Dark Before the Dawn prt 2/??
Chapter 1
The streets were amazingly busy for this time of the day. Usually, like in all peaceful little areas, there would be a few people walking the streets. Bam noticed though that very few to no people were walking the streets. Those that were out seemed in a hurry to pack their bags into their cars and to get out as quickly as they could. A lot of people going on vacation he thought as he turned the corner and ran smack into a woman. He grabbed her to keep her from falling.
“Sorry ma’am,” he said.
“You’re dead!” She snapped grey eyes wide and terrorized. “You’re dead!” she screamed, grabbing onto him. “You’re going to die, and go to hell, but you won’t stay because you’re dead!” She screamed shaking him. “DEAD!”
“Easy lady, I just ran into you, fuck,” Bam snapped, irritated already.
“DEAD!” she screamed and laughed. “You’re dead, you’re going to die and then you’ll walk!” she screamed loudly then pulled him close. “They’re coming for you, and you can’t escape them! They’ll make you one of them!” She screeched when he shoved her away.
“Get the fuck off me lady!” he said, backing away. “Fucking psycho!”
She laughed, picking herself up. “DEAD! YOU’RE DEAD!” she screamed at him, pointing at him with a filthy hand. “DEAD!”
He shook his head and hurried down the street and away from the lady. He sighed and stepped into the small market that was between his home and his work and walked to the back. He grabbed a bottle of soda from the cooler and walked a little further down and grabbed two sandwiches and went to the front grabbing a bag of chips on the way. He set them on the counter and looked down at the papers sitting there.
“EPIDEMIC SPREADS”
was the headline across the top of the first one. He reached to move it so he could read further when a hand slapped down on it. “You read it you buy it Brandon,” the clerk said smiling falsely at him.
He shrugged. “That’s it then,” he said, nodding to the food.
“What a lunch, you should eat better, this stuff isn’t healthy for you,” she said ringing it up.
“Yeah, I know Missy, you tell me that everyday,” he said with a shake of his head.
“Well, it’s the truth,” she said patting his hand. “I’m only worrying about you, Brandon.”
He nodded. “And for that I am thankful,” he said.
She sighed. “8.50,” she said.
He pulled a ten from his wallet and handed it to her. “There you go,” he said with a nod.
“Thank you,” she said, handing him his change, she looked out the window. “People sure are acting strange today.”
“Yeah they are,” he said with a laugh.
“See you tomorrow Bam,” She called as she vanished back into the back room.
“Bye Missy!” he called and grabbed the bag and headed out the door.
“Bye!” She called back.
He sighed and headed off on the two-block walk to Fairmans, where he would open the store and wait for customers.
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
Deron Miller walked across the front room of his house and hit the power button on his radio and loaded a CD and headed back towards the couch. He flopped down and picked up a notebook and studied it silently. A few words were scribbled across the page but nothing worth anything. He growled and tossed the notebook down and stared up at the ceiling. He heard the front door open but didn’t move just stared harder at the ceiling.
“Hey,” Chad’s voice called to him. “You ready to go? I just need to grab a shower and I’ll be ready,” he said.
Deron sat up sighing he nodded. “Yeah I’m ready,” he said.
“Good,” Chad stated and bounded up the stairs.
Deron watched him go then leaned back on the couch again and stared up at the ceiling. He wasn’t looking forward to today. He was glad Chad was going with him because he didn’t think he could deal with Falissa’s crap. He sighed, scrubbing his face and deciding he needed a shave. He got up and went to turn off the radio.
“Stay indo” echoed out before he hit the power button.
He wandered into the downstairs bathroom and pulled his shaving kit out. He hummed to himself as he lathered up his face and began to neaten his beard. He washed his face and brushed his teeth then looked at himself in the mirror. He pushed the door to the medicine cabinet closed to see Chad standing there watching him.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” he said, rubbing his face again. “Nerves I guess.”
“Don’t worry about it, you’ll have a great day,” the brunette said, patting him on the back.
Deron couldn’t help but smile at how optimistic Chad could be in these situations. “Come on let’s go get my kid,” he said.
Chad nodded. “I’ll drive.”
“Thanks,” he said. As the two of them left the house Deron looked around silently, studying people who seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere fast. “What’s going on?”
“Weekend vacations?” Chad said with a shrug.
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.”
They climbed into Chad’s Jeep and he pulled away from the curb, heading through the congested streets towards where Falissa lived with her new husband and Bianca, his four-year-old daughter.
“So, do you get her for the weekend?” Chad asked as he swerved around a trash can in the street.
“Yeah, Falissa and Steven are going up to his cabin for the weekend,” he responded watching as a woman staggered blindly down the sidewalk stumbled and almost fell then stumbled on. “Little early to be drinking don’t you think!” he yelled out the window.
The woman paused and turned her head gazing at Deron and the Jeep blankly. She suddenly turned and stumbled towards the car, wobbling as she walked. Deron blinked and rolled up his window. “Okay.”
Chad blinked and looked over. “Huh, little early to be drinking is right,” he stated and pulled away from the light turning down the side street which led to Falissa’s house.
When they pulled to a stop Deron blinked. “The front door is open,” he said, getting out of the car.
Chad furrowed his brow. “Not very safe is that?” he asked as they went through the gate and up the steps.
“No, not at all,” Deron said, pushing the door open more and stepping inside. “FALISSA!” he called.
“Why do I have the feeling we shouldn’t be yelling,” Chad said, looking into the living room where the table was shattered.
“Yeah,” Deron said, heading for the stairs that would take them upstairs. “I’m going to see if anyone is upstairs.”
“Okay,” Chad said, still looking into the living room.
Deron jogged up the stairs pushing, the first door open and scanning the room but seeing nothing, he continued on till he reached the door at the end of the hall with the words Bianca painted on them. He swallowed nervously and opened the door.
The little girl was curled up in her bed sleeping peacefully. “Bianca?” he said softly, walking towards the bed.
“Arrgh,” something vocalized behind him.
He whirled around and starred at his ex-wife. “Lissa?”
The thing standing before him couldn’t be her. “Lissa is everything okay?”
“Ennn,” she moaned and stumbled towards him.
He backed up quickly and picked up Bianca, holding her close. “Mama!” the little girl cried.
“Ennn,” the woman moaned, stumbling closer. Falissa turned her head, revealing something dark in her hair, which looked wet and sticky. She bared her teeth in an inhuman snarl and lunged for Deron and the baby.
“Fuck!” Deron yelped, dodging around the thing. “Stay back Lissa!” he said, hurrying out the door and shoving it shut. He stood there starring at the door as he could hear Falissa pawing on the door from the other side. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand grabbed his shoulder.
“Everything okay?” Chad asked.
“No,” he paused. “I mean I don’t know, something’s wrong with Falissa.”
“Ennn,” the creature moaned from the other side of the door.
Chad snickered. “She sounds drunk.”
“Yeah,” Deron said, still staring at the door.
“Is Bianca okay?” he asked, staring at the door as well.
“I think so yeah,” Deron responded.
Chad nodded. “Um, should we go now?”
“Ye-” He was cut off by the fact that Falissa suddenly shoved her head through the door, growling loudly and reaching with one hand towards them.
“Holy fuck!” Chad yelped backing up. “Leaving now!” he said, heading for the stairs.
Deron’s eyes went wide. “Sounds like a plan!” he said and the two bolted downstairs and for the car. After quickly buckling Bianca into the booster seat, he jumped into the front seat locking the door. “Drive.”
“Doing it!” Chad stated, stepping on the gas as Falissa came out the front door, standing there, sniffing the air like an animal. “Fuck me,” Chad whispered watching the woman in the rearview mirror.
The streets were amazingly busy for this time of the day. Usually, like in all peaceful little areas, there would be a few people walking the streets. Bam noticed though that very few to no people were walking the streets. Those that were out seemed in a hurry to pack their bags into their cars and to get out as quickly as they could. A lot of people going on vacation he thought as he turned the corner and ran smack into a woman. He grabbed her to keep her from falling.
“Sorry ma’am,” he said.
“You’re dead!” She snapped grey eyes wide and terrorized. “You’re dead!” she screamed, grabbing onto him. “You’re going to die, and go to hell, but you won’t stay because you’re dead!” She screamed shaking him. “DEAD!”
“Easy lady, I just ran into you, fuck,” Bam snapped, irritated already.
“DEAD!” she screamed and laughed. “You’re dead, you’re going to die and then you’ll walk!” she screamed loudly then pulled him close. “They’re coming for you, and you can’t escape them! They’ll make you one of them!” She screeched when he shoved her away.
“Get the fuck off me lady!” he said, backing away. “Fucking psycho!”
She laughed, picking herself up. “DEAD! YOU’RE DEAD!” she screamed at him, pointing at him with a filthy hand. “DEAD!”
He shook his head and hurried down the street and away from the lady. He sighed and stepped into the small market that was between his home and his work and walked to the back. He grabbed a bottle of soda from the cooler and walked a little further down and grabbed two sandwiches and went to the front grabbing a bag of chips on the way. He set them on the counter and looked down at the papers sitting there.
“EPIDEMIC SPREADS”
was the headline across the top of the first one. He reached to move it so he could read further when a hand slapped down on it. “You read it you buy it Brandon,” the clerk said smiling falsely at him.
He shrugged. “That’s it then,” he said, nodding to the food.
“What a lunch, you should eat better, this stuff isn’t healthy for you,” she said ringing it up.
“Yeah, I know Missy, you tell me that everyday,” he said with a shake of his head.
“Well, it’s the truth,” she said patting his hand. “I’m only worrying about you, Brandon.”
He nodded. “And for that I am thankful,” he said.
She sighed. “8.50,” she said.
He pulled a ten from his wallet and handed it to her. “There you go,” he said with a nod.
“Thank you,” she said, handing him his change, she looked out the window. “People sure are acting strange today.”
“Yeah they are,” he said with a laugh.
“See you tomorrow Bam,” She called as she vanished back into the back room.
“Bye Missy!” he called and grabbed the bag and headed out the door.
“Bye!” She called back.
He sighed and headed off on the two-block walk to Fairmans, where he would open the store and wait for customers.
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
Deron Miller walked across the front room of his house and hit the power button on his radio and loaded a CD and headed back towards the couch. He flopped down and picked up a notebook and studied it silently. A few words were scribbled across the page but nothing worth anything. He growled and tossed the notebook down and stared up at the ceiling. He heard the front door open but didn’t move just stared harder at the ceiling.
“Hey,” Chad’s voice called to him. “You ready to go? I just need to grab a shower and I’ll be ready,” he said.
Deron sat up sighing he nodded. “Yeah I’m ready,” he said.
“Good,” Chad stated and bounded up the stairs.
Deron watched him go then leaned back on the couch again and stared up at the ceiling. He wasn’t looking forward to today. He was glad Chad was going with him because he didn’t think he could deal with Falissa’s crap. He sighed, scrubbing his face and deciding he needed a shave. He got up and went to turn off the radio.
“Stay indo” echoed out before he hit the power button.
He wandered into the downstairs bathroom and pulled his shaving kit out. He hummed to himself as he lathered up his face and began to neaten his beard. He washed his face and brushed his teeth then looked at himself in the mirror. He pushed the door to the medicine cabinet closed to see Chad standing there watching him.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” he said, rubbing his face again. “Nerves I guess.”
“Don’t worry about it, you’ll have a great day,” the brunette said, patting him on the back.
Deron couldn’t help but smile at how optimistic Chad could be in these situations. “Come on let’s go get my kid,” he said.
Chad nodded. “I’ll drive.”
“Thanks,” he said. As the two of them left the house Deron looked around silently, studying people who seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere fast. “What’s going on?”
“Weekend vacations?” Chad said with a shrug.
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.”
They climbed into Chad’s Jeep and he pulled away from the curb, heading through the congested streets towards where Falissa lived with her new husband and Bianca, his four-year-old daughter.
“So, do you get her for the weekend?” Chad asked as he swerved around a trash can in the street.
“Yeah, Falissa and Steven are going up to his cabin for the weekend,” he responded watching as a woman staggered blindly down the sidewalk stumbled and almost fell then stumbled on. “Little early to be drinking don’t you think!” he yelled out the window.
The woman paused and turned her head gazing at Deron and the Jeep blankly. She suddenly turned and stumbled towards the car, wobbling as she walked. Deron blinked and rolled up his window. “Okay.”
Chad blinked and looked over. “Huh, little early to be drinking is right,” he stated and pulled away from the light turning down the side street which led to Falissa’s house.
When they pulled to a stop Deron blinked. “The front door is open,” he said, getting out of the car.
Chad furrowed his brow. “Not very safe is that?” he asked as they went through the gate and up the steps.
“No, not at all,” Deron said, pushing the door open more and stepping inside. “FALISSA!” he called.
“Why do I have the feeling we shouldn’t be yelling,” Chad said, looking into the living room where the table was shattered.
“Yeah,” Deron said, heading for the stairs that would take them upstairs. “I’m going to see if anyone is upstairs.”
“Okay,” Chad said, still looking into the living room.
Deron jogged up the stairs pushing, the first door open and scanning the room but seeing nothing, he continued on till he reached the door at the end of the hall with the words Bianca painted on them. He swallowed nervously and opened the door.
The little girl was curled up in her bed sleeping peacefully. “Bianca?” he said softly, walking towards the bed.
“Arrgh,” something vocalized behind him.
He whirled around and starred at his ex-wife. “Lissa?”
The thing standing before him couldn’t be her. “Lissa is everything okay?”
“Ennn,” she moaned and stumbled towards him.
He backed up quickly and picked up Bianca, holding her close. “Mama!” the little girl cried.
“Ennn,” the woman moaned, stumbling closer. Falissa turned her head, revealing something dark in her hair, which looked wet and sticky. She bared her teeth in an inhuman snarl and lunged for Deron and the baby.
“Fuck!” Deron yelped, dodging around the thing. “Stay back Lissa!” he said, hurrying out the door and shoving it shut. He stood there starring at the door as he could hear Falissa pawing on the door from the other side. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand grabbed his shoulder.
“Everything okay?” Chad asked.
“No,” he paused. “I mean I don’t know, something’s wrong with Falissa.”
“Ennn,” the creature moaned from the other side of the door.
Chad snickered. “She sounds drunk.”
“Yeah,” Deron said, still staring at the door.
“Is Bianca okay?” he asked, staring at the door as well.
“I think so yeah,” Deron responded.
Chad nodded. “Um, should we go now?”
“Ye-” He was cut off by the fact that Falissa suddenly shoved her head through the door, growling loudly and reaching with one hand towards them.
“Holy fuck!” Chad yelped backing up. “Leaving now!” he said, heading for the stairs.
Deron’s eyes went wide. “Sounds like a plan!” he said and the two bolted downstairs and for the car. After quickly buckling Bianca into the booster seat, he jumped into the front seat locking the door. “Drive.”
“Doing it!” Chad stated, stepping on the gas as Falissa came out the front door, standing there, sniffing the air like an animal. “Fuck me,” Chad whispered watching the woman in the rearview mirror.