Interluding journey

Entry Log Day 1; The beginning.

Dark. Darker. Yet Darker.

We ended up hiding in the tornado shelter a few klicks from my house. Alex won't stop trying to call her brother. Caidan is also trying to get a hold of his family. And Sam looks like he has seen a ghost. The incident happened so fast. Flashes of the fragments went through my mind like a racecar on a highway. I pulled my hair from my face and looked at my father who was giving Alex some water.
Nana was resting and talking to Charlotte; The lady who lives across the street. The two were older than the rest of us, but Charlotte was younger than my dad by a year or two. Dad sighed quietly, grabbed his shotgun from the door-side and stepped out. My heart sank and I felt it race. I grabbed my knife and stepped out beside him. He was exhausted. Today didn't go as planned at all. "Aren't you supposed to be inside?" He asked with a tired grin. "Thought you could use the company." I reply, my hand sweating from the grip around my knife handle. Silence.

"Sorry you had to see and do that kid.." he muttered keeping his gun close to his chest. The memories flash through my head again and I winced. "It's fine- Life or death yeah?" I laughed it off forcefully, he shook his head and grabbed my hand. Feels his rough calloused hand always made me feel weirdly safe. "Killing someone sucks.. I know." He muttered, pecking my hand. "Dad. I'm fine. It gets easier from the first kill. Ya know how it is papa." I strike him a reassuring smile, and he pecked my head gently. "Go get sleep. We need to head to the house for a base plan in the morning." I nodded and began to walk back into the shelter before stopping at the door. "Are you coming?-" He nodded. "I'll be in, just give me a few. I'm gonna do a perimeter check." Dad ruffled my hair and he smiled at me before walking away. I whined. And my anxiety returned. I walked back into the shelter. Finally inside, I looked down at the tired, stressed group. Nana was out like a light. Charlotte seemed to be stuck in her own thoughts. Alex was finally calming down. She was laying on Caidan, not sleeping but resting her eyes. Caidan was propped against the wall with Alex laying in his lap. Sam was looking down, sitting in one of the shelters benches. His eyes closed and his foot tapping and Phoenix was sitting by Sam. Their eyes glued to Alex and Caidan. I sat down beside them. "How she doing?" I asked Phoenix, my voice barely above a whisper. They glanced at me, dry blood on their cheek. "She's calmer than before... She misses Sam- not our Sam..." I nodded, taking in the information. "And you?" I licked my thumb, and wiped the dry blood off their skin. They giggled softly and inched away afterward. "Shocked... but, better then she and Caidan are doing. What about you? You shut down after you..." They paused and looked down regretfully. "Sorry..." I shook my head. "Don't be. It was scary yeah, But I got over it." Phoenix leaned against me, and hugged me. "I think your dad is gonna quarantine us in your house if we leave safely tomorrow." I shrugged, and leaned back, "Probably. It's safe. I might set up schedules and jobs for us all. Like night watch, guarding, night and dawn, food gathering..." Phoenix tapped my hand, "Your mumbling again." They muttered, closing their eyes. "Sorry.. I'll tell you tomorrow. For now get some sleep."

Phoenix nodded, and agreed. Nudging Sam. "Come sleep with us dumbass." Sam shook his head. He whined and Phoenix gave a sympathetic stare. "Please? We shouldn't be alone tonight..."
Sam hesitated. His green bluish eyes trailing from the ground to us. He nodded and stood up to sit down on the other side of me. He leaned against me and Phoenix fell asleep fast. I sighed as Sam finally eased and fell into a slumber. I listened to everyone. Their breathing was still shaking. Out of my thoughts, I hear Caiden's tired voice. "Az..." My dark brown eyes quickly glance at him and I nodded for him to continue. "Are we gonna be okay...?" He asked. His voice hardly cracking as he sniffled. He was trying so hard to be brave. Especially for Alex. His best friend. I nodded and let out a shaky breath. "We will. We just need to stay together, and stay strong... no matter how many challenges we come across... even if it means losing someone we love..." Caidan just nodded and kept quiet, he looked down at Alex, and looked back up at me. "They're dead aren't they?" I flinched. Did he just ask that question? The one question none of us wanted to answer for ourselves...? "I-I'm not sure. But one thing I can be sure is. If they are alive. Then they are also fighting to see you lot again..." I felt bad for them. The only people I was personally worried about was Issac, Julianna, and mom... "Azrael... Will-" he audibly gulped and stared at me with slight fear and concern. "Will we die?" My heart sped up and I held in a yawn. "I don't have the answers to your questions. I wish I did. But I don't bud... why don't you get some sleep? We can talk more in the morning."