(Alicia's POV)

~Before the apocalypse~

"Could it be true?" I asked myself as I stared at the television screen. I was currently at my friend Carl's house. My mom, a doctor at the hospital in Atlanta, was at work caring for Carl's dad who was shot in a police accident.

"Of course not." Lori, Carl's mom, said as she came out of the kitchen. "Why don't we watch something else?" I sighed and allowed her to change the channel to Bill Nye the Science Guy. "Run up and tell Carl?" I nodded and took off to Carl's room. Recently he didn't like leaving his room.

"Carl." I knocked on his door.

"Go away." His voice was soft and cracking as if he had been crying again. Sighing I pulled a bobby pin from my hair and picked the lock to the door, a trick my father had taught me before he was sent to fight a war. "Hey!" He yelled as I opened the door and stuck the bobby pin in my hair.

"You expected me to stay out? Did you forget about my skills?" He laughed lightly as he sat up. "You're my best friend. I refuse to let you be sad." Quickly I ran and jumped on his bed making him laugh harder. "Now get up and come watch Bill Nye with me."

"Fine, fine." I smiled and pulled him off the bed. We were watching Bill Nye on the couch when the phone went off.

"I got it!" I called to Lori who was in the kitchen making cookies. "Hello?" I answered.

"Alicia!" My mom's voice gasped. "Thank God." My fingers clutched the receiver harder as gunshots went off behind her. "I'm coming home. Shane is coming to pick me up."

"W-what's going on?" I stuttered as Lori peaked out of the kitchen, a confused look on her face. "Momma?" Lori, sensing my worry, took the phone and handed me the bowl of cookie dough.

"Taylor." Lori said as she gently rubbed my shoulder. "Are you okay?" Lori sighed as an answer was given. "Yes she is….of course….alright see you when you get here." With that she hung up. "Come on Alicia." She ushered me into the kitchen with Carl who was now standing by my side.

"What's wrong?" I asked helping Lori roll balls of dough for the cookies. "Is my mom okay?" Lori nodded and placed her hands on my arms.

"Your mom is fine. Shane is picking her up and then Shane, Carl, your family, and I will go on a roadtrip. Some things are bad in Atlanta right now and until they are fixed we'll go see some sights." She smiled, rubbing my arms. "Okay?" I nodded.

"When will they get here?" The sound of squealing tires answered my question. "Momma!" I yelled running for the door.

"Alicia." Momma caught me in her arms as she came through the door. "Thank God." She smiled at me and pushed my thick brown hair back. "Come on we need to pack." I followed my mom only giving Carl one glance before turning and running with her to the house. "Pack your clothes and any other essentials." I nodded and went to my room, grabbing my Pusheen backpack off the ground. "Alicia?!" My mom called up the stairs as I reached my room.

"Yeah?" I responded pushing the door open.

"Pack a binder of paper and pack your pencils!" I made a small sound dumping everything out of my bag besides one binder and my pencil bag. I had a few bags that were from previous school years that I could throw stuff in too.

~10 minutes later~

"Is that all?" Mom asked me making me nod as I looked over the bags. Along with my three mom had packed 2 full of food and bathroom supplies along with 2 bags of clothing. In my arms was my favorite stuffed animal. I know what you're going to say. Aren't you too old for a stuffed animal? The answer is no. "Good." She sighed, closing the trunk. "Hop in the front and buckle up I'm going to talk to Lori and Shane." Nodding I climbed in the passenger's seat and buckled up.

"Momma!" I called as I noticed a lone duffel bag on the front lawn. She looked back at me as if to ask what was wrong. I pointed to the bag and she smiled, going to pick it up as Lori and Shane got in the car. Swiftly she threw it in the backseat before hopping in the driver's side, closing the door roughly.

"Ready?" She asked, starting the car. I nodded happily even though I knew we weren't going on a trip. It was real and we were trying to escape our fate.