Morning came and my parents were packing our truck up. We had two cars, a Chevy Colorado and a Honda Accord: both were being used as 'moving cars'. My mom would drive the Honda and dad and I would take the truck; we had no idea where we would go: probably to my aunt's house out in the country. My aunt had a small farm about three hours away from the city, so we very well be heading over there. We get the truck bed packed with suitcases and camping supplies: the Accord was going to hold canned food and other supplies that we needed and they would be stored in the trunk. I was going to text Jessie, but dad suggested I called. I finish helping and go inside and grab my phone; dialing her number. After it rang a couple times, she picked up, "Hello?" I walk outside, "Hey Jess, we're leaving today…." I could tell she was upset, "Well, I guess this is goodbye?" I sigh, "For now…" I heard her mom in the background say, "Who is that?" and she explained and her mom's voice lighten, and the next thing I know: she wanted to talk to my mom, so I gave my phone to her, "Mom, Jessie's mom wants to talk to you…" She nodded and took the phone.
After ten minutes on the phone and a lot of 'yeahs' and 'uh huh's' my mom hung up and gave my phone back. I pocketed my phone in my shorts and looked at her, "Mom?" She smiles, "Better make room for one more: Jessie's tagging along." I grin and then think, "But w-what about her parents?" My mom's smile disappeared, "Her dad caught it… She doesn't know, and her mom doesn't want to leave him behind: but she doesn't want Jessie to get it…" I look down, "Okay…." My dad finishes putting the stuff in the trunk of the Honda and shuts it, "All right, let's get going." My mom looks at him, "We need to pick up Jessie. She's coming with us." And without asking, my dad nodded and we get into the cars and drive down the road and turn the corner to Jessie's house.
We pulled into her driveway; the neighborhood still seeming dead and eerie. I jumped out of the truck and ran to her door and knocked. I heard the door being unlocked and she opened it slightly and looked out: I waved and smiled, "Hey." She grinned and opened the door completely and hugged me tightly, "My stuff's all packed… I'll go get it." I nodded and followed her, "We're going to be riding in the truck." She grabbed a backpack and a suitcase, "Okay." We walked out and my dad grabbed her stuff and put it in the back of the truck, "I'm going to go get some canned food… Where is it?" She looked at her house, "In the kitchen: The pantry is right beside the fridge and there's some in the closet in the dining room." He nodded and went in the house. We got into the backseat of the truck and talked for a few minutes, then my dad came out with five bags of canned goods, putting them in the trunk of the Honda and then getting in the truck, "Okay, kids; we're going… Anything you forgot, Jessie?" She shook her head and then gasps, "Wait!" She jumped out of the truck and pulled her keys out and opened the door and ran in for a minute and then came back out. She had a locket in her hand and got back into the truck, "My parents gave it to me a month ago… I brought to keep them near my heart." She put it around her neck and sighed.
We pulled out of the driveway and left our neighborhood and ten minutes later, we passed our old school. We'd been on the road for about half an hour when we came across a checkpoint of sorts. We stopped and two military officers stepped out of a Humvee. One went to mom's car and the other went to our truck. The one at our truck looked at us and then my dad, "Have you been near sickness lately?" my dad shook his head, "Sir, I need to ask you and your children to step out of vehicle." My dad nodded, "Certainly," He looked back at us "You heard him." We all got out on the same side and stood there. The man pulled a wand looking thing out of his pocket and waved it over dad's head and then ours, one at a time. He looked at the wand each time and finally put it up, "Thank you for your cooperation: may I know the purpose of your travel?" My dad nodded, "We were advised to move out of the suburbs and are on our way to my sister's out in the country." He nodded, "Okay, stay here and I'll be right back. He went to the other officer and talked for a minute and came back, "Okay, your stories match: you're free to go." They go back to the Humvee and we continued.
We had been on the road for two hours and dad's phone started to ring, and he answered, "Hey." He nodded and looked around, "There should be a gas station about three miles down the road… Stop there." He hung up and glanced back at us, "We're stopping at a gas station. If you all need anything: let me know." We nodded and began talking more.
I was looking out the window when I saw something at the side of the road, "Dad, stop!" I yelled; scaring both Jessie and dad. He stopped and looked back at me, "Kayley, what on earth is going on?" I looked at him, "T-There's a person… We should help." He started the truck up again and kept going, "Kayley, we don't know if they're infected or not." I nodded and sat back in my seat and watched the figure until it was no longer visible.
We finally reached the gas station. It all seemed like a ghost town: nothing was moving, save the grass with the slight breeze: dad had gotten out and was already pumping the gas, "You girls go on in, grab something you want…" We nodded and went into the store. There was hardly anything left; someone had already looted this place. We called for someone, and while Jessie walked around, I went to the backroom, "H-Hello, anyone here?" I looked around: finding a key, laying on a desk. I walked out, "Jess." She didn't answer, "Jessie?" I walked down the center aisle and turned to the left. Jessie was standing there, like a statue, "Jess, are you okay?" She turned around and pointed down the aisle over: so I went to her and looked down, I gasped and looked at her.
We both ran out to my dad, "D-Dad!" He looked out the window, "Hey, guys, what's wrong? I thoug-" We get to his truck and I swallowed hard, "D-Dad… The sickness… It's already been here…" He stepped out of the truck, "Oh my God…. Did you touch anything?! Anything at all!" We shook our heads, "B-But the body… I-It was…" He nodded, "Get in the truck. Now!" Frightened, we jumped in and clung to each other. He called my mom and she started the Honda and we were on our way.
I looked back and saw what looked like the man in the store, well what remained of him at least. I gasped as he seemed to follow us for a moment and then turned and crossed the road. It was confirmed: the sickness was more than just a killer, it was a killer that kept killing after the host was dead. I sunk into my chair, while Jessie looked ahead. We were in the beginning stages of 'The Plague' as it'd been called.
Hey! Chapter two is up, hope you enjoy it! Leave a comment and follow if you'd like. Criticism is okay, but preferably constructive.