When You Let a Little Less Light In

Chapter 1

Chapter One-

Munching on the last of raisins, Hunter growled in disappointment, and threw the bag away. I walked along the side of the empty highway, avoiding any cars. Shooting or damaging a car can set off it’s alarm. Have I told you about alarms?

My name is Benevolence Gilmor, and on my 17th birthday, I watched my city burn in flames. I watched my Hunter get through the flu, nearly killing him, vomiting blood, until he fully transformed into one of them. I should’ve killed him when I had the chance, any infected can spread themselves. But, unlike any other aggressive Hunter, he was calm. Almost like a dog. He was a human stuck in Hunter Body.

Even though nearly a month has past, I could still smell the pancakes my mom made as I walked sleepily from the stairs.

“Happy Birthday!” they softly said, they meaning Mom, Dad, and Hunter, as a human, as they heard the stairs creek in my presence. I smiled.

“Hurry, sweetie!” Mom said, rushing me to the table, handing me a plate of Mickey Mouse pancakes.

“*Yawn*, but why?” I asked sleepily, slowly cutting the pancake. Yummy.

“They’re evacuating the city, today. I’ve got your bags packed already. Everything you might need or want is already in the car. Now, hurry up and eat!” My eyes widened.

“Today? Wasn’t it in a week from now?”

Hunter sighed. “They changed the schedule. Some signs of Special Infected have struck the city, so they want people out ASAP.” Huh. How did I notice that there was no soap in the pump, my toothbrush was gone, or that my room was just a big ‘ol white empty room, and not filled with my possessions?

Hunter’s parents were infected, and killed, so he was coming with us. That was a lot to comprehend in one day. The newly-installed sirens rang down the street.

“-Khrrrrk!- Attention! A freshly new pack or INFECTED HAS COME TO THE EAST SIDE OF NORRISTOWN! I REPEAT, A PACK OF INFECTED IS RUNNING LOOSE IN THE EAST SIDE OF NORRISTOWN! Please remain calm, lock all windows and doors, and stay on your base floor, and wait for further instructions!”

“Mom? What’s going on?” I weakly asked, and she weakly smiled back.

“Just keep calm, sweetie!”

“Hunter?”

“Everything will be alright,” he said quietly, and embraced me, and took me to the stairs.

“Damn CEDA! I knew they’d go wrong! Come on! To the car!”

“LOUIS! They said to stay in the house!”

“Ah, screw the CEDA!” Dad shouted, and grabbed Mom and Hunter and I. We sat in the car, which seemed three times as small with all the stuff.

“WARNING! DO NOT DRIVE AWAY!” yelled a CEDA officer in a patrol car. Dad gave him the finger. Ah, Dad. We began driving, just as meaty dot hit our back window. Then, it went back, leaving a slimy trail. A week before schools were shut down, we learned about types of Special Infected. A Smoker was the one with a large, constructing tongue that would catch you like a frog would with flies. Thank God we have windows. Growls and snares of a Hunter were heard louder and louder as we turned down the exit. The highways were practically ghostly, all cars abandoned when hearing the siren.

“Dad, this was a bad idea!”

“Shhh! Don’t jinx it!” he laughed. How was this funny? Anyone can just stop the car, kill us all, or let us die in a slow death by turning into one of them.

“I love you Mom, Dad-“ I turned to Hunter, who was holding me in his arms-“Hunter,” I said, hoping we may make it into Philadelphia, were our flight was scheduled to Berlin, were they are having a one-year shut down. So no one can get in or out, and crops will still be growing. The growls got larger, as a Hunter pounced on our roof. We could hear the closed sunroof crack on its landing.

“Don’t open the protector,” Mom whispered, and I nodded. It can’t get in, right? It began scratching with its claws, practically ripping the protector like thin cloth. My heart began pumping faster, prepared to open the door and run.

It scratched some more, and the  jumped off.

Phew…

After two hours, we made it to Philadelphia. Phew. Only a few hours before their evacuation to the airport…. WAIT, EVACUATION?!?

“DAD!” I screamed, “THEY’RE GONNA BURN US DOWN! WE’RE LATE FOR THE PHILIDEPHIA EVACUATION!”

“Don’t worry, honey, they’re not going to burn u-“A huge flaming ball landed only a few meters behind the car.

“Hunter?” I looked in his eyes. For once, I saw fear in his determining eyes. For once, I see Hunter being afraid. All of the sudden, the clawing began again. It was on the whole time, but was so silent. A huge ripping began, as bloody claws began showing. Dad abruptly stopped the car, as the Hunter, unexpecting the stop, flew forward.

“RUN!” Dad shouted, and we ran down the streets, with a crazy Hunter running behind us.

“Ah!” Mom groaned as she tripped, twisting her ankle.

“Keep running!” Dad said, and ran up to Mom, picking her up for the first time. He held her just like in their wedding photo, her laying in his arms as he stood up. They kissed, and spoke loving words to each other. Seconds later, another fire boulder hit. Hit on them. And squished them like bugs. And the Hunter. Everyone flew back.

“NOOOOOO!” I squealed, landing on the ground, beginning to tear. I landed on the concrete, and could see my vision slowly fainting. Hunter was pinned down by another Hunter, only a few feet away.

“Hunter?” I weakly called, trying to lift up my head, even though it felt like a million ton.

He shouted in pain, then kicked the Hunter back, twisting its neck. It yelped in pain, as Hunter ran up to me, picked me up just like Dad did, and began running, as fire burned the Hunter, and probably the horde behind us. As my vision was blurrier and blurrier, I stared deep into his eyes. Still full of fear, but something struck in them. Like in the eye of the storm, he was determined and willing to do anything for me to survive, and ran and carried me with great speed and willingness.

Just before I blacked out, I remembered that the only way to become an Infected was to get bitten.

I saw bloody teeth marks on Hunter’s arm, and then everything went black.