Part VIII

Lauren lived really close to the school, like really, really close to it, just crossing the river, a few houses from the Stadium.

So far it seemed like this was the only place that didn't look like hell. It even looked calm. Sure, there was blood on the streets and the snow had way more color that it should, but it seemed peaceful in comparison.

It was a big house with a dirt driveway, to which Kurt pulled in once again leaving the engine on after getting down.

It was just Puck and himself, because Puck seemed to know where everyone's house was and they were quite clear that they weren't going to be alone. Groups or pairs but no one was flying solo, not if they wanted to keep being alive, they couldn't risks it.

Oh, and Kurt wasn't going to let anyone else drive his baby.

Puck opened the door calling out his friend's name and, thank god, was meet with a cry from said girl just a few seconds later. They both ran to where the voice had come and stared in confusion at what was obviously a closet door.

There was blood on the floor, lots of it; as if someone had bled all over the place after a serious injury and it went down the front door like someone had been dragged while bleeding. Kurt even imagined he had seen a bone, but he didn't want to look back and check.

The taller boy held his gun tight in his hand but his worried look tipped Kurt over. Puck really didn't know what was behind the door and was scared, but he also was really worried about one of the few girls he could really call his friend.

"Lauren?" Puck asked with his voice firm, even if the hand on Kurt's shoulder shook.

"Puckerman, is that you? Please, tell me they are gone" said the voice from inside the closet.

"Who is gone? There is no one here but Kurt and me" the boy answered, confused.

Then the door opened and from behind it the girl who had been hiding came crashing into Puck's arms. She was crying, a sight that Kurt never though he'd see, and she had blood all over her. Her hands were stained, so were her clothes, and she was limping.

"Are you ok, babe? What happened?" Puck asked, carding his hands through her tangled hair.

"I don't know… My mom, she… she went crazy. I don't know what happened… She said she was hungry, really hungry, and she started eating everything we had on the fridge… and then my dad came home and… Oh God, Puckerman" cried the girl, hugging him even closer if possible.

"Shh, it's ok. Let's get outside and breathe some fresh air. Ok?" Puck said, slowly motioning her to the door.

Outside everything seemed just as bad as inside and it wasn't like there was wind to make the air seem fresh, but Kurt thought that maybe, after being hiding in that closet for who knows how long, it would be a good idea to just stay in an open place.

"Where are they?" the girl asked after a while, her face white and pale, maybe a little green.

"Who?" Kurt asked, placing a hand over hers.

"My parents, they should have been there… there's no way they could have left"

"The house was empty when we got here, dear" Kurt answered, not really knowing how to say.

"They couldn't have left" she said, looking lost.

"They are not the only ones, babe, everyone else has disappeared" Puck said, still hugging her even if only with one arm.

"No, you don't understand… they were dead... Both of them were dead... I'm sure" Lauren said, looking at her friend as if she was trying to make him to believe her.

"Exactly what happened here, Lauren?" Kurt asked, feeling cold sweat run down his neck.

Lauren's parents were dead and missing. Did that meant that everyone else was the same? That his dad was dead? No, his dad had obviously taken the car, so he could be anywhere. This was not the same situation.

"My mum was hungry, she couldn't stop eating… she said it felt as if there was a hole in her stomach that she had to fill… She ate everything… And when my dad came home, he gave her a kiss like always" at this the girl looked possibly green and Kurt was really sure that if it wasn't for Puck's arms she might be about to faint on them. "He kissed her… and she kissed back… and then she started to eat his face. Literally"