The World Is Infected

Turning the volume up, I looked back towards Daryl and Merle as the announcement was repeated.

"Guys, what does this mean? What do they mean by infection?" I got out of the jeep and walked towards them, looking down at the motionless body that still lay in the black bag. "Is this thing infected?" I asked, pointing at it accusingly before looking back up at them with doe eyes.

Merle nodded his head, resting his hands on his hips, "I'm guessing so. That's probably why this mother didn' die when he hung himself. Possibly why he was eating hisself while he hung there too."

A thought popped into my mind and I let out a gasp, my hand flying to cover my mouth. "If it's being announced on the radio, it's probably already in the city." I said, mumbling past my fingers.

I pulled my bow off my shoulder and placed it in the back of the jeep. Grabbing my backpack, I rummaged through it, looking for my keys. Daryl rushed over to my side and placed a hand over mine, stopping my search. "Ava, what are ya doin'? What's wrong?" He said gently.

I sniffed, trying not to let him see the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes. Barely above a whisper, the words came tumbling out of my mouth, "If it's already in the city, I need to check on my family. I have to see if they're okay, Daryl. If they've got this infection or whatever this is..." I paused and inhaled a deep breath before looking back at him, "I just need to know that they're okay."

He stared at me for a moment before nodding reluctantly and taking the keys from my grip, "Okay." He agreed, placing a hand on my shoulder, "Let's go. But I'm drivin' cause I ain't gonna let you drive while you're all shook up."

I nodded eagerly and tossed my backpack in the back seat before hopping into the passenger seat. "Where the hell y'all goin'? Ya can't just leave!" Merle yelled towards us. Daryl jumped in the driver's seat and rotated the keys in the ignition, bringing the engine to life, "Don't worry about us Merle! We'll meet 'ya back at the house later!"

With that said, Daryl revved the engine and pulled out from our camping spot. As we drove through the back streets to get to my family's house, all I could think of was their safety. I hoped that my mother and father would just be sitting in front of the television, keeping an eye on the news, or seeing to my sister - Serena - who would most likely be curled up on the couch with her a cell phone in her hands, texting her friends to make sure they were alright.

"...va! Ava!" I heard, Daryl's voice breaking through my thoughts. I shook my head to get out of the trance I was in and turned towards him, "What?"

"It's gonna be alright," Daryl reassured me, glancing to me before looking back at the road, "You're family's smart. They'll stay inside. They'll be safe."

I nodded thoughtfully and pulled my legs up to my chest, resting my chin on my knees. Fifteen minutes later, we pulled up onto my street and the jeep slowed down to about 10 mph as Daryl's foot slightly elevated off of the gas pedal. As we drove down the street, we could see houses were blocked off by orange tape and cardboard signs with sloppy handwriting in red marker were posted in the front lawns. One sign read,

The CDC has condemned this house.
Amount infected: 4

We continued driving down the road, occasionally seeing piles of white rags along the curb. "What happened?" I asked softly, "We were only gone a week."

At that moment, a figure appeared that wandered aimlessly in the middle of the street. Daryl parked the jeep and got out, grabbing his crossbow. I climbed off my seat as well, sliding a hunting knife into my boot. As I followed behind Daryl, I could see him raise his crossbow and aim at the man, "Hey! You okay!?"

The figure turned around and we could now see that it wasn't human. Its skin looked lifeless and grimy. His, what used to be blonde hair, was now coated with crimson blood and disheveled. He was shirtless and had a bony exterior which gave away the large bite that was placed on his right shoulder. Its beady and cloudy, pale yellow eyes looked directly at us before limping towards Daryl and I, extending its limbs out towards us with gnashing teeth and dry groans.

We both backed up a few steps before Daryl raised his crossbow, muttering an apology and pulling the trigger, letting the arrow fly. I turned away and closed my eyes shut before the arrow could hit its mark, but that didn't stop my ears from hearing the squeal of the infected and the squelch as the arrow sank into its brain.

Only until the sound of a body hitting the ground did I look up. Daryl stood in front of the body and used his foot to push it over onto its back. I gasped as I halfway recognized the rotten face with skin hanging from its lip. "Mr. Handley." I whispered before I took off in a run to my own home. If my neighbor was infected, then what was the fate of my family?