"I'm not sure." I answered.
Merle only glared.
"Delilah, where is he?" His voice was laced with anger and frustration.
"All I know is that he went with Jess, Buck, and your dad hunting for his Bachelor's party. They're probably several hours away in the woods somewhere. They left about 3 days ago."
Merle only glared at me.
"You go find your folks, ya hear me?"
I nodded. Merle pulled my arm and made me get close.
"Listen when that guy attacked me, he wouldn't lay down. I noticed something was off about him. His smell, his eyes, everything. He tried to bite me. I hit him a couple of times in the chest but he wouldn't back off. So I got my knife out and stabbed him in the chest. How could a living man survive that? So I thought to myself, Merle, there only one place that can really kill a man. So I grabbed a beer bottle from one of the outside tables and bashed his head in till' he didn't move no more."
What? How could this be?
"Lil' sis, get your arrows and shoot straight if one of those things try to come near you. Aim for the head, got it?"
I nodded again. His arm tightened and looked me straight in the eye,
"Got it?"
"Yes, I got it."
"Good. This is war now, and you have to do everything to survive."
Then Merle did something he's never done to me before:
He hugged me.
"Take care Lil'sis, and watch your back."
After what he told me I opened the front door and practically ran in the house with Daniel tailing me.
I shut the door, locked it, and squat down so I could face Daniel, who was now trembling, eye-to-eye.
"Okay Daniel, I'm going to give you a box. In the kitchen there is a closet cupboard. I need you to fill it up with all the cans and bottles you see. Okay?"
He nodded.
"I'm going to go and get a few things upstairs. If anyone knocks, DON'T open the door. Even if they are yelling for help."
I emphasized the word Don't so he could understand that more clearly.
"Okay Miss Miller. I'm a great helper."
I smiled, "I'm sure you are."
I ran upstairs to what I call the 'Junk Closet' and got out a couple suitcases that were buried beneath baseball bats, fishing poles, broken arrows, old torn sweaters, extra blankets, papers from high school and college, books I never cared for, you know all that useless junk everybody has in their house, is crammed into a single closet.
I grabbed two suitcases, making sure they were both with wheels, and ran to my room. I didn't even bother folding my clothes. I just jammed all I could into the cases. I went to my nightstand to turn on the radio, and listened to a clear, panicked voice.
I swallowed the lump in my throat at the sight of my wedding dress, which I didn't pack.
I made sure not to turn it up so loud so I could hear Daniel, in case he needed me.
"Yes this just in, we have reports of infected beings. Signs of an infected being is an uncontrollable hunger for human flesh, a decaying smell, glassy eyes, and a pale complexion. If you should come into contact with one of the beings, the US Military has stated to aim for the heads of them. I know it seems horrible and tragic but these people have no memory whatsoever of their prior lives. If you have a bat swing it. If you have a gun aim it. Whatever you do, do not get bit or scratched. The virus lies within the saliva, and so far there is no cure. Keep inside, or if you're able, go to one of the refugee camps, located in Macon, Atlanta, or Savannah. Thank you for you're patience and time. This is DJ Anderson signing of for the last time...God Bless you and good luck."
What?
I thought this was a Bio-Weapon attack.
What kind of bio-weapon could make people into cannibals?
I shuddered, and kept packing. Then I froze.
Daryl's out there, by himself, without any knowledge of what's going on. If by chance he does hear, he would probably head out to the nearest refugee camp, which is in Atlanta. Because that's where I would go.
But what about Daniel? I thought for a moment, and sighed. His parents are MIA, and who knows what danger is out there? I can't bring Daniel.
I had to figure out a plan that ensured his safety, and I had to do it fast.
I bent down under my bed and grabbed my bow and arrows. If what the radio says is true, then I need to defend myself.
I put the bow on my back, I took an arrow out, just in case, and strapped the container full of arrows there as well.
That's when I heard a crash and the screaming of the little boy downstairs.
I ran fast, because if I didn't get to him soon, maybe I wouldn't need to figure out a plan.
Sorry for the short chapter, next time it will be longer.
