Leola and Ozzie vs. The World

Chapter 13

   When their car was finally out of site, I turned to see my house. A hoard of zombies already came through. There was blood all over the driveway as if something was dragged. The front door wasn't there along with uncle's car. I gripped my pipe and carefully walked inside.

   The inside was worse than the outside. Every window downstairs was broken. Dad's puddle of blood was now dry in the carpet. New giant blood marks were found in the carpet and kitchen. The house was dark, stinky, and scary with no sign of mom, dad, Ozzie or uncle.

   I made my way up the stairs. I almost slipped on the heavy river of blood that ran down the stairs. I hoped it was zombie blood. "Ozzie?" I whispered. "Dad?" "Mom?" "Uncle?"

   Only silence. I gulped and continued up the stairs. First, I headed for my room.

   I looked in the only place Ozzie would be. I looked under her bed only to see nothing there. My heart sunk to the deep end. Tears welled up in my eyes but I sucked them up. I couldn't lose hope. There are other places in the house she could be.

   I got up from my knees and turned around. A wooden spear was pointed right between my eyes. I slightly poked me but was sharp enough to make it hurt. I jumped back as blood trickled down my nose.

   "Oh, I'm sorry Leo!" Ozzie said dropping the spear. Without a second thought, I hugged Ozzie practically squeezing the life out of her. "Leola...I can't breathe". Ozzie said. I let go of her.

   "What are you doing here!?!" I asked gripping her shoulders.

   "I didn't want to go with uncle after what he did to daddy". She said. "He had another fight with somebody who tried to bite him, I heard it from upstairs". "After the fight he and mommy tried to get me out the room with them in the car". "I left out by the window and tricked them".

   "Oz why didn't you go with him, he was probably gonna take you somewhere safer!" I stressed.

   "I don't like him anymore". She said. "Not after what he did to daddy". I sighed.

   "When I went outside, mommy and uncle looked for me". She said. "I hid in the neighbor's dog house". "There were ugly men trying to eat uncle...I watched". " He hit it and kicked it". "Then, him, mommy, daddy got in the car and ran it over in the driveway". "They drove away but mommy's screaming made more come". "Some found me and I had to run back into the house". " I figured this was like my book so I acted like the main character and made this spear, it's like my character's!" "Making it was fun!"

    I put Ozzie's story together. After I left, a zombies must've attacked the house. Uncle killed them and realized this was a apocalypse. He tried to get everyone in the car including Ozzie who hid in her room after seeing the stabbing. She sunk out through the window and hid in a doghouse. Uncle and mom went to look for her but were forced to retreat into the car (with dad in it) probably because of a hoard coming their way. A zombie found Ozzie and chased her back into the house. She found a stick and carved it into a spear thinking this apocalypse is a game.

   "Ozzie this isn't one of your fairy tales, this is real life". I said firmly looking into her eyes. "There are dangerous things out there and you can't be running off like that!" Ozzie quickly nodded sensing my seriousness.

   "Go get dressed".  I commanded. "Dress in something summer and winter". "Bring your bookbag and pack important things only".  Ozzie rushed into her closet.

   I thought about everything I've seen that has informed me about zombies. The Walking Dead, Left for dead, Last Of Us, etc. All their apocalypses lasted for years. We need to be prepared for years of a apocalypse struggle. I kinda know how to survive this but I don't know where to go. Looking for our family would get us killed. They'd want us to be somewhere safe, wherever that is. Maybe I could use Kenny's (from Walking Dead the game) idea. Living at sea during a zombie apocalypse was sounding like the best idea.

    After settling on that idea I went to get dressed. I dressed in a long sleeved black T-shirt with a tank top under it. I topped off my torso with a leather jacket. I added baggy jeans, gloves and combat boots. Mom's red bow still in my hair.

    My bag was packed with water, extra blanket, band aids,  couple of knives, my phone, money, flashlight, batteries, compass, crowbar, rope, and soap.

   "Look at me!" Ozzie said twirling. She was dressed just like me but without gloves and with a beanie that only let out the front and back of her hair.

   "Not bad, not bad", I said looking her over"lemme see your bookbag". She handed it to me.

   She packed a book, water, crayons, a blanket, her spear, family and friend photos, toys, dolls, candy, a video game, plastic bags, fake flowers, and a quarter.

   I started unpacking her bag. "Hey what are you doing!" Ozzie whined.

   "You need to pack important things, life saving things!"  I said.

   I unpacked the toys, dolls, and family photos. I stopped and stared at the photo.

   It was me, mom, dad, uncle, Ozzie, Yael and his family all together for the 4th of July barbecue. Instead of leaving it, I put it back in Ozzie's bag then shoved it into her. "Important stuff only".  She nodded and unpacked.

   I noticed both our bags were missing something...food. Our house didn't have any food. I was starting to regret just getting rice last time I went shopping. During a zombie apocalypse, food is going to have a great value. If we don't get any before people start looting stores, we'll starve to death.

    We'll need to stop by the supermarket.

   Ozzie handed me her bag ready for my approval. She had everything appropriate. "Ok lets go". We went downstairs but before we exited the door, we stopped.

   "Ozzie..." I paused trying to find the right way to explain this to her. "There are these monsters and..."

   "Leo I already know...its just like in one of my books". She said softly. I didn't know she'd read a zombie book before. Those things are graphic.

   "I know what they do...how they change people...I-I...I'm scared". She said squeezing my hand.

   "Me too", I admitted"but we'll make it as long as we stick together, be honest, be loyal and always do the right thing".

   " But I'm still scared".  Her voice got higher. She looked up to me with her big eyes.

     "Don't be...you're safe as long as you're with someone who loves you".

   "I love you Leola". Ozzie said hugging me. I smiled and fished into my hair and pulled out mom's bow and placed it in Ozzie's hair. God how she looked so much like mom.

    "I love you too Oz".