Small Eyes (A Zombie Novel)

Left Behind

   We had made our way up the block and had barely turned the corner. The four of us were within moments of reaching the gate. We had fallen so far behind everyone else, I knew mom must've been worried sick.

    I kept my eyes on the gate, almost expecting Mom to come storming towards us screaming 'where were you?!' But it wasn't just mom who came speeding through the gate. Large numbers of individuals and families came flooding into our neighborhood. The same people that had been running towards the gate were now running from it. While I didn't know everyone in the neighborhood, I definitely knew there were protesters making their way inside. Mom. Mom was in the crowd. She ran for a few feet but now she was at a stand-still, frantically whipping her head around in every direction.

    "I see mom!" Wyatt shouted as he pointed to her. Towards the gate and into the crowd, we were working our way towards mom and Delilah. I knew Wyatt was beside me but I didn't look over to him. I had my sights set on Mom and my eyes glued to her location. The last thing I wanted was to lose track of Mom and Deliliah.

    "Wyatt! Alycia!" Mom screamed, her hair thrashed into Delilah's face as she oscillated her head in every direction. "Alycia, Wyatt!!"

    "Mom!" I hollered as I swung my shoulder back, dodging near-collision with one of the running people. Mom's head spun in our general direction but she still had the same panicked expression on her face. We kept running towards her.

    "Mom, over here!" Wyatt joined in. He tossed his hands over his head and began waving them in the air, jumping up and down as he hurried down the street. "Mom!" Wyatt continued.

    As we got closer, I could see mom wasn't just holding onto Deliliah. While my sister was secured in one arm, my mom was also holding onto a girl's hand. The girl's cheeks were rosey and her eyes were puffy. Tear stains ran all the way from her cheeks down to her neck.

    I looked just beyond mom and the girl. She looked like she was around my brother's age and a 16-year-old shouldn't be alone, especially not in this type of situation. However, a few feet by my mom and the girl, there were several sick. Around five or six. They all had crimson liquid staining their nose, cheeks, and chin.

    Mom, Deliliah, and the girl still weren't moving. They were in the rear of the crowd and one of the closest to the sick. One of the sick cocked its head in the girls' direction. The same sick swayed his head from side to side, studying my mom like a tiger would size up it's prey.

    Wyatt and I both began screaming to mom, calling her name and telling her to run, but she didn't react or even look in our direction. She still stood in the middle of the street, yelling for us.

    One of the sick starting charging towards the three and -- Bang. The sick's shoulder blew back. It stumbled back slightly; its legs crossed awkwardly before it regained its balanced and began to run again.

    Mom turned around right when gunshots were fired and before she even looked forward, she started running. Bang. The sick's head blew back and it fell to the floor.

    I glanced to my left, where the gunshots had came from. Shawn. He had his gun pressed again his shoulder and his finger squeezing the trigger.

    Mom and the girl took several leaps forward until they stood right in front of us. Even though we were all thankful to be reunited, no words were said except; "We have to get inside now." My mom had a clear sense of urgency in her voice. Without any explanation, mom released the crying girl's hand and looked at me, clearly suggesting that I hold onto her.

    I wrapped my arm around the girl's back and started to run with her. Our house was close to the gate. We didn't even have to run a full block. However, it was still difficult to make it there.