"get to the car!" i hear clay yell behind me. once i get to the car i start it up and hop in the passenger seat. i've never been good at driving. a few moments later clay gets in the drivers seat and starts driving with the dead still chasing us.
it all started about a year ago. well, one year and three months ago to be exact. i'll never forget, because the day started perfectly normal.
i wake up in my bed. it's 12 pm on a sunday afternoon. i don't even remember getting into bed. the last thing i remember from last night was watching a movie with clay. i probably fell asleep and he probably carried me to bed. i get out of bed and go to wash my face. my bathroom door swings open.
"you're finally awake!" a very familiar voice says to me.
"yeah." i laugh. "why didn't you wake me up?"
"well.. to be fair i only woke up one hour ago." clay starts. "i also went to go get us breakfast. i got waffles, your favorite."
"you are amazing." i say after drying off my face.
as we go downstairs to eat breakfast clay's phone rings.
"it's nick." he says with a smile. he picks up the phone as he sits at the table.
i grab some plates, forks and maple syrup.
"we'll be there at 2." clay says to nick. "alright. bye!"
"where will we be at 2?" i ask sitting down in front of him.
"cara's birthday party is today." clay says before taking a bite of his waffle.
"clay." i say. "did you forget i have to babysit my cousins today?"
"no! they can come with us." he says smiling.
"they're like six!"
"so? it's just a party we'll entertain them." clay says in between bites. "cara's little sisters will be there too, they can play upstairs."
"i'll have to ask my aunt." i say finishing my waffle and picking up my phone. "i'll call her right now."
the phone rings one time before she picks up.
"hello tita." i say. "i babysit steven and sophia today right?"
"yes, i'll bring them at 1pm." she says and i hear them playing in the background.
"alright, just a question." i start. "me and clay are going to one of our friends' birthday party. there will be other children there. is it ok to bring them?"
"you will drink alcohol?" she asks.
"no, tita. we will not." i say. "just a birthday party for family and friends."
"okay, it's okay. nagtitiwala ako sayo." she tells me.
"thank you so much tita! i will see you later." i say.
"bye. see you later." she says before hanging up.
"we can bring them." i say picking up another waffle.
"great!" clay says. "we are gonna have to go to the store really quick for a present."
i roll my eyes. "i have a gift for her already." i finish my waffle. "come i'll show you." i say running upstairs.
"it's a pretty dress." he says admiring it.
"it's her favorite color too." i say as i feel the fabric of the dress on my hand.
~
the doorbell rings.
"i'll get it!" i say jumping up from the couch. when i open the door i see my cousins smile up at me and i can't help but smile back.
"ate angela!" sophia yells.
"hi guys!" i say pulling them both in a big hug. when steven sees clay he immediately runs toward him. "kuya clay!" he yells.
"hi buddy." clay says picking him up.
"i pick them up at 6pm." my aunt says with a smile. "have fun."
"yes tita, we will." i say as she walks away. "bye!"
~
"i spy with my little eye something yellow." i say looking out of the car window.
"is it sophia's shirt?" steven asks almost immediately.
"yes! you guys are so good at this game." i say. "oh! do you guys see that?"
"see what?" sophia asks.
"we are almost there." clay announced.
when we park the car we can see cara's whole house is decorated.
"they went all out this year." i say as i unbuckle my seat belt. i get steven and sophia out the car and ring the doorbell. it's opened by a face painted alex.
"hi guys!" he says all giggly.
"hello there." i say walking inside.
inside i see a lot of familiar faces. cara's little sisters, hannah, alyssa and tina. clay guides steven and sophia to cara's sisters and they immediately go to the garden to get face painted.
"guys!" nick yells approaching me and clay.
"what happened to your face?" clay chuckles.
"i'm a tiger." nick answers.
"that's supposed to be a tiger?" i laugh. "what kind of face painter did cara hire?"
"i did it myself!" nick says clearly proud of himself.
"i think that's great for a first time, right?" clay laughs.
"angela!" i hear two voices call my name. i run toward tina and cara.
"happy birthday cara!" i say as i pull her into a big hug.
"thank you, angela." she says as she pulls me closer.
"i have a gift for you." i say excitedly as i hand her the box.
"thank you so much! you can put it on the table, i'd like to open them all at once."
"alright!" i say heading to the table "also tina you look great!"
me and alyssa are standing together in the kitchen warming up the brownies.
"so.." she starts.
"so?" i say back.
"how are you and clay? i mean what is it like living together."
"it's great. we've always wanted to live together i really like it."
"and him? do you like him?" she asks.
"of course i like him, he is my best friend." i say taking a sip of my coke. she rolls her eyes.
"you know what i mean, angela." she says.
"looks like the brownies are done." i say as i put on the gloves and get the tray out.
"one day, i will get the answer to this. promise me." she says.
"one day." i promise.
at 5pm we decide it's time to go home. we say goodbye to everyone and as we walk to the door cara yells: "thanks again for the dress angela! love it!"
"no problem!" i yell back before leaving.
at 6pm the doorbell rings again.
"they are asleep." i say answering the door and letting my aunt in. steven and sophia are asleep on the couch. their mom wakes them up and as they're about to leave my aunt hands me 20 dollars.
"there's really no need for that we loved having them." i say trying to give it back but she closes my hand.
"don't worry." she whispers before walking out the door. "good night."
i go upstairs to clay's room. he's editing. i lay down in his bed and accidentally doze off.
"wake up!" clay yelled at me. "angela, we have to go."
"what?" i ask rubbing my eyes.
"it's the dead." clay said as he was packing up a suitcase.
"what do you mean 'the dead'? i ask confused.
"there is this virus. i don't know- we have to leave." clay says trying not to panic. "please. just pack up."
i pack up clothes, sanitary stuff and sentimental stuff. i try to call my parents. no answer. i do see i have some texts from my mom, from one hour ago.
8:02
honey, go to grandma's farm, you'll be safe there.
8:03
don't come looking for me.
8:05
i'm safe, i promise you. i am safe.
8:10
i'll see you soon.
i am so confused. i keep packing until i get a call from my cousin: kirsten.
"angela- please-" is all i can make out from the bad connection.
"kirsten? where are you?"
"i'm- help-" is the last thing i hear before the call disconnects. i try to call her back multiple times but no answer.
"angela, please we have to hurry." clay says already done with packing. i grab my suitcase and look outside. i see a lot of people on the street, but no 'dead' people.
clay's phone rings. "nick?" clay answers. "okay we are on our way."
"what?"
"nick is outside. he's waiting." clay says already running downstairs. i run after him. before getting out i run to the kitchen and grab a big knife, just to be safe.
"whose car are we taking?" nick asks.
"mine, come on." clay says and we all run to the car. when we're in the car is when i see it. it's a dead person, walking toward us.
