The Enemy U.S.A.

Chapter 11: The Memories

Kevin woke up before everyone else. He got up and stretched. He yawned and got up, rubbing his eyes. He opened the blinds a little to look outside. The sun was starting to rise. He didn't see any grown-ups out side. He closed the blinds and looked at everyone who was still sleeping. He walked up to the food and took a can of spinach. He took the can opener, then he realized he didn't know how to use it, because he was lefty. "God damnit." Kevin said under his breath. He had to wait until someone woke up to eat because if he tried using the can opener he'd break it. He put down the can of spinach and grabbed a water bottle. He sat down where he was last night and took a sip of water. Kevin thought about what was waiting ahead on his journey across the country. He didn't want to lose anyone else, but he had to go. He needed to know if his closest friends were still alive. He took out his pocket knife and opened it up. Then he realized, he could use his pocket knife to open the can of spinach. "Idiot." He mumbled to himself as he got up and walked to the food once more and grabbed the can of spinach. He stabbed his knife through the can and looked at his little sister, Lissette, who was still sleeping. He was worried about her. Kevin shook his head. Don't worry, she'll be fine. Kevin thought. He finally managed to open the can and walked back to where he was, taking a bit out of the spinach. The spinach tasted bland, but there was no salt, so Kevin had to make due.

     After finishing the can of spinach Kevin placed the can down next to him and closed his eyes. He was starting to revisit his memories before everyone 15 and over got infected. He remembered school. He remembered how happy he was there, to be away from home. His friends always knew what to say when something bad happened at home. Kevin opened his eyes and looked at Mike. Luna was sleeping on his belly, and Mike had a faint smile on his face. Kevin feared Mike now. Mike was never a maniac, he was always cracking jokes and saying stupid things, but know Mike lost his sanity. The infection did something to him. Kevin didn't know if it was the fact that most of his family got infected and ate his little brother. It probably was. Kevin then looked at Braden, then Tyler. All three of them were still alive, but the rest of his friends were all dead. They were all probably killed by their families.

     Kevin remembered how he killed his mother, how she charged at him. He didn't know what to think. "No," Kevin whispered to himself. "No. Don't think about it." Kevin put his hands to his head and put his knees to his chest, putting his head on his knees. "No. I don't want to end up like Mike." Tears started to stream down his face. He remembered watching the news. He remembered seeing one of the news anchors turn. She was screaming. She was coughing up blood. Her eyes were turning red, boils started to grow and pop all over her body. She turned into one of those, things. The male news anchor who was sitting next to her ran away. The camera cut off. A state of emergency for the U.S.A. was on the screen. Kevin remembered when he ran to the kitchen, jumping over his mother's body and looked out the window. He saw a kid running from a pack of grown-ups and into the 7-Eleven. Kevin remembered how he ran into his and his sister's room. He saw the kid cower from behind the doors of the store. He remembered the employee, who was infected, walk up from the kid from behind and grabbed him, taking a bite out of the kid's neck. He remembered the kid's eyes, filled with fear and pain. He entered his faint screams and the blood pooling on the floor as the grown-up was eating him. He remembered the kid trying to escape, then the grown-ups from outside got in and started to eat the kid from the legs up. Kevin was crying that day. He remembered a car crashing into another. He remembered hearing a baby cry, being pulled from a car by a grown-up and being eaten. He remembered all the noise. The gun fire, screams, cars crashing. Kevin was crying now. He hated living, how he had to try to survive this living hell. "Why," Kevin said. "Why did this have to happen."

     Emily opened her eyes and yawned, looking at Kevin. She was shocked to see him crying. She got up and sat next to him, pulling him into a hug.