I went from the beach to the inner city. Everything was cover in ash and smoke. I couldn't breathe as the air was filled with smoke and ash. I cover my face with my hand in hoping to breathe a bit easier. No such luck. I wander around until I find a dollar store and went inside. The place was empty and I look around the place. I find a bandana and tie it around my nose and mouth. I left the store and started looking for a car or anything to use to get back to LA.

After wandering around in ashen city, I find a bike. It wasn't much but it was something. I picked it up and started pedaling towards the highway to get out of the city. I didn't know where I was exactly but I knew enough to know I was deep with the inner city of San Diego. I could tell because some of the buildings were burnt out and reduce to rubble and others were still burning bright.

I couldn't tell if the sun was setting or not because of the thick clouds of ash and smoke and it would only get worse as the sunsets. I could barely see a few feet in front of me now and at night I won't be able to see anything. I needed to move fast if I wanted outside the city before nightfall. I needed to find a light source as well for traveling at night, there was no way in hell I was going to sleep here with all this smoke in the air. I rode around on the bike until it became too dark to see. I had no choice but to find a place to stay the night, I couldn't risk staying outside in this darkness anymore. Even with the flashlight, I find I wasn't prepared for this kind of darkness.

I find a place to spend the night, it was down some alleyway. I brought my bike inside this small cramp room and until the bandana from my face. I still smell smoke from the outside. I cough a bit and took out some of the food I had with me. 'I need to get out of here I thought to myself. I need to get back to the girls. I should have never gone out but I needed to. I needed to find some way out of the city for them. If only I haven't gotten so close to that damn cruise liner I wouldn't be in fucking San Diego. I was tired. I felt my body relax and my mind go blank. I thought of nothing in my sleep. I dreamt of nothing in my sleep. I saw nothing and felt nothing. the only thing that kept me was the girls. I needed them to be safe and live. I don't know why I had the need. Every fiber of my being yelled at me to protect those girls and I will. That was the last thought I had before feeling nothing again and was sent off into a deep sleep.

I woke up a few hours later feeling like death just passed over me. My body was sore and breathing labor from all the smoke in the air. I needed to find my way out and onto the highway. I didn't care if I had to pedal my way back. I will for those girls, for my girls. I needed to get to them. It has been about three days since I've been gone and I needed to go back. I went outside and saw the gray sky. I got on my bike and started looking for the way out of this hellhole.

After a few hours, I finally find the ramp onto the highway out of here. I was tried but nothing was going to stop me from getting back to my girls. I rode through the clutter fill street. This was a highway to of hell filled with abandoned cars and burnt shells of them as well. I rode through the smoke of the city, feeling my skin burn. I saw nothing but smoke that claims the sky like a king claims his land. I continue to ride until I saw the exit signs to LA. I was so happy I wanted to shout but didn't. I was finally going back, back to my girls and my dog. I would never leave them again unless it was absolutely necessary for me to do so.

I was now on the highway, I still was in the San Diego area but I was making my way back to Los Angles. I was passing by the signs that lead me closer and closer to L.A. I've been pedaling for hours and I was tired but I wasn't going to stop. I ran into burnt-out cars leaving behind the shells and some of the dead. I took breaks after a few hours of non-stop pedaling but they were short. It's been about seven hours and I was miles away from San Diego but not any closer to L.A. If only I could find a working car I would be able to reach L. A faster but a part of me couldn't risk it. The noise from a car would bring the dead running my way and I wasn't prepared for that. So, I needed to play it safe but also rush the fuck home to my girls. I needed to be alive for that to happen, I wasn't going to let anything stop me. I continue to push myself past my limits, I know that was a dumb thing to do but I needed to keep on going until it nightfall.

As the sun began to set the sky was painted in different hues and shades of blues, pinks, oranges until it all faded away into the black nothingness that was the sky. I stopped my bike and fell to the ground, I was beyond tired. Apart of me was yelling for me to keep on going and another part of me said to stop before the stress kills me before the undead does. I wanted to keep it going but I couldn't get up. I just stay there on the grass feeling my body ache and my muscles tense and release. I was in so much pain but I wasn't going to let that stop me from doing what I needed to do but for right now I was letting it stop me. I felt my body growing numb. I knew that sleep would take me but I wasn't ready for that I needed to get up but I couldn't push myself anymore. I sigh in defeat and give up, I would let sleep win this time.

I woke up and it was still dark out. The moon shines brightly overhead. I looked at my watch and saw that it was just passing midnight. That meant I went to sleep around eight. My body was aching badly and I knew this was going to be harder for me but I didn't care I needed to push myself. I needed to. I had to. However, I needed to eat and regain my strength for the long ride ahead. I ate two of the five fruit bars I had and down a whole bottle of water. I got up and my joints popped. It felt good. I began to stretch my body to get it warmed up. Never do anything long-term without a warm-up. After my little warm-up, I pick up the bike and started off.

After about two hours of pedaling, I saw a sign that read Los Angles 85 miles away. I was closer and that fuel my intense needed to get to the girls. I started paddling faster and faster. I was slowed down at times when I saw abandoned cars or trash on the road on the unmoving body of someone who lost their life. When I went downhill I would give my legs a rest and let the downhill slope take me. Since I woke up I've been going at it seven hours and the sun was still moving across the sky. I check my watch and saw that it was barely nine in the morning. I didn't stop for anything this time. My body protests this but I didn't care I was getting closer and closer with each passing hour.

I saw another sign that said I was about 40 miles away from the city that held my girls. I was almost there. It had been just about a week since I left and I promise Casey that I wouldn't be out any longer than that. I intended to keep that promise no matter what.

Just 40 more miles I thought to myself. I can do this. I can make it. I kept saying to myself. I needed to reach the girls.

I was going as fast as I could and in an hour, I saw another sign that said 20 miles to the city of fallen angels. I couldn't believe it I was almost there. That sun was high in the sky shining down on me. It burned my skin that was exposed, it dried out my eyes and skin and I needed more water. I decided to stop and drink some more water and eat a bit. I was close enough to the city that this was ok for me to stop. I rested a bit more because my body was in desperate need of it. After about ten minutes of rest, I got back up on my bike and continue to paddle my way to the city where my girls were.

It was started to get late as the sun began to set. I was almost there, I was almost to the city. I smile and push myself to go faster. Soon I came up the exit sign that would lead me into the city. I was so giddy that I didn't notice the growler that stepped out in front of me. I couldn't stop in time to avoid it but crash into it head-on. I was thrown from the bike and landed hard on my side. Then I heard the clicking of teeth. Shit. I got up but it was too late the ticker heard the noise and was sprinting after me. I took off running. It followed right behind me, it was at my heels and there was no way in losing it. My only hope was to pass by an area where there was more noise to confuse it. All I thought about were the girls and push myself harder. I wouldn't let this be my end. Then I heard more clicking of teeth behind me. Oh, fuck out of here! I looked behind me and saw two more chasing me. What was I going to do? Then I heard gunfire and a bullet went flying by my head. I look up ahead and saw a girl. I thought she was beautiful, then she fires again I duck to my left and saw a ticker fall to the girl not moving. The last one went charging to her, I went up behind it to tackle it to the ground before it reaches the beautiful girl before me. I held it down and she came up to me putting a bullet in its head.

I looked up to her and was going to say thank you when she pointed her gun at me. "Woah easy there, I didn't get bitten by one of them I swear," I said to the beautiful black-haired girl in front of me. She looked at me. Her eyes were dark brown and I find myself lost in them. She didn't say anything to me. So, I took it as the opportunity to get up and walk away from her. I needed to make my way towards the girls and not be held up by some beautiful Asian girl who pointed her gun at me. I thank her for saving and started walking towards Josh's place. "Wait," she said. I turn around and looked at her, her voice sounded soft but full of power. "I know a safe pace for the night," she said to me. I was going to turn her down but then I heard more growling and clicking of teeth. I had no choice but to go with her, it was too dangerous for me to go during the night. In a few hours, I was going to be there for my girls just wait a little longer.