Forgetting the Apocalypse

39. Keeping Up

Kailee's POV*

My life changed when I was five years old and I was told that I was going to be an older sister. According to my parents, I stopped playing with my dolls because that was something only kids did. I was no longer a kid but an older sister, I had to be responsible. It made them laugh. Made me laugh too when they told me, I honestly don't remember saying that.

My life changed again the first time my little brother Boaz passed out in school. Dad picked me up from schoold instead of me taking the bus home. He had gotten really excited in class for a reason that I can't even remember. I do remember my dad trying to remain calm but failing miserably when he told me that they rushed him to the hospital because as he fainted he hit his head on the desk on the way down.

While he was being looked over that was when we discovered about his heart condition.

It hit us like a runaway train. I remember seeing and hearing my mom sobbing. Hearing my dad trying to find the words to comfort her but instead stuttering over his own tears.

That just happened to be the moment that Boaz opened his eyes. He looked like he was just waking up from a regular sleep, not like he a had a medical problem. That only lasted a moment until he saw mom and dad. When he saw them crying, I saw his heart monitor. I could see him start to get scared.

I don't even recall making the conscious decision sitting next to him or what I had said. All I knew is that I was already talking to him while the doctor still spoke with our parents. I told him that he had to be careful because he was like the hulk. Anything that made his heart rate go up would cause him to transform so he needed to make sure that he stayed as calm as possible at all times until we could find a way to cure him.

For years, I was conflicted. I wanted nothing more than for Boaz to be happy. To be free and be able to do the things he wanted. But I was always afraid of him even being too happy that in his excitement his heart rate would spike so much that that would be the one that would kill him.

It took everything in me to stay calm when we rushed him to the hospital when we were at his friend's party. I waited until I was in the bathroom to give myself permission to break down. Those were the only times that I could do so. I never let my parents or my brother let me see break. Somebody needed to be calm, steady and cool and that fell to me.

When I saw him running out of the hospital, I felt like screaming. I tried to keep my voice soft and remind him again about what the doctor had just finished telling us but then I saw everything. I saw the people running. I saw some of them being tackled to the ground by others.

Then I saw those very same biting into them. It wasn't until I saw a chewed up woman coming towards the car, towards my brother. By pure instinct I slammed my foot on the pedal. Still, she moved unnaturally fast. She ended crashing against the back window. Shattering it entirely.

Driving home wasn't as easy getting outta there. Everyone was driving like they were either drunk or high. Roads were being blocked or being locked because no one gave a shit who had the right away. I tried driving as safe as possible while at the same time trying to get home as quick as possible. I refrained from looking over to see if Boaz was ok. There was no way I could take my eyes off the road without crashing.

Coming home was not as I expected.

I understood my dad's trauma and his need to be prepared. Living through not one but two natural disasters is bound to make anyone make sure they were totally prepared. So I never argued or questioned him when he would get on our case about not only ensuring that we had a go-bag but keeping it up to date.

The first thing out of his mouth was to grab them. After that he was checking off everything that was going into the car. Things that we spent packing just in case we came back home we forgotten. We were being evacuated now. Only the food and supply boxes were coming with us. I'll never be more grateful for canned good when we were at the safe zones than anyone.