The Black Plague

Chapter One

It had been months, since I started running. I had to check on my brothers. I needed to be sure that they were okay. Who knows if my parents even came home, or even cared enough to check on them.

They had left for 'a business trip' a week before I got put away for stealing from our neighbors farm. No one knew where they went, or when they were supposed to come back. All we knew is that they had left and I was supposed to care for my brothers and make sure they had everything they needed.

I was broken from my thoughts as I heard a rustling in the woods behind me. I had stopped to rest because I was exhausted and needed to sleep. I can't remember how long I've been walking without a rest. I just wanted to go and check on Jimmy and Shane, to make sure they were fine.

I got up and started walking towards the noise, only to find someone walking, very slowly I might add, in the other direction. It seemed as though they were chasing something.

"Weird" I said to myself as I went back to the spot I was before and just decided to pack up before they turned around and saw me and tried to report me.

I started walking along the outside of the woods, careful to stay behind tree cover to not be seen. I looked up just in time to notice the old water tower that was only about a mile away from my house.

Any trace of being tired or hungry, or thirsty was gone in an instant as I started running toward the place I used to call home. I stopped as I looked down the dirt driveway that still held that old truck my grandpa used to drive. I always wished I could've driven it one day, it was his everyday vehicle and any chance we had we would take it and go fishing. Tears welled up in my eyes at the old memory, but I quickly wiped them away knowing I had to get into the cover of the trees before someone drove by and saw me.

I slowly made my way up the drive, covered behind the trees to the side. It was very quiet, it seemed as though every one of my foot steps seemed to echo, even the birds werent chirping.

'This is weird.. Its like no ones even here..' I thought to myself as I hesitated to make my way up the stairs to the door. The worst thoughts clouded my mind as to where my brothers could be, maybe mom and dad came home to take them to somewhere they could be well taken care of, and no worries about me being gone.

I put my hand around the door knob ready to turn it, before I felt a tug on my other hand pulling me away from the door.

"Jimmy?!"

A hand fell over my mouth as he looked very serious and very concerned. He put a finger to his lips and motioned for me to follow him.

I followed him up into the tree house we had started building before our parents had left. I looked around for Shane, but I didn't see him anywhere. I noticed open and closed cans of food laying around a sleeping bag, and a pile of clothes in the corner.

"What are you doing here? I thought you left and you werent coming back. I saw on TV that you got caught and your a wanted criminal." Jimmy had a hint of amusement in his eyes and a smirk playing on his lips. I shook my head and wrapped my arms around him. I missed him so much. He wrapped his arms around me as well and squeezed like saying I missed you.

I pulled away with a smile as he went to open one of the cans of whatever food he had.

"Well I may be a wanted criminal but I had to come and check on you guys.." He stopped what he was doing, his back turned to me and I could see him stiffen up at the slightest mention of Shane. "And see if you two were doing okay because I wasn't sure if mom or dad.."

"They came back. Mom was sick. Dad left. Shane went into the room with mom and didn't come out for a couple of days. When he did.." He looked very hurt and sad about whatever had happened. I moved closer to him, trying to comfort him if it was possible. "He was different.. He wasn't the care free little kid anymore. He had this hungry look in his eyes, one that couldnt be filled with anything we had in the house. He eyed me like I was the tastiest thing he had ever later eyes on." Tears slipped out of his eyes telling me the rest of the story. I noticed through a hole in his shirt the there was a wrapping around his stomach.

"Where is he now?" Jimmy pointed to the house between his sobs. I climbed down to the back yard, slowly making my way to the back screen door. I saw the place I used to call home, destroyed. There were things everywhere. Making the once neat little home into a war zone. Books and magizines were thrown everywhere. A baseball bat layed on the floor about ten steps inside. I slowly opened the door, letting out the stench of something dead. I gagged and covered my nose. It smelled like something had been dead for weeks. No wonder he didn't want to be in the house. I grabbed the ball bat and slowly made my way into the kitchen. Drops of blood were on the floor, leading into the hallway. I followed the trail until I was looking at Shanes body, laying in the middle of the floor.

I felt the color drain from my face, as a tear slid down my cheek and it ran down to my chin. He looked so.. Different. He was pale, a very different pale then when I had seen him last, almost white. His skin had spots missing like he was decaying, his clothes had holes in them, and he only had one shoe on.

I gasped as he started to move, he sat straight up and looked at me. His head tilted to the side like he was trying to figure out who I was. Suddenly I heard a growl behind me and foot steps. I turned around to see my mother standing there. Growling at me like some rabid animal. She had a child sized bite mark on her cheek, leaving skin hanging. Half of her torso was missing, guts spilling from her side, I took notice in her steps and it reminded me of that person I had seen just earlier today.

"Mom? Mom! Its me Logan!" She didnt stop, she started picking up speed and tried to run at me, and bite me. "WHAT THE F*CK IS GOING ON?!" I shouted into no one particular. I turned around to see her getting back up. Shane was still sitting on the floor, unphased by whatever was happening. I swung the ball bat at my mothers torso, it basically went right through her. I looked at her shocked as she just stumbled and kept on walking. I took another swing and aimed for her head. Right as the bat connected she fell to the floor. Unmoving as I hit her in the skull one more time.
I looked over at Shane. He was now growling, looking at me but not moving. I couldnt figure out why. I got a closer look to see that he was nailed down to the floor. He reached for me, and growled. I noticed chunks missing off his arm, and a clear bite out of his neck. I walked around him into my parents room. I grabbed the shotgun out from under the mattress, the hand gun out of the drawer, and I went into my room, and grabbed the 30-30 out of my closet. Right now, I was glad that at least once me and my dad were close, and went hunting when I was a little younger.

I walked past the living room, noticing Shane again. "I love you so much Shane, I'm so sorry" I walked out of the loving room and through the back screen door tears streaming down my face as I was met with somebody standing there, staring at me.

"Oh my god!"