Down The Dark Road

Chapter 6

Two Years Ago

Mom and I arrive in Tennessee, we drive until we see a gas station. Mom pulls up to the gas pump. She tells me to take a look around as she fills up the tank. The small store is abandoned and not much is left. Nothing useful anyways.

As I observe the empty shelfs, something in the corner of my eye catches my attention. It shines through the holes underneath the shelf. I kneel down and slid my hand under the shelf. The object is as big as my thumb and it's smooth. I bring my hand out and to my surprise , its a lighter. I flick my thumb across the ridged metal and a flame appears. I stuff the lighter in my pocket and search some more.

I go back to the car with two packs of double A batteries, and a golf magazine. Mom is sitting in the car, waiting for me. I slide into the seat next to her, and look over. She doesn't look good. She's sweating, and looks as if she's seen a ghost.

"Mom? Are you okay?" I said. She nodded her head, strands of her hair stick out of her pony tail.

"I'm fine honey, just feeling a little under the weather. It's nothing."

"Are you sure? You don't look so hot."

She shoots me an evil look. "I said I'm fine, Amelia!" she snaps. I keep quiet and let her drive.

. . .

We drive for hours. I offered Mom if she wanted me to drive, but she insisted that she wasn't tired. I didn't want to push her, but I knew that she wasn't well. We finally stop at a musty old motel, which seems to also be abandoned. We take one of the keys from behind the desk, and take our things to good old room seven. It kind of felt like we were taking a road trip. You know, without the disease.

Mom tests out the water, and nothing comes out.

"Figures." she mutters. I change out of my clothes and replace them with a comfortable white tank top and pajama shorts. They smell of home, I have to choke back a sob. I tie my hair up and make myself comfortable under the sheets. Mom does the same, but she lets her dark hair down and sets her glasses on the nightstand. She falls asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. I on the other hand, stay wide awake. I worry about her. I know what's happening to her, but I want to wipe the very thought from my mind. She's all I have now. I can't lose my mother. My eyes start to get heavy and I cave into sleep.

. . .

I wake up to a loud bang. My eyes pop open and I slowly sit up. It's still dark out, but I can see the silhouette of a man leaning over my Mom. He groans and scoops something to his mouth. He doesn't notice my hand creep it's way to my flashlight. The beam of light hit's his face. Blood covers his face, and his mouth is full of my mothers entrails. His eyes are red, but are fogged over. He limps over to me, but I'm much faster. I rip the lamp out of it's socket and jump up on the bed. I club the lamp into his head as hard as I can. Sobbing as I hit him. I can't stop. His head is dented, and obviously dead. I drop the lamp and look back at my mother. Her chest is ripped open and I can see her heart. It's still.

Oh God.