HAUNTED

Happy Birthday

IT WAS TWO WEEKS TILL Emma's birthday. She would be turning fourteen! The girl couldn't stop thinking about the day in her head. Her father had planned the best day, he had gotten her favorite cake aswell.

Just looking at the carrot cake in the fridge made her drool as she could taste it already.

If only it was her birthday right now. Her presents were up in the attic. Despite how excited she was, she was old enough to not go take a peak despite her inner child arguing with her.

It was later now. She was watching Jane the virgin while she ate chips. Her father was working a late shift and wouldn't be home for the next hour or two.

The time said 7PM while suddenly her episode paused automatically and a random black screen showed up with a bold red font.

"THIS IS NOT A TEST. THIS AN A EMERGENCY. I REPEAT THIS IS A EMERGENCY. THERE ARE MONSTER TYPE FIGURES OUT ON THE LOOSE CHASING AND EATING OTHER HUMAN FLESH. PLEASE STAY IN YOUR HOMES AND LOCK THE DOORS. WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED"

The font said as the news began playing. It was a man holding his microphone while he was outside, people running and screaming In the background. "Hello, this is news reporter Alex, reporting some type of zombie like figures are out on the loose eating other humans! Please avoid getting bitten or scratched by these creatures and stay in your homes and-"

Alex's words were cut off when one of them jumped out at him, taking a bite of his cheek as blood gushed out, his screams making Emma gasp in shock.

The guy holding the camera ran, dropping the camera as screams broke loose, the creature chasing after him with such speed it was as if it were human.

Emma could see the creature catching up with the man, taking a bite out of its neck as it began eating him before the news screen shut up.

"Oh my god" Emma mumbled as she ran to the front door, locking the deadbolt before running to the backyard door and locking it aswell.

She began locking every window she could think of in their two story house before she dialed her father's phone number.

Simba kept meowing over and over again, longing each one of his meows, praying Emma would pay some sort of attention to him.

It dialed once. It dialed twice. It dialed till she heard her father's voice. "Hello" She asked into the phone, thinking he answered but after hearing the voice response she knew it was his voice-mail.

"Hello, sorry I couldn't take your call. Please leave a message and I hope you have a great day" Her father spoke happily before the ding sound happened.

She tried again and again and again and again till she realized there was no hope. The girl was so stressed she didn't even know what to do. But she knew one thing, she couldn't stay here forever. She'd rot in this dumb house.

So, the girl picked up Simba and ran upstairs to her bedroom. Grabbing a duffle bag, she began packing the essentials.

Simba kept meowing out of stress, sending a headache to the girl. "I know Simba, I know! Just stay quiet. Please" Emma begged the cat.

She folded her clothes nicely despite the situation because she knew she could have more space in the bag if everything was nice. She hoped this was just a bad dream and she'd wake up in her bed to the smell of chocolate chip pancakes and her father's loud country music playing but she knew that was impossible.

This wasn't a dream. It couldn't be. Just by looking outside the girl could tell it was real.

She packed her hair brush, her tooth brush with toothpaste. She packed four water bottles and two packs of pop tarts. Including a pack of Ritz crackers and two zip locks filled with cereal. Aswell as ten oreos. Not knowing what to pack.

The girl also packed two cans of wet cat food and three zip locks of dry cat food. And three of Simba's favorite toys. The girl then went into the knife drawer in the kitchen and pulled out a knife for protection.

She also packed a flash light, matches, and a first-aid kit before zipping the bag up and putting her shoes on.

She put her helmet on aswell, prepared to leave this place. She grabbed a peice of paper and a pen and began to write a note incase her father returned.

I left some food and water for you. If your reading this dad, you need to leave this home and leave the city. We'll meet again someday. I love you dad. Please, live. Do anything to survive.

She sticked it onto the fridge before going into thr garage where her bike was.

She had a basket on her bike where she laid a small washcloth before putting Simba in there to sit.

Emma held the heavy duffle bag on her thigh aswell as holding the handles with her hand and opened the garage and left the home.

The city was filled with screaming, fires, and people running. The entire town was going insane, not knowing what to do.

When Emma was a kid, every winter she'd visit her grandma who lived outside the city. So, Emma took the same route her father took out the city, Simba wining slightly.

She stopped to see her surroundings, not familiar with the area as a loud snarling came to her. She turned when her eyes widened, seeing a man who looked in his mid-forties, his skin pale and covered in dirt, his clothes having holes and filthy, his eyes white, blood or something leaking from his mouth as his stomach was completely gone, his guts spilling out.

The girl began pedaling quickly, her heart racing. She wanted to cry inside as she rode like her life dependented on it, because it did. The dead thing chased her until a gun went off and the thing fell to the ground.

Emma turned to see a RV pulling up to her. She saw an older man who looked like he was in his sixties, putting his gun down he seemed panicked. "Get in! Get in!" The man said over and over again.

The girl smiled as she quickly left her bike and got into the RV, Simba coming along with her as she could not carry him and her duffle bag.

The RV doors closed and the man began driving. Emma turned to him. "Thank you" She said. "What's your name?"

"Anytime. My names Dale. What's yours?" The man asked.

Emma licked her lips. "My name is Emma." She said, a small smile on her lips.

"We need to get out of the city. They are bombing it." Dale told the girl.

"But they told people to stay put! What about all the people that actually listened and stayed?" Emma asked, frustrated.

Dale shook his head. "I know. But we can't go back now" He told her.

Emma sighed as she sat down at the small table In the RV, her mind spiraling.

She hoped her father got out. She hoped one day she'd see him again.

Happy Birthday.

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Words - 1230
Written - March 4th 2024
Published - March 4th 2024

A/N:

Chapter one, before the outbreak is now published!! If you enjoyed please vote and comment as it keeps me motivated!

This is how Dale and Emma start to become close! Love them!

I hope you have a good day/night!

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