Untold Story ║ Book 1 of The Untold series

Chapter 14 - In mourning

I wake up in the middle of the day to find Thomas missing from the room. The long night results in me sleeping til the afternoon. I go to the nearby bathroom and look at myself in the mirror. My skin looks unusually pale, and dark circles under my eyes have deepened, a testament to the sleepless night and grief.

I grab a cold bottle from the bathroom and press it against my eyes in an attempt to alleviate the puffiness and hide the dark circles. My grief feels overwhelming.

"I miss him," I whisper to myself, and a sharp pain surges through my heart. My vision blurs, and I fight back the tears, trying to shift my focus.

"It's not your fault, Jane," I whisper again, a mantra to convince myself. "You didn't create this virus on purpose." The mantra was not helping.

Despite my inner turmoil, I push myself to continue. Descending the stairs, I am greeted by a sea of somber faces. Everyone appears as drained as I feel, their pale skin and puffy eyes mirroring my own. Everyone but Mike, who barely even knew my father and had obviously not shed any tears.

I sense the collective uncertainty on my family's faces, and the question hangs in the air: What do we do next? Eat? Sleep? There was no clear answer for dealing with our current predicament. The TV, usually displaying the bleak "No Signal" message, suddenly flicker to life, capturing everyone's attention. Hope shimmer in their eyes, desperate for a glimmer of good news.

"Breaking news," blares the TV, with Lynette Williams reporting the grim update. "The entire North and South American continents have been struck by a virus, reanimating the deceased and turning them into threats. Until now, we were advised to remain within the safety of our homes, but the current recommendation is to relocate to the government-organized camps for your protection. Below are the addresses, sorted by state. Please write them down and make your way there as soon as possible."

The TV screen transition to a series of addresses, beginning with Alabama and Alaska, continuing alphabetically. Mike swiftly retrieve a pen and paper, poised to record the information. As the New York addresses flashes on the screen, Mike and Noah diligently note them down.

"The closest one should be about an hour away," Zane calculated.

The immediate question that surfaces is not when to depart, but rather how to make the journey. With only Thomas' car available and nine people to transport, the logistics are challenging.

Mike has an idea. "What if we check if any of the neighbors left their keys in their cars?"

"That might be our best bet," Noah agrees.

Feeling the urgency of the situation, I make a decision. "Okay, Noah, Mike, and I will set out just before dark to retrieve a car. In the meantime, the rest of us can start preparing and packing for the journey. Fortunately, all the supplies are still in Thomas's car." The plan is set, and with a sense of purpose, we begin to make arrangements for our departure.

As everyone in the room stand up and begin to assemble their belongings into backpacks, I can't help but notice my mother sitting in silence, her gaze lost in the distance. Concern washes over me like a heavy wave, and I realize that I need to take charge not only of my own preparations but also of my mother. The weight of her sorrow is palpable.

With a deep breath, I move swiftly, packing essentials for both of us. Losing the love of your life is already unimaginably painful, but having to watch him turn into a threat is a nightmare beyond description. I can't bear the thought of my mother having to carry that burden, too. It is my duty to protect her as best I could in this new, terrifying world.

"Zane? come here for a second" I say

"Yeah," he comes closer.

"Does Joel have a toy that is noisy on its own?" I pause "We could use it to distract the walker"

"I'll look into it," he says and nods in agreement, and I make my way to the office, seeking a moment of solitude. The memories of my father and the recent traumatic events weigh heavily on my mind as I sit down and glance at the paper.

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Word count : 732

By night-ed

Book one : Untold Story

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