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NORA’S ENTRY Day Three AR

Time.

In my life I always thought how valuable time was. I always needed time for this, for that, never did I realize that at one point in my life, time would not be an issue. That I would be afforded so much of it that I couldn’t process it. That was how I felt. When Jason asked for more time to stay home before we moved on, I couldn’t argue. I was always asking for more time. He was devastated. All we could tell was that his family died. There was an extra grave, a female. In my mind, Melissa had another baby. We searched the entire house. At least I did. I was looking for clues and answers to who this man was. It was obviously Melissa’s new husband.

They were newly married when the virus broke out. In fact, from what I saw. Melissa wasted no time getting married after Jason’s supposed death.

Maybe they rushed to the altar because in the thick of things, this virus was ravaging the world. Maybe they thought, hey, let’s make the best of what we have left in this life.

Her getting remarried did not seem to bother Jason much at all. I found that very chivalrous. Because I myself would be not only devastated, I’d be pissed if Rick remarried that fast after my passing. Jason was more forgiving. He held high hopes, but I actually began to think that he started to relinquish those hopes to reality the closer we drew to his home. Grasping at life’s last little straws when he saw his neighborhood.

While I searched his home, Jason sat by the little graves, clearing them and making them perfect. I suppose he talked to his wife and his daughter. Conveying his love. I know he prayed. Because he told me when he came in, that God was watching over them now. They were in a better place. Then he asked if I found anything. In addition to the marriage certificate and lots of memories that they created pretty quickly, I did. I told him we could talk when his head was clear.

From what I pieced together this new man in their lives took care of Melissa and Daisy up until the last moment.

But where was he?

How did he survive? I would have enough time to look for those answers. Again… Time. Jason didn’t want to leave first thing in the morning, but conveyed that he would if that was what I wanted. He wanted to stay back, find some photographs, and whatever else he could take with him.

I was fine with that. We could stay a day or two, even a week. After seeing Jason’s home, our little three bedroom house in Cleveland, was probably not where I would find my family, even if they were somehow miraculously alive.

Oddly enough, I was starting to think, those who survived the horrendous event, were really somewhere out there. All together and we just had to find them.

TWENTY-SEVEN – Stunted

The bloodcurdling scream caused John to snap out of his sleep. It wasn’t one of those subconscious sounds, or an animal, it was a scream. A human scream. It was real. It was Meredith.

Immediately he was consumed with panic. What was going on? He jumped up. Where was she? When they all went to sleep, they were in a small circle not far from the buggy, and now John was alone. No Grant. And Meredith screamed in the distance.

He took a moment to assess. He needed a weapon. If there was trouble he needed something to defend himself and her. Damn it, he thought, why didn’t he break out the gun? He knew why. His arrogant and confident self didn’t think there was a soul left to bother them

Grant had an insight. He felt it. He knew there was trouble. And not just from the fact that there was no brush for nature’s camouflage. The only thing that John could grab was a stick. It wasn’t big. It was dry and brittle, rendering it useless. John couldn’t waste any more time, he followed Meredith screams.

Racing toward them, he heard something else. Laughter. Not only male but female laughter. Hooting and hollering and whooping it up as if at some sort of party. To John it was the quintessential post apocalyptic game. Ravaging the world. A scenario he labeled complete and utter fiction bullshit. Nothing like that would ever happen. He had more faith in mankind. He was wrong.

Right then and there, in front of him, on the old highway, was every bad apocalypse movie playing out. It was game. From what he could see, six men encircled Meredith.

Two women were off to the side

She crawled on her hands and knees, trying to get away. Her clothes were tattered and torn from her. They kicked and pulled at her and another man grabbed her. It was well rehearsed event to them. Throwing her to the ground, laughing. One would yank her back, another would hold her, while the third mounted her. The invasion to her body caused her to cry out.

It wasn’t happening.

Grant had conveyed his fear about everything John witnessed before him.

Where was Grant?

Did he run?

Everything moved in slow motion. John’s heart pounded in his chest and he drew in the courage he needed to help.