PROLOGUE

I held my sister in my arms and ran as fast as I could. Hysteria had caught up with me but I had to find safety before I let it take over. I looked back at our home, memories crowding my thoughts. Smoke rising higher into the sky, as did the memories. My little sisters scream took over my clouded thoughts, she was wrestling with me but I had to restrain her, hold her down. She was only four, and she was going through the worst thing possible, both of our parents gone, leaving me to take care of her. I'm only sixteen what do I know? Where do I go?I ran to our neighbors house, not knowing what is inside.
I went into the living room and set Anna down on the couch telling her not to move until I came back. The house was empty and dark. No one was anywhere, I felt let down but I had to keep going. I had to find supplies, flash lights, food, water. I couldn't think straight as I stumbled through their house heading to their hall closet, finding a bag to hold enough food that would last us until we got far away. I started to raiding their kitchen, grabbing all the canned foods and water bottles throwing them into the bag. We couldn't get away on foot, we wouldn't last. That's when it hit me. Erik's and mine hideout which happened to be there RV. I ran into the garage, remembering the day Erik and I became best friend and he showed me where they hid the key, telling me it was a secret. I stored the food in the cabinets as fast as I could. I also knew where his dad kept his weapons because he taught me how to use one. They always treated me like their kid, teaching me how to defend myself. I ran up stairs into Erik's dad closet and opened the chest grabbing the pistol. Putting it in my waist band, I ran back down stair to grab Anna, but she was gone.
"Anna, come out. No time for games." I whispered as I checked the living room and then the kitchen. I turned the corner and a Crazie was standing there, holding her in his arms, but it wasn't any Crazie it was Erik. I pulled the gun out and held it up, aiming it at his head, just like I was taught, but I didn't want to shoot my best friend even if he was infected. Anna was moving around trying to get out out of his arms,which made it ever harder to aim at him with out her getting in the way. I slowly pulled the trigger, the shot ringing in my ears and I saw Anna fall to the floor but I was to traumatized to do anything. I slid to the floor and started to cry.

CHAPTER ONE

THREE YEARS LATER,

I must of fell asleep while I was on watch. I tried to shake the images, that haunted me from my head. I got up and checked the perimeter from the rooftop, nothing was insight. I hopped down from the roof of the RV and headed in to check on Anna. I wanted to tell myself everything was okay, but it wasn't. It's been three years since the epidemic. Anna has grown so much and I'm still amazed I've kept us alive. The thought of my parents is what motivates me, they risked their lives for us. I started training myself, running every morning and teaching myself to use a knife so we didn't have to use ammo. We travel a lot, never staying in one spot. We tried it once, but they just end up finding us. I find it best to keep moving. I try to raid convent stores and houses as much as I can to keep us well fed and so far we've been doing a good job, but sometimes we will go a few days with out food.
Anna stirs in her sleep, I Jump to my feet and walk over to her. I crouch in front of her and sing to her softly. It keeps her calm, I think its because mom use to sing to her. After a few minutes I head back out to the roof to get back in position.

"Sissy, can we put in a CD?" Anna says, as we make our way to Washington. I have a feeling in my gut that there might be a refuge there.
"Sure. Which one do you want to listen to?" I look in the review mirror and see her flipping to her favorite artist. She hands me Carrie Underwood. I never complain to her how annoy it can be to listen to the same songs over again, I just put it in and we sing at the top of our lungs together. Its these moments I cherish with my little sister. It could be out last day together, so I make the best of it.
"Sissy, can we stop? I want to get a new movie." Every day she wants something new, and I can never seem to say no, so I pull into the nearest Walmart and we head in.
The only source of light comes from the skylight above. Its eerie being the only ones in her but we always make it fast. I grab a buggy so we can get some food.
"Food first then the entertainment. Okay?" I whisper to Anna as I grab her hand. She nods and we go to the can food isle. I try to stick to the stuff we don't have to heat up. I grab a bunch of chef boyardee and canned peaches, Anna heads to the snack isle and grabs the junk food and soda's, me being the older sister I head for the water bottles.
"Okay Anna lets go get some movies." she skips beside me and we head towards the movies. She runs to the family movie and browses her selection. I head across the isle to the clothing and get some more socks and shoes, in both of our sizes. As I head back I see some jackets, not caring what month it is I grab a few. I head back to her, but I hear a crash, leaving the buggy where its at I take off running, making my footsteps as silent as possible. I slow down and turn the corner slowly grabbing my knife out of my boot, but there is no need for it. Anna gets back up and smiles sheepishly at me. Its obvious she tried to reach the top shelf but fell.
"I was trying to get Finding Nemo, but I couldn't reach it." I grab it and take her hand and head back to get the buggy.
"Lets get out of here. It's getting too creepy."

I set up the movie for her to fall asleep to.
"Sissy, do you know what tomorrow is?" Anna says during mid yawn.
"How could I forget. Its your birthday. You turn eight. That's a big age."
"No it's not. I wish I was big as you sissy, so I could help you out more." I was over-whelmed with sadness at her comment.
" Then I wouldn't have anyone to make me laugh." I said tickling her. "Do you know what you want for your birthday?"
"Yes. Can you tell me about mommy and daddy?" Noticing our conversation was about to take a huge turn, I got up and went to the back and grabbed a picture of our parents on their wedding day and set it on the table in front of her. I sat beside her and took her hand in mine, knowing this was something I couldn't avoid.
" As you can tell mom was beautiful. Her hair was the same colors as yours, golden brown. You also have her eyes," Anna smiled,"she was always singing around the house. She never worked so she spent every day cleaning, taking care of you, and cooking for us. Her food was the best, she could cook anything and she did. We always eat something new. I never saw her mad, she was always smiling and she loved us so much. Mom always made it to every event I was participating in, which had a big effect on me. She also loved dad, their love was so big. I've never seen two people love each other so much like they did. Dad always came home from work and went straight to mom and kissed her like it was their first. I was always beautiful to watch." I sighed as a tear rolled down my cheek.
"What did dad do?"
"He was a doctor, but not just any doctor. He was the most caring doctor ever. Everyone in our neighborhood went to him. Dad had the most patients in our city, everyone loved him. He was always giving. If someone couldn't afford their medical bill he helped payed for it out of his own pocket it, but he also let his emotions get in the way of his work. If he lost a patient he would spend a few hours in his office alone and cried. He didn't like to admit it, but caught him one day. He was in several news articles saying his attachment to his patients was one of the reasons why he was so well loved because he tried so hard to find a cure or help them become healthy again. He was amazing, but there was nothing he loved more than us. When he came home from work he insisted for me to tell him my dad and he would listen, then he would go straight to you, picking you up and never letting go until dinner was ready." The tears were heavy now, one after another. I never tried to show how lonely I felt with out our parents but the truth was I couldn't of made it this far without them. Anna looked me in the eyes and I had a feeling she was about to ask something serious.
"Can you tell me what happened to them?" I got up and headed to the DVD player.
"Not tonight, one day. Now lets watch this movie." I pressed play and then snuggled up with Anna, feeling my self drift asleep.