THE DAY THE WORLD FELL

Chapter 13

Sierra and Gayle

The road ahead had darkened due to the rain. Sierra had gripped Gayle's arm tight and walked so quietly that you could hear a pin drop. She was stressing the dark. Gayle was just as afraid, but he couldn't let her know that. He had to stay strong and alert, had to pay attention to their surroundings and be ready for whatever was ahead. 

They were around the corner from Nix's house and they had just came into view of the truck that wrecked through the house across from Nix. It wasn't burning now, but it was evidently burning at some point. No sign of life. They hurried past and swung the door open, "Nix! What is going on?!" yelled Sierra.

Everyone inside the house whipped their heads around so fast and was startled at their sudden entrance. "Something we only thought possible in movies." replied Nix.

"And in comics," added Dorothy, "thank you for letting us in. I think numbers will be better." 

"Yes, without hesitation I may add." replied Ben, "So thank you. We've already been through ringer. I'm Ben and this is my mother," ben put his hand on her shoulder, "Dorothy, and that lovely lady," he nodded towards the lady off in the corner, "that is Anya." Nix caught the sliver of a smile curl on Bens lips when he said that, and caught the end of a brief smile on Anya's face as well. 

"Its no problem," replied Nix as Sierra and Gayle went to the couch after locking the door. "This is my sister Sierra and her husband Gayle." she motioned to them on the couch. "This is my husband Danny, brother Austin and our best friend Willie. Our children are upstairs, hopefully not listening to anything going on right now." she glanced at her husband. 

"Yes, they're asleep tight now. Well should be. I don't know now, after this." Danny pointed at the corpse. "Maybe we should move this outside and away from the house." he suggested.

"Yeah, let me help you with that." replied Will. "You grab the shoulders, I got the feet."

"Oh sure, leave me with the bloody parts." Danny gagged and looked away as they started moving the body. "grab the door please." he asked as he passed Anya near the door. 

She moved to open it just in time. Ben moved to touch her arm, "Are you okay?" he asked with genuine worry on his face.

"Yeah, just uhh, no actually I don't think I am. I'm gunna be sick." she hurried to the sink in the kitchen and let it rip. It sounded truly awful. She couldn't handle the sight of the mans head. It was too much for her stomach to handle. Nix handed her a clean towel and a bottle of water. "Thanks, sorry I just couldn't keep it down."

Nix held up her hand and shook her head, "No need to apologize. It's gruesome. I saw it too. I just have a strong stomach I guess. Danny is throwing up outside right now too." she flicked her thumb in the direction of the window, but Anya didn't want to see that. And who would blame her? 

The men had come back inside by the time the  women had finished cleaning up the sink. 

"So, what do we do now?" asked Austin. "I mean, do we just stay here and sit tight?" he ran his fingers through his hair and grew a worried expression. 

"I think for now, we make sure we are ready to go. If it gets hairy here, we need a clean escape plan." added Nix, "I'll get some bags together and some blankets."

"I can pack up some canned food and emergency supplies," interjected Danny. "We will need flashlights and first aid."

"I have a map in my truck, it broke down a couple of blocks down the road." replied Ben.

"I'm not sure if we are going to need a map. We have lived here a long time. We know these streets well." stated Nix. They had grown up in this town. Been there the entire time. Went to school there. Met their friends and grew families there. The neighbor, who's house was burning, had been their mailman for years. 

"Okay, well we have twelve people and only one vehicle. How would we make it work?" asked Wille.

"Well my truck has a five seats and tail-bed. Danny's car is in the garage actually, It has five seats too." replied Nix.

"Wait, I thought it was still in the shop?" quizzed Willie. 

"No, I picked it up yesterday afternoon. It's good to go. Plus we have the camper on the side of the property. It needs gas.  But it has room, and supplies actually." added Danny.

"Right, well, let's get it then. Sierra, can you and Gayle go upstairs and make sure the kids are okay?" asked Nix.

"Yeah, are they dressed in case we gotta run?" she asked. With Nix's nod she headed up with Gayle right behind her.

"Okay, the rains almost done now I think. Let's get some supplies packed into the camper while we can." said Austin. He grabbed a tote from the closet and went to the kitchen to start packing up food. Willie and Ben followed him into the kitchen. Anya and Dorothy started pulling blankets from the linen closet and Danny started putting some emergency supplies in his Scion in the Garage. Nix went through the house and packed up some clothes for both the adults and children and then moved on to pack up some medicine and toys to entertain the children.

It only took them a matter of minutes to have things ready. Nix decided to get the children up and get them dressed to go. The plan was the kids and Nix and Will in the truck, Danny and Ben in the Scion and Dorothy, Austin, and Anya in the camper. They decided to drive to the outer edges of Bartow, to the country spots. Find a farm area with good gates. Something to keep the dead ones out.

Until the time came, however, they would sit and listen for the broadcasts to come back on. Maybe the CDC and the military could keep it contained. They could hear sirens in the distance now. Sounded like it was coming closer. The rain had died down and now Austin was watching the window for anything and everything. "There is a cop coming up the road. He probably sees the wreck." alerted Austin. 

"Alright, when he gets closer we can go outside and talk to him. But for now just keep watching." replied Danny.

Nix sat next to Anya, and they were discussing medical knowledge. Anya had let them know that she was a nurse for labor and delivery at the hospital. She filled everyone in on why she had transferred to this town and that she had no family left to depend on. Which is the reason she was there with them now.