Family First

"I'm on my way now!" Veda shouted through the phone.

"The place is deserted so it should be alright, just get off of the main road." Finn said on the other line.

"I'll be there in five."

Veda was in her truck and speeding towards her friends house. He had lived in the middle of nowhere so it seemed like the perfect place to meet and sort things out. She didn't dare look at her surroundings, the screaming was enough to send her into a panic if she wasn't so focused on getting to Iris, who could be dead if she didn't get there fast. She tried calling the girls phone multiple times, but got nothing just continuous beeps.

She noticed a pile up ahead due to a semi truck being tipped over, blood covered the windshield. "Poor b*****d." She said to herself. She noticed an alleyway that would take her to the dirt road straight to Finn's.

After what seemed like a lifetime, she made it to his small house that was boarded up. He still lived with his parents. Even though he was leaving with Veda, he wanted his parents, who refused to go, to stay safe.

She was welcomed in with open arms as Finn wrapped her in a bear hug. After there embrace and comforting words, Veda noticed how worried the man actually was. His curly brown hair that was usually in a beanie, was sticking out in all directions and he had bags under his dark dark brown eyes. She looked up at the considerably taller, toned man with hopeful eyes. "Is all of your stuff ready to go?"

"Yes. I even have extra gas."

"You really are prepared huh?"

"I'm prepared for everything." He smiled warmly.

"Where's Tryston?" She asked.

"He was staying with me until he had to go to the airport. The first news we got about this, he immediately got in his car and headed to Missouri to get Iris. I told him we would meet him there."

Veda smiled at that. "Does he have his phone?"

"I think so."

"Good. Call him and get in the car."

"What do I tell him?"

"Tell him that Iris is headed to the mountains we used to camp at in Colorado. We will meet them there." She said while getting Finn's things and putting them in the bed of the truck.

Iris was driving for an hour, not stopping for anything or anyone. She had to get to sister Kaveeta. She remembered in the news that this is where the Pax 12 had started and was terrified, but she knew her sister was here, she had to be. The city was quiet and there was no one walking around. Dead or alive. The fact sent shivers down her spine.

She heard a beeping sound and noticed that her gas tank was nearly empty. She was close to her sisters house and knew the area well so she made a left onto a small one way street and made her way to the closest gas station. If this really was the end of the world, it was too early to run dry on fuel. She made it to Quick trip and noticed cars were still parked, but ther was no movement. She looked around the truck for anything that might be useful if something were to happen, but found nothing. "Damn." She muttered.

Before exiting, she took in her surroundings and when she found nothing, she opened the car door and side stepped out, locking and shutting it quietly. She checked the pumps and realized she had no idea what to do. She thought back on anything she saw from movies or something her dad or brother said to her, but nothing came. She walked around the parking lot, looking in car windows to see if she could find a knife or something to cut the tube.

Finding no luck and actually afraid of setting of any alarm, she decided to go into the station. It looked to already be ransacked. The glass doors had been shattered and walking in, she noticed how empty the shelves were. The store's lights were flickering and the long lights were hanging down. She looked around for anything sharp and came up empty handed. "There has to be something." She said to herself.

An electrical charge got her looking in the direction of the counter. She walked behind it and immediately covered her mouth, gagging. There was a man that looked like he used to work here, on the ground. Bite marks covered all exposed areas. His back was ripped open and thwe spine hung out. The stench was almost unbearable.

After a few minutes, she got a hold of herself and nudged the man with a broom that she found laying beside him. She new what happened when you get bite. Her brother had suffered that fate and they both learned the hard way. How is this man not infected? She thought. She pushed those thoughts aside and flipped the man over. His back flat on the cold tiled floor.

He didn't seem so bad in the front, just a few cuts and bruises. She checked his pockets and gave a sigh of relief after finding a pocket knife and an old flip phone. "They still make these?" She said out loud. She thought of the one person that would no how to do this. After a few rings a very familiar voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Veda! It's me. It's Iris."

She could hear the happiness and worry in her girlfriends tone. "Oh my god! Babe I was so f*****g worried. Are you alright? You kind of disappeared on me?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Just a little banged up. Are you alright? Where's Finn and Tryston?"

"I'm with Finn now, Tryston is on his way to Colorado to meet you at the mountains. He left a long time ago so he should be there before any of us. Where are you?"

"I'm in St. Charles getting gas. About ten minutes away from my sisters house."

"Isn't that where it all started in Missouri? Are you crazy!"

"I have to get my sister. Listen I love you, can you please put Finn on the phone?"

Veda didn't hesitate and handed the man the phone. "Iris?"

"Oh it's good to hear your voice buddy."

"You too. What's up?"

"I need your help. I'm trying to put gas in the truck but the pump isn't letting any out."

"Do you have a knife?"

"A pocket knife."

"Good enough. I need you to cut the tube. You're going to have to put a lot of muscle into it or it won't do anything."

She put the phone down and did as she was told. It had taken a few minutes, but she managed to cut it completely. She picked the phone back up. "Now what?"

"You're going to wrap your mouth around the tube and suck. When you taste the gasoline, it will come out fast like it would if you were just pumping gas. That's when you put it in your tank. Get some empty canisters so you can get extra for the trip."

Iris was grossed out by the thing but reluctantly put the phone in her pocket and did as was told. It took awhile, but she eventually got it to start coming out and rushed to put it in the tank. She held it with one hand and started spitting and gagging, hunched over with her right hand supporting her weight on her knee.

Finn heard the puking in the background. "She may have not pulled back when the gasoline started and is now puking."

"I'm not puking you a*s!" They both heard it as Finn started to focus again.

When she was done filling up the canisters, she noticed gas still coming out. "What a waste." She said, putting the phone back to her ear. "Alright. I'm good on gas and about to head to Kaveeta's. My battery is full so I'll keep you guys posted. Are you going straight to Colorado?"

"We have to stop in Nevada to get Veda's mom, so it will take us a while, but You'll have Kaveeta and Tryston to keep you company. See you soon."

Veda and Finn sat silently after the call. "It'll be okay." The young man said trying to reassure both her and himself.

"You don't know that."

"I promise Veda. We'll get your mom and meet them in Colorado. We don't even know if this has happened everywhere."

The girl rolled her eyes at that, counting down the seconds before she could see the love of her life again.

Iris had pulled into the driveway and noticed that her sisters car wasn't there. She got out, forgetting to lock the truck and tried the front door, just to find it locked. She walked out onto the street to see if she could see a window open or ajar, but she heard a groaning noise and shuffling coming from every direction. She looked around to see large groups of the un dead making their way to her, all moving very slow. She ran to the garage door and desperately tried remembering the code to open it.

"Come on you piece of f*****g s**t!" She shouted out after her umpteenth time of failing. "Think!" She looked around and noticed that a couple caught on to her and the one's a little further started to run. She hit the garage door as hard as she could, hoping her sister, or anyone living would hear her. "Please! Open up!"

She put her back against the door and watched as the un dead were tripping over themselves to get to her. That's when she felt the door open slightly, just enough for her skinny form to roll under. She was flat on her back when the door slammed shut. After catching her breathe, she looked over and saw a very worried expression on her sister's face. "Kaveeta!"

"Iris!" The red head helped her up and they hugged for a few minutes. "You came for me."

"Of course I did."

"Are you alright? Have you been bitten?”

“No I haven't even left my house. Why? What happens if you've been bitten?” She asked worried, tears filling her eyes to the brim.

“You turn into one of those things.”

“And what are those… Things?”

“I don't know. Finn's convinced that they are zombies.”

“That's bullshit.”

“Well, you haven't seen what we've seen.”

“Where's Caiden?”

Iris started reliving the horrible memory. “He uh, he didn't make it.”

“What happened?”

“He was bit.”

“F**K!” She shouted in anguish over losing her brother. Causing loud thuds erupting against the garage door. Kaveeta quickly got a hold of herself and looked at her sister with a small smile playing on her lips. “We still have each other. How long do you think that door will hold?”

“Not long enough.” Iris started while making her way to the door that led into the kitchen. “Pack anything that would be useful. Especially food. Canned food. We have a long trip ahead of us.”

“Where are we going?”

“Colorado.”

“Why there?”

“That's where we meet our friends.”

Kaveeta looked out of her window, noticing that her house was becoming surrounded. “And how do you suppose we even get to your truck out there.”

“Do you still have those fireworks from last year?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Just get yourself ready. We are leaving at nightfall.”

Tryston sped away from all of the destruction around him. He didn't stop to help anyone and that hurt him. As soon as he got the call from Finn, telling im where to meet Iris, his foot never let the gas go. He'd been on the road for five hours and was making good time. He could get there in four more, he thought as he stopped to put more gas in the tank from a canister Finn gave him before he left.

“Are you kidding me? You're not actually going to try this are you?” Kaveeta stressed to her younger sister.

“I kind of have no choice. Besides I saw this in a movie once. Or was it a book?” She thought for a moment. “Either way it doesn’t matter. This is the only thing I can think of. Do you know your part in this?”

“Yeah wait til the coast is clear and get the things in the car and start it. Pretty easy to remember. It's you that I'm worried about.”

“I'll be alright. It's like a video game.”

“Stop comparing life to that s**t!” She snapped.

“Okay! Okay. It helps me cope. Trust me I'm just as scared as you, but we need to get there. Strength in numbers.”

“Just… Don't take too long.”

Before Iris could go out, she was interrupted be a hand on her shoulder. “What?”

“Take this.” She said holding out a fairly large handgun.

“Where did you get this?”

“It was dad's.”

“I don't know how to use it.”

“Me either. But you used to play with bb guns right?”

“That's very different.”

“Please take it.”

Iris smiled and took it, checking to see if it was actually loaded than cocking it back. “Here goes nothing.” She ran to the back yard that had a brick wall as a fence and set the open box of fireworks down before placing the gun in helm of her pants and grabbing a ladder. Her plan was simple. Light the fireworks, get the attention of all of the monstrous creatures and climb the ladder to the roof and make her way to the truck.

She went to the box and noticed that she had already gotten the attention on one of them. She tried lighting on of the explosives, but it charged at her, tackling her to the ground. She let out a grunt as she used her legs to roll him over her and hit the concrete with a thud. She noticed more of them piling in through the side gate and crawled over to the box. It only took a few seconds before the first firework went off and caused a chain reaction. The night sky was lite up as it got the attention of a large hoard that soon was blocking the path to exit. “S**t.”

She tried getting t the ladder, but was grabbed by the ankle and brought to the ground, not catching herself in time and her head hit the bricks that surrounded her sisters garden. Her vision blurred as the moans filled the air. The corpse was slowly crawling up her body, grabbing anything he could to get to her neck. She moved her hand down to the gun and drew her weapon, firing at the man's head. The bullet going through its eye as it echoed in the air. She got up while holding her head and climbed the ladder as soon as the back yard came overwhelmed. Everything around her was spinning, but she kept her eyes forward, focusing on the task at hand. She got to the end of the roof, when she noticed an empty road and her sister in the truck.

She jumped down and landed on the top of the truck, rolling off the windshield and hitting the ground, Kaveeta was by her side instantly. “Are you okay?” She asked while helping her in the car and buckling her up. Iris gave a weak nod and in return felt a nudge on her shoulder. “Dumb a*s.” Kaveeta got in the car and sped out of the subdivision, her sister asleep beside her.