"Yeah, it's me Joe. Where are you?" I asked walking further down the hallway.
"In the kitchen." A man's voice said.
We went into the kitchen and there Joe was, sitting at the table eating, as usual I thought. I looked at him and thought to myself that he seemed more bigger than before.
"Are you okay?" I asked him. He seemed to be oblivious of anything that was going on.
"Yeah course... why shouldn't I be?" He said flippantly.
"Because... " I said wondering if I should explain what was going on or not.
"Don't you listen to the news Joe? Haven't you seen what's been going on lately in the world?" I asked as he just stared at me whilst he chewed on some chicken.
"Of course I have. I wondered if you were going to come here. Ellie called me and told me... that there are weird looking people walking right outside her house. They are trapped and can't get out of there. They wanted to come here, but I've told her that they should stay there until I can get to them... but now you're here, so you can help me get them out." He said before he started eating again.
"Where's Janice?" I couldn't see my brother's girlfriend anywhere. She was always here with Joe.
"Oh she was at her place when all this started. We have to get her too and Molly." Great I thought.
I watched Lydia as she walked over to Joe’s cordless home phone that was placed on a cabinet. She touched it.
"Hey, how come your phone is working?" Asked Lydia.
"I don't know it just does." Joe said sarcastically.
"Oh... I'm Lydia by the way..."
She picked the phone up and then she replaced it on the receiver.
"Well... it doesn't work now." She said.
"I know, it doesn't work now... it cut off the last time I spoke to Janice to see if she was okay." Joe said and then glanced at me before speaking. "Janice told me that Molly had gone outside in the garden to get the dog in... when something grabbed her. She fell over and hurt her leg."
"Has she been bitten?" I asked Joe.
"I don't think so. Why? Who would bite her?" Joe asked innocently.
"Don't you know?" I asked. Joe seemed to be oblivious to all that was going on.
"Joe... I thought you said you knew what was going on!" I yelled feeling irritated by his stupidity.
"Yeah... that a virus has broke out and that we should all stay indoors. Don't worry... I know about the biting going on and I've got it sorted." Joe yelled.
"Okay... that's right... but you haven't seen what we have and it's bad out there. The virus has made people go mad. It's done something to their brains. So, now, people are walking around like crazy mad biters! Haven't you seen anything like that yet?" I shouted at Joe. He was always so cool about things.
"No. How could I? I've been here the whole time. I haven't gone out for two days, because Janice stayed here last night and the night before. Then, she went home this morning, because Molly was getting dropped off by her Dad, where she stayed for the last two nights... and Janice was supposed to come back with her, but now... she's stuck indoors and can't get out. So, we haven't seen anything or anyone for two days. Anyway... don't worry cause I've got my big old axe that will chop down all those crazy weird bastards." Joe said as he lifted a huge metal axe up into the air with both hands swinging it about.
"Hey..." I shouted at him. "Put that down before you hurt someone!"
"Okay bro... keep calm." Joe said with a small laugh.
"Joe, why don't you go pack a bag... and we'll all go to your sister's and then to your girlfriend's. How old is Molly, her daughter? Does your sister have anyone else there with her?" Lydia asked.
Lydia took over asking the questions whilst I sat down for a bit. I was starting to feel very tired.
"Molly is 14... And there's my sister, Ellie and her husband, Simon, and her son, Sean, who is 12 and Rebecca who is 14. I just hope they're all okay." Joe replied.
"Hey... Joe... when you spoke to Ellie, did you tell them to stay indoors?" I hoped that he had.
"Yeah... she knows what to do... and I already told you this a few minutes ago... She's not stupid Tim. Anyway, if there's trouble out there I've got this powerful kick ass axe that will knock those mad fuckers out in an instant. I've got this... so no need to worry... okay."
Joe picked up a bag and opened it. He put the heavy metal axe into it and zipped it up. I thought Joe was too eager to get going, but I knew he wanted to try out his weird looking axe that he'd owned for a long time. It was like a trophy to him. I hoped he didn't hurt a real person with it. At the age of 35, Joe was still like a kid at times.
"Well... that axe should work." I said smiling at him, looking at Lydia to see if she thought my brother was just as mad as those biters out there.
"Yep… you will certainly scare them away with that." Lydia said rolling her eyes up and smiling at him.
"Right let's get going. We'll go to Ellie's first and then to Janice's place." Joe said eager to get going, as he picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder and then picked up a cage with two cats in it; a black and white fluffy one and a jet black male cat.
"You can't take the cats Joe." I said trying not to laugh.
"Why
