"Do you really think what they're saying on the news is true, or it's all just a big hoax?" My friend Fran asked us. I peered over at her as she side-eyed me from the driver's seat. She had one arm hanging out of the car window, the wind blowing her brown hair out of her face as she drove.
"I'm not sure, I don't know why they would make something like that up though. But, then again they said the virus was spreading rapidly and I don't know a single person that has it," Nora responded from the back seat.
"I try not to think about it," I answered, holding my head low at the thought of it. The whole idea of a worldwide virus would stress anyone out, but actually thinking about it only raised my anxiety to a point where I couldn't bring myself back down. Fran took notice of my discomfort about the topic, it was the only thing anyone could ever talk about anymore.
"Oh my God, I love this song!" Fran cooed as she turned up the radio. Our favourite song 'Since You've Been Gone' by Kelly Clarkson began to blare through the speakers. It was one of those moments, no matter what we were doing, if this song came on we had to stop to belt the lyrics.
A smile crept onto my face as we all began to scream out the lyrics, thankful that there was something to distract us from the previous topic. I rolled down my window, sticking my hand out and letting my fingers ride the waves of the wind as we sped down one of the dead back roads to my house. Nora caught my attention as she leaned forward between the two front seats, holding an invisible microphone in her hand as she sang along.
'Here's the thing, we started out friends
It was cool, but it was all pretend
Yeah, yeah
Since you've been gone.'
"Fran, look out!" Nora screeched.
My eyes darted forward. A woman stood in the middle of the road, materializing out of nowhere. Fran jerked the wheel to the right, just missing the woman. Both my hands reached out to brace myself as her foot slammed on the brakes. One pressed against the passenger window and the other on the dashboard. Fran veered left, back onto the road as the car's tires skid across the gravel, finally coming to a halt.
"Did I hit her!?" Fran questioned, both of her hands glued to the wheel. She couldn't bring herself to look over to where the woman was. I could see the whites of her knuckles as they gripped the leather.
"No, you're good, she's still there," Nora answered.
"Where the fuck did she come from?" I asked, not expecting an answer. I looked to my left, out of the driver's side window, watching as the woman remained still in the centre of the road. I furrowed my brows as I examined her. Her arms drooped down to her side as her head hung low to the ground like she was having a difficult time holding it up.
"We should go check on her," Nora suggested as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
"What if she's crazy?" Fran said, her eyes finally looking over to the woman she almost hit.
"She's probably just lost. It's easy to get turned around on the trails through here," Nora reasoned. I remained silent as I continued to study the woman. Something didn't feel right. "Come on," Nora said, opening her door.
Regardless of the unexplainable feeling, I had in my gut I got out of the car as well, knowing that we had to check to make sure she was okay. I made my way around to the other side of the car, Fran reluctantly emerging from the doorway as I reached her side.
YOU ARE READING
Stray // Daryl Dixon
Fanfiction"You lose everyone, that's just the way it is now. Get used to it." The new world, where blood and dirt stained your body like it was your favourite perfume. Gore, misery, and death now come with the art of survival, everything that you once knew wa...
