UNDER EDITING 𝐺𝑅𝐴𝑉𝐸 𝐷𝐴𝑁𝐺𝐸𝑅 | 𝐴𝑃𝑂𝐶𝐴𝐿𝑌𝑃𝑆𝐸 ✔︎

The Breakout

(Alexia's Pov)

My breath is heavy.

I feel like I've been running forever.

How long have I been running?

Nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide.

I think back to the day it all began.

~Flashback~

May 24th, 2025,
California
I sit in my room, bored, and doing the last of my homework.

Thank goodness my freshman year of college is almost over. If I have to pull one more all nighter I might just—

"Honey, come down for dinner! And that homework better be done!"

I walk out of my small room and down the stairs into my dining room.

My mother had bought pizza.

She never buys pizza.

"What's with the pizza?" I ask questioning her.

"Can't I just buy pizza for my family?" My mother says as my brother, Noah, fills his plate.

"It's just, you usually don't buy pizza unless you have really good news or.. really bad news. And you don't exactly look cheery right now." I state back, in a monotone voice.

"Well.. I do have news to share. After we eat I will tell you both." She says as she glances between my brother and I. "Now eat up, Alexia."

I grab for a cheese pizza and stuff my face with worry. I really hope this news is good.

After stress eating, I grab a water bottle from the fridge and sit back down next to my brother. We wait for my mother to share her news.

I take a sip from my water.

"Okay. You know how we've always been a bit low on money? Well, at least ever since your father pas-"

Her breath hitches.

"-Anyways.. I have found a job. A new one-"

This must be good news. A new job that would get us more money-

"-that requires us to move.. pretty far from here."

So this was bad news. And good news in a way. Of course I know that money is a necessity for a family. But how far would we have to move? All of our family is here! All of my friends are here!

"I've already bought a house in the Chicago suburbs. We will probably leave in about a week."

I'm in the middle of college, why do we have to leave right before my sophomore year? I can't just commute! And I don't have the money to not live at home right now.

"Are you being serious?" I say in remark. "I-"

"I know you're still in college. I wish this was all easier, but you know we can't afford to live here anymore." My mother said sternly yet calm. "You may just have to transfer to a school closer to where we're moving, or start making more money to rent an apartment."

I try to convince her.

"Uh.. how about if I get a better paying job and help pay to live here! Y'know, the power and water bills? Yeah, let's do that! I don't think my job at McDonald's would do a lot but maybe if I was hired at-"

"Lexi, end of discussion." She interrupts me. That made me mad. How could she not at least try other options?!

"Mom! Moving isn't the only option! Maybe even Noah could get a job! He's fifteen, I think he could at least get a part time job!" I raise my voice a bit.

"Alexia that's enough! Go to your room. I have enough stress with this moving situation, I don't need you on my back about it too!"

I haven't seen my mother shout in a while.

I see Noah creep to his room and close the door. Honestly, that's what I should've done but instead I yelled.

"You don't think this is stressful for me as well? I'm graduating soon and I have to leave all of my friends! That's not fair!"

I storm away from my mom before she can say a word.

Before I slam my door, I look back at my mother and say something I shouldn't have.

"I hate you!"

I slam my door and pass out on my bed.

A deep sleep consumed me until I heard what sounded like a tornado siren.

I look up from my bed and it is suddenly light outside.

I don't remember falling asleep..

I look out my window to see people in our neighborhood loading up their cars fast.

What were they doing?

The alarm seemed to be getting louder and louder.

I open my door to see my mom putting things into duffle bags.

"..Uhm, what's going on?" I ask calmly.

"Did Noah not wake you up?! Grab all your stuff now we have to leave!"

What is she talking about? Are we moving already?

No that can't be it because the whole neighborhood is fleeing.

"Okay, fine. But tell me what's going on!" I say.

"There's been a weird infection spreading-"

"Mom, I already know. There have been reports of that for two weeks now. Didn't the lady on the news just say that it was a severe flu?" I state back.

"No. Late last night there were emergency amber alerts about the infected people. They were doing horrible things." She says back as she rushes to the pantry to grab canned food.

"What? Like not quarantining? Can't they be forced to for the safety of oth-"

"LEXI LISTEN! THEY WERE DOING HORRIFIC THINGS." My eyes widen in curiosity. "THEY WERE.. EATING PEOPLE."

I stood taken aback. What did she just say?

"I know. Now get your stuff and get into the car. There's an evacuation point where the authorities are directing us to go."

My face turns really pale and suddenly my freckles aren't visible anymore.

I snap out of it a good five seconds later, though, and rush to get my things.

What is the world coming to?

A/N- I've been a bit obsessed with dystopian/apocalyptic books and movies so I really wanted to try this! Keep posted for updates!