The Grey

Chapter 1 - Old Memories

I was 18 years old, when it began, when I lost everything I loved. I was always happy when I was little. It almost seems like a joke now to even laugh or smile, because there's just nothing to smile about anymore. I remember that day, the day it all started. My mom came and woke me to get ready for the day. I still remember my room, all my posters and stuffed animals and all the pictures I always kept. My life was always good, I wasn't the perfect student or much of a good daughter but I was a good person, and that I knew was true. I remember I was getting my backpack on and getting ready to meet my friend on the way to school. I said my goodbyes and walked out. I remember though what happened that morning I'll never forget. I met her, her name was Gwen, she though was the first to go. As I was walking I started to hear screaming and people running form their cars. I started to panic, I started running to meet Gwen to see if she new anything about what was going on. I remember though after I met up with her, some creature started coming are way. The thing was hideous, it looked as if it were mutated into something. Then It grabbed her. The rest was a blur, all I could remember was that just that and nothing else that day.

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Since then, the world has changed. I don't know even know where you would begin to tell what happened. Everything just fell apart, and there was no way of fixing it anymore. The survivors lost all hope in a cure and so did I.

"Come on Em, we got to get going before it gets dark." Amber yelled toward me. "in a sec" I yelled to her. I stared out at the buildings in the distance. Abandoned, they were. Plants overgrew onto them, while they tilted toward the ground. Cities were in distress just like the world. "Hurry up" Drake called. I turned around and started walking to him. We all started to walk together. "Hey, why ya so shy" Amber said as she looked at me with the grin she always had on. "Nothing, just sick of being on the move again that's all." "oh, you need to get over that soon." Amber was like a sister to me, the sister I lost. She was always there for me and I was there for her to. He long brown frizzy hair fell into her face as she walked and so did mine. My hair was a straight brown, but I always kept it in a ponytail since we were always on the move. I hated this life, even being with Amber and having a long lost crush on Drake, by my side don't help. Drake never seemed to like me, especially now since we were always together. I had sorta grown a hate for him inside and I could tell he did to. He would always be a jerk to me as I to him everyday. And then there was Steven, he...he was different you could say. He was Drake's friend, and Amber and I were always together since we were the only girls.

We kept on walking, but the talking between all of us ceased as we drew closer to the city. The infected, you could call them, they were the monsters that ruined the world I guess. Drake acted as the leader, but no one ever listened for we were all for all selves but also a team too.

The streets were silent. We walked through the puddles in the setting sun. I could tell Drake was looking for a hideout for the night. All these buildings, ruined and overgrown. Nobody but us would even dare go inside, no one knows what lies inside though. I didn't care at this point where we were going to stay, see sometimes I just felt there was nothing to live for anymore just...i don't even know anymore, honestly. "There!" Drake said pointing to a opened window in one of the many buildings. I looked up form the ground and noticed Amber already by the door. "come on, your really slow today" she then laughed. Plants covered the floor and some of the walls. Lights barley hung to the ceiling and trash was spread throughout. We managed to find the stairs in the wreck of the building. I looked around as we walked upstairs. I looked through the shattered windows and down to the street below. "Shit!" I whispered loudly. "What?", the said and all looked at me. "I see raiders, we need to go before they see us" We began to walk faster but keeping our eyes opened for an enemy. We reached as high as we could go, due to the end of the stair case. Drake being the "leader" went first and opened one of the doors in the building. "Nothing" he said and we all quickly piled into the room closing the door behind us. "You guys know the drill one of-" "us has to watch for any movements or sounds" All of us knew that by heart now you could say. Those words were like the only thing he ever said. Steven ended up going first. I was exhausted by the journey. I threw my backpack down and plopped my head on top of it and closed my eyes. This was my "alone" time you could say, just a time I could think of the good memories for once to escape reality. Reality was then and now was horrible and I guess it just always was. I always found it funny when people would tell me to "start living in the real world."

Oh what a joke it was.