Keep Holding On

Atlanta; such a bright city and so full of life. Well at least that's how it uses to be, before the world was shot to hell and the dead began walking. Who would have thought that a zombie apocalypse would actually happen? People would joke around about it, make movies, but to think it actually would happen was beyond anyone.

The city was overrun by the living dead,; it was not a safe place, ambushes were pretty common when the living entered the dead's domain. The hordes attacked when they found fresh meat; it was disgusting, revolting, and more than dangerous for one bite and you'd become one them, dead on your feet. Not many people made it out of Atlanta or even in for that matter; except one family where Atlanta was called home even now that the dead have risen, the Morrisons.

Jamie, Angela, and Layla were left on their own. Their parents died when the outbreak happened that began the zombie apocalypse. Jamie was the eldest, he was the one to protect his little sisters. Angela was the middle child, she's the one who usually comes up with the plans to get supplies and to safely get past the freaks. Layla was the youngest at only ten, she didn't contribute much to the group, (besides coming up with the nickname freaks for the zombies) but she was alive that's all that mattered to Jamie and Angela. They still had their baby sister, which was enough for them. They lost their parents to the virus, they couldn't bare to lose her too, besides, they promised to keep her safe.

Angela was the one who took their parents loss the hardest. She couldn't get the event out of her head. She remembered it like it was yesterday.
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Angela had gone to school that morning just like any other day. Sitting in class while the professor rambled on about economics, she could care less about this class, could care less about college in general. She was only there to please her family, everyone saw the best in her thought she could achieve great things in school and become very successful. She didn't see much going for her in life, she wasn't really talented, she had common sense, but wasn't book smart, so what was there for her?

A blood curdling scream erupted from someone in the hall. Angela's professor stopped speaking and stared at the closes door, before everyone rushed tote door. The halls were in a panic; people running around wildly and screaming. Something was wrong, terribly wrong; some people were bleeding.

One girl sat crying across the hall from the classroom, someone sat beside her trying to get information or comfort her, being extremely careful of the girl's shoulder that was bleeding. Angela thought it looked like something took a bite out of her; she was right.

"He bit me, I don't even know who it was, but he bit me." Was all she said and with that the students from Angela's class scattered; Angela grabbed her things as quickly as she could with trembling hands, and made a beeline for the door and into the hallway. She paused for a moment, hearing a gurgling sound she turned to her right to see a man shuffling in her direction.

Blood covered his chin and clothes, he looked like the zombies you would see in movies. Angela stared at the man as he continent his way toward her with his arms outstretched, swiping at the air as if he could reach her from where he was. 'This has to be a joke' was all Angela could think, but her thought was shot down when an unfortunate soul ran out of the stairwell and right in front of the man. The person didn't have a chance to run before the man grabbed him and bit the person's neck, tearing the skin away and blood going everywhere. Angela's stomach churned, it was so disgusting and she felt sick, but most of all she felt fear. Her body shook as she watched the creature that looked like a man tore into the person, but she couldn't bring herself to run, her feet remained planted. What was going on?

Suddenly Angela was pulled away from the sight, a gasp escaped her lips and she went to push the person away only to see Jamie. She had forgotten he was here taking classes like she was. He had a hold of her shoulders, leading her out of the building as quickly as he could. Angela allowed him to lead her and happened to glance behind them, she saw the girl from earlier, her face gaunt and lifeless, she was gone.

The two siblings made it out of the school and to Jamie's truck where he helped Angela into the passenger seat before climbing into the drivers side and started the car. They left the school premises, heading home before Jamie spoke.

"You're not hurt are you?" He asked tensely, Angela didn't answer right away making him snap. "Angela!"

"What, n-no I'm not hurt. Jamie, what's going on?" Angela asked terror evident in her voice as she looked to her older brother for answers he didn't have.

"I don't know, people are going insane. They're eating other humans." Jamie said, pausing for a moment to collect his thoughts. "Angie, you're going to think I'm crazy, but I think the zombie apocalypse is actually happening." Angela let out a breathy laugh at that, a grim smile on her lips.

"Normally I'd say you've gone mad, but I saw a man eat another person just now. He ripped out his throat with his teeth, and a girl that got bit, bled to death not far from me and as we were leaving she was walking down the halls. A zombie apocalypse seems like the only reasonable explanation." She said her voice surprisingly steady for how afraid she was.

"I talked to mom briefly she said to come home, but to be careful. There are apparently a lot of people like that around the house, and dad is trying to fight them off."

" If anyone can protect the house it's daddy. He knows how to handle a gun and knife, he's tough I'm sure he'll hold his own and keep mom and Layla safe. Besides Samantha will do anything to protect Layla, that dog is the most overprotective dog I've ever seen."

"You're right, Sam will keep Layla safe and dad will keep the flesh eating creeps away from all three of them."

They were wrong though, about part of it anyways. Jamie had grabbed a shovel that was left in the front yard and cleared a path through the zombies to the house. Once in the house, Angela pulled their dad's gun from it's hiding place without Jamie noticing and hid it on her person.

They found Layla in a corner in her room; Samantha, the Morrison's loyal border collie, was by Layla's side. Next they found their parents in the master bedroom. Their father had his back to them heading towards the bathroom; he was stumbling and they could hear a gurgling sound, much like the man Angela saw at the college.

"Daddy!" Layla exclaimed from between her siblings. He stopped abruptly, then slowly turned around to face the three kids and family pet. Samantha let out a low growl at him and letting the kids know something was wrong with him, but they didn't need to hear the growl to know it. It was visible on his person, his clothes were covered in blood, his mouth looked odd and had a large gash in his cheek. The worst part was his eyes, they were grey, cloudy, and completely void of life.

"No." Angela breathed upon seeing her father, but she couldn't help but wonder where her mother was and called out her name next. Their mother emerged from the bathroom and her eyes landed on her children and her husband's lifeless body stumbling towards them.

"Jackson!" She screamed at her husband, who faltered for a moment, not at hearing his name per say, but just at hearing a soiling behind him. He turned towards the sound and began heading towards Kira, who just stared at her husband. "I want the three of you to run!" She yelled glancing at her children as tears fell down her cheeks. "Get to Atlanta they're saying its the safest place to go. Get out of here now!" She yelled as he husband continued towards her.

"Mommy!" Laya screamed running into the room. Jackson's walking corpse stopped its pursuit once again and changed its target, now heading for little Layla.

"No!" Kira screamed wrapping her arms around her husband's body just before her could grab Layla. She wasn't strong enough to hold him still though and he turned in her arms and bit her. This gave Jamie time to run in, scooping Layla into his arms and out the door of the bed room. Angela didn't leave though. Instead she pulled the loaded gun out and aimed it at the body that she used to call her father.

When her mother fell to the ground, Angela got the attention of her father and when he began to turn, she pulled the trigger. Her aim was perfect, right through the head, just like she planned. Watching her father fall to the ground, Angela could feel her heart breaking and tears clouded her vision as she fell to the floor by her dying mother.

"Mama." She said as tears flowed down her face and she took her mothers hand in her own. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, he was already dead, I saw him die outside." Her mother gasped. "He was shot by another person, through the heart and then a few moments after he died, he got up. I saw this happen to a few people. Angie the dead are rising and walking, I want you to go with your siblings to Atlanta. Get out of here, you understand."

Kira was having troubles speaking now, she was bleeding out, but instead of growing cold like normal, she was running a fever. Angela figured it was part if the infection when being bit, part of the change. She couldn't find the words to speak though, so she nodded her head to answer her mother's question.

"And promise me you will keep your sister safe. She's only a child in a world that's falling apart right at the seems." Her eyes where hazing over, and Angela knew she would soon be gone. Sobs shook her frame as she looked at her mother, taking I her dying wish.

"I promise mama. I'll do everything in my power to keep her safe."

"I know you will, Angie. I love you sweetie, and I'm so proud of you." Kira said barely above a whisper. "There's one more thing I want you to do."

"I love you too mama, what do you want me to do?" Angela asked sniffling and wiping her nose.

"Shoot me." Angela froze, shooting her dad was one thing, he was dead an attacking, but her mother wasn't dead, not yet anyways.

"What?" Her eyes were wide as she stares at her mother.

"Shoot me, I don't want to come back a monster. Angie, please don't let me become what your father did, I don't want to be part of the living dead." Angela nodded leaning down to kiss her mother's head before standing, aiming the gun at her mother, who closed her eyes with a small smile on her face, and pulled the trigger.