It was a normal Sunday. Valira was just sitting on her couch, waiting for her dad to get home. He


    had promised he’d be back by 7 p.m., but it was now 8 ,


    Valira was watching cartoons on the TV when, finally, she heard the door open. She knew it was her dad. Her dad walked in and sat next to her, then looked at her and said, "I know, Val. I got caught up at the site again


    Valira — or Val, as her dad called her — smiled and said, "It''s okay, Dad. I''m just glad you made it home. Ooo! I got you something!" She jumped up and ran off to grab his gift.


    Her dad, Darren, sighed and waited. Then Valira came downstairs with a small box. She handed it to him and said, "I know that Mom took your guitar pick, so... I took it back."


    Darren looked at her, shocked. "You stole this from your mother?!"


    Valira just nodded innocently and said, "Well, she did leave us."


    Darren shrugged and said, "I guess you''re right."


    Valira tilted her head in a cute, silly way and said, "So... how’s the job going?"


    Darren sighed and replied, "Hun, it’s a long story."


    Valira smiled and said, "I’ll listen."


    Darren nodded. "Well, the wood got delayed until next week, and our boss is pissed about it."


    Valira made a pouting face. "So that means—"


    "Yes," Darren cut in. "That means I can’t get your meds until next week. I’m sorry, hun."


    Valira looked somewhat sad, but then softly said, "It’s okay, Dad," and laid her head on his chest.


    Then the phone rang, and Valira looked over — she knew it was the school. She stood up as her dad went to answer it.


    Darren gruffly said, "Who could be calling at 8 p.m.?!"


    He picked up the phone, and Valira could see his face shift into an angry expression.


    "I''ll be there tomorrow to talk to this kid," he snapped, slamming the phone down.


    Then he turned and looked at Valira


    Darren said in an angry tone, "So you were just going to wait until I got the call from the school that some boy laid hands on you?!"


    Valira looked down in sadness and said, "I didn’t want to bother you."


    Darren immediately knew he was wrong for getting mad at her. I mean, what fourteen-year-old girl has to go through her parents getting divorced and having a breathing disease? He thought to himself.


    Then he sighed and said, "Well, hun, next time something this serious happens, you tell me. Okay?


    Valira nodded but still looked at him, like she wanted to know what he was going to do.


    Darren nodded back, then walked over and sat down on the couch. He looked at Valira and said, "Val, you know I love you very much, right?"


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Valira nodded and smiled, then came over and laid her head on his chest. "I love you too, Dad," she said


    After a few hours of them sleeping on the couch, Darren suddenly woke up. He looked around and saw Valira still asleep. Carefully, he shifted her so he wouldn’t wake her and stood up.


    He walked over to his phone and saw texts from his brother, Erik. One read, "Wood came in early." The next said, "Better get your ass here before boss gets pissed."


    Darren sighed, then quietly went to get ready. After a moment, he slipped out and left for work


    Valira finally woke up and saw that it was 9 a.m. She rubbed her tired eyes and quickly noticed that her dad was gone.


    Then she remembered the meeting with the boy at school. But before she could think more about it, she heard her phone buzzing.


    Tiredly, she walked over to it and saw her dad’s name and number on the screen. She answered.


    On the other end, her dad sounded worried.


    "Hun! Is anyone at our house?!"


    A chill ran down Valira’s spine as she replied, "No, Dad… why would there be anyone here?"


    He quickly said, "Okay, good! Lock all the doors and do not step outside. I’m heading home!


    She heard the call end. Then, suddenly, the sound of military helicopters thundered overhead, shaking the entire house.


    Valira turned on the TV, and the news reporter appeared on screen, panicked and breathless.


    "Stay indoors until the military tells you what to do!" The warning repeated again and again.


    Valira’s heart was racing. She ran upstairs to grab her headphones, hoping music would help calm her down.


    She slipped them on and played Pain by Three Days Grace. The heavy beat filled her ears, grounding her for a moment.


    Then she heard the back door swing open.


    Her dad’s voice came through loud and urgent, yelling, "Jarry, get back! I’m warning you!"


    Valira ripped off her headphones and ran downstairs.


    She saw Jarry banging on the glass, eyes wild. Then—he broke through.


    Her dad stood ready, a handgun trembling in his grip.


    "Jarry, don’t make me do this!" Darren shouted. "Jarry!"


    A loud gunshot rang out.


    Jarry’s body dropped to the ground, limp and motionless.


    Valira let out a small scream and covered her ears. "Dad, you shot him!" she cried.


    Darren turned to her, his voice firm but shaken. "Hun, I had to! Now you listen to me — they’re getting sick, and we need to move. Now. You got that?"


    Valira nodded, her heart still pounding.


    They both headed for the front door


    They got out to the driveway when a truck suddenly came speeding up and stopped with a screech. It was Darren’s brother.


    Erick yelled, "GET IN NOW, DARREN! WE GOT TO GO!"


    Darren jumped into the passenger seat, and Valira climbed into the backseat, sitting right behind both of them in the middle.


    "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Erick shouted.


    Darren snapped back, "ERICK, I DON’T KNOW, BUT JUST DRIVE — HEAD WEST!"


    "Yeah, yeah... west," Erick muttered, gripping the wheel.


    As they drove down the road, a building to their right was on fire. A little further down, they passed a vehicle engulfed in flames


    Chaos was everywhere. Ambulances sped by with sirens blaring. Planes roared overhead, flying low across the sky.


    As they got closer to the city, they saw a long line of cars completely stopped on the road.


    Darren blurted out, "No! No, no, no! We can’t just sit here, Erick!"


    Erick snapped back, "THEN WHERE ELSE DO WE GO, DARREN?!"


    Darren pointed ahead and said, "Take the dirt road into the city!"


    Erick gripped the wheel and nodded quickly. "Okay, okay, okay!


    As they turned into the tall grass and drove straight ahead, they were suddenly met with a military camp right in front of them.


    Erick panicked, yelling, "OH SHIT! WE CAN’T BE HERE! WHERE DO WE GO THEN?! CAN’T GET THROUGH THE CITY — CAN’T GO EAST!"


    Darren took a deep breath and said, "Go more east. There should be a cut-through."


    Erick sat in silence for a moment, gripping the wheel. Then he nodded and turned it sharply.


    "Alright, alright," he muttered, heading toward the new path.


    As they headed that way, they got back onto a road and entered the city.


    But as they pulled up to the city center, people suddenly started running out of a theater, screaming. Several infected burst through the doors and began attacking, biting anyone they could reach.


    Darren’s eyes widened. "Erick?! Erick?! We need to move!"


    Erick slammed the gear into reverse, but there were people behind them.


    "Just drive through them!" Darren shouted.


    "I can’t just run them over, Darren!" Erick snapped.


    "Why not?!" Darren yelled back.


    Erick’s hands trembled on the wheel. "Fine! I’m trying to!"


    valria then looked behind them as erick tried to drive foward and then she said " dad?!"


    as her dad looked back suddenly a car was driving full speed towards them but then crashe into a another and a peace came flying off and hit the edge of their truck causing it to flip over