One

Ok, so basically a week after I watched I Am Legend, I had this dream. So then I decided to write it down, just because I seemed very sad to me. In the dream I had my brothers were in it and so was I, but I changed there names, but I kept mine. So here goes nothing…

I drove down the streets of New York City. The weeds have started grow from the cracks in the curbs and out of sewer holes. It's been a year since the evacuation of New York. I was now eighteen and learned to drive on my own for my brothers' sake. It wasn't all that hard. Nobody honks their horns at me, nor to I get tickets for parking just anywhere.

My younger brothers, they are now sleeping in the back row. Of course they are, they haven't slept well during the nights since our parents tried to eat us. I would be hiding in my home right now if it weren't for the investment by those who have survived the virus but now are infected. We heard this radio broadcast, and since we didn't have anywhere left to go, we decided to go there. To meet this Robert Neville that says that he can provide shelter for my brothers and I. That's all we really needed.

"Ruby," Ben, my elder younger brother, groaned waking up from his sleep, "are we there yet?"

"Almost," I said looking at him in the rear view mirrors. "Is your neck okay? You've been sleeping in that position for awhile now."

"It's sore," he said rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyways, you can rest. I'll drive."

"Don't even think about it mister. You're only sixteen and not old enough yet," I scolded, waking Will, my second younger brother, up.

"What? The law doesn't even matter in this case," he whined.

"Aw man, Ben, sit down," William complained pushing his brother back down. "Your ass is in the way."

"Watch your language, little mister," I yelled at him.

"It's two thirty, Rube," Will said, that was one of the nicknames he gave me along with other really long ones. "Are you sure we're going to make it there in time? And plus we don't know the way around here."

"The clocks are no longer trustworthy anymore." I said looking up at the sky. "I think we should be able to make it. If we don't we'll just have to steal some vinegar since we're out. We still have the black covers right?"

"Yeah," Will said holding them up.

This was how we lived at night on the streets. Before the night came we would pour vinegar or air freshener or something that would hide our scent and cover ourselves up in the blankets and stay inanimate until we see the rays of the sun again. We have grown used to holding back tears and yelping when the Infected sometime run into the car while fighting with each other, otherwise we never encountered them.

"Watch out!" Ben yelled to me as a herd of deer came running in front of us. I slammed into the breaks stopping just in time. Ben and Will rammed into the seats in front of them. Will, which was sitting behind ran into my seat, and causing me to almost crash into the wheel.

"God! That's why I told you to put your seatbelts on!"

"It was your fault in the first place. You weren't paying attention," Ben said, rubbing his head. "Dude, Willie, you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so," he said. "Shit, I bit my lip."

"Here's the first aid box," I said, handing him the box, "the medicine for cold sores should be in there, at least it'll make the pain go away. For the next few days, drink a lot of water and vitamin B, all right? Oh, and I thought I told you to watch your mouth."

"Fine, whatever," he said rummaging through the box. "Do you have a mirror?"

I handed him mom's contact case, which had a mirror installed, "here."

"Thanks," he said and applied the medicine giving a little moan. "Alright, I'm good. Keep going."

"Are you sure?" I asked and he gave me a little nod. "Alright, first put on your seatbelts. This is a car we got just a few days ago and it's new. Don't say to me: but the buckle is stuck under the seat and we can't get it out. Okay?"

"Fine," they said and buckled the seat belts. I started driving again. New York city was a foreign country to me. I've never been there before, so we had to rely on the most updated map. We came from southern California, where our home was. Our family hid, just like everybody else. Until our parents became Infected. It was a nightmare I never wish to encounter again. The day before they were just fine, and then the next they were all white and had lost their hair along with their humanity. That was the first time I held a gun.

"Hey, Ruby, are you really alright?" Will asked. "Are you sick?"

"I'm just a little tired," I said to him.

"You can't be just a little tired. You didn't sleep since last night. Here switch with me. Willie and I will get us there. Plus, he's a better map reader than you are," Ben said climbing over to the passenger seat.

"Alright then, I'll just take a nap," I said very unsure to let them take over. "If we don't get there before night fall, wake me up alright?"

"Don't worry," Ben said as we struggled to switch seats "If you worry anymore, you'll turn into one of the Infected people without the KV virus' help," he joked.

"Now just lay her head back and let us take over," Will said throwing a blanket over me.

"Just don't get a swelled head. I want you to be careful, okay?" I said, but I was never going to let them take care of everything until we got to the port, where Robert Neville was waiting. I pushed back the passenger seat and laid my head down on the headrest. I turned to face the door so that they wouldn't see that I was still awake. I was planning on staying awake until we reached the port, but when I started listening to my brothers consulting with each other on which way we should go, I fell asleep before I knew it.

I must have slept for a few hours, because when I woke up the sun was already half way down it from its pinnacle. I looked around and pulled my seat up. The car was parked right in front of a supermarket. Neither Ben nor Will was in the car. I opened the dashboard in front of me and took out the revolver that was stored inside. I was glad to see that the pistol and the bowie knife were gone, guessing that they took it with them. I left the car and entered the supermarket. I walked over the broken glass on the floor due to the window in the front that was totally destroyed.

"Ben? Willie?" I yelled into the supermarket before deciding to enter to look for them. I heard no response inside and suddenly a wave of worry enveloped me. The place was dark enough for the Infected to be in for a while, but still worried that there were some inside, I took a step inside and pulled the cock on the revolver. I was never one that was aware of everything around them. I could easily trip on a curb while walking on the road if I was thinking about something else. Yet people always said that I was calmer than most, except under one circumstance: when my bothers were in danger. I took a breath and stepped in the supermarket. I heard a step to my left. A shiver went down my spine. I took a step forward and pointed the gun in the façade direction. Suddenly Ben stepped out with a crooked shopping cart full of vinegar, food, and supplies, followed by Will which was carrying loads of blankets.

"Ah, don't shoot," Ben said cringing away.

"I'm not going to shoot," I said and lowered the gun, "By the way why didn't you answer when I called you?"

"I'll tell you later," he said and went to the car.

"Hey, Rubes," Will said, "can you help me with these? I don't know why Ben wants so many."

"Fine," I said and took half the pile. "Geez, you really need to grow, your fourteen already. When Ben was fourteen he was almost as tall as me. And his feet were huge too. Look at how small your feet are."

"Whatever," Will said and went to the car and helped Ben unload the shopping cart.

"If you're not tall, you aren't going to get girl," I said to him after dumping the blankets in and slammed the trunk door down.

"Like you have a boyfriend to boast about. I'm not going to get one anyways," he said and got in the car.

I looked up at the sky and asked Ben who has placed himself in the passenger seat, "What time is it right now?"

He started the car and said, "Almost five. Hurry up."

"Yeah," I said and got back on the car and started driving. At this time, without even knowing where the sun was, the three of us always became anxious. Will we be able to make it to the port, or will we have to spend another night out on the streets? If we have to, will we see the light of day again?

"Ah, I see it!" I yelled in the car waking my brother's up, "I see it. I see the port!" Right in front of us there was the Brooklyn Bridge that was ended just a little too early. It was a scene of destruction that many would have made a face at, but for us it was close to the gates of heaven. A man was sitting at a little desk facing the bridge with a dog sitting by him. He turned when we parked the car.

"Is that him, is that Robert Neville?" Ben asked sitting up for once in his life.

"I don't know," I said, "Let's go find out." I was going to get out of the car when vaguely heard a beeping sound. Then he suddenly rushed to the car. I rolled down the window in time.

"I'm Robert Neville. We don't have time right now," he said all of a sudden. "What do you have in your car?"

"Vinegar, blankets, some food--" Ben started and was cut off.

"Okay. I want you to follow my car and prepare to unload everything you have. Food, supplies, what ever, you understand?"

All I gave him was a nod, because I was getting very nervous at his uneasiness. He quickly ran into his car with his Shepard. In a loud "vroom" the car started and backed out of the port. I tried to do the same just to follow up with his hurry, but I wasn't very good at going reverse, because of that I almost ran into a pole.

"Ben, Willie," I told my brothers, "You heard what he said. Get ready to take everything off the car."

With out a reply, Ben jumped to the back of the SUV and they started putting everything in plastic bags.

"Someone that's free!" I called to the back. Will replied by climbing back over to the second row. "Willie, do you still have that bowie knife?"

"Yeah."

"Pop a hole on top of a vinegar bottle, like what we always do," I said and immediately he jumped back to the trunk.

"Alright we have everything," Ben yelled after awhile.

"Okay, put my share of the luggage here in the passenger seat. Get ready to get off at any minute. Ben, where are Dad's guns and knives?"

"I dispersed them throughout the bags," he said and dumped a couple of plastic bags my duffle bag in the seat next to mine. Suddenly the car I was following took stopped. Like always, I slammed into the breaks and made in it time before I hit him. Good thing, they had seatbelts on. My hands were trembling from driving and my breathing was pressured, sweat covered my brow. I was knocked back into reality from the sound of Robert Neville's car door closing. I stopped the car and grabbed my share of things to carry. Ben and Will were already at the door with Robert Neville with a large gun that looked like a rifle. But I didn't know what kind it was? I'm a dunce when it comes to this stuff. I hurriedly came after them crashing the door closed by kicking it. Robert Neville opened the door to what I guessed as his house and we all entered. Willie dropped everything he had and started pouring vinegar everywhere from the sidewalk to the steps all the way to the door's rim. I guessed that he was instructed by Robert Neville to do so.

When Will got back in, Robert Neville closed the door and barred it shut. I dropped my stuff down and noticed what kind of state I was in. I suddenly felt nauseous and was probably going to faint at that moment when Ben put his hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Robert Neville asked.

"She's fine," Ben answered since I was numb all over. "This is what happens when you want her to drive fast."

"What?" he asked absolutely confused.

"As you can see she's good at driving at unbelievable speed, but she gets very nervous after it ends and becomes "numb" as she describes it. It happens all the time when we used to play video racing games. She'll get better when she lays down," Ben continued to explain.

It's quiet true. Whenever I play games that involve racing, I get into it very much, but afterward it like recoils on me, like I go into a state of shock, me arms get all weak and flimsy. Real life was no exception. Anyways I laid down on a sofa in the living room with Willie sitting on the ground next to me, and Ben standing up.

"Alright," Robert Neville said and clapped his hands and started rubbing them as if he was cold. "New faces so introductions. As you probably heard at the port through the window I'm Robert Neville, and this is Samantha. I call her Sam," he said. The dog gave me the impression that she was a smart dog, because when he said her name she gave a little nod. "Alright, now your turn," he said to Ben.

"Hi, I'm Ben," he said starting to get shy like what he always does.

"William," Willie said and gave a little wave.

I don't know whether it was my brother's bad introductions or if I was really better, but I suddenly sat up and said nice and clearly, "My name is Ruby Lin. Nice to meet you Mr. Neville."

"Okay, so what do you want to eat, and decided quick we need to lock this place down before the sun sets," he said and led us to a storage room with loads of food. Ben came over with our bags of food and, I'm going to call him Robert, he started to put everything where it belonged.

"Is that white corn?" Willie asked, looking at a bag that was set at the counter.

"Yeah, I got them today," Robert said, "do you like them?"

"Just a bit, it's just that we haven't ate that in a while," I said.

"Alright right, then. White corn for dinner," he said and grabbed a few. "Hey, Ruby was it? Do you now how to cook, because I'm not very good at it."

"Yeah, I do. Actually we all do," I said as if it was nothing, but he looked amazed.

"Alright," he said.

As a treat we made him dinner that night, but we weren't able to enjoy it much. His watch started beeping again, and suddenly he made a face, a face that gave me the notion that they were coming again. That's the only thing the people that still aren't infected wait for. Ben and Will must have caught the same impression, because they took their dishes and put them in the sink. Robert stood up. I took his plate and cleaned up the table along with Sam's bowl.

"Ben, Will," he gestured at them, "Come here."

The boys followed him, and I guessed that the cleaning duty was pushed on me. Casually I started washing the dishes and then wiped the table. I didn't know what to do, so I just wandered around the house. Then I heard this hard metal-on-metal sound. I was startled by it and almost sprinted up the stairs. To tell the truth I was afraid of loud noised while alone. When I got upstairs the guys were coming out of a room and went to another one. I must have looked utterly baffled, because Robert came over and inquired if I was all right.

"Yeah," I replied. I was going to ask, "what are you doing," but it seemed like a stupid question at the time so I kept my lips shut. After I though about it the answer was so obvious I would have thrown myself back into preschool. Robert was teaching them how to lock down the house. Ben was having no problem at all since his size was bigger. But Will seemed to need a lot of help. He really needed to grow. I went over to help him hold the metal door together while he latched it up.

Staying overnight at a stranger's house must have felt really weird, but to us it was just like home, except that it had a different smell and everything looked different as if we'd just remodeled. Robert said that he stayed most of the night in the bathroom tub, he must have been embarrassed, but I couldn't quiet tell because of his dark skin. Anyways, he let us stay in the master bedroom. He said that he'd return when dawn was arrived and then left with Sam.

"You can have the bed, Rube," Will said. "We know you're tired, you barely slept at all for a while."

"I don't think tonight will be an exception, but thank you for your concern," I said and climbed into the bed. It's been awhile since I slept in a bed. I thought I would fall a sleep immediately, but my hopes ended too soon. Being in a house would make some people feel more secure, but I found the car a safer place. It was probably just that I didn't know the place or how big it is compared to a car. Sounds came from the outside of the house. You can hear the howling and the yelling of the Infected. You can hear them fighting, the dogs barking. I lay completely still. Now I wished that we had taken a weapon with us before we went to bed. This was my mistake for overseeing this part. All we can to now was to do what Robert Neville was probably doing now: pray for the rays of dawn.

So if you would be so kind now as to hit the "leave a review" button to tell me how it was. Seriously while I was writing my hands were shaking. They were numb, but moving on there own. I didn't know whether I should stop or continue. Anyways, just to tell you the little Lin's family is Chinese.