Life After Death

1

4:30 pm New York City, NY. March 11th, 2019.

Erik pulled into the apartment parking lot, with his younger brother Jason in the passenger seat. He shut off the engine and opened the door. As both walked towards the elevators Jason spoke, "You think the stories are true? About the people going crazy and attacking others?"

Erik squeezed his brother's neck, "no, in about a month it'll die down" it wasn't the truth, but he wanted to keep him calm. He pulled out his phone and texted his mom. "I got Jason, y'all almost finished packing?" He shoved his phone in his pocket and clicked the elevator button. "Why'd you pick me up from Danny's so early?" Jason said looking up at him. Erik stayed silent.

"Hello? Hello? Answer me!" The elevator dinged and they stepped onto their floor.

Halfway down the hallway, a blood-curdling scream erupted from down the hall. "Oh god" Erik mumbled, he grabbed his brother's arm and ran down the hall. He stopped at the door and fiddled with the keys as the screaming got louder. Erik cursed under his breath, "ERIK!" Jason shrieked "WHAT IS THAT?" Erik quickly turned his head down the hall to see a woman with blood over her face and running done her neck. She screamed the ear-piercing scream again and bolted towards them. Erik pushed the door open and grabbed his brother, slamming the door behind them. "What...was....that?" Jason said in between sobs. "We need to get packed!" Erik said jumping up. "Mom! Dad!" "It's happening!" Jason ran into his room, slamming and locking the door.

He hid under his covers and cried, what was going on and why?. He could faintly hear his brother down the hall "Mom? Dad? Mo-" Then a scream.....

Jason sat up a gasped. He looked around the van that he was staying in, and sighed. Another dream. He reached down and scratched his dog, Mayo's ears. He had named her that because he found her eating a jar of mayonnaise...and he couldn't think of any other names, besides 7/11, where he found her. The grey pitbull looked up at him and softly barked. "Mornin' girlie" he whispered.

He crawled over to the cup holder, where his watch was laying, he put in on then popped open an ice chest that sat up against the wall. He grabbed a bottle of water and drank half of it, then cut the top off. He sat it in-front of Mayo, she happily drank up, he scratched her ears one more time before sliding on his boots and holster. He slid his handgun in it, then opened one of the back van doors. His feet sank in the mud when he jumped out, the smell of rain hit him and he let out a big sniff and sigh. He loved that smell.

He grabbed his hiking backpack and put it on. Then he grabbed a bucket and spear. He thought of whether to shut the door or keep it open, he kept it open so he'd hear Mayo if she needed him or saw a freak. He walked into the woods to check his traps, sadly there was nothing today. He sighed, he'd have to eat worms again, they tasted bad, but if he wanted to survive then he'd have to.

He dropped to his knees and set the bucket beside him. He dug through the mud, found a few worms and threw them in his bucket. He was gonna keep going, but it started to rain. As he was making his way back, he heard Mayo howl. He chuckled to himself, She was looking for him. He picked up his pace as the rain got harder, he was a few feet away from the van when Mayo jumped out of the van and sprinted towards him. "Hey girl!" Jason said smiling, Mayo was Always happy to see him. She jumped up on him and licked his face." C'mon, let's get back to the car" he said rubbing her back.

Jason poured dog food into Mayo's bowl, "Eat up May" as Mayo dug into her food, Jason cleaned up the van. He organized their sleeping area and the storage area. He picked up a box with a camera and some polaroids of Mayo, it was stupid, he knew, but she was all he had left.

Later that night, the rain was still coming down in sheets. He sat up against the driver's seat and ate the last MRE there was, while Mayo slept beside him. "God, I'm gonna miss this," he said looking down at his meal, "Then I have to go back to y'all" he looked at the bucket of worms. He licked off his spoon and shoved it in his backpack, then crumbled up the bag into a ball and threw it across the van.

He clicked off the lamp, then plopped his head on the pillow. "Night girlie" he scratched her head, she licked his face, he kissed her snout and fell asleep.

***

"Erik?!" He said running down the hall. "ERIK?!!" "MOM?!" "DAD?!!" He ran to his parent's bedroom, he started to put his hand on the knob when the door swung open. It was Erik. He had a huge open wound on his neck and blood was spraying everywhere. He pushed past Jason and staggered down the hallway and collapsed in the living room. Jason rushed to him, Erik thrashed over the ground, gaging and whimpering. He tried to speak, but he could only gargle, Erik sobbed. He managed to speak, "r.." gargle "..un" another gargle then a cough "now...". His eyes rolled back into his head.

Jason cried harder.

Erik sat bolt upright and violently twisted his neck to Jason and let out the same blood-curdling scream as the woman in the hallway.