I immediately grab Casey's hand and ran into the wood line that our four-legged friend came out of. Why is it that I'm always running? I mean I understand why but I wasn't alone anymore. I had a kid and a baby and now a dog. When I didn't hear any more gunfire I grab Casey's hand and move along the brush line. We were moving as fast as we can. I just needed us to get to the best and move north up the coastline. I know it was an open area the beach but we can move a lot faster up north and away from the city. If it means getting Casey and Carmen out of the harm's way, then I would pick the fastest route. Then after they were safe then what would I do then? Do I keep looking after them until I can't anymore or do we move until we are completely safe? Not to mention this dog won't stop following us. She seems to be well train and looks to be about three years old. She had a tag that read Artemis and if I'm not mistaken that was the goddess of chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon, and the natural environment. She was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo. So, I had a Greek goddess dog here to help with the hunt and to look over us.

Here I was in hell with two kids and a dog. I don't think my life can get anymore wilder if I try but then again, I don't have to. It had been a week and a half since the bombings and everything I knew was gone in a blink of an eye. Part of me was still hoping this was a dream until I heard Carmen's small cries. "hey little dude don't cry if you do the dead will find us" I coo to her. I took her from the chest harness and the Dog Artemis came to her and just licked her. "Hey, stop that," I said and she stops but because her Carmen calm down a bit. "ok now time to eat and change you alright little one," I said and look towards Casey. "Hey, eat up while we ate resting ok," I said to her. She nodded her head and sat down new to me. As we ate and change Carmen with Casey laughing at me we pack up and started to move again. Carmen was sleeping we move along some of the side roads until we came across Sunset Blvd. it was a busy street but now it was dead and some cars were set ablaze. It was a good idea to move along Sunset Blvd. For the best. It was fast and easy then we came to move north away from the city on the beach.

We move slow and hid whenever we heard a noise that sounded like yelling, gunfire or clicks of teeth. Every once and awhile Artemis would growl and get low to the ground and when she did we would stop and look at our surroundings. Having Artemis around was a good thing, maybe when it's not so crazy I could train her to be a guard dog. We were about twenty minutes away from the beach. I could smell the salt in the air and the cool breeze rolling off the waves. I couldn't wait to get there. Then we could head north and maybe find an isolated building from all this and hold up there until I form a plan to keep the girls safe. But for now, I just needed to keep these two safes. Soon I could hear the waves hitting the beach and see the ocean. But what I saw didn't prepare me for anything live even know. I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought this was a dream, some form of heat stroke dream but it wasn't. as we got closer to the beach I saw something gray. "Haley, what's that?" Casey ask me. I couldn't answer her because I was trying to understand it myself. "it's a wall" I said to her. "why is there a wall?" she asks. "To keep the dead from getting out and trapping the living" was all I told her.

I was mad to all hell. They built a wall! Just like what Jackie said. She told me that the wall was built around Manhattan but this was I couldn't see the ending to it. maybe the virus and the dead speared to all of California and they built a wall around the whole state. I wanted to yell but couldn't. we weren't alone. I saw the dead on the beach and some cars in the sand. Maybe others had the same idea as I did but now I was out of a plan. I saw a horde of growlers. Damnit. There were too many of them for us to sneak past. And I didn't want to put the girls or the dog in harm's way. Also, I didn't want to catch in the line of fire by some crazy people. We couldn't say here. "Casey, I know we just left the inner city but we need to go back," I told her. "I understand, to many dead and the living is batshit crazy," she said. "Casey watch your mouth," I said to here. "but you curse all the time," she said to me. "yeah well I can" was all I said.

I grab Casey's hand and pulled her along the side of the road out of line of sight. I let go once we were a good sixty or so feet away from the horde. We didn't say anything. We just made out way back into the city and hope to find a safe place to stay for the night. I wonder what I would be doing if none of this was happening, I wonder if Jackie thought the same and then how she overcame it all to become a leader and last a whole year. I guess I'll never know. There was a block and I would assume there is also a no-fly zone across the state. I wonder how our government could do this to us without any remise. I was piss and I was scared for the girls. I mean I didn't care about myself I just wanted the girls to be safe and sound. as long as they were safe I was happy even if I wasn't there to protect them or to survive this all I need to know is that they're safe. If I can find a place outside the city with gates I would be happy. But how would I get the girls there?

My house was too far to walk from here and the Police headquarters is far as well. What am I going to do? I don't trust this larges house and people might be living in them. Maybe I could walk to Josh's house. His building had gates and I'm sure everyone from these left so that should be safe. At least I hope it's safe. I wouldn't let anything happen to these girls or to Artemis. I grab Casey's hand, not wanted to make a sound by talking to her, and lead her and Artemis away from the horde of the dead and moving away from the beach. I backtrack through bentwood still holding onto Casey's hand and with Artemis close by. She was stopping every now and then looking around for anything that seems out of place. We were getting close to where Jack took his own life and to where I was powerless from stopping him. I couldn't, no I wouldn't let that happen again. While we were walking, I heard some shouts and yelling in the distance, we went to take cover and hide from them. While the shouting was still heard, we move slowly between cars. As we were walking I couldn't stop thinking.

I was thinking about all of the 'what ifs' that could of happening instead of all this. 'What if I was home relaxing from a long day of work' or 'what if my brother was planning out his dream wedding right now'. All these 'what ifs' were driving me insane. Then one came to mind that I couldn't help but think of. 'What if you didn't stop to save her and your family was still alive', I stopped when the yelling got closer and hid behind a car. My mind went back to that 'what if'. What if I didn't stop to save Casey would my family still be alive? Would my brother and father still be alive? Would my father kill her own wife to save his son and himself? What would've happened if I didn't stop to save Casey and moved through that night without worrying about her? No, I needed this to stop. I need these thoughts out of my head. But they were still there. I didn't need a what if I know that I would save a little girl. The day I save her I thought to myself 'what if' but I still did it anyway. I still that little girl from a growler. Maybe if I didn't save her then yes maybe my family would still be alive but I wouldn't be with the guilt that would be eating me alive if I didn't help her.

However, if I did have the choice to go back and stop all this from happening, would I? hell yes, I would but I don't have that opportunity and I sure as hell know that If Jackie and her people had that choose they wouldn't be stuck inside a walk with the dead. But they were. But if I could relive anymore and choose who to save, whether it by my family and these girls I think I know my answer. I would choose to save Casey over and over again if that means my family no longer being alive. I would choose to go back to Carmen and call her my own. I know my family, my father was a good man he could of handle this life, the one I'm living now. My brother wasn't as strong as us but he would help out until he couldn't and my mother her heart of gold, I don't think she would have made it. I continue to think of all these 'what ifs' until I felt Casey's hand in mine. I look at her and saw a look of worried. I needed to stop thinking of the 'what ifs' and think of what's going on right now. I took a deep breath and held onto her hand. "let's move kid' I said to her. 'I am not a kick anymore" she said to me. I let out a small laugh and we started moving again. We were going to make out way back to UCLA medical center and walked to Josh's gated building from there.

We were about a mile away from the medical center and the sun was setting. Damn, I wanted to make it to Joshes before the sunset. I wasn't going to the girls by moving at night. It was already crazy during the day but at night I know the freak come out and play. And I didn't want to be in the way of a person who lost their mind. It was time to stop and find a place to sleep but these houses were too big for three people and a dog. But I wasn't going to stop until the sun went completely down. We still had some time left to move. I started to pick up the pace a bit and Cassy follows closely behind. She wasn't losing pace with me. Good, I thought she was getting faster. That meant we could move a bit faster from here on out but we still had to be careful. As the sun continues to set we continue to move. In about five minutes the sun would be gone and the moon would be lighting our way. The street lights started to come on one by one and I needed to find a place for us to use. I could care less about the size now but I needed to make sure it was safe for us.

I stopped in front of a small house. It looks abandon. I couldn't be too sure without checking it first. "alright stay close to me" I told Casey. And she did what she was told. I open the front door slowly and went inside. I took out my flashlight to shine our way inside. After everyone was in I gently close the door. I started checking all the rooms to make sure they were clear. After checking the last room. I made my way back to the front door to block it. I didn't want anything coming in here after us. After I block the door. I put Carmen down and Casey came to us. "I went through to kitchen and food some more food and water bottles," she said. "Good job dude and now let's rest," I said to her. She just smiles at me and a bottle of water and I did the same. I saw Artemis there looking at use. 'She must be hungry to' I thought. Got up and grab two bowls. I open a can I beans and pour some for her and fill the other bowl with bottled water. "here you go girl' I said and she came running at me, tail wagging. I smile at her and give her a back rub. I went back to where my girls were, wow did I just call them my girls, I guess I did because that's what they are, my girls.

After making sure Carmen was all set and good I put her to sleep. This kid was scary, she was calm throughout the day and almost never cried. I wonder if that's just her personality to just be calm and chill. Then I went to Casey to give her some more food and told her to sleep. I knew I should sleep too but I just wanted to make sure nothing came our way. One of us had to be up and that was going to be me. Casey was still just a kid after all and she needed her rest. I'll sleep later on in the night. Artemis came walking back to us and cuddle into my side. I smile at the dog and put my arm around her. She was soft and warm. I stay up watching the door and the windows making sure no one or nothing was there. I started to get tried. My eyes started to get heavy and it was calm. My body began to relax and I started to slowly fall asleep. Then I heard yelling outside. I woke up and quickly went to the window. I saw a group of people yelling while in a car. They were just crazy. I looked over to the girls and saw Casey's awake. I told her to stay where she was and that these freaks were just passing through. Well, I hope they were.

Sometimes past and they were no longer here but I couldn't be too sure so I stay up a bit longer by the window. When I knew, they were gone for good I went back over to Casey. She cuddles into me and so did Artemis. I put my arms around them both while Carmen was in Casey's arms. My body started to relax again and soon sleep was calling my name. I went to sleep knowing that whatever was going to happen next would be my life and the girls live for as long as they lived.