Accepting The End [Zombie Apocalypse]

Chapter 2

Izabell hated sweltering heat, and this moment was a perfect representation of it. 

The sun was beating down on the top of her head, she could feel her forehead baking in the sun, did the others feel this way? Her legs ached from running, her feet were bruised and bleeding from the blister she worked up over the week, and she was so tired and worried for her family. All of this was so sudden, so different. Izabell had a hard time adjusting to new things. 

Despite Sunny being on his back, Laine was leading the front of the group, following closely behind was Maddison, her curly hair bouncing with every running step she took, Next was Phalen with his head down, next was Ann who was galloping every other step, and then Izabell. 

As the smoke thinned the trees thickened, the evergreens growing closer and closer to the road, the looming branches shadowed the road every now and then, giving their bodies sweet relief for a brief second. How long had they been running. Minutes? Hours. The backpacks on their backs didn't help much.  

The sounds of whistling birds filled Izabell's ears and masked the short, sharp breaths she and her friends were taking. She knew Shae's house was coming up soon, she recognized the scenery.  By now there was only a slight sliver of light peeping from being the tips of the many trees, it had cooled down so much Izabell was thinking her jacket might be a good idea. 

"Were here," Breathed Laine as he helped Sunny off his back, she fell onto the road and vomited onto the street side. 

To tired to move, or speak, we leaned over steadying ourselves on out knees, watching Sunny throw up until she was weak. Izabell could barely hold herself together, catching her breath. Maddison's face was beat red, and Izabell knew that Maddison was holding in her tears as well, she couldn't bare to watch her own sister in such a helpless stage.  

Once the puking decreased and the coughing began, Phalen and Laine reached out a weakened arm to help Sunny up into the short driveway that lead to Shae's medium sized blue house that stood, an outsider, in the surrounding forest. 

Shae's sisters' car was parked in the driveway next to a white one and a red pickup truck. Izabell felt her knees creak as the team climbed the stairs. Dropping his backpack into one hand, Laine rung the doorbell. No one talked. No one had the energy to. 

Two clicks and a creaking sound, the door opened to reveal Shae, a confused expression on his face. He took one look a Sunny. 

"Mom!" He yelled, opening the door wider to welcome us in, "Mom, we need your help!" 

Shae's house smells like honey and cinnamon, Izabell noted in the back of her mind as they gathered in the living room and set Sunny onto the pleather couch, who was coughing so hard Izabell was afraid her throat would rip out. The room was dimly lit, due to the lanky trees that loomed outside in the yard, the tv in the other room was playing a recent broadcast. 

The kids heard a pair of feet run down the stairs and stop in the living room, "Goodness gracious!" Cried a woman's voice, "What is happening?"

Shae's mom Catherine squeezed through Laine and Maddison next to the couch, and put her palm to Sunny's forehead. In less then a second she pulled back, and pointed at Maddison and Laine. 

"You two stay," She smiled sweetly at Maddison who smiled timidly back, "Shae take the others to the guest room, and fill them in." She turned to Sunny again and asked her a few questions, but Izabell couldn't make it out, her ears were ringing. 

Catherine was always such a great mom, Izabell always thought. Shae and Izabell had known each other through the local theater from doing shows together, they had a great friendship, had grown up together and Catherine was like a second mom to her.