They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and if that's true then Aria Rhee is one of the strongest people she knows. Hell, she knows she is. She may look sweet and innocent on the outside but like her mother always told her, you can't judg...
"Aria! There you are goddammit! I've been calling you nonstop for an hour now!"
"Micheal? What are you doing here? I thought you were on a case in Kings County. Did you guys finish ever-" I finish typing the sentence I was on for my last report of the day before stopping when I look up, instantly worried when I see the frantic look on the usually calm face of my coworker and friend of over a year and a half.
"Have you been watching the news today?" I go to respond but before I can even respond, Micheal is already talking again. "Of course you haven't, you've been typing reports all day. That was a stupid question." I start to get scared watching as he packs up all of the food and water he can into his backpack.
"Micheal, you need to stop and take-" "NO! Aria you need to get the fuck up! We have to get out of here! Grab everything you can! You know that virus that's been going on? Well, it's gotten worse. People are saying the people who've died, like pulse completely stopping, dead, are coming back to life! Still, no pulse but they are getting up and attacking other people!" I start to freak out, put even more on edge with how Micheal, who normally was so well-spoken, could barely form his sentences. "Hold on, I need to call Glenn! I need to find him!" He slapped the phone from my hands. "Call him when you get to your car." I freeze when I see him grabbing a gun from the waistband of his pants, counting the bullets. "I have 5 bullets left. Let's make them count." And we start running. It's hard, but we keep hold of each other while swerving through everyone, who also are freaking out and running around, not fully sure what they should be doing at this moment.
After giving Micheal one last quick hug and promises of us calling each other when we found our loved ones and somewhere safe, I hopped into my car and immediately pulled out my cell phone. It took a few rings but soon I heard, "Hello? Aria this isn't a good time, I'm actually running late-" "Glenn shut up! I need you to listen to me! Do not, and I seriously mean, do NOT leave the apartment! Things are going downhill here. Everything's a shit show. We got to get essentials packed and get to mom and Cass! Glenn?" I frantically yell at him, swerving around people and cars in the street, picking up my speed.
"Aria are you drunk?" I rolled my eyes.
"Glenn, I'm serious. Turn on the news. And please start packing some clothes and as much food and water as you can! When I get there I'll help you bring it down. Hell, let's even grab the toilet paper!" I try to not be too distracted while still making a mental list of everything we need. "Glenn??"
"I'm here. I'm watching the news. This all sounds like a bad joke... like a horror movie." I stifled a cry as I watched a man tear out some woman's jugular as she was trying to help him. "I'll start getting things packed. Please be careful. I'll also try to call mom and Cass. Make sure they'll be safe." I nod, even though I know he can't see me.
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During the drive out of Atlanta, we had hit our first blockade. Most were empty, some still even running, while one or two had people who were slumped over, blood covering a majority of what we could see. All I could do was pray that they were dead while we emptied and repacked all of our essentials (which included anything from spare gas, toilet paper, and clothes to anything and everything we could use as a weapon. My guns, throwing knives- which Glenn made sure to say, "Never thought I'd be so grateful that my sister was a weeb", Glenn's bat he used as his defense when I was living with Markus, and some other miscellaneous items) into an admittedly newer and nicer car that was mainly chosen because it still had the keys in it since neither of us remembered how to hotwire a car. I don't think I've moved that fast since track in high school, and I know Glenn hasn't.
"Call mom and Cass. We need to warn them and make sure they're safe. I'm sure they've seen the news and are freaking out." I hand Glenn my phone, not taking my eyes off the road. Soon, we pull up to another blockade of cars, but these still with people inside or nearby. I pulled to a stop next to an RV and a jeep that looked almost exactly like mine before we had to switch into another. "And can you put it on speaker please?" Mom didn't pick up her phone and I was trying to come up with reasons, settling on maybe she wasn't near her phone because she was packing things up. More ringing came from the phone, signaling Glenn had dialed Cass's number.
"Hey, Aria..." My heart dropped. She sounded so weak. "Hey, baby girl. Glenn's here, too. Have you been watching the news?" She coughed a few times. "Are you okay?" Glenn asks before she has time to answer.
"Yeah, I'm okay... Well, honestly I feel like shit but I'll be with mom and dad soon, that's good, right? I'll see them again, won't I? I miss dad." "Cass, what are you talking about? What's going on?" Glenn started to cry and I was trying not to let my tears fall. We could hear banging through the phone.
"Mom got hurt. Mr. Sanders attacked her and she stopped breathing. Once he left I went to check on her and she started moving, but it wasn't mom guys... I tried to run, I promise I did, but she bit me. I'm in the bathroom now but I'm losing a lot of blood..." I started shaking my head as I honked the horn. "No, no you're going to be okay! We're on our way to you guys and will be there in a few hours. We won't stop until-" "Aria, I'm not going to make it... I love you guys so much. I'm so sorry."
"We love you too!" "And there's NOTHING to be sorry about! We're so sorry we aren't there.." I finished for Glenn. I was holding him as he all but cradled the phone as if it were our little sister. "It's okay... I'm glad I got to say goodbye. I'm getting really tired now though. I think I'm going to take a quick nap, I'll call you guys later okay? I love you guys." "No! Cass, don't go to sleep!" I pleaded with her but the only response we heard was the line going dead and a constant beep.
"No! Cass! Hello?? Cass!" Glenn continued to cry, even taking out his own phone to see if that would work. When it didn't, he got out trying to find a signal. I knew that wasn't working when he threw his phone down on the road as hard as he could. I quickly got out of the car and held him. Not even trying to hide my tears anymore.
"What are we going to do now? Where are we even going to go??" I felt hopeless. I was the older sister. I was supposed to know everything, but all I could do was respond with "I don't know".
I jumped when I felt a tap on my shoulder and spun while reaching down for my gun. "Woah Woah Woah missy." Through my tears, I could see an older man with a white beard and tan fishing hat holding his hands up in surrender. "I heard you guys needed help and a place to stay. Me and a few others have been talking about a quarry we could stay at until we find our next stop." He pointed behind him at two young blonde girls near the jeep I had seen and they were both staring, obviously scared. I didn't realize until then that I hadn't put my gun away. As I set it on the ground, I saw the younger of the two girls smile and wave. I looked at Glenn, silently asking if we should. He nodded. "Yes, please, we would like that... but if you guys try to do anything, I will protect my brother." The old man only smiled, ignoring my threat.
"Well then, I'm Dale. This is Andrea," he pointed to the older of the women, "...and this is Amy." He finished, pointing to the one who waved at us. "The quarry is up ahead, get into your vehicle and follow behind us, okay kids?" I just nodded, ignoring the fact that he had called us both kids.
"Thank you, Dale."
**YAY, Dale!! I just wanted to say that this is my first story I'll be uploading here so I really hope you like it. I like to think I have some good ideas saved up so I hope you guys hang around and enjoy the story as much as I'm going to enjoy writing it! Xo**
