The music pumped all throughout me as the strobe lights stroked my skin. The five shots I had earlier only added to the incredible sensation of being at the nightclub in Macon, Georgia. Jace had just asked me to marry him tonight so we went out celebrating. He asked me on the beach when we were going for a walk. I had been so elated, five years was a long time for no serious commitment. This was the day I had been waiting for.

My hips were swaying in sync with my long enflamed hair. The lyrics echoed through my ears as Jace wrapped me in his arms. This was the song I had requested for tonight because Jace and I met at this very club to this very song, plus the beat is so much fun to dance to.

We bout to have a party (turn the music up)

Let's get it started (go head shake your butt)

I'm looking for a girl with a body and a sexy strut

Wanna get it poppin baby step right up

His hand moved my hair to one side and started kissing my neck delicately. I leaned back and moaned. I wrapped my arms behind me and around him. Our hips moved in sync and I closed my eyes after a while. My eyes snapped open at the noise that was overshadowing the sexy music. Everything that happened next was a blur. Screams erupted from everywhere. Jace immediately hovered over me protectively. People start shoving from all sides. Jace and I get torn apart and I am being shoved outside with the majority of the club-goers. Tears are streaming down my face and I collapse on the ground outside the club screaming. My hands are reaching out for Jace because I know in my heart he is still inside with the unseen horror that started this all.

Jace is coming outside and my heart stops. He is bleeding from the neck and his eyes grew three times their size. I immediately rush to him and barely catch him as he is falling to the ground dying. Blood is flowing everywhere from him and there is so much that I can't even tell where it starts and where it ends. He keeps trying to speak and all that's coming out of his mouth are spurts of blood. His green eyes roll to the back of his head and his chest is no longer rising and falling. I don't care about the blood because all I'm doing is running my blood soaked fingers through my hair on my scalp and running them up and down his face.

"Jace! Jace! Stay awake! Come on baby don't leave me like this!" I start slapping his face lightly. Tears are still running down my face and I don't care. "Don't die on me. I love you." My voice breaks and I collapse on his chest and start sobbing.

My happily ever after died this night outside the club. My prince charming lay there in his own pool of blood gasping for his last few breaths of air and reaching for me as if I was distant.

A man that is pulling me up off the ground is screaming at me and telling me to leave. I try so hard to get my feet to move but it's impossible. My body isn't willing to leave and the strange man knows it. He scoops me off of Jace and I start screaming and fighting. He is a big man so my protests don't stop him one bit. He puts me in a car with other people. He's asking me where my home is and I keep telling him my home was back there lying on the ground outside the club. At this point I am numb and no longer responding to what people are saying. I can't move; I just pull myself into a ball. He starts searching my pockets in my dress for something and pulls out my license. Did I mention it was also my 27th birthday?

He starts driving in the direction of my newly bought house and once we reach it he stops the car and opens his door. This man pulls me out of my seat and guides me to my home. Automatically, I reach into my pocket for my keys and open my door. I don't look back and just lock the door on him. I can hear him on the other side of the door screaming at me to go somewhere safe and be quiet. I don't understand why he's also telling me to keep the lights off. After several minutes of my silence he gives up and the car speeds off.

I slump against the door and ball my fists. I had no idea what happened back at the club but I know I am angry. I am so pissed off at everyone to just leave him there and not helping him. I am so pissed off at that guy that took me away from Jace. But most importantly I am so pissed off that I have no idea who did that to Jace. What happened to his neck? What am I supposed to tell everyone? I can't face anyone right now. In my numb state I turn off all the lights and travel to my bed. I plop down on it and curl up around myself and let my silent tears shout everything miserable from my mind. The dampness on my pillow grows and caresses my face letting me know I will be okay. The darkness swallows me and my eyelids win the battle against me.

….

I wake up disoriented and groggy. My eyes can barely open and yet I still notice the skin-tight cherry red dress I put on last night as well as my black spiked heels. I rip off my shoes and dress and stumble around the house. I peek out from my blinds and notice that cars are speeding by my road. I accidentally left the television on before I left and barely tune into what the news anchor is saying. The dead are coming back to life and attacking people. Atlanta, Georgia is a safe place. Dangerous place out there. Too much firepower is a good thing. My brain slowly starts putting the pieces together. It's a slow process but eventually I get there. Something about the dead had to do with Jace. Whether people thought he was already dead and tried to hurt him or he himself was attacked. Either option wasn't good. With nothing here to keep me rooted I decided to head towards Atlanta. I didn't want to leave Jace's body behind but my gut was telling me it was best to leave him there. I slip on some jeans, tank top, leather jacket, and some tennis shoes. I make the mistake of glancing in the bathroom mirror. My black eye shadow that looked fierce last night just makes me look beat up and worn this morning. My rich auburn hair that was sleek and pin straight last night was now all disheveled and thrown everywhere. I manage to make my eye shadow look somewhat attractive and I run my fingers through my hair and try to tame the mess. I scrub at the blood that is on my face and I get some of it off but it's like it's stained on my skin. I don't even bother with the blood on my hands and arms. Jace's blood is figuratively and literally on me. I turn away from that mirror and never look back. I pull the giant bag out from under my bed and put all my hunting gear by the front door. I pack a giant bag of necessities like clothes, food, soap, flashlight, and other essential things I would take with me when I went camping including a tent. Fresh tears began to sprout when I remembered Jace's camping trips and mine. This is going to be hard.

For my eighteenth birthday I had asked for fencing lessons from my parents and I actually got them. I really enjoyed fencing until it interfered with my college classes, so I had to quit. History was my favorite subject in high school and I always loved learning about knights and kingdoms and all that. So since I was devastated about having to quit fencing, my parents cheered me up by buying me an old sword for my nineteenth birthday. I had never once took it out of it's casing until now. If my parents were still here I probably would have died trying to make it to their house just to thank them.

I throw the sword strap over my shoulder and took my belongings out to my car. I'm on autopilot as of right now. I'm just a robot. No emotions are running through me right now because I certainly can't afford them. Pulling out of the driveway I see the remainder of my life here in the rearview mirror getting smaller and smaller.

I reach the highway to go to Atlanta and it is all backed up. Everyone is trying to reach Atlanta and all the cars are parked because there is zero chance of getting in there. I open my door and close it again. Leaning forward against my car I start lightly banging my forehead against the car. Where else am I supposed to go? It's only then I look to my left and see an older bald man smirking at me. I give him a "what the hell?" look and turn my head back to the car and put my head in the crook of my arms. I'm muttering swear words into my arm. But apparently I hadn't been strong enough in my refusal look because the bald man is now walking over to me and leans against the car as well.

"My name's Merle sweet cheeks. If we're stuck here much longer I might bring out my scotch and whiskey and have a drink. Wanna join me?" He was smirking and leaning into me. I pull my head out of my arms and glare at him. What an idiot. What an arrogant asshole.

"Are you kidding right now? Seriously? What the fuck is wrong with you?" My dad used to call it the evil glare and I guess right now it earned it's name because the bald man reflects anger back in his eyes and mutters something about a stupid bitch as he walks off. Maybe I was a little too hard on him but it has been just less than a day since my fiancé died in my arms and I am in absolutely no mood to be hit on. There was another man in the truck and he just ducked his head and looked the other way.

I start walking up through the traffic and I hear a couple of people talking. A handsome man and pretty woman were talking in hushed voices in front of a blue car. I notice a little boy in the car and I wave and smile at him. He meekly smiles and tentatively waves back at me. I notice an older man with two young blonde girls and I approach them hesitantly.

"Do you know what's going on?" I ask quietly.

"Unfortunately, no. We've been stuck here for too long and we've been debating whether or not to take the next exit and leave Atlanta behind." The older man states sadly.

"I think I might do that too. Atlanta seems to be a bust. I have nowhere else to go though." I cast my eyes down to my feet.

"You want to come with us? Us and the cop and his woman and son are going to come with us if we can get moving. I actually think there are at least ten more people joining us as well." The older blonde woman interjects and looks at me hopefully.

"I would love that. Thank you. I'm just a car behind the cop so it'll be easy to follow." I looked at her right in the eyes. "My name is Kori Beaumont." I hold out a hand to them.

"My name is Andrea and this is Dale and Amy." The older blonde states and she shook my hand as well as Dale and Amy. Amy looks quite shy and not knowing what to say. "Can I ask why there's blood all over you?" Andrea looks at me earnestly and I look down at my feet again as the blood in my face heats my cheeks.

"Someone I know was attacked last night and I tried to wash the blood off but it wouldn't budge. I'm sorry, I don't want to scare anybody." My fingernails lightly scrape my face at the blood that's somewhat permanent on my face. My hand is shaking as I was remembering what Jace felt like under my hands. I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"It's been a struggle for all of us. We'll get through this together. The blood on your face isn't that bad. You're not the only one with blood on them." Andrea cast her glance at the cars all around us. I follow her gaze and sure enough some of the other people had blood on them as well. Some of the cars even had blood on them. All of a sudden something starts lighting up the night sky in Atlanta. We creep closer and see helicopters bombing the entire city. Tears instantly start falling down my face and so I cover it with my bloody hands. I feel someone put another hand on my shoulder and look up to see Dale. He gave me a sad smile while I look to Andrea holding Amy, who is sobbing.

"The cars are moving!" Dale shouts at the rest of the group. Dale takes his hand off my shoulder and the three make their way back to Dale's RV. I weave throughout the cars and end up back at mine. We all get back into our cars and slowly but surely the cars creep forward. After a half an hour I make it off the highway and see the blue car from earlier. I push the pedal and speed up to him. After ten miles or so Dale pulls off the main road and starts driving down a dirt road. The rest of us follow him and there is a perfectly secluded camping area hidden from the rest of the world. I stretch my legs as I get out of the car and raise my arms to the sky.

"You religious or somethin?" The cop is getting out of his car and stares at me questioningly.

"Hell no. Just glad to be out of that mess back there and out of my car." I smile weakly at him.

"Nice ride by the way." He states as he is pulling his bags out of the car. I glimpse back at my black 2012 Chevy Camaro. I shrug my shoulders and copy his actions. I take my bags out of my car and set them on the ground by the camper. I walk back to the car and shut the door when I hear another car coming down the road. The truck stops on the road behind my car and two men step out of it. My mouth is faster than my brain.

"Shit."