Hoe for Hosie

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tw: pregnancy, blood, violence.

Hope's PoV

The world has gone to literal shit

A disease had erupted, initially mistaken for a typical virus that killed its host. But the infected returned to life with an insatiable craving for human brains.

A mere bite from these individuals turned victims into zombies.

Scientists struggled to find a cure, offering reassurances that everything would be alright, but their efforts only stoked global fear of what was to come.

In our city of New Orleans, action was swift. Shelters were hastily erected for everyone, but it seemed too little, too late.

Now, the streets lay eerily quiet, save for the whispering trees and the echo of our footsteps bouncing off the shattered homes.

Despite the modest size of our village, devastation was rampant: cars collided into lampposts and each other, some overturned.

The sight of so much death and shattered families weighed heavily on me.

I clung tightly to the two girls beside me, fearing to lose them as well. There was my wife Josie, four months pregnant, and our eight-year-old daughter Hayley. Together, we scoured for highly nutritious, long-lasting foods essential for survival in these dire times – dried meats, honey, maple syrup, dried fruits and vegetables, cereals, beans, and rice.

Josie's pregnancy added urgency; we needed vitamins and minerals like folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin D, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and vitamin C.

Regret gnawed at me for grabbing only half our supplies from home; desperate to flee as infected breached every house in the city.

Thankfully, I had been alert when they came knocking.

I seized our emergency bag from its secret cabinet behind the door, rallying my family to flee.

Now, in the darkening street, we sought shelter for the night, knowing the infected were faster and stronger after dusk.

It had been a month of navigating this chaos; no electricity meant no communication, and flashlights risked attracting attention.

Moving through darkness became our safest recourse.

"Love, there's a house over there," I whispered to Josie, pointing out a promising refuge. "Let's check it." She nodded, gripping me tighter, ensuring Hayley was close by.

Breaking in swiftly, we secured the house and prioritized the medical cabinet and pantry.

Jackpot! Previous occupants had stockpiled well, sparing us from starvation.

Stuffing our emergency bag with medicines and canned goods, I checked on Josie and Hayley, finding them snuggled in a small bed. Chuckling softly at their snores, I headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

After our meal, exhaustion finally overtook us. This was the first clean house we'd broken into – a chance for peaceful sleep without the stench of blood and debris.

Usually, our overnight havens were stained with blood, littered with debris, and strewn with chaos. I cleaned a spot for my family to rest, then kept watch through the night, ensuring their safety.

•••

Morning greeted us as we stirred awake, preparing ourselves for another day of traversing the streets. I rustled up breakfast, cleansing myself and then tending to Hayley and Josie, dressing them as well as myself.