I've been outside for at least twenty minutes now, I'm just standing here taking it all in. They probably think I'm crazy or something. I've started pacing to help myself calm down. I've been contemplating running away or going inside. I don't know why I'd want to go inside, especially with a family that hates me, or hates the girl they think I am.

I hear the back door open and look towards it expecting to see the girl come running out after me. I don't recognize the woman walking my way. She's much older than Sam. She looks like she's all dressed up to go out to church or something. Her short gray hair is all neat and tidy, and her lips are painted with bright red lipstick. She's got a blanket in her hand and stops right in front of me.

"Alice?"

"I think," I say.

"Hi, I'm Annmarie, Sam's mom. If you are Alice you grew into a beautiful young lady, I last saw her, I mean you... you were just a small thing chasing Cart... I mean Derek around with a nerf gun," she laughs at the memory like it's fresh in her mind.

"Who's Derek?" I ask.

"The young man with the dark hair, my grandson. Was he smitten with you... her, with Alice," she stumbles again.

I get how this could be weird. Her pale cheeks redden as she isn't quite sure what to say.

"Why don't you come in and have some dinner dear, when was the last time you ate?" she asks.

I stare at her because I honestly can't remember the last time I ate food. I woke up like this and have no clue how long I was out for. For this first time since then I finally feel the soreness in my throat and the grumbling of my stomach at the mention of food. All the blood and guts I've seen today probably kept the hunger away, but now I think there's a wild animal in my stomach.

"Let me show you to a room. There's an attached bathroom so you can clean up and I left you some of Tanya's old clothes in there for you, they should fit," she says, and I assume Tanya is the girl who went after me.

Her voice is a lot kinder than Sam's, and she's the only one who has smiled at me since I've been dragged into this whole mess. She throws the blue blanket over my body, I hadn't even realized how cold I was. It's pretty much dark out now, so the temperature has dropped significantly.

"You should come in now before you get frostbite."

She goes to turn and then stops when I don't follow. I nod my head and then slowly walk behind her and into a warm house. I've never seen anything like it in person, it's like one of those mansions you see in the movies. The backdoor leads into the kitchen and the smell of food makes my stomach growl even louder. Thankfully no one is in the kitchen, but I can hear hushed voices from a room close by.

The house has a dark vibe to it with dark wooden panels along every wall I've seen. The kitchen had the same vibe with dark wooden cabinets and dark beige walls. All of the windows in the house were covered with thick curtains, and on one of the windows I thought I spotted heavy black metal bars. I don't know what I was expecting, but from the outside I guess I thought it would have been more modern.

She leads me up to a second floor, but we don't spend much time there before going up one more flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs is a dark brown wooden door. She turns the golden knob and we enter into what seems like an attic, but transformed into a bedroom. Underneath my feet the hard wood floor creaks with every step. At the very back of the room sits a huge queen sizes bed with a tan comforter. Just above that is a small oval window that looks to be painted over. It's the only window in here, and not even the bright light helps with the darkness.

"The clothing is on the bed," she points to a small pile. "And just through that door," she says pointing to a smaller door to my left. "That's the bathroom. There are towels in the closet. You can find a tooth brush and other toiletries inside the cabinet. Please don't let my son and his family get to you, the loss of their mother will be a hard pill to swallow. Oh and here," she says handing me a bottle of water and a chocolate chip granola bar. "I know you must be starving. When you're done come down and eat some real food. Trying to use up all the meat in the house, so I hope you like sweet potato chili," she says.

"That sounds delicious. Thank you," I say.

She stands there for a second not saying anything, and I'm thinking maybe she's forgotten to give me something, but then she turns to the door. I start to walk towards the bathroom when her footsteps stop just before reaching the door.

"No one here blames you dear, it's just a rough time for all," she tells me.

"Okay," is all I can manage to say before slipping into the bathroom.

I stand under the hot water in the shower surprised that they still have any at all. The water cascades down my back leaving pink streaks of water rushing down the drain. I hadn't realized how much blood I'd gotten on me until I started taking off my clothes, they were covered. I'm so thankful for this shower and a warm place to sleep tonight, but I won't make myself too comfortable. Something inside tells me that I won't be here for very long. Maybe they'll discover I'm not this Alice girl and kick me out, or maybe I really did take that drug and by tomorrow morning I'll be one of those things.

On the bed is a solid olive green quarter sleeve top, and some old ripped black skinny jeans. She even left a clean bra; black lace oh god, and some matching underwear. After getting myself together I start to feel a bit light headed, while taking a few steps I notice my heart fluttering in a weird pattern. It stops me in my tracks and I have to take a deep breath. When it stops I keep heading back down hoping I can remember the way back to the kitchen. Once I hit the bottom step I'm easily reminded by the smell of the chili. My stomach growls again, the granola bar did nothing and I'm beyond ready to eat something delicious.

I enter the kitchen and everyone is sitting at the center island on bar stools. They all look up when they hear my footsteps, including the girl who tried to attack me. Annmarie clears her throat and Sam looks over, annoyance clear on his face. Sam is sitting next to the boy who Annmarie said was Derek, he hasn't looked up at all. He's looking down at his food and what looks to be a comic or manga of some sort.

With the looks from the girl and Sam I'm starting to think I should have stayed in the bedroom until everyone was done. I wouldn't have minded eating alone, probably would have been less awkward. My heart beats in that odd rhythm again and I have to hold myself steady on the green marble counter that wraps around the outer wall of the kitchen.

"Is everything alright?" Annmarie questions, I can hear concern in her voice.

"I'm fine, just really hungry and slightly dehydrated still," I say playing it off as nothing.

I take a minute or two to collect myself before moving forward towards the table. Everyone is back to being quiet as Annmarie clears her plate on the other side of Sam for me to sit. My legs start to shake a bit, and I'm hoping it's just nerves. If not goodbye world time to turn into a blood sucking... and there it is again. My heart repeats the odd rhythm several times, but unlike last time I can't seem to stop it.

"Are you sure..." Annmarie starts as I place one hand on the island to steady myself again.

I stop moving and everyone including Derek looks up at me. Our eyes meet and my vision starts zoning in and out. I can feel myself losing conscious, if only I could just get some food in me I'd be okay. He doesn't tear his eyes off of me as he gets up from his seat and I swear he's coming to me. My head bobs forward for a split second and then I come to, and he's a few steps closer. I think I hear him saying something to Sam, something about a condition I have. I can't really hear him because everything is starting disappear. My vision is slipping slowly as my chest tightens.

"I got you," he says as I feel my eyes roll back.

"You betrayed me and you betrayed my family," a young blonde boy tells me. Carter, his name is Carter. It's the boy from the picture.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say in a pleading voice.

"Don't deny it Alice, I know you and you're mom were in on it. Your mom didn't like the work my father did and now I can't stay here anymore. I'm losing all of my friends, my house, and my life all because your mom couldn't keep her mouth shut!" Carter yells.

"I still don't understand. I swear I don't even know what your father was doing, my mom didn't say anything either. You're acting like you don't know me, like we haven't been friends for the past fourteen years. This is bullshit what your accusing us of, you know me and you know I'd ... we'd never do anything to hurt you or your family. I love you Carter!" I'm sobbing and can't control it. My heart, I can feel it doing those weird flutters and I know I'm about to pass out. I can feel it like I do every time my body tries to shut down. The doctors say I have...

"Arrhythmia dad, she's got a heart condition don't you remember?" I hear someone say.

I wake to the sounds of beeping, and the voice from the dream too. Ah, so it was all a dream and I'm lying in a hospital bed. The zombie's and that family were all just a... shit. My eyes open and I'm in a strange room that looks nothing like a hospital room. It reminds me of a mini library, there are books everywhere. I'm on a small bed in the center of the room with an IV attached.

"Where am I? And why do I feel like I've been hit like a truck," I say mumbling.

"Alice?" Sam asks.

"Yes?" I respond.

I'm just as shocked as he is when I answer to the name. My eyes flutter a few times and when I come to I realize my name is Alice. I think in the back of my mind I've known it was my name, but I was afraid to admit it. I remember my name, and I remember how I got here but what I don't remember is everything else. The people in this room are still familiar, but not and I'm still confused about my past.

"You remember?" Sam questions.

I nod, "My name only though, the rest is still so fuzzy," I say feeling my heart beat in a weird pattern.

"Dad, don't test her any further, she looks like she's going to pass out again."

I look up at Derek and his blue eyes find mine. The same blue eyes I just dreamt about, the ones that told me he hated me. The same hatred in the dream is loud and clear in the real world.

"How did you know?" I ask.

"Know what?" he asks.

"About my heart..." I whisper.