When You Break

Chapter 1

The world was a pain but being in this new world was a pain in the ass. Sara Price hated traffic enough as it was but add everyone being in a panic and being stuck with her sister, it was a nightmare to say the least. Trying not to focus on the negative situation, Sara ruffled her nephew's hair.

"Stop it Aunt Sara!" Carl swatted at her hand, "You know I don't like that anymore."

Sara just chuckled and blew a raspberry at him. Carl started to smile but stopped himself. That was the worst thing, Sara thought, was that since the epidemic had happened Carl started to lose himself and his childhood.

"Hey Lori is Shane getting anything on his radio?" Sara was getting antsy just waiting on the highway. "Just wondering if I have time to walk around."

Sara watched as her sister turned to ask the cop if he had heard any new reports. It was an odd little group they had right now. Sara felt her skin crawl as she thought about it. Their little group consisted of herself, her sister, her nephew and their family friend Shane. It was still a shock about her brother-in-law.

"Nope haven't heard diddly squat." Shane rubbed his forehead looking as agitated as she felt. "I'm pretty sure your safe to walk around."

"Just don't go to far." Lori added staring hard at her sister.

"Yes mom."

"Aunt Sara, can I go with you?" Carl's big blue eyes begged her to say yes.

"Go ask your mom, bud. Make sure it's ok." Sara hated doing it and wouldn't have before but this wasn't before and nothing was certain anymore.

Carl, instead of going over to his mom, yelled at his mom from where he was. "Hey mom, can I go with Aunt Sara? I'll stay with her and never leave her sight, I promise."

Typical Carl, Sara thought. She felt guilty for a split second because she knew that Lori wouldn't say no, especially now after everything that had happened. Just thinking about what her sister was going through made her throat get tight and constricted.

Sara watched as her sister's face went from normal to worried after Carl's request. She knew that Lori would give in and allow Carl would go with Sara. She turned her attention away from Lori and focused on Shane. His eyes shifted all over the place trying to make sure everything was remaining the same and that nothing was going to get worse in the next few minutes. He was in 'cop' mode as she liked to call it.

"Sara watch him closely and don't allow him to leave your sight." Lori's brows were creased with worry and her hands were shaking slightly.

"I promise, he's on a tight leash I swear." Sara smiled to reassure Lori. "Come on munchkin, let's get moving."

Holding hands with Carl, they walked down the highway that wasn't already crowded with people and their things. There were so many vehicles on the road it looked like something out of a movie. Sara couldn't comprehend that many people heading towards Atlanta. She never liked living directly in the city but she didn't like living way out in the country either. Suburban living was her kind of thing, although everything else that went with it wasn't. Having kids, a 9 to 5 job and husband just didn't appeal to her. Although if her boyfriend was still around it would probably be different.

"Aunt Sara, look at those guys." Carl pointed to a dirty pickup truck with two men in the cab. "Don't they look like the bad guys in your movies? I think they do. They look tough and scary."

"Carl, don't point. It's rude and you know that." Sara pushed his hand down to his side. "But yes, they do look scary and tough."

Sara noticed that the two men had looked over towards them after she scolded Carl. She felt bad so Sara drug Carl over to the truck so that they could apologize.

"I'm sorry about him, he had a lapse in manners. I'm really sorry if he offended you." She felt nervous under the stare of the two men.

The older of the two men leered at Sara. His eyes made her think instantly of the serial killers the news would inform you about. He had such an intensity to him, it honestly scared Sara to death.

"No problem here, Sugar."

She saw the smirk on his face as his eyes wandered down her body. The look he gave her made her shiver in disgust. Sara almost wanted to now what was going through the redneck's head, almost.

"Ok, sir. Just wanted to make our apologies known. Right, Carl?" She put her hand on Carl's shoulder to remind him to apologize and to make sure he wouldn't get any closer to the two men. "Right Aunt Sara. I'm really sorry about pointing at you."

"Ok little man let's get back to your mom." As she turned around with Carl to get back to Lori, she felt eyes staring holes into her back. Slightly turning her head to look back she gasped as she saw two hooded, gorgeous, blue eyes staring in her direction.

Sara couldn't wait to get back to her sister. Just being in this situation, whatever situation it was, was horrible. Not knowing anything was the worst part. Sara tried to focus on getting back to the car but every time she tried her thoughts went to over things that she just didn't want to deal with. Trying not to think about those things just made it harder.

"Aunt Sara, are you ok?" Carl was tugging on her hand and poking her in the arm. "Aunt Sara?"

It took a moment for Sara to realize that Carl was trying to get her attention. "Yeah, little man, I'm ok." Sara made sure to show him a smile so he thought she was telling the truth. In reality, she was far from ok and there wasn't really anything that could fix it.

"Hey Carl, could you promise me something?"

"Sure." Carl seemed so absolute in his answer that Sara struggled against her guilt.

"Don't tell your mom about those two men, ok?" Sara's eyes searched Carl's silently begging him to do what she said.

"Ok, but what if those men see us again and they tell mom?"

"I'll deal with that if it happens. Just promise me."

"Ok. I promise."

Sara sighed in relief. If Lori knew anything about those rednecks, she would lock Sara in the vehicle. It didn't matter if she was 30 years old or not.

Author's Note: This is the first chapter for my first story ever. I feel really accomplished right now actually. Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated as I'm sure I am not the greatest writer on the planet.