I woke up with a jolt when I heard loud thunder. I look up and saw that the morning sky was filled with blackness. I sigh and woke Casey up. "come, one kid, we need to move before it starts to rain," I said gently shaking her. She began to stir and woke up, yawning and rubbing her eyes. I just look at her and smile. She smiles back then her stomach makes a noise from hungry. I laugh her at her. I look through my bag and pull out some fruit bars and handed her two and I had two for myself as well. I only had one water bottle so we shared that. "alright kid lets more" I told her. She nodded her head. I got up and put her on my back so we could down from the top of the truck. Lighten and thunder fill the blackened sky above. We were about a mile away from the hospital where my family was. I put Casey down and we started making our way to the hospital. I held on tightly to Casey's hand and move slowly through the abandon cars when I felt the first drops of rain. Damn. I was hoping we had a little more time before the rain started.

As the light rain becoming heavy and heavy, Casey and I were soaking wet. We couldn't move any faster in the rain. The noise made have double in sound but the undead wasn't the only thing to be wary of these day now. With Casey, still, on my back, we were slowly making our way to UCLA medical center.

We were close to Westwood now. We were next to the hammer museum and I could see all the signs for UCLA and I was filled with relief but I was also worried about my family's safety. I just wanted to get this done and over with and take Casey and my family out of the city and to someplace safe. I just hope that the city wasn't walled up and place under a quarantine like they did with New York City. But I couldn't think about that right now, all I could think about was my family and seeing them alive and well then getting the fuck out of here.

As we were walking I notice more and more of our surroundings. "ok kid if anything bad happens to run and hide and I'll find you" I told her. "what no! no I don't want to be left alone" she said in a worried whisper. "kid I promise I'll find you. I just didn't want you to get hurt by the growlers or people who lost their mine" I told her. "I SAID NO" she yelled. I took her off of my back and I hugged her tight. "kid I know, but I don't want to see you get hurt, I barely know what's going on and I can't keep you safe." I told her. I don't really know why I was. I guess I was preparing for the worst in this station. I couldn't understand why but every time I told her I was leaving her every fiber of my being went against me yelling at me to keep her with me and to keep her safe. "fine kind don't start the waterworks just stay on my back and keep quiet and if I say run you run promise" I told her. "I promise," she said wiping her tears away. She climbs back up on my back and we started to move again. We were about five blocks away from the hospital.

I started to move slower and every few minutes stop and listen to the sounds around us. I stop behind a car and looked over the hood. I immediately put my hand over Casey's mouth. I put my finger over my mouth to make the 'stay quite sign' and removed my hand. She buried herself deeper into my back. I slowed down my breathing and moved as quietly as could around it. I felt Casey's tears on my neck. I wanted to tell her it was going to be ok but I could talk. We were just three short blocks away from the medical center. About five feet from the ticker thing, I believe it was, someone or something made a noise and the thing took off after it. I didn't stay there to find out what it was that made the noise, all I did was took off as fast and as quietly as I could with Casey on my back. We made it to the medical center. I wanted to cry for joy. As we got closer I put Casey on the ground and held onto her hand. "we will be quick and out of the rain for some time." I told her she nodded her head. We made our way inside through the front door. The place was a mess. I didn't have the time to think about that "ok kid I know you tired and hungry, so am I" I told her. She just looked up at me. "here's the plan, we are going to find a room and clear it out then I'm going to find my brother and parents then we'll get the hell out of here, sounds like a plan" I said. She just nodded and we made our way deeper inside the center. We move slowly and look at everything.

Casey was right behind me when we heard a moan. I didn't want to check it out because I didn't know what will happen. Casey held on tighter to my hand and we move slowly away from the close door. I didn't want to know what was going on. We made our way to the first-floor café in the search of food and water. We grab what we could carry, food and water and other things that could help us survive and get out of the city well at least try to get out of it.

I didn't want to take the elevator up because the noise would attract unwanted attention to Casey and I. so we took the stairs.

After walking up a flight of stairs Casey and I began to look for a room to hide her out in. we move from door to door listening closer to hear if any sound would come out of it. I heard growls and that clicking sound those things make, other rooms I would hear coughing and moaning. Some rooms I didn't go near because of the blood coming from the other side of the room. Casey was doing that sound. She would hold her ear to the door and if she heard a sound and saw blood she would move as fast as he could away from it. she was mimicking me. I smile at that, she was learning from me but she was still just a kid thrown into hell. Fuck, we were all thrown into hell. We were still looking for a room with no sound coming from it. then I find one. "Casey" and she looks at me with a questioning gaze, I told her to come over. We both put our ears against the door and heard nothing.

I grab the handle and slowly turn the door noob. I opened it and saw that it looks clear. I opened it a bit more and look around the room looking for anything and everything that moved. I sigh in relief; the room was clear but now I had to check the bathroom. I mention Casey to follow close and close the door to the room. I went up to the bathroom door and hear nothing. Not even the drip of water. I open the door prepare for anything to come out but nothing did. I pick up Casey and took her out of her wet clothes. "so, I don't have anything that is dry but well just air dry these and get you under some covers" I told her. She nodded her head. I pick her up and a towel and put her down on the bed. I cover her up and watch as she falls asleep. I look down at my watch and saw that it was barely six in the afternoon. But I guess from moving around and being in the rain and lack of food she was tried.

I wish she didn't have to go through this, I wish none of this happens but it did. I pull up a chair and sat in front of the window watching the rain. The rain was a good thing. I took care of any remaining fires that needed to be put out but it also brought something that helps you relax. I know I couldn't relax anytime soon because of hell but this was my life now. This was the life I ultimately shared with a kid I knew nothing about. I didn't want to sleep, I didn't want to feel the tiredness of the days that my body felt. I needed to stay up and watch over Casey and I needed to move out of this room and find my family.

I needed to get up and move and so I did. I got up and went to the bathroom and hope that that water was still running. I didn't want to make too much noise but I needed to run my head under the cold stream to woke myself up. After waking myself up I looked around the room to see if there was anything useful here. There were some bags to the left of the bed and some uneaten food that has good bad near the door. I went to the bags beside the bed. I didn't want to wake Casey up. I wonder if there were clothes in here that u could change into or something that I can give to Casey was a weapon. The thought of giving a weapon to Casey made this reality of ours more nightmarish.

I open the first leather bag and soon some men's shirts and some books. The books were useless but the shirts could be used. nothing was really in that bag. The next bag was a black gym bag. It held short and shirts and a pocket knife. I could give this bag to Casey, it was small and she could hold something. I mean I was going to hold the heavy stuff and this will give Casey some form a responsibly. The last bag felt familiar like I knew where it came from but couldn't put my finger on it. it was at the forefront of my mind and yet I couldn't remember where I saw the bag last. I open the bag and saw it held women's clothing. As I was pulling shirts out of the bag something fell out. I bent down and saw that it was a wallet. I look through it and immediately dropped it. I couldn't believe this. I pick up the wallet and took out the photo that was in there. It was a picture of my family. This was my mother's room! Where was she and dad? Where my Greg? I wanted to go out and find them but that would mean leaving a sleeping Casey behind and defenseless.

I wanted to find my family right now but I needed to rest and give Casey some time to recover so she can be up and protect herself. Damn it! I wanted to yell and trash the room but that would only bring whatever or whoever in here to us. I needed to calm down and breath. So, I did just that. I listen to the falling rain and breathe. I sat down and just hope that they were ok and safe. I hope they find someplace in this hospital that was safe and I hope everyone was ok. I open my eyes and look over to Casey. She didn't have any clothes on. I reach into the what I knew now was a father bag and took out a clean shirt for her. She stirred but didn't wake up from her sleep. I smile down at her. Even though all of this she still finds a way to sleep. I couldn't waste any time but I need I needed to rest.

Even though my mind was against it I felt my eyes water and my body gives way to the tiredness I felt. Even though I slept for a night my body still needed rest. Even since this started my body has been on over time. Pushing past my limits and looking after a kid trying to find my family. I close my eyes and welcome the darkness that would consume me. I dreamt of nothing.

A few hours later I awoke to the sound of thunder drumming its way across the sky and a flash of lightning. Casey woke up as well and looked around in a panic. I quickly went to her and held her in my arms. "hey little dude its good it's just storming out now" I told her. She nodded her head and held onto me tighter. "what am I wearing" she asks me. "oh, un I find some clothes and put them on you so you don't get sick" I told her. "thank you" she said. "so, uh this is actually the room my family stay in while my mother was admitted here" I told her. "really then we must be close to finding them then leaving right" she asks me. "yea kid we are. Are you still tired?" I ask her. "no, I'm fine just need some food," she said. I smile at her and gave her some food. I ate some myself. "I find a pocket knife a di want you to have it," I said to her and handed her the six-inch knife. "now be careful with it and only use it to defend yourself understood," I said. "yes," she said with a mouth full of food. "I am going to go look for my family and I didn't want to leave you here while you were asleep or without anything you protect yourself with. I know you will say take me with you but I need you to rest and took that gym bag and fill it with clothes and some supplies for us to use ok." I told her. I saw the protest in her eyes but she nodded.

"when I leave, this room took that chair and block it so nothing can enter ok" she nodded once again. "oh, and kid our password is 'on your side' ok." I said. "on your side is the password and block that door," she said and look up me. I gave her a thumb up and left the room. I waited until I hear her move the chair in front of the food and started to look for my family. All I wanted was to see them again and be held by them in our family group hugs that a hated some much but desperately needed right now. I wanted to hear my brothers annoying high pitch voice and my mother barely their accent and to hear my father deep voice.