The Infection

Chapter 29

5 Years Later

"Daddy! Mommy! Wake up!" Ben groaned into his pillow, then opened his eyes. He couldn't help the smile on his face when he saw his five year old daughter Maddie happily bouncing next to him. "It's today, isn't it?" He huskily asked. 

She nodded enthusiastically and said, "Come on! Hurry!" He chuckled and sat himself up. He felt Cassie touch his arm, so he looked over to her. "I think I'm going to sit this one out," she tiredly told him. "This one kept me up all night." 

Ben ran his hand over her six month along belly and gave her a kiss. "We'll wave to them for you," he said. He got out of bed and put on a shirt, before walking out of the bedroom and seeing Maddie waiting for him by the door. 

"Alright," he sighed, "let's go." He picked her up and walked out into the front yard. They stood on the sidewalk and looked down the empty streets of the neighborhood. "Where are they, daddy?" She asked. 

He hummed and said, "I don't know, baby. Maybe they're running a bit late." Maddie looked to him and asked, "Why do they do this?" He smiled, as he's explained this to her for the past few years now. "They have to go into the city and make sure it's safe from the infected. They died off years ago, but some people still wander in there and get themselves in trouble."

"Are there still people there, daddy?" She asked. He sighed and shook his head. "No," he told her. "The last camp there was the one your mummy and I used to be in. Once the infected started to die off, the military got word and dropped napalm on the entire city. Every camp there was destroyed."

He gulped thinking about that day. Gary had got a hold of the military and told them what was happening. The moment they could, they dropped napalm in the middle of downtown without warning. It was like watching a firework show, only knowing that every single person trapped in that place was dead. 

Including their old group.

"So now," Ben continued, "they go in and make sure it's secure. Oh, look who's here." Maddie gasped when she saw the big military trucks come down the street. She waved at them and shouted, "Hi! Hi!" 

As the trucks passed them, some of the men and women waved to her, some saluting her. "I want to be like them, daddy," she said, as they watched them drive further and further away. Ben smiled and said, "We'll talk about that when your older. For now, how about we make mummy some breakfast?"

He set her down and she sprinted inside. He stayed out just a few moments longer and looked over the neighborhood. Every single house except for their's was completely covered with weeds. The street that was supposed to be black pavement was tall grass, as was the front yard of every house. 

Ben ran his foot over the grass of his yard he had just cut a few days ago, then looked up at the trees that had beaches so long, they had grown down on to the street. The military was moving on fixing every part of San Francisco they could, but they were so far from the city, it was going to take a while to get to this neighborhood. 

Nevertheless, they were very content here. They had everything they needed, including food and supplies that would be delivered to them by the military every week. Since they knew he and Cassie were in special forces, they got the better treatment out of any survivors...if there were any. 

Ben smiled up at the sun shining on him through the trees and the sound of his daughter calling for him. "Coming, sweetheart," he called. Just as he was about to take a step towards the house...he heard something. Something...snarling. 

He hasn't heard that sound in almost five years.