To The Grave

Chapter 13. Marty. Day 72.

I sat on top of the larger car, a heavy gun resting in my hands. I looked further ahead on the road, watching some corpses stumbling along the road. My sisters emerged from some bushes, squirting hand sanitizer to their hands.

My brother stood on the ground, holding a large gun. His eyes were fixed to the same small group of rotters. I looked behind us, hearing a strange noise. A car was speeding up the road.

"Ferris, watch out." I shouted, pointing to the car. He pressed his back against the car, allowing it to zoom by. The brake lights turned on, the car moving in reverse closer to us.

"Oh, my god. You're alive!" The woman inside squealed. "I haven't met anyone alive within the past month." My dad circled around the car, looking at the stranger.

"What do you want?" He asked, moving his hand to grab the gun from Ferris.

The woman shook her dark, braided hair, "I just wanted to know someone else was alive. Do you have room in your group for two more?"

"Two?" Ferris asked, looking into the car through the open window.

She rolled the back window down revealing a small toddler. "She's three. Her father died saving her. I have my own food and water, I just don't want to be alone out here with her."

"What's your name?" I asked, moving my legs to hang down the side of the car.

My dad looked up to glare at me. The dark skinned woman smiled, "I'm Gloria, and her name is Chloe."

"Yeah, you can travel with us." I jumped down from the car. "We have to leave though, they're almost close enough to smell us." I walked back over to the smaller grey car. Ferris was pulling his door open.

"Winona and Marty switch cars." My dad's voice boomed out.

I turned around, seeing my little sister grow agitated. She walked over to the car, sliding into the door I held open for myself.

I walked over to the large white SUV, crawling in. The car roared to life, moving slowly down the road.

The car began to pick up pace, moving quickly along the narrow road. "Why would you let some random woman into our group? What if she robs us, or kills us?"

"What if she's just a woman with a three year old kid?" I pushed the button for the window down, pulling a cigarette out of my pocket.

My mom sighed, "Don't smoke in the car."

I lit the lighter, waving it across the tip of the cigarette, creating a pull of smoke into my lungs. "She couldn't survive by herself with that kid."

My dad shook his head, growing pissed. "That's her problem to deal with, it shouldn't be ours."

"Marty, I told you not to smoke in the car!" My mom raised her voice, turning in her seat.

Molly moved her hands up, "Marty's right, she could help us. What if she's a doctor or an engineer or a mechanic? She could help us and teach us how to do the things she knows."

"She's not a college professor, Molly. She's probably an ordinary Joe, who's just going to cost us resources." My dad yelled back at us.

Molly slammed her hands against her thighs. "You know what, I'd be happy to share my rations with her if it means she gets another day to live and spend with her daughter. Everyone deserves a chance."

"She has a chance; it doesn't have to involve us." Our dad argued.

I shook my head, feeling my long hair move with my irritation. "Is this a concept only decent people can understand? We should work towards the rebuilding of humanity, not distance-"

"Marty, if you don't put out the God damn cigarette, I swear to Christ." My mom screamed.

"Fucking stop the car!" I screamed over her.

My dad pulled over on the side of the road, slamming on his brakes. I threw the door open, jumping out onto the asphalt.

"You're my worst mistake." I caught the door from closing, pulling it back open to look at my mom through the seat. I looked over to my older sister, seeing the shocked expression on her face. She threw her door open, climbing out quickly.

I moved away, pushing the door closed. I rushed to the car, pulling the backseat open. Winona tried to climb out. "Wait, why are we in this car?"

"Mom and Dad need to get their shit together." Molly muttered, rolling her window down. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a hand rolled cigarette. She moved a lighter up, sparking it, creating a sweet smell across the car.

She blew out smoke, taking another quick puff before reaching across Winona to pass it to me. I took a good hit off the joint, passing it forward to Randall. He grabbed it, taking a puff before asking, "What happened in the car?"

I thought about it. My mom's words echoed in my head. "We just argued about Gloria and Chloe and if they should stay with us."