Prologue

"Come on Raven lets go down the big slide!" it was beautiful out. I had been begging mama to take us to the playground all day.

I watched Mike climb up the metal ladder and run across the bridge, up the stairs, and stood in the tallest town attached to the tallest slide.

"Raven, slide with me!" laughing I ran off after him. My big brother was the best. He was two years older than me, but still always loved playing with me. Unlike my friend Stacey's brother who always bullied her.

Stacy said that her parents told her that is just how siblings show love. I am really glad that that is not how Mike showed me love because I really liked having someone to play with.

One I reached Mikes side he took my hand to help me sit down at the top of the slide before sitting behind me.

He knew I got a little scared of the big slides, so he always sat behind me and went down with me. I screamed in excitement as he pushed us off and down, we went.

By the time we reached the bottom we were both out of breath from laughing so much.

We were halfway across the playground about to go down again when I heard the loudest scream I had ever heard.

It was sounded like pure pain! Instantly I was terrified. Mike took my hand and squeezed it.

"Raven, look at me." He shook me until I was looking up into his face. "Whatever you do never let go of my hand. Do you understand?" I nodded and squeezed his hand.

"We have to find mom and dad." He started pulling me along after him back towards the entrance where mama and daddy usually sat while we played.

People were pushing and running the opposite direction as us, but Mike kept pulling me along with him. It hurt when they bumped into me, and I got scared that I would be knocked away from Mike.

That is until he stopped in front of me making me run straight into him. I wanted to look around him to see what he was staring at but was instantly blinded.

"Don't look Raven, just run!" He screamed his hands over my eyes as he turned me around and pushed me to run in front of him.

What were we running from? I looked back and wished I had not. There laying on the bench was what is left of mama. Standing over her was a sick looking figure. Its flesh was black and what I would think a decayed body would look like. The figure was ripping flesh from mama's stomach with its mouth. Its eyes were pitch black. I screamed and wanted to run back towards mama, but Mike caught me picking me up and holding me tight as he continued to run.

I barely heard him as he tried to comfort me. Saying soothing words and promising everything was going to be okay.

It was not though because all I could see was the lifeless blue eyes that use to look at me with so much love. Nothing was ever going to be all right again.

Mike kept running until we had made it the five blocks to our house. Everyone around us was losing it. The streets were littered with abandoned cars sirens were going off.

As soon as we made it into the house Mike didn't say a word, he just started throwing food into backpacks.

"Mike," I whispered. My body was shaking so hard.

"Hey, it's okay." He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into a hug. His five-foot body towering over mine. He was the tallest 12-year-old in his class. "Look we have to pack some clothes and some food and find our way out of town. The city is going crazy it isn't safe here. Can you be strong for me?" I nodded knowing if I feel apart, he probably would too.

Having him was the only thing that kept me moving. We both just lost our parents there was no way I could lose him too.

Gathering as much food and a few pieces of clothing we left the only home we ever knew.