A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 8

I heard the door open and ran over for another hug. I didn't recall hugging people so much in the past, but I had been alone for so long that I couldn't seem to help it. I was just so happy to be around another person. I was so excited that she was back.

I started skipping around the room, unable to contain my excitement, "twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky-"

"Laura, if you want to take anything with us please go get it. Especially if you want a picture of your family. You may want that in a few years." I nodded and ran upstairs.

I grabbed my school backpack out of my closet. What should I take with me? My clothing was all dirty, but I packed my favorite dress. Most of my toys had broken over time. I decided to leave all my toys, I was tired of playing with toys anyways. I did take my small teddy bear though. I grabbed two of my favorite books, although I knew them by heart at this point.

I poked my head into other rooms upstairs. I had eaten all of the good food, so I quickly ignored the four rooms with food. I looked in the office and quickly went to the desk. I had moved most of the pictures of Mom, Dad, and me in here. I packed them all up. My hairbrush had lost most of its bristles and my toothbrush didn't look much better so I left those. Hopefully Diane could find me some in better condition. I couldn't think of anything else I wanted to take with me.

I glanced out the window and saw a white bus in the distance. I quickly descended the stairs. I saw Diane leaning against the kitchen counter, "I see a bus in the distance!"

She turned to look at me, "A white one?"

"Yep."

She didn't look surprised, so she must have been expecting them. "That is them. They are on their way here. Do you have everything you want to take? It may not be possible to come back later."

"Yes. I have my teddy, my favorite dress, two books, and a few other things. Most of my clothes are really dirty, so I left them upstairs." I wasn't sure if I was missing anything important. I had never packed by myself before, Mom had always helped me.

She nodded as if she had expected that answer, "That is fine. There are more clothes at the base that you can have." She wandered over to the door, "I am going to go out so they can see me, then I will come back in."

"Okay, I will watch." I quickly went to the window and peeked outside, "I don't see any zombies." I glanced back and blinked in confusion as she grabbed a pillow from the couch before going outside. Why did she take a pillow with her? I peeked out the window again to watch her.

She walked to the middle of the street and waved once to the distant vehicle before tossing the dark red pillow into the street. She turned around to come back inside. She gave me a slight smile as she walked over to push the curtains completely open while we waited for the bus.

Her eyes were much dimmer than I had ever seen them, as if she was hiding their light. There were still a bright shade of blue, but they looked almost normal. She was making herself look more normal, more human. She was hiding the fact that she was an angel? Why? It made me uneasy, if she didn't trust the people in the bus, why were we going with them? I shifted from foot to foot uneasily.

I was surprised to see the bus had a snow plow blade on the front. I watched the white bus pull up and my eyes grew wide as lots of people quickly got off and scattered in all directions, disappearing from sight around buildings. Not one of them had blue eyes like Diane had. They all had weapons as well.

Two of them started heading for the front door and Diane went to open the door for them. I hadn't felt nervous or shy in a very long time and it came back with a vengeance. I slowly followed her, unwilling to be separated from her if strangers were coming into the house. She opened the door to let them in and I hid behind Diane.