Before current events
Monica's POV

David told her it was going to be alright. She wanted to believe him. And when he told her to quickly pack some clothes and supplies for herself, she did without any questions. She also changed out of her bloody clothes, leaving them without another look in a heap on her bedroom floor.

She packed some of her parents stuff too, they were going to go see them at their work places once they were done packing. David had tried calling them both--and his sisters--but none of them had responded.

When she was finished, they ran across the street to his place and threw her bags in the back of his truck. David ordered her to get in the truck, lock the doors, and stay there as he went inside the house.
She hopped into the truck, shivering, waiting for him to return.

Faster than she had expected, he did, coming out with two bags. He threw them in the back with her things before he too, got in the truck. He twisted in his keys, put the truck in reverse, and stepped on the pedal. They roared out of the driveway and down the street. He headed straight to the small gas station my mom worked.

She gasped when they arrived--there were cop cars pulling up to the building. Before David even came to a complete stop, she was out of the truck and running inside. A cop, who was climbing out of his vehicle, yelled out to her to stop.

She kept running, pushing open the doors of the store. "Mom?"

She didn't see her up near the front, actually, there wasn't many people at all. The people she could see seemed to all be looking around the ends of a couple of the aisles with their phones out. She didn't know what they were all sticking around to look at until she heard the yells.

"No! I can't open this door!" That voice sounded like her mom!

"That's my husband! You can't just stick him in that room! He's sick and it's cold in there!"

"Ma'am, he tried attacking me when I tried helping him up. He's not acting normal. The cops have arrived, they will take care of this. Ma'am--please stop!" She heard shuffling as she made her way to the back where the voices were coming from. They were in view, and the woman was struggling with her mother, who was standing against the door that led to the cooler room where they kept soda and some other drinks that couldn't go on the shelf. Behind the clear door, was a crazed middle-aged man. He was slamming his hand against the door, making inhuman noises.

"Bitch! Get out of the way! Get out of the way!" The woman hit Monica's mother, catching her off guard. The woman looked sick and crazed, her eyes sunken in and wide, her skin a gray pallor. She had seen this before... "Get... out of the way..."

The woman collapsed at Monica's mother's feet. Her mother looked down at the woman, her chest heaving, trying to catch her breath. She looked up at her and her eyes widened.

"Monica? Monica, what are you doing here? Get her out of here!" she didn't know who her mother was talking to until she felt strong hands behind her beginning to lead her away.

"Wait, Mom--you have to come with me!" She protested, struggling against the cop who was trying to take her away. The woman on the floor began to stir, and she started to panic inside. "Mom--please come with me now!"

She struggled against the man and twisted around to look back at her mother. She tried to scream out a warning to her mother, but it was too late. Instead she screamed in terror as the woman reached for her mother's leg, her mouth opening...

And chomped down into her leg.

Her mother screamed in pain as her wound spat blood. She kicked her with her other leg, giving her just enough time to get away. The cops rushed forward as her mother limped toward the front door, her breathing coming out in gasps. The cop that was holding her took her outside as quickly as possible. He pointed to a couple cops that were arguing with David.

"Don't let her come back inside! Get some more men in there! Get everyone out!" The cop spat out quickly before rushing back inside.

"Monica... Where's your mom? Did you find her?" David asked, coming up to her, his eyes hopeful.

"She's inside. A woman--she bit her--" She stammered, shaking. She jumped as a few shots rang out. His eyes dimmed and he turned away.

"Come on," he pulled her hand towards the truck, "We have to go,"

"We can't! There's an ambulance, they can help my mom!" She protested, pointing to the ambulance that had just arrived. With perfect timing, her mom had made it outside, sweating profusely and hobbling with difficulty. A couple cops were coming forward to usher them farther away from the building.

"Just one minute, please!" David begged them.

"Mom!" She yelled, coming forward to support her mother.

"Monica," she breathed, as the medics came running to her aid. Her mother finally realized she hadn't come alone and bowed her head at David. "get out of here. Go home and call your father. Make sure your brother is okay too."

"But I want to stay with you--"

"I'll be fine! Just go home where you're safe and get a hold of your father! Please..." The medics took her mother from her and was beginning to lead her away. "Just be safe, both of you... I love you, Monica. I'll see you soon, okay?" She was still holding her mother's hand, and now somehow managed to let it go, her fingers lingering in the air where her mother's had been. She watched her get loaded into the back of the ambulance, her heart heavy.

"You guy's need to get off the premises right now!" An officer yelled out to them, his gun raised at the front door of the building.

"I didn't tell her about Kaleb..." She muttered, ignoring the cop.

"It's best that we didn't tell her right now..." David squeezed her hand, glancing over at the officer. "Let's find your father, okay? We have to go get him."

She nodded with a gulp, and followed him to the truck. Trying her best to ignore the chaos and of the many gunshots echoing in the air...