The Infected.

Chapter - 5 -

5.

It was sad, us leaving. Max was confused to say the least, seeing as we never really told him what's going on, just the gist of it all.

Violet tried to stay positive, keeping a bittersweet, forced smile upon her face, her braces most likely hurting her gums.

I kept my face impassive, keeping quiet, only responding when needed.

I didn't want to leave.

My dad was acting somewhat normal, it all a show. All for Max I'm assuming. Maybe a bit for himself.

Our 2007 Ford Jeep rumbled itself to life, my fingers gripped and un-gripped the felted seating, my eyes casting out the window. Ignoring reality.

Things were piled up in the back, almost overflowing into the backseat.

Violet hummed along to the radio, it was soothing, but a twinge annoying.

I was internally panicked, even though us leaving hasn't really set it yet, even if we're on our way to the state block off.

Blurs of buildings soon turned into blurs of trees as we drove through the streets, my heart pounding with each breath.

The wall they had built came into view and my stomach dropped. Six feet thick, fifty feet high of solid steel wrapped itself around our state, reminding whomever wanted out, that it's not safe outside.

But if the virus is inside too, what is safe?

Soldiers patrolled themselves around the head gate, and atop of the wall, protecting us.

But they sure as hell aren't doing a good job.

We were stopped, at the gate. The officer asking my dad several questions.

He was bulky, grey scruff down the sides of his face and across his round chin, his eyebrows thick and angled downward, his dark brown eyes calculating us as he told us to head back.

"The president said to not let any American citizens out past the boundary, since it's considered a risk to your safety as well as ours." I could feel my dads glare even if it wasn't pointed at me.

I look to the passenger front seat, my brother looking at the burly man confused, and worried.

"We're not allowed to leave?" Max's voice sounded gentle, and timid.

"Ignore him Max." Violet shushed him, grabbing his shoulders from the back seat, giving them a reassuring squeeze.

"You can't expect to keep people here unwillingly, my family isn't prisoner to the state and we'd like to leave."  The solider s face had become a deep pink, his eyebrows impossibly turned downward, his finger making a repeating drum on the top of the car.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"Turn around, go home." The man turned away from the car, pointing with his thumb back towards town.

"As if." Dads voice had lowered into a grumble, our tires squealed, the smell of rubber tickling my nose as we pulled backwards. My eyes widened, my brother let out a girly shrill yell, his fingers clenching onto the felted seat, Vi looked at me in a panic as we flew forward, the thick wooden blockage coming closer and closer as my dad broke through it, breaking into into chunks of wood.

The engine let out an angry rumble, shouts were being heard from behind us but we kept going.

We always keep going.