"Sis..?" Jaida spoke. We are currently upstairs in our room, doing each others hair. "when do you think mom and dad will be back.?''
"should be back in two weeks..'' I was brushing her hair, braiding it into two braids, one on each side of her hair. Tying it off with black hair ties. "we can go ask Daniella'' I said.
"alright..'' we both got off the bed, I quickly brushed my hair and put it in a low pony tail. We both left our room and headed downstairs. Daniella was watching TV, but mainly had a book in her hands. She looked up from her book.
"hey girls'' she closed her book.'' everything okay?''
"when are our parents coming back..?'' I asked.
"I believe they said in two weeks, don't worry, it'll be before y'alls birthday okay?'' she stated. We didn't say anything, only nodded. "are you guys hungry?''
We haven't ate a lot since our parents left for vacation. We have been missing them, a lot. Of course they have called and checked on us but its not the same. "were a little bit hungry..''
"do y'all want pizza? We can have a movie night.''
We both smiled. Jaida seemed really happy about it. "can we have ice-cream too?''
"of course.'' she smiled, legs go grocery shopping in a minute and I'll let you guys pick out anything you want."
A man sighed, sitting in the back of the police car. He looked down at his cuffed hands. Thinking about the days prior that led to now.
Three Days Ago (May 7th) 2014
"why..?'' a woman screamed, tears down her face. "you didn't have to kill him'!!''
Was she right? Was she justified for her actions as well?
"you're a lie. A natural born liar.. I was upset that you betrayed our marriage. And why? Because I was always out, WORKING?! For OUR FUTURE. AND HERE YOU HAVE BEEN, FUCKING AROUND ON ME, WITH A STATE SENATOR?!"
"Lee Everett, yes. I was a liar. Yes, I did cheat and betray our marriage. Because I was lonely. When where you ever wanting to be home? To be with me.? To start a family like we have talking about doing for months now? I know I did wrong, I know that. I can't take back what I destroyed, but I can ask forgiveness and be a better person. While you rot in Prison. For 15 years for what you did to Jaison Hauser.'' She snapped. Lee Everett had to think about it for a second.
"you're right.. I will. But that's okay. I should have spent more time with you and that's my mistake but its my mistake for also believing you'd actually be real.''
"well, I reckon you didn't do it then?'' a male voice broke Lee out of his thoughts. it was the police officer. He glanced at Lee in the rear view mirror.
He wanted to say ''Fuck you.'', but didn't know How far that would get him in his current situation. He simply glanced at the police officer, making eye contact, he was old, blue eyes, gray hair, beige button up shirt and dark brown pants. He had to be at least in his seventies.
"you know what they say about reckoning.'' Lee replied.
" Ha, I don't, but I reckon its a lot like assuming.''
"eh, something like that. But does it really matter.?''
"nah, not much.''
"You know, I've driven a bunch of fellas down to this Prison. Lord knows how many. Usually is ''bout now I get the I didn't do it.''
"And what do you say?''
"I say.'' yep. I know ya didn't.''
"Not from me.''
"cause guys in your position already said it enough?'' The police officers radio started going off. "We've got what looks like a 10-91E near peach tree exit 285. All cars asked to keep on the lookout for a 91V in the area.''
Lee glanced in the rearview mirror, making eye contact again.
"I followed your case a little bit, you being a Macon boy and all.''
"You're from Macon then?''
"Yep. Came up to Atlanta to be a city cop in the seventies. Always wanted to work a murder case, like that senatorial mess you got yourself mixed up in, with all due respect. A real shame. That is.''
Lee looked out of the window as another police car speeds past in the opposite direction with its sirens on. Heading back into the city.
"Hell the whole family used to be regulars at your folks drug store right in downtown. Still there?''
"Sure is.''
"Good.''
The radio went off again.'' Be advised of medical person route to Hartsfield, various 10's and 20's coming in.''
"Any of that seem important to you?'' Lee commented.
The police officer shrugged. "All of it, but that box never shuts up. Sit in this seat and pay too much attention and you'll drive yourself crazy.'' The officer continued. "I got a nephew up at UGA, you teach there long?''
"Going on my sixth year.''
"You meet your wife in Athens.?''
Lee looked distressed, he just turned his face away, looking out the window.
"Wanna know how I see it?'' The police officer asked. Several more police cars passed by with their sirens on, along with a SWAT truck, all of them driving into the main city, the heart of the state, Atlanta Georgia.
"Do I have much choice?'' Lee asked sternly. The officer noticed it. It got quite until the police officer spoke.
"Sure don't.'' The officer continued.'' You'll have to learn to stop worrying about things you can't control.''
They both got silent. In the sky, as Lee looked out the back window, noticed a helicopter heading into the city, followed by two SWAT trucks and several police cars with their sirens passing by.
The radio turned on again. "Riot in progress. All officers available for incoming 217's. Rolling calls and dispatches to all locations.''
"I'm driving this man once, big fella, he was the worst one. He wouldn't stop going on about how he didn't do it. He was an older fella, big, soft eyes behind a pair of smart folk glasses, and he's just wailing back there, says it wasn't him. Crying and snotting all over, right were you're sitting.''
The police radio starts going off again. "All officers are available for incoming 21-
He cut the radio off and continued.
"Then before long he starts kicking the back of the seat, like a fussy baby on an airplane. And I tell him he's gotta stop, that's government property and I'll be forced to zap him otherwise. So he stops, and having exhausted all his other options, he starts crying out for his momma. "Mama, it was all a big mistake, it wasn't me!''
"So did he do it?''
"They caught the fucker red handed! Stabbing his wife, cutting her up as the Boys came through the door! He sits in my car screaming bloody murder that it wasn't him! I think he actually believed it himself. Goes to show, people will up and go mad when they believe their life is over. Oh I got another good one for ya. This one's a little bit less depressing and a bit more hilarious if I do say so.''
The officer turned as he was talking, looking away from the road as someone wanders right in front off the car, Lee notices right away.
"Fucking Drive!!'' Lee yelled, but it was to late. The car hit the unknown person, veering out of control, through the guard rail and off the edge of the cliff, Rolling repeatedly down the hill. Before Lee passed out, half conscious, he could hear screams and growls.
Lee awoke, remembering what happened, he slowly comes to as he tries to remove the handcuffs, but to no luck. He glances around the police car, not seeing the officer but a damaged windshield with a large hole in the center, with bloody hand prints on the outside of the glass.
"Thirsty..'' he tries to move his leg, but it was painful. "Fuck, my leg.''
He looked closer, it was a large, bloody deep cut on his upper leg. He looked out of the shattered back window to see the officer lying facedown on the ground with a smeared blood trail behind him. Lee turned to the side window and grunts as he continuedly kicked the window until it falls, shattering on the ground.
"hey!'' Lee yelled, "Officer!! Are you alright? I'm still cuffed back here!" He glanced around again. "he wasn't ejected from the car..''
"He's not moving.. " Lee glanced back at him." Why did he have his gun out?''
"Maybe it was tossed from the car during the wreck..?'' Lee grabbed ahold of the window and pulled himself out, landing on the ground. He stood up, walking around the edge of the car, reaching the area where the officer is. He noticed something else, The officers Shotgun is out near the officer as well. "Need to get out of the cuffs first.''
Lee approached the officer, looking at him closely, be notices the keys are right in between the officers hand and mouth, he thinks for a second but hurries and grabs the keys. He unlocks the cuffs, dropping them. He rubs' his wrists, afterwards he searches the officers pockets fir Shotgun shells and finds one bullet. He starts to head towards the shit gun, reaching for it, until a groaning sound starts to grab his attention. The officers head raises from the ground and immediately grabs Lee's leg, making him fall back near the gun.
"Oh shit!'' he yells, looking at the officers face, seeing blood Dripping down from where his nose used to be. "what the fuck happened his face?! He's still alive..?''
Lee was shocked. The officers nose looked like it was mauled off.
There's another wound on the officers face, like as if something bit his lip and tried to rip it off, but half of his flesh was dangling from where his teeth are. Lee couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach. The officer tried to grab him but Lee immediately started to kick him off.
"Get off!!" He yelled, kicking him once more, knocking him off. Lee grabbed the shot gun and immediately loaded it. "Just STOP!!" He yelled. The officer didn't seem to listen. He grabbed Lee's leg and tried to bite him, but Lee didn't hesitate and shot the officer directly in the face.
Covered in the officers blood, he starts to freak out, he drops the gun and rises from the ground. He glances again at the officers body.
"He smells like shit, And his skin is all rotten. He wasn't.. Him. " Lee thought to himself. " just what the fuck is going on..?'' He glances around, hearing growls in the distance. He starts making his way towards a brown wooden fence he can see in the distance.
He notices someone else. "'Is that a kid..?'' He thinks to himself and hurries before more of those things, or people, whatever they are begin to come.
Lee reached the fence, he didn't wanna waste time trying to find the main gate so he climbed over the fence. He kept the pain to himself. He climbed over, noticing he was directly now in someone's backyard.
"Hopefully someone can help.'' he said to himself. He looked around the backyard, noticing an inground pool, and a tree house. "Hmm.. Seems like a kid may live here.''
he thought as he glanced around and headed up the steps to the porch, looked inside the glass sliding door. He looked inside.
No one was inside, from what he could tell. He noticed fruit in a white bowl, on the counter, and next to it, a coloring book with crayons around it. He notices the door isn't locked and slides it open. "Don't shoot. I'm looking for help.'' he stepped inside, leaving the glass sliding door open.
It was cold inside, dark a little. It was also a mess. Furniture was turned over, blood stains on the kitchen floor and wall of the kitchen, several Books were all over the place, there was a turned over bookshelf as well, blocking the way to upstairs. He heard a beep, looking around on a table, he noticed an answering machine. He kept beeping. He pushed the button.
"Five New Messages. Message one. Left at 5:45 pm, May 2nd, 2014.
"Hey, Daniella, its Summer. We're still in Savannah. Michael had a little incident with some crazy guy near the hotel, so we had to get him back to the ER and have it checked out. Anyway, he's not feeling good enough to drive back tonight so we are staying an extra day. Thanks so much for looking after the girls! I hope they have been good. I promise we will be back in time before your spring break! Please don't tell them anything about what's going on. I love y'all, be safe.''
Lee glanced at a family photo that was on the table, next to the answering machine. It was a guy, presumably the husband, the wife and two girls, the picture frame was engraved, "The Crawford Family". The family was Caucasian, they looked to be Russian maybe? The girls, were being held by their parents . The brown haired girl was in her mothers arms, and the blonde naked girl was in her dads arms. The mother has Red shoulder length hair, and brown eyes, the father had Brown hair and blue eyes. The parents seemed to be in their mid to late thirties. The girls seemed to be at least two in the picture.
The girls have to be at least eight or nine by now right? They must have other pictures somewhere around the house.
Another message played. Message two. Left at May 6th, 11:45 am 2014
"Omg!! Finally! (panicked) I don't know what's going on, I don't know if you have been trying to reach us; all the calls are getting dropped. They won't let us leave and aren't telling us anything about Atlanta. Please. Please, PLEASE. Take the girls and leave the city, go to Marietta, they said its safe there, I have to get back to the hospital, back to Michael. Please let me know you're safe!!!''
"She sounded sad, and was crying.''
Message Three. Left at May 7th, 2014 2:45 pm
"Hey, I haven't heard anything from you. Please get back with me. PLEASE. (Tearfully)
Message Four. Left at May 7th, 2014 6:45 pm
"Girls. If you can hear this, call the police. That's 9-1-1. We love you. Both of you. We love y-
The message ended.
"Oh god.. I hope whatever is going on gets fixed… " Lee said to himself. He then heard girls voice that sounded staticky, but couldn't find It right away. He ran into the kitchen, but didn't realize he ran and slipped directly into a puddle of blood, sliding and hitting himself against the fridge, it looked recent. Was someone actually in the house still? Maybe alive? Badly wounded but still alive?
Lee quickly rose from the blood stained floor and hurried, looking through the drawers and cabinets and after searching for 10 minutes he finally found a walkie talkie.
"Daddy?'' a soft voice spoke.
Lee went to the glass door. Looking outside to see if he could see anyone. "Hello?'' he answered back.
"You're not my dad..''
"No. I'm not. But I'm not a monster either.''
"..you need to be quiet..''
"Who is this..?"
"I'm Sierra, and this is my house. "
"Hi sierra, I'm Lee. "
"hi.. " she sounded shy.
"Where are you? Are you okay?''
"I'm okay, I'm hiding, with my sister. They tried to get us. But were hiding until our parents come home.''
"Where are your parents?''
"They took a trip to Savannah i think. Where the boats are. "
"how old are you both?'
"were seven… how old are you?''
"I'm thirty-seven. "
"Oh.." The girl got silent.
"Why not come down?'' he asked. "you and your sister?."
It got quiet, neither girl responded. Lee tried talking again to get a response back but nothing. Then immediately. The girl yelled, getting Lee's attention.
"behind you!!!''
He was confused at first until he heard a groaning sound, then felt someone behind him. It was a girl, she seemed to be at least seventeen. There was a bite mark, on the left side of her neck. Covered in blood, she reeked of death. Like a dead fish to be exact.
She growls and tries to attack him, but he pushes her to the ground. As he tries to run away, he slips on the puddle of blood and hits his head on the counter. His vision is blurry, but he can vaguely see Daniella crawling toward him and he kicks her away.
Lee yells. " AHH!"
Lee gets up and tries to run, but Daniella grabs his leg and trips him. He punches her away as she attacks again. Two little girls run up to the glass door and opens it, the blonde haired girl is holding a hammer. Daniella attacks again and Lee pushes her away, continually kicking her in the head and crawling backwards.
He glances at the Girls.
"Here! Take it!" He grabs it from her and without hesitation, he immediately starts bashing Daniella's head in with the hammer. Repeatedly until she's not making any groaning sounds. No growls. Nothing. He takes a finale blow to her head, straight in her left eye. Permanently killing her.
He doesn't say anything and realizes he just killed a person, in front of two little girls. Both girls are quiet and In shock.
"I..I think she was a monster.." the brown haired girl spoke softly. The other girl remained behind her sister, not speaking. She was scared and hiding. Lee felt guilty, for killing an innocent girl and in-front of two girls, children.
He remained silent until one asked him. "Is she really gone…?"
He couldn't deny what he had just done.
"Yes. But she was already gone before me." Lee tried to explain.
"S-she was sick… for days. Running a fever and coughing.. We tried to leave and she wanted to rest for one more day…. But then she didn't wake Back Up… when she did.. She tried to attack
Us. We ran and hid in the tree house. She couldn't reach us there." The brown haired girl said
"Well, I'm sorry about your babysitter. I'm Lee. "
"I'm Sierra, " the brown haired girl spoke. "I'm Jaida.." the blonde haired girl said softly.
"Look… I know You guys want to stay here. But you need to come with me."
"But why? Our parents will come back." Sierra spoke. "We have to stay."
"But if you stay, more of those things will come. You guys don't have food. Or water here. Do you?" Lee asked. He looked at both of them. Waiting for a response.
"We can leave them a note, telling them we will be safe and that you're being taking care of. I will look after you both Until they come back. But we can't stay here. We need to find a safer place."
They didn't seem to like the idea of leaving behind their home, but he made a few good points. No food. Or water here. It could be more of those things around the house too. But the thought of leaving a note for their parents may help ease their minds.
"Okay." Both girls agreed.
Dear Mom and Dad,
We are okay. We love you and miss you. Daniella got sick.. she's.. In a better place now. We have a new babysitter.. He seems nice. His name is Lee. He says we have to find a safer place. A place with more people. People who can help.
We will be close by.
Love, Sierra and Jaida
The girls wrote a letter to their parents and left it on the counter. They each only took one thing they cared about. Sierra, her walkie talkie and Jaida, a portable small CD player with black headphones.
"Alright, let's go girls. Grab my hands, and don't let go. Stay close by. Understand?" Both grabbed a hand of lee's and left their home, hoping to return one day.
The trio left during day light, as they headed out the front gate, they could hear other people. Men. Actually talking, Before opening the main gate, Lee peeked over the gate, it was two fair skinned teenagers. A black haired boy, had to be at least eighteen and the other had to be close to his age.
Lee gets up; Sierra and Jaida open the gate. They approach the two men.
"Hey, man!!" Lee called to him. Both of The men turn around, startled.
" Holy shit!" The black haired teenage exclaimed.
The brown haired teenage yelled."Don't eat us!"
"We're not gonna hurt you."
" Phew, thought for a second you and the little one were both gonna give us the chomp. I'm Shawn, Shawn Greene."
"I'm Chet by the way"
"What are you guys doing?" lee asked Shawn.
"Just., Trying to get home, this neighborhood's a disaster. Are you trying to get outta here? Because you should be. Those things are all over the damn place. I haven't seen anything as gnarly as this neighborhood since downtown Atlanta, fifteen miles back."
"Do you know what the hell this is?" Lee asked calmly.
"No idea. So you've seen them then?"
The blacked haired teenage looks behind him at a dead person.
Lee spoke" You could say that; We really need help."
The girls smile at him and Chet.
"We shouldn't be out in the open like this. How about you help us clear the way and we'll take you and your daughters out of here, and down to my family's farm. It should be safer there." Shawn stated.
"oh uh, I'm not their dad. I'm…just some guy."
Shawn "Some guy? "Shawn noticed what you said
" Yeah. I'm looking after them for now"
Shawn "well, Let's get going. Staying put for too long is a mistake."
Lee nods and turns to the girls. He got down on his knees to their level to talk to them.
"Don't worry girls, it's only for safety. I promise, we will come back here, and check to see if your parents have came back or if they left anything." the girls smiled. He rose to his feet.
"We gotta go! Those things are coming!"
Shawn starts trying to push the car, along with Chet, Lee and the girls.
Shawn yelled. "Lee, quick! Let's go!"
Chet crouches behind the truck, hiding from the approaching undead. Once the car is out of the way, Shawn gets into the driver's seat of the truck.
"Get in!!" Lee yelled
Chet jumps in the truck-bed, Lee gets in the other front seat, and the girls sat in the middle looking out the back window. The four drove away from the ensuing herd.
"For just "some guy," it seems like you've saved a bunch of lives today." Shawn noted. He seemed to be appreciated of lee's help, and the girls.
