Wicked Game

Annie had never thought about the end of the world before this moment.

She was sat on her sofa in her small apartment in Atlanta, resting her elbows on her knees and staring at the dull red light emitting from the screen on her TV highlighting her face. She watched as the screen glowed red and a public service announcement in the shape of a loud, emotionless electronic voice echoed through the room.

"This is a public service announcement, the United States is now under a lockdown."

Annie felt her heart drop. Lockdown? Had things spiralled that quickly?

"Communications have been severely disrupted, and the number of casualties and the extent of the damage are not yet known. By leaving your homes you could be exposing yourselves to the infection and placing yourself in greater danger. If you leave, you may find yourself without food, without water, without accommodation and without protection. The United States government urges you to stay inside. This infection is spreading rapidly and without discrimination. You cannot see it or feel it, but it is there. If you go outside, you will bring danger to your family and you may die. Stay ins-"

The voice was cut off as the TV went black.

"Shit." Annie thought.

The power had gone. Annie thoughts were racing as she stood up and looked around her apartment blankly as if expecting someone to come in and tell her what she was suppose to do next. She heard loud movement upstairs as if someone was moving around heavy boxes. She walked over to her apartment door and opened it, some of her neighbours rushed passed with hastily packed bags and crying children in tow.

"Martha, hey!" Annie called as her neighbour raced passed on the landing.

The woman turned around, tears in her eyes and a scarf wrapped around her face, covering her mouth and nose.

"Annie, you gotta get going baby!" Martha cried "I don't care what the government says, they're gone now!" she added answering the look on Annie's face.

Annie nodded furferently and headed back into her apartment. She threw a scarf around her mouth and nose like Martha had and started collecting things for the road. Tins of food, bottled water, clothes, wash kit, a medical bag her dad had given her... Shit.. her dad!

She ran over to her phone which was sat on the arm of the sofa. Her dad had been hospitalised almost a week ago from a gunshot wound and hadn't yet woken up. She didn't know who was going to take care of him, and with him gone who was going to take care of her mother and little brother. 

She dialled her mother's number into the phone and waited in suspense for her to answer.

"Come on, pick up, pick up, pick up!" she muttered running a shaky hand through her long, dark hair her fingers getting tangled in the wavy mess.

"Annie? Is that you baby?" her mother's terrified voice answered the phone.

"Yes mom!" she cried out, so relieved to hear her mother's voice she nearly collapsed. "Mom, I don't know what to do! People are leaving the city, Martha said the government's gone! Are you and Carl OK? What about dad?"

"Honey, you gotta calm down. Shane's here with me and Carl, we're gonna leave and go further East outside of the city. We'll wait for you there baby, I promise. Just pack your bags and leave now." her mother stated, her voice shaky as she spoke.

Annie nodded even though she knew her mom couldn't see her. She heard Shane's voice in the background of the phone call.

 'Tell her to grab a weapon' he was saying. 'Anything, a gun if she has one, or a knife'