Faltered light

Part 2: chaos

Calla

At first glance the reality of what was happening was not really clear. Fires had been set and people were acting unruly — in a small town like this there should not be this kind of havoc. James looks over to me and he sees how freaked out I am, but he doesn't see the horrific expression that comes next when we see the Jude's ripping off a man's face and eating him like he is meat. James stops immediately and begins to turn around. I want him to but he cannot. We have not found our parents yet. "What are you doing, go back!" I yell at him. "Are you crazy, did you just see a man get eaten or have I fallen down the rabbit hole?", he has a point. "Our parents are back there. We have to get them!" We are in a huge truck that could run over anything. "Look Calla our parents are probably on their way to the camp as we speak otherwise, they wouldn't have given us those instructions. Let's get out of here. Please" he says with deep concern and that frown he always wears on his handsome face. "Okay. Fine. Let's go" I finally agree but at this point it is too late because the group had noticed us and made its way to the frontier. They are climbing on the back and James floors it. Some fall off but there are still about three or four on the back of the truck, I cannot tell. They start smashing at the windows with their fists, they seem so violent. I start screaming. I do not know why but the sweet man I know as Mr. Cardellini starts smashing at my window and I freeze. I think he may not be in there anymore. The shaking of the truck and James' constant swerving completely throw us off balance a few miles away from the school. The frontier flips throwing them all off. We go spiralling off the road into the woods. 

Silence.  A prerogative of nature that only comes with peace.

I hear James calling me. He sounds so far away. It feels so nice to drift away. He shakes me and I snap awake. He is telling me 'we have to run'. He must have gotten me out of the car because when I come to, I am on the side of the truck, it is flipped on its roof and it is pitch dark. I get up and wince at the pain my left hand gives off when I use it to thrust myself up off the ground. I look over at James and he has our backpacks — his forehead is bleeding. I should have packed a first aid kit. Although I could not have known I would be the one patching anyone up. "Come on Calla we have to get out of here".  We head South East into the woods. We are going to the camp but it may take us days to get there. I should have kept my mouth shut and none of this would happening right now.
James

We walked about ten and a half miles in the last three hours. Around four a.m I could tell she was tired so I offered to keep watch whilst she rested up. Of course, she argued that she was fine so I told her I needed a break. Not even five minutes into sitting down she passed out cold. While she slept, I cleaned up the blood that ran down my forehead after my dad's truck took a total fucking hit.  I would blame Calla but honestly none of this is any of our faults. Whatever it was out there, whatever that was. I cannot deny that I am scared shitless. But for now I need to man up and help Calla in anyway I can. The cut on my forehead is not too deep and it cleans up nice enough with my T-shirt and some water. She wakes up an hour later. "Are you hungry?" I do not know why I ask. It is not like we can just go to a diner. "Uh yeah", she says unsure of what my plan really is. Last night I packed a couple of power bars and snacks for the road. Most of the food is back in the truck but I salvaged some of it. I dig around in my backpack and hand her a power bar and an orange — not how I envisioned my first real meal with a girl I have been wanting to take out for years; then again she is stuck having to spend the next couple of days with a dirtbag she barely knows and this is not a date. "Thanks", she mutters and eats up. "Is your forehead okay?" she asks me; see stares at the cut on my head. " yeah it's just a scratch" I reassure her; she continues eating her power bar.

We stop to sleep a little more; around six we get moving. There is a lot of ground to cover and god knows who could be lurking in these woods especially after last night. I cannot help but feel like we should have stayed at home, locked the doors and called the cops or the military or something. "So uh, what do you think happened?" She asks in an unrecognisable tone. "I don't know but whatever it was it had Susan and your parents afraid". "Did you talk to my mom?" I am afraid to tell her the truth. The truth is I am clueless, if they are making their way to that old cabin or even if they are alive. Hearing her scream at that man she knew, she sounded so frightened and hopeful, it broke whatever it is in my chest cavity mostly and commonly known as a heart. "Uh no but Susan said she was with her", " and my dad?", desperation lines every word that comes and I want to scream that I am not as dependable as everyone needs me to be; as she needs me to be — instead I remain calm. "I don't know where your dad was nor mine for that matter", I have to be honest with her. I can keep her in the dark but what good will that do? What I could guess is my dad and Kevin probably fought off those things —people ; and our moms stayed somewhere safe — did I just call Susan my mom? "I hope they're okay, we should get there in three days or so you said?", "yeah", I dully reply. We spend the next few hours walking in silence. I know she thinks they are still alive but I have this feeling that when Susan said to get out, she meant for our safety ; not to have a fucking reunion at the river. I do not reiterate any of this to Calla. Knowing her she will insist we go back again — and it is not that her harsh words before provoked me; although I bet she thinks it did, I cannot possibly protect her from whatever those people have turned into.

Walking for what feels like forever; looking over at Calla I know she is tired and probably starving — that power bar  served its purpose but I cannot imagine it kept her full. The sun is high and blazing for ten, we take the occasional break so we should be about twenty-seven miles in. "Calla" I announce. she pays attention. "There's a gas station about half a mile south from here, we're going to go there for food. We need to be on alert for any strange movement", "Okay" she says glancing in the opposite direction. Something is wrong but I do not push her. She has being through a lot these past few hours and right now I could use some proper food before I starve to death.