Day 1

Untitled Part 1

The day of the outbreak there was an ominous feeling in the air. A peculiar silence fell on everything. The birds were hushed. The trees didn't sway back and forth with the breeze. There were no children playing outside. Everyone had locked themselves of their houses in fear of catching this unusual virus. It was as if terror had struck every heart in Randolph County. This was the day that my world turned upside down.

The night before the viral outbreak, I had came to visit my mother, as she aged , she did not do so gracefully as one would say. Her joints had hardened and she had practically lost her ability to walk. Her caretaker greeted me when I got to my childhood home, well, where I grew up after my parents separated. I haven't seen her in quite sometime. Which is unusual for me, I always made time to go see her regardless of plans. We sat around talking about this new virus for a while. She very rarely left her home but she was in a panic about getting this virus. I assured her that she wasn't going to get it. I stayed that night with my mother to give her caretaker a night off.

When I awoke the next morning around 10:30, with the feeling that something was wrong. I immediately went to my mothers room and checked on her. She was there sleeping peacefully as if nothing in the world was wrong. I slowly walked over to the window and looked out. It looked like a normal day, but it was very quiet; too quiet. I woke my mother up and helped her get dressed and made breakfast. I heard my phone ring from my purse in the living room while I was getting dressed. I figured it was Jakob, my boyfriend of 4 years, I didn't answer. But my phone kept ringing. An instant panic rushed over me. Maybe it was my dad. He has been declining in health recently. I rushed to grab my phone before it stopped ringing. It was my dad, my adrenaline started pumping, my heart racing, and my palms sweaty.

I called him back immediately and it went to voicemail. I tried several times to get in touch with him but couldn't. I told mom I'd be back soon, kissed her cheek, grabbed my keys, phone and wallet, and left. I rushed to his house, easily breaking at least 6 laws. When I arrived, the door was slightly ajar and his annoying dog wasn't barking, I pushed to door open just a little and walked inside. I called out for him, but no reply. I started rushing around his house like a madwoman. I just kept screaming "Daddy! Daddy, answer me!" I got to the living room and saw him. He was laying there looking lifeless, with this strange bite mark on his arm close to his wrist. I couldn't figure out where they came from. Then I realized that the dog must've bitten him. He was hardly breathing. I pulled out my phone and called 911. When the ambulance got there the EMT's had already seen several cases much like this. The urge to sleep was overwhelming for bite victims, but if they did go to sleep they would wake up in a zombie like state. They lose most brain function and become hyperphagic. It felt like my heart shattered in my chest. I couldn't believe that I would never hear my dad's voice again, never be able to take walks with him like we did when I was a small child. I called my mother in tears and told her what happened. Not that she cared, but i wanted to tell her. After I called my mom I called my younger siblings, Monica and Abby. They both agreed to meet me at the hospital where he was at.

When my sisters arrived at the hospital they were oddly unaffected by how ill father was. I was glad to see them though. I hadn't seen them in a few years. Well, ever since I moved out about 4 or 5 years ago. I walked out of dads room and went to find a doctor. I had some questions I wanted answered. What was this virus? Could they make him better? Are there any other options? I eventually found a doctor and he answered my questions. Basically stripping me of my hope for my dad to get better. There is also a new symptom emerging in all these patients. They don't die. They come out of the comatose state and are literally zombies. So there is nothing they can do for dad. They can just slowly watch him deteriorate before he becomes a zombie. I'm beyond devastated. I slowly walked back to dads room, depressed with the thoughts of how different life will be without my dad. Granted we haven't really got along since the separation but I have tried to stay in touch. Now I regret all the times when I made excuses not to see him. When I entered his room it was an absolute mess. It wasn't like that 5 minutes ago when I left. I looked around and saw that my sisters have been bitten by dad, he was walking around the room drained of all human qualities. They too laid lifeless as dad did not even two hours prior. I rushed out of the room and screamed for a nurse. They came in and helped my sisters and restrained my dad. Great, I've lost my dad and my two sisters to this virus. The only thing left to do is protect my mother. I left the hospital, because there was nothing else for me to do except watch as my family literally rots away.

By the time I got to mom's house I was sobbing. I hate this! I sat in my car for a few moments and gathered myself. Which was particularly hard that day, because I just wanted to scream and act like all of this has never happened. That my life was still normal and I didn't have to lose my dad and sisters. I walked in to find my mother glued to the TV. I asked her what was wrong, and my worst fears had been confirmed. The virus had spread and quickly, 70% of our state was infected within 24 hours.I got up and locked the door to reassure mother. Then she screamed for me, I was so focused on what was going on outside that I hadn't realized she was calling me till she screamed. It startled me which made me jump. I looked at her, her eyes were filled with terror and tears. I began to panic. "What happened" I asked. She couldn't form a word, I noticed her phone in her hand. She began telling me that the hospital had called, the virus had taken my sisters. I had completely forgotten to tell mom that they had gotten the virus from dad. Just another reason for her to hate him.

Who knew that when I woke up that morning that I would lose my dad and sisters? It was too much for me to handle then, still today, two months later it's hard to handle. I wish that day had never happened. I miss them all so much, but it's time to move on. The zombie apocalypse is now upon us with just a few sole survivors, such as myself. Everything changed that day, it was almost as if time stood still and mother nature held her breath. For one wrong breath, one wrong move and our world as we know it would shatter.