Gone

Chapter 7

Me and Max go back to our house for the night. In the morning, we will start driving to find our family. I haven't seen any red x signs yet. Maybe I will soon. I lay on my bed and Max lays right next to my side. I can feel his soft fur right next to my skin. So soft. So cozy. So warm.

In my dream, I see my sister. See her die in front of me in my arms all over again.

I wake up. This is never gonna leave my head. Why did I forget about this anyway? How did I forget my sister died? Was it because the people drugged me and it made me lose a little bit of my memory? It probably was.

In the morning, me and Max get in the car. We start to drive. We look around downtown for x signs and I can't see any of them. But we haven't been to this one place yet. Max seems hungry. I give him more food and more water and I realize that I'm running low on water. I walk into a store and grab some water. Max comes with me. I kneel down on this one low shelf and grab more water from there. I put them into my bag. Max barks. I look up to see what he's barking at. A person. Someone is in my car.

"Hey! No!" I yell. Me and Max run towards the car but the person drives off. I'm so stupid. Now I know what it feels like. And now I'm guilty and have someone else's blood on my hands. I might have Tyler's blood on my hands too. If I would of helped him earlier or make sure he wasn't falling behind, I could of saved him. He wouldn't be dead. That's three lives already, too much. Tyler, the dad, and his daughter. I'm a horrible person.

Me and Max start to walk. We hear a loud noise. Like something fell. Like a garbage can or something. Max startles. I grab my gun and hold it out in my hand. I look to my right and so does Max. There's a dark alley. Between two stores. Max growls. And then he runs into the dark alley and disappears into its darkness and I can't see him.

"Max!" I yell. I run for him. I can't see anything. I aim my gun out, prepared for anything to happen.

"Max!" I whisper.

He shrieks and there's noises everywhere of things falling. He's now whimpering. Max?!

I can't see him! I need a light! I hear him crying and whimpering again. Max! Oh no. Oh no. I'm worried, I'm scared. I'm panicking. I hear a growl. It wasn't his growl. I know what it is. I walk back in the street. Under the street light. And I aim my gun up towards the sky, and fire. It makes a loud sound, but I'm used to it. And then, the growling noise comes closer, and I see one of the hideous monsters walking it's way out of the darkness and into the light. I shoot it in the head. I run back to Max. I get on my hands and feet and crawl, moving my arms all over the place to try to find him. I feel his fur. Soft. I grab him and I pull and drag him out of the darkness and under the street light. I wish I hadn't. I see him now. His whole front left leg is all chewed up and bloody.

"Oh my gosh, Max!" I say crying. I kneel down. He's struggling to breathe, just like Maddie. I look into his eyes. Oh no. He's gonna turn. I don't want him to, but I can't shoot him. I just can't. I can't do that. I grab a chain leash from my book bag that was one of Max's. I should of kept him on a leash. I hook it up to his collar and I hook the other end of the chain leash to a fence. And I watch. I watch his eyes turn black. And he stands up quickly. He looks at me, meeting my eyes. Growling. I can see my own refection in his eyes. My scared face. My mouth open. His mouth and noes are moving, he's growling. His whole face is vibrating. He shows his teeth. This is worse to watch. Watching a beast taking over him. He starts to panic and tries to reach for me. He jumps and jumps and whenever he does, the chain chokes him and digs into his skin. He barks loudly. I cry. The tears are coming out so fast. I can't stop them.

"Max." I say, sadness in my voice. My voice is creaking.

"Oh Max..." I cry. And my face scrunches up.

I hold out my gun, and I aim it toward him. He still barks and he shrieks. He's in so much pain. I need to end him. I can't do it. I just can't. I look away. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

I pull the trigger, the sound is loud, and so is his shriek. I look at him. Dead. Completely dead and gone. I can't leave him like this though. I pick him up. I walk him over back to our house. Not that far. I grab a shovel out of my garage and dig up a pit and it takes about ten minutes or more. I grab Max and I place him in the pit carefully and gently.

"I'm sorry you had to go like this Max." I whisper. And I dig the hole back up and sit in the grass next to where he is buried. I stare. I stare at his grave. His blood isn't on my hands, neither is Maddie's. It's just a horrible thing that I couldn't stop, no matter how I tried. I can't do this. This is too much. But I have to. My family could still be alive, or they can be in danger and I can help them. I start to shake. I'm so cold. It's warm out. I just shake. I look at my hands. My fingers shake. And I start to fall asleep on the grass. I can still feel Max's warmness next to me.