Thanks to my beta and pre-reader Kymbersmith90 for her amazing work!
Twilight is not mine only the plot.
EPOV
The journey to Seattle was quiet at first; I never saw a car coming into town, but a lot of them were getting out. When I was passing through Port Angeles, I could tell a lot of people were getting out of there too. As I continued the drive, I could see a few cars coming in the opposite direction. When I passed Sequim, it was the same as Port Angeles. In Lilliwaup and Hoodsport, I didn't see a soul. I was about to arrive to Shelton when Charlie contacted me through the radio to tell me the Quileutes had agreed to help us. They had started to move their people to the island and Charlie was organizing the few people that had stayed behind. He said there were no more than thirty, including us. I was shocked.
"Why so few people, Charlie? Over."
"Well, boy, when Mr. Stanley gave his little performance you saw some of them were leaving. But, when Mary Ann came to the square, she told everyone what the mayor had done and that sealed the deal. Almost everybody fled. Over."
I shook my head. "Some faith they had in you, Charlie. So, the plan is basically to pack all we can and go to the island? Over."
"Yes, that's the plan. If, by the time you come back with Bella we are no longer here, go to the Quileute marina and head to the island. I'm going to leave a boat there for you guys. Over."
"Okay Chief…" I trailed of when I saw a man, or what was left of him, walking along the highway all bloodied and scarred. At the horizon I could see plumes of smoke, and as I approached, I started to hear alarms blaring, people screaming and guns firing.
"Charlie!" I said frenetically into the radio.
"What is it, Edward? Over."
"They are here in Shelton, Charlie… zombies, the undead."
As I was moving further into town all I could see was chaos and destruction. There were people dead in the streets, and others were either running from the undead or fighting off their attacks. My cop instincts tried to take over, but Charlie's voice made me remember why I was there.
"Edward, don't stop! I know you want to help, but remember why you are passing that town. Remember Bella needs you."
I nodded and tightened my grip on the wheel, trying to focus on my task. I maneuvered my way through the cars that were abandoned on the streets and the ones coming in my direction.
"Don't worry, Charlie. I'm going to try to get out of here as soon as I can. I'll contact you when I make it out of town. Over and out."
I left the radio in its place and tried to block all the noises outside of my cruiser, although I couldn't avoid seeing the carnage.
I didn't know how much time had passed, but it felt like forever when I finally left Shelton. I contacted Charlie again to let him know I was okay and headed to Olympia.
The highway was a mess. From Shelton to Olympia I found car wrecks and people throwing themselves at moving cars, mine included, trying to make us stop. The undead chased everything that moved and the living were losing their lives every second.
The first thing I saw in Olympia, and all the towns after, was the same as in Shelton, only worse. Fires everywhere; cars blocking streets; hordes of the undead attacking people in cars, buses, buildings - you name it. It was very difficult to find a way out of there.
The worst came when I arrived on the outskirts of Down-Town Seattle. The chaos there was unbelievable and the National Guard… were no more.
Cars were stuck on their way out of the city, because of the checkpoint the National Guard installed. But they were not moving and there were no soldiers around… Well, not ones that were alive. On the way into the city, cars passed, flying in the opposite direction and I was almost hit by one. Most of the undead were on the other side of the highway, lurking around the cars and busses, while some of the living were running away on foot and others on motorcycles.
Just after I passed Sea Tac, there was a recent accident on the highway, blocking all lanes. There was no way I would be able to get the cruiser through it.
I was starting to lose my mind at that point.
I parked on the side of the highway. "What am I going to do?" I asked myself. And then I saw it. A motorcycle, lying on the ground. I immediately contacted Charlie to let him know how things were and I wasn't going to be able to go further into the city with the cruiser, I was going to take a motorcycle I had found.
"Edward, are you sure? Since when can you ride a bike? Over."
"Since the Academy, Charlie. One of my friends has one and he taught me to ride, so don't worry. I'm going now, there is a lot of undead around. I will call you when I've arrived at Bella's. Whish me luck, Chief. Over."
"Good luck, kid. Take care and please remember to go straight to my daughter's apartment and wait for her there. Over."
"I'll do that, Chief. Over and out."
I left the radio on its hook and took a deep breath. I needed a game plan. I had a backpack in the trunk with a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition for it and my Colt. The only thing left to do was grab my bag, run for the bike, and pray it still had the keys in the ignition. I shook my head and grabbed the keys for the cruiser, locking it behind me. I might need it to get Bella out of the city. With the trunk already opened, I quickly grabbed my bag, wrapped the straps securely round my shoulders and shut the trunk. Until then, the undead hadn't seemed to notice me, but the sound of the trunk latching caught their attention. I ran towards the motorcycle and, to my luck, found the keys in the ignition. I pulled it to an upright position, straddled the seat and took off, never looking back.
I was flying down the street but struggling to see where I was going. Without a helmet, my hair was falling across my face and the wind stung my eyes. The undead didn't make it any easier, as they never moved to avoid me hitting them. I had to swerve around corpses left to rot or people screaming for help as their flesh was ripped away by zombies. It was difficult not stop and help. After an hour, I found myself approaching Bella's apartment building. I left the bike on the sidewalk, and took to the streets, pulling out my Colt to kill any of the undead that came too close to me.
When I finally made it to the entrance of Bella's building, I used the spare keys Charlie gave me to let myself in and quickly ran up the stairs, to her door. I let myself in, calling out for Bella, but she wasn't there yet, so I locked the door behind myself.
As I slumped down on the couch on the living room, I called Charlie to tell him I was at Bella's.
"I'm so happy to hear your voice, son, thank God you are alright."
"I'm happy too, Charlie. Now I just have to wait. Please, call me as soon as you have news."
"Of course, Edward, I'll do that. Now, I have to hang up. We are packing all the supplies we can get from our homes. Take care, I will call you tomorrow."
"You too, Charlie." I pressed end and left my phone on the coffee table.
"I hope I don't go mad waiting for you, Bella," I said to no one.
That day I ate a small meal and sleep came quickly.
The second day I tried to watch TV, but there wasn't anything on it, just static. I waited for Charlie to call me, but my cellphone never rang. I tried to call him, but my phone wasn't working. Some time later I was watching through the window, hopping to see her coming down the street. I contemplated going to the university but surely, she wasn't there anymore. For all I knew she could be anywhere!
"This fucking city is a haystack!" I said, hitting the window frame angrily.
"I have to have faith and wait for her. I know in my heart she is still alive."
With that thought I fell asleep in Bella's bed.
On the third day, at close to eleven in the morning, I was walking out of the bedroom when I heard a commotion out in the hallway. Someone was trying to get in. I hurried to the door and pulled it open just as two people burst in.
******Haystack******
Thanks for reading!
