Restless

Chapter 3

The ride home was silent. Eleni's parents weren't home and were out visiting their grandparents, which is why they were okay with her letting Neri stay for a week to begin with. But now that plan went to hell, and neither one had any idea if anyone was safe anymore. Just as they drove to Eleni's home, which was an hour trip from the airport, they saw how the world had been affected.

Robberies and gunmen were running into stores, and the Jeep swerved to avoid a few dead bodies. Fires consumed many of the buildings, and some people were even stealing car parts from other cars--leading them to blow up thereafter. Obviously, no one was obeying road signs or traffic signals. Trucks, vans, and even the occasional Prius went speeding across the road in the wrong lane, or with the head of guns poking out the windows. The final touch was the Restless, which flooded out of hospitals and pharmacies, and began their onslaught of murder. Both women looked away while some people were consumed in front of them, and all they did was swerve to avoid their yells and splattered bodies that would soon rise again.

Neri was going to change as soon as she got to Eleni's, because sweat was starting to drip down her forehead. She hadn't had the chance to change out of her long jeans and sweater. Eleni was dressed appropriately, wearing a Linkin Park t-shirt and jean shorts with worn Converse shoes. The only thing they had in common was their racing hearts, shaky hands, and anxious habits.

"Is the world...actually ending?" Eleni asked, and Neri bit her lip.

She was obligated to be the headstone for Eleni because she was two years older, being 19. But not even she thought she could hold out much longer.

"I..." Neri swallowed. "I don't know."

Eleni's hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, her knuckles getting pale.

It was yet another time lapse of forty minutes before they finally came to her house, and her ravaged neighbourhood. Saying that the virus spread like wildfire was an understatement; it spread like a cloud or fog. Steadily engulfing the entire population, millions by millions, until nothing would be left.

Neri and Eleni had the same question on their minds. How will we get through this?

"Here." Eleni pulled into her parking lot, and shoved the Jeep into park. The vehicle jolted, and they kicked open the doors.

"Aren't you going to shut the engine off?" Neri pointed to it as Eleni jammed her key in the door.

"Nope."

"What? Why?"

Eleni opened the door, and motioned for her to come inside. "We're going to grab some stuff."

Neri ran in. "Like...guns?"

She nodded and took her hand, leading Neri to her basement, where all the forgotten supplies were kept. Eleni began sorting through articles in the corner.

"You have guns here?!" Neri questioned incredulously.

She shook her head. "No, I meant that we're going to have to go get guns."

Neri nodded, mouthing a silent "oh," and walked to another door. While Eleni searched for whatever it was that she was looking for, Neri snuck off to the bathroom to change into cooler clothes. When she came out, she wore a thin blue hoodie with the sleeves torn off, and jean short-shorts similar to Eleni's, with her old, black Puma runners.

Finally, Eleni found two gym bags. They were fairly long, and would be capable of holding more than a few rifles, shotguns, and whatever else they could find.

"They're my old bags when I used to be on a cheer team. They're big enough." She threw one to Neri, who examined the size.

"This is more than big enough... This could hold enough food for like, three days." She nodded, and slung it around her shoulder.