Sarah Popeil- Sanctuary

I found sanctuary in a grocery store with one man, a woman, a teenage boy, and a baby. They are great in letting me hide with them. They have many weapons and of coarse food. The man who came to the door to let me in is Raymond August. He is 34 years old and owns the grocery store. He is about 6 foot tall and has pitch black hair and grey eyes. His wife, Francise August, age 32, cradels their 4 month old son, Jeremy August, in her hands. Her hair is a light brown and she has blue eyes. Her build is average and she is an attractive woman. They have a 17 years old son, whom they had in high school, named Christopher August. Chris has long black hair and gray eyes;he obviously takes after his father. His hair stops at his shoulders and covers his right eyes, also there is a bleached streak in the front. His lip is pierced. The baby barely has any hair, but her has blue eyes.

They have an apartment above the grocery store. They said I am welcome to anything they have except for large quantities of food. We have to make sure we'll have enough food for at least another month. They have been trapped in here for about two weeks. They were going to leave with other family, but the infection spread to quick. I told them my story and they understood. I have to show my appreciation by helping with the baby every once in a while. Now it has been a week. I am in the living room alone looking at what was once the beautiful city of Birmingham, Engalnd; Northwest of London. I was unaware that I had traveled this far until I read the sign of the grocery store: "Birmingham Groceries: You get the best of the best here."

I hear footsteps coming into the living room and I turned my head to see it was Chris. He gave me a smile and sat in the recliner beside and opened a book, The Vampire Lestate. I gave a smile in returned and even though I knew what the book was I asked anyway, trying to make conversation. "What are you reading?" Cris looks up and turns the cover towards me so I can see, then goes back to reading. "Ah, great book. Yeah I remember reading it in high school. I was about your age actually." He gave me an uninterested smile. Did I mention he doesn't talk much? Something was wrong with him... other than the fact of the epidemic the world is going through. Something tells me he never talked much before. "So your mom told me that you're the president of the art club, drama club, and the french club at school. That's great... Why don't you tell me about it?" He closed his book and sets it on the armrest. I could tell I said something that made him feel of importance. He opened his mouth and words just poured out. "Well I've been drawing since I can remember and when I do it feels as if nothing matters anymore. Like all that matters is the work I'm doing and that I have the right energy and atmasphere to put into it. I love acting to and it makes me feel great to perform and be on stage. I am the center of everyone's eyes and that feeling is so... intoxicating. YOu know? And French is just a beautiful language and I'd be stupid not learn it." I was shocked at everything that came out of his mouth because honestly... In the last week that was the first I think I heard his voice. "That's great Chris... Seems you have a great future." I gave a smile. "Yeah right." He answered back. "Why do you say that?" He looked at me as if I just made an idiot of myself. "Are you serious? With everything that is going on right now, I doubt I'll have a future." I felt sorry for Chris. He made me feel depressed and I didn't know what to say. What do you say to that? I'm sorry? That doesn't always cut it, espiecially with kids like Chris. He gave me a half smile and picked his book back up and began reading again. I stood up just as he began fidgeting with his lip ring.

I went down stairs to the grocery area of the building to find Raymond and Francise talking. Jeremy, the baby, was in his carrier asleep. It was colder down staurs than it was upstairs. I could almost see my breath. Francise gave me a smile and held out her arm for my to come over to them. "Listen, I can't thank you enough for what you have done for me. Letting me stay here, eating. It's just... wonderful. Thank you." She smiled and nods. "We're glad you came. Gives us hop that there could still be survivors somewhere else." Raymond kisses her on the forhead. "So you said you were engaged? What was he like?" Raymond reaches for a candy bar and opens, taking a bite. I'm mad that he asked that, but only because I haven't thought- I've tried not to think about Cole. I took in a breath. "His name was Cole. He was wonderful and we were to be married soon. Now that chapter and fantasy of my life is over." I ended it quickly and turned away, fighting back tears. My throat went dry. "S-so, he's a cute

k-k-kid- Jeremy I mean." I complimented the baby and they didn't respond. My words were shaky and I stuttered.

The sun has gone down now and we weren't alowed to go down stairs. We sat in the living room. The lights were off except for two candles and a lantern that sat underneath the endtable to avoid giving off to much light. They told me the infected had great senses and we had to be careful. Chris was still reading the book from earlier and I was still desperate to talk to someone. Jeremy cooed to himself in his carrier and knawed on his blanket. I wanted to cry watching him. So young and innocent. He doesn't deserve this.

Everyone else was asleep now except for me and maybe Chris. I'm not sure. It was after 2 in the morning. I couldn't sleep. I stood up, shivering, and walked into the kitchen. I was starving and I didn't know if I should open the refridgerator. I know I couldn't go downstairs for food, but the light from the refridgerator was bright and it could 'trigger' the infected. God knows what I'm talking about- hell I don't know hat I'm talking about. Damn, it was so cold in the whole place. A blanket wouldn't help. I went back into the living room to find that Chris was gone. I went down the hall to look in his room. He wasn't there and the bathroom light wasn't on. "HOLY FUCK!" His voice echoed up the stair case. He closed the metal door behind him and locked it and came running up the stairs. Raymond and Francise woke up and I came into the licing room to see what was going on. We were now trapped in the apartment area. Screams and roars could be heard. The infected had gotten in. They were pounding on the walls and door.

Note: Ok I wrote this chapter mainly to show a relationship between Sarah the other people there. So yeah. enjoy.