September 2013

Lindsay

The day was long, uneventful and boring. Michael wasn't in and I only saw him when he was getting ready to leave the house, to get to his job. I was left inside for the whole day, doing the housework, just trying to get things organised. It's Michael's birthday today and I suggested that he called in and ask not to go in, but he insisted that he should go.

We are not rich, but we aren't poor either. I'm unemployed, but Michael earns enough money to put food on our plates. We've been married for just over a year. We celebrated our anniversary by going out for a meal, nothing too big, but I loved it nonetheless.

I managed to save up enough money to buy him a new present, as he was complaining that his old one was broken. I got the money by running errands and selling stuff we don't use anymore on Ebay.

Tidying up the house is tiring, but I don't mind. It's something to do. I enjoy doing the ironing whilst watching TV and baking whilst listening to music loudly. To pass time, I play video games on our Xbox. I play with Michael too, when he is home and his favourite game is Banjo and Kazooie. I enjoy watching him as he plays that game.

I ended up sleeping on our settee whilst waiting for Michael's return. He normally gets home late, but this time he seemed later than usual.

I woke up to the sound of the front door opening and closing, followed by the sound of Michael's voice.

"Burnie I- Burnie. Burnie listen to me, he is the contractor. He's the contractor, okay? I can't lose this job." I shuffle slightly, my limbs numb from sleeping on the leather settee. "Let's talk about this in the morning, okay?" The lamp on the table next to the sette turns on, the bulb shining brightly in my face, making my eyes sting. I wonder what Michael is talking about with his brother, Burnie, but realise it must have something to do with the job they do together.

I sit up as Michael moves closer to me "We'll talk about it in the morning. Alright, goodnight." I yawn and stretch my back, moving slightly to give room for Michael to sit down.

He chucks his phone down on the coffee table and a mutter a welcome to him as he sits down.

He groans as he lays down, rubbing his eyes.

"Fun day at work, huh?" I say, looking at his tired face.

He ignores my question, then asks me why I'm still am at such a late time.

I remember why I was waiting for him. His birthday. His present. "Shit, what time is it?" I say, turning around to see the clock that hangs on the wall behind us. I see that it's ten to twelve, which means that it's still his birthday.

"It's too fucking late." he murmurs grumpily.

"But it's still today." I say, reaching down to grab the box that the new watch is in. I picked it because I knew that he would like it. He normally likes all the stuff that I get for him and that makes me happy.

"Lindsay, please not right now. I do not have the energy for this."

"Oh, boo-hoo. Gimme a sec." I say as I pick up the small white box, revealing it to him. "Here."

"What's this?" He asks as he stares at it, taking it from my hands slowly.

"Your birthday. I didn't have enough time to give it to you in the morning. You were in such a rush." he gives me a warm smile and opens the box. "You kept complaining about your broken watch... So, I figured you know?" I tell him, my eyes not leaving his face, waiting for him to speak.

He puts the golden watch on his wrist, carefully. He keeps a resonably straight face, his mouth not smiling, but his eyes look happy. "You like it?" I ask, waiting to know what he thinks of the gift.

"Honey, this is..." he stops, putting his wrist to his ear slightly, like he is trying to listen for something. My heart sinks.

"What?" I ask him, wanting to know what could be wrong.

"It's nice, but I-" he taps the watch slightly. "I think it's stuck. It's not -"

"What?" I grab his wrist, pulling it closer to me so I can see for myself. "No, it can't fucking be-" Then I see the hands of the watch, ticking around. "Oh- ha ha." I say, pushing his arm away, catching a glimpse of him smiling, lying back down, putting my feet on his lap. I rest my head on the arm of the settee, still feeling tired.

"Where did you get the money for this?" He asks, looking down at the watch.

"Drugs. I sell hardcore drugs." I joke.

"Oh, good. You can finally start helping out with the mortgage then." He replies, leaning forward to grab the remote control off the coffee table.

"Stsh - yeah, you wish." I mutter. Michael then turns on the TV and sits quietly, watching it.

I don't pay attention to the moving pictures on screen. My eyes close in a matter of minutes, before drifting into a peaceful slumber.

I woke up in our double bed, wrapped in the covers, hearing the sound of our home phone ringing in my ears. At first I was confused, by the sound and then I was confused by how I was brought up here, but then I realised that Michael must've brought me up here. I look at the side of the bed where Michael should be sleeping, but he is not there. I cautiously reach out for the home phone, not bothering to see who has phoned and answer it and holding it close to my ear.

I clear my throat, a weird taste in my mouth. "Hello?" I say softly, my whole body numb from lying still in the warmth.

"Lindsay, thank God. Where's Michael? Can you put him on the phone, please?" I knew immediately that that was Burnie. It was clear to tell by his voice, but he sounded like he was in a rush, everything he was saying was so quick and unnatural. I had a sudden sense that something was wrong.

"Burnie, what time is it? Wh-" I was cut off my the urgency and panic in his voice.

"I need to talk to my brother now. There's some-" His voice was suddenly gone and the only thing I could hear was a beeping noise to tell me that he was gone.

"Burnie? Hello?" I said, hoping that he was still there and that my voice would magically make him come back.

I put the phone down, realising that he wouldn't be back. I get up from the bed slowly, acting like a drunk woman, stumbling around slightly.

I rubbed my eyes and spoke aloud, "What was that all about?"

I walked around my bed, brushing past the chest of drawers, spotting the card that I wrote out to Michael. "Crap. I forgot to give this to him." The card had a drawing of a green T-Rex, wearing a red and white party hat. I got it for him thinking that he would like the picture, it being immature and all. I thought it matched his personality well. The dinosaur looked cute, but you know that it'll rage out at any given time.

I open up the card and my eyes skim over my messing writing, reading what I put in the card for him.

The card already had a sentence printed out in the inside and it read, 'You're not a fossil (yet).' And then it said Happy Birthday underneath.

The message I wrote was a short paragraph and it said:

Dear Michael,

Let's see...

You're never around. You get angry at the smallest of things, raging out constantly. You seem to be more in love with your friends more than you love me. And yet you still manage to be the greatest, goddamn husband a girl could ever have.

Happy Birthday, Michael.

Lindsay xxx

I put the card back down on the chester of draws and head out of my bedroom.

"Michael?" I call out for him, waiting for a response.

Nothing. My heart starts to beat at a faster rate as I turn the corner of the hallway. I see the door of the spare bedroom slightly ajar, revealing a light that cracks through the hallway. I reach the door and push it open gently.

"Michael?" Not in here, but the TV is on. It's on the news channel and I see a female news correspondant on screen, standing in front of a building with firemen at the doors of the building.

"It appears that what we initially reported as riots, seem to be somehow connected to the nationwide pandemic." I get closer into the room, standing in front of the TV. "We've received reports that victims afflicted with the infection show signs of increased aggression and-"

Infection? I start to wonder how such a thing could happen and how it haplpened this fast.

"We need to move everybody out of here now." One of the firemen say. Then I recognise the building, realising that it is nearby. "There's a gas leak."

I scratch my forehead and wait for what them to say more, when suddenly the fireman screams.

"Hey - move!"

"There's some commotion coming from beh-" The woman starts again, looking behind her.

"Get out of here! Lady, get the hell outta here right-!"

There's an explosion, fire errupts from the building and the TV goes static. I hear the explosion. I turn around and look out the window when a ball of firey light catches my attention. A puff of smoke and a large ball of fire explodes, the sound vibrating my ears.

"Oh, my God." I whisper. I suddenly get really scared, wanting the comfort of my husband. "Michael?" I call out once more, my voice shaking. I barge out of the room and call for him once more. "Michael!" I scream, needing him badly.

Nothing. I make my way downstairs, a dog belonging to one of our neighbours is barking loudly. A car alarm is going off. "Michael!"

Three polices cars - sirens blaring - drive past the house, the red and blue lights are shining in my eyes. "What is going on?" I feel slightly hopeful that the cops are going to whatever is happen. I reach the kitchen and I am about to pass when I hear the vibrations and ringing of Michael's phone on the counter.

I walk to the small device, the blue light illuminating itself in the darkness. I make my way over and pick it up, reading the messages on screen.

Eight missed calls.

Burnie: Where the HELL are you? CALL ME!

Burnie: On my way.

I read them out loud, wondering what on earth is going on. I take a look at the time before setting the phone back down, it's quater past two in the morning.

I walk past the glass back doors that lead out into our garden that I sometimes attend to every now and then. The barking of the dog is cut off by it screeching slightly. I gasp at the noise, concerned by what happened to the dog.

I reach Michael's office, pushing the wooden doors open and enter. He's not in here either. His lamp on his desk is on, shining on his keyboard and paper work. As I move closer, I jump from a presence moving into the room, entering from the office's back door, breathing heavily and looking a mess.

The silhouette closes the door shut and I realise that it is Michael.

"There you are." I sigh in relief, moving closer to my panicked husband.

"Lindsay, are you okay?" he asks me, he moves like he is in a state of shock, bumping into his chair slightly, opening a drawer in his desk, rummaging around in it.

"Yeah." I reply, confused as to why he is asking, wondering what is going on.

"Has anyone come in here?"

"No, who would come in here?"

"Don't go near the doors." he pulls out his pistol from the draw and I become scared once more. What is going on that needs him to pull out his gun? Why does he need to defend himself? "Just...just stand back there..."

"Michael, you're kinda freaking me out." I say, taking a step back from him. "What's going on?"

"It's the Risingers. Something ain't right with them. I think they're sick." The Risingers are our neighbours. A wife, a husband and their newborn kid.

"What kinda sick?" I ask.

Suddenly, a man jumps at the window, bashing at it. I start hyperventilating at the sight. He's covered in blood, screaming and moaning at the same time.

"Jesus. Jon!" I take more steps back, almost getting to the doors to leave the room. Michael goes back with me, standing in front of me, an arm protecting me, to keep me back from harm. I continue to stare at our beserk neighbour, trying to get in our home.

Jon runs at the window and smashes through, a waterfall of glass falling with him. He falls in the middle of the floor and shoots up immidately.

"Jon, just stay back!" Michael calls. But it doesn't stop him.

He comes at us, running fall speed at us two, his face giving off a crazed look, screaming at us, his arms flailing, blood trailing down the front of his shirt. He's in our reach.

"Don't!" Michael screams out, before the ear-piercing sound of the gunshot echoes through the house.

Author Note:

Alright you awesome people. You are amazing for reading this. *gives you a hug*

If you haven't played the game, you really should, or watch someome play it on YouTube or whatever.

Next chapter will come out soon.

See you then.

Lots of hugs and kisses.

TheDauntlessWitch