And Nothing Was Alright

The Beginning of the End (pt. 1)

The lights flicker above me as I walk through the grocery store, throwing a box of cereal into the cart as I pass by it. I'm about to grab a variety box of Pop Tarts when I hear my friend, Tierney, from a couple aisles over.

"Michael! Come quickly!"

As I rush to the aisle she's in, totally leaving my cart and groceries behind, I'm met with something that's got nothing in common with what I expected.

Tierney is holding up a box of mix for cookie brownies, and I sigh heavily. Eventually, after looking at her adorable face for a moment, I can't help but to smile.

"Dammit, Tee, you had me worried." I chuckle softly. "Come on, we have to go if we wanna catch that movie." She smiles and walks to me, handing my the box and putting her small hand in the crook of my right elbow. Though we aren't together, people often think we are because we act like more of a couple that most actual couples do. In reality, we're just childhood friends that happen to live together--and do everything else better, to an extent.

Upon returning to the cart, I throw in the box that Tee grabbed and push it towards the front of the store with her still holding onto my arm. Of course, after being friends for so long, I have no problem with this. It's kind of become the usual.

We get our groceries and put them in the car, driving home to our German Shepard and calico. After putting the groceries away, we go to the movies. Tee decided on Finding Dory, seeing as it's her turn to pick. I don't have a problem with this. I wanted to see it pretty badly myself, but she doesn't need to know that.

But as we're driving to the theater, we notice a horrible smell in the air around us. It smells like blood, spoiled milk, rotten eggs, and just... disease; sickness.

Death.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling, hair-raising scream sounds out from what sound like miles away. It echoes through the long, empty street, and only then do we notice all of the deserted cars left on the side of the road. They aren't parallel parked like they should be, though. It looks as if everyone parked in a hurry, as the cars are crooked and jutting out into the driving lanes.

"What the hell...?" Tierney mutters under her breath. Without quite realizing it, I reply.

"I hope that's only what it looks like."

Further down the street than what either of us can see all too clearly, what looks like a man--a woman? I can't tell-- sprints out of the corner store, taking long, bounding strides. They're running from something.

"Michael, drive. Just go! I think something's wrong," Tee says to me, and I step on the gas without a moment's hesitation.

But it's too late. By the time I get to where the person was running from, all that's left is a few shreds of what was once a red flannel shirt and a puddle of blood.