Santiago Rising

chapter 17

I looked at Haley as if she were crazy. She just saw my bite mark and yet she still wanted me to tag along for the ride. I couldn't understand her. But the look in her eyes it was almost begging me to stay with her. I couldn't say no but I needed to say no. "Yes," I heard myself say. What am I doing? What am I saying? Everything in me was yelling no but my mouth said yes and now because of my mouth, I am saying with this beautiful hazel eyed women. She grabs my hand and leads me back inside the apartment. I looked around and saw a baby, a kid,  and a teenage girl. I didn't see the man name Josh around, he must of went outside and wandering around the building to gather supplies.

I sigh and ask myself why am I saying and why I haven't died yet in this crazy person's presence. "My name is Haley and you know this but this is Abby, Carman, and Casey," she said to me. I looked her in the eyes and said, "Gabby as you know but we've met before, at police headquarters," I said to her. She looks to confuse and had on what I assume to be her thinking face on. She looks adorable. No, stop that I can't think of her like that. I wanted to tell her how I know her but she held up her hand as if she remembers. "you're the front desk girl!" she said to me. I said yes and seat down. my body was starting to relax.

I saw the girls move around and sit in front of me. I saw the questions bouncing around their eyes. "what was it like out there alone?" ask the oldest one. What am I supposed to tell her? I don't know if I should tell her in front of a kid but then again, this kid was with Haley and must have been through a lot. So, I started to tell them what I've been through.

It started out as any other day just making my way to work when I saw smoke far off in the distance. I knew that today was going to be hell with everyone running around to help and stop whatever it was that was going on. But I didn't make it work instead someone came running and jumped in front of my car. I stop and got out to see what as going on when someone else came running full speed at me and slam into me. I was fighting them off and won. I kicked them off and ran to my car and grab my handgun. Then I heard screaming and shouting and saw the person I hit to get back up, tackle a person to the ground and bit into them. I saw the blood and hear the yelling. I went to help but something grabbed me from behind and throw me onto the floor. This person was trying to take a bit out of me. As I was fighting this person off I felt something wet on my hands and face. I look and saw this black shit pouring out of this guy face and push him off. I took out my gun and aim at him telling him to stop but he lunges at me again and I pull the trigger. I know I shot him in the chest but he got right back up and came at me again.

This time I shot him in the head and he falls to the ground limped with that black blood pouring out of him. I looked around and saw more people being attack and some just lying on the floor and watching their bodies twist with life but they were alive. I didn't want to fire my handgun again so I ran to people who needed help. I would pull these craze people off of others and help them but there were some that I was too late for, they had already died or started twisting with life in that creepy way. I tried to save as many people as I could but those things were coming too fast and yelling at people to move away from them was getting too much and too hard.

After a few minutes, I notice that that smoke was getting thicker and I saw that these craze people were cover in ash and some had burns that should have killed them. We were getting overrun with the living and the crazy people.

At the time, I didn't want to admit to myself that they were dead and walking around, I was hoping for all of this to be a nightmare that felt too real but it wasn't it was real and I was in it. I was trying my best to help people until I couldn't anymore and ran. I was with some other cops and we ran and went our separate ways. I ran to my house to see if my mother was alright but I was too late. She was gone and I killed her. I wasn't going to stay there, I grab a bag and fill it with food water and some ammunition that I had for my weapon. I took a picture of my mother and I and left. I was going to try and get out of the city but the national guard was trying to stop people from leaving. They were shooting people who weren't dead but those they shot got right back up and started attacking them and those who were up and walking when they shouldn't be left the city and those who were dead left as well.

They sent people after them but I guess it was too late. I ran from that area but something in me told me to stay close, and just as it is I find Haley where she was attacked by those things that I now believe to be zombies.

"Anyway, that's part of my story," said Gabby. I listen to every word she said. I couldn't believe hat I was hearing. When I encountered the national guard they were trying to help people not block off the roads but then I remembered the Navy shooting at me from the water. She's right. They wanted to keep us in the city but they couldn't and now we're all doom. I look at Gabby and wonder how she manages to stay alive on her own. She managed to stay on her in a city full the undead and the frighten alive. I look away from her and spot Carmen and Casey together and think about their lives and how it all went to shit. Without meaning to I say aloud "we need to move out of the city".

I shoot up from my seat as I watch Gabby and Josh as they stare me down. I was about to defend myself when Josh said " good idea" and left it at that. Gabby nodded in agreement. I just look at the two of them. I thought they would try and fight me in this but they aren't. They must think it's a good idea to leave. But I'm not thinking of the reasons they want to leave because the only thing in my mind is keeping those two girls safe and I would do anything for that and for them. Even if it kills me.