We planned to take all the things we needed to the safe point. It was not a bad idea, but…… what if we don't make it?

Either by us dying on the way there, by monsters, or by the safe point not accepting us into the place. The second one because of the people they saved. They might already have a lot of people inside the mall and don't need more mouths to feed. 

There is also an option of there being a psycho inside that mall that wants to kill people, but that chance is pretty low…..

Right?

"I don't mind trying to reach the safe point, but what if we don't make it?" I told them about my concerns about the trip.

Michelle looks towards me, "That is something that could happen. We could leave the freezer food and some of the canned food here. Just in case we have to fall back and regroup."

I nodded and voiced my approval of that option.

"Yeah, that sounds good. Do y'all have ice in the freezer?"

Kayla sits up from her position and nods my way, "Yeah, we can put all the ice and meat in the deep freezer with the rest of the food to preserve it longer. It should last at most one week; if we're lucky, it will last for an extra day." 

"Alright then, we shouldn't open it again after that, though. We need it to stay cold for as long as possible. We should start doing that right now before we go. Michelle, is it alright if I can talk to you privately after we get that handled?"

Michelle got up from her seat and walked into the kitchen toward the freezer. "Yeah, that's fine. Casey, can you help me hold open the door for the freezer?"

"Yep, I got it, darling!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After we finished setting up the deep freezer to stay closed for a little while, I waved to Michelle to come to the bathroom so I could talk to her.

As she walks in, I close the bathroom door behind her and lock it. 

'Even though nothing is going to happen, it's just a habit.'

"What did you want to talk to me about?" She questioned me.

"Are you okay?"

And within the next second, she broke out in tears. 

"Hey! Elle! What's wrong? Did something happen!?" I went to hold and hug her while she was crying. 

Something had to be wrong…..

"I'm sorry, Ethan….", she whispered while crying. "Mom is dead…"

I stiffened when I heard that. 

I knew that was a possibility, but I never really focused on that thought. I had put that to the side of my mind and told myself that she was alive.

"How do you know? She could be alive for all you know."

Michelle pulled her head away from my chest to look me in my eyes.

"I heard her die on the phone, Ethan."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(P.O.V: Michelle)

Flashback 

I had just arrived at Kayla's house, and her mom, Casey, had just greeted me when I came through the door.

"Whatcha' gals doing today? Play games? Gossiping?"

Kayla laughs, quite loudly, and turns to her mom, "No! We just wanna chill and watch TV. You gotta problem with that?" 

Casey raised an eyebrow at her daughter, "No, y'all fine. Go on ahead."

I follow Kayla into the living room and plop onto the seat right next to her. She picks up the remote and looks for a movie for us to watch.

"Do you have an idea of what you wanna watch?" She turns her head toward me.

I shake my head at her, "No, how are you going to invite me over to watch a movie, but don't have a movie already picked out?"

She scowls at me and hit my shoulder, "Well, if I didn't have such a mean ass, picky eating, and two sided friend, I wouldn't have to second guess myself all the time!"

I gasped, quite fake, and leaned in closer to her, "But I'm not your friend now, am I?"

Her face turned a bright shade of red, and she turned her face back to the TV screen quickly, "Whatever, we're going to watch this movie."

'She really picked this completely random movie….. I at least know that I still got some game.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later….

*Ringgggg!*

My phone rang while I was midway through the second movie. I picked it up to see who it was, and it was my mom. I answered it.

"Hello? What's up, Mom?"

"Hey, honey, are you inside a building? It isn't safe outside, there are like thousands of weird creatures outside eating people. Go inside if you see any of the sort."

"I'm already inside Kayla's house, I'm safe. Hold up, I'm looking outside real quick."

I said to my mom and Kayla, who was sitting right next to me. I walked to the front door window and looked outside.

I

Saw

Chaos…..

A lot of monsters were running to and killing people.

It looks like they just arrived on the street Kalya lived on, because I know I would've heard the screaming earlier.

'Why am I just now hearing them… I know I would've heard such loud screaming….'

"Michelle…."

I put the phone closer to my ear so I could speak and hear my mom better.

"Yeah?"

"The building is collapsing…. Listen, I'm going down the stairs at the moment, and the rest of them have just fallen off."

I'm shaking……

This can't be happening….

"Mich? Are you okay? What's going on?" Kayla walked up behind me with her mom following her.

But I didn't notice or hear them…..

I'm panicking…..

What other options are there to get out of a collapsing building?

The windows?

"How high are you now, Mom!? What floor!?"

"Sixth floor…. I already thought of jumping, Michelle. That's not happening….."

 "I love you, Michelle."

No..

No…..

No………

This is not happening…

This is a dream…..

A very weird and horrible dream….

Monsters outside?

My Mother dying in a building?

Yeah….

This is a dream.

"Tell Ethan that I love hi-"

*CRASHHH!!!*

*______*

"Mom…..hello?"

She's gone?

Like that?

"Mom! I think Kayla's having a panic attack!"

.

.

.

.

.

"Michelle!"

.

.

.

"Michelle!!"

.

.

"Michelle! Help board up the house! I know you're not in the right headspace, but what about Ethan? He still needs you! Come on!"

*Ringgggg!*

Kayla goes to pick up my phone which I dropped right beside me. When she shows me the phone screen, I see Ethan's name.

And I answer…..

(End of Flashback)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(P.O.V: Ethan)

"That's what happened when I called you? Is that why you didn't respond when I asked about Mom?"

She put her head back in my chest and nodded.

"Then it's understandable, but I'm still going to keep that little hope that she is still alive. I haven't seen her body, so we are still not positive about Mom's death."

She lifted her head back up and smiled slightly at me. She kissed me on my forehead.

"Alright, I'll keep that same hope then."