Chapter 1
Sunnyvale has always been my home, a town where everyone knows everyone.
A town filled with laughter, Founders Balls, pep rallies and Friday night football games.
"Moira, we need to keep moving" Theo whispered frantically placing his hand on my shoulder.
I glanced at him, his black hair in a messy manbun, his dark brown eyes usually shining with mischief now shone with fear, he had dirt on his clothes and face from running through the town.
I looked back at the town, I could still hear screaming and smoke from a few buildings that was on fire. It happened so fast.
"Moira, please we can't stay here." Theo pleaded shaking me. "We need to go!"
My mom was down there, my dad, my grandparents, friends, teachers.
When I heard the first scream I had thought kids were ditching again and got caught. But then more screams. They sounded so scared.
"They're gone." I whispered my hands shaking.
Theo opened his mouth to speak when a car sped past us and a few meters away stopped and Mr Bernard our English teacher looked out the passenger seat window, blood splatter on his face. He looked terrified.
"Get in the car!" He yelled at us. Why does he sound so far away?
I felt drunk, which is odd. I don't remember drinking. Maybe I did?
I don’t remember.
"Moira!" Theo was yelling my name but he sounded like he was underwater even though he was towering over me.
He's always been the tallest in every grade.
I felt another pair of hands on my shoulders and saw Mr Bernard. He and Theo were pushing me towards the car. Mr Bernard kept looking back to the burning town.
I saw Mr Dillon in the driver's seat as Theo pushed me in the car. I like Mr Dillon he always gives me a cookie when I order coffee at his shop.
I turned my head to Theo, he was talking to Mr Bernard and Mr Dillon but I couldn't hear what he was saying. Was I going deaf?
Maybe he's playing a game, Theo always plays games.
Theo was showing his arms to Mr Bernard and pointed at me shaking his head. He was still talking. I don't like this game.
Theo always talks a lot, since we were kids. Even in his sleep he's talking.
I once put duck tape on his mouth when he slept over.
Theo turned to face me and took my face in his hands making me look at him, he was crying, why was he crying?
Maybe he needs a hug?
"Moira please, you're in shock but I need you to focus!" Theo whispered his voice shaking.
Buzzing, there is a buzzing in my ears.
I couldn't breathe, they're dead but not dead, they came back, they tried to eat me. Theo saved me, my dad tried to—
"Theo!" A gasped sob left my lips as my body trembled. "My dad- he tried to-" I sobbed as Theo pulled me into his arms.
"It wasn't your dad- he was sick!" Theo whispered his voice breaking as he tightened his grip on me.
I don't understand, how did this happen?
I was having breakfast this morning with my family, it was game night tonight, Theo was taking me to get coffee after school like everyday.
"Moira," Mr Bernard said turned towards us. "Were you bitten, scratched?" He asked his eyes scanning me.
"I told you she wasn't, I haven't left her side since-" Theo trailed off holding me closer his body shaking.
"We're okay, there is a military border up a few miles down the road, we just need to get there then we're safe." Mr Dillon said glancing at us through the rear view mirror his eyes shining with concern.
"How do you know that?" Theo asked letting go of me but keeping me close.
"There was a soldier in town, I heard his radio." Mr Dillon responded. "He wasn't- human." He whispered.
Wasn’t human, just like my parents.
"What the hell is happening to people?!" Theo asked looking at the two older men. "My neighbor bit off his wife's face!" Theo yelled terror in his voice.
"It looks like some sort of virus- not like one I've ever seen." Mr Bernard said leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
Virus, my father tried to rip my throat out, my mother went out a second story window. What kind of virus makes people do that?!
This can't be happening. This isn't happening.
Theo was still shaking looking outside the car at the trees passing us, I could still feel dried blood on my hand, my father's blood.
I screamed at him to stop, begged him not to hurt me but he didn’t stop, if Theo hadn't shown up. I would probably be dead.
We drove in silence the only sound was the hum of the engine and the sound of my own heartbeat in my ears. My hands wouldn’t stop trembling.
"Theo," I whispered, he turned and took my hands. "I'm scared"
"I know Moira, but I'm here I'll keep you safe." He brushed my hair from my face his hand shaking. "We're almost at the border, we'll be safe there."
We'll be safe, the military will help us.
"Border should be coming in view soon." Mr Dillon said from the front seat his hands shaking on the steering wheel and he looked visibly pale.
"You okay, Mr Dillon?" Theo asked leaning forward also seeing how pale he looked, Mr Bernard also looked over at him.
"Yeah I'm alright son, just shaken." Mr Dillon said glancing behind us through the rear view mirror. "Who's that?" He whispered.
Theo and I both turned and looked back, a grey Toyota Sienna was behind us and getting closer.
"Survivors?" Mr Bernard whispered hopefully.
"They're coming rather fast aren't they?" Theo asked his hand finding mine. There was a motorcycle not far from the car.
"Someone's behind the car." I said softly as the car and a motorcycle got closer to us.
"I see the border!" Mr Dillon suddenly called out.
My stomach flipped and hope bloomed in my chest. We're safe!
I looked ahead at a blockage and a few military cars. Something wasn’t right.
I couldn’t see one soldier.
Mr Dillon stopped and we all got out as the other car and bike stopped next to us
I recognize them, officer Tony Franklin, Ronnie from first period English, Billy who's father runs the construction company.
My classmates, my father's friend. They made it out!
Even though the biker didn’t take off his helmet I knew that body and bike, I see it everyday in the hallway getting into fights and parking on the teachers spots. Jasper Knight.
The walking lawless dumbass.
"It's too quiet, where is everyone?" Mr Bernard whispered as Ronnie ran up to us and hugged me sobbing.
I hugged her so hard my fingers digging into her shoulders and another sob left my lips.
"Oh thank God, you got out!" She sobbed pulling away and hugging Theo who hugged her just as tight.
Jasper pulled his helmet off and looked around, his body tense as he climbed off the bike.
Billy pulled me into his arms burying his head in my shoulder.
"I saw your house on the way out of town, I thought you were dead." He whispered as he pulled away his eyes glassy.
"Oh fuck." Jasper gasped making me look at him.
He was looking at something behind the concrete barriers, I walked closer and followed his gaze.
My whole body went cold. There was blood on the floor— slightly hidden behind the border, easy to miss.
"Theo." I whimpered and he came closer.
I pointed at the blood and felt his body stiffen next to me.
"Everyone back in the cars, now!" Theo yelled surprising everyone.
"Why, what's happening?" Ronnie asked panicked.
"Are there more of those things coming?" Billy asked looking around fearfully.
Mr Bernard and officer Franklin stepped closer and saw the blood and both men looked like they're going to be sick.
"You heard him, go!" Officer Franklin yelled.
Officer Franklin pulled Ronnie and Billy toward his car, Jasper walked past officer Franklin and got on his bike, he put his helmet on and revved his bike, Theo pulled me by my hand back to the car as Mr Bernard tried to lead Mr Dillon to the car but Mr Dillon stood facing away from us his whole body shaking and twitching.
"Harry, come on!" Mr Bernard called placing his hand on Mr Dillon's shoulder.
Mr Dillon jerked around, blood pouring from his mouth and a scream tore through my lips before I could stop it.
He was infected.
Mr Dillon lunged at Mr Bernard trying to bite him, I watched the two men fall to the ground, Mr Dillon on top of a struggling Mr Bernard.
"Harry, stop!" Mr Bernard cried out but Mr Dillon kept trying to bite him.
Theo ran passed me and tackled Mr Dillon allowing Mr Bernard to scramble up.
Mr Dillon stood up and lunged at Theo, He dodged but Mr Dillon came at him again. I looked around frantically looking for something I could use as a weapon.
I saw a rock and without thinking I picked it up and hurled it at Mr Dillon's head, it bounced off his head and he spun around snarling at me and lunged.
I felt an arm sliding around my waist and the ground dissappearing under my feet as I'm spun around out of Mr Dillon's way.
A gunshot suddenly rang out and I screamed covering my ears as Mr Dillon dropped to the floor, eyes still open, a bullet hole in his head.
I looked up and saw a man in a military uniform holding up a gun, he was leaning against the concrete barrier holding a hand over his bleeding stomach.
"Did he bite one of you?!" He demanded pointing a gun between Theo and Mr Bernard who were both still looking at Mr Dillon in shock.
I looked up and saw Jasper was the one who had grabbed me, I pushed out of his arms, running towards Theo, I planted myself between Theo and the man, holding my shaking hands up hoping he doesn't shoot.
"They're not infected!" I cried out my body trembling and tears fell.
"He was fine a few minutes ago." Theo whispered behind me his voice shaking.
"Why didn’t he tell us?" Mr Bernard's voice came from my left also shaking.
"Move girl!" The man growled out through gritted teeth cocking his gun.
Another gun cocked and I turned to see Jasper pointing a gun at the man. Where the hell did he get a gun?
"Lower your gun" Jasper said, his voice slightly muffled under his helmet.
"Is that my gun?" Officer Franklin asked in disbelief feeling behind him. "How the hell?"
Theo seemed to snap out of his shock stepping in front of me holding his hands up.
"I'm not infected." Theo said showing his arms and neck and the man nodded and pointed the gun to Mr Bernard who was now crouched next to Mr Dillon.
"Why didn't you say something old friend?" Mr Bernard asked his voice breaking as tears fell. He glared up at the man. "I'm not fucking infected you cunt!"
The man lowered his gun wincing in pain as blood spilled from the wound. Jasper also lowered the gun.
"You need to keep going—" the man said his face going more pale and hands shaking. Like Mr Dillon in the car.
"You're infected." The words left my lips before my brain caught up and I saw Jasper lift the gun from the corner of my eye pointing it towards the man.
"I know, that's why you need to leave, its only a matter of time before—" he suddenly cried out falling forward making me step back and clutch Theo's arm. The man looked up, he's eyes looked animalistic.
Oh God, not again!
"Shoot him!" Mr Bernard yelled at Jasper but I could see Jasper trembling slightly.
He's a high school kid, not a soldier!
Officer Franklin grabbed the gun from Jasper just as the man came at us and a bang echoed around us as the soldier dropped. It was deathly silent all I could hear was my own rapped breathing and Ronnie's sobs.
"He's right we need to keep moving, border is compromised so they’ll retreat—probably back to base." Officer Franklin said and placed his hand on Jasper's shoulder. "Well done son, don’t take my gun again."
Jasper didn't say anything just got back on his bike, I could see his hands still shaking, Theo, Mr Bernard and I followed Officer Franklin to his car but Theo ran back to the soldier and took his gun.
"We don’t know what's waiting for us, I'd rather be prepared." He said softly in my ear when he got to the car and pushed me in.
My body was still shaking, this feels like a horrible nightmare, I could hear Ronnie sobbing softly next to me her head buried in Billy's shoulder as he whispered to her that everything was okay.
But it wasn’t okay, everyone we know is dead, my parents, Theo's dad, Mr Dillon.
They're gone.
We're alone.
