Chapter One: "The New Reality"
"Maggie," I tapped on her door, "Maggie."
"Come in," she replied tiredly. She was sitting up against her headboard, her hair messy from sleep.
"Did I wake you?" I asked as a sat next to her, "I brought you tea."
"It's fine, I haven't been getting much sleep ever since this little one decided kicking was her favorite thing to do." she gestured to her pregnant belly as she took the cup. I smiled as I watched my sister. She was seven months along and I couldn't wait till the baby came.
"How are you feeling?"
Maggie rolled her eyes. "Everyone's been askin' me that. I'm not dying, I'm just having a baby for cryin' out loud."
"I know," I replied, a small smile on my lips. "Have you thought of any names?"
"If it's a boy, I want Clayton, but Glenn likes Hunter for some reason. But if it's a girl..." Maggie glanced down, "I'm gonna name her Annette, after mom."
I bite my lip. Don't cry, don't cry. "Well, I hope it's a girl," Not a day goes by that I don't miss mom. "I'm gonna see if dad's awake."
"Alright," Maggie offers a smile, "Usually he's already up by now, kickin' an plantin' sunflower seeds in his garden." I give a dry laugh and go downstairs to make some more tea. I'm gonna surprise him with a cup. When I finish, I carefully walk back upstairs and knock on his door. He doesn't answer so I knocked again. Then again. I figure he's in the bathroom so I open the door. He was laying on his back, sleeping.
"Daddy," I called to him as I walked closer. "Daddy, wake up." I shook his shoulder lightly. "Daddy," worry surrounded me when I realized he wasn't breathing. "Dad!" I pressed my ear to his heart and heard nothing. That's when I swore I could hear my own. I stumbled away from his bedside, staring wide-eyed at his lifeless body. My shaky hands dropped the tea cup, making glass shatter everywhere. The hot tea splashed on my ankles, but I didn't feel it. I felt warm tears slide down my cheeks. I turned, impaling my foot with a shard of glass, and ran out the door. I slammed into Maggie in the hallway.
"Beth, what's wrong? What happened?" she placed her hands on my shoulders to calm me, but I only choked out nonsense through sobs. "Stay here, okay?" but it was obvious I wasn't going anywhere. She glanced into daddy's room then walked in. When she came back out she held me. She didn't cry, though, she just held me like a child. She was stronger than I was, I knew that.
One week after dad's funeral, Maggie announced she was leaving. Even before this, I already figured she was leaving soon since she had a husband and now a baby was on the way, but I didn't want to her go anymore. I needed her. I didn't try to make her stay, though. She wanted more than this farm had to offer. When the day came, I helped Maggie pack her things as Glenn waited patiently outside, leaning against his car. They were moving to DC to raise their family. I wanted to protest. I wanted to scream. I wanted to say that Maggie was mine too. But most importantly, I wanted Maggie to stay with me. I didn't say anything, though, I just loaded her bags in Glenn's truck and waved goodbye.
"You be safe, okay?" Maggie told me. "And listen to Dawn." I visibly shuddered at the mention of Dawn's name. She was my legal guardian (behind Maggie) and since Maggie was leaving and our dad was dead... Dawn would be taking care of me. She used to babysit me when I was a child. She was always mean and manipulating. Good thing I turn 18 in two months, because after that, I can do whatever I want. "Hey, she's not that bad." Maggie said, reading my thoughts.
"Well, she actually liked you. She always hated me and now I'm stuck with her." I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.
"You turn 18 in two months and then-"
"I know," I said cutting her off. I leaned my body half-way through the window and hugged my sister. "Bye." I whispered in her ear.
"Bye." she leaned back and smiled, "You better call me every night."
"Of course, I will. Just make sure you pick up the phone." I joked as Maggie chortled. The realization of what was happening sunk in. Maggie was leaving me. I felt tears threaten to fall so I looked up at the sky, pretending to be captivated by a cloud. The engine erupted in my ears like the first sign of misery, and like the cloud drifting away, they were gone. I stood there looking at the puff of dust the car had made for one minute...or maybe it was one hour, I couldn't tell.
"Bye Maggie." I whispered to myself then walked back into the house.
For a while, I occupied myself by studying then I did some work in the garden until I couldn't do it anymore. The sun was already going down and Dawn was late, so I unlocked the front door and waited for her on the couch. I ended up falling asleep and a car door startled me awake. Before I could properly blink the sleep out of my eyes, Dawn was standing in front of me. She was in her police uniform, gun in a holster, and her black hair slicked back - looking strict as ever.
"Hi," I croaked out, still feeling drowsy from my nap.
"Hi, Beth." Dawn replied, a thin line across her lips.
I sit up, "How was the drive here?" but she ignored my question and walked around the house, examining pictures, items on shelves, and anything else that made her seem nosey as hell. She picked up a picture of when I was seven playing in the backyard with my dad then set it back down.
"When I got that call the only thing I could think about was being able to care take of you again." she set the picture down and faced me. "And I will." her eyes glittered a certain stage of crazy and I couldn't help but wonder what she meant by that. "We're going to my house. Pack your stuff and only carry essentials, you won't need-"
I cut her off. "Dawn, this is my home."
"This was your home." she corrected, making me feel like I officially lost everything. She must have noticed this because her voice softened. "My house is just up the road, Beth. Don't be difficult." And I wasn't difficult. I packed some of my things and stuffed it in the trunk of Dawn's police car. When I shut it, Dawn was standing right beside me. I jumped slightly and she ran her fingers through my ponytail. "Ever think about cutting it?"
"Not really," I said as I fought every muscle in my body not to pull away.
"You know, your sister had the right idea." she was referring to Maggie's short hair.
I frowned. "I'm not Maggie."
Dawn looked at me disapprovingly, her blue eyes staring coldly. "I can see that."
There was no 'house up the road'. We drove for an hour till we reached a some small house in the middle of a hay field. It was surrounded by a huge white picket fence, and if you squinted, you could see where the woods began. We were in the middle of nowhere. Dawn parked the car in the dirt driveway and we unloaded the trunk. Despite everything, it was a neat little place just big enough for the two of us. I set my bag down and walked into the bedroom - the only bedroom. I guess it wasn't big enough for the two of us.
"There's only one room." I said to Dawn, who was already in the kitchen brewing coffee.
"And I guess you want it?" Dawn replied, back turned, and pouring black coffee into her mug.
"I don't care. I'm just wondering why you moved me out here. There's not even phone service." Dawn ignored me and sipped her coffee. I asked louder this time, "Why did you move me out here?"
Dawn turned around, "To protect you."
I refrained from rolling my eyes. "I need a phone, Dawn. I promised Maggie I'd call her every night. She'll be worried sick."
"Let her worry. I'm keeping you safe."
"From what?!" a minute passed before anyone spoke again. An eerie silence settled in the room till the air became dry and still.
"It came at me." Dawn replied quietly, so quietly that if I wasn't intently listening I would've missed it. "I shot it, but it kept coming... I shot it, but it kept coming." she was muttering to herself now.
I swallowed hard, feeling slightly uneasy. Why did she keep saying 'it'? "Dawn-"
"The world is changing, Beth."
"I bet they had a bulletproof vest on," I said, choosing reason over...crazy.
She shook her head, ignoring me. "I saw more just like it too. They're dead, Beth...but they're alive." she glanced up, catching my eye for the briefest second and I swore she was scared, but that look was gone as quickly as it came and was replaced with the same manipulative woman that babysat me years ago. "Just know that everything I do from here on out is for the greater good." And that was the last thing we said all day.
Dawn ended up sleeping in the bedroom that night and I slept on the couch. It was uncomfortable because the couch was hard and shorter than I was, so I had to scrunch up. I just prayed that Maggie and Glenn weren't too worried about me. I would leave tomorrow and find a spot that got cell service so I could call them. I would tell Maggie that Dawn was insane and Maggie would listen to me. Maggie would come back and I would see her have the baby. The baby would be a girl and she would be called Annette. Everything was going to be alright. But if everything was going to be alright, why was I crying myself to sleep?
"Beth...Beth, wake up." Dawn harshly whispered as she tapped roughly on my cheek. I forced my eyes open and the sun shined in through the creases of the curtains. I groaned and rubbed my eyes. "They're here." she said, keeping her voice a shaky whisper, and her eye focused on the windows. For the slightest moment, I thought she was talking about Glenn and Maggie, but that was close to impossible.
"Who's here? Why are you whispering?" I replied as I allowed Dawn to pull me off the couch. Dawn ignored me and un-holstered her gun. Well, actually, I really think she didn't hear me this time. A shadow moved across the porch window then stopped against the front door. Dawn gestured for me to follow her as she went into her bedroom. I stayed in the living room, though. I wasn't about to follow a crazy woman. As I got closer to the front door, I could hear the person making gross noises. My heart pounded as I reached for the door knob. I barely opened the door before someone -no, something- barged in and I stumbled backward, bumping into a table. It had pale gray skin, bulging eyes, and it walked on a broken ankle as if it couldn't feel a thing. I tried to scream, but a lump got caught in my throat. I fumbled to grab a lamp off the table. I clutched the lamp in my hand and hit it the thing in the face. It's skin hung grotesquely from its jaw but it kept coming. I threw the lamp at it, which it barely had an effect before shattering to the floor. The thing grabbed my shoulders and wrestled me to the ground, it's mouth opening and closing over me. It was trying to bite me. I held it back with one arm and grabbed a shard of broken lamp with the other. I stabbed the broken lamp piece into the side of its neck and it still didn't die. I heard the click of a gun cocking and Bam! Blood and brain matter splattered on my face as its body fell limply on top of me. I pushed it to the side and stood up on shaky legs, glancing behind me to see Dawn's gun smoking. "What was that thing?" I panted, out of breath.
"The new reality." Dawn replied calmly as I tried to wipe some of the blood off of me.
By the time I changed my clothes, Dawn had already gathered all the canned foods from her cabinets and put them into a bag. We were in the car soon, driving to who-knows-where and I was too confused to protest. "You still haven't told me what's going on." I say trying to mask the worry in my voice. I know if I look at her she'll read my face like a book, so I stare aimlessly out the window as we pass a few empty cars on the side of the road. Dawn is driving faster than usual, gripping the wheel so tight her knuckles are turning a pale blue color. I sigh, trying to calm myself as I turn the radio dial. Maybe I can catch a song and lighten the mood a little. Instead, I catch a reporter mid-broadcast saying something about the National Guard being sent into Florida. Before he continues, Dawn turns it off and sends a glare in my direction.
"Please." Dawn says, it's firm and demanding. The first word she's spoken in almost an hour doesn't comfort me at all. I don't say anything in response though, I just rest my hands in my lap. I wish Maggie was here with me right now, she always makes me feel better. I hear a sound that resembles a firecracker and the front passenger side of the car sinks abruptly, along with my heart. The tire blew out. I feel the car tip to the side as Dawn tries to get control of it, but it only takes a moment for our vehicle to roll over, and those few seconds take a lifetime to pass. My airbag bursts out, throwing my head back against the headrest as the window near me shatters, sending bits of glass at my face. My seat belt hugs me tight, keeping me from being slung around like a rag doll. Finally, it all stops.
When I open my eyes everything is cloudy and dust is everywhere. I can feel the small cuts on my face, they sting a little, but I'm okay. No, not okay, I'm alive. "Beth," I hear Dawn cough out and I look at her. There's a bruise swelling on the left side of her forehead and her bottom lip is bleeding. "Beth." she repeats more forcefully.
"I'm okay," I tell her, even though she didn't ask if I was, but for some reason I pretend that's what mattered to her. I manage to undo my seat belt and drop uncomfortably on some bits of glass. I cry out when a small sliver sticks into my leg. I can here Dawn fumbling with her seat belt, but it must be jammed because she starts cursing under her breath. I slowly crawl out of the broken passenger window and go to her side. Her pocket knife is laying a few feet away so I pick it up and start sawing away at the belt.
"Hurry up and cut it, dammit." Dawn barks at me, but the knife is dull and I'm hurting so it's difficult. "Cmon!" she says impatiently as I try to saw faster. Movement catches the corner of my eye. It's a man and he's walking towards us. Relief washes over me. I'm sure he can help me get Dawn out. I drop the knife a foot or two away from her and move to the front of Dawns overturned Police car. "Beth, get back here!" Dawn demands but I choose not to follow orders. Instead, I wave both my arms frantically at the man.
"Help! We need help!" I yell to him, which catches his attention.
"What are you doing?!" Dawn asks forcefully from the car.
"There's a guy, he's coming to help." I respond timidly. As he gets closer I notice that he seems dazed and there's blood on his shirt. He shuffles closer. Something is wrong. Very wrong. "Are you alright?" I ask him, but he doesn't say anything, he just snarls at me. I back up and bump into the car. His outstretched arms are only feet away from me as he stumbles closer. He smells rancid. And for the first time in my life, I can see death.
Bang.
A bullet goes through his skull and he veers sharply to the left as he falls. I look over and see Dawn holding her gun, leaning against her car, and looking like hell. She exhales deeply, "Get your ass moving."
"Hey!" Someone calls out from just up the road.
"He's alive," I hear Dawn murmur to herself. "Hurry." she says and we start jogging towards the guy. The guy is standing next to his jeep, motioning us to come quicker. I see movement underneath his car. Someone is under his jeep.
"Hey!" I scream trying to get his attention, "Hey!" The thing reaches out and grabs his ankle. The guy tries to break free, but trips in the process and falls to the ground. Dawn grabs my arm, stopping me in my tracks. The thing bites his leg and the guy screams out in pain. He's being devoured alive and I'm watching and watching. I would vomit, but I feel numb all over. I hear my name being called faintly in the background, sounding miles and miles away.
"Beth!" Dawn's in front of my face now, shaking my shoulders, but her voice is still a distant echo. "Stay here." I only blink, but that's enough for her. She goes to the guy and the thing that's ripping his flesh apart, and stabs both of them in the head. When I finally snap out of my daze, I think about running, but instead, I slowly walk over to Dawn because she's who Maggie left me with.
Should I continue? ...