unstoppable

On the sixth day after showing symptoms, you died. Very few made it to the seventh day. Uncle Chad was on day nine. Somehow, he was holding on.

He even went downstairs and outside when they put baby Rue into the ground. He tried to walk but, in the end, Julian and her mom had to carry him.

He shouldn't have wasted the bit of energy he had, because now he looked even worse. Aunt Sarah didn't notice. She saw this as a sign that he was getting better.

Julian was still skipping through channels on the tv and she watched the window. Looking for any sign of life. There was none. All their neighbors were sick or dead.

"How do we know that something isn't happening out there? We have to find out what's going on. Why aren't there any more news reports? It's been days."

"I think old man Carson is dead. He was the last. We should bury him. And the Peabody's."

"If you two are going out, could you pick up some chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream?"

Rolling her eyes, Jess turned from the window. "Only if I can have the credit card. There's this new bag I bet I can get on discount."

"Wonder what's playing at the movies." Julian winked at Mel. "Be my date and I'll let you have all the Junior Mints."

"Jess likes Junior Mints, I like SweeTarts."

"Uh oh, Julian. You've got so many women you're starting to get them all mixed up."

"Mel knows she's the apple of my eye. Anyway, I can't afford to take Jess to the movies. She usually wants candy, popcorn, and nachos. Too expensive for _________."

She chunked the nearest object in reach at his head. Lucky for him, she was a bad throw, and he had good hands.

He caught the flower statue and looked at her mom in mock outrage.

"Jessalynn Williams, if you're going to throw things at Julian at least throw things your grandparents didn't give me. Throw that God-awful deer ashtray. Your dad's mom gave us that."

"Don't even think about it." He warned as he tossed the flower statue in the air. "I'd hate to hurt something your mom loves so much."

"I'm done. What do you think?"

Her sister had a chance at being a very good artist one day but there were only so many trees you could admire. The living room was covered in them. And the den. The garage was covered in flowers and suns.

If any of them needed to get out of this house, it was Mel.

"I like it, baby. I really do. As soon as everything goes back to normal, I'm finding you some art lessons."

"I'm putting a horse in the kitchen."

"Sounds like just the thing for tomorrow. Right now, how about we read more of the book? Run upstairs and get it, please. I'm eager to find out what happens next."

"We watched all the movies, mama."

"The books are better."

"Plus, mom falls asleep during all movies."

"Not all movies. I've never fallen asleep on Vin Diesel. Mel, please don't disturb your aunt and uncle."

She had a good comment about guys with big muscles, but Julian caught her before she could say anything.

He motioned upstairs.

"Enjoy the book. Julian and I are going upstairs to make out."

Her mom never missed a beat. "Have fun, sweetie. If you need anything, look in the top right drawer by my bed. Don't mind the toys and handcuffs."

Yeah right. The worst thing her mom had in her top right drawer was some granny panties. As far as the two of them making out, her mom probably wished they would. She'd like nothing better, but she'd given up hope a long time ago.

"We should tell mom we slept together." She announced as soon as they were in her room.

"Why would we do that?"

Just when she thought she couldn't shock him anymore, his face said she did. Chuckling, she dropped onto her bed. "She'd get a kick out of it."

"No, she wouldn't. Believe me, she wouldn't. She'd ban me from your room or something."

"Nah. I'm almost positive she wouldn't. I'm almost eighteen."

"In seven months and you weren't almost eighteen when we did it."

"That's true. I still think________."

"Why are we even talking about this? You are the one who made me swear to never tell her."

"That's when you were trying to be noble. It happened, get over it. She would have had us at an alter before you could have said oops."

"And she wouldn't now?"

"She might. You're right, why are we talking about this? Why did you want to see me? Things were getting interesting outside."

"I'm going out."

She sat up. "Golden boy sneaking out? Need a booty call?" Unease won out over shock. Now he did this? Goody two-shoes may not even be alive, and Jess didn't want him to know if he's lost someone else. "Have you even heard from her?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter. I want to try to find something out. If I don't hear anything soon, I'm going to go crazy. And the answer to your question is no, I haven't. She dumped me but can we talk about that later."

That was a lot to take in. Goody two-shoes dumped golden boy? A couple of weeks ago, the other girl had been talking about which colleges they both could go to.

She got up to get dress. If this was something he had to do, then they would do it. That was better than him trying to go out on his own later.

"I don't like the way you're looking. We don't have to if__________."

"I'm just worried you won't be able to handle what you find."

"I'm not as weak as you think I am."

"I don't think you're weak at all. Maybe I don't know if I want to know what is out there."

Jess switched out of her shorts and into some jeans, then reached for her Converse.

"Then we won't go. It was stupid to even bring it up."

"Oh no, buddy. You started this and we're doing it. I will not be worried about you sneaking off without me."

"I wouldn't do that."

"Like you wouldn't get dump and not tell me?"

He closed his eyes and let his head drop back. "She wanted me to go to her grandpa's cabin in Cameron. No one was sick in their family yet and they wanted to get away from everyone. She felt like I chose you over her."

"Did you?"

Chocolate brown eyes met hers. "Of course, I did, Jess."

"Do you wish_________."

"No. I told you, I'm right where I want to be. If this is the end of the world, do you think I'd leave you for any reason?"

She tugged on her LSU cap. "Did she hurt you?"

"You can't kill her."

"That's why you didn't tell me? Giving her a head start? She better hope I never see her again." Thinking of everything he's been through; she really would kill the bitch if she was here.

"I hurt her too."

"You say something good about her, I swear I'll hit you. Wait a minute, I'm going to, anyway." She caught him in the stomach. "That's for thinking I think you're weak."

Knowing he would see the next one coming; she stomped his foot instead. "That's for making me admit my weakness."

He laughed at the punch but now he was hopping around and cursing under his breath.

"I'd put some shoes on if you're going with me."

She opened her window and went out of it. There was no way down from her room but if you went over the roof, there was a strong tree near the garage.

She'd already swung down when she remembered she should have grabbed something, a baseball bat or something. Just to make sure.

Julian landed beside her

"Where are we going?"

"My place first. Might as well grab some things while we're out."

"Why are you whispering?"

"Because we are sneaking out. Isn't that what you're supposed to do?"

"There's no one around, Julian."

"You sneak out the way you want to, and I'll sneak out the way I want to."

"Pansy."

"You know you love me."

"I must."

The wind was blowing. It was actually a pretty nice night but there was no enjoying it. Don't ask her why but she kept waiting for something to jump out at her. When did she become so gutless?

Excluding the graves, the neighborhood looked the same as it always did. Some homes were lit up, some weren't. The only thing odd was the silence. The stillness.

Julian's house was only three houses down and one road over.

"She never lets that dog out of her sight."

Jenny Perkins lived across the street from him. She was loaded thanks to her two ex-husbands. After this last divorce, she had sworn off men and had gotten a dog. A big fluffy white one. And he was right. That dog was never out of her sight. Now it was sitting on the front porch right in front of the door.

She knew Julian's house as well as she knew her own. It was bigger. Nicer.

From the outside, it still looked like there was life on the inside. Any minute now Mrs. Cross would open the door wearing her too perfect smile. She'd always looked like one of those howdy dowdy women with too much time and too much money on her hands, but she hadn't been.

She'd been kind and loving. She loved to bake and was at least partly to blame for some of Jess's curves.

Worried, she took Julian's free hand while he dug in his pocket for his key. "We don't have to do this."

"I'm all right. I know they're not here. While I grab some things from my room, you look around and see if there's anything we need. Take whatever you want."

Jess didn't bother. Designer handbags and golf clubs were not part of survival 101. She grabbed a half-eaten pack of lunchmeat out of the icebox and then went back out the front.

When she stepped back outside the breeze lifted her hair and caressed her face. She always loved that and enjoyed it for a moment before she sat on the steps. That damn dog was watching her.

He had to be hungry. Scared, but he just watched her. A few weeks ago, Jenny Perkins would have been peeking through her window watching her.

The hot dude who lived next door would be outside in the pool. Doing laps. Dude loved doing laps. He'd only moved in a few months ago. She knew nothing about him except he was always in that pool doing laps.

The pool still looked inviting. Refreshing.

Holding out the meat, she cooed and pleaded until the dog came forward.

"We're taking the dog, aren't we?"

"Yep."

"You hate dogs."

"Yep. Know his name?"

"It's something you won't like." He stated dryly and strode over to his red mustang.

"Fluffy, isn't it?"

"Worse."

"Just spit it out."

"Cupcake."

"Oh, dear lord."

"Told you. Doesn't your mom hate dogs as much as you do?"

"She just let her daughter play Michelangelo all over her house. I'm sure she'll let her have a new dog."

They lived over forty-five minutes from a real town, but their little town comprised of a gas station that charged an arm and a leg. A dollar store. An elementary school. A small police station and the post office.

The high schoolers had to drive over forty-five minutes to the real town.

They had driven through town slowly and was circling back around when they spotted Mr. Denton.

He was ninety if not older. There was no way he couldn't be. He had a son who was pushing eighty. It was dark and you could just make out him sitting in front of the post office.

Julian stopped and got out. "Good evening, Mr. Denton."

"Julian. Jess. Decided on a nice drive? Good night for it. Tomorrow would have been too late. Storm's coming."

Jess felt a chill go through her.

"We have heard nothing and was hoping you have."

"Nothing to hear." Mr. Denton finally stopped looking at the sky and looked at them. "I thought I'd seen it all. The store's opened. Ben Lewis left it open, a sign on the door says take what you need. You should pick up a few things."

"Have you seen anyone else?"

"Beau Dunn is around here somewhere. He drinks till he can sleep then sleeps till he needs a drink. He lost everyone. Figured I'd sit here a spell and see if he's ready for the storm. My son's around. He's been going house to house. Trying to stay busy."

"And everyone else?"

"Some left, some just gone. What about out your way?"

"Just us, that we know of."

"I'll tell Jean to work his way over there. He likes to stay busy. You head over to the store, boy. Get ready for that storm. It will be a bad one."

"Yes, Mr. Denton. You need anything?"

"Go on now. Better get you some supplies."

They went to the store. Julian grabbed some candles and things he thought they would need; she went after the ice cream and whatever else she found along the way."

"What?" She asked when he looked at her Slurpee. "It might be the last ones we ever get. I got you the coke kind."

On the way out, she grabbed a couple of movies that Ben always kept for rent at the front of the store.

"Movie night! Speed or My Best Friend's Wedding?"

"I'm surprised you didn't get The Night of the Living Dead."

"Not this time. That would be in bad taste. Want a tootsie pop?"

"Got grape?"

She handed it over. There weren't too many people she'd share a grape lollypop with.

There was nothing left to do but go home.

Jess shook her head when he grabbed the bags and headed for the tree. "You realize that they will notice the dog, right? You want to climb back up with all that then be my guest but I'm going through the front door."

"Whatever. She'll just think you roped me into it. Just don't bring up our first time. Jeez. You that bored, tell her about you and drummer boy."

"No. Let's not mention that."

"I thought you would see it my way."

"Do you think Julia Roberts is still alive?"

He turned; his face full of worry. "He said some got out."

"Yeah."

"If Mr. Denton is still alive, then there's hope for everyone else."

"Don't believe it. He will outlive us all."

During the second movie, her mom fell asleep. She couldn't say too much. Stretching, she tried to work out the kinks in her neck. Her mom was no longer curled up on one end of the couch and her little sister and her sister's new best friend was gone as well.

Julian was asleep in the chair with his legs stretched out in front of him.

Groaning, she sat up and reached for the remote so she could get rid of the fuzzy screen. The static noise was so loud it amazed her they'd been able to sleep through it.

A sudden loud noise filled the room, startling her so badly that she dropped the remote.

The fuzzy grey screen went white.

The national board casting system is issuing an alert. Those words covered the screen and were paired with a warning sound that kept replaying. It was the most terrifying sound she'd ever heard.