There was a small pack of undeads looming around the cars. I felt hopeless, lost, and confused…like how my mom was feeling in my nightmare. I put my head on the steering wheel and cried. I was about to give up.
***
Henry jumped out of bed, scaring the shit out of Sophie. “Are you mental? What the fuck is wrong with you?” She was pissed. “I’m trying to get some rest here, jackass.” She rolled back over and snuggled back under the blankets.
“Something’s wrong.” He pulled his pants over his boxers, and grabbed his shirt and vest, putting them on.
“Something’s wrong?” Sophie propped herself up on her elbows. “What could possibly be wrong in this fabulous fucking paradise?”
“Elaina. Something is wrong with Elaina. I can feel it.”
“You need to gear up to go into your bedroom?”
Henry bolted out of the guest bedroom, and barged into his bedroom. Claire jumped up and screamed. Luckily, she was fully clothed. “Shhh! It’s just me.” He grabbed the small flashlight out his vest.
“Good Lord! You scared the shit out of me!”
“I seem to have that effect on women at the moment.” The bed was empty. He scanned the room. No Elaina. “Where’s Elaina?”
“What do you mean where’s Elaina?”
“She isn’t in here!”
“Maybe she’s in the bathroom.” Claire pushed past Henry and ran into the master bath. Empty. Henry ran down the hallway to check the other bathroom.
“Elaina! Where are you? Elaina!”
“What the fuck? What’s all the yelling about?” Nick rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of what was going on.
“She’s not here!” Claire was panicking. Nick jumped up. He realized he was just in his boxer shorts and, apparently, was having a rather lovely dream. He tried to grab at the blanket and pull it over his lower half.
“Ahh… Give me a sec.” Claire gawked at him. She couldn't take her eyes off his exposed self. She licked her lips.
“Ye-yeah, okay.” She turned around, blushing, but she was very interested in what she saw. Claire just had seen more of him than she ever thought she would.
“Just get your pants on, boner boy! We have to find her!” Sophie said as she came strolling out of the guest room in her spiked heels. She was putting her bleached blonde hair up in a purposely messy up-do. Nick found his pants and shirt.
“Where is she?” Nick asked, while pulling his shirt over his head.
“I don’t know! You were in here. You should have heard her leaving!” Henry snapped.
“I was sleeping!”
“Get a pack on,” Henry barked. “We’re going out to find her.”
“I’m going, too,” Claire quietly said, and Henry looked at her.
“We can’t risk all of us. You and Sophie stay.”
“No! I’m going, too!” Sophie protested.
Nick blew his top. “What do you fucking care?! You have been nothing but trouble for Elaina since you and your hooker-looking ass arrived here!” He pointed to himself, “Her brother,” then he pointed to Henry, “and her fiancé are going to go track her down! She means nothing to you!” Henry flinched at the word fiancé. He wasn’t sure if they were even together, let alone still engaged, seeing as her ring was in his pants pocket. Nick struggled to get his boots on through his anger.
Sophie clenched her jaw. “Regardless of what you think, I do care about her because I can see how much Henry loves her.”
“Enough!” Claire yelled. “This is no time to argue about who loves her more!” She was pissed. “If we all go, it’s more eyes looking for her. Now, let’s move!”
“Fine! Whatever. Everyone grab a pack so we can get the fuck out of here.” Henry went to the dining table, only to see that his pack and his keys were missing. “Bloody hell!” He pounded his fist on the table.
“What?” Sophie asked.
“My pack and keys are gone. She must have taken my truck.” He went to the plastic bag-covered window and peeled part of it back. “Shit! She took my truck! Damn it, Elaina!”
“Where could she have gone?” Sophie sounded genuinely concerned.
“I don’t know!” Henry snapped again. He was angry and worried.
“Well, let’s quit fucking around, discussing the where’s and how’s. Let’s get out of here!” Nick whipped open the apartment door and stormed out. The rest of them followed closely behind. They didn’t even bother checking for undeads when they threw open the main entrance door. As they ran to Sophie’s truck, the rain had started to come down pretty hard.