SurvivorZ

21

DANIELLE

Danielle parked the car behind the ambulance already sitting in their driveway and turned off the motor. She slumped against the wheel, exhausted and relieved by their safe arrival. As badly as she had been on her parents' case about wanting to drive, she'd be happy never to get behind the wheel again, now that the dead roamed the streets.

She looked over at Emily. The girl continued to stare vacantly out the window. She didn't even react to the comforting sight of home.

"It's quiet here," Judith remarked from the back seat. She scrutinized the surrounding neighborhood, searching for movement. With the exception of a few of their neighbors hurriedly packing their belongings into their vehicles, the street appeared normal. The shambling horrors clogging the roads through Amherst were behind them, for now at least.

A door slammed. Danielle spotted her mother standing on the front step, looking anxious and haggard despite her fresh change of clothes.

"Mom!" She threw open her door and raced into Maureen's arms. Her mother squeezed her tight. Maureen's body sagged in Danielle's arms, releasing the tension in her muscles that was keeping her on her feet this whole time.

"Thank God," she whined. "My babies. Thank God you're all right. I was so worried."

"We're okay, mom. We made it."

Maureen looked over her daughter's shoulder at the two strangers standing by the back of the car. "Who are they?"

"The woman's Judith. She's a teacher. The boy's name is Lee. Dad rescued him from a crashed bus."

Maureen's gaze went to the tiny figure sitting like a statue in the front seat. "Your father?" she asked.

Danielle said nothing. Maureen stared at her. Her face dropped as the girl slowly shook her head. "Oh... Oh, Bob..."

"He saved Emily," Danielle said. "We found her outside the school. I think she's in shock or something."

Maureen let out a pained choke and clapped her hand over her mouth. Danielle squeezed her other hand. She could see how badly her mother struggled to hold back her grief. She felt the same way. Swelling oceans of tears also formed behind her eyes. In time, the dam would break and she would collapse to her knees and bawl her head off... but not yet. For now, they needed to remain strong. Surviving this horrifying new world demanded it.

"Help me get your sister inside," Maureen said, her voice hoarse. She started for the car, addressing the others on the way. "Welcome. I'm Maureen Sommers. Please, come in."

Judith and Lee wandered towards the house, looking disoriented. As they passed by, Danielle gave the boy an encouraging nod and a smile. "It'll be all right," she assured him. "You're safe now."

Judith snickered at the sentiment. Danielle frowned. As someone who worked around children all day, she figured the woman should be more understanding of the importance of nourishing hope, no matter how tenuous it might be.

Maureen opened the passenger door. Emily remained in her seat, staring out the windshield with no apparent inkling that the ride had ended.

"Emily? Sweetheart?" Maureen caressed her cheek and turned her face towards her. The vacant stare she gave her mother caused Maureen's chest to hitch. "It's over, sweetie. You're home. It's all over now."

"Is she... going to be all right?" Danielle asked.

"What happened to her?"

Danielle shrugged. "She was like this when we found her."

Maureen checked her over. "Was she bit?"

"No," Danielle said. "I mean, I don't think so. I didn't have time to check. What's wrong with her?"