I am ready, I am ready, I am ready, I am fine.
-Natalie Walker 'Color Blind'
"Sasha! Get down here!" I stared at my reflection in disgust at my brother. Combing my fingers through my hair, I set my brush down. I'd spent every penny I'd saved on my hair and it was worth it. Well, not every penny. Glancing down at my newly manicured nails, I smiled. I looked amazing right now. Dipping a finger into some gloss, I smeared it on my lips.
"Sasha!" My brother wailed from below. Sighing, I threw myself from the vanity to see what he wanted. Stomping down the steps, I turned and entered the living room.
"What?" Tyrese kept his eyes glued to the screen in front of him.
"You see this?" He asked, indicating the news.
"Yeah, I heard. Crazy shit happening in L.A. What about it?" Annoyed my brother called me down for something so ridiculous, I was about to turn away when the picture on the screen stopped me.
"Not just L.A." Tyrese whispered as scenes from Atlanta flashed across the screen. My heart did a sickening, painful roll through my chest as I recognized the buildings and streets. Sinking down into the couch beside my brother, I bit my lip to stop my tears.
"What are we gonna do, Ty?" I asked, unshed tears shaking my voice. I was terrified. Atlanta was only 30 minutes away. A thump on the door distracted me. Thankful my boyfriend had finally made it, I stood to let him in. Tyrese's hand on my arm stopped me.
"I asked Gavin to come over," I replied down to him. Hearing dad open the door behind me, I turned around to greet Gavin. But it wasn't Gavin at the door. My smiled turned into a shriek as my fathers throat was ripped open before my eyes. Our neighbor, Harvey, chewed on his neck in sickening gulps and slurps. Staring, my feet frozen to the floor, Ty yanked me to face him.
"We gotta get out of here!" He yelled down into my shocked face. Dad had collapsed in the door.
"But dad!" I screamed back at him.
"He's dead, sis," he whispered painfully. Glancing back over my shoulders, I realized he was right. I also witnessed Harvey look up with white film coated eyes to stare in our direction. Heart leaping into my throat, I shrieked again as Ty pulled me away from the outstretched arms of out former neighbor.
Pulling a large knife from the block in the kitchen, he yanked me into the garage. Shutting and locking the door, he pushed the tool chest in front of it. I jumped, a small squeak escaping me as Harvey slammed against the door. Snarls and growls issued from behind the door, causing my to shudder in fear. Staring at the door, Ty's hand on my arm startled me.
"We gotta go," he whispered. Showing me the keys to our dads car, I rushed to the passenger seat of the SUV, crawling in. Once settled and buckled, Ty took a deep breath before opening the garage door.
People filed in as the door slowly ground open. Some I recognized. Others I didn't. All had the filmy white eyes of the infected that had been on the news the last few days. Shaking, I tried to calm my nerves as the closest one slammed against the rear window. More followed suit, and I tried not to allow my terror to overwhelm me as the slaps and growls collided with my door. I heard the locks slam down. Fear filled my eyes as I glanced at my brother. He concentrated on the garage door behind us and as soon it opened, he backed out. I heard thumps and crunches as the vehicle rolled over the people behind us.
"Ty!" I screamed at him, tears like a waterfall down my face. "You just ran them over?"
"You saw what they did to dad. They ain't people anymore." The SUV rocked slightly as he shifted out of reverse and sped us away. At the stop sign, I halted his left turn.
"Wait!" He stopped, turning to me.
"We gotta go, Sash."
"I can't leave Gavin."
"He might be sick." I swallowed hard before looking into his eyes.
"Then we leave him. But I have to know." Ty turned right, heading towards Gavin's house. My stomach churned with worry the closer we got. In the street we passed a woman with her head inside someone's abdomen, feasting on intestines. I held back vomit and looked away. What was happening?
Gavin's street was thankfully clear. Pulling into the driveway, Ty turned to me.
"Keep the car running. Don't let nobody in. Lock the doors behind me." Taking a deep breath, he jumped out of the car clutching the knife in his hands. I watched as he knocked on the door, which swung open on its own. When he disappeared inside, I held my breath. Terror rippled through me. Worry ate at my gut. A scream ripped from me as a body slammed against my window. The lady knocked against the window.
"Sasha! Open up!" I recognized my mothers friend Donna and quickly unlocked the door. Her son jumped in, followed by her, then her husband. Slamming the door shut, I pressed the lock button, glancing nervously at the front door.
"Where's your dad?" Donna asked, glancing at the drivers seat. Tears made a silent journey down my cheeks.
"Didn't make it," I said, barely above a whisper. Clearing my throat, I answered the unasked questions residing on her lips.
"Ty's inside getting Gavin. Moms at work, I think. We left in a hurry so I don't have my phone."
"Wouldn't work anyway. Too many people trying to call out. The signals are flooded." Tossing her phone into my lap, she offered a small smile. "But you can keep trying. You might get lucky."
Thanking her softly, I dialed my mothers cell. The phone beeped annoyingly, informing me my call could not be connected. I set the phone down as I saw Ty emerge from the house, Gavin supported by his large frame. Gavin limped terribly. Glancing down, I saw his left pant leg stained a deep crimson. Hitting the unlock, Ty ripped the back door open, frowning at the people inside. Without a word, Donna joined her husband in the back while Ty loaded Gavin into a seat. Slamming the door and jumping in front he locked the doors before turning a glare on me.
"I told you not to open the doors."
"It's moms friend. She lent me her phone." I held the phone weakly between us in defense. He scowled slightly before nodding.
"He killed my brother," a weak cry came from the backseat. I saw Gavin looking at my brother with contempt. Ty sighed heavily before meeting my eyes.
"Wasn't his brother no more. He was infected." Looking at Gavin, he finished, "and had you trapped in a closet while he ate your sister. That thing was not your brother anymore!"
Gavin looked down, tears dripping off his chin. Looking down at his leg, I inquired. "What happened?"
"Ricky bit me," he whispered, referring to the aforementioned brother. Shudders racked his body, so I faced forward, trying the phone again. Nothing. Ty sped us away from the neighborhood. Watching the familiar houses fly by, I wondered if he had a plan. If he did, he wasn't sharing it with us.
Silence filled the car as we drove out into the country. No one said a word, allowing my brother to decide where we went. Slowing the car to a stop, Ty pulled onto the shoulder.
"We're gonna need supplies," he muttered to no one in particular. Giving him a curious look, he elaborated. "We left without food or water. None of them have any bags, so I'm guessing they left without food and water too."
"There's a gas station up ahead. We can check there?" Donna's husband answered.
Startled when the back door flung open, I stared at Gavin as he climbed out of the vehicle. "Where are you going?" I asked him, fear lacing through my words.
"Away from him," he answered, gesturing to m brother. Pulling himself out, he slammed the door. Unbuckling my seat belt, I reached for the door. Ty grabbed my arm.
"We can't just leave him, Ty. Let me talk to him." Mumbling an agreement, he let me go. Stepping outside, I quickly glanced around me before jogging over to Gavin.
"I'm not going back, Sash." He continued his slow limp. Grabbing his arm, I stopped his forward progress, turning him to face me. "He killed my brother." Tears dripped from his face, crashing upon the pavement.
"Your brother killed your sister. He bit you!" I tried to reason with him, but I could see the stubbornness rise within him. I tried a different angle. "Where you gonna go on that bum leg?"
"There was a house not far back. I'll go there."
"You're gonna leave me in a time like this?" I pleaded, disgusted to feel the never ending tears dropping from my chin.
"You can come with me. But I'm not going anywhere with that man."
"Fine," I muttered, leaving him standing in the middle of the road. Stalking back to the car, I slammed my door shut. Silent agony shuttered my body. Damn stubborn asshole. "Drive," I whispered to my brother.
The gas station teamed with vehicles and people. Running figures rushed out the door, bags and supplies dangling from their hands. Ty stopped the vehicle while they took in the scene. They couldn't see any infected people. There was woman lying on the ground with a little blond girl in a pink bathrobe sitting over her.
"I'm gonna help her," Ty said, unbuckling his seat belt. Hearing a gasp from behind me, I looked up to see the lady take a bite from the child's face. The child screamed before running away. Ty flew out his door, slamming it behind him. Quickly hitting the lock, I watch him approach the woman, stabbing her in the face.
A sharp inhale startled me. Turning, I saw Donna's face beside me, watching the scene outside. "He had to," I started, trying to defend my brother. Her hand settled on my arm, quieting any further explanation.
"I know sweetly," she whispered softly as we watched Ty take off after the child. He disappeared amongst the abandoned cars and people. Watching the chaos, we awaited his return anxiously. Finally, we saw him step from behind a car, carrying a case of water and a few bags. Depositing them in the trunk, he climbed into the drivers seat and threw the vehicle into reverse. Maneuvering around the vehicles, he sped away, driving us further into the country. Silence hung heavily in the car. Sniffling could be heard from the backseat. Turning to my brother, I noticed his death grip on the steering wheel.
"What are we gonna do?" I asked him. He didn't answer for so long, I thought he wouldn't. Finally, he nodded his head.
"Gotta find somewhere secluded to stay the night. We'll figure it out then."
"There's an access road up ahead about ten miles. We could pull up there a ways. Should be relatively safe," Donna's husband said from the back.
"That works," Ty replied, his eyes glued to the road. As we got near, Ty slowed. Turning onto the road, he drove until we were well away from the highway. Parking, he turned the key, settling the car into silence. The sun was just dipping below the horizon.
"We'll sleep in the car. Should probably have someone on watch. I'll take first shift." Donna leaned up a touched his arm before he could get out.
"I should probably introduce us. I'm Donna. Your mother and I had yoga together. This is my husband Allen and our son Ben."
"Tyrese," Ty replied before ducking out of the vehicle. Surprised, I watched as he jumped onto the hood to climb up, settling himself on the roof.
Allen began rustling around in the back to produce water bottles for everyone. Getting out of the car he smiled at his wife. "Gonna keep watch with Tyrese for a bit." I opened my bottle and took a small sip. Nausea rolled in my stomach as nerves and fears twisted it in knots. Setting the water aside, I leaned against the window, praying that sleep would take me soon and when I woke, I'd find this had all been a dream.
Thankfully, sleep pulled me under and I awoke slowly. Pulling my eyes open, I scowled at myself for falling asleep in the car. What was I doing in a car, anyway? I looked out the window, frightened when I didn't notice anything. Turning to look at the car, I noticed my brother lounged in the drivers seat, snoring. Glancing back, I saw Ben sleeping. Memories flooded back. The infected. We'd left town in a hurry to get away. Not seeing Donna or Allen, I opened my door. Stepping out, I carefully scanned my surroundings for infected people. Not seeing any, I silently closed my door, careful not to wake my brother and glanced around for Donna and her husband.
"Morning," Donna called at me from the roof of the SUV. Looking up, I noticed Allen sitting beside her.
"Morning. Anything happen?" I scanned the surroundings again, a little timid to be out in the open.
"Nope. Ty watched most of the night. Allen and I took over a few hours ago to make him rest. There's some food in the trunk. Get you some breakfast."
"I, uh, need to use the restroom. Can you come spot?"
"Yeah, of course." Donna hopped down and walked over to me. Throwing a glance over my shoulder, I noticed Allen look away from us as we went just into the forest for some privacy. I thoroughly checked our surrounding forest alcove before yanking my skinny jeans over my hips. Cursing the fashion statement, I attempted to squat and relieve myself.
"Gonna need to gather some more supplies here soon. These jeans won't last." Yanking my jeans up, I glanced down at my strappy sandals, thankful I hadn't been wearing heels. "Same with these shoes." Finished, we headed back to the SUV.
"Fashion over comfort isn't gonna work here, huh?" she joked at me. Laughing, I shook my head.
"Sure won't. And I just spent a fortune on my hair and nails!" Laughing with Donna, we returned to see Allen glancing down at us.
"What's so funny?"
"Girl stuff," I smiled up at him. His wife shrugged, hopping back up on the hood. Before she could climb all the way up, I stopped her.
"I can take over if you guys need a break."
"No, we're good sweetie. You go eat." The thought of food had my tummy roiling, but I knew I needed to eat. Strength would be important. Nodding in acknowledgment, I headed to the trunk, opening it up as quietly as I could. Ben glanced over the seat at me.
"What we got?" he murmured sleepily. He'd obviously just woken up.
"Not sure yet. Let's look." I offered him a weak smile, before rustling through the bags. Ty had down relatively good in all that chaos. She knew he would, though. Her brother was a large, scary black man. Sweet as a teddy bear, but at first glance, you didn't know that. The bags held numerous chips, cereals, jerky, and a even a few candy bars. Smiling at her brothers thoughtfulness, she grabbed a Fruit Loops for herself and looked up at Ben. "What'll it be?"
"Kit Kat." Shaking her head, she chuckled slightly.
"Not for breakfast. How about some cereal?"
"Cocoa Puffs." He smiled widely, knowing he won by still getting chocolate.
"Alright, sport." She tossed the Cocoa Puffs at him. "No spoon, so be careful not to get it all over." Shutting the trunk, I walked around to the front of the car with Donna and Allen. I noticed a watch on Allen's wrist as I popped some Fruit Loops into my mouth. They tasted like saw dust.
"What time is it?" I inquired. He glanced down at his wrist before answering.
"About 8:15." Struggling to swallow her mouthful, she looked at her brother snoring in the car.
"When do you think we should wake him?"
"I was thinking we'd let him sleep another hour, before we came up with a game plan. We can't keep sleeping in the car." I nodded thoughtfully. We needed gear. Unfortunately, I hadn't been paying much attention as we made our getaway, so I was unsure where exactly we were.
"We got a map?" I asked. Allen shrugged. I forced myself to finish my cereal before opening the passenger door quietly. I grabbed the water bottle I'd stashed last night, and glanced in the glove compartment. No map. Seeing the cell phone, I snatched that before quietly shutting my door. Trying my mom again, disappointment saturated my soul when the call wouldn't connect.
"No map," I answered their questioning looks. The door behind me slammed shut and Ty walked up to us with a huge yawn.
"How long I sleep?" he asked Donna and Allen.
"Bout four hours or so." Allen answered him. I handed him my water bottle.
"What's the plan?" I asked once he'd taken a sip.
"If we head east, there's a Walmart in Fayetteville. Could get some supplies there," Allen suggested. Ty shook his head.
"We just came from a border city and it was overflowed. Bet the same is true there."
"I think everyone else will have the same idea, anyway. Aren't there any small shops around here that sell camping stuff?" I asked.
"My buddy has a cabin up near Stone Mountain. I, uh, saw him eaten. Don't think he'll need it. Should have some gear." Allen rubbed a hand over his face.
"That could work. The stores are going to be raided by anyone who's surviving this. Gear will be gone. We should hit what we can on the way there, though. We'll need food and water." I looked at everyone in turn after my suggestion. Ty stiffened, then walked past me. Turning, I caught him slamming the knife in his hands through the head of an infected.
"Should probably try to get some more weapons, too," Donna suggested. Everyone nodded.
"Got about ¾ tank of gas. Should be able to get us there." Piling into the vehicle, Ty turned them north.
As they got closer to Atlanta, traffic picked up. Hitting 85, traffic stopped.
"Why's everyone trying to go to Atlanta? It looked overrun on TV," Ty asked, shaking his head in disgust. He flipped the ignition off, trying to save on gas. Seeing others outside their vehicle, I opened my door.
"I'll see what I can find out," I said slipping out of my seat.
"Be careful," Ty told me. Nodding, I shut the door. Stretching, I looked around at the scared faces surrounding me. Seeing a young lady with her two kids, I walked over.
"Hi," I said once close to alert her to my presence. She looked up, eyes red from crying. "I'm Sasha."
"Kate," she whispered, fear stinging her eyes.
"Why's traffic backed up?" I asked her. She gave me a strange look.
"You haven't heard?" She looked incredulous at me.
"I know about the people eating each other. But last I listened to the news, Atlanta was overflowing with them."
"Yeah, but they're setting up camps there. The radio is urging everyone to get to Atlanta." I frowned at the woman.
"I, uh, I don't think that's a good idea." Kate looked up at me, fresh tears gleaming in her eyes.
"My husband's there." Swallowing hard, I willed myself to be strong.
"I hope he's okay."
"Me too." Her eyes leaked tears down her cheeks. I watched as they crashed into the pavement below before looking back up at her.
"I still don't think Atlanta is a good idea. My group is trying to get to Stone Mountain. I thinking staying away from civilization is the best plan." She stared into my eyes, hard.
"Why?" Taken aback by the direct question, I didn't answer immediately.
"When the infected are in small groups, they're easy to evade or, um, dispose of. But large groups are a problem. Large cities like Atlanta have a lot of people. Therefore, large crowds of infected."
"What do you mean, disposed of?"
"We've encountered a few situations where it was us or them. We chose us." I hoped she understood. She stared at me for a long moment before she nodded slightly.
"Makes sense, but Stone Mountain is a tourist attraction. Likely to have a lot of people there, too."
"Honestly, we chose it because there's a cabin up there that belongs to a friend. That friend died. We need supplies."
"Why don't you go to a store, then?" Her naivety was endearing.
"We hit a gas station on our way out of town. It was overrun with people. The shelves were mostly empty." She looked down at her kids, eyes watering. "You should come with us. Atlanta won't be safe."
"But my husband's there," she whispered.
"Just... promise me you'll think about it. Doesn't look like we're going anywhere anytime soon. We're the red SUV by the shoulder." She nodded, turning back to her kids. Walking back to the car, I jumped in.
"The radio is telling everyone to get to Atlanta to safety camps." Everyone looked at me.
"That's ridiculous!" Ty sputtered.
"Don't I know it. Those things are dangerous in large groups. Crowding people into Atlanta sounds like a terrible plan. I spoke with a lady by herself with her kids. Invited her to join us. She said no, but I asked her to think about it."
"Why would you do that?" Ty asked.
"She has kids, Ty. Two little girls. I can't let her take those little girls into Atlanta." Ty was about to say something, but his eyes were drawn to the rear view mirror.
"Shit," he muttered, turning the key and shoving the SUV into gear. Pulling off the shoulder into the grass, he drove as fast as he could.
"What the hell, Ty?" I shouted at him.
"Infected." Turning around, I noticed people running in our direction.
I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! I decided I really wanted to write a story, starting at the beginning of the turn. Not wanting to do an OC quite yet, I thought about Sasha and Tyrese. However, looking into it, I discovered it said they were in a bunker for 7 months. That's a bit boring to write about, so I changed it. Hope you don't mind! Also, I got the song lyric idea before a chapter from carniwhore's story. Loved the idea, so I borrowed it.