Insomnia

Chapter 1: Sheep

My fingers quivered as they reached towards the telephone.  The generator was now up and running after they traveled to our neighbor’s and at the same time, gave me the keys to this basement – so that meant, I had to hurry and make the call as soon as possible.  We attracted too much attention to ourselves already, and who knows when the whole horde of them comes and finally breaks the door down to eat all our insides up?

I dialed the phone number quite clumsily, repeating and double checking my phonebook over and over again, even if I had it memorized for so long

858 8174…

858 8174…

858 8174…I thought to myself more than once because panic and excitement bubbled inside me like a volcano ready to erupt – making my whole body tremble with the very thought of what I was going to do next.  This was it, wasn’t it? The time that we will be hopefully able to fly out of Maine, and head to find Adrian.  The time that we may be reunited again as a family.

I tapped at the table, expecting a ring to come.  “Anytime now.” I said to myself, my eyes fluttering from the clock to the windows outside.  Those things were crowding around now, and even if we were smart enough to seal the windows with black curtains, I know it wouldn’t take long enough for them to acknowledge our presence in this house of ours.

“Nothing?” Kit Kat asked, and I kinda jumped back.  I guess I was too preoccupied with the other line that I hadn’t noticed her standing there.  I glanced at Mikael and found his face filled with hope, the both of them actually.  And I couldn’t but help feel guilty – guilty for letting their hopes up and then crushing them if Ernie, my ticket out of here, won’t accept this call.

Mikael locked gazes with me and I slowly breathed out, realizing that I have been dialing this number several times already, and was still unable to receive anything, not even a ring.  Maybe…maybe, the zombies had already got him, probably, it was me who was clinging to my false hopes in order to keep myself sane. 

Wow, was I that desperate? I put the phone down and faced them, rehearsing the lines in my head.  Like, at least we tried our best, or we might as well find another way to get to Cali, until –

My heartbeats suddenly paced as I picked up the phone and a husky voice yelled unto the reciever.  “HELLO?! THIS IS ERNIE BOLD SPEAKING.  IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE?!” I quickly pulled it inches away from me in fear of suffering ear damage later on.

“Hello?!” I called back when his ranting stopped, I shouted too since the background on the line was noisy, he still must be up in the air if that was the case.  “This is Caleb Sean speaking!” I yelled into the reciever.

There was a pause in the other line, making me panic again.  I mean, what if he decides to drop it? Or what if – “Mr. Caleb Sean? The son of Carter Sean? Well, why didn’t you say so at first?”

I heaved out a sigh mentally.  “Ernie, I need a plane here in Maine.  Asap."

He gave a cheeky laugh.  "Sure sure! Just head to the airport and it's solved!"

I couldn't but help laugh along with him, though I had to make sure it wasn't that loud.  "Uhm Ernie, are you aware of anything that's happening?"

There was pause at the other line before Ernie started talking again.  "Uhm, I'm not really sure sir.  First, everything died, especially the communication.  I'm just waiting for further instructions until you called actually."

"For how long have you been up in the air?"

He wheezed.  "I don't know.  For a week I guess..."