Don't Talk To Strangers | BOOK 1

six

Elle McBriar
July 20th, 4 months and 8 days after the first zombie report

Some say that paranormal activity isn't real. That ghosts, vampires and zombies are fiction. Old wives tales to get the children to bed.

I didn't believe them until it happened to me.

To say I was scared was an understatement. I feared for my life every second of everyday. And when I was alone, my fight or flight levels were increased. But now I have people by my side, and someone to protect, I feel like a new person.

I've been gone for an hour, wandering the streets with Riley on my arm. He's getting heavy. I wish I could find something to carry him in. Alex suggested I take the baby carrier, but I refused. It would way us down.

But I have a walkie talkie strapped to my side, the buzzing noise constantly irritating me.

My feet ached as I walked the uneven and unruly roads, broken and split concrete, causing me to jump over them. The buildings were getting closer and closer together as I walked through them, weaving inside and through old buildings, seeing broken glass and completely raided stores. It's ridiculous.

"BcBriar, come in, it's Alex, do you read me?" Alex's static voice came in over the radio, "I read you Alex, what's up?" "We just killed a few dead ones, keep an eye out. They sneak up on you." I clicked the talk button, "Copy that." 

I stopped in my tracks. Do my eyes deceive me? Is that a shopping cart? God must be on my side today because it has a baby seat, cracked in the middle but still useful. I ran over to it, taking Riley from my side and strapping him in, "Hello Riley, yes, hello." I used me baby voice, ticking his stomach as he giggled. He was looking up at me, finger in his mouth, blue eyes wide.

He's so beautiful, soft and tiny. I love babies.

"If there's a cart here, there's got to be some sort of food place nearby right?" I sound crazy, talking to myself, but Riley giggled back, so I'm not alone.

I kept walking along the roads, pushing the cart and keeping my eyes on Riley majority of the time. I looked behind me, beside me, and in front, watching out for dark corners and small spaces. It seems too quiet here, for zombies to be. I'm probably wrong though.

Eyeing a blue cross, I head in that direction, feeling victorious as I see a pharmacy. 

Band aids - check.
Tylenol, paracetamol and pain meds - check.
Gauze, wrapping tape and like, 6 first aid kids - check.

I guess when the zombie outbreak hit, people didn't have time to raid shit. I hate to say it, but it was only a matter of time before they died. Which leaves more for us.

Emergency blankets - check.

Look at me go. There wasn't much from this pharmacy I needed. Mostly just medical stuff, in case. I grabbed a few extras, like cough medicine for babies and other things in case. You can never be too careful.

When I exited the store, I almost got caught. Three zombies in my line of vision. I hid behind a fallen wall, pieces of stone falling out of it as I hid behind it. I'm scared now,  up strapping Riley in the cart as I secured and hid him.

Grabbing the gun, I opened the magazine, thankfully Paxton reloaded my gun. Full ammo in one gun could kill these guys. Placing a blanket over Riley's ears to hopefully soften the noise, I stepped out of the hiding spot, cocking the gun.

The cart was still in arms reach as I fired the first two bullets, the zombie dropping dead. Due to the noise, Riley began to cry, and the fuckers saw me. I had to move quickly. Firing four more times, once for good measure, I holstered my gun, running back to the cart.