The Afflicted

Chapter Two: Dave

My body just went into shock. There were no emotions. Just shock. My best friend just died and there was nothing was going to change that.

As we drove to meet with the others, I kept thinking about Lucy, she was my best friend before this shit storm had even begun. I thought about the last time we had talked, we had shared stale bread and a can of spaghetti, it was an absolutely shit night but at this moment, I would've given anything to be back to the day where I still had my friend.

"We'll have to walk from here," Bridget's voice broke my thoughts as she parked her car lazily in the middle of the road

I hesitated as I stepped out of the car. It just felt so odd without Lucy.

We walked an entire block without a sound. Not a word was said. Not a twig was broken beneath us. Tahlia carried her own bag while Bridget carried the one that had belonged to Lucy.

I saw a dead cat on the footpath and knew if Lucy was here she'd laugh and say it looked like a type of Pokemon. I missed Lucy but we were all meant to be mentally prepared for these things.

As we walked closer, we kept alert of the houses nearby. We walked down the driveway of our safe house, where we were to meet everyone.

When we got to the blue safe house, Bridget quickly examined if any lurking afflicted had followed. Once certain no danger would follow us in, she unlocked the gate and took us to the back door.

Bridget put the key through the door and Tahlia followed her in. I lingered back for a little just mentally grasping that Lucy would never walk through those doors again but then Bridget hissed at me to hurry up.

Before the shit storm began, Bridget was applying for the army and did Cadets, which is pretty much practice for the army but for kids. Bridget seems to be coping mentally and physically slightly better than all of us, maybe because she isn't close to anyone or maybe joining the military does help stay alive.

"You're back!" A recognisable voice whispered at us as I identified Jocelyn's voice right away.

"Except, Lucy couldn't make it back" Tahlia added, her small hands clutched onto her backpack, her eyes refused to meet with anyone aside from the floor.

There was a pause, and for a second, the cute and calmly composed Jocelyn I had always known almost started to cry but seemed to remove the idea from herself and almost too casually said, "Come see what Arabella's got cooking for din dins"

Jocelyn stood up from the chair she sat in and straightened her pale pink sweater and tied up her brown hair before leading us to the kitchen of the safe house, which was really just Gracie's old kitchen.

Arabella was busy making something that actually smelt like food and I couldn't help but feel hungry despite being upset. Arabella wore trackies as she cooked pasta, leaving her dark brown hair, which was normally in a bun, hanging loose by her shoulders.

"Husband!" Arabella smiled when she saw me but her mood quickly changed "Oh my God, what the fuck happened"

"Physic powers or does my face make it that obvious?" I bitterly remarked

Bridget went to explain but Jocelyn insisted us to wait until everyone else got here but then a dark thought turned came across us - what if the others weren't coming back? It was unlikely since they travelled in a pack of four but what if?