To The Grave

Chapter 3. Winona. Day 33.

Sunlight poured through the window, hitting my face. I peeled my eyes open, turning quickly to avoid being blinded. I looked across the room to my sister. Her long pink hair was mangled, covering her sleeping face.

I stood up, leaving our room in silence. The bathroom door opened as I pulled the door to my room closed. Marty stumbled out, holding his head in his hands. He made his way to his bedroom. I walked down the stairs, quietly. My parents were sitting at the table in silence.

"Winona will you get the boys and Molly up?" My mom asked as my foot touched the last step. An agitated smile crept onto my face as I spun around, moving back up the stairs.

My small hand knocked against the door to Marty's room. "Mom needs you two." I shouted, hearing Marty and Randall groan in agony at the thought of moving.

I pushed open the door to my oldest brother's room. Ferris was sitting on his bed. I looked over to the empty bed, feeling a pit grow in my stomach. "Mom needs you too." He nodded, moving to stand up. I looked down at the long bandage covering his arm.

I turned out of the room, walking quietly down the hallway. My bedroom door opened to the messy haired half asleep eldest Langley kid. "I heard." She shuffled her feet into the bathroom. I watched the small crowd form in the hallway as they all headed for the stairs. I followed, standing behind the taller kids as my parents waited for Molly.

She slowly walked down the stairs, inching closer to us. Our mom coughed lightly, looking up at us. "We're out of food. We have two rolls of toilet paper. The water officially shut off last night and we need more weapons."

"I've always wanted to rob a Costco, it's been a personal goal of mine for a long time." One of my brother's let out a tired laugh.

Molly's manicured hand smacked the youngest of the boys on the back of the head. "Shut up Marty, this is more important than your up and coming prison sentence."

Marty's thin hand flew to touch his skull, his fingers running through his brown and red hair. "Bitch."

"Knock it off." Our dad snapped at the two. "We're going to break into the neighboring houses and see what they have in them."

"Breaking and entering is pretty neat." Marty shrugged.

Dad shook his head, looking at the rest of us. "Go get ready, or something. Winona, you're staying here with Mom."

My siblings left, leaving me alone. "Why."

"You're too small, you'll get hurt." I rolled my eyes, watching everyone disappear up the stairs.

Terrified wasn't the word for it. There wasn't just one word for the feeling spilling out from body in the form of tears and quiet sobs. "Just be quiet, it'll be okay." My oldest brother whispered to me.

I tried my hardest to breath slowly listening to the screams and groans in the hallways. I moved my small hand to my mouth, trying not to think about our family out there. Everyone who was still out there.

The closet was small, cramped full with cleaning supplies. Slater wrapped his arm around me, a weak attempt to comfort me. Everything grew quiet.

He slowly pushed the door open, looking around for any sign of the dead. "Close your eyes." He whispered, bending down. I slammed my eyes shut, feeling his arms lift me up. He rushed down the hallway.

My eyes pulled apart slowly, looking down at the bodies leaned against the wall, some groaning in pain, others motionless. I moved my head down into my eldest brothers shoulder blade.