Amanda Williams.

19

Carl|

I met some people today.
Ron.
Enid.
Mickey.
Jessie.
Pete.
Some elderly folks that enjoy Judith's presence.

I guess they're okay but they kinda talk too much. Maybe I'm not used to people and actual conversation. On the road it's all about survival, not playing video games. Which is fun but in the long run doesn't help you on anything.
Enid is a pretty awkward person, but I mean so am I.

I want to go look for Amanda but I can't leave the house till my dad comes home from work; work.

I'm getting tired of the same old dream, I think it might be my subconscious reminding me to look for her, my dad probably thinks about her too. He's kinda been 'out of it' as the other kids would characterize me. Maybe I'm not suited to be around normal people, maybe I'm just oblivious to what a normal life is.

Judith is in my dad's room with Rosita. She offered to look after her while I rest.
This whole 'doing nothing' and 'going to school sometimes' situation has got me feeling useless, I can't help be roll my eyes at the thought of me stuck in a garage with annoying little kids.

At least they're not out there.
Dead.

I have to push these thoughts aside if I don't what everyone starring at me like I'm crazy. Being around Judith and caring for her is a good excuse to smile and do something, right now all I can do is sit on my ass in my room resting.

"Carl?"
"Yeah." I call out from my bedroom not identifying the voice's owner. I slowly creep out of my room into the hallway of this big ass house. Keeping my back to the wall I spot Ron at the end of the hall near the top of the stairs.

"What's up, man... I was wondering if maybe you wanted to hangout today near the pond or something." Ron suggest. After a while of thinking about it, I finally agree to go with him to the pond. Leaving Ron to release a sigh of relief. I let Rosita know that we were going to hang out today by the pond and to let my dad know about my new whereabouts.

As we walked along the sidewalk towards the grassy area near the pond, I notice how my feet dragged along, while Ron's stride along with confidence with every step. We decided to sit on the benches on the bank of the pond. As we sit I notice the glisering yellowish sunsetting rays reflected off the waters moving in a rhythmic motion like glowing lights at a concert. "So man, what do you wanna talk about?"

"Not much to talk about." I quirk out, not able to complete a full sentence but finish one. "O' c'mon man, there must be a lot of war stories in your life you can tell me about." he suggested without hesitation of what he wanted to know. " Why would you want to know, what happens out there? When you can have your mind at peace." I say flicking my eyes off the pond's waters and towards him. I stared at him for a while studying his facial expressions. I feel my lips grow apart feeling a gaping grow between them as I try to gather my words. " Do you know what it's like not to be able to feel, think, act... or dream?" I ask rhetorically, sighing and pulling my knees into my chest.

"Sometimes my parents argue, leaving me not knowing what to do next. My little brother always ends up scared when it comes time to go to bed, I guess that wouldn't be any differen-" Ron's thoughts were interrupted by a loud piercing scream. Soon enough my father's booted footsteps following with him calling my name repeatedly in a roaring matter. At that point I was frozen still not able to move, all I can hear was my steady slow breathes and the slow poundings of my heart beat while the world around me goes mute.

I soon realized my father has taken ahold of my shoulder blades shaking my body violently taking me out of my trance. Staring blankly ahead not knowing the very familiar screams direction, fearing the worst. I am snapped-out of my trance when a echoing shot was heard both mine and my dad's shot up towards the gate where the shot was heard muffled behind them. A few seconds after the shot there was constant agonizing pleads and begs for mercy from both feminine and masculine voices. "MOM!", yells the voice of the first scream heard, sounding more agonizing by  the second.

My father jolts up towards the gate but runs back to me and orders me to go to the house and lock all the doors and windows and keep my sister safe. Ron quickly moves his glances away from my distants father a towards me quickly receiving the message to go home and do the same. As I run onto my porch I'm able to hear muffled screams choke: "Let us in, I swear we're not the bad guys here, we killed them, we have a wounded one. A girl! She's been shot." My dad quickly opens the gate keeping a steady gun raised, taking precaution with every step. Once the gate were fully open I'm able to see from my porch a tall figure carrying a limb girl draped over his shoulder with two boys by his side.

My father was trying to communicate with the strangers but they seemed right into depth with sorrow, my dad trying to get into viewpoint into their low gazed stare. With such disappointment on themselves, I'm guessing he's trying to find out what happened. And also trying to get a look at the almost dead girl's face, I examine the guys plain white t-shirt covered with a black leather jacket both drenched in blood. My father comes into contact with the strange girls face, soon going wide eyed and turning pale making his scuffed beard appearing as the darkest feature on his face. Snatching the girl away and running towards Ron's house carrying her with one of his arms holding her back and the other clipped under her knees in search for the only doctor in town, Pete.

When my dad runs my direction I am not able to see the person's face because of a blue hoodie draped over it, watching her long brown curls sway back and forth with every echoing booted step my father takes.

With one quick motion the hoodie falls off, cascading onto the ground. Her face is revealed as so is the identity, it's Amanda. Amanda with a blood covered face, the air is taken away from my lungs as I am not able to comprehend if she is alive or dead.