Unexpected Circumstances

Chapter one- The lost learner

The Virus was discovered on January 8th, somewhere in Europe.

By March 1st, the outbreak completely took over Europe and began to spread to surrounding countries.

The Virus managed to get to the United States May 19th.

The United States made it a country wide emergency a few days later. We all knew what happened in Europe.

The government shut down all ways of transportation for each state on the last day of May.

Name's Emily, and I was in Montana when the government shut down all ways in and out of the state. Now, this wouldn't have been a problem, had I actually lived in Montana. I'm from Michigan, so you could say that I was far from home.

There was a reason why we were out of our home state. My step-mother, Lacie, my three-year-old sister Kristiana, and I were going across the country on a road trip. It was nothing too special. We were heading to California, but there was a college I was interested in Montana. So we made a detour.

Then The Virus made it into the U.S.A, and we became stuck in Montana.

We bunkered down in the small town of Eureka. The town was alright, I feel. Not too many people, and it wasn't really too hot. It was hot, but I dealt with worse heat before. Michigan can give you a hell of a summer. Funny thing is, the heat was one thing I was really dreading when we made it to California, but I guess I don't have to deal with that anymore. It was more of a country town, and that was one of the reasons why we decided to stay here. Not to many people, just in case The Virus makes its way here.

Overall, it was an alright place. I prefer home though. I already got over the homesickness, I just think it would be better to be around my friends though, and at home, not in a hotel room.

We rented out a hotel room for a few months, and have been staying there. The only things we had on us were what we packed: Clothes, hygiene items, and things for Krissie. There was some entertainment things too. I brought a few books.

We bought a few weapons at this local hunting store. I forget the name. We got a good sized knife, a small pistol, and a bow. The bow was for me; I can shoot one alright I feel. That took most of the money we had, but we still had enough to go to the store every few days to buy food to eat. Getting common things like bread and milk was getting harder and harder though. People were wiping out all the common supplies.

Good thing I'm allergic to both gluten and lactose, so most of the time my milk and bread is still there. People can be really picky when they want to. What's wrong with almond milk people!

When The Virus hit the small town, it was July 18th. I would love to say the reason why I am still alive is because of my amazing skill at survival, but that would be a lie. The truth is that I was asleep. Yep, I slept through the beginning spread of The Virus. I had music playing, so it drowned out the noises of screaming and death.

That's how I got here, standing, looking out the window in awe and horror. A few fires were in the distance, creating black smoke that rose and rose in the distance. Cars were abandoned in the streets, doors open, waiting for their owners to come and shut it. An alarm blared in the background, but I barely heard it over my music. A ball of dread curled and grew in my stomach.

Lacie and Krissie were going to go to the store today, and Lacie said if I didn't want to go, I didn't have to. Judging by the empty hotel room, I would guess they left to go grocery shopping.

I spent the next thirty minutes panicking. It wasn't a pretty sight, really. Mostly I sat on the bed, head in my hands, with my brain thinking up every possible death that my family could have had. This wasn't good! I wasn't a fighter or athletic! I was a reader, a writer, a day dreamer! Being strong or fit wasn't my style!