Alive

The Preparation

Chapter Eight

Aisha POV

We used anything we could to write on. Piles of information on how to fix a broken ankle and make a makeshift cast, to how to grow a successful crop. Oliver and Mike both sat at our computer discussing how to cipher gas and fix broken down cars. They scribbled notes in an old note book I had.

Maria and Aaeiden both had their phones out learning how to use medical supplies. Turns out Maria was studying to be a emergency nurse which I would not have guessed in a million years.

"So these wild flowers are poisonous unless cooked in the water at this temperature?" I focus my attention back to Chase and Candy who both point at different flowers on the laptop screen.

I nod and finish adding some printed papers in a file.

"GUYS WE GOT TO GO!" Oliver and Mike burst out the office door and everyone gathers in the kitchen where we all look around nervously.

"What is it?" I ask.

"We spotted about five zombies walking up the road. We could see them from the window." Aaeiden nods and looks at all of us.

"Are we ready? Are we prepared? What else do we need-" "let's just pray this is for the best now who has the map and who knows where we are going?" Mike asks and I look at Aaeiden. He nods and breaths out.

"Okay let's go. I just need to write a note for dad if he ever makes it here." My eyes widen and I smile a little at him and he returns it.

"Okay I'll gather all the books, the rest of you let's get in the cars." I walk out to grab the books and files we managed to collect and then walk out to the cars. Aaeiden follows behind me locking the door and putting the keys under the mat like it always was. I just hope did dad ever escaped he would be able to find it under the mat.

My heart clenched as I turned around and hoping in the back of Chases Pickup truck. I just hoped my dad was doing okay... he would get our right? Tears spring to my eyes and I turn to the window ignoring Candy's concerned glances.

"Are we ready?" Chase asks and I nod. My brothers truck pulls out of the drive way and onto the road heading the opposite way of the city and towards the mountains.

"What made you write your book?" Chase asks looking at me through the review mirror five minutes later.

"I watched walking dead and I don't know it made me feel small and unprepared. Plus it was in summer and I wasn't doing anything else mostly." Chase nods and candy turns around in the front seat to look at me.

"And now it's probably saving our lives-" she says and I look at her smiling softly.

"Makes no difference I'm sure I'm not the only one who does it." I say looking out at the trees and hoping I didn't spot a walking dead body.

"Well either way- I mean I want to find my family but my father and mother are not even in the country..." my heart squeezes for her. She turns back around and I feel bad for her situation.

Suddenly Aaeiden struck comes to a sudden stop and Chases slams on the break causing the seatbelt to harshly run against my chest. He managed to swerve to the left as a truck speeds by uncontrollably and on fire.

"WATCH OUT CHASE!" Candy screams and a loud THUMP vibrates across the car. Chase puts his foot down speeding up dramatically and it's only when I look to the side to I see a face looking directly at me but it's eyes are lifeless and their is an arm missing from its limbs.

A scream lodges in my throat as three more of the walking dead pass me. I realize the thumping sounds beneath the car was most likely more of them, I slapped my hand over my mouth holding in the erge to throw up.

After five more seconds the road smooths out and the thumping stops. The only sound is Chases uneven breathing and Candy's sobs of horror.

I look at the front noticing the once white hood now coated in red...

"This can't be real... this isn't happening this is my worst nightmare." Candy says and Chase tailgates Aaeidens car closely.

"We are going to be okay... Chase you did good, thank you for not stopping they were not living." I say and Chase nods in a daze. I place a hand on both their shoulders hoping with all my heart I was right and that our summer cabin was the safe hold we desperately needed.