask as I throw down my gym bag and take off my hoodie.

Mrs. Rice, our coach, motions me over to the mat with the other girls.

"Lots of the girls are out sick. Some called in, some didn't call, but there's apparently a bad bug going around. It sprung up quick, and it's been hitting a lot of people."

I shudder thinking about the flu. Regionals are coming up, and we can't afford to have more than half our team sick right now.

"We'll do what we can today. But, without the base of our pyramid, we are pretty limited," Mrs. Rice says.