Wilted.

Log Day 2; Be prepared

It's morning now. Me and Alex are the only two awake at the moment. Besides dad whose been up since late last night. "Azzy...?" Her quiet, tear strained voice caught my attention. She lifted her head from Caidans lap. I flinched and looked at her. I've been stuck in my thoughts since I woke up. "Yeah Al...?" I tried to stay quiet, trying not to wake the two asleep teenagers on my sides. "Did you sleep at all...?" She stood and stretched, her eyes blinking some exhaustion out. "I got a few minutes... maybe thirty... Did you?" I ask, patting the side beside Phoenix so she can sit beside us. "Mhm... I kept seeing-" She paused, and she trailed off. The moment was traumatic for both of us.  "Don't worry. He's gonna be okay..." She looked back up at me, fear and confusion in her eyes. "Sam I mean. He's tough." She nodded and sighed, as if she were breathing out all her stress and troubles. "Thank you... Where's Mike?" She asked, she had just reminded me where my dad was. "Outside taking guard duty. When we get home Caidan will take over so he can finally get some sleep." Alex nodded and took in the information well. "Do you think this is happening all over the place or..." "Most likely. It's probably like Corona but worse-" I forced a chuckle and she laughed along with me. "Thank you... for saving me back there-" She added quietly, looking back down at the floor.  "No, no no, you don't need to thank me for that- I would've done that for any of you-" She smiled and her eyes trailed to the opening door. "Az, get your knife, we're going to check the house. Bring Caidan." He walked out, and Alex looked at me. "You have to go out there?! Isn't it dangerous?!" She asked demandingly, her voice still a whisper. "I'll be back- I promise-" I stood up, leaning Phoenix against Sam, and walking over to Caidan who was still sleeping, nudging his foot with my own. "Wake up. We have to go outside." Caidan was hesitant, but he eventually got up quietly. Grabbing the bat from before. He lifted it, and rested it on his shoulder, following me to the door and outside where dad was waiting. "You two stay close to each other. And be alert." That's when we began to walk through our neighbors yards and toward my house. Our journey home was quiet and miserable due to the heat of the sun; Until the sounds of rasping for air and quiet sobbing. My heart began to race once more and looked around. Caidan froze and Dad kept walking. The noises of crying and struggles for breath continued. I looked to my side. A woman was limp in the tall grass. Hadn't been cut for a while but the woman seemed like she's been through hell. I kneeled down to her and looked around. "Where did it go?" she used some of her remaining strength to pull her tanned hands from her dark hair, and out toward the forest brush behind us. I nodded, "When did it leave?" I asked quietly. My eyes kept glancing up toward dad who just kept making his way to the house. Caidan noticed the woman and tensed. "Dumbass, what if she's bait?" He asked with a disappointed tone, I scoffed and slapped his shoulder playfully, personally hoping that's not the case. "Oh shut it." The woman rasped for air and coughed out blood. Me and Caidan froze. "Ma'am... when did you say it left...?" The woman urged herself to her hands, attempting to lift herself only to fail. "La..Last night..." she struggled out. Within a flash of a second that's when I felt full force hit me in the head and I went flying. Caidan yelled out and the woman screamed.