My Only Hope is You

Close Call

-CHAPTER 8-

We actually stayed at the motel for 2 months. I guess Dylan was gonna miss us, so he let us stay for awhile. We spent those days, mostly, stocking up on food and killing freaks, kinda like training. It was actually getting easy. I was loving the machete so I used it a lot. They say I'm so morbid that I decided to take it out on the freaks, but I think Dylan is way better. For a 16-year-old? The kid was good.

We were having lunch, and I suddenly remembered something.

"Hey did anyone bring any cellphones or iPods?" I said. I'm such a dumbass coz I left mine at home.

"No. I don't like gadgets remember?" dad said.

"I brought mine, but the battery has been dead for like weeks." Katrina said.

"Dammit." I said. "How 'bout you D?"

"Nah, mine's been dead too." Dylan replied.

Shit. I actually wanted to know if anyone else is still alive. So far the only person we've met, since things got worse, is Dylan.

"Alright girls, time to pack up. Are you sure you're still staying Dylan?" dad asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure, Mr. Anderson. Thanks for the offer." he replied with a smile.

After packing our stuff, and giving some of it to Dylan, we said our goodbyes. Then I remembered something again.

"Hey D, d'you know how to play the guitar?" I asked.

"Yeah, I do. Why'd you ask?"

"Here." I gave him my guitar. "You make your own music to listen to."

"Really? Oh man, thanks a lot Maria!"

"You're welcome. I'm surprised you're still sane after living alone for weeks."

We both laughed. "Take care, dude". He nodded.

I got in the car and we left. Tough son a bitch, that kid. He gave me a hand-woven bracelet one day coz he said I looked like I love accessories. He was right. And it was something to remember him by.

After a months of driving, we finally got to Atlanta.. But it was deserted. We all got out of the car.

"Hello?" dad yelled. "Anyone here?"

Just then, a freak comes out from an alley. Katrina immeditely shot it. Worst mistake ever because another one followed.. Followed by another.. Then a dozen others.. Fuck, there was so many of them!

We ran back to the car, killing each freak as it got closer. We got in and immediately locked and closed everything. They surrounded us. One freak broke the window in the backseat next to me. I sliced through its head along with the others. They were too many.

"DAD, DRIVE!!" I screamed.

"I can't! The only way out is.. backwards!" My dad drove in reverse and we sped out of the city. Damn, that was a close

"Ohmygod, Maria, are you okay??" Katrina asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. No bites or scratches. You guys?"

"We're fine, Maria." dad said.

Katrina sobbed. "I am so sorry.. I shouldn't have fired the gun.." she said.

"Oh, c'mon big sis! It wasn't your fault. I mean, we didn't even know there were tons of freaks there." I said, hugging her from the back.

She slapped my hand away and faced me, "What if they got you?! Huh, Maria?!"

"Hey, calm down. You said it yourself. I'm a tough bitch, right? I could handle it."

"You just don't understand!!" she hugged her knees and cried.

"Hey, sis, c'mon-"

"Ssh. Maria, leave her alone for awhile, okay?" dad said. I just nodded.

After driving for hours, we found a small town and stopped there. We decided to settle in house next to an old bar.

We killed the small group of freaks there and put them around the house, like Dylan did.

After fixing our stuff and a little bit of the house. We gathered in the living room.

"Maria.." Katrina said after hours of not talking, "I'm sorry I yelled. I just couldn't live with myself if something bad happened to you.."

"It's fine, dude. Don't worry about it." I said with a smile.

She smiled back, half-heartedly.

"Okay! Now that we're good, we need to put up some safety rules 'round here.", dad said. We just laughed because he ruined our moment.