EATERS

CHAPTER 1: CHAOS

"NOLAN! LOCK YOURSELF IN THE BATHROOM!" I shouted out to my 8 year old brother, but he froze in place in shock and fear. I heard him scream as our mother bit a chunk of flesh off his left arm. "NOLAN!!!!" I swung my bat as hard as I could on her head, hearing a loud crack. I had to forcefully swallow the vomit that creeped up and burned my throat when my mother's head busted open, the bat bounced off and I had to strike her again and again and again when she tried to attack Nolan once more. She slumped hard on the floor dead...really dead as in not coming back to eat us.

I dropped my bat and ran towards my little brother who was on the floor crying and bleeding. I could barely see his face from the hot tears that kept pouring out of my own eyes. I took off my tank top, not caring that he saw me in a sports bra, ripping it to securely tie it around his wounded arm. "Y...you're going to be alright Nolan," I tried to be brave for him and myself. I needed to give him reassurance and myself hope. If he dies, I don't know what I will do. I need to find my grandfather and great grandmother. I helped him up to sit on the sofa, then ran to the fridge and shakenly opened a bottle of water for him and opened another to clean his wound. I ran back to him and helped him drink the water. I then ran to check if the front door of our apartment was securely locked. It was. I then ran back to him, grabbing the blanket from the sofa and wrapped it around him. I then ran to the bathroom and found the first aid kit underneath the basin. I approached Nolan and kneeled in front of him, opening the first aid kit. Carefully I unwrapped the tank top as he cried. "It's ok Nolan," I whispered sweetly. "I have to clean it so that it doesn't get infected." His wet teared face slowly nodded as he tried to be brave for what is to come. I took the bottle water and poured it over his wound to clean up as much as I could to get a better view. It was such a nasty bite. Here comes that vomit again wanting to make a visit. I could do this! I could do this!

Once again I swallowed hard, then opened the bottle of alcohol. Before I poured it, I looked at my terrified little brother's face. "Hold your breath and close your eyes baby." Once he did, I poured the alcohol, but he yelled like a banshee.

"IT HURTS ABBIE!" He wailed out as he pulled his arm away from me and scooted as far back as he could into the sofa. "Please don't. It hurts."

My heart sank even more, if that's even possible. I weakly smiled at him. "The worst part is over Nolan. All I have to do is put this ointment," I showed him the tube. "You remember this ointment right? It's the same one mom...." my voice trailed off as I slowly turned my head to look at her lifeless body with a split head on the floor. Blood spread out like an area rug. How could I be so stupid?! I angrily got up and went to her bedroom. I yanked the quilt off of her bed and went back to the livingroom to cover up her body. Nolan kept his eyes on our mother's blood stained quilt. I cleared my throat and kneeled before Nolan again. "She used this ointment on your knee when you scraped it, remember?" He slowly nodded. "It didn't hurt right?" He slowly shook his head. "I will use the Q-Tip to gently put the ointment on, then a nice clean bandage." Nolan slowly scooted closer to me and presented his arm. I bit my lower lip as I carefully put the ointment on this nasty bite wound. After I was sure that I covered it entirely, I unrolled a large clean gauze and wrapped it around before taping it closed. I then gave him one Ibupheran for his pain.

"Why did mommy bite me Abbie?" He asked in his little shaken voice.

"I don't know baby," I sat down, placing him on my lap and smoothing out his sweaty hair. He has a fever. Dammit!

"Are we going to grandpa's house?"

"Of course we are. He and our great grandma are waiting for us."

I could hear screaming outside and our neighbors banging on doors and walls. I could hear furniture scraping the floors and muffled gurgling sounds. Something I didn't notice until now. I grabbed the remote control to the TV and turned it on looking for cartoons to keep Nolan entertained and not focused on what is happening. Unfortunately, every channel was the same. The news was talking about how infected people were attacking and eating other people. They were named Eaters. They were showing clips of people running away while others were being ripped apart and consumed. I covered Nolan's eyes as I myself felt another wave of vomit creeping up my throat. Those that survived the attack were reported to have turned into an Eater. Some turned faster than others. Some turned in seconds, others in minutes and a few within an hour or two. I don't understand how or why. All I know is that the virus was highly infectious. I turned off the TV and just held Nolan in my arms as he silently whimpered. We both were.