Death From Below

Chapter 17

I stare out my window as Ethan drives down the deserted roads as a million thoughts rush through my head. I sigh softly to myself, then turn to look at the others who are asleep. I turn my attention to the window when I notice a streak of blonde hair and spin around in my seat to try and catch a second glimpse. Ethan swerves the truck making me fall over onto Dante's lap, causing him to wake up. He begins to blush as he notices the position we are currently in, "Harper, what is going on?" he asks as I look over his shoulder and out the back window to see the blonde again dart across the road with inhuman speed. The truck swerves again, making me fall back and land across Josh as well, and he jerks up, lifting me in the process.

"What the hell is going on?" Josh asks, looking over at us.

"Something is following us. I saw it when we went to the store as well," I explain as I crawl back towards the window. "It is super fast and has blonde hair. I can't tell if it is a person, and maybe they are wearing skates or if it is some form of a mutated death," I say as I peer out into the night.

"Do you guys see anything? I have to keep swerving from hitting what looks to be a person." Ethan says just as he yells and swerves again, sending me flying back and onto Josh. He grabs me before I could slam into the window.

"All I can make out is blonde hair," I tell him just as it runs up next to the truck, and I let out a shriek. "It's Garret!" I scream as he flashes me a smile, and I faint.

The sun shining down on my face and one of the babies screaming is what woke me up. I look around as my eyes adjust to the light to see that we are still driving but not as fast anymore. Everyone is watching me silently as I lift Luna in my arms and pull out a bottle and quickly make it and pop it in her mouth, silencing her screams. "Has the other two been fed yet?" I ask as Dante speaks up, breaking the silence,

"Not yet, they just woke up," he admits as he makes two bottles and holds them to their mouths as they stop crying and begin to eat. I notice that Angel is now driving while Torri is sitting in the passenger seat, talking his ear off. I begin to burp Luna when she finishes her bottle and has Angel pull over so that I can change their diapers.

All the vehicles pull over, and I change the girls as everyone takes the time to have some breakfast. I clean my hands after changing them and get them in their car seats. I look around in the back and pull out a drink and grab up some food and take a seat on the side of the road and begin to eat in silence. I am soon joined by my friends, and Josh, as they all sit around me, and we all eat together. I pull out a bag to use for trash and plan to discard it at the first trash can we come across. I pull out the map and have Angel pinpoint where we are located, make plans on going to the next state. Using our phones, we make another list of gas locations and checking on how low our tanks are at the moment.

I am driving down the long winding road as the sun is high up in the sky, casting its warm beams down on my skin. The wind blows cooly on my face causing my hair to whip around my shoulders. I drive slowly with the others following close behind and turn on my radio, causing my cd to begin to play. I turn it down low to use as background music while the others speak quietly amongst themselves. Dante sits in the passenger seat, looking over at me. "How are you doing today? You said you saw Garret? How is that even possible?" he asks, spitting out question after question, and I let out a sigh. "Look, Harper, I know the stress has been getting to you badly, and we have lost a lot of people we care about but just know that I am right here for you, and I plan on not leaving your side until the day I die," he tells me as my eyes tear up and I swerve not being able to see correctly.

"Harper, are you alright?" Josh asks me as he leans forward and props his arms on the seat, "Would you like me to take over driving for a while?" he asks me as I wipe my tears from my eyes. I smile at him and slowly shake my head no and begin to focus on the road once again as the other driver questions us through the walkie talkie. I turn the music up a little and slowly nod to the beat of the song as we drive down the never-ending roads. Josh alerted me of a gas station, and we all pull over into it. I get out and stretch as my arm stings a little bit, and it dawns on me. I had been bitten a few days ago and never turned into one of those things like the others had, and I slowly begin to panic a little bit and run over to Josh.

"Josh, can I talk to you in private, please?" I ask with worry, and he turns towards me and nods as I take his hand and pull him away from the others to talk in private. "Do you remember back when we were in the mall?" I ask him, and he nods as he starts thinking back. "I was bitten on the arm and forgot all about it until now, and I am still human," I tell him as I pull my shirt back and show him the almost healed bite mark. He leans in and begins to analyze the bite before looking back into my eyes as he leans down to whisper for only me to hear. "Do you think you may be immune? What do you think about being pregnant? Do you think the baby could be immune as well?" he asks as shock and fear fall upon my face as I turn to look at the others and see the hurt expression on Dante since Josh was so close to me.