I backed out and pulled over next to the curb. I watched the Mustang move into the driveway and disappear into the garage. I turned off the van and got out. I knew it wasn’t the best idea to turn off the van since cranking it would take up more fuel but I couldn’t risk it. Someone could be around and a running vehicle was exactly what they were hoping to come across. People were desperate and thievery was not uncommon. After all, we had all become thieves really since the zombies took over. We took food that didn’t belong to us, houses, vehicles, anything and everything we needed to survive until the next day.
I met Natalie in the garage and got my bag and Milo out of the back. Natalie took her bag.
“The keys?” She asked.
“Just leave them. We won’t be coming back for it.”
“That’s a shame. It’s such a sweet ride.”
I laughed, “Yep, because that’s what’s important right now, having a sweet ride.”
“Hey, if we’re going to die at least it would be in style.”
“Your priorities are a little out of whack you know.”
“Well, I’m fifteen, so give me a break.”
I chuckled at her and closed the garage. We then headed to the van.
I let Milo in the back as Natalie got in the passenger side. I ran around and got in the driver side.
I cranked the van and started driving. I exited the neighborhood at a normal speed. The need to go fast wasn’t as pressing. I just wanted to put some distance between us and our getaway car to be on the safe side.
“You can go sleep in the bed in the back if you want,” I told Natalie.
She shook her head, “No, I can’t sleep right now.”
Milo could. He was already on the bed and asleep as we drove on.
“Where are we going?” Natalie asked.
I sighed, “I wish I knew.”
Chapter 7
We drove about ten more miles when I pulled into an abandoned parking lot near an old department store. I parked the van.
“We should probably sleep in shifts,” I said. “I’ll take watch first.”
“No, I’m not tired. I’ll do the first watch,” Natalie stated.
I looked at Natalie for a moment. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, I’ll get all the windows set up.”
“The windows?” She asked.
“Yeah. Some of them have curtains already and Ian and I picked up some sun shades for the windshield and the front windows. Don’t want anyone or anything to be able to see in.”
She nodded, “Good idea.”
I made work of closing the curtains and put in the window shades. After I was done with that I put on my pj’s.
“So, you going to be alright?” I asked.
She looked at me hard and I smiled. She had after all been on her own.
“I guess I forgot who I was talking too.”
I began to make my way back to the bed where Milo had already gone to sleep.
“Cate?” Natalie said.
I stopped because the tone in her voice was a little concerning.
“Yes?”
“I think it’s time I tell you what happened to me out there.”
I moved back up the front and sat in the driver’s seat.
“Okay,” I began, “Only if you’re ready to tell me.”
“I’m not ready but I’m never going to be ready,” she said and sighed. “It was me, my parents and my two baby sisters Lisa and Rachel. We left our house about three months into the apocalypse because it was no longer safe to stay. We had an SUV and my dad brought our camping gear. We only had a four person tent though because my dad never got around to buying a new one after Rachel was born,” she paused. She took a sip of water and then continued, “We were up in the mountains in this forest area. I was in the back of the SUV supposed to be asleep but it was too hot to sleep that night. My mom was on watch when these guys came up to our campsite. I heard my mom scream and I looked out the window to see they had managed to sneak up on her before she could shoot them. She was prepared for zombies, not the living. My dad and sisters came out of the tent and I moved to exit the SUV but my dad just locked eyes with me and shook his head. He wanted me to stay where I was. I could hear the guys. They wanted our food, car, and tent. My dad said he’d be more than happy to give them some food but pleaded for them to understand that he had a family and needed what little resources we had. They killed my mom first, I watched as they shot her in the head.”
She stopped. I couldn’t say anything; I was horrified by what she had been through. I thought for sure whatever had happened to her family had to do with a zombie attack, I never thought it would be something like this. Something beyond any human decency. A zombie attack would be tragic enough but this was something far worse than that. It made sense though, why she acted the way she did when Ian and I first found her. She had seen horrors that I could never imagine.
After a long time she started to speak again. “Before my dad could say or do anything they shot Lisa and Rachel. They weren’t looking at my dad and he looked into the SUV and mouthed the word ‘Go’. I didn’t want to, I wanted to help and I reached for the door but he shook his head at me and mouthed
