~the undead Diaries~ (re-editing!!)

prologue

"Hey, sweetie, wake up," I heard a soft voice cutting through the tranquil haze of sleep. I groaned, pulling the pillow tighter over my head. "Five more minutes, please," I mumbled sleepily, my voice muffled and thick with reluctance.

"No, Zilla, you have to get up or you will make us late," my mom insisted, her tone now tinged with a hint of urgency. "And I don't want to be stuck in traffic, young lady." I could almost feel the impatience radiating from her.

Ugh, it was my mom again. I knew that we had to rise early for the family reunion, but the cozy warmth of my bed was far more appealing than the thought of spending the day with my mother's side of the family. I turned reluctantly to check my clock, feeling the weight of sleep still clinging to my eyelids. The bright red numbers blinked back at me—5:00 AM.

Today was the day I dreaded: the family reunion with relatives I had never truly connected with. They always seemed rude, more interested in gossip and competition than any genuine bond. To me, it felt less like a reunion and more like a performance, where I sat on the sidelines, a mere spectator in a family drama that I didn't care to be part of.

With a resigned sigh, I mumbled, "Fine, Mom, I'm getting up. Just let me get my stuff ready." I felt a pang of guilt for not packing my bag the night before, but I had been completely engrossed in my book, "How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse." I know it sounds ridiculous, but the strategies and survival tips were fascinating. I had even jotted down key points in my diary, just in case the world ever went sideways.

Reluctantly, I dragged myself out of bed and began tossing clothes into my duffel bag, each piece of clothing feeling heavier than the last. Within half an hour, I was ready, albeit grumpy. The grogginess still lingered as I joined the family in the living room. We all piled into the car, the air electric with a sense of impending adventure-or, perhaps just obligation.

Dad slid behind the wheel, his expression focused as he started the engine. I settled into the back seat, staring out the window as the twilight slowly gave way to the dawn. The world outside began to wake up, but I felt a stubborn part of me still clinging to sleep as we drove towards my grandparents' house, the destination that signaled another long day of family gatherings.

"Ugh, Mom, do we have to go visit them?" Brodey groaned from the backseat, his voice dripping with typical teenage annoyance. Sometimes he could be incredibly irritable, and this was certainly one of those moments. "Can you just zip it for once? It's not like you're going to drop dead from sitting in this car," Dad snapped, his frustration boiling over. At that moment, I felt a wave of resentment wash over me. I hated my dad. Yes, I know 'hate' is a strong word, but when it came to him, I meant it with every ounce of my being.

"Please, can you just calm down?" I interjected, desperate to diffuse the brewing tension. "I'll keep an eye on him back here." I hoped my attempt at reason would help, but knowing Dad's notoriously short fuse, it felt like a long shot. He was far from placated. "He better watch his mouth, because I don't want a splitting headache by the time we reach your grandparents' house." 'Mad' barely scraped the surface of Dad's mood; he was fuming, and we all could sense the storm brewing beneath his surface.

As we languished in the thick gridlock, something caught my eye. Out of the corner of my window, I saw people exiting their vehicles in a flurry, some sprinting while others simply stood frozen in place, looking around in confusion. "Honey, what's going on?" Mom's voice wavered as she turned to Dad, her brow furrowing with worry. "I don't know, sweetheart. I'm just as perplexed as you are," Dad replied, trying to mask the unease creeping into his tone. 

He was attempting to maintain an air of calm, but I could sense the tension knotting in his shoulders. A chilling fear gripped me as I peered out at the scene unfolding beyond the car windows. What was happening? Why were all those people running? What could instigate such panic? The uncertainty lingered in the air, heavy and oppressive, as we sat in the stalled vehicle, each passing second drawing me deeper into a sense of dread.   

It all happened so fast.
One minute you're relaxing and the next you're running for your life.
Now you have to learn to survive on your own.
Will you survive?