Day 54

St. George is an awkwardly quiet place. Nothing moves. There is not even a breeze coming from the western mountains. It is still and silent. The red rock surrounding the city is bright in the cloudless sky and it is much warmer. I strip off my coat after we park and get out of the car. I hold Connor as we walk around the van, resting and stretching out aching bones. Seeley is walking on the ground with Dawn watching him, smiling and excited to not be in the van. I think we all are.

Again, looking down some streets I can see zombies wandering around, unsure of what to do when not hunting and I keep an eye on them. I get the odd sensation of being in the safari, surrounded by dangerous animals, but as long as we do not make ourselves know we are safe. However, while these thoughts go through my head I hear Charlotte yell for everybody to get into the car. Without hesitating I put Connor on a seat, help Dawn with Seeley, and get in after them, closing the door behind me. Moments after it is closed a bloody smear streaks across the window from the hands of a zombie. It bangs the windows and door as more crowd around. Dean, who had jumped in to drive, throws the car into drive and speeds away, the zombies slowly following after us.

* * *

We drive through St. George for some time looking for signs that my family may still be alive without any luck. It isn't for some time that Dan reminds us that they lived in Washington, a suburb of St. George and so we make our way there. We search for hours. None of us knowing where they live and only vaguely remembering what their house looks like. I remember a park being nearby, and so with every park we pass I feel like we are near the house, but each time we are unable to find the house a road or two down.

At one of the parks, after making sure there were no zombies in sight we drove onto the grass, in the middle of the field and got out. Connor and Seeley played in the grass, running after their uncles, or me or Dawn, or any of the others. They were, for a beautifully shining moment, the center of everyones attention. We chased and rolled around, making noise and having a good time. We were not disturbed, to my surprise, and as the sun lowered in the sky we each laid on the grass, looking at the clouds.

I hear something behind me. A low moan. I sit up from where I lay next to Dawn and turn my head just in time to see a zombie bolt towards us from a playground. It had been waiting, it seemed. If it had not made that small moan I would never of heard it. I scramble to my feet and look for a weapon. There are none. They're all in the car, and in the time it takes me to notice this the zombie is very near us. I run towards it, yelling at someone, anyone to grab a weapon. It is only twenty or so feet away from everyone when I tackle it, or rather, we collide and collapse to the ground, I on top of it. It is clawing at me and trying to bite me when I punch it hard in the face. It is almost unaffected by it and claws at my face, tearing skin on my forehead and cheek. I scream from the pain and punch the thing again. I wrestle away from it and, taking a step kick it hard in the head. I feel my big toe break and so revert to stamping on its head as it spins around and tries to get up. It falls down as my foot lands on it.

I look around and see that there are more running towards the others, who are all--all but Dan, that is--running towards the van. He runs towards me with my machete, holding his own under his arm and as he nears he throws mine to me, sheathed, and I catch it, but trip as the zombie grabs my leg. I pull the blade out as I fall and drop it on the things head as it is opening its mouth for my leg. I will not let another chunk of my leg taken out. The blade sinks in and kills the zombie where it lay.

I spin to look towards the van that is now reversing towards us. There are two zombies close to Dan and I and as they near he turns towards them and with a swing decapitates one while I thrust my blade forward and half stab, half allow the zombie to run face first into the pointed end. Hurriedly we both get into the van and close the door.

Charlotte presses the gas down and peels out on the grass before the van lurches forward and speeds away. I sit in my seat, leaning back while everyone looks back towards the chaos, All but me, Josh, Dan and Connor have masks on. Charlotte announces after getting back on the road that she is going to find a house for us to stay the night and we drive on as the sun sets.