Welcome to Zone 5

{Word Count: 1423}

The Jenner's had always been a tight knit family, always together. Lillian and Atlas spent most of their time at the CDC with their parents, yes, they were grown but they still felt the need to be there. It was home to them; it was where they grew up. They didn't know anything else. They would sit in the break room, drinking coffee and playing cards, laughing and joking. Sometimes even assisting when it was needed. Even after the world ended, they still found comfort in each other's company. As the other workers were dropping like flies, they stood together. That was until their mother died, then used as a lab experiment for the virus.

The three of them worked together to honor their mother and wife's wish, to find a cure. They continued their research, but now with a newfound sense of determination and purpose. Their father worked tirelessly, barely sleeping or eating. Lilly and Atlas tried to help as much as they could but they just felt like they were getting in the way.

Jenner had been working nonstop lately they barely saw him leave the lab. His children had tried to get him to take a break, to get some sleep because you would be no good to anybody exhausted.

The siblings were in the kitchen, making dinner. It wasn't much but they were thankful they had anything.

An alarm began to ring, they both looked at each other their eyes wide. " dad!?" They knew that alarm, the lab caught fire. It happened a few years ago, their mother was working a cure for a disease their grandfathers wife had but it got contaminated and it caught fire. Their mother barely got out of there alive.

  Their father rushed in and sat at the table. Atlas looked over at their father, who was slumped over, his head in his hands. "Dad?" He asked softly, not sure if he was even still conscious. Edwin just nodded, grabbing a bottle of alcohol and leaving the room.

Lillian and Atlas, they wasted their time doing things they missed out on their childhood. They were meant to act respectful growing up, so instead of watching movies, they would observe the CDC workers work, instead of playing board games, they would organize the workers spaces, and instead of reading fairytales, they would look over research notes. They were trying to live a life they never had.

It was the next day, and they were in their mother's office. They both sat on the floor, surrounded by pictures and memories of her. Each picture brought a smile to their faces and a tear to their eyes. They laughed at the memory of her trying to teach them how to use a microscope when they were kids. They cried as they reminisced about the last time, they had seen her alive, her voice full of hope and determination.

" Atlas, Lillian!" their father yelled, they both rushed down the long hallways. The CDC hallways always seemed so unnecessarily long to Lillian. They reached the research center, and there he was, he looked panicked. "There are people outside." he said handing Atlas a gun.

" Are we going to let them in?" Lillian asked looking at the screen, seeing mothers cling to their children. He shook his head. She scoffed " They have children!" she pointed out. Her father's expression was grim. "Lilly, we can't risk it." He looked at them both and sighed. "They are armed, they could be infected. We can't let them in." He paused for a moment. " And we dont have much time." he pointed over at the clock counting down. They all looked at each other. "If you dont i will."

She pushed the button and the doors opened, she knew it was wrong but the children looked so scared.
" They are your responsibility now, Lilly." Edwin scoffed and made his way to the elevator. They both followed after him, riding in silence. 

As they reached the top the group had already made it inside, their guns raised. Lilly stood slightly behind both of them seeing as she was the only one without a gun. They both cock their gun making the attention all on them. "Anybody infected?!" Her father shouts as he raised his gun.

Lillian took this time to observe the group, two mother hide their children behind them, two cops but the one in the front looks to be the leader, an older man, a blonde woman, a redneck, a Korean and an African American man and woman. They all had dark circles under their eyes, exhaustion was evident in them.

  She tuned back into the conversation as her father walked closer, exposing her. Her eyes observed the group once more and meet the eyes of the redneck who quickly looked away.  "What do you want, why are you here?" Her father asked firmly.

The leader looked up at them. " A chance." Lilly smiled, she gave them that. Though she knew what that timer meant and she couldn't help but regret her decision.

" that's asking an awful lot these days." Her father replies, walking closer.

"I know." It was silent for a moment, all eyes were on her father. Her own as well. They all awaited his answer, Lillian gulped.

  " You all submit a blood test. That's the price of admission."  They all seemed to let out a breath of relief, Lilly smiled and looked at the group again.

" we can do that."

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

They all were in closed in the Elevator, Lilly stood behind her brother. She would be lying if she said she didn't miss talking to people other than her father and brother. She had been the only woman for awhile and it was starting to get to her.

"Doctors always go around packing heat like that." The red neck asked, looking between Edwin and Atlas. After the world ended, the military showed up to protect the CDC and they gave them a few weapons if anything ever happened.

Although the Jenner family never touched them or even got around them until their mother and wife died. Well except Lillian she was to scared, silly isn't it. But she just couldn't. "There were plenty left lying around. We familiarized ourselves." Edwin paused looking around at them his eyes landing on Lillian. " But you look harmless enough."

Lillian smiled, she knew bringing them in would end up in them dying but she'd rather them go out that way then get torn apart by the monsters.

They all exited the elevator, heading to the big room. Atlas went to set up the lab and get everything ready for their blood drawing.

Lillan walked beside her father, they exchanged looks as they entered the big room. The lights flash on as Edwin orders VI to do, Lillian's eyes roam the group as she places herself on a desk.

" Welcome to Zone 5." Lillan says dramatically holding her arms out. The kids laugh but the adults didn't seem so amused.

" Where is everybody, the other doctors, the staff?" Rick asked. They must be confused, I mean they probably came here looking for a cure but they find three people and two of them aren't even doctors at all.

"I'm it." The group looks around with frowns and furrowed eyebrows, Rick looks between them like he was about to say something but his wife interrupted. Or who Lillan thought was his wife, the other cop seemed to have an interest in her but the boy that clutched onto her arm bared a resemblance to the sheriff.

" What about the person you were speaking with?... VI?" Lillan laughed.

" oh thats just our pet." Edwin sent her a glare and she put her hands up. " sorry." Her eyes drifted back to the redneck, she had yet to learn anyone but Rick's name. He looked amused but the look faded as they met eyes.

Lillan grabbed a notepad and a pen and began doodling because apparently no one appreciates her humor. She began to draw the first thing that came to mind, a daisy.

"Lillian." She looked up at her father who nodded his head to the doorway. She nodded and got up not realizing she had dropped the notepad, she rushed to catch up to her father.

•:•:•:•:Authors note•:•:•:•

Soo what do you think??
I know this is kinda all at once bam but I wanted to try something new but anyways I hope you have a good day or night!!!