Dragon Journal (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dragonjournal) wrote2009-06-13 11:33 am
dragonjournal) wrote2009-06-13 11:33 am
Entry tags:
Finally safety
When I woke up this morning, it was just routine. Get up, move around, check the news, go out, spray the plants, and then hang out until the kids woke up. That's the way it normally goes.
That's the way it was supposed to go.
Instead, as I turned on CNN International this morning, I was inundated with warnings:
"It's begun."
Possibly the most frightening words to hear. I stared at the screen, and couldn't believe what was going on. It's like an 80s horror film. Zombies of all things. The reports were slowly beginning to filter in, but I didn't care. I began packing food, and clothes...
We left behind all the books I'd painstakingly packed for the move. They didn't matter. I filled every bottle I could find with water, packed the ice chest I was going to use for next week's camping trip and began packing the car.
Early morning in my neighbourhood is quiet. The dogs aren't awake yet, the dealers and the hookers have gone to bed, and those with day jobs are either gone or not up yet.
During those quiet moments, I silently began packing my car. No need to wake the neighbours, no need to bother anyone. Instead, just quietly leave in the early morning hours and get to safety.
We raced into the night, dawn slowly following our progress as we tried to outrun the sun. My youngest daughter doesn't know what's going on. She keeps asking questions. My son is silent in his seat, save when he asks to stop, or to get out.
I can't tell them just what we're running from.
We were just west of Cleveland when we saw the first of them. An old woman slowly shambled her way across a street. Her walker held her up, her footsteps slow.
I made a mistake. I opened my window, hoping to find out some news, maybe find out if some place were safe. I didn't know....
The fright of that hasn't worn off. I can still hear the thump of her body against the side of my car as I try to race past her. The streets are still deserted, even though it's close to noon now, or maybe it's earlier, I don't know.
I'm not even sure where on the map we are. Towns are deserted, whole cities without the vibrancy of life to keep them moving. The kids and I stopped for just a little while. We needed food and the chance to pee. We needed more water.
My cell is charging off the car, and I have another charger for my laptop. Hopefully between the two I'll be able to find others still alive.
My brother is hunkered down at his place. He and his husband are sure they can last for a while. More than a while if I know them. I thought about going there, but I'm worried the three of us will put a strain on their food supply.
Honestly, I don't know where we're going. I raided a sporting goods store in the last town. We have guns, ammunition. We'll be fine. I think. I'm hoping.
The news has gone silent in this little area that I'm in. I'm hoping... praying... Is anyone left? Have they all fallen to whatever caused this? Am I immune, or will I turn as well? Will my children?
We're going to leave here -- I won't say where it is -- and see about heading south. I'm hoping to meet up with friends. I just got an email telling me a few were alive and holed up somewhere.
For the moment, we are safe. For the moment, we still have all our faculties, and all our abilities.
For the moment never seemed so brief before...
That's the way it was supposed to go.
Instead, as I turned on CNN International this morning, I was inundated with warnings:
"It's begun."
Possibly the most frightening words to hear. I stared at the screen, and couldn't believe what was going on. It's like an 80s horror film. Zombies of all things. The reports were slowly beginning to filter in, but I didn't care. I began packing food, and clothes...
We left behind all the books I'd painstakingly packed for the move. They didn't matter. I filled every bottle I could find with water, packed the ice chest I was going to use for next week's camping trip and began packing the car.
Early morning in my neighbourhood is quiet. The dogs aren't awake yet, the dealers and the hookers have gone to bed, and those with day jobs are either gone or not up yet.
During those quiet moments, I silently began packing my car. No need to wake the neighbours, no need to bother anyone. Instead, just quietly leave in the early morning hours and get to safety.
We raced into the night, dawn slowly following our progress as we tried to outrun the sun. My youngest daughter doesn't know what's going on. She keeps asking questions. My son is silent in his seat, save when he asks to stop, or to get out.
I can't tell them just what we're running from.
We were just west of Cleveland when we saw the first of them. An old woman slowly shambled her way across a street. Her walker held her up, her footsteps slow.
I made a mistake. I opened my window, hoping to find out some news, maybe find out if some place were safe. I didn't know....
The fright of that hasn't worn off. I can still hear the thump of her body against the side of my car as I try to race past her. The streets are still deserted, even though it's close to noon now, or maybe it's earlier, I don't know.
I'm not even sure where on the map we are. Towns are deserted, whole cities without the vibrancy of life to keep them moving. The kids and I stopped for just a little while. We needed food and the chance to pee. We needed more water.
My cell is charging off the car, and I have another charger for my laptop. Hopefully between the two I'll be able to find others still alive.
My brother is hunkered down at his place. He and his husband are sure they can last for a while. More than a while if I know them. I thought about going there, but I'm worried the three of us will put a strain on their food supply.
Honestly, I don't know where we're going. I raided a sporting goods store in the last town. We have guns, ammunition. We'll be fine. I think. I'm hoping.
The news has gone silent in this little area that I'm in. I'm hoping... praying... Is anyone left? Have they all fallen to whatever caused this? Am I immune, or will I turn as well? Will my children?
We're going to leave here -- I won't say where it is -- and see about heading south. I'm hoping to meet up with friends. I just got an email telling me a few were alive and holed up somewhere.
For the moment, we are safe. For the moment, we still have all our faculties, and all our abilities.
For the moment never seemed so brief before...