They're Everywhere

Cohan was too busy looking out the window and watching the trees sweep by to notice anything was wrong, The
doctors always said he was slightly autistic, but nothing to worry about, I guess that' s why he had such slow
development, He didn' t talk much at the age of five, and I' m sure he retreated into some dream world whenever
something bad happened - like now.
I turned my attention back to the road. Those doctors were probably all infected by now. Maybe some of them
were trying to find a cure, but I heard there wasn' t really a good success rate of the normal rabies virus,
Out of pure curiosity, I hit the SEEK button on my radio again, I watched it fly through the channels, trying to
find a station that was broadcasting anything, But all I got was static. Up until about an hour ago, there were still
a fine stations talking about the outbreak. They kept saying it was some mutated form of Rabies, Whoever got bit
would tum rabid, They would essentially go crazy as their brain started to eat itself, After fourteen days (I guess
the regular rabies virus was seven), they would die in a horrible, painful convulsion.
I shivered. Just last week, Gohan' s father had been bitten when he was trying m get to my house. He came to the
door, scratching at this disgusting wound on his forearm. It was already starting to get red and swollen,
two days, he started getting really thirsty, but would freak out every time I offered him water. And yesterday,
he' d finally cracked.
I winced at the sudden twinge of pain that tore through my ribs. My body had been slammed into the dresser
when I' d tried to save my son from his rabid father, I' d fought him a little, but he was stronger than me. Sn, I did
the only thing t could think of doing; I grabbed a nearby vase and smashed it over his head. Now, he was dead
But instead of tell ing myself that Pd killed the father of my child, I simply kept saying he was one of them... he
was one of them.
On the right, a McDonald' s was coming up fast. I was feeling hungry, but I knew there' d be no one there. Pd
probably never get to eat a Big the again. The golden arches swept by and Gohan started to whine.
Hungry!" he said, pointing out the window.
Sorry, baby, we can' t stop, Not now," I said.
He sniffed and whined louder. “Please, mommy?"
No, baby I told you before we can' t stop until we get to Aunt Silk," I said again.
But, mommy! I' m so hungry!” he cried, I could hear the tears in his voice and my heart clenched into a tight
ball. I felt so awful that I could never offer him his favorite fast food ever again. I felt terrible that his childhood
was taken away Item him, He didn' t even understand what was happening!
rm sorry, baby, I' m sorry," I said, feeling the tears threatening to escape my own eyes. He was such a sweet-
heart and nothing but a great kid; I hated that he had to go through this. "But we can have ice cream when we get
to Aunt STS, okay? How would you like some ice cream?"
His little round face lit up and he smiled wide, I wanted to cry so badly. "Okay, mommy!"
At least I' d diffused one stressful situation, I turned back around to face the readjust as another presented itself,
One of,.,. those things was lumbering across the asphalt about a mile in front of me, I pressed down on the gas,
watching the speedometer crawl up past seventy. Gown started m fidget in the backseat.
Mommy? Too fast! " he said.
Everything' s gonna be okay, baby," I replied. “lust close your eyes, okay?"
No, mommy! Slow downl"
The thing was inching closer, I could see it tum to look at the car, It started to lumber toward us, dragging its
feet and pulling at its hair, The speedometer went up to eighty. It was closer.
Slow down, mommy!"
I sniffed the tears back. bio way were those things going m ruin my son' s life. No way were they going to steal
his childhood away. miles an hour now. l could see the foam dripping from its chin.
Mommy! Don? hit the man!"
Instinctively, my foot slammed down hard on the brake. The car swerved onto the opposite side of the empty
road, narrowly missing the diseased thing that was once a human being, It dragged itself near the car. I could
hear it gurgle and groan, When it started hitting its fists against Gohan’ s window, my son shrank back.
What' s wrong with the man, mommy?" he asked quietly.
That man is very sick," I answered.
We should help him!"
No, baby," I said "There' s no helping him..."
The thing was sliding its way toward the passenger window now. It clawed at the glass, trying to get inside, I
muted the key in the ignition; my stupid car had stalled when wad skidded, It clicked, but the engine didn' t turn
over. I' d been meaning to take it into the shop to get it looked at, but things were crazy at work, and I' d never
had a chance, I' d never have a change again, either, And it was just too fucking perfect that now it decided to die
on me.
Start!!" I screamed, slamming my fists into the wheel. The thing pounded harder at the window.
Mommy!" my son cried, I' m sure he felt my fear and frustration. blow he was getting scared and I couldn' t do
a damn thing to help him,
As he started m cry, the thing outside slipped back to his window, scratching at the rubber frame and tearing the
nails from its fingers. Blood streaked across the glass and Gohan cried harder, The engine still wouldn’ t start; my
frustration was quickly growing into panic.
Stop it now, Gonna, Be quiet, please," I begged.
Start the car, mommy! Go!" he pleaded.
rm tryings"
Please, mommy! You can go fast; I won' t ask you to slow down!"
rm tryingly"
The key turned and the engine roared to life. I stepped hard on the gas, nearly The back end of the
car hit the thing as we started to drive, knocking him onto the road where he howled. That was the first time I' d
ever heard one of them howl, It was so sad...