Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
BEING the middle child was always the hardest right? Being forgotten was common in the Greene family, or at least it was for Allison.
At a young age she valued education unlike her sisters and brother, who just wanted to get through the day and didn't worry about their future all that much.
Hershel, her father, thought her academic intelligence wasn't going to get her very far in life and that she needed to stay on the farm, where she was close to her family. That was where she "belonged."
After graduating as the valedictorian of her class, Allison stayed at home and went to school at a university in Atlanta, Georgia. While in her third year and second semester of studying marine biology, the beginning stages of the apocalypse began.
Just no one knew it yet.
"And—and there were these sick people, Allison! You need to watch out today. What if something happens and you're not at the farm with us? I don't think I'd be able to handle that." Her mother, Annette, squealed from over the phone. Allison, Beth, and Shawn had the same mother, but ironically, she felt closest to Maggie.
Maggie didn't ignore her and actually supported Allison's decision for wanting to go on her career path. Shawn was just scared for her and didn't want her to get hurt. While adolescent Beth didn't really understand at that time what this meant for her.
"Okay, okay, mom. I'll be alright. Always have been." She struggled cleaning her glasses on the shirt while still hugging the phone with her shoulder and her cheek.
"Something just feels different about this. . . sickness. You remember Jenny Williams? The sweet lady that used to grow peaches just a block from here? I drove down to get some and she tried to maul me! She looked crazy, Laureen! Luckily I got into the car before she could get to me."
Allison sighed and shook her head, "I-I don't have a clue what it could possibly be, but I imagine the CDC is on it, so there's no need to worry. We live out in the middle of no where. Who could find us?"
"I suppose you're right, Laureen." Allison smiled at her mom's usage of her middle name. Annette always loved calling Allison by her middle name. It was different, and it made her feel special.
"I gotta go, mom." She said pulling up the biology wing of the college building. Although she hated to tell her mother goodbye, she had to. Allison just didn't want this to be the last time, especially with that sickness.
"Please stay safe, honey. I mean it. I know this was hard, but you need to know that we are so very proud of you. You may not be working on the farm like we raised you but being a scientist.. well that's even better. I love you."
"Thanks, ma. I love you too. Bye." Allison removed the phone from her ear and rubbed her forehead anxiously. Millions of questions rummaged through her mind.
Is my mom a schizophrenic?
Is there actually a sickness going around?
Is she just being delusional?
The parking lot was half empty, which was quite odd for this time. Allison saw one of those things banging up against one of the fences, reaching for her. Maybe her mom wasn't being delusional.
Its mouth moved uncontrollably, growling and mumbling something she couldn't understand. Why did it want to get her?
She widened her eyes and walked inside hurriedly, not looking behind her. The door seemed frankly loud behind her, as the building was open and had not a person in sight.
Allison's shoes clicked against the ground as she walked down the hallway to her class. Walking by classrooms she heard the sick people banging their bodies up against the door, eyeing her down like she was juicy steak.
They didn't cancel classes, so where was everyone?
She started to turn the corner of the building to find her room down the next hall, hoping at least someone knew what was going on.
"Quick! You have to help me! They're coming." A red haired woman shook her harshly by the shoulders and pointed towards the exit on the other end of the hall.
"W-Who's coming?" Allison asked searching for the keys in her purse. The woman distracted her and pointed towards the hallway around the corner.
"Them!"
Allison looked around the corner and saw the sick loping after her and the women. Her heart skipped a beat, and she grabbed the woman's hand running towards the door.
"Come on, hurry. I have a car outside. We can make it." Allison pulling the lady from behind her.
Opening the door, Allison looked back at the sound of screams. The woman, not even two inches away from exiting safely, held her hand and had flesh ripped off of her face and shoulders.
The woman still held onto her hand in shock and wouldn't let go. "I'm sorry..." Allison said realizing that the woman's time had ran out. She ripped her hand out of the woman's hold and ran toward her car.
Looking at the glass door, she saw blood from that women layering it like a thick paint. She whimpered at the sight of the tore apart woman that was so close to getting out of the door.
She then shook her head and focused on getting to her family. Allison drove down the road and tried calling her sisters, brother, and parents but apparently the cell towers were down.
"Damn it." She growled pushing on the gas, as fast as she possibly could. How can a sickness make someone resort to cannibalism without even knowing it?
The whole situation confused her and made her think of what the future held for her and her family's survival.
What could she have done to save that woman? Could she have ran faster? Made the woman go through the door first? But then she'd be the one ripped apart.
"Allison!" Beth yelled at the Greene family from inside the house. Allison stepped out of the car and hugged her sister. Beth sobbed on her sisters shoulder and Alli gave her an odd look.
"Are you okay?"
Beth shook her head as only Hershel and Maggie walked out of the house.
