Ain't a world for the living

1 - A new sheriff in town

Faint screams and desperate cries were heard. Not only here, in Summerfield, but in every town and community from the United States. It was the eighth night of the apocalypse, the news channels worldwide were constantly repeating to 'stay in your houses, store food and medicine for probably two to three weeks and wait until the army takes you to a safe place'. That was the only sign of civilisation.

A young girl sat at her family's dinner table, ignoring the oh so well known preach her father rattled off every singe evening. The door was locked, all windows boarded up with shelves and boards. Cher, Josephine's mother, stood up, not looking at her food. "We can't do this anymore, Jeff. We need to leave." Jeff, a man in his mid-forties, looked up, chewing on a pork stick. "They say we should stay in our houses, so we will do exactly that." Josephine sat in between her brothers, watching carefully as their parents started to fight. "Jeff, the kids need safety. There's a safe place just seventeen miles from here!" Jeff stood up, a warning in his eyes, sighed and nodded his head. "If it makes you happy, Cher." He then turned around, staring at his children and ordered them to pack bags with clothes, food and water. Just five minutes later everything was in the father's car, the machine roared, and they drove off.

But they didn't think any further. As they left the small street to follow the highway, it was more than just blocked by cars. Trucks, cars, motorcycles, bikes - they barely made twenty feet. And they barely noticed the limping persons walking straight to their car. "Oh shit. Do you think...?" "Yes. Kids, stay in the car - Cher!" Jeff yelled as his wife opened the door, running towards the infected and waving her arms around. As she screamed in pain because one of those...things bit her in the neck, her father yelled again, screaming his wife's name, he stopped the engine, and ran for his dying love. "No! Dad!" "Run!", he yelled. In the moon's light his children saw him crying, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Take your bags and run! Now!" He lunged for a creature, tearing them from his wife and falling on his knees. Josephine's brothers grabbed her hands, pulling her out of the vehicle, tears falling from their eyes. "We can't let them die here." Josephine whispered. "Josie, no. We need to run. Stay together, find other people. Mom and Dad are already-" "No!" But her older brother Dylan threw her on his back, lunging her bags and her pillow, and took off into the night, hearing their parents crying and screaming.

I jolted up from a daydream. The memories kept replaying in my head everytime I closed my eyes for more than twenty seconds. I was disoriented. The last place of civilisation I found was a week ago. A hunting hut in the woods. Never ever have I thought that I'd be happy about some old potato chips. Ever since my parents died over a year ago my world turned into a weird nightmare. I haven't seen Summerfield or my brothers again. There was just me against the world.

My bag felt heavy on my back, pulling my vest up and letting the cool air touch my skin. I shivered despite the warm sun painting the leaves in a colourful red, orange and yellow. Strutting over a field of grass to reach the path that led to a town or atleast a house, biters caught my track and walked towards me. My only hope right now was not to kill them as I just had eight bullets. A sign appeared right in front of me. "Thank God." I whispered and jogged up until I could read the sign, but to my disappointment, the original caption has been overwritten by someone with a very bad writing. 'Get the hell out of here - everyone's turned' - great. A sigh escaped my mouth and I turned around, wincing as a branch crushed behind me.

What the-? There was a man, wearing brown trousers and a thick jacket, aiming a gun at my head. Shaking my head and raising my hands, the man took down his weapon, waving a hand. I mimicked his doing and felt like breathing clear and fresh air. The man strolled towards me. Raising his weapon again, he watched my body and asked: "You alone?" "Yes." He put his gun in his holster, hands on his hips and looked at me. This reminded me of my father's stare. I took a step back. "What are you doing?" "Leaving?" It was more a question than an answer. "You could stay with me. I live in a house in this town, with my group-" "But the sign-" "The sign's a warning." "And why would you let me stay at your place?" "You look defenseless and young. I think a night in a bed would do good, don't you think?" "And then? Can I leave tomorrow?" "You may. But first, I want to take a look at your weapons and your bag, ok?" Walking towards me, he held his hands out, reassuring me that he won't do anything.

"Ok, you look harmless, girl. Listen. If you want to stay overnight, I need to ask you three questions and you need to do everything I want you to do, got it?" His voice was strong and the warning was clear to understand. Do something stupid and I'll kill you. "What are those questions?" "Later. It's not safe here."