The day the shit hit the fan started as all others had for the past 18 – 20 something years of her life. Her alarm went off and she smacked it right off of the table. Alarm went off again, she groans but finally drags herself out of bed. Clock face would have read 4:30 a.m. She would have padded down the cool hardwood stairs of their family home, and began frying bacon and eggs and whatever else her little heathens (though no mostly grown) could possibly have wanted for breakfast. At around 5:15 she would yell up the stairs for them to get their arses out of bed, right this moment!! and then all would be right in the world as they sat around a round table in their quaint kitchen and chattered through coffee and the morning meal.

Today was slightly different though. Ryan, with his disheveled blonde locks and crookedly buttoned pjs would be the only one who came down those stairs when she yelled up. “Sis says she doesn’t feel well ma.” he told her.

“Alright, I’ll tend to her, no sense in your breakfast getting cold though. Go ahead and eat.” she said as she left out of the kitchen, ruffling his tangled curls as she went. He ducked and made an annoyed-exaggerated sigh “I’m to old for that ma.” he scoffed.

Vivi quickly ascended the wooden steps and knocked lightly on her daughters door. The only response was a gentle groan, she took it as an invitation to enter. Upon opening the door, a scent most putrid hit her senses… it was one of those smells that you swear could burn up the very hairs inside of your nostrils. “Elsie, are you alright baby?” she cooed, eyeing her daughters small frame, snuggled up beneath mounds of blankets. Her daughter looked to her, eyes nearly glassed, skin pale and kissed by fever sweats. “No mama.” she groaned. “I don’t know… I feel so bad.” she complained. Vivi put the back of her hand to her daughters forehead and clicked her tongue “You’re burning up child. I’ll run out and get you some things okay? You just stay here and rest…” her daughters eyes fluttered and she mumbled “love you.” before submitting herself to sleeps call.

Back downstairs her son was dressed, hair brushed, and was sitting putting on his converse. “I’ll be off Ma, sis alright?”

“She seems to have some sort of bug, flu I’m going to guess. I’m going to run over to the market and grab some meds and essentials. Let’s just hope we don’t catch this one, seems pretty nasty by the shape of her.”

Her son gave her a kiss on the cheek and quick hug “Take care of Elsie, I’ll see you after school. Remember Jason’s coming over to study tonight.”

“I remember, you want any snacks while I’m at the store?”

“Nah, just make something yummy! I’m off!” and was gone out the door.

Making a mental shopping list, Vivianna grabbed her keys, and wallet and headed out the door herself, pausing only briefly to shout up a “I’ll be back” to her daughter. As she slid into the drivers seat of her powder blue “mom-mobile” she sighed heavily, knowing very well that this week was going to be rough… when the flu hit her house, it always was.

Little did she know, her whole life was about to change…. And not for the better.

Bobbing her head to CD in her stereo, she pulled into the first parking space she could see. From all the vehicles in the lot, it seemed to her that the market was pretty dammed busy. Not completely unusual for a Tuesday. As she climbed out she grabbed her Beretta from its safe under her drivers seat and secured it to her hip. It wasn't that she was cautious... it was just her nature. 13 years in law enforcement will do that to you. She hit the lock button on her key ring and headed towards the door. That's when she really began to notice strange things... the glass of the front doors were busted? Instantly she felt her muscles stiffen, as she shifted into defense mode, suddenly glad for the pistol on her hip. She reached over and slid it out of its sheath, holding it with both hands, muzzle pointed towards the ground, keeping her eyes peeled in front of her, scanning the area as wide as she could. She slid up next to the market building and peeked around the frame of the busted door, and instantly was hit with a wave of shock and dread as the putrid scent of death and released bowels hit her senses. For as far as she could see, every person who had come that sunny morning, to fulfill their coupons lay on the ground... shredded in various ways. Blood and body parts, entrails... everywhere. "What the fuck?" she cursed to herself, backing away from the door frame. It took something fierce to startle her but this had left a clammy sheen of fear over her skin. "Fuck this." She said to herself again, backing towards the lot. "Who in their sick mind..." she jumped as a hand landed on her shoulder, pivoting her body towards whomever may be attached to the hand - instantly her gun rising.... but there was no one attached to the hand...and no sign of where it may have come from. Quickly she ran back to her car and slid inside, her breathing hard and fierce, thoughts even fiercer. She dialed 911 on her keypad, bound and determined to report this... only to be greeted by a repeating message about evacuation. "Oh god." she whispered, dialing her sons number.... no answer.... elsa's  number..... no answer....she spun out of the parking lot and sped towards her home, blowing every light and sign she could see. It was then that she started noticing that everything looked different... wrong somehow... in their quiet little neighborhood in LA. Overturned cars, busted windows and broken signs everywhere... bodies... "Fuck!" she cursed strongly, banging on her steering wheel.

As she drove she was completely unaware that her daughter... seemingly sick this morning with the flu, had turned... and her son had come home looking for the both of them only to find his sister as such. That he had made the ultimate choice and put his sister down... that he had tried to call her - and gotten no answer and was now out looking for her...