* Alexis Ryder
I burst open the back door of the house and headed straight for the woods that laid out behind the whole neighborhood with my father chasing after me. He may have moved slowly but I knew he could find me easily if I tried to hide.

Something was different about him. Yes, usually he did get drunk and chase me all around the house to punish me further for something I didn't do, but I couldn't shake the feeling he wasn't himself, that something was terribly wrong. His skin had changed in color to an odd, grey tone. His eyes were blood shot and the irises had changed from his normal deep brown color to a lifeless blue. He moved with a limp as if his bones had been broken and there was blood seeping from his mouth.

I darted across the backyard and went straight into the forest, tripping over the thick undergrowth as I made my way through the trees. I looked back to see if I was still being followed. I could see the top of his hat, moving past each tree trunk, looking for me.

My eyes darted all around, hoping to find an easy escape. I knew if I had gone further into the woods, I would end up on the opposite side of town, where it was mostly open field. I definitely didn't want to go that way. I had to circle around the house, somehow avoiding being captured by what I used to call my father. I didn't know what had become of him, but I did know it wasn't safe. I couldn't imagine what had happened to my older brother, Michael.

He had just come home from college and was sleeping upstairs in his old bedroom. I tried to save him, but I couldn't get past my father as he tried to gnaw at my face. I really hoped he heard my screams and got away. Maybe he got out of there…and maybe he didn't From what I could see, there was blood on my father’s shirt, and it wasn't from his own wounds.

Tears started to swell up in my eyes, but I forced myself to keep running. I had to get away and save myself. I'm sure it was already too late for him, but I had to find out for sure, one way or another. I turned at the right, going east of the property, trying to lose him. I planned to sneak back to the house, to check on Michael. I had to know if he was okay, and if he had managed to survive, I would save him.

I carried on through the woods for a while until I was unable to see or hear my father trailing behind me. I had circled far enough to where I ended up at the front of my house, seeing the door had been busted open. I made my way onto the porch, trying to stay quiet as possible, peaking around the open doorway into the house.

So far it had seemed empty, but there were things flown across the room and were now smashed against the floor, soaked in blood and…other body parts. It was horrifying to see, almost causing me to vomit at the smell, but I pushed forward and entered the house. I didn't have any protection, so if anything were to happen, I would have no way to escape.
I rounded the corner into the kitchen and slowly grabbed a knife out of the drawer, watching my back for any unknown intruders to be lurking in the house. I didn't know what happened to my father.

* * *
Start of a Flashback

I just woke up this morning, and after getting ready and dressed for work. I had heard a loud crash and screaming. I had run downstairs to see my father being attacked by someone that looked just like he did now. The person didn't see me, so I ran back upstairs back into my bedroom and locked my door. Suddenly there was a gunshot that had filled the whole house. I jumped and almost screamed but I managed to cover my mouth as fast as I could.

I had listened for footsteps as they slowly made their way to me. Nothing but the concern for my father and brother’s life ran through my mind. It was only natural. I could feel my heart racing and my breath becoming heavy.

The person had stopped at my door, going for the door knob, but it wouldn't turn. It started to jiggle and the door began shaking. Then it had stopped, but from the opposite side, another noise had appeared. Moaning, it was the sound of someone in pain.

"Alex-" The words were interrupted by coughing. "Alexis, open the door!" It was my father. There was thud in front of the door.

I stumbled as I tried to stand, running for the door and opened it. He was laying there on his stomach, covered in blood and wound marks that looked like chunks of him had been bitten off. I quickly helped him up, dragging him to my bed and laid him down.

"What happened?" I shrieked as the tears flooded my eyes.

He shushed me. "Quickly, pack your bags. Get all of the things you absolutely must take with you, grab my gun from my closet, you’ll need it, and get your brother. I'm sure he’s heard me and has escaped in his room. You have to tell him what’s going on, he’ll probably think it’s me getting drunk again." He said, taking my hand. "Alexis, it’s not safe for you two to be here. You have to leave as soon as possible."

I shook my head. "No, I'm not leaving you."

Even though my father was a drunk and sometimes took it out on his children, I still loved him. It wasn't his fault mom had died last year in that car crash, but he still blamed himself. I was the reason she left that day to go out into the rain. It was all my fault and still my father blamed himself. If it weren't for me asking her to go to the store and help me get a pregnancy test, she never would have gone out there.

My father didn't know about that last part. It took me awhile, but finally I convinced her to not to tell him, at least until I knew, but she never returned. Later on that month, I went to the doctor on my own and found out that way. I had tested negative. I was relieved but still I felt the guilt, from the look on my mother’s face when I had told her what I had done, and from the car crash that had killed her.

"You are going and that is final. You and your brother need to get your things and leave," He paused after I didn't budge, still staring at him with the tears in my eyes. "NOW Alexis!"

I kissed the top of his hand before letting go, turning towards my closet and pulled out a duffle bag and a school backpack of mine from last year and emptied them. I threw in as much clothes of mine as I could and a two more pairs of shoes. I went to my dresser and opened the top drawer and took out the items in there and stuffed them inside.

My father lay silently behind me, the sounds of his groans in pain had ceased. I wiped the tears away before grabbing my laptop, putting it and the cord into its case. I turned around, going straight into the hall, and avoided looking at my father’s lifeless body on top of my bed. I knew it would have been too much for me to handle to see, so I continued down the hall and over to Michael’s bedroom.

I knocked a few times, having to say it was just me before he answered. He swung open the door, seeing the look on my face. I could tell he knew something had happened. "What’s wrong? What did he do this time?"

I shook my head and closed my eyes. "No, it’s not what you think, but for now, all I can say is what he told me to do."

He gave me a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"Dad said to pack your clothes and all of the items you must need and leave. He said it isn't safe here for us right now."

"Alex, what hap-?" He began.

"Go, Michael!" I shouted. "He said we must leave now! Get your stuff and meet me in the car. I'm going to grab dad’s pistol and the cash he has stuffed in his shoe box." I said, unable to tell him right now that our father was now dead. I wasn't really sure how, I just knew someone tried to…eat him?

I put my stuff down in the hall outside of dad’s door and went inside, shutting it behind me before going over to the closet. I bent down on my knees and opened the small metal lock box I noticed the small padlock on the front side. How was I supposed to get the gun now? I set it aside and went for the shoe box opening it and took out the wad of cash, stuffing it inside my front pocket. Then I noticed the small key that had to go to the lock. I grabbed and slid the key in, perfect fit. The gun lied on top of several bullet magazines. I didn't know if I would need it all of this ammunition, but I closed the box back up and put the key into my pocket too, taking the whole thing with me.

I went back out into the hall, seeing my brother’s door open and him not inside. He must have already finished packing and was waiting outside in the car. I knew I had to hurry and picked up my stuff, carrying it all down with me to the first floor.

Once I got down there, I saw Michael in the kitchen packing supplies and some food that wouldn't spoil any time soon. Smart thinking. In the living room, just next to the door way laid a body with a gunshot wound to the forehead. The body was gray with what I assumed to be my father’s blood around its mouth. I shivered and went out to my father’s big escalade that was already running and threw my bags in the back. He and I must have thought alike and decided to take the bigger car. I hated leaving my car behind, but a Ford Fusion just wasn't big enough to live out of if we had needed to do so.

I went back inside to go check on Michael, leaving the car door open just in case we needed a quick escape. When I had went into the kitchen, he was gone. I sighed and picked up the box full of food off the counter and carried it into the car before I went back into the house. I looked around for him, calling his name from downstairs.

I sighed and went up the steps, looking for him in his bedroom and the bathroom. There was no sign of him. I started to panic as blood rushed to my brain. What if someone or something had gotten Michael like it had dad? I could only pray he was okay, that maybe I just missed him somewhere downstairs…but then again, why wouldn't he answer when I called for him?

I had to find him quickly before time ran out. I would look for him all through the house and outside before ever giving up. I called his name again from where I stood, facing down the stairs. No answer…

Suddenly there was a hand on my shoulder. I jumped at first, but then anger started to flood through me, knowing Michael was just trying to pull one of his stupid pranks on me again. I spun around quickly, about to yell at him when what I had saw took the words right out of my mouth, leaving me breathless.

It was my father, no it was my father’s corpse, standing in front of me with a glazed look over his eyes, but they weren't his eyes. This wasn't him, it just couldn't be. He had died, laying right across from where I stood not even ten minutes ago.

"Dad?" I managed to breathe out.

He didn't answer, at least, not with words. A groan had sounded from his pale, chapped lips. I started to back away but the heel of my foot skimmed over the edge of the step. If I went back any further I would fall down the stairs.

Without warning, he lunged forward, going straight for my neck with his teeth. I stumbled backwards, tipping over and screaming for my life. I tried to grab onto the railing but gravity took hold and I fell, tumbling down the stairs. I hit every step hard, several times landing on my spine and head.

Once I finally hit the bottom, I gasped for air as the wind had been knocked out of me. I tried sitting up, but fell back down to the floor, unable to move. All I could do was lie there and watch as he made his way, slowly going down the stairs and coming straight for me. My head started spinning as I rolled onto my back, hoping to catch my breath before I tried to stand again and before he got to me.

I knew something was wrong. This wasn't my father, the man I grew up with and loved. Something had taken over him. I didn't know what, but I did know he was now trying to kill me…to eat me. I had to get up, no matter how bad I was feeling.

I managed to get onto my knees as he was half way down. I crawled a little until I could get close enough to grab onto the railing to help support myself up. I pulled, using all of my strength to get myself on my feet. He wasn't even three steps away before I started running, even though it was extremely difficult just to stand.

I became dizzy and my head still spun. My vision and the images in front me began to blur as blood had gushed from somewhere on my head and into my eyes. I must have busted my head open when falling. I was just glad that I didn't get bitten, well at least yet. I burst open the back door of the house and headed straight for the woods that laid out behind the whole neighborhood with my father chasing after me.


* * *
End of Flashback

I grabbed the knife and wiped the blood from my eyes with my sleeve, continuing to search the house. I didn't want to shout for Michael just yet because the last time I did my father heard me. I didn't want him to know that I had come back. I already knew he was trailing behind me, so I had to hurry.

I searched the whole bottom floor with no luck in finding my brother. I slowly crept up the stairs, finding traces of blood from where I had hit my head. With the knife held up, I reached the top and entered the hallway. I looked in my room to see if he had escaped in there. The door was wide open, just like I had left it. I checked the closet, seeing it was nothing but my old, giant stuffed teddy bear I grew up with in the corner and clothes that didn't fit me anymore.

I left my room and went straight across the hall into Michael’s room. It too was empty, so was dad’s room and all of the other closets and even the bathroom. Suddenly a thought had occurred to me. There was one place I hadn't checked and it was the one place next to the kitchen that he could have gone into if he needed to hide. The basement.

I practically flew down the stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible. I rounded the corner of the kitchen, checking downstairs again to see if anyone had decided to come back. It was still empty.

The basement door was shut, like it always had been. I decided to be smart about this and call the police. What if I had went into the basement and the first thing to pop out at me was my brother’s dead corpse come back to life? I would at least want them to know where to find my body if I was killed too. I dialed the number quickly and pressed the call button, backing into the corner next to the fridge where I wouldn't easily be seen. I had my knife still held up just in case.
"Hello, 911, what’s your emergency?" A woman asked.

"Yes, hello. My name is Alexis Ryder." I whispered into the phone frantically. "I need to report…maybe three homicides."

"Okay, who are the victims?" The woman asked, seemingly like she was trying to keep me calm.

"My father, maybe my older brother Michael, and there’s a body of what I think is a man laying on the living room floor." I said quickly, slurring out my words.

"Do you know what happened?" She asked.

I just prayed they didn't try to point the blame on me for all of their deaths. I wasn't even around for two of them, hell, I wasn't even sure if Michael was even dead or alive. "The stranger…" I thought for a moment. If I tell them my father shot him, would they think he killed Michael too, maybe even me?

I hung up before I could answer. How could I be so stupid to call the police? What were they going to do about it? It was already too late.

A noise struck from the back door. I sprinted up from my hiding spot, going around the corner, hoping to see Michael and jump into his arms, knowing he was safe. I turned, seeing the dismembered body of my father standing in the door way, watching me with drool falling from his mouth.

I bolted for the front door, throwing the phone to the ground and heading straight for the car with the knife still in my hand. I was lucky Michael had already had it started and that I left the door open because not two seconds after me getting inside my father appeared on the front porch.

I threw the knife in the passenger seat and put the car in reverse and slammed on the gas pedal, almost backing straight into a tree before I released the gas and put it into drive, making a u-turn out of the front lawn and down the road, not quite sure where I was going.

After driving for awhile, I could only think of one person who I could go to. She was all I had left and now that my family had been lost, she was the only person I could turn to. I don’t know what caused my father to rise from the dead, to chase me through the woods and hunt me down. I didn't even know what happened to Michael but I knew I could count on her to help me in my time of need. I'm sure she and her family would take me in. I had nowhere else to go, and I was not going back to my house.

Jordyn was my best friend since the first grade. We met after some bully kept pulling on my pigtails while I was finger painting. She had stepped up and pushed the boy down, telling him to leave me alone. After that, he did. One day I returned the favor for her with the same kid a week later and we became the best of friends, always having each other’s back, and I knew it would be that way forever...

Notes