Surviving Today

Chapter One

Day 643

"Jack?" I hear in the distance.

I don't respond to my name, nor do I stop cleaning out my gun.

"Jack!" The voice yells.

Finally, I look up from the gun to see my Dad appear in the entrance of our weathered camping tent. He looks pissed.

I try to keep my solid composure as I slip out a small, "What is it?" Quite honestly I don't need an answer. I know exactly what this is about.

"Give me your gun. Now." My dad spits out through his teeth.

My attempts to keep emotionless are all for not, because with just those small five words I am left awestruck.

"What?! Dad that's not fair!" I say hiding no ounce of my shock.

My dad's eyes widen as if I just said the most retarded thing imaginable. Here we go again.

"Not fair, huh? Not fair?" He rebukes. He shakes his head at me in disgust.

"No Jack. Not fair is shooting an innocent member of the group. That is what's not fair!"

"Innocent? Dad, they were bit! Infected not innocent." I reply trying to justify what I know can't be fixed.

"They were human! HUMAN JACK! Do you even know what that means anymore?" He says questioning with his voice raising an octave.

After a few moments of silence he answers for me.

"Jack, I know this has been hard for you. Growing up in this world, heck I would've never wanted any of this for my son, but you have to remember..." He pauses for a moment to find the right words.

"There is a fine line between human, an-and one of...those things." He tries to explain. Again I try my piece.

"Dad, I was saving them from the pain, the insanity, the fever. I was saving them." I try to say looking at my dad with begging eyes. He shakes his head again.

"No Jack. You weren't saving them. You were taking away the last decision they could ever make for themselves. The last freedom they'd ever have, and you took that Jack. You took it away." He says. Now I am the one shaking my head.

"Oh yeah, and what decision is that exactly?" I ask sarcastically.

"Well, you know. They could wait it out and try to fight it. Wait for a cure and-" I stop him right there.

"A cure! Really Dad? You really still believe that there is going to be a cure?" I say almost laughing at the man as if he had just said he still believed in Santa Claus.

My Dad's face takes on a look of despair. His eyebrows knitting together and his lips pursing in thought. He opens his mouth to speak.

"Well...don't you?" He asks hopefully. His voice sounding grave. I decide to humor the man and his silly whims.

I let out a giggle and smile as I say, "Sure Dad. Of course I believe in a cure." He believes me, or at least he chooses to and smiles at my answer.

"Good. I understand that this is practically the only life you know, but no matter how hard it is...you have got to hold on to whatever shred of humanity you've got left. Jack, promise me. Promise me you will." He says solemnly. He looks me square in the eyes as he awaits my response.

I manage to stammer out a quick, "I promise, Dad." He nods at my answer and silence greets us again.

"Great. When we're on the move you can keep your gun, but when we settle down I want it back first thing." He says testing his authority.