The Plague

Chapter 2

My last night with my little boy...

"Are you gowin to the store? I don't wan you to weave again mamma." Keaton my three year old son tells me sniffling.

We are in his room, it's late at night and nobody knows I'm here. Actually, they all believe I'm dead. Another accident. This time though, there was a body.

l planned it so that everyone thought I was going to visit family in west Texas. We removed the license plates from my car so they wouldn't be damaged and threw my brand new chrysler 300 over a tall cliff near a highway I would have taken. Then we placed the plates near the scene where they would be found.

My poor car. I loved that thing.

The body inside was of a convert they had killed hours before, a female, and the body wasn't decomposed yet, which meant she was new. With the explosion as grand as it was, they would have a hard time figuring out that it wasn't me, especially with my wedding band placed on her finger.

So now I'm sitting here with Keaton talking quietly and playing. It's probably one in the morning and I can tell he's exhausted but I missed him and it will be worse going longer than three days.

"Baby, mamma will be back. Remember what I told you about secrets?"

He giggled and I put my finger to my lips in a shushing gesture, trying not to laugh myself. He was very excited about having a secret. It made him feel like a big boy.

I listened as he told me about his day with his Nana, who is my husbands mom. His brown eyes light up when he talks about the fire station museum they had visited that day. He got those adorable, brown, puppy dog eyes from my husband Dallas. They share the same eyes, olive skin tone, and facial expressions. But he got my blonde hair and features.

I act surprised and excited during the parts in his story where I know he expects that sort of reaction. He is being so cute that I really don't know how I'm going to walk away from him tonight.

At first I was nervous coming back here. I had been trying for three days but Dallas was taking my absence pretty badly, and every night except tonight he had Keaton in bed with him.

We talked and played toy cars while I quietly explained as well as I could to a three year old that I would not be with him anymore. I left out the parts about monsters, but promised he would see me again.

Around three in the morning he started to yawn, and I pulled him close to me, letting him lay his head on my shoulder. Patting his back I held back a sob. This was way to hard. Life sucks. At least mine does at the moment.

When his breathing deepens I look down and he is asleep, 'Man! Why can't I just take him?'

Tucking him in, I debate on checking on Dallas. I miss being held by him already. Kissing him, playing with him, even arguing with him. It's really hard not to go into our room and lay in our bed to sleep next to him.

Instead I become anxious to leave. I've already been here for a while, and now that I'm completely changed, it's so much easier for the converts to find me. I may be stronger now, but I haven't even started training. I can't let them find me here of all places.

I kiss Keaton one more time and tighten the covers around his body sticking his favorite stuffed dog, Puppy Bacon, inside with him. He named it himself. He looks so cute just laying there all innocent, so I stare at him a little longer.

Instead of going out the way I came in, which was his bedroom window, I lock it and slip through the house going out the front door, using my old key to secure it behind me. It was heart breaking not seeing Dallas again.

I had parked Adam's car about a half mile away at a gas station. It was late and dark out, but I wanted the time alone to clear my head. I feel like sh*t for what I've done to my guys back there in my old home. Yet, I know I needed to for their safety.

I have a big journey ahead, but I can't help trying to think of a way to one day be with them again. Maybe after this is all over. If it ever ends, or I don't die for real first.

I make a mental vow to make sure that doesn't happen. I'm doing this for them, what good will I be dead? No one else will fight for them the way I will, there is no better protector for them than me.

This is the last time I will cry. It's time for my game face.

I reach the car, turn down the street to enter the highway, and don't look back.