"We can't stress this enough." Said the newscaster woman on the television. "Please stay in your homes and lock your doors. Do not go outside unless absolutely necessary. We have been receiving reports of the dead rising and eating the living all day."

    The scene had shifted to three pail skin people with limbs bent at odd angles biting into the flesh of a screaming man as police officers shoot at the living dead. All the shots seem to have no effect until a cop scored a head shot and the living corpse dropped instantly.

    "As you can see, only extreme trauma to the head will put them down for good. Still, we urge that you stay as far away from these things as possible."

    The news woman stopped talking and concentrated on her ear piece.

    "We have just received word that this...epidemic, is what they are calling it, it is taking place all over the globe. Please. We ask that-"

    Suddenly all of the power in the house was cut off.

    Vincent stood quickly, pulling Sophia next to him. He was sure Ms. Mayble had paid the electricity bill already.

   Ms. Mayble. Vincent thought. He started to wonder if she was okay. She was all alone in that house.

   He wanted to go and check on her but honestly, he was terrified to go outside. After what he saw at McDonald's......

    The boy shivered. That was gruesome. He looked down at his sister who was clutching his shirt tightly. She hadn't said a word since that horrible scene. He couldn't even begin to imagine what that was doing to her.

    Vincent knelt down in front of his sister. "I'm going to Ms. Mayble's house." He told her. The little girl's eyes became wide with fear, as she shook her head.

    "I have to make sure she's alright. And while I'm there I can use the phone to call mom. It's too dangerous for you to go outside, soph." He said giving her his no room for arguments look. "I'll be back and and I'll bring Ms. Mayble with me."

    After a moment of silence, the little girl nodded, and Vincent ruffled her hair, smiling softly at her.

    "Good." He said standing up. He picked up his metal bat he had lying on the floor, before heading to the kitchen and getting the small little hand gun his mother kept in a high cabinet for emergencies.

    Vincent had never shot a gun before. He hoped he could do it if the situation called for it.

    He then headed for the door, with his sister trailing behind him. He stopped at the door and bent down in front of her. "Listen Sophia." He began. "Do not open the door unless you her my voice okay?"

    The girl nodded, eyes becoming watery. Vincent knew she was scared that he wouldn't come back. Not because he would abandon her, but because something could happen to him.

    Vincent wiped her tear and smiled softly. "Hey. Don't worry. I'll be back for you." He then poked her forehead before saying, "Be strong for me okay?"

    The girl puffed out her chest and nodded. Vincent chuckled. He would be back for her, no matter what.

    Vincent kissed his sisters forehead and stood. "Lock the door." He said heading outside.

    He could here the door lock after he'd closed it.

    Vincent instantly gagged from the stench that hung in the air. He looked to his left and vomited.

    Lying a few feet from his porch, was a corpse that had recently died.

    The neck looked as though it had been chewed through. The skin of it's faces was missing and so were both of it's arms. It has teeth marks all over it's torso.

    Vincent swallowed heavily. He needed to hurry. This thing could come alive at any moment.

    The boy, took on step off his porch and froze.

    "What the fuck is going on?" He said softly to himself.

    He hadn't noticed noticed all the chaos until now. Screams could be easily heard, fires coming from houses, and one house had a car crashed into the front of it. The house the was right across the street from his home.

    "Ms. Mayble!" The boy took off, all fears temporarily forgotten. He kept out of the way of those things, and steered clear of people. He didn't want any distractions.

    After what seemed like forever, Vincent finally made it to his caretaker's home. He hopped over the car and into her house.

    This place was a wreck. Wood and debris were everywhere. How could this happen? He checked the car.

    Empty. Who ever had done this got out unscathed.

    The boy held up his bat and crept deeper into the house, keeping his guard up. Whoever did this could also be inside the house.

    As Vincent went deeper, he started to hear voices. Three voices, coming from upstairs.

    He quietly made his way upstairs. He didn't want to be seen just yet. He had a bad feeling in his gut.

    As he got closer to the voices, he heard pleading, and crying. A woman's voice.

    Ms. Mayble!

    "Shut up." Said I man's voice. Vincent peck around the corner into a room, to see a man slap the woman hard across the cheek. Ms. Mayble cried out in pain and Vincent could see the tears forming in her eyes.

    Both her hands were tied behind her back. Her ankles were tied together and as far as Vincent could tell, she was dressed only in a silk robe.

    "Why are you doing this?" The woman said, now sobbing.

    "Why not?" Said the guy who had hit her. "This is obviously the end of the word. Might as well go out banging a sexy woman."

    The the two men high fived each other as Ms. Mayble starting cry. "Please." She said don't do this.

    The two man unbuckled their belts and said "shut up." simultaneously, before laughing loudly.

    Vincent couldn't believe what he was seeing. These two men were...were...going to rape this defenseless woman.

    Vincent hid again and gripped his bat tightly. His eyes started to tear up, and his teeth clenched.

    He didn't know what to do. He wanted to help. He really did. But he was also terrified. He was only a boy. What could he do against to men. Bottom line he was scared shitless. Every part of him screamed go home.

    No! He thought to himself.

    He wouldn't run. This woman took care of him like he was her own child. He wouldn't abandon her. He wouldn't. Besides, he told his sister he'd come back with their caretaker.

    With his mind made up, Vincent took a deep breath and clutched his metal bat tighter. He peeked around the corner, and saw one of the men kissing on Ms. Mayble's neck as she squirmed and cried.

    At that moment, something inside of Vincent took over. Without thinking he rushed into the room with a roar, bat raised to attack.

    Everyone in the room turned their attention to him. With rage and a strong need to protect driving him, Vincent smashed the bat into the jaw of the nearest attacker. The attacker fell to the floor crying and clutching his jaw. He then slammed the bat down hard on the man's shoulder. A deafening crack could be heard from the impact. He then used the bat to break the attacker's leg.

   The guy closest to Ms. Mayble had pulled his pants up, and pulled out a knife.

    "What the hell kid?!" The man yelled. "Scram or I'll fuckin kill ya."

    Vincent looked at the knife, then at Ms. Mayble's teary blue eyes. He looked at the man, killing intent making his glare cold and hard.

     Vincent took a step towards the attacker, who took a step back in fear. "I'm warning you, ya little fuck!"

    Vincent took another step forward, all fear gone. Vincent didn't know what was happening to him. He felt...different. It was like he wasn't controlling his body, yet he had complete control. The only thing he knew was that he had to protect this woman who treated him and his sister like her own kids.

    With rage growing to the boiling point, Vincent rushed the man. Not expecting the sudden movement, and being an apparent coward, the man fell back on his ass.

    Vincent wasted no time. He moved with speed he didn't even know he had, and was upon the man quickly. Vincent raised the bat high then brought it down fast and hard directly on the man's knee cap. Shattering it and making him howl in pain.

    Vincent wasn't done. He was going to make him pay. Vincent would make him regret coming into this house.

    Raising the bat high, he slammed it down on his other knee cap. The man cried out and Ms. Mayble yelled his his name, but Vincent wasn't done. He started beating the man relentlessly with the bat. He could only just faintly hear Ms. Mayble pleading for him to stop.

    The man cried for mercy but Vincent would show him none. Like he wouldn't show Ms. Mayble any.

    "Would you have shown her any mercy!" he yelled, beating the man's face repeatedly with the bat. Blood splattering everywhere. "Would you!?"

    "VINCENT!"

    Vincent paused and looked over to the one who said his name.

    Ms. Mayble looked at him, tears screaming down her cheek. "That's enough Vincent. That's enough."

    Vincent looked down at his victim. He fell backwards, dropping his bat and screamed in horror, before throwing up.

    The man's faced was completely bashed in. He wasn't even recognizable anymore. He was completely still.

    Vincent had killed him.

    Vincent looked over to Ms. Mayble wide eyed.

    "C-come untie me Vincent." She said with a shaky voice.

    After a moment of hesitation, Vincent climbed over to the knife the man had dropped, then over to Ms. Mayble. He cut the ropes that was binding her. He could feel her eyes on him.

    Was she disgusted? Was she afraid of him. He was so scared of what she she was thinking that his heart beat picked up.

    After all of the ropes were cut, the woman stared at him. Vincent kept his gaze averted from hers.

    Then she did something that surprised him. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and sobbing.

    "Thank you. Thank you so much." She said in between sobs. "If it wasn't for you, I would....they would have...thank you Vincent. Thank you."

    Vincent was happy. He saved someone important. He saved someone who mattered to him. And they appreciated it. But...

    He hugged her back tightly. Tears flowing freely down his face.

    "I-I-I killed s-someone." He said. "He's dead. I killed him. I killed him. I ki-"

    "Shh Vincent." She said, cradling him. "Shh

    Vincent clutched the woman's robe, crying heavily. Letting everything from the past events flow out.

    Vincent wanted to stay like that. Just crying in her arms for a bit longer. But he couldn't.

    Pulling away, Vincent wiped his tears and said, "We have to leave."

    Ms. Mayble wiped her tears also and nodded. "I know. Where's Sophia?" She asked.

    "S-she's home. Waiting on us to come back." He answered, getting to his feet  "I told her I'd bring you back with me."

     The woman nodded again, getting to her feet. "Okay. Let me put on some clothes."

    Nodding, Vincent asked, "Do you have a phone I can use? To call my mom."

    "I'm sorry Vincent....All phone lines are down."

    Vincent's heart shattered. How was he supposed to call his mother? How was he suppose to see if she was safe?

    Ms. Mayble must've sensed his distress, because she walked him over to the bed and sat him down.

    Tears streamed down Vincent's face and Ms. Mayble gave him a sad look before leaving.

    She came back wearing a black pair of jeans, a black tank top, and black sneakers. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail and a book bag was strapped to her back.

    "Vincent." She called. "We have to go. Sophia is waiting."

    Vincent looked at the woman and nodded. He stood up and went to pick up his bat. He also pocketed the knife of the attacker.

    "Take me with you!" Begged the attacker with the broken jaw, still in the ground.

     Ms. Mayble looked sympathetically at him while Vincent kept walk.

    "Leave him to the corpse." Vincent said heading out the room.

    The woman muttered a sorry, before heading out of the room and closed the door behind her.

    The two made their way to the steps before Vincent turned to her and asked, "Do you know what's outside?"

    The woman nodded, looking a bit scared.

    Vincent then handed her his metal bat. "Stay close to me, Ms Mayble."

    "Christina." She said. "You can call me Christina."

    "Stay close to me Christina." Vincent repeated, taking the knife out of his pocket.

    He started down the stairs, Christina close behind him. He didn't know what he was going to tell his sister. She would surely break down in tears.

    Vincent was lost in thought until Christina pulled him to a holt.

    "Look." She whispered, gesturing to the hole created by the car that was crashed through the house.

    Their were three of those things wondering around near the car.

    Shit. Vincent thought.

    The boy looked around for another exit.

    "This way." he whispered to Christina. "Stay quite."

     He then jumped over the side of the stairs miraculously making noise as he landed. He waited for his caretaker to do the same. The woman mimicked Vincent.

    Vincent looked at the door that was opposite of the one he'd come through.

    "Where does it lead?" He asked in a whisper.

    "To the back yard." She whispered back. "We can hop the fence then run to your house."

    Vincent nodded. Staying in a crouch, he and Christina made their way quietly the back door. The two hurried out of the door.

     They ran to the side of the house, where Christina jumped the gate flawlessly.

    Vincent jaw hung open. He didn't know his caretaker was so agile.

    She smiled at him. "I'm not old yet." She said. "Now hurry Vin."

    Vincent nodded and climbed the fence quickly. They both turned for the house at the same time, but Christina froze.

    "Wh-what is this?" She said horrified.

    Dead bodies littered the ground. Cars were set ablaze and so were houses. A horrible sent stained the air. Those walking corpses chasing after the living. Some corpses chowing down on a screaming person.

    Vincent could tell she was doing her best to keep from vomiting. He was a bit surprised she didn't.

    "I-I knew it was bad but not this bad." She continued. "We have to get to Sophia."

    Vincent didn't argue. He nodded and started running for home. Christina right behind him.

    He hated this. Why was this happening. The world went to shit so fast.

    He clenched his knife as his thoughts went to his sister. He wanted to see her and make sure she was okay.

    The two finally made it, without obstacles. Vincent knocked on the door. "Sophia." He said urgently. "It's Vincent. Open up."

    After a couple seconds, Vincent heard the door unlocking before it swung open. He rushed Christina inside then followed after.

    Vincent locked the door and leaned against it, sliding down to the floor. He watched his caretaker and sister hug, tears in their eyes.

    Vincent smiled. He felt like some kind of a hero. He'd saved someone then brought them to safety.

    Then the bloodied and bashed up face of the person he had killed flashed in his mind.

     He closed his eyes, trying not to cry and vomit again. He'd killed someone. He still couldn't believe it.

    He could feel his sister's worried gaze on him.

    What would she think? If she knew her brother was a murderer.