Amnesia

Alone

The moon casts shadows across the street from the trees, making the ground look like artwork. I didn't know what the shadows were at first because they were moving slightly with the breeze that pushed against the branches. The breeze that's not warm or cool makes me uncomfortable. My hair blows across my neck, keeping me paranoid as I keep thinking someone is brushing against my neck.

I can hear the sounds of infected from the road behind me where I was dragged all the way to the new shelter home. They sound gurgled. Some sound like they're struggling to say something but can't. I wonder what prevents them all from talking, but then again I don't want curiosity to get the best of me in this world.

Suddenly I hear something move from behind me. I jump, turning around, ready for an attacker. But as I look down, I only see a piece of paper sliding across the street. I let out a sigh of relief and continue walking towards the end of the street, where it breaks off into two more streets.

I know I'm not really in the right mind. I'm just doing things without second thought. Going out here when I have no idea what's going on or how to handle theses things was a grave mistake, but I had to do it. I was putting them in danger. And I want to find my family. I want answers.

Maybe leaving at night was a mistake. It's hard to tell what's an infected and what's a shadow. But how else could I have sneaked out?

I can't help wondering how the group will react to my disappearance. I know Jose will be more than happy to see I have gone. Hell, he could have heard me and watched me go, pretending he was asleep. The possibilities are endless with that man. But I can't imagine how Chris will react. Waking up with just a note on the pillow beside him.

It's like one of those stupid old cliche movies, where the boyfriend leaves a note next to the girlfriends pillow with a rose beside it. Except this is completely opposite.

I don't want to think about his reaction. I don't know if he'll just be very upset, thrilled that I'm gone, or maybe he'll even try to come after and find me. I doubt he would. Kim would never let him leave. She's smart, she knows the dangers of this world.

Either way, everything that I do ends up being a stupid idea. So might as well pick a damn road and carry on with it.

I pull out my map once I come up to the end of the street. The map is small but it gives me enough to go off of. Different colored lines travel from my old home towards other regions on the map. They all start at my house and end at a small dot on the map. There are three routes in three colors, some shorter ways and some longer. At this point, I'm taking the longer way.

It leads me from a few streets of where I stand and then towards a larger Main Street that is lead into an on ramp to get on the freeway.

I think about it for a moment and begin to tremble. The freeway must be packed with the infected. I can't imagine seeing all the vehicles that must be abandoned there. I can guarantee I will be seeing death and gruesome sights plastered across that long stretch of freeway. But just past the freeway, once you get off the off ramp, is a road that leads to the Safe Haven my family went to. Hopefully they're still there.

I follow the red line on the map, turning right onto the next street. As soon as my eyes lay on the street, I feel like I am going to vomit. I hold it back, trying to keep myself together as I look at the horror that lays before me.

On the street ahead, bodies lay scattered across the asphalt. So many of them. Some piled on one another, others laying in weird positions. A quick and sudden death, I can guess that. Unexpected. They're all covered in crusty dry blood that clings to their flesh and clothing. They've been out here dead for a few days to a week. The smell is almost unbearable, let alone the sight of them all. I have the urge to go over and check if any of them are alive, but I know there are no survivors on this street.