The Rising
Alfreda
I rubbed Jamie’s ears gently before standing up and turning to the footlocker. I sifted through the jumbled mess of items that it contained until I found a hard-covered purple book. On the front, scrawled in silver sharpie, was the name ‘Hannah Marie Lewis’. I sat down on the cot and cracked open the book.
‘May 19
Hello, my name is Hannah Lewis. I’m 22 years old, and I’ve just started construction on a cabin in the woods. If you should find this, my predictions were correct. Please, please, please don’t stop reading if you think you’re safe. I’m begging you to read this whole thing through; it could very well save your life.’
‘July 12,
I’ve just finished my cabin and have officially moved in along with Jamie. I couldn’t stand to stay in town anymore. Everyone ridiculed me for preparing for an apocalypse-more specifically the zombie apocalypse. They’ll be sorry, though.
-Hannah Lewis’
I yawned, laying back on the cot and flipping through the pages. I don’t know how long it took to finish the journal, but when I did I was dead tired. I was glad Hannah had been smart enough not to put any windows in the house, but I was wishing she at least installed a clock.
Jamie whined from his spot on the floor, raising his gaze to me, as if to tell me he was worried. I reached out my hand and rubbed the top of his head gently. “I know buddy. I’m worried too. I have friends somewhere out there, you know? Justin, Colette, and Gustav… They’re practically my family now.” I sighed, rolling over on my side.
“And I don’t even know if they’re still alive. I really hope they are. If not, I think it would just be best to take one of the guns and pull the trigger. What would there be left to live for?”
Jamie placed his head on the cot, licking my nose as if to comfort me. “You’re such a good boy. Sometime soon you and I will have to get out of here. We can’t stay here forever, you know that right?”
Jamie let out a short bark as if to tell me he understood. “Good boy, Jamie. Now you keep watch so I can get some sleep.” I yawned and rolled over to face the wall. It didn’t take long for me to fall into a very uncomfortable darkness.
‘May 19
Hello, my name is Hannah Lewis. I’m 22 years old, and I’ve just started construction on a cabin in the woods. If you should find this, my predictions were correct. Please, please, please don’t stop reading if you think you’re safe. I’m begging you to read this whole thing through; it could very well save your life.’
‘July 12,
I’ve just finished my cabin and have officially moved in along with Jamie. I couldn’t stand to stay in town anymore. Everyone ridiculed me for preparing for an apocalypse-more specifically the zombie apocalypse. They’ll be sorry, though.
-Hannah Lewis’
I yawned, laying back on the cot and flipping through the pages. I don’t know how long it took to finish the journal, but when I did I was dead tired. I was glad Hannah had been smart enough not to put any windows in the house, but I was wishing she at least installed a clock.
Jamie whined from his spot on the floor, raising his gaze to me, as if to tell me he was worried. I reached out my hand and rubbed the top of his head gently. “I know buddy. I’m worried too. I have friends somewhere out there, you know? Justin, Colette, and Gustav… They’re practically my family now.” I sighed, rolling over on my side.
“And I don’t even know if they’re still alive. I really hope they are. If not, I think it would just be best to take one of the guns and pull the trigger. What would there be left to live for?”
Jamie placed his head on the cot, licking my nose as if to comfort me. “You’re such a good boy. Sometime soon you and I will have to get out of here. We can’t stay here forever, you know that right?”
Jamie let out a short bark as if to tell me he understood. “Good boy, Jamie. Now you keep watch so I can get some sleep.” I yawned and rolled over to face the wall. It didn’t take long for me to fall into a very uncomfortable darkness.