Cars, an endless succession of them. That has been my life for the last forty-eight hours. If I knew it was going to change; that the Panic! at the Disco that was playing from some car up the line would fade and so much of the chatter I could hear from inside my car would fade with it, only to be replaced by the moaning of their dead selves then I wouldn't have complained so much. I would have loved the smoggy air and the blaring of horns. Anything was better than an ever present silence.
Exactly forty-two hours and 54 minutes ago, my father's best friend Shane had showed up on our doorstep demanding we get in the car. My mom and brother, Carl, were quick to jump and get their stuff, doing as they were told - the good little soldiers they are. We weren't blind; every channel was the emergency broadcasting systems. 'The dead walk among us'. I knew Shane would come to whisk us away in his little Cadillac of a white horse.
My dad was in Atlanta State Hospital, rotting in a coma, probably about to be zombie food. When Shane showed up he had told us my dad was dead, that Rick Grimes didn't survive a gunshot wound. I couldn't believe it.
"Alaska, we have to go." Shane's voice grated on my last nerve but I complied and grabbed my bag, piling into his car to run away from the apocalypse.
That's how I ended up here, with a book in my lap and pounding headache. About 3 miles out of the city we got into a traffic jam and moved approximately five feet in seven hours. Shane and my mom were scouting ahead, trying to look for the break in the traffic. Carl was out at the car behind us, playing some type of game with a girl.
I looked out distractedly at the sound of choppers overhead. Curious, I opened my door and walked to the treeline close to the road. I glanced back over my shoulder once to see Carl staring my way. Waving and turning back around, I scaled the nearest tree until I got a clear view of Atlanta.
Flames peaked above the tallest skyscraper. I knew what they were doing, I had played enough Call of Duty and seen Forrest Gump. Napalm in the streets. Sure, it was an effective way to get the zombies gone but what about the people who hadn't evacuated yet? What about those unlucky people? I could have known them. My neighbor or freshman English teacher.
That's when the screaming started, loud as a bomb. I descended my tree in panic and jogged back to the lineup of cars. There stood Lori Grimes, hugging Carl to her side and watching Shane trying to repack the car quick as he could. The screaming was still resonating; I glanced to the right and what I saw made my hard stop.
A solid wall of people running, screaming as if their lives depended on it. Behind them were the undead, the Walkers. Hey, that's a cool name for them. I'll stick with it.
Anyway.
I ran the rest of the way to the car, wrestling with others that were moving against the current.
"Alaska!" Mom's voice was laced with panic.
"Shane," He glanced at me for a moment before going back to the trunk. "We'll never make it through the traffic jam with this fucking tank-"
"Language." Really? She seemed horrified at my language but not at the impending zombie apocalypse.
"We should take what we can carry, all of the necessities and move forward." I talked fast, aware of the herd coming at us faster and faster.
"Mom." Carl noticed too.
"It's the only chance we have." I was now staring Shane down, begging him to listen to reason. The screams were getting louder.
I would never let him know but I had never been more grateful when he nodded and grabbed our bags. I went into the back seat and grabbed my bag and bow. Dad had taught me how to shoot one when I was eight and ten years later, I was a pro.
I threw my bow and quiver over my shoulder, grabbing Carl's small pack and closing the door behind me. When I walked back around to the trunk, everyone had their bags and we were ready to move. We went into the treeline, thinking there may be a cabin or something we could hole up in and get away from the chaos.
Mom stopped suddenly and turned around, heading back for the cars. The Walkers were way too close for that to be okay.
"Lori!" Shane face was red with frustration.
"I'll be right back." She disappeared from view momentarily and came back minutes later, the family from the car behind us with her. The mom had told us she was Carol, the girl was Sophie but the husband hadn't bothered associating with us. I had a bad feeling about him.
I could see Shane fighting himself on telling mom what for. More people, more weight to carry and people to worry over.
I hit his arm lightly and shook my head, turning back into the woods and walking swiftly forward, nocking an arrow into my bow in case we needed it. I knew this was the beginning of a whole new world.