Through Hell

Cabin Dream

     The car then suddenly stops. Me and my brother wakes up as soon as we heard the closing doors from the parents of the child. I look out the window to see morning daylight with a forest surrounding a quite big cabin, possibly having more than 2 floors. There's even a deck with a porch swing. It felt as if I was at camp. I then felt a nudge as I turn to see my brother has already gotten out of the car as I see the little girl looking impatiently at me. I then turn back to exit out of the car to only be surprised that the father had opened the door for me, or possibly their daughter.
      I leaped out as the girl then followed along as I see Angelo come up next to me. We both stood next to each other as the parents with their child stood a couple feet across. With the expressions on their face, I could tell what they were thinking about. What are we gonna do about them?
"Well um, this is awkward but, we never got the names?.." the lady said in a gentle, softish tone, probably being not much of a social person herself.
  "Sorry, let me restate that, I'm Susan. This is my husband, Paul and our little angle, Uriel." The lady said now in less of softness, sounding now more proper. Her and her husband smiles as the daughter meanders around, not even looking at us. I smiled back at them.
"I'm Kito, and this is my brother Angelo." I look at the corner of my eye of my brother nervously smiling. It slightly threw me off.
"Well, thank the lord for you two to eventually cross paths with us. I was honestly, afraid myself cause I thought I wouldn't have my dear love ones with me.." the father (Paul was it? Such a basic name), said back to us. I felt a sting in me. Original plan was to hope that the monsters would've gone after them. It really wasn't much of a blessing there. Maybe changing my mind was but not beforehand.
     I smile, feeling the guilt lurk around.
Paul then goes off into cabin as Susan called out for her child to follow. Uriel quickly came to follow as Susan also tells us to come inside. As we did we were in awe of how prepared this cabin seemed. Like it was a house people lived in before. There was a Tv, games, so much a kid would probably ask for, even an adult would enjoy the place.
"If you have to make a call for your parents or anything else, don't worry. We have wifi-internet-whatever you wanna call it!" She says in such a joyful tone.
  "Sweet." My brother says as he quickly sets down his stuff as he rushes off to the Xbox.
  "There's a guest room upstairs you boys could use. Just go up and go two rooms down and turn to your right." Paul says as he comes up from the basement.
"Thank you." I say politely, heading upstairs to the room. I set my stuff down to the side as I lay on top of the bed. I take glimpses over the room as I stay lying down. It's not filled with much except the basics of what a room has. I then go to take off my sweater when I noticed something was inside the pockets. My phone.
     I pulled out my phone to see it slightly cracked, still working though as it has not a high but, not a low battery either. I turn it on to see the notifications hit. 
5 missed calls, 3 voice messages, 20+ texts. Rosaria. Recent. They were recent.
My eyes widen as I go to the voice messages first. I click the oldest recent.
"Hey um.. so I found out I'll be heading to Delaware.. I'm at the airport right now.. um.. not many people are around.. it's really unsettling.. my parents split up to go find another worker.. since um.. so many are talking to other people.. but, um.." a sudden disruption interrupt over as the message ended unexpectedly.
I felt chills on my shoulders as I sat up. There's 2 more left. I clicked the second one.
There was a lot of screaming and yelling. Gunshots even. A lot of chaos was muffled as there was panting. Finally she spoke. "Kito. I don't know if I will ever see you again. It'd be a miracle but.. the army man won't let us out. They won't help us. They said that one who has been infected must stay in the same room as us. Everyone is dying. No, turning into them. Both. I'm trying to get out but I can't find anyone. I don't think I'll ever get out.. Kito, thank you.. thank you for everything.." you could just sense the tears coming from her by how she was speaking.. "I.. I love you ki-" a loud bang was heard as the message ended unexpectedly again.
I could feel the tears coming. I don't want to believe it. I was hesitant to click the last message. It could be the worst. It was this morning too. Anything could've happened. I don't want to click the message. Though, I can't resist, I click anyways, expecting the worse.
"Hey Kito.. I uh, managed to get out with a group of people.. we're like in some sort of shelter area now.. um.. I'm sorry if I worried you though but.. it seems like you're busy yourself.. I hope everything is alright back in Indiana.. please.. if you can.. call me.." the message ends.
I let out a big sigh of relief, laying back down as I let out a weird mixture of laughter and crying. I wipe off the tears that was coming down my face. I held the phone as I then check the messages. 17 of them were about the airport incident. The last 3 were about her in the shelter and how she thought it would be best not to listen to the second voicemail at least. I then text her, with a word I could only think of:
"Hey"
I know if were to see it, she'd instantly respond.
She didn't though. Maybe.. she was busy, still alive out there. I try to go back looking onto the bright side.
My brother then enters the room.
"Hey Kito you wanna play?" Angelo says holding a second controller. I quickly sat up as I place my phone in my pocket.
"Sure." I say smiling as I head out the room.
~~
As time flew by, I begin to worry again. I haven't heard any response since the message I sent. Time grew more dull as I try to find more things to distract myself with. It felt I wasn't even entertained with all the possible distractions from this nightmare. Maybe because it is still lurking without even knowing. I sigh as I don't even care to complete the Lego Spongebob set, looking at my messages.
No new messages.
Maybe I should play portal 2 with my brother again, it at least seemed fun, or at least to him. As I get up ready to head down, my phone begins to buzz. In instant, I grab it to answer.
"H-hey!! You are alive!.." As I heard Rosaria on the other side in relief. I could feel excitement pounding in my chest hearing her gentle voice again.
"A-and you are too!.." I was trying to hold back tears that were attempting to come. I didn't realize I spoke out of my mind till I heard the confusion from her.
"W-well.. yeah.. surprising eheh.." I could feel my smile lowering a little as I heard the sentence.
"I.. I actually could've died.. but.. this kind group of people were able to help me.. and now.. they are teaching me how to survive apparently.."
"That's.. that's good.." A sudden, crazy idea hits my head. I look around the room, rapidly looking for a map as I could hear Rosaria questioning what's going on. I find the map of the U.S. And marker as I lay it down.
"So, where are you now."
"Uhm.." I could hear Rosaria asking some guy with a deep voice in the background.
"We're in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania apparently.. erm.. was there an exact reason why you wanted to know?.." I hesitate.
"I..I'm planing to come get you.. and maybe the group.." everything fell to silence. I had to quickly check if we were still in call.
"So.. you're coming all the way from Indiana?.. to come get me?.. you're?.. you're going to risk your own life even though you are safe?.. just for.."
"Yes. A-and besides.. I'm not even in the town anymore.. or state.. I'm unsure though. But, where I'm at seems pretty safe and I'm willing to risk it for you since, I only have you and my brother left.." it fell silent again.
"God.. you're crazy.. but, hell.. it'd be nice to see you again.. and I know I really can't stop you.. just.. just please stay safe.. and please update me where you're at and if you're still here.. I.. I can't take loosing people anymore.." I could hear her trying to hold in her tears as throughout the sentence she was hesitant about the whole idea.
"I will. I promise." I say to reassure her. Everything fell silent again. I then heard my name being called down.
"Kito!! Dinner is ready!"
"I gotta go.. I love you .."
"I love you too.." as I hung up, I put down the phone onto the map as I marked, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was tempted of the idea to skip dinner and call her back, but I figure it'd be a better idea to call back after dinner anyways. Not much shouldn't happen between the span anyways.
I head downstairs as I see the meal was ready. I see the father, Paul sitting as if he was zoned out as I also see Angelo sitting there as if worried. Paul then noticed as he calmly says
"Ah, sorry. Uriel has been acting up lately so Susan is just caring for her now. Uriel may not join us but Susan should be here soon."
"That's ok." I say with a patient smile, looking over at Angelo as he grows his worried expression into fear.
~~
I don't know how long I've been texting Rosaria but I know it's been somewhere between an hour or two when Susan had said "lights out" for mainly Uriel, but included me and Angelo as well. By now I think the parents are even asleep.
Angelo on the other side of me was reading a book as I kept talking to Rosaria, mainly more about some stupid stuff to have ourselves forget about the dark reality for the time being. Besides, it is nice to have light moments during dark times. At the corner of my eyes I realized he was not reading a book but making himself look as if he was. He was looking bothered, right at the door.
"Hey, what's wrong?" I say facing away from the phone, now looking at him. He moved his eyes right to the book as he was now reading or pretending to, again.
"You've been.. bothered lately. what's wrong?" I say again, hoping to get a response this time. He sighs as it seemed he was trying to keep himself shut.
"Ever since the car, you've been more quiet. Is it-"
"It's the girl. I think.. I think she's infected." He blurted out. I tilted my head in confusion.
"How.. come?.."
"It's.. it's because of the bite. It's like how the zombies work in stories and such.. one bite and you're.. infected.. dead.. something like zombie.."
"Angelo.. it wouldn't make sense-" I stopped as I heard slight noises, groans of pain to the room next to us, as if they sounded brain dead. Angelo was frozen as I sigh.
"I'll go check it out.." I head out before hearing what Angelo had tried to yell out. I figured it would've been something related to the girl and bite but it shouldn't be a big deal. As I closed the door, I've notice a blue nightlight shining through the crack of the room next to us. I head over to open it slightly, seeing Uriel on her hands and knees.
"Hey you alright-" I stopped, noticing the puke like substance around her. Then, she looks up to me, the blue nightlight reflecting off her now foggy looking eyes. She quickly got up as I took it as a signal.
Run.
In instant rush, I quickly get myself out of the room as I made a turn, the girl then running into the door across. I stopped by the stairs as I turn to see the girl heading right at me. Without second thought, I was able to throw her down the stairs. Though, some guilt instantly hit.
I heard the parents and my brother coming out their rooms as lights then turned on.
  "What the hell is going on!" I heard Paul yelled out, suddenly Susan running down the stairs to see what looks to be a harmed Uriel. We all go down as I was the last to make it down. The parents hovered over their daughter who seems as out of it as Paul then glared directly at me.
   "Get. Out." He says with an intimidating voice over Susan who now sounds as if she was in tears, muffling into her daughter shoulders.
  "I-i didn't mean to.." I say with a trembling voice. Paul then stomps off as I felt frozen.
   "Sh-she was bitten! She was gonna turn into a zombie anyways!!" My brother steps in for my defense. Susan stuck in her own trauma, was muffling out her daughter's name, not even listening as Paul starts to come back with a shotgun, chucking it. Without second thought, my brother and I had the instant to go up to grab our stuff and quickly opened the door, ready to run until we heard Susan burst into screaming. We turned to the noise as our eyes widen.
     The child buried her teeth straight into her mother. Blood now covering the child's face as she rips out a chunk of skin right near the neck. I turn to see my brother in horror as I then pushed him out, ready to attack the child with the machete as the father shot a distance near my feet. I look to see the fury ready to aim at me as I took sign to just go. As I exit, in the corner of my eye, I see the father shoot the child right at the head.
     I slammed the door shut as me and my brother looked at each other terrified. We were trembling. My brother tried to steady himself while I stick frozen near the door.
     Noises were heard, possibly from Paul trying to say something. It starts growing into more of like sobbing as then, a shot was fired. Me and my brother stood there as we continue to hear sobbing. I was too shocked of horror to move. Another shot was then blown. It was dead silent.
     "..all.. of this is my fault.." Angelo says under his breath. Regaining thought finally, I shook my head as I try to stay in balance with my trembling body.
   "You.. can't blame yourself for something there was no control of.." I looked at Angelo, who was holding on tightly to the pan. He was looking down. He's, he's traumatized as well.
     We're now on our own again. Trying to think, it'd feel stupid to leave the area at night. So we have no choice but to stay for now. I held out my hand to grab onto Angelo's, opening the door as I could even feel like I want to go opposite direction.
   "Close.. close your eyes.." I say as we both enter, trusting that Angelo probably is covering his eyes. I then lead him back upstairs to the room as he then uncovered his eyes. He plopped onto the bed as I placed my stuff down.
   "Look.. we're gonna leave sometime soon.. for now, we'll just stay a little longer.. ok?.." I say, trying to sound calm. He nods his head as I gave him a gentle smile, then closing the door. I head down stairs to see the three dead bodies upon me.
   "What the hell am I suppose to do with this.." I muttered, feeling disgusted and awful. I then felt a buzz in my pocket as I see that Rosaria was calling. That's right.. I just stopped midway texting. I answered.
  "Sorry I stopped suddenly.. I was just, busy."
  "Oh sorry! I just got so worried.. I um.. wait.. what were you busy with late at night?.." I bit my lip, trying to guess how I should say it as I look down at the dead bodies still.
   "Well, its um.. its a long story.. just .. just don't worry about it."