Project 43

I haven't written in a while. I finally have the words to say what happened. It's a flash in my mind every time I sleep. The horrors I've seen over the last several days.

Remembering the moment your world changed is unforgettable.

We had gotten dressed after breakfast in the lobby with a few people around. Trinity and I... Mom. I'll always remember her as mom and David as dad...

Just thinking about them hurts. I feel so alone.

Then we got into the car and drove into a place with houses, parks, a few stores. White picket fences. Laundry blowing in the wind. Everything about it was beautiful from the green leaves swaying in the breeze to the people that walked about the side walks occasionally with dogs or friends. One little girl had ice cream holding her mother's hand.

Blue sky and big white puffy clouds I had only seen so clearly on the television vs the window I sat at. It was better than simulated reality. "Let's go for a walk."

She glanced at her watch. Something I kept noticing. A deadline. We had to meet a deadline. I didn't know where we where going but I trusted... I still trust her. I think.

I have to. I feel-

No.

Let me continue. I don't know how long I have before they return.

We walked like everyone else. She let me linger looking into shops or at the gardens we passed with little gnomes and faeries. It was by one particular house that had white and yellow flowers all over. Most of them roses. A white picket fence. Inside it's boarders a woman stood over her husband, her face white as a sheet as he collapsed clutching his stomach.

"There's one."

I swear I heard her say it. It couldn't have been in my mind. It came from Trinity's lips and I still... I still don't understand what my mom's plans were. Or dads.

"Ma'am? Is something wrong with your husband?"

My mom asked, a hand on her waist as her other reached out towards the woman. Her eyes were trained on the man who let out a hoarse moan as his flesh began to look...bluish.

"I don't know. We just came back from quarantine. They cleared all of us. They said we weren't exposed. He's just started having a small stomach bug. It took us all day to get back. What's happening!? Jim!" The woman was in hysterics, fearfully backing up pulling at her hair while Jim- the husband began digging his nails into the earth as if trying to figure out how to crawl and move his body before slowly- very slowly he got up blinking several times.

His eyes where pitch black, yellowing in the whites as his chest heaved as if trying to get enough air. My mom's weapon was already drawn but its eyes were trained on his wife who was shaking like a leaf against the white fence.

"Annie, as soon as I fire my weapon you get inside that house. You get in a safe space, alone. Don't let anyone near you. Do you understand me?" She whispered hardly breathing getting as close to my ear as possible.

The door to their house was wide open and two steps up. It would make a lot of noise. The hair on my neck stood up and between my mother and this... monster I knew noise wasn't something I should be making. I stayed still, so did mom as the creature began to do a quick lunging speed walk towards the woman who stayed there like a frightened rabbit. Only her and a bush between them.

It ran straight into the bush- the thorns tearing at its flesh and clothing as it trampled through rippling half the bush with it. As it struggled on the bush my mom fired.

I didn't look where it hit- I ran like she said doing my best to make as little sound as possible going up the steps. Another shot rang out and the woman screaming and shouting as my mom attempted to use her reasonable voice.

Shutting the door behind me I quickly ran down the hallway looking around. I remember ending up in a place that smelled like bread and dirt. It was dark. It was quiet...

Then there was this sound.

It was a sound I recognized.

Everything had been peaceful for a while, and it was a sound of childhood. Cinderella... you're as lovely as your name-

The house was quiet but for the sound, and slowly I opened the door. I don't remember walking into the living room, but I remember going through a kitchen that reminded me of television. Clean and neat. White. Embroidered towels.

There was a little girl sitting there barefoot on a brown couch. She looked up and asked where her mom was, and I didn't answer her. My eyes kept going back from the television to the little girl. Everything seemed so... normal. Like I was intruding and didn't belong here.

It was stupid to sit down and stupid to let the little girl go. Stupid to be in the room with another person but I knew my mom would be back any minute. Plus, I was so stuck on how she had the same movie I did. This was a childhood classic for me, a girl who felt trapped suddenly free to be with her prince away from slavery of being a maid to her stepsisters and stepmother.

Looking back, I'm pretty sure I was in shock. I couldn't explain why I did the things I did everything about it seems... stupid. The little girl came back in just as Cinderella began to sing. She was covered in scratches crying.

Maybe she was bitten. Maybe she had gone over to the bushes and saw the man my mother had shot. To be honest I'm not sure how she was infected- except that she was crying at the front door with it wide open down the hallway. I came in and scooped her up, holding on tight and pacing as the movie continued.

Maybe it was minutes, but it was probably only seconds. I opened the back door to poke my head out- the girl trembling and still clinging to me to see if my mom had gone out back. I hadn't seen her out front and closed the door behind the little girl.

So many mistakes...

I felt her teeth sink into my flesh moments before I realized she was cool to the touch- that she was no longer trembling, and a low strange moan came from her lips.