They're Already Gone

         Lost, empty, distant, over...

Wisteria wasn't a unique person, not in her eyes. She was sickly skinny, big eyes, big lips, and a pale complexion.

Most people considered her weird looking, but some considered her to be very pretty. Her life had been pretty normal,

even though lately it had been a mess. Wisteria's story was pretty typical. Her parents had recently divorced, and she

had moved to her grandparents house. It all started through Facelook, an online service. Wisteria's mother connected to

a boy she used to go to high school with. Wisteria knew something was up, but her mother swore they were just chatting

as friends. Well, next thing you know her mother's leaving her father, and she's dragged along for the ride. It wasn't unusual

for her to leave with her mother though. After all, her father had never really been around when she was a young girl. Not to

mention the two fought consistently.



After her mother left, Wisteria went to her grandmother's. Solely because she couldn't stand her mother's boyfriend.

In her eyes, he was an alcoholic, and a drughead. Which wasn't too far off from the truth. He was drunk every second of

every day, and he was addicted to his prescription medication. She avoided him at all costs, and that pulled her and her

mother apart greatly. It was crazy, her parents seemed to switch places. Her mother started ignoring her and the family,

while her father tried to see her every chance he could. She should have noticed that world was going to end then.

Now she wakes up to her grandparents leaving her behind, and only survived because her brother and his friend had come

back for supplies.



Blinking her eyes, Wisteria stared out of the window from the passenger side. The ride had just begun, and she still felt

her heart pounding from all of the things she feared she'd never see again. A noise pulled her from her depression, and she

turned to watch her brother stick his phone on the dashboard. Her grandparents had one of those white hands that stuck to

the dashboard, and it held your phone for you while you were driving. She looked at him, and he tapped his phone lightly

"Pay attention to it, it's on silent. If it lights up, someone's calling. We don't need to make anymore noise than we already are."

Wisteria looked back too the phone, and her brother spoke again. "If you want to call your friends you can. I tried to call mom,

but she didn't answer." Wisteria took the phone, and called her friends. Each time it rang six times, and then went to voicemail.



They either couldn't pick up because they were busy, or they couldn't because they were dead...

Wisteria set the phone back on the dashboard holder. "No answer?" Zain asked, while staring at the road.

Wisteria only shook her head. "Maybe they left their phones while they were escaping." She appreciated his positivity,

but she had a feeling it wasn't real. Wisteria knew one of her friends had been deathly afraid of the world ending.

As for her other friend, who was like her sister, if her parents were turned into one of the things in her dream.

Well, she'd probably accept her fate.



Jordy pulled down a familiar road, and Wisteria looked around at the sights. This was one of their other friends,

actually it was their friend's parents home. The man had lived there until he had been married just a few years back.

Wisteria had been here several times to pick up her brother with their mother. As they approached the correct house

everything was silent. Almost too silent, and Wisteria didn't like it. Jordy got out of his car, and put his hand up so they

knew to stop for a minute. He knocked on the door, and when a familiar redhead appeared at the door we all breathed with relief.

The redhead waved for us too all come in, and so we did so quickly.



After we were inside, the door was locked behind us. We ventured into the living room which hadn't changed since the last

time she had seen it. The same couch, the same drapes, and the same wallpaper. Wisteria sat on the couch, and the

redhead entered again with a friendly smile. "So, you guys made it out? Congratulations! I made it over here,

but Meghan didn't." It was almost humorous how he didn't seem upset to see his wife dead. She had been terrible to him,

though he looked to be a little uneasy about it. The burden of her over controlling, manipulative ways were over.

"My parents are fine too, we were just discussing what to do." Jordy had been standing in the entrance to the living room,

Wisteria's brother took a seat beside her.



"We were thinking of leaving. Just driving until we found a save place to hole up in. Freemont isn't safe anymore,

we need to find somewhere else." Jordy spoke quite clearly, and my brother nodded. I just sat calmly.

A scent entered the room, and I recalled it being his mother's. She always wore this lavender scent, with her vanilla shampoo.

It was remarkable, yet overpowering. She called to her son quietly, and the redhead stood.



"Zeth, sweetie, we were thinking of staying. If you want to go with your friends, that is perfectly alright.

We're going to stay." That struck everyone in the heart. If they stayed here, they were likely to parish.

They didn't have a chance at life if they stayed. I stood up, and knew it might not be my place but I had to say something.



"You can't, if you stay, you're endangering yourself. It's too much of a risk, and we don't want to let that happen."

I spoke loudly, considering Zeth's father was hard hearing, and his father had been sitting in a chair with his eyes closed.

He was breathing still, just resting his eyes. His mother looked at me, her smile understanding, but she shook her head.



"I understand that, dear, but this our home. We've lived in it since the day we were married.

We want to stay until the day we pass away." That really hit her heart. Wisteria understood,

but at the same time it was reckless. Why give yourselves to them if you could stay alive and live on?

Though there were memories in the home, and leaving would mean throwing it all away.

Wisteria looked at the woman, and blinked once before turning to Zeth.



"Mom, you can't be serious?" He seemed to be on the same page as me, which we were always the

nerdy ones of the group. He was a kid at heart, and anyone that knew him knew that. When he married it

was a huge shock. Though we later discovered he was forced by Meghan's family, and then it all made sense

after that. His mother shook her head again, and walked over too the chair. She sat against the arm of it,

and his father opened his eyes. She took his hands in hers, and they smiled as they looked at each other.



"Why don't we have a little breakfast, I've cooked a big one!" While the moment was sad, food sounded delicious.

All of us made our way into the sun room which is were the family dined. There was a large table, with plenty of seats.

His mother disappeared into the kitchen, then reappeared with plates and silverware. She handed them to Zeth.

"Set the table for us, sweetie." She smiled, and Zeth took the plates and silverware from her.

He set the table quickly, and the rest seemed to move faster then the whole day had. Wisteria felt like she was starving,

and her brother did as well. Jordy was naturally hungry, there wasn't a moment he could pass up food even before today.

They were all done eating, and dishes were being picked up when an unpleasant noise was heard.



It sounded like nails on a chalkboard. Wisteria put her hands over her ears, everyone stood around her.

The windows of the sunroom sounded like fists thumping against it. "The food probably brought them in."

It was muffled, since Wisteria had her ears covered, but she knew Zain had said it. Uncovering her ears, she heard glass break.

The back door broke open, and these things started coming into the house. Zain grabbed Wisteria's wrist, and

started pulling her toward the front door. Zeth stood in the sun room as the room was filled with an endless number of these bodies.

Jordy grabbed Zeth's shirt and tried to pull him.



"Come on man, we have to go!" Zeth looked at his parents. They sat in the living room peacefully.



"Mom, dad?" Tears filled his eyes, but his parents looked at him. They shook their head.



"We love you son, be safe." Zeth stared at them still, as more of the bodies started pouring in.

Jordy was able to pull Zeth by the arm into the kitchen.



"I love you guys too!" Jordy looked at Zeth. Wisteria turned back and saw a glimpse of them.

Just as the bodies started to attack his parents. Zeth cringed, and started to step toward them, but Jordy held his arm.



"They're already gone, Z." Zeth stared still, but allowed Jordy to pull him now.

Zain pulled Wisteria out the back door, and she quickly ran to the passenger seat of the truck. "Where are your things?"



"Right here, I left them in my car." Zeth took out his bags, and Jordy quickly opened the camper cover from the truck.

Zeth threw his bags in. Putting it back on quickly, they all slid into their rightful spots. Zain and Wisteria sat in the truck.

Jordy and Zeth in Jordy's car. Jordy pulled away first, and turned completely around. The other way had been blocked by a

bunch of bodies. Zain did the same and followed Jordy. Wisteria looked at his brother's phone that had been left on the

dashboard during this all. It lit up, several times and a number appeared with a name.



"It's mom." Wisteria said, and Zain looked at the phone. Grabbing it, he answered with full emotion.



"Mom?, are you okay?"