She started to walk through the house with a pen, and pad of paper, writing down everything that she could use to survive. Then, she went out to the garage. She looked at the truck. She had the space in the back of the truck to carry everything. Her father had a hunting cabin, in the country. She knew that, if she could get there, that she might be safe. It might be the only safe place that she could find.
She found the keys to her father's office. Once inside, she rifled through everything there. She had to find the keys to the cabin. It took her an hour, but she found them. She felt a little better. She went through the kitchen. Her mother had enough canned food for a while. She would load the truck with the food in her house and try to get to the cabin. She thought that, she should start calling some of her friends, just to see if they were alright. She started to make a list. She said, “Okay, Imogen. Only list what you really need.” She walked through the house. She felt too sad to list more of the things that she would need to take. She went back to her room. She lay on the bed. She wanted to ask her mother what she would need, then remembered her mother's fate. She went into another crying spell. She jumped to her feet, and finished her list. She went back to get her laptop. She did some more searches on the new wave of zombie killings. Pages, and pages of videos popped up. All over the globe, people were being attacked by mobs of zombies. She could not believe her eyes. She was just coming out of the dazed, and confused rut of trauma that she had been trapped in. Now, started to feel doomed, again. Then, she grabbed the two boxes of bullets. She counted every one. Two-hundred, seventy-four. She took her pad of paper and wrote the number down.
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Her father had been very organized, and she often accompanied him on business. She learned to take inventory, and solve problems at a young age. She said, “Get out to the garage, see what Dad has out there to use to fight those things off.” She turned back to the computer. She clicked into a video where the people were showing one of those things awkwardly chasing everything that moved. She wrote down, 1. Bait and switch, avert attention away from yourself, on her list. Then, wrote in a foot note; They move slow, and follow light, movement, and noise. 2. Don't get bit! 3. Look for protective clothing. 4. Look for sharp knives and long tools to puncture brain! 5. Pay attention to the smell, you can smell them coming! She felt lost and doomed, but knew that she had to be ready to fight, run, or both. She was terrified. She continued to watch more videos. In every video, she saw groups of walking dead people attacking and eating people. She wanted to learn everything that she could about these “zombies”.
Nina heard a knock. She rushed to the door, and looked though the peep hole. It was Aidan. She opened the door. He came into the front hall, “ Hi, Nina.” She said, “ Hi. How did you get here? It looks like the city is dead. Except, for an occasional scream for help.” He noticed that, she looked worried. He responded, “Oh boy! Did you peg that one right. Did anyone show up to your meeting?” She looked up at him, and shook her head from side to side. “No. No one. It's already lunch time. I thought that, I heard a baby crying, earlier. I peeked out my door, and saw the door leading outside, being closed. I heard people screaming all night. It was terrible. What about your place?” Aidan said, “ My neighbor, across the street is home. She lost her husband. Everyone else is gone, except for those things, now and then. We had a giant herd come down our street, last night. We are talking about getting out of the area. I just drove around more of them, when I passed twenty-fifth street. I looked around one of the buildings. It looked like a massive mob moving around. Nina, you need to gather your things, and come to my place. My Aunt is waiting there for us. Soon, we won't have power, water, or basic supplies. You can bring whatever you can fit in the car. We have to make plans to head out of the area. We may only have today.” Nina asked, “ What do you mean?” Aidan replied, “ Nina, when there is any kind of disaster, the power goes off, or is cut off. Then it goes down hill, from there. Soon, trucks will not be able to deliver food, and basic needs. People, the ones that are left, will start robbing and killing for what they need, or want. Please.... Get your things, and let's get out of here. If this thing is fixed, and things go back to normal, I'll bring you back. But, for now, we have room at the house. There are no strings attached. We can load the car up with your clothes. Or, what ever you can fit. We need to assess supplies, too. If you have anything that will help...” She looked around the room. “Okay. But, if we are going to run out of food and basics, we should bring what I have here. I don't have a lot. But, it might help. I'll need my clothes and blankets. Stuff like that.” He said, “ Okay. Get your bags packed. Only bring what you can carry. We don't have a lot of time. That mob is moving this way.” She replied, “Let me get some bags. I'll get some things from the bedroom. Can you start getting whatever food you think that we will need? Just throw it all in those bags, or whatever you can find. Throw what you find in that old box, right there. We can carry it all out to the car.” He said, “Okay. If we get ambushed, we ditch the box. We can always come back for it. Focus on extra clothes, right now.” She said, “ Alright.” They both went to work. She packed her clothes and personal things. He loaded food into bags.
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Then, into the box. They carried her things down the hall, and out to Aidan's car. They looked over their shoulders, as they shoved it all inside the vehicle. They went back up to the apartment, they grabbed a few more things. Nina turned things off, grabbed her phone, laptop, and charger. Then, they walked out. Nina rushed to lock the dead bolt on her door. They tiptoed out to the car. They could hear gunfire, from a distance. They nervously, looked over their shoulders. As they tried to get into the car, two men ran up to them. One of them had a gun, and pointed it at Aidan. “What do you have there?” the man asked. Aidan threw his hands up into the air. “Hey, Man! Take it easy. It's just, clothes. It is not worth anything. Unless, you need clothes.” The other guy said, “Let's see.” He rushed past Aidan, while the other man pointed the gun at him. The man went into the car. He started to rifle through the clothes that Nina had placed into the back seat. She had put jewelry into a bag in the trunk. The man turned to his friend, “ Nothing here. Just, some girls clothes, and a blanket.” The man with the gun said, “Let me see your wallet. Aidan gave him his wallet. The man opened it, and looked inside. There was a twenty dollar bill inside. Nina, said, “Here. She pulled her wallet out of her purse. She took a few steps towards them. She handed the wallet to the man. He grabbed it from her. He opened it up, and smiled. “Now.... That's more like it.” He pulled some money out of the wallet. It was one- hundred, twenty dollars. They both laughed. Proud that they had found some money. One of them said, “You got any more?” She said nothing, just handed them her purse. They both looked inside, as the man without the gun rifled through it. He looked up at his friend, and asked, “ Now what do we do? Should we let them go?” The guy with the gun looked them over. “Yep. Just as soon as we get the car keys.” Aidan, and Nina exchanged a panicked look. Aidan knew that, he could not let them take the car. He said, “Listen. Why don't we talk about this? We didn't see any of this. Or, you guys. Okay?” Suddenly, Aidan swung his arm up, and grabbed the gun. He pulled it, and the man's arm down, so that he was not pointing the barrel at Aidan anymore. The man squeezed the trigger. Two shots hit the pavement. Both men charged Aidan. Nina cried, “ No!” Aidan started to fight them both off. One had him from behind. He started punching Aidan. The other, tried to hit him with the butt of the gun. Aidan grabbed the gun. Before they knew it, the gun went off, again. One of the men stiffened up, and grabbed his mid-section. The robber fell to the ground. His friend panicked, “You shot him!” Aidan had the gun in his hand, now. The terrified robber, backed up. Then, he ran away. As he came to the corner of the building, he ran into several zombies. The zombie-mob attacked him. Nina was on the ground, picking up their things. She looked up at the attack, as the dead-mob latched on to the robber. They tore into his flesh, from all sides.Nina could not believe her
eyes. The man struggled, screamed, and fought. More of the zombies came for Aidan and Nina. Aidan realized that he was still holding the gun. Nina jumped to her feet, and ran for her door. Aidan, started to shoot the zombies. Before she could climb inside the vehicle, one of the creepy, bloody, zombies grabbed Nina. She struggled to try to get away from it. She was wedged between it, and the vehicle. It was snapping it's teeth, as it tried to bite her in the face. She pushed back against it. She was only strong enough to push it back a few inches from herself, as it had a hold of her. They both could hear the robber screaming for help, as he was now being bitten all over his body. The zombies were starting to eat him alive. Aidan charged the zombie attacking Nina, and threw him down onto the ground. More zombies came at both of them. Then, he started shooting, again. Nina screamed, “No! Aidan. Look !” He yelled, as he threw another zombie to the ground,” Hurry! Get inside!” Nina rushed in through the passenger side door, in a panic.
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She watched, as Aidan kept shooting zombies. She yelled , “Aidan, Hurry!” When the gun was empty, he shoved another to the ground, then hurried to the vehicle. He opened the door, and jumped into the drivers-side seat. Nina was crying, “Aidan! I thought they were going to kill you. Hurry! We need to leave!” He turned and took her hand. He pushed the lock button and locked all of the doors. He said, “ We're okay. We have to stay calm. Keep the doors locked. We're going to get out of here.” Some zombies slammed into the side of the vehicle. They were snarling, and clawing at the window. Both, were horrified at what they saw. They stared at the bloody, living dead clawinf the car. Nina cried, “This is a nightmare. Aidan, they are dead. They are real zombies. Aidan. I couldn't get my family on the phone, all week. They are in Seattle.” She started to cry. She continued, “ We have to get away, now. Before, more of them come.” The screaming still continued, from outside. They turned towards the man's cries. Aidan was panting from exhaustion, and fear. He looked over at Nina. Now, she was frozen, while watching the gruesome scene. Then, he noticed that one zombie turned and looked at them. He stood up, and started stumbling for them. Then, another did the same thing. He started the car. He said, “We have to go! They are going to surround us, if we don't.” Nina's gaze was fixated on the flesh eaters. The man on the ground was still screaming. He was being eaten alive. Nina said, “We can't leave him like that!” Aidan replied. “We have to get out of here. There are too many of them. We can't help him.” Nina cried, as she wiped her eyes, and watched the man getting weaker, but still in terrible pain. She said, “I wanted to get away from them. But, I never wished that on him.” She looked away. Aidan drove away, as the vehicle knocked clinging zombies down, for several feet. As they moved through the city, they saw no people, at all. As they turned onto Main street, a mob of zombies came for them. “Aidan!” Nina yelled. Aidan swerved around the dead mob. He turned down Cleveland street, he lost them. After, they lost the mob of zombies, they traveled for a few blocks. Aidan turned down a street that led to a downtown area Cafe. The Cafe was positioned on a dead end street. It appeared, as though, there was some kind of event happening. They could hear music, and could see that there were a group of people socializing. They could see people walking around, like there was nothing wrong. Aidan drove past the crowd. Nina said, “ I can't believe that they are out here. We have to warn them.” Aidan asked, “How?” Nina said, “ We get out, and tell them. We tell them what happened. Tell them what has been happening.” She said, “Pull over.” He looked over at her. “What are you going to do? Nina. Stay in the car.” She replied, “I am not getting out. But, we have to try to warn people.” He pulled over. She rolled her window down. There were some people standing on the sidewalk. She said, “Hey. You guys should get inside. People are getting attacked all over. It's not safe out here” They turned her way. One man gave her a dirty look. Aidan said, “ See.....” Nina looked around. “They are all walking around, like it's safe out there.” He said, “Oh, snap!” He saw a zombie mob walking into the crowd. They heard the music. The next thing that they knew, people were starting to be attacked from every direction. They now, started to run and scream. Aidan said, “We have to get away from here.” Some of the people started to fight off the zombies. They thought that they were people attacking. Some people, were running to their cars. Some, made it away. Others, did not. Everyone ran in different directions. No one knew what was happening. And, the sight of flesh eating zombies, ripping out their victims throats with their teeth sent people into more panic. Aidan blurted out, “We are getting out of here!” He turned the car around, and sped off in the other direction.
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They made it to Aidan's home fast. Nina saw the military truck. She looked back and forth between the truck, and some dead bodies laying in the street. As soon as Aidan stopped the car in the driveway. He stepped out, and went to Nina's door. Then, opened it. “Come on. There are no dead ones here, right now. We need to hurry.” He noticed that, Nina was still in shock. It showed on her face. She was staring back at the two dead ones, clawing at the window inside the car that had veered off to the side of the curb. It was parked in full view of his house. He said, “Nina.” She looked up at him, and stepped out of the car. Her head still turned in the direction of the car. He said, “Don't look at them. We need to get your things inside. Help me.” She whispered, “Okay. I am sorry. I just..” He cut in, “ I understand. But, they may come back this way. We need to get inside. But, we have to get your things in there, first.” He pointed to the house. Nina could see that, Mrs. Sandoval was on her way out to help them. “Tia. You need to stay inside.” Rosa said, “No, Aidan. I am going to help the two of you get Nina's things inside.” She turned to Nina, and hugged her. “Nina. I was worried about you. When Aidan told me he would get you, I was so happy.” Nina, visibly in shock, replied, “ Thank you, for having me, Mrs. S. I hope it's not too much of a problem.” Mrs. S. said, “ You call me, Rosa. We have known each other for a long time, now. And, we have to stick together in these times. I am glad you are here with us.” For a minute, Nina felt safe. She said, “ Okay. Rosa. Thank you.” Aidan said, “Ladies. Take what you can carry inside, and I will get the rest.” He opened the trunk. They all carried Nina's things inside. Renee and the others, watched them from their window. Chloe said, “ Mom. Who is that lady?” Renee answered, “ Don't know. I am going to sneak over there, and talk to them.” Chloe said, “I don't think...” Ben cut in from behind them, “ I can do it.” Renee and Chloe turned around to see Ben standing there. Chloe said, “ No, Ben. Those things may come back.” Ben continued, “I'll watch for them, before I come back. They are right across the street.” Renee said, “They nay not open the door to you. I should do it.” Chloe said, “No. Ben and I will go. When they see me at the door, they should answer.” Renee argued, “No. You both stay inside. I will go. Too dangerous. I have a plan, and I need to ask Aidan's opinion. I need the paperwork for the place your Dad bought.” Chloe said, “I know where it is. I will show you.” Renee said, “I want to ask Aidan some questions about what is going on. He might know something that can help us. I am pretty sure that, they will come with us.” Chloe and Ben exchanged a look. Neither said anything. Renee asked Ben, “Where is Jose?” Ben replied, “ He is laying in the sofa in the family room. He just stares at the ceiling. He doesn't talk much, anymore.” Renee felt bad for the boys. Her and Chloe had lost Marcus. But, the two boys had lost both parents, all at once.
Back at Will's place, Stella had listed almost everything that they had in the kitchen, except for some of the spices. She was starting to count the seeds that they had stored, when Scarlett walked into the room. She looked mad. “So. What are you doing?” she asked Stella. Stella replied, “You heard what Dad said. We need to list everything that we've got. I am going to do seeds, now. We will be okay as long as we keep the chickens, and livestock healthy. Between the fruit trees, and the gardening. We can't draw any attention to this place, though.” Scarlett said, “Sis, I am sorry fo
r the way I acted before.” Stella said, “I know Scar. It's okay. We are all on edge, right now.” She stood up, and kissed her sister on the forehead.
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