My camera died at some point. I hadn't moved an inch. I assumed it had been atleast 5 hours since I had found this spot on my bedroom floor. It had been quiet for way too long. I had survived. I wondered how many people are lying dead on the streets and in their homes. Quickly I pushed that thought aside. Why did this happen? I'm not sure it's over. Why is this happening? I stood from my spot on the soft floor and just as I did I heard someone walk in through our back door. Small foot steps and then a small cry. I walked slowly to my bed at sat behind it. Tiny foot steps climbed the stairs.

"Daytona," a small voice whispered. "Are you 'dere?" 

Daytona's bedroom door creeked a little. The small sound started to cry. "Mommy, Daddy gone. You gone, dead too."

I listened to the small child. I could hear his feet drag the floor. I peeked around my bed and my eyes found tear filled baby blue eyes. Eric. He ran to me. I hugged him close to me putting my face in his white blond hair. How did he make it? His parents must have hid him and told him not to move.

"You not dead C," he said looking up to me.

"No. I hid."

"Mommy hide me. She tell me not move. I didn't. Then I got scared." His small body crawled into my lap. This small three year old boy now depended on me.

I was never good with kids. Daytona was always the one to babysit Eric. I only baby say him once when she couldn't. Kids are too much for me. They are loud and make messes. Eric is a smart kid though. He listens and he cleans up after himself. I wish Daytona were here still. She would know what to do. All I know is that I have to protect him with all I got. Atleast until this is over. I lifted him off my lap and put him on my bed. He pulled the covers up around him. While walking over to my window I was almost afraid to move the curtains. When I finally found the courage I pulled one aside slowly. The sun was high in the sky now. Its light made the blood on the streets shine. I let the curtain fall. The room spun and I started feeling qweasy. Stay strong, I told myself. Looking back over to my bed I saw Eric. He was watching me carefully.

"What we gonna do C?"

I shrugged, "I'm not sure yet. I'm sorry buddy. Are you hungry?"

"C, Mommy say stay quiet." His blue eyes were starting to fill with tears again.

I sat down beside him. "There's no one out there anymore. They think they got everyone. We will be okay for awhile." I held him close to me.

"I want my Mommy Daddy C." He began to cry. I didn't know what to do so I cried too.

                                                                  *                 *                 *

 Eric's stomach was so grumbly. It scared me almost everytime. He looked up at me from our spot on the bed. I knew he was hungry but I didn't know if we had anything he would eat. I got up from the bed and told him to stay where he was. I peeked out the curtains. Nothing, just darkness. I sighed. Eric moved to the end of the bed. His small blue eyes focused on me.

"I hungry C," he frowned, patting his tummy.

I looked at the floor, "I know. I can hear your tummy. What do you like to eat?"

"I  like noodle soup," his small smile made me smile for a moment.

I should have known that. My sister always ate noodles. That was her favorite meal. I laughed. Eric looked up. He laughed, so small and sweet. It was almost like we were sharing the thought of Daytona. My heart fell and a tear ran down my cheek.

I left the room after telling him to stay where he was. I watched him lay back on my purple comfitter and pull my bright yellow summer blanket over him. Even though it was dark outside and many depressing things were waiting just around the corner, my room was so bright. I turned and walked to the steps. At the bottom laid the lifeless body of my father. His body sat in a pool of dark blood. I closed my eyes tight. How was I going to be able to walk through this house? I took each step slowly trying not to look at his body. When I got to the bottom I glanced over. He looked like a giant doll. His black hair was neatly brushed. His green work shirt ironed and perfectect fitting. His pants fresh out of the drier. He hadn't yet gotten his shoes on. I looked toward the door where our shoes sat. I saw my mother's body laying awkwardly on the floor. It looked like they had pushed her down and then killed her. He blond hair was soaked in blood. Her pretty white shirt stained red. The skirt she was wearing was way too short, or maybe it had been pushed up. I could see a hole in her forehead. I gagged and grabbed the railing of the stairs to steady my shaking legs. I had to move them somewhere. Soon they would stink. Maybe we should leave.

I took a deep breath when I got to the kitchen to keep myself from screaming. I had decided that turning on the light would not be a good idea. I walked slowly over to the counter and opened a cabinet. Inside sat a heavy black flashlight. I turned it on and started looking for the noodles and a pot. Should I turn on the stove? No one could possibly know if I did. So I turned it on high. Walking over to the sink I noticed that it had been running. Why hadn't I heard it before. I filled the pot and turned it off. Out the small window above the sink I could see something moving around. I flicked off the flashlight and continued my noodle making task in the dark. After finishing I climbed the stairs and entered my room quietly. Eric jumped at the sound of my foot steps.

"You scared me," he looked at me with those blue eyes and I held out a bowl to him.

He took it and sat it in his small lap. After taking a bite his small eyes met mine. "These better than Dayonta," he smiled.

I laughed, "Thank you Eric."

"Will we be okay C," he asked so quietly that I almost didn't hear him.

"Yes. We will. We are strong."

"Strong," he smiled. Then he ate.

I took a pack of crackers from my pocket and ate too.

                                                                  *                    *                   *

Yellow light spread in through my window. Who had opened the curtains. I sat up too fast. My head spun for a moment and then I saw Eric's little frame in front of the window. He turned to look at me. Then he laughed.

"You hair." His laugh was contagious.

I ran my fingers through my knotted hair. "Eric, shut those curtains please."

He did.

"What are you looking at anyway?"

He shrugged, "I don't know C. Kids. They go to school day."

"I don't think there will be any school today kid so you won't be seeing any kids. Not for awhile. If there are even any kids out there," I closed my eyes. I hoped we weren't the only ones.

"C," Eric's small voice made me jump. When I opened my eyes he was right beside me.

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry. I want cakes," he poked my shoulder.

I rolled my eyes. Why did he have to come to my house? My alarm clock sounded. Making me jump out of bed. Eric giggled. I unplugged the clock and walked to my bedroom door. Slowly I pushed it open. Warm air with a funny smell flowed in. Eric held his nose. It was May. I knew my parents bodies were cooking in the heat. I almost threw up at the thought. Eric saw me start to sway and in seconds he was holding my hand.

"It's k, C." He smiled  up at me, still holding his nose. 

I didn't want him to walk down stairs with me. I knew that he had already seen it the day before but still.  "Eric, why don't you wait here? In a few minutes I'll be back up to get you and we can go down to the kitchen together."

"K. Be fast. I scared by myself." His small hand left mine as he walked back over to the window. I watched him as he slowly peeked out and decided that I'd just let him. "Dead," he mumbled as I shut the door behind me.

                                                             *                      *                     *

After about an hour or so I returned to the room. My clothes stained with what little blood was still wet. Eric jumped back at the sight of me.

"C," he cried.

"It's okay. I just cleaned up a little."

Eric's eyes went wide. "Take bath C. Now. You dirty. Yuck."

I laughed.  I could feel Eric's blue eyes on me all the way to the bathroom. He must have thought this was extremely disgusting. Maybe I shouldn't have walked in my room until I had cleaned myself up as well. At the thought of his words replaying in my head, I laughed again. He was a funny little booger. I turned on the water. I was in and out as quickly as possible. I didn't know if who ever attacked us could trace our water use and I didn't plan on finding out. The thought made my body shutter. As I got dressed I thought about how Eric had said that there was school today so kids would be going there. What if other kids had made it through this? Is that where they would go? Would they think the same thing as Eric and head there thinking someone may be there to help them?

When I got back in my bedroom Eric was waiting by the door. He smiled up at me and grabbed my hand. He pulled me over to the stairs. "Your dad move," his eyebrow went up when he looked at me.

"No. Well, yes. I mean, I moved him. I had to clean up a little bit. I didn't want you to have to see it," I smiled down at him and shrugged. 

"I already see it C. It on the street. In my home. In you home. Daytona."

I jumped at the sound of her name. Thinking of even entering her room hurt me.

Eric stayed silent for a moment. After a few seconds he looked at me with those baby blue eyes and said, "Come on. I hungry."

                                                              *                   *                   *

Back up in my room I was still thinking about what Eric had said earlier. I watched him as he played with my barbie car in the corner. His hands were so small. He looked so fragile. His white blond hair was a mess. I hadn't thought to brush it. That's when I noticed his smell. He needed new clothes. I hadn't asked him at all if he needed to go to the bathroom. He had gone in his pants.I walked over to him and held out my hand. He took it and stood.

"Eric you need clothes."

"I peed," he said, looking ashamed of himself. Maybe he thought I was going to punish him.

"I'm going to walk over to your house and grab some things for you. Okay? You'll have to stay here. I promise I'll be right bak."

"What if you not right back," he asked.

"I will be." I took my hand from his and ruffled his already messy hair.

"Okay, C." At that he went and sat back in the corner with the barbie car.

His house was only two houses down. I'll take the back street like he did yesterday. I grabbed a book bag from my closet and slung it over my shoulder. Then I walked over to my dresser. It was catty corner. I moved it and reached slowly behind it and felt around. Got it. I pulled out my 243 my dad had bought me. It was big and heavy but I knew how to use it. I put the strap over my shoulder. Pushing my dresser back I remembered it wasn't loaded. The bullets were in my dad's dresser. I told Eric bye and walked down the hall. I wasn't in the room long. I grabbed the bullets and got out while shoving them in the pocket of my dark blue sweatshirt I had put on. Walking to the back door seemed like it took forever. Finally I opened it and the warm summer air blew in. I pulled my long dark hair in a pony tail and walked out on to my open back yard. Nothing but the sound of the wind. The back street was empty except for a few dead bodies. I made it to Eric's house with no trouble. No bodies got up and crawled after me. Not going to lie, I was a liitle worried that they might. I opened the door to his cute home and walked in. Inside I didn't see the bodies of his parents. They must be out on the street. I hurried to his bedroom. Inside a small blue lamp was on. Under it was a small picture of him with his mommy and daddy. I took my bag off my shoulder and put the picture in the bottom. Then I grabbed clothes for Eric. I few pull ups just in case. He was potty trained but like I said I'm not that good with kids. I grabbed some small toys and headed to the kitchen. I opened all the cabinets and finally found some of the food his parents liked to feed him. I stuffed the bag with as much as I could and headed back out the door. On the back street I heard a noise coming from a few houses down. The opposite direction of mine. It sounded like crying. I wondered who it was. I almost started walking that way and then a gun shot. I knew that was the end of that ladies crying. I took off running toward my house. I hadn't seen any soldiers but that didn't mean that there weren't a few listening for any sign of life. When I reached my back door I thought of that woman crying. The gun shot. I hadn't seen anyone at all. I knew a soldier didn't shoot her. There was no way. I opened my back door and hurried inside. Eric scared me and I let out a little yelp.

"Eric. I told you to wait for me."

"I did. But you take so long C. I worried."

"Oh dear. I'm not going to leave you here. I'm going to come back every time. I'm going to take care of you until all of this is over for sure and I can take you to other family members of yours."

Eric looked up at me with tear filled eyes. His nose was running. I grabbed a tissue from the counter and held it to his tiny face. "Blow." He did. A few times. Then I threw the tissue away. "It'll be okay you know? I won't let them get you." I tried to sound comforting but I only managed to sound unsure.

Eric's eyes found my gun and he pulled away from me. His small face filled with fear. "C, that a gun."

"Yes. But I would never hurt anyone. It was only to protect me."

"I get one," he asked quietly.

"No. You are too little."

"I strong. We Strong. You said."

"Yes but this is not a toy. This is real."

"Okay C." He smiled a little but it faded just as fast as it had come.

I grabbed him up from where he was standing and carried him to the bathroom. There I cleaned him up and gave him new clothes. He choose to wear his big boy panties as he called them. I wasn't sure if I would remember to ask him if he had to go. I hoped that I would. We walked back to my room where he sat in the middle of the floor. I put the bag in front of him. He looked up at me.

"I'm going out again. Okay? I brought you some toys and food. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Where you going," his hand reached for mine.

I shook it away. "I'm going to the school."

He looked confused. "You said no school."

"Yes I know what I said. But I was thinking that you might be right and there might be kids there. They are probably scared like us. Maybe they can help us. There has to be more people out there. It can't just be us here kid."

He shrugged and looked at the floor. "Okay C." His small hands picked at the carpet. "Be back 'fore dark. Pwease?"

"Okay. I will." I ruffled his still wet hair. "See ya in a while crocodile."

"Later Gator."

A small smile played on my lips as I left the room and shut the door behind me. He'll be fine, I told myself.