Maybe

Chapter 2

1 month ago
      Everything was sort of a blur from the time of my birthday to now. I called it the in between time as my family and I sat and waited for the inevitable to occur. The phone lines and TV had gone dead about a week ago and the last update we had was that over 75% of the nation had either died from the disease, come back to life after dying from the disease, or been infected with the disease as the result of a bite from an infected. I am sure that the numbers have risen to at least 80% now, although we will never know. Many families had risked the odds as they went out in search of food to keep them strong for the time being. They soon found out that the odds were not in their favor. We witnessed neighbor after neighbor disappearing until I was convinced we were the only ones left in our neighborhood.
      My dad, always one to expect the worst, had trained me since I was little on how to shoot a gun. I could shoot the center of a target with my eyes closed... that is if the target wasn't moving, and if the target wasn't alive. I feel as though it would be very different if I had to shoot at a person or a dead, now turned live person. I called those people walkers. That's all they really did; walk around until they found someone to sink their teeth into. I shuddered at the thought and clutched my 9mm gun closer to my chest. I was sitting in my usual place in the kitchen, my back pressed against the wall that faced the windows, waiting with eyes wide in fear.
      My mom had become another number on the tally of deaths only a week ago and I was still in numbed shock. We had begged her not to go outside our house, but the end of the world had turned her irrational, like so many others in our country. As she slipped into the dark cover of night my dad pulled me closer to his chest as I sobbed. She hadn't run away because of a sign of betrayal, it was more of a flight or fight mechanism, and my mom was never a fighter. Even though I knew that she didn't leave us on purpose, it was just the insanity talking, which still didn't stop me from feeling an empty hole in the pit of my stomach that was slowly growing bigger every time someone became a victim of this horrible disease. That's why when my dad approached me that night stating solemnly that he had to go out for food, I felt empty inside. The hole that had been growing larger had finally lost all abundance as my dad spoke those words and I wasn't ready to face this world by myself.

"I'm sorry Olivia, but I have to go out. We haven't eaten anything since your mom..." he trailed off

"I know, but if you go out there, we both know you won't be able to come back." I said

"Hey, I will fight to my death to make sure that you survive this. If that means that I have to take a risk by going to find food to keep you alive longer, then that's what I have to do." He said as I watched a single tear fall from his eye

"Dad, please I'm begging you, please just don't go!" I said sobbing, "we can find another way, we can find some more food somewhere, you can't just leave me alone! You can't just leave me here!" I said angry that he would even consider leaving me on this earth alone to fend for myself

"I'm sorry... I have to go. Who knows maybe the odds will be in my favor and I will be back before you know it. " he said with the slightest hope in his eyes

      He started walking towards the front door with me trailing behind him gripping onto his jacket until my knuckles turned white, screaming at him to stop, to reconsider.

"Please Olivia, you need to be quiet or you will draw more attention to us." He said as he turned around to face me when we made it to the door

"Dad, you can't go, I can't lose you too." I said

"Here, take this." He stuck his hand deep into his jacket pocket and pulled out a long silver chain with a circle charm attached to the bottom "it's a Saint Christopher necklace, it was your mom's. As long as you have this it will keep you safe." I turned around as he fastened the chain around my neck "Grace you have to trust me, I am going to fight as hard as I can to make it back to you, but if I am not back by this time tomorrow, you need to leave. Soon this house will be compromised, you need to run and keep running until this whole thing is over. By that time I don't know who will be alive, if any, but you need to stay alive, for me. Please just promise me you will stay alive." He said while tears streamed down his face.

"I promise." I choked out between sobs

      I crashed into his open arms as he enveloped me in one of our infamous bear hugs. I squeezed as hard as I could hoping that I could keep him here forever and we would both be safe and fine. I knew this wasn't a reality. If he didn't leave soon, there would be the risk of daylight. He stood up and looked me in the eyes.

"I love you Olivia, so much." He said

"I love you too Dad, forever." I said

      And with that he unlatched the door and ran out into the street without a glance back.

"I promise." I whispered to his shadowed figure.