Beacon

6

This chapter is dedicated to Blonde2301 enjoy!

I drove the car straight past the bakery leaning on the horn. The zombies turned quickly and began to follow.

"One"

I made sure the doors were unlocked we we could get out fast enough. Where was I going to drive it? I had to think fast the zombies were not far behind anymore. God they are fast.

"Two"

I was about two blocks away from the bakery and they were all still following. I noticed the pond near at the edge of the park. I drove towards it quickly not thinking about the small fence in the way. I plowed through it with ease. The car was only a few feet from the pond, I must have been going 70 mph at least.

"Three!"

Both of us tumbled out of the car and only took a split second to recover before running back towards the bakery. I pushed the panic button on my keys and the car kept blaring from inside the water. None of the zombies were following us. I picked up Oliver and carried him as I ran the two blocks to the bakery, adrenaline preventing me from getting tired. I turned around to see all of the zombies at the edge of the water pushing each other to go in and investigate.

I ran to the back door of the bakery and kicked it open. From a quick search I found that none of them were inside, I don't think they figured out how to work the doors yet. I went over and locked the back door.

"Fill up a bag with as many baked goods as you can or anything else in the kitchen you think we might need. I'm going to go upstairs and see what Kathy has up there."

Oliver nodded at me and I hugged him before running up the stairs to Kathy's loft. I opened her door and was met with the smell of incense and fresh paint, an utterly "Kathy" smell. I haven't even been able to register her death yet, I've been so busy just trying to get Oliver. And now I was surrounded with her smell and all her flower paintings and her messy house and her art supplies scattered everywhere. I can't break down not now, not yet. I fought back the waves of tears welling up in my eyes and went for her bedroom.

There was a bed and bins of clothes placed randomly about the room, as well as a wooden cabinet sitting in the corner next to the small window. Please be the gun cabinet. I ran over to it and opened up the doors. Scarves. It was filled with scarves, of course it was why would she keep guns in a gun cabinet. I rummaged through her closet and found nothing. I checked under her bed. I went and searched all of the living room. Still nothing. Maybe she never did have guns after all.

I went in the kitchen to see if there was at least anything we could eat here. The cabinets were bare, of course they were Kathy only cooked down in the bakery. As I turned to walk downstairs empty handed I noticed something. The oven door was cracked open. That's strange, if Kathy didn't cook why would she be opening and closing the oven door? I went over and opened it, not really expecting much, to find a pile of guns.

I pulled out 2 pistols, a revolver, a pump action shotgun, and a sniper rifle. I was surprised but I don't know why I would expect less than her. I made sure all of the safeties were on, just like Kathy taught me in the few shooting lessons she forced me to go to. I ran back into her bedroom and grabbed the biggest of her many backpacks and loaded the guns and all of the extra ammunition inside, and ran back downstairs to Oliver.

"How's it going did you get everything you could find."

"Yep I grabbed all of the baked goods from here and the front and some big knives, candles and two lighters."

He smiled at me wide. God I love this kid, he's the only person that would smile in a time like this.I grabbed the keys to the bakery's van and the bag from him.

"I can't carry you buddy so you're going to have to run on your own. When you get out there don't look at anything but the van just keep running towards it no matter what."

He nodded at me masking his fear with another smile, not as real and bright this time. I opened the door and we both ran as fast as we could to the van, I unlocked the door and we both hopped in. There was no back seat in the van so Oliver had to sit in the passenger seat. There were no zombies around now so I had a moment to think. Where were we gonna go?

"We have to go get Daddy."

I looked over at Oliver, my eyebrows furrowed, but when I saw his serious expression my face softened. Of course he still loves him, it's his father.But he never took care of him once in his whole life, he never even held him as a baby. I love him too of course, but he abandoned his own son. I know he was depressed after mother died, I was too, but it's been 5 years and that sweet little boy barely knows what his father looks like.

"Oli we don't even know if he's alive it's too dangerous. He hasn't even been the best fa-"

"He's our daddy and if he's maybe alive then we have to go save him."

He was right, I was being selfish. I drive the old van to our house and turn to Oliver.

"Stay here and I'll go check for him. Don't leave the car no matter what."

He nods at me and I can see tears streaming over his little reddened cheeks. Sometimes I forget he's so young. I slam the door of the van and run into the house. My lungs burning from all the running already done today. Once I'm inside the house I run down to Father's lab and catch my breath in front of the door, listening for movement. After a few seconds I hear a glass breaking and hope swells up inside my chest. Who else could be here? I swing open the door easily.
His work is kept secret by the agency he works with, he always locks this door. Even if it means keeping everyone else out, especially then.

"Father?"

I step inside the room light on my feet to avoid the glass. I hear some movement under the lab tables. Maybe he's cleaning up whatever was just broken?

"Father I have Oliver. We can find somewhere to go."

My voice is shaking as steadily as my arms. I walk farther into the room. How have I never realized how huge this room is? I see movement around the corner and run towards it, thinking of nothing but how I would tell a five year old boy his father is gone. Then I feel a hand clasp onto my shoulder, whipping me around.