"Charlie! Come on!" I shook my six-year-old sister awake.

"Riley? What's happening?" Charlie asked right away when she opened her eyes.

"We have to go. Pack you clothes, don't waste time." I told her before running back to my room.

The dead were rising and they were roaming the streets. They were biting other people, making them turn as well. It was just like a horror movie. I woke up when there was screaming outside. And down the street a house was on fire. Dad rushed into my room and told me to go wake Charlie up and to pack out stuff. We had ten minutes. I packed all of my jeans, sweaters, jackets, and t-shirts and a few beanies I had. Which is most of my wardrobe. I put on my converse and stuffed my combat boots in my bag before grabbing my back pack and rushing to my book shelf. I put quiet a few in, mostly Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and the Chronicles of Narnia.

I put my two bags by the stairs and ran back into Charlie's room, and she was putting some dresses in her back pack. Where we're going, she doesn't need dresses. I stopped her from putting three more in and I put in a few of her leggings and long-sleeved shirts. I grabbed her blanket and pillow and threw her doll at her before we ran. Mom was in the garage, putting out stuff inside as we got out.

Dad put Charlie in her booster seat and I helped mom before I got in the back with Charlie. Dad got into the front seat, mom in the passenger seat. I noticed there was something in dad's hand. A gun. I've never seen him use a gun in my life.

We sped past people who cried for help, and the living dead. We got near the middle of town when there was a crash. A bus and a few cars were spread out among the road, and the bus was in flames. I saw a man stuck under one of the cars.

"Stay here!" Dad yelled at us before getting out and handed mom the gun, "If anything comes near this car, you shoot it."

"Dad!"

"Daddy!" Charlie and I yelled as dad ran towards the cars to help the person and mom moved into the driver's seat.

Dad was the only one trying to help the man. But once you looked close enough, you could tell it wasn't a man. He was reaching for dad, as if he was asking for help. But the skin around his face was peeling, and his teeth were yellowed. However, if you looked into his eyes, they were glazed over. Dad reached for his hand,

"Dad no!" I screamed and unbuckled my seatbelt and tried to get out of the car.

I watched as the man bit on my dad's arm and he screamed.

"Aaron!" My mom yelled.

I got out of the car and ran towards dad, but was stopped when my mom wrapped her arm around me.

"Mom! You have to help him!" I yelled.

Dad got away from the dead man and fell to the ground, holding his bloody arm and looked at us.

"Take the kids and go!" He yelled to us.

Mom put her hand on my shoulder and held the gun out to me, "Take this, get into the car, and drive out to the freeway towards Atlanta."

I shook my head, "Mom, I've still got a month until I'm thirteen, I can't drive."

"I know you've been driving your Uncle's truck. Just go, baby, please." Mom replied.

"Don't leave. I can't take care of the both of us." I whispered.

"Grandpa Calvin lives in Atlanta, remember? At that old people home? You know exactly how to get there, baby girl. I love you and take care of your sister." Mom kissed my head and pushed me towards the car before running over to dad.

"I promise." I whispered.

"Go!" They screamed.

"Riley!" I turned and saw one of those dead things headed towards the door I left open.

"Charlie!" I screamed and ran over to the door.

I closed it and faced the dead woman limping towards me and I looked down at my gun. I have no clue how to use one. I grabbed it by the barrel and hit the woman over the head. She fell to the ground, and tried to get up. I straddled her and smashed her head. I breathed heavily before standing back up and running over to the driver's side and getting in.

I looked out the windshield and noticed that mom and dad were gone. Where did they go? Why did they leave us here?

I looked into the rearview mirror and saw the tears running down Charlie's cheeks.

"We're going to be okay." I told her before putting the car in reverse just like Uncle Robert taught me and drove away.

I was able to drive to the freeway. Well, as close as I was able to get to it. Cars backed up the road for miles. It was dark and people had turned off their cars and had set up chairs in the road. I'm guessing we won't be moving for awhile. I turned off the car and let out a small sob. Here I am, a twelve year old girl, almost thirteen, sitting in a car, alone, with a six year old girl.

I hugged myself and cried. Once I was done, I looked behind me. Charlie was sleeping. She was also shaking from the cold. I quietly got out and walked over to the back and opened the trunk. I grabbed her blanket from the top of the luggage and closed the trunk before walking over to her side of the car and putting her blanket around her.

I looked around and people were walking all over the place. The woods were on both sides of the road. At any time, those things can come through there and kill many of us.

Helicopters flew above us, towards the city. Why were the going there? I sighed and wrapped my arms around me while swaying. Why did mom do that? She left us to die. What kind of mother does that?

I then got the sudden urge to pee. Like, really bad. I must've ignored it for the whole ride.I looked back to the window at Charlie. She would be okay for a few minutes, right? I decided she would, and I left for the woods.

After I did my thing and I pulled up my pants, I heard explosions and screaming. I ran towards them, and stopped at a clearing that overlooked the city. Clouds of smoke rose from Atlanta. The helicopters from earlier are bombing the city. Does that mean that there's no where else to go? Where would Charlie and I go? What about Grandpa Calvin?

"Sweetheart, where's your parents?" A woman touched my shoulder and I flinched.

I quickly spun to face her. The woman was super skinny and had long brown hair and brown eyes, "Honey?"

I breathed heavily, shaking my head before storming past her and ran back to my car, dodging the people who were out on the road. I wiped my tears away right before I ran into someone.

"What the fuck?"

I looked up at a scowling man. He had short brown hair and a short chin beard. He was wearing jeans and a sleeveless shirt and he was smoking,

"What the hell, kid?"

I crawled backwards a few steps before turning around and running back towards the car. I ran until I finally reached the car, I slammed my hands on the hood, and breathed heavily.

What are we supposed to do now? Grandpa is most likely dead, no ones left.

"Riley?"

I opened the door and sat next to Charlie,

"What's going to happen now?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know, Charlie. Atlanta's gone. We have no where to go." I told her.

She unbuckled herself and sat in my lap and cried into my shoulder.

I then realized what that meant. My parents are gone... we're alone in this zombie infested world. I have to take care of Charlie. And in order to do that, I have to be strong. That meant doing what I have to do to survive, and I cannot cry. Not anymore. I have to be there for Charlie.