I quickly pile some cans of all sorts into the cart, and move through the aisles, picking up bottled water, dry noodles, tampons (Well I'll still need this, mother nature won't stop just because the world has) I run to the health food section, grabbing protein bars and shakes too. I look at my overflowing cart and decide to head out. I press the auto start button on the Jeep's keys before I'm out the door, just in case.
Once outside, I open the back of the Jeep, piling all my goods in. I hop in the front seat and lock the doors before reaching into the back seat for Dylans shotgun. I quickly load it like he taught me, and sat for a moment, thinking. If I were Shane, where would I go? We'd never talked about an emergency plan, so I honestly didn't know where to start. Our house was the closest however, and I decided to start there. I head out of the parking lot, driving as quickly as I can to attract the least attention possible. The drive is short, as I didn't have to follow speed limits, or be behind other vehicles.
Shane's car isn't in the driveway, but I park in our front yard and head inside anyway. I could use a new set of clothes, and a shower. I pass the glance at my reflection in the glass of our front door, cringing. Yes a shower. Turning my key in the lock, I open the door quietly, locking it behind me. I walk swiftly to our room. Searching the closet, I find two backpacks. One is Shane's "gaming" bag. I remove the gaming system and discs, leaving only the handheld version. He won't be needing these anytime soon. Looking around, I don't see any clean clothes. It's laundry day. Grabbing the small flashlight from our bedside table, I head toward the basement. Stepping slowly down the steps, as I'm prone to clumsiness, I pop open the dryer. As I load the clothes into a wicker basket to take upstairs, I hear the wood floors above me creak. I frantically look around me, realizing I left the crowbar and all the hunting equipment in the Jeep. Luckily there is a hammer on the shelf above the dryer, and I grab it. I walk the clothes up the stairs, but leave the basket at the top. Rounding the corner, I move slowly and quietly. Stepping into the hallway, I see a figure in the kitchen, glancing out the window.
"David?" The figure turns, and I see the clear eyes of my roommate. I run over and hug him, surprising him, as he isn't the hugging type. "You have no idea how happy I am to see another human being." He just stares ahead. "David? Are you okay?"
"They're dead. They're all dead." As he speaks, tears brim up in his eyes.
"Who David, who's dead?" I sit him down in one of the kitchen chairs and sit across from him.
"Everyone. Dave, Dylan, Anthony" He pauses, looking up at me. "And Shane."
The word seems to echo. I look at him dumbfounded. "Could you repeat that?" I pray I misheard him.
"I'm sorry Elli, Shane's dead. They all got in his car, and tried to outrun them, but they were going too fast. He tried to swerve to avoid one of those…things, and went off the overpass. All I could see was smoke.
"No, you're joking." I back up, my voice rising with every word. "You have to be joking right now. How do you know he's dead?! Did you even check on them?!"
"Well no, I was on foot and-"
"Don't even. You and I both know that with all the running you do you could have easily made it out of there. Which you did." I turned back to my basket of clothes, tears blurring my vision.
"Elli. It'll be okay. Come on, pack your stuff and we can get out of here." He walked up to me, placing his hand on my shoulder, which I quickly shrugged off.
"Don't touch me." I stormed off, shutting my bedroom door behind me before he could follow. I stood there, glancing at the frozen moment in time, thinking about the moment we shared just this morning. I collapse into bed, hugging the shirt he left on the bed to my chest. A cry rips from my chest and suddenly I am screaming, tears running down my face, my throat raw. David tries to open the door, but I've locked it. He kicks and kicks until it opens, and rushes to me, covering my mouth to quiet me. I fight it, and my vision begins to blur. His hand is covering my nose as well. I can't breathe. I claw at his fingers, trying to break free, and suddenly the world goes black.