Bet you thought this would never be continued eh?
~2 Days In~
I was so sick of driving. The emptyness and death. I saw not a single living person directly, and nothing even remotely human other than one or two stopped cars on the side of the road. And this was no five minute drive, we went from Texas to Georgia. Thank god Ali had a few canisters of spare gas or we would have been stuck many miles back. I only assumed that dead people lay inside of anywhere we could get gas. That is why I was so glad to finally pull up at the Shane Manor.
It was a massive white building, the premise surrounded by a large concrete wall, and it was enclosed with large gates. Ali jumped out and opened the gates, getting back in to drive us to the house.
Ali's dad, Jack stood on the porch. Her sisters Victoria and Ashley stood next to him. Marcella, her mother led out a girl around age 10, Vivienne, Victoria's daughter. Chance, Victoria's husband was probably doing some housework or toiling in the fields, as Jack often forced him to do in exchange for being able to live in his house. Not quite slavery, but as close as there was in this day and age.
Jack was a man of 48 years, greying and beginning to lose his strength he gained as a young man working the farm at this very home. It had been in the family home for centuries now, and had been under continous expansion since it was first built as the family continue to accumulate much financial success.
Marcella was a much kinder woman. She was about 40 and had only married Jack for his money, staying for the family they had together. She supported Chance and Victoria's marriage, despite the protests of Jack. Its unknown how she and Jack even met, not even they remember. Marcella is also a serial adoptee, raised in everything from Kim Davis to Marsha P. Washington. Luckily, it was the Martha's that really stuck with her.
Victoria was a rebel child. She didn't look it, long, platinum hair and a sundress topped up with a sunhat made her look be the sweetest southern belle. On the contrary, she was a bad listener, hated her father and was fiercely and passionately protective of Chance, refusing all of her father's attempts to set her up with someone "better" or in his terms, white. Chance was a hard worker. A solid man, but soft spoken, and very respectful. He was an excellent father and generally good with people. Unfortunately, it was still Jack's house and neither Marcella nor Victoria could convince him that Chance wouldn't have to work.
Ashley was less of a rebel, and more of a brat. An accident child, she harbored constant insecurity, and was within age of her niece, Vivienne. Vivienne was a sweet a precocious child. Very smart and resourceful, she like toying with the various farm equipment, and apparently once rebuilt a broken engine. Her small size made her a grease-monkey in training for the mechanic when he came around, though chances are it would be a very long time before he came around again.
Vivienne ran up to me. She always seemed to like me, and Charlotte, Ali and I have been rooming together for long enough that she basically though of us as unofficial aunts or something.
"Steffie!" she cried, her curly hair bouncing as she ran. She was about 10, but her general mannerisms matched that of a six year old.
"Hi!" I exclaimed, embracing her and she came crashing into me. Its likely that nobody has told her what's going on, and I am not going to be the one to do it. "How have you been!"
"Good! Im in 5th grade now! I'm almost a big middle school girl!" She exclaimed. She says something like that every year.
Jack walked up to Ali, hugging her. He didn't really notice me and Char, or just didn't care to talk to either of us.
"Glad to see yer safe." He said.
There was a slight pause, just enough to hear the groans. I turned around. A large herd was approaching the manor.
"Come on Vivi, lets go inside and catch up." I suggested, trying to get her to come with me.
"But you just drove, don't you wanna play outside!" She exclaimed
"Not right now, sweetie maybe a bit later. I'm very... tired come on, now!"
I half pulled, half dragged Vivienne into the house. The house was frankly massive, but I still didn't really feel comfortable just staying put there. As I led Vivienne towards the back to make a quick escape as necessary, Jack ran upstairs and grabbed a shotgun. Everyone ran inside, except Ashley.
"Mom, did you see where Ashley went?" Asked Ali
"She got in her car and drove off. I wouldn't worry about her." Responded Marcella
Great, only 15 minutes of being here and someone has already ran off. Jack storms out the front door and I hear a few gunshots. Marcella led us up into the area where they kept the hunting guns, and gave each of us something we could handle. I stayed up for an extra minute to see if I could find a hunting knife or machete, witch I did, also finding a sheath and holster so I wouldn't have to hold it and my gun constantly. When I ran downstairs I heard Jack begin to scream, and the rest of the family was gone. A few rotters began to break through the door, and I ran out the back. All there was in the back was a bunch of forests that spanned for several miles, until we hit another farm. I has to take my chances alone, then.
Wandering through the forest I found no trace of the rest of the family. I doubt they could've been torn apart that quickly, but who knows with these creatures. Looking around, I realized I was alone. I was going to have to make it alone for awhile.
