I was just about to hang up when a voice whispered through the phone. The line was crackly and I could barely hear it. "John?! Are you there?" I held the receiver to my ear, clutching it tightly. "They're all dead Jack," John said, his tone low. I heard crashing in the background. "Who's dead?" I gulped. "Mom and dad, the neighbours...everyone," I heard him say his voice breaking slightly. My heart sank. "Are you sure?" I asked. "Yes," he said, as thumping sounded all around him, "I'm pretty damn sure." "Where are you?" I asked, throwing the palm of my hand against the creamed coloured wall. "In the bathroom. I've locked myself in here. They're trying to get in." I paused. "I thought you said they were dead.." "Jack, that's not them. I won't believe it's them. Our parents have gone. Whatever they are now... it's not safe. All I know is they are trying to break in, and i'm certain what it is they want to give me... well, it ain't a hug." "But surely..." I started. "Oh god, the doors coming down. Jack, I need you to know that.." He begun, but was cut off by monstrous groans and snarls. "John...?" I said loudly, "Get out of there now!" I yelled through the receiver. I heard a crunch and the line went dead.
"John? John...?" I called out, my voice trembling. I stood still for a moment, shaking slightly, and on hearing no reply i punched the wall tearing the wall paper with my scraped, bleeding fist. I held my face in my hands and breathed shakily. When i uncovered my eyes I glanced up. Across the room Penny was snivelling, her eyes wide and worried, and Dan knelt beside her, looking at me anxiously. "I'm sorry," I said dolefully. Dan patted Penny on the arm, then stood up slowly. He walked over and i threw him the phone. "You okay?" He asked, looking me in the eyes. I nodded and he patted me on the back. "Good man," he said, still sounding a little unsure. I made my way towards Penny, as Dan put the phone to his ear. "Let's go and pack a few things," I told her, not feeling the need to explain what had happened because, even at the early age of eight, Penny was smart. She understood things, that most kids wouldn't. Even when her mother died, she was the one who had comforted me, hugging me and telling me everything was going to be okay. Besides, there was enough going on, without me putting more stress on her. "Is anyone picking up?" I asked Dan. "No," he said worriedly, "Jack, Charlottesville can't have been too badly effected right?" I approached him and stopped half way across the room, and scratched my head, "It's not a big city like here, but...." My voice trailed off as i made a mental recap of my last phone call. Dan moved towards me, and as if upon reading my mind, he asked me wearily, his voice a low rumble, "Jack... what happened on the phone?" He looked over at Penny cautiously. I hastily turned around and said over my shoulder, "Penny, go in your room honey, i'll be there in a second." She moved away from the window and raised a little eye brow, "Okay," she said slinking off. When i knew she was out of ear shot i faced Dan. "My parents... they're dead. I think," I gulped. "What do you mean 'you think?' If they're dead, they're dead." Dan said, looking more than confused. "John, he told me they're dead, but he said they are up, and walking around too! That must mean they are contaminated with this...crap," I told him, waving my arm in the air trying to fish for the right word and not succeeding. "You mean;" Dan said slowly, gesturing towards the door which was shaking violently, due to the manic, blood thirsty people who lay behind it, "they are one of those?" "I think so," I said, a deep sorrow welling inside me. "What about John?" He said quietly, looking at me sympathetically, already knowing the truth. "Oh, he'll be fine," I said, rather unconvincingly, actually trying harder to convince myself that Dan. "If everyone's dead," he said quietly, ignoring what I had said, looking off into the distance, then that must mean..". "No. Don't think like that. She will be fine." "But she's on her own!" "Listen Dan," I said gripping his shoulders tightly, "she will be okay. She's a smart woman. I'm sure she has gone to a friends, they are probably hiding out somewhere. She will have thought this all through," I said firmly. "I sure hope so," he sighed, rubbing his forehead.
We were in the bathroom. Dan was sitting on the edge of the toilet seat, Penny was peeking her head around the door, watching us, while I wrapped his leg up with a bandage and some band aids that I had found in the first aid kit in the bathroom cabinet. "Ow!" Dan said through gritted teeth as I tightened the bandage. After a while a silence fell over us, and as i worked on Dan's leg, we listened to the hammering and groaning, which had floated down the hall from behind the front door. "That doors not gonna hold for long Jack," Dan grumbled softly, "we're gonna have to go." "It's a strong door..." I said longingly, knowing my argument was invalid, but wanting so desperately not to leave my new home. "Not strong enough," Dan said sighing, and standing up. "Okay," I said, pulling myself together, "could you hold the door? I'm gonna pack some supplies for all of us." He nodded his head and left the room, walking with a slight, insignificant limp. I grabbed a hold of the first aid kit and any other medical supplied i could fit in one arm and with the other hand took mine in Penny's and we left the bathroom to gather as much as we possibly could.
