I wake up to darkness. I wanted to move around but my body protested this action. I groan and tried again. More pain shot through my body as I fell back down into something soft. That's when I realize I was in a bed. I look up at the ceiling wondering what happen. "You passed out Haley," said Josh. I groan in response. I pass out. I fucking passed out but at least it was someplace safe. I look over to where Josh was standing. I look him over, he seems to be doing okay but I knew he lost some weight and his eyes were hollow out from sleepless nights and worrying about his kid sister. We were in the same boat. Josh and I had some much on our plate and with each passing day, it keeps filling up until I plate crack from the weight and I pass out. Maybe I just needed to stay here. This place had gates and I could keep the girl's safe.

Or I could leave and explore the area and get a better grasp of how bad the city really is. Or I could stay here and be with the girls and Josh. No, I needed to understand the station that I am in better and if I do this I need to do it right now. I was still in bed but I wasn't going to let that stop me from doing what I needed to do this was for the girls I told myself. This was for the people who were left behind. This was for Josh. This was for my family.

I got up and left the room I was in. I was looking around when I saw the girls and Josh together in the living room. He was holding Carmen and smiling down at her. The sight of this made me think of Carmen's birth family and how they will never know her and how she will never know them. It was sad but this happens and torn apart a new family who had everything to look forward to. I would like to think that her family was safe or at least one of her parents but I knew it wasn't possible. The hospital was a mess and the only things that lived thought this outbreak was my father and her. But my father took his life in order to protect me. And I took her from there to protect her and give her a fighting chance. I did that for her and I would continue to do that for her and for Casey.

I just stood there and watch them. This was good for them. This was a safe place for them to grow. But a part of me will never rest easy while we stay in the city. I wanted to be away from the high rises and crowded areas. But we also had to stay near the city but not within it. I went to the kitchen and got some food. I was hungry and needed to build my strength for exploring the city without the girls or the dog. But I know for a fact that Josh and Casey won't be happy to hear that I'm going to be exploring alone.

It wasn't their choice in the matter if I choose to go alone or not. I just think that I would explore a lot more of the surrounding area better alone and that I would move faster alone. I would be able to explore during the day and part of the night and sleep anyway without worrying about someone's safety other than my own. And I wouldn't have to worry about feeding someone other than myself for a few days. Maybe this is something I needed in order to blow off the stress that I was feeling. I mean I would never get rid of the stress that I will feel day to day in my new world but maybe it will just release a small part of it. But I know in my heart I would never leave the girls or Artemis. I love the girls too much for that and Artemis well she's my dog.

After eating some food and drinking some water I took a seat next to Josh on the sofa. He was still holding Carmen playing with her. "I've been thinking of exploring the area and going towards the marina to see if we can leave by boat or not," I said to him. He still held Carmen but he looks at me as if I grew another head. "What do you mean by that Haley?" he asks me. "what I mean is that you watch the girls while I go out and explore the area and find a way to leave the city," I told him. "No, no way in hell will I let you go alone," he said to me. "Look I was alone when this started and I find these girls and Jack killed himself and my family is all gone I need some air to let it all go and I need to do this," I told him. "No if you are going we are going together," he said in a stern voice. "No Josh, you listen to me I am doing this by myself, I am faster alone and I've been out there longer than you have," I said to him. I got up and left him and went towards the room I came out of.

I grab my bag to fill it with some food and water to leave for a few days. I wouldn't be gone any longer than a week or less. I was getting ready to leave when Casey busted through the door." You can't leave us here!" Casey yells at me. "Look kid listen to me I ain't leaving you, I just want to make sure that this area is safe for you and Carmen ok, I'll be back before you know it," I told her in a calm voice. She ran to me and hugged my legs. I pull her off of me and kneeled down to her level. "look there is no way in hell that I will leave you here, I promise to protect you and this is me doing just that," I spoke while looking into her eyes. I then pulled her into a hug. I release her and went to Josh. He looked pissed but that wasn't my problem. "I'm going alone and," I said. He just nodded and I left.

After leaving the building I went towards the gate and climb over it. I didn't want anyone knowing where we were so I quickly left the area behind. I was walking along the block when I yell this clicking sound, I know it was from a Ticker and proceed quietly. All I had with me was my handgun and a crowbar. I didn't need to get into any fights unless I needed to. But I hope I won't have to. I first explore the area around josh's place and find that there was a large population of growlers instead of tickers. There was more of the dead than the living from what I can tell. I haven't seen anyone alive expect to animals. I started making my way towards the marina to check out the waterways and coastline for any activity. I was making my way there a lot faster than I thought. I was alone and nothing was slowing me down. Most people would think that being alone would help but it doesn't. it makes you feel alone in a station you thought was never possible. Leaving you to feel isolated in an environment you know all too well but at the same time know nothing about.

That's how this feels right now. I grew up in Los Angles but now I know nothing about it. I know what streets to take and yet I don't know it to be something hard or long to follow. I could take three lefts and a right and be at one of the best fast food joints but now if I take that very same route I wouldn't know what was there now. but I needed to do this alone. I wasn't going to put anyone in danger.

I was now forty minutes away from Josh's place and close to the waterfront. From here I could see smoke and some buildings burning. This was safe. I desperately needed to get the girls out of the city. After some time, I was on the waterfront. I saw some boats burnt and in the water and I saw others that were fine.

I was walking through the marina when I hear growling. I stop and look all over but didn't find the source of the noise. Then I heard the splashing of water and looked over the side of the docks. That's when I saw them. I saw about five to six of them in the water getting pull down. So, these things couldn't drown. There was truly no safe place to get away from these things. Maybe outside of the state sure but if what Jackie said it true about walling us in here with these things. But that just didn't make any sense. At the start, the FBI was here and the Army National Guard was fighting and trying to save people than a week later they vanish. People were out here dying and coming back. We were trying to survive and they just left us. I shook the thoughts from my head and continue to explore the marina. I only encounter the dead and nothing living. I wanted to get on the water to see what was going on the coastline of the city. I walked until I find a suitable boat. It was a small motorboat. I don't know much about handling a boat but there no time like the end of your life and the start of hell to learn.

I got on the small motorboat and untie it from the pier. The water seems to be still and the small boat was rocking back and forth. It was making me a bit sick. I shook off the feeling and started the engine. The small boat jolted forward and I fell overboard. I quickly broke the surface of the water and swim the short ways back to the boat. I climb back on board and started the engine up again but this time I held on tighter and lead the boat out of the maze of ships and piers. When I finally clear the marina, I went along the coastline of my city. I was looking over to the city and saw nothing but black smoke fills the sky like pillars. I hear gunfire and the sounds of explosions. It was a nightmare come true. This was my living hell.

I went up and down the coastline for hours looking and plotting the routes by which to escape this death trap. I went further out into the open ocean and saw something up ahead. I stop my boat and saw a liner down in the water. I started up the engine again to get closer to it, that's when I saw it. I saw a strip of gray looming in the distance. Jackie was right, we were wall off from the outside world. They trap us in here but they, whoever they were, didn't care.

As I got closer and closer to the liner I saw nothing in the water the suggest survivors. That's when something hit the water fast and hard about ten feet from my side. I quickly did an about-face and left the area but that didn't stop the large-caliber rounds from exploring a few feet away from me. I knew it was the Navy by then. I couldn't believe this was happening and yet I did believe it. Only this time I'm the crazy girl in hell.

I kept going I didn't stop. Even when night fell I still kept moving. After some time, the engine stalls out. I was dead in the water. However, I was close enough to the shore to swim for it. I jumped into the water and swam for it. I wasn't going to be taken out by anything. I push myself to my limit and pass that. Nothing was going to get in my way.

Twenty minutes later I made it to shore. I got up and saw nothing but smoke. It towers around the sky installing the illusions of the city skyline. These pillars of smoke came from all over. I can only assume that this city was dancing with flames. I got up and wander around the beach. I saw nothing but abandon towels and toys. I look around some more and notice a sign. It said, 'Welcome to San Diego Beach'. I was over a hundred miles away from the girls and Josh. "FUCK!" I yell. How could I have let this happen?

I needed to find my way back to LA fast. I could drive but I would need to find a working vehicle. I needed something anything! Hell, I would even run my ass all the way back there if I had to!