Bastille

Blood and gore dripped from the undead torso as her knife jabbed at him barely jarring the creature. The noise of rage he made would make the hairs on the back of Satan's neck stand on end. Hands clasped at her bringing her closer to her doom. She held her breath as the inevitable drew near.

"Boo."

Valeria jumped sky high as breath fanned against her ear, causing the bowl of popcorn braced on her lap to fly onto the carpeted floor. A hand clasped her chest before darting out to smack the arm of the laughing teenage boy.

"That was not funny, Wesley! Look at my popcorn." She whined, glancing down to see the buttered popped corn scattered across the taupe colored flooring. For Valeria, one thing she never forgave anyone for was wasting her food. She was an eater and damn proud to admit it. Wesley was still mocking the scream that had come forth from her lips.

"Clean it up." Valeria stated flatly, taking a pillow from the sofa and hitting Wesley upside the head. She ignored her brother's whines of protest as she headed for the door. Once in her room she felt safe again. The door was locked, classic music was pouring from her iHome, and a bubble bath was just calling her name. It was times like these when Valeria was glad her room in the basement was the only one with an adjoining bathroom, besides her parents of course. It was all hers and painted a pretty shade of mint with a frilly white shower curtain that her mother had made just for the remodel of her downstairs room and bath. After years of complaints her father had finally paid to put in a new bathtub, this one with jets and enough room for two other people. Not that she had anyone to share a bath with. That would be just awkward, after all.

Valeria let the water run as she stared at herself in the wide mirror above the sink. She had been blessed with naturally tanned and clear skin, something all the high school girls had been envious of. Despite remarks of her beauty, Valeria had never thought positively of her own appearance. Her hair was colored to an almost blonde tint, but not the bleach blonde you see on the shows like her sister Cassandra watched. Shows with girls always walking the beaches in bikini tops with long golden hair and pearly teeth.

Hazel eyes stared back from the mirror; Wesley had the same intriguing eyes. Her exotic looks hadn't been kind to her as a young girl. Growing up a mixed race child in various neighborhoods of primarily high class white families never was easy, especially when so much moving from state to state had occurred early in her life. By the time The Olson's settled in the suburbs of Atlanta, Valeria was already almost eighteen years old. She graduated from a new school where the entire population could at times be less than friendly. She couldn't even remember the day when she last had a true friend.

The tub was full with steaming water, sporting a layer of lavender scented bubbles. Valeria shrugged off her baggy sweater and yoga pants before sinking into luxurious froth. She had only been soaking for a short moment when the door to her bedroom was open and slammed shut alerting her to a presence in her bedroom. Footsteps started for the bathroom and the doorknob jiggled.

"Val!" Cassandra was screeching over the sound of running water. "Can I borrow your straightener?"

Valeria rolled her eyes before promptly closing them ignoring her younger sister's whines. Cassie was always asking to borrow things. Valeria couldn't be mad because at least she asked permission. Cassandra was Wesley's twin making them the same age, sixteen to be exact. My father always referred to them as the 'dynamic duo'. The doorknob stopped it's jiggling. It wasn't long before it had swung all the way open.

"That took you longer than last time." Valeria mused from the soft bubbles, feeling them pop against her skin.

"I had to find a card." Cassie huffed, taking the straightener and plugging it into a nearby outlet. She sat on the edge of the counter and stared at Valeria. The girls were sisters but complete opposites, not even the color of their eyes similar. Cassandra had inherited all the good traits the girls' father had: straight dark hair, deep chocolate eyes, and long legs. She towered over Valeria by a whole three inches much like Wesley.

“There are army guys in town.” Cassie spoke loudly from her perch, looking at her nails with a goofy grin. Valeria couldn’t help but roll her eyes before flicking water at her younger sister. She couldn’t remember herself ever being as boy crazy as Cassandra was. Normally Valeria was eager to gossip about the boys in her life, but army men were a different story. Valeria frowned into the lather of bubbles that covered her chest. Why would a group of army men be in Haven, Georgia? The nearest army base was more than one hundred miles away.

“You sure it was the army and not ROTC?” She questioned her sister, lathering her legs with thick shaving cream and reaching for the razor that sat on the edge of the jetted tub.

“Considering I know a majority of the boys in ROTC I can tell you that, no, these are men. Muscled, buff, sexy army men. I would just love to butter one of their biscuits’. If you know what I mean?”

“Cassandra!” Valerie spit out, gaping openmouthed at her sibling. The younger Olson sister was giggling uncontrollably behind a dainty manicured hand.

“Oh come on, Val. The look like nice southern boys who would enjoy a little butter on their bread product!” She teased with long hair spilling down her shoulders, freshly straightened and glistening in the vanity lights. Valeria couldn’t help but laugh. She threw a dry sponge at Cassie and yelled for her to leave. She watched the younger leave the bathroom, the room to Valeria’s room slamming shut behind her. She scoffed and finished bathing, letting the water out of the drain and stepping out the tub wiggling clean, pruned toes in the plush bath rug.

Valeria stepped over the threshold into her room and towel dried her curly hair pausing to turn the television on. It was still on the local news channel that she had watched yesterday trying to check the week’s weather. A reporter stood before the high school that both the twins went to. Valeria stopped her movements and turned the television up higher to hear the young male reporter speak into his microphone.

“Good evening, Haven. Nash Allen here with Channel Seven News. So far the epidemic reported by the Atlanta stations has been maintained. No news of outbreak has been received. Authorities have revealed that Haven has yet to display any sign of the virus. Gotta knock on wood there, right folks? Shelter has been set up at Haven High School which can be seen behind me. Relief efforts are being set forward to provide food, water, and other necessities if need be. This is Nash Allen signing off, Channel Seven News. Back to you, Marsha.”

“That was Nash Allen live from Haven High School,” a blonde reporter sitting at a desk was soon ushered into view to speak. She picked at a pile of papers on her desk, shuffling them before talking once more, “A statement from the mayor and I quote says, “Due to the outbreak of disease in Atlanta and surrounding areas, Haven is not allowing any incoming or outgoing traffic at this time. We have Army personnel here to help keep blockades in place. I am sorry for the inconvenience. When further news is reached from Atlanta the blockades will be abolished, until further notice no persons will be allowed in or out of the city.””

The reporter paused in her speech blinking at the camera before maintaining her composure. She smiled and said her signing off words before the station switched to a commercial. Valeria frowned and clicked the remote to off. She hurried to get dressed and stepped out her door to track down the one person she could think of that would know about the situation at hand: her father, the mayor.