Chapter 2

“Momma, you’re never going to tell me are you?” Josaphyna glanced over at her mother who shook her head with a smile. “Why won’t you tell me? Don’t I have the right to know?”

Her mother nodded. “Of course you do. But, I just don’t want to tell you for my reasons.”

Josaphyna sighed and decided to drop the topic. The drive went on, quiet with occasional screams and howls of pain outside the windows. Josaphyna was concerned, worried, scared, and angry because she had no idea what was going on and her mom wouldn’t tell her. It was the day after her birthday, the night they left their house forever.

Suddenly, Josaphyna got curious. “Hey momma,”

“Yes, dear?” her mother answered.

“Where’s daddy?” a cold and serious fell amongst them as her mother hesitated to answer. “Momma?” her mom cleared her throat.

“He-” she didn’t have the strength to tell her this either. She couldn’t tell her daughter that her dad is behind all of this. She had no choice; she had to lie. “He’s waiting for us at a hotel in Florida. If we get there within the week, we’ll be able to meet up with him.”

“Oh yay!” her daughter cheered. She hated the fact that she had to lie to her daughter, but, what else could she do? “I can’t wait to see daddy! He wasn’t home for my birthday but at least I’ll see him soon!”

All the mom could do was smile and nod. She could feel the guilt rushing through her veins, or maybe that was the infection. Whatever it was, it sure was beating her up.

“Momma is daddy still okay?” she looked towards her daughter before focusing back on the road. “Momma, you must answer me this time. It is about my dad this time; it’s about your husband Momma.”

“I know that Josaphyna!” her mother snapped. “I’m sorry, dear, I’m-I’m just stressed right now and I just can’t concentrate with this stupid infection and-”

“Infection?” her daughter’s eyes widen and she knew that she just fucked up, big time. “What infection, momma? Is that what that red patch is? It’s an unknown infection and not a rash, right, momma?”

Her mother shut her eyes and swerved the car around making Josaphyna scream out in horror. “Momma! Momma, get a hold of you!” Josaphyna shouted. Her mom didn’t listen and instead rammed, driver side, into a telephone pole where she knocked her head against the windshield. She looked at Josaphyna with a sad smile.

“Yes Josa, it’s an unknown infection.” Blood ran down the paling skin of her forehead as she handed her daughter a small paper. “Take the food and everything and head to this location. This will lead you to your father. The one that…that…” she went silent, her eyes closing.

“Momma?” her daughter called out. “Momma?” she tried to reach out her hand to her mom but retracted it as soon as her mother’s body twitched. “Okay momma, I’ll do as you say. I hope you find peace through this terrible infection.”

Josaphyna grabbed her duffle bag of a few pairs of clothes and food and water. As soon as she closed the back door, her mother’s body twitched and lashed out in her direction, much like that of a zombie’s.

“Momma,” she placed her hand on the passenger’s side window but quickly removed it when the body that used to be her mother lashed out to the glass. “Goodbye momma, rest in peace.”