Chapter One

This morning was slow as always. I felt like I'd been hit by a bus when I woke up my muscles were stiff, and the moment I stood up I got a pounding headache. I got dressed for school and walked down the stairs. It was still dark out but the stairs were illuminated by the glow of the TV.

"Morning," I say rubbing my temples.

My dad looks back at me from where he sits on the couch.

"Hey, there's food on the table."

I walk down the steps each time my foot touches the ground my head pounds like a drum. I walk to the kitchen and see the plates sitting there, fried eggs, hash browns, and a little cup of fruit, mostly assorted berries. I wasn't hungry and the thought of eating made me queasy. I grab a glass from the cabinet and fill it with water. I took a sip and picked up the little cup of fruit, I didn't feel like eating but I knew I'd regret it later. I walk and sit at the breakfast bar and look at the TV.

" Good morning everyone my name is Sally Walks and this is your morning news. Today is the third day that China has been silent. If you don't know about five days ago they stopped exports and shut down their borders. The president says she'll be speaking with the other political leaders today about the details of the shut down."

"Riviann?"

I turned my head to see my mom had just gotten back from dropping my brother off at school.

" It's about time you start on your way."

I looked out at my phone and see 7:30 AM written in white at the top of the screen. I got up grabbing my phone and bag before leaving. Usually my walks to school we're peaceful, they were a time for me to distress, but today all I could think about was the pain in my arms and legs. What did I do yesterday that would make me feel this awful? My thoughts were driven away by the sound of a loud car horn. I see up ahead people in panic, running around and screaming.

"Run!" One woman yelled as she ran past me.

That's when I saw the figure of a man hunched over a woman, there was a puddle of liquid forming on the ground. It's starting to run down the slope of the pavement. Is that blood? I was in shock. I stood there watching in Horror. Was this man some kind of cannibal? Where are the police? The man then rises, blood covering his mouth and face. I look around but the streets are empty. The man starts running at me then I snap back into reality. I turn on my heels running for my life. I look back as he chases me, I hear the screams of people as I run. I let my feet carry me, my mind was a million miles away and now wasn't the time to go looking for it. I could no longer feel the pain in my legs or the exhaustion in my body, I only ran.

Eventually when I stopped I almost collapsed, I needed to find somewhere safe to hide. I looked around to see I was in the middle of a neighborhood, It all looked unfamiliar. I don't even remember how I got here.

"This isn't what matters right now," I think to myself.

I examined the houses quickly before running up and knocking on the door to the closest house. I heard no answer, not even a russell. I try to open the door but it's locked. I look around for another way in. The back door was unlocked so I made my way into the house. I checked the building thoroughly and locked every possible entry point. The house had food that I could eat. I opened my phone and started calling the police. It rang once, then again before someone picked up the phone.

"Hello this is 911 how may I-"

"I saw someone get eaten!"

"I'm sorry mamm can you please slow down."

"I saw a man, I think he was eating someone."

"Ok what is your name,"

"My name is Riviann Kane"

"Ok Ms.Kane when did you see this?"

"I was walking to school and I heard a panic then I saw it. It started to run at me so I ran as fast as I could and locked myself in an empty house."

" Where did this happen?"

"I don't know the name of the street. It's one or two blocks away from the Silversted high school."

This time there was just the sound of keys typing," Please wait one second Ms.Kane."

I tap my foot and lay my phone on the counter of the kitchen, while I wait I look for a phone charger. Since I just noticed that it was almost dead. As I rummage through the draws in the house looking for a cable, I hear my phone again. I walk back over and in the background I hear the sound of a male scream. Then all panic breaks loose. I can tell the operator's headset is thrown, I can hear screaming and sounds I don't want to know the score of. I hang up the phone. I slide down the side of the counter, not knowing what will come next.

In about 9 days the house lost power and I don't think it will be back anytime soon. I've been trying to avoid the windows, as to not be seen. Even before the power went out there was no news, nothing on the television. I had watched movies like this on the tv before, but I never would have imagined it to come to floracion. In about 20 days, I've started running out of food that either hasn't spoiled from the lack of refrigeration or that is inedible without cooking it. I've been sleeping in front of the fireplace and cooking food that I have in the fire. I believe that it is near the end of November so the nights have been cold and I don't know how much longer I can stay here. It's been quiet but I know that those things are everywhere. I could see them outside through the cracks in the blinds. From what I've seen of their behavior, they rely on sound to find people. I can tell that they are trying to see where they are going, but they struggle. I can see even from far away the white gloss over their lifeless eyes. This morning I don't feel like moving from the floor and wasting energy. I can't stop thinking of my friends, my family, how they all are. I ran out of food today, and it has only been 24 days. I'm going to go out in search of food tomorrow, and look for a new place to hide.