Page 3 of Cora

Daddy shoved her away from him, pulled his gun, and shot her in the head. He jumped into the bed of the truck and banged on the roof. “Get us home, Cora!”

Tires squealed as I pulled from the curb and raced through the town streets. Daddy shot anyone trying to come after us until we made it out of town limits. He slid open the back window and crawled into the cab.

“Daddy, what’s going on? What’s happening? What do we do? You shot Sue! My friends tried to eat me.” I was on the edge of a full-blown panic attack.

“Cora, breathe,” Daddy ordered. “You know what to do; we’ve prepared for this. What’s the first thing you’ll do when you get home?”

“We’re going to lock down the house and go into the bunker,” I replied.

“That’s right. And how long can you survive in the bunker before you will be out of supplies?”

“We have enough food to last us fifty years.”

“Which means you will be able to survive indefinitely. You can do this, Cora.”

Wait. Unease climbed up my spine. Why does he keep saying you instead of we? “Daddy?” I asked as I pulled onto the bridge.

“Sue bit me, and I’m pretty sure that’s how this disease spreads. I love you so much, Cora,” Daddy replied as he placedhis gun on the truck seat. “You are stronger than you know, and you’re going to survive this.”

“We’re going to survive this,” I argued as I slammed on the brakes and turned to look at him. “I can’t do this without you.”

Daddy looked behind us nervously. “Keep driving, and yes, you can,” he replied sternly before his tone softened. “You have to, Buttercup. The only way I can do what needs to be done is because I know you will be ok. Get back to the house and get into the bunker. Remember what I’ve taught you.”

“I’ll take care of you! I’ll make sure you don’t get sick,” I cried as I continued our ascent over the bridge.

Daddy shook his head. “I don’t think it’s something you can stop, Cora. You’re gonna have to make it on your own now.” He leaned over, hugged me tightly, and kissed my forehead. “You are my proudest achievement. I was so lucky to get to be your Dad. I love you more than life itself. Never forget that.”

“I love you too, Daddy,” I sobbed.

“Don’t stop the truck until you get home, Cora. Promise me,” Daddy said softly.

“I promise.”

“That’s a good girl,” he replied. Daddy pushed the door open as we got to the top of the bridge and jumped from the truck. My foot lifted a fraction of an inch off the gas pedal before remembering what I had just promised. Daddy smiled at me one last time in the rearview mirror before jumping over the side of the bridge.

“NOOOO!” I screamed, sobs wracking my body and tears blurring my vision. I wanted to go back. I wanted to save him, but I knew with that fall, there wasn’t anything to save, and his body was on its way downriver by now, so I did as I promised and kept driving. I cried on and off the drive home, the shock of the current events holding most of my grief at bay. All I could do was focus on getting home like Daddy said.

Get home and get in the bunker.

When the house finally came into view, I nearly sobbed with relief. I parked the truck under the carport, hiding the only external entrance to the bunker, grabbed Daddy’s gun and ammunition that he had purchased, and went inside. I quickly gathered everything I didn’t want to be without and brought it to the bunker. Daddy custom-built this house with the bunker and stealth in mind. It had a few unique details, including the hidden doors in the walls that lead to an entire walkable space behind the walls and the internal entrance to the bunker.

Once I had all the perishable food downstairs with my belongings, I locked up the house and slipped behind the walls, closing the wall panel behind me. Reality finally came crashing down around me when I was safely sealed in the bunker. I dropped to my knees on the floor as I screamed and cried for my father. I was all alone now. Anybody who knew me was likely dead or a zombie. No one knew I was here. There wasn’t anyone left in the world that even knew I existed.

If a girl screams in a forest and no one hears her, does she exist?

Chapter two

Isaac

3 Years Later

Icontinued to study the house below from the trees. We were on a small ridge in the forest that looked down into the clearing where the house sat. The house was so well hidden that we had nearly passed it. The blue-painted house was weathered and chipped but looked in good shape otherwise. The grass was tall but not nearly as badly as it could have been, thanks to the herds of deer we’ve seen come and go. We’ve been watching the house for a couple of days now and haven’t seen any movement of the human variety.

“What do you think?” my brother, Trent, asked.

“I don’t think anyone lives here anymore,” I replied.

“No shit,” Derrick replied, pushing past me. “I told you that yesterday.”

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