Breakdown

As I wake up, just another nightmare in my head, my heart racing. It felt so real… But could it have been just a dream? I don't know. I get up, rubbing my eyes and look around the bedroom, nobody here. I get up and walk around my house as I wonder "Where is everybody?" I go back to my room and change into my usual jeans and t-shirt. I walk back to the living room and grab my backpack. "Time for another boring day of school" I said to myself as I get on my bike and start heading to school.

I get off my bike, finally arriving at the school and lock it. I suddenly feel a sharp, throbbing pain in the back of my head. I slowly move my hand to where I felt the pain only to find a lump. I bring my hand back so that I can look at it. "Blood, how did this happen?" I wondered, standing there, puzzled as I let out a sigh. "It's quiet" I said, wondering where everyone had gone. Where is every one? Was there even school today? So many questions going through my head right now. "I got to find somebody to answer my questions. I walk up the stairs of the school. Still quiet… After what seemed like hours of searching, I just gave up and unlocked my bike and started heading home. But I had the strangest feeling I was being watched…

I turn my head quickly; I see a figure of a shadow run off in the distance. Who could that be, am I seeing things? I ran ahead to find out where they went and if they had known anything of what was going on. I proceed to run, thinking, asking myself where they had gone. I stop to catch my breath and decide to just give up and go home. I go back and pick up my bike than start riding home. When I pull up to my driveway, I hear a familiar voice off to the distance behind me. "James, is that you?" the voice said as I slowly turn my head to look behind me.

There she is, the girl of my dreams… Only one had I attempted to talk to her, I was so shocked that she had even known my name or that I existed. "Kristen?" I called back. Suddenly a figure ran towards me and wrapped its arms tightly around me as she sobs on my shoulder. "What's wrong" I asked. No answer. I slowly hesitate to put my arms around her as I rub her back soothingly. "Kristen, what's going on? Do you know what happened to everyone?" I said with concern. "No, I don't know. E-everyone it's like they all… disappeared." She said, breaking down into more tears, "I'm so happy I finally found someone. I –I tried following you home, but I got scared and ran away." "So that was you who followed me? Jeez, you really scared the crap out of me. But I'm happy I'm not alone." I announced. "Yes, I'm sorry I-I didn't think it was you. I was so excited to find you." She said as she tightened her grip around me. I blushed deeply, hoping she wouldn't notice. "Well do you want to go inside and try to calm down?" still hoping she hadn't noticed my red cheeks. "Yes, please" she said with a soft voice that sounded so heavenly.

As we walk inside I ask her "So, what happened to you?" She took off jacket and placed it on the coat rack beside her and looks around saying "I don't know. I just woke up and everyone was gone." I look down and respond "the same for me, I don't know what happened I just woke up and same as you, everyone was missing" we sit on the couch and she says "well at least we have each other" I blush and try to hide my face so that she couldn't see. She must've noticed me because she blushed and looked away also. I shake my head to go back into sense. "Well maybe we can try to rest here. It's getting kind of late." I added. She nodded and asked "where am I supposed to stay?" "Well maybe you could stay in my parent's room or my older sister's room. I'm going to stay in my room but if you need anything, just ask. Ok?" I shown her to my parent's room and opened the door. "They keep it clean. My room is right down the hall, the door on the left." My gaze meets hers as I stare deep into her eyes, losing myself and my pull on reality. "Thank you" she says with a sweet tone of voice.

I go to my closet and pull out some clean clothes and grab a towel than start heading towards the bathroom to take a shower when Kristen is standing there in my doorway when I open the door, towel on my shoulder. "Yes?" I ask. "Can I come in…?" she says, holding her hands together. "Um sure" I respond, not knowing what to say. I move out of the doorway and set my clothes on my computer chair than sit on my bed. "What did you need?" I ask her. She sits on the bed beside me and says "I know we haven't talked much before now, but I feel like we could be good friends after we find everyone else" she smiles at me as I nod my head "Thank you" I said back.

She stood up after that and walked to the door than waved at me and said "I'll leave you to your shower than" she laughs and walks back to my parent's room. After she leaves, I get up and walk down the hall to the bathroom and start the shower. I go to the door and lock it as I undress and step into the shower. I don't know why, but I've always loved the way the heat of the water felt on my skin. After the shower, I step out and get changed when I hear a sudden knocking on the door. I open it to find Kristen in tears again.

"What happened?" I asked and she stood there crying more than before. "The-the TV, it says… it says the city was attacked by a virus… and everyone was evacuated out so they could wipe the threat clean" she said. I stood there, mesmerized at what she had just told me. And I responded as calm as I could "What threat…?" "The 'infected'" she said to me. Now personally, I don't believe zombies could ever happen or that the 'infected' could be zombies, but a virus could cause all that to happen. "How much time do we have to get out of here?" I asked. "Two Days" she replied.

"TWO DAYS? ALL WE HAVE IS JUST TWO DAYS!" I stood there in shock that we had such a small time to get out of here. "They're dropping a bomb to clean the city out, I'm just lucky we didn't run into any of the 'infected' this morning." She said in a soft voice that made me forget everything. I shake my head to come back to reality and than ask her "how will we get out of here?" "My parents have a car at the house, but I don't know if it's still there" she responded. It's worth a chance I thought in my head. "I think there's a weapon store in town but it might waste more time if we just walk" and who knows… we could get infected also or run out of time. But no matter what happens, I must find more survivors and save everyone I can if there is anyone else. I will protect them with my life. I will die for others if I have to.

"What are you thinking?" she asked me. "Nothing, so how far away is your house?" I asked. "Just around the corner, the next block over" "alright." I said. "Let's go." we started walking down the stairs as I realize; there might not be any other survivors. Everyone else was evacuated and taken to safety. All I need now is to protect her and myself from the infected. I rub the back of my head again. "Something wrong?" she asks me "No, I'm fine just a slight bump in the back of my head." I exclaimed. She looked at my head "are you sure you're ok?" "I'm fine, trust me" she grabs my hand, leading me towards the door, towards the danger of what lies outside.

We slowly open the door, defenseless and pretty much vulnerable to anything that comes by. We quickly run to her house but as we stop. We see a person following us. Another person, or one of the infected? I wondered. I turned my head to look, another sharp pain. Was my head was bleeding again? So many questions I needed answers for, I just want to find safety. But the person was drawing close. The smell of decay and death followed it. An infected I thought to myself. "Quick, we need to get to your house, they found us!" I told Kristen as we ran even faster, and the infected also ran even faster. He was closing on us and we hurried towards her house and he suddenly stopped… "What happened?" she asked me. "I think he stopped." But why, why did he stop? I responded. "Well I don't want to stay here to find out. There could be more on their way" she said to me. "Yeah, we might need to go inside. Like now." We walked in and locked the door tight, making sure nobody could get in.

"Where is the car" I asked her as we stand there, out of breath. "It's in the garage. I'll grab the keys you get any supplies we may need." She commanded. "Alright" I answered and I ran into the kitchen, grabbing some drinks and snacks and than after all that, she stands there staring into a picture in the living room. "Kristen?" I ask as she just stands there, silent. "Are you okay?" I snap my fingers and she turns around. "What could have happened to our families? Are they all safe" she has questions I didn't yet have answers for. "I don't know, I hope so maybe they're already evacuated with the others that got out" but why did they leave us behind? I asked myself. Maybe they were forced out n accidentally left us. We need answers, now. She tossed me the keys "you drive" she said. She was so demanding now. Could it be because she worries for her family or for our safety? It doesn't matter. We need to get out of here now. We ran to the car n stocked the trunk and she comes back with a shotgun and rifle. "For safety" she tossed me the shotgun and placed the ammo in the back seat of the car. It's a really nice car. 06 ford mustang, dark blue, black window tiny, and two white stripes across the car . The kind of car that you don't want to scratch because it looks so good. I start the car and it rumbles into life. "Nice" I smile as I rub my hand across the dashboard than drive out of the garage and something runs across the street. "I think its back." She said as she buckles up. "Can I hit it?" I asked "don't break the car." She said and I ran it over with an evil smirk on my face.

"That was fun" I said as I laughed and she sat there, bug eyed as I drove into town "SLOW DOWN!" she yelled "WE'RE JUST TRYING TO LEAVE DON'T TRY TO KILL US!"