Halo of the Apocalypse

Safe and Sound

I sat on the couch, wondering if we were truly safe. This whole thing was scaring me. What ever was going on, it wasn't safe. We weren't safe. Nobody was. And not only was I protecting myself and the only person I have left, but I was most likely going to have to protect everyone here.

Cassie clung to Tom as he sat silently next to me, rubbing her back.

"Anyone got food?" a girl asked. She was a blonde, sandy blonde. She had waves that flowed over her shoulders like waterfalls. "I'm starving."

"Can we fix injuries before we get to food, please?" I said, digging through my bag for my first-aid kit. I growled, realizing I left it at home.

"What is it, Kris?" Cassie asked.

"I left the first-aid kit back at the house," I replied. "And Jake has a huge injury if you haven't noticed." I gestured towards Jake, the boy that carried me here.

His shoulder was still completely skinned. He kept holding the skin to his shoulder, cringing at his touch. But it was all he could do at the moment to help it.

I stood up, walked over to him, and knelt down to analyze his should. Something in the truck must've cut it. It was a clean slice, but it was a dangerous wound. It could easily get infected with the size of it. I touched it lightly with two fingers, not realizing it would hurt Jake so badly.

"Jake," I said. "You gotta let me touch it."

He nodded and moved his hand away with reluctance.

I ripped the bottom of my shirt off and dabbed his wound.

"I think I might have the first-aid kit," Cassie said, reaching for her bag.

"Hand it over," I demanded.

She handed me the first-aid kit. I popped it open and started searching for something to clean the wound with. Finding the peroxide made me happy.

I pulled it out and poured some of it onto my shirt then gently dabbed Jake's shoulder, feeling miserable for causing pain to him. Setting down the damp and torn fabric, I picked up the bottle of peroxide and poured it onto the wound.

Jake's screams pierced my ears, everyone's ears, making us all cringe. Though he was very masculine, he screamed like a true 7-year-old girl when in complete pain. When scared, he managed a less feminine scream.

I pulled out gauze and unrolled the bandages then wrapped them around his arm. It hurt me to watch him in so much pain. But was it really the fact that it was him being hurt, or just that I was hurting him? Another being that had feelings and could provoke them with ease.

I had been feeling conflicted with him for a while now. He's been my boyfriend for almost two years now. But there was another man that I thought I might have feelings for.

I clipped the gauze down to itself and stood up.

"Thanks..." he mumbled.

I nodded simply and sat on the couch. I hadn't realized that I let out a yawn until Cassie said, "We should all sleep. It's been a long night."

And she was right. From mom not coming home, to Jake and the others picking us up after watching the news clip, then the accident. Tonight had been very long. And I just wanted to sleep the night away. Only hoping nothing more would happen.

I leaned back on the arm rest and let my heavy lids clasp shut.

I awoke to screaming. My eyes shot open and darted around the shelter for the source. It was the girl that asked about food earlier. The blonde. It seemed as though she wasn't the one eating but the one being eaten.

I stood, pulling a knife out of my boot and throwing it at the person devouring her arm. He collapsed, dead. That's when I heard another scream and noticed Tom and my sister being gone. Along with others. Jake and two other people were still here. The girl and I being the other two people. Jake's neck was shredded open as he lay staring at the ceiling with fear filled, dead eyes.

The girl had collapsed and started shaking viciously then abruptly stopped. My eyes widened and I realized that this was more than an infection. I pulled my knife out of the dead man's head and shoved it back into my boot then grabbed my bag and bolted out the door.

"Cassie!" I called worriedly. I looked around and found a fresh trail of footprints that led deeper into the woods, along with people running towards me.

They screeched at me, but it was all garbled. I gulped and followed the trail, hoping it was Cassie and the others.

Jumping over fallen trees and large rocks, I finally lost the people following me. I climbed a tree to take a breather from all the running and twisting I had to do to get away.

Unfortunately, I had to leave the trail I was originally following. I don't even know where I am now. I'm completely lost and disoriented.

I looked around he woods and saw the tiniest glint of light off in the distance. Maybe it's a store or something, I thought.

I stood and jumped out of the tree. I started walking towards the light. It was the only light I'd seen since that shelter. And the sun still hadn't risen. I guessed it was around 5:30 AM, but there was no telling other than the moon getting closer and closer to the horizon.

The sun would rise at around 7 o'clock. That was still at least an hour and a half away. And the sun always rose in the east and set in the west. The moon was in front of me, which meant the building was west of my home town.

Every morning the sun rose in front of my house. So, I'm heading opposite the town. That was good. Right? My goal was to get away from the place that had the outbreak in the first place. Right?