Run

Chapter 1

  It happened very quickly. Something about a lab accident, no one knows what exactly happened. All I know is that everything is different and nothing can ever be as it was. Back home, I lived with my parents and two brothers. I was the middle child, Alex was younger than me and Josh was older. 

I used to complain and tease and get teased by my brothers but I would take that all back if I could. 

First, it was Alex. Taken and killed at thirteen. It was hard to begin with but once we lost him, it was even harder. Next were my parents, together. I like to think about the fact that they loved each other so strongly, that they were lucky to have gone out together. Lastly, when it was just Josh and I, we were struggling to stay safe and to not fall broken at the loss of our family. Unlike  the rest of the family, though, Josh was not killed. 

They took him. There was no hope for him after that and I couldn't try and help without getting hurt and I know that is the last thing anyone in my family would have wanted. If there was a chance for only one of us to survive, we hoped that they would take it. So I did. 

Turning my head, my eyes narrow and I take off in a cold sprint as I hear a screech closer than I should have allowed. 

It's been three months since Josh was taken from me. Three months alone, which isn't all that long. I have seen some people, nomads like myself. We would exchange some words and things we heard about but I didn't want to join anyone. Who knows? Maybe I should have or maybe those people are dead too. 

Instead of dwelling on it, I push myself to run harder. My feet landing on the ground as lightly as I could make it, splashing in puddles since it's drizzling. My breathing is loud, heart beating even louder. My stomach burns and my legs ache. I may have been forced to get into shape since the world pretty much ended but I struggle anyway.

Coming to a fence, I climb it quickly and land on the other side. Standing perfectly still, I listen. 

More shrieking and I take one more deep breath before heading north.

The city is in ruins. Sometimes you can find buildings that aren't completely broken and in those homes you'll find things as if the families that once lived there just picked up and left. Just left everything as it was and fled or died. It's unsettling but after a while you become grateful for those places, an easy place to gather supplies. 

Surprisingly, I find a car that wasn't there earlier when I left temporary home. Intrigued, I go over to it. It's empty of gas and supplies.

There's a crunch behind me and I freeze, hand going to the knife strapped to my thigh. Looking hesitantly over my shoulder, I sigh and roll my eyes before whirling around. My knife in hand, ready to throw at the boy in front of me. 

I glare as he just looks at me in surprised confusion with his hands up. 

"Who're you and what do you want?" I growl. He seems safe from the virus. 

"Are you-?" 

"No." I cut him off, already knowing what his question is. Lowering my weapon, I glare at him for one last moment and turn on my heel as another roar sounds. Ignoring him and keep on moving is what I plan to do. I don't need to talk to him . Grabbing my backpack straps, I secure them and square my shoulders. 

"Hey!" I hear his feet hitting the ground, jogging my way. "Wait up!"

"Get lost." I grit out as he matches my pace.  "Why? We should stick together- I mean you know the saying: Stronger together or whatever."

I stop and look at him, he does the same after he realizes I wasn't walking. "Leave me alone." Adjusting my bag's strap, I start walking again. I need to get back before night and I still hear those monsters behind us. 

"Hey come on. It's lonely and scary. At the very least let me tag along for a while. I'll leave if I start to get too annoying -because I've been told that I can be very obnoxious- and then-" 

"Shut up." I cut him off and look behind us. Putting a finger to my lips, I strain my ears. There's something near us, I can heard the footsteps crunching. I grab his arm and pull him roughly behind a car. Peeking up and through the window, I curse quietly.

There's a lone beast. Usually they go around in hordes. It screeches and I clench my eyes tight before opening them when I hear a loud clink. "Dude!" I whisper shout. He fell over and now the thing knows where we are. He gives me a panicked look. "Run." 

We do and the thing follows us. 

It looks ridiculous honestly. Random eyes sprout out from different spots on its face, along with rough patches of hair a black/gray color (sometimes brown). A random arm, thing hangs out from one of it's original human limbs and another on it's neck. It's a filthy, gross and dangerous mutant. The thing was once human but they have been infected by the Spider virus. Like everyone else- either changed or eaten. 

My younger brother and parents were actually lucky to have been murdered by the spider things but Josh wasn't. He was changed, infected. 

"This way." the boys tugs my arm and I resist. "No, this way." I tug back but it's too late. The beast is in front of us, blocking us in. I grind my teeth and release my grip from the boys arm.

My hand goes to my thigh and the other hand to my back, grabbing two of my knives. I like my knives, I have a bunch on me. It's my go to unless there's too many beasts and I use my gun. Right now though, as the thing comes at us and I shove the apparently incapable boy behind me, I throw one of the knives at its eye and the other hits its forehead. Dead. 

I sigh through my nose and turn to face the boy. 

He comes out from behind me and pulls a spiky bat from his backpack, smashing its skull. "It's already dead, that was completely unnecessary." 

The boy shrugs.

"Haylee." I say, extending my hand towards him. 

He grabs it in a shake and smiles. "James." 

I sigh, annoyed with myself because I don't know why I am doing this since I know I'll regret it. "Well, James." I start as I grab my knives, wiping them off and putting them away. "Let's get going, it'll be dark soon and we have things to discuss."