paper before him, his eyes barely look up at the camera.
“… Still advised to stay indoors. Do not try to reach loved ones. It is suggested that you avoid windows and try not to be seen by the aggressors. If confronted with one or more the only way to protect yourself, we are told, is to shoot them in the head. Heavy blows have reportedly been effective as well.
“ Authorities also ask that you avoid anyone who has been bitten by the aggressors, as that seems to be the vector in which…”
The television shuts itself off. Becka tries to turn it back on, but the power seems to have gone out. She thinks about what she has just heard and wonders if they have already talked about what is causing this, or if they even know yet. The man said to stay inside.
“ And, I plan to.” Becka says locating her purse on a stuffed hat rack affixed to the wall by the stairs. “Just as soon as I get home.”
The girl takes her purse off of the crowded rack, feeling dumb for walking right past it. Items fall from the over loaded pegs. She searches inside the small bag for her phone. Over a dozen missed calls, all from her fake friends. They either want to ask how my knee is, or they want to party. Becka deletes the messages without reading them and presses her speed dial to call home.
Mom must be worried, she says to herself while the line rings. She starts to tap her toe on the third ring, by the fifth she is vibrating with anticipation. She shifts her weight from foot to foot feeling extremely antsy. Her body relaxes when she hears her mom’s voice.
“ Hello, you’ve reached the Connelly residence…” The machine plays telling callers to leave their message after the tone.
“ Mom, it’s me. I’m on my way home.” She snaps her phone closed and tosses it back into her purse. Becka picks up the objects that had fallen off the hat rack. She sighs as she takes a familiar hat into her hand. It’s Stevie’s. He wore the tattered old thing when his hair got too long. It tended to frizz out in 80’s style wings when it was due for a trim. No design or insignia, just a simple black ball cap.
She starts to cry. She has been holding back as much as she can, but the emotions burst the levy she built to contain them. She crumples to the stairs clutching the old hat as her mind races.
He called out to me for help. He didn’t even know I did it. But, I had to. They wouldn’t leave. They followed his blood. They smelled it. Now I get to go home and Stevie never can. If I can get home.
She wipes away her tears with the fabric of the hat then slides it on.
“ Mom will be waiting.”
15
On the second floor Mr. Thompson pulls a cord hanging from the ceiling and a panel opens up, a wooden ladder is manually unfolded. The three venture up with the man of the house in the lead.
“ Lindsey, it’s me.” He whispers before popping his head into the attic. “We have company.”
“ Who?” Dan hears a pleasant female voice ask.
“ Little Barbara from next door.” The man says as he lays his weapon down on a stack of boxes beside a similarly long rifle. “And, she has brought the cavalry.”
Dan doesn’t know how fitting that title is for him. It made him feel a little embarrassed. He is just one reservist with no ammo. He looks around the top floor, never before has he seen a finished attic. Instead of bare beams the ceiling is paneled and the walls are sheet rocked. The tall soldier has to duck his head until he gets to the middle of this ‘A’ framed room.
Candles illuminate the space. A middle-aged woman emerges from behind a stack of boxes where she had been crouching. In her hands is another long rifle.
“ How do you do? I’m Lindsey.” She says offering a warm smile.
“ I have been better. I’m Dan. Pleased to meet you.”
“ Bill.” The large man says extending his hand to his new boarder. Dan clasps it and is impressed with the gentleman’s grip.
“ So, you are the cavalry?” Lindsey
“… Still advised to stay indoors. Do not try to reach loved ones. It is suggested that you avoid windows and try not to be seen by the aggressors. If confronted with one or more the only way to protect yourself, we are told, is to shoot them in the head. Heavy blows have reportedly been effective as well.
“ Authorities also ask that you avoid anyone who has been bitten by the aggressors, as that seems to be the vector in which…”
The television shuts itself off. Becka tries to turn it back on, but the power seems to have gone out. She thinks about what she has just heard and wonders if they have already talked about what is causing this, or if they even know yet. The man said to stay inside.
“ And, I plan to.” Becka says locating her purse on a stuffed hat rack affixed to the wall by the stairs. “Just as soon as I get home.”
The girl takes her purse off of the crowded rack, feeling dumb for walking right past it. Items fall from the over loaded pegs. She searches inside the small bag for her phone. Over a dozen missed calls, all from her fake friends. They either want to ask how my knee is, or they want to party. Becka deletes the messages without reading them and presses her speed dial to call home.
Mom must be worried, she says to herself while the line rings. She starts to tap her toe on the third ring, by the fifth she is vibrating with anticipation. She shifts her weight from foot to foot feeling extremely antsy. Her body relaxes when she hears her mom’s voice.
“ Hello, you’ve reached the Connelly residence…” The machine plays telling callers to leave their message after the tone.
“ Mom, it’s me. I’m on my way home.” She snaps her phone closed and tosses it back into her purse. Becka picks up the objects that had fallen off the hat rack. She sighs as she takes a familiar hat into her hand. It’s Stevie’s. He wore the tattered old thing when his hair got too long. It tended to frizz out in 80’s style wings when it was due for a trim. No design or insignia, just a simple black ball cap.
She starts to cry. She has been holding back as much as she can, but the emotions burst the levy she built to contain them. She crumples to the stairs clutching the old hat as her mind races.
He called out to me for help. He didn’t even know I did it. But, I had to. They wouldn’t leave. They followed his blood. They smelled it. Now I get to go home and Stevie never can. If I can get home.
She wipes away her tears with the fabric of the hat then slides it on.
“ Mom will be waiting.”
15
On the second floor Mr. Thompson pulls a cord hanging from the ceiling and a panel opens up, a wooden ladder is manually unfolded. The three venture up with the man of the house in the lead.
“ Lindsey, it’s me.” He whispers before popping his head into the attic. “We have company.”
“ Who?” Dan hears a pleasant female voice ask.
“ Little Barbara from next door.” The man says as he lays his weapon down on a stack of boxes beside a similarly long rifle. “And, she has brought the cavalry.”
Dan doesn’t know how fitting that title is for him. It made him feel a little embarrassed. He is just one reservist with no ammo. He looks around the top floor, never before has he seen a finished attic. Instead of bare beams the ceiling is paneled and the walls are sheet rocked. The tall soldier has to duck his head until he gets to the middle of this ‘A’ framed room.
Candles illuminate the space. A middle-aged woman emerges from behind a stack of boxes where she had been crouching. In her hands is another long rifle.
“ How do you do? I’m Lindsey.” She says offering a warm smile.
“ I have been better. I’m Dan. Pleased to meet you.”
“ Bill.” The large man says extending his hand to his new boarder. Dan clasps it and is impressed with the gentleman’s grip.
“ So, you are the cavalry?” Lindsey
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