without you

How it all happened

how I got here isn't all that crazy. I was sitting in a biology lecture like I do every Thursday at 3, anxiously bouncing my leg when we all got what we thought was an amber alert. 

"This is a message from the World Health Organization. A virus is spreading fast through the continents of Asia and Europe. Please exercise social distancing."

"great", we all thought. "another pandemic". I started thinking about the covid pandemic and how crazy we all felt. should I go stock up on toilet paper? I really don't want to wear masks again either. just as I hang my head in defeat another alert comes through.

"Citizens of the USA now showing virus symptoms. Please exercise extreme caution when outside of your home."

jeez; I mean I remember covid before. I was a senior in high school when they sent us home half way through a school day. back then I was just happy I didn't have to go to school for a while and I could sit around all day playing video games and watching anime with those shitty red LED lights in my room. I remember zoom classes and whipped coffee. fuck, those were the days. 

"Class will be over now. Im sure you all saw the notification. You're free to go" my professor says.

thank god. I was gonna stop and grab some in and out on my walk home when I heard a loud boom. uh oh. I turn to see the city in flames. how the fuck did I just now realize this what the fuck. 

I duck into a building nearby. the store I walked into locks their front door behind me. myself and all the customers press against the warm glass doors peeking at the chaos unfolding outside. it's like a fucking movie. people running through the streets, cars crashing, gray smoke filling the air, and literal zombies eating people. I turn on my heel to take a step back from the chaos. when I turn I realize exactly where I am; a goddamn Dicks. yup the sporting goods store. I look around to see myself in a "blonde girl sitting on the couch surrounded by buff black guys" moment. without a doubt I am the only girl in here.

nope. nope. nope. I know exactly how this shit goes. I might be in even more danger here than outside right now. im really hoping they didn't notice me and I slip into the back of the store when I see overstock pocket knives. I must have one hell of guardian angel. I grab a blade and some extra supplies and slip out the employee door in the back. 

I crack the door open to see if the coast is clear. the door is made of metal and heavy. I open it just enough to fit myself through and soften the doors latch with my knee. I start my trek in a back alley behind a strip mall. I don't have or even need anytime to process this. I've imagined this exact situation at least 100 times and im so locked in right now.

*its been about 4 hours since the start and its dark out*

as I walk down the alleyway I hear the creak of an opening door. I rush behind a trash can poorly attempting to conceal myself. it was the trash can or I jump a fence. Im 5'0 tall and I've literally never played a sport in my life so the fence was out of the question to say the least. I tuck my head as I hear footsteps walking towards me. the footsteps halt and my sixth sense tells me whoever that was, is definitely looking at me but im too damn scared to pick up my head omfg. 

"Hi?" I hear a mans voice. I slowly lift my head to see a man dressed in tactical gear. I can see his blonde hair peek out from behind his mask and I can see his deep set eyes shamelessly looking me up and down. "Who are you?"