8:01AM  Sunday, 5025

Interviewer: So this is when it all started?

Emma: [INAUDIBLE]

Interviewer: Pardon?

Emma: Yes.

Interviewer: Well, we’ve already talked to the others about their view of this. . . incident.

Emma: [MUTTER] incident my ass 

Interviewer: I know this is difficult-

Emma: DIFFICULT! YOU THINK THIS IS JUST. . . DIFFICULT?! I LOST MY FAMILY!!

Interviewer: [SOFTLY] You have your brother, Jack.

Emma: [CRYING] He’s all . . . I have left.

Interviewer: Emma, do you need a moment?

[NO AUDIO UNTIL 23:54]

Interviewer: We can take as long as you need.

Emma: [SNIFFLES] No, I need to get it over with.

Interviewer: Alright. So, how did it all start? Your group?

Emma: Okay, so. It all started with my brother and I running through the street.

Emma’s Dairy - 1:57PM 

It was chaos. The screaming, the blood, all the bodies of people I might have known. . . It was so much to take in. I was carrying my little brother, Jack, in my arms. He was crying into my shoulder, sobbing for the kind, loving mother that didn’t exist anymore. I was close to breaking down myself, but I couldn’t now. My mom taught me to survive, and survive we will. I continued down the street, turned a corner, and dove behind a dumpster as a group of  Fear-struck passed by. I sat down trying to reassure my crying brother, stroking his albino hair- just as mom used to, I realized. We just sat there for a few minutes until I heard footsteps. My head snapped in the direction of the footsteps. I grabbed my gun from its holster pointing it in the direction of the footsteps. A few seconds later three people came around the corner. If I wasn’t so shocked on how young they were they would all be dead on the ground, no questions asked. The- what seemed to be -oldest put up her hands. “WAIT! WAIT! DON’T SHOOT, WE’RE NOT FEAR-STRUCK! WE’RE MINORS! “ My gun wavered. I stood and pushed Jack behind my legs and slowly stood up. “Who are you?” I ask pointing the gun at them each in turn. The one who spoke stepped forward, hands still in the air. She has milky white skin, leafy green eyes, and brown hair- the sides were shaved down and the middle was long and pulled into a ponytail. When she spoke her voice was lower for a female. “My name is Nala, most people know me as ‘Smiles’. I’m 17, and I was a foot-dealer for ‘Ezron Co.’.” I pointed the gun to the slightly chubby, dark skinned Hispanic. He had deep brown eyes and curly black hair that kept falling in his face. His voice was deeper. “My name is Leonardo. People call me Leo. I’m 16 and -” His voice catches and he sighs. “I’m the Mayor's son.” I narrow my eyes, no one in Somewhere likes the Mayor. I point at the smallest one. Pale hispanic skin, light brown eyes, and long dark brown hair in a low ponytail. Her voice came out squeaky. “My name is Ana, everyone calls me ‘Pip-Squeak’. I’m 12 and was a bagger at ‘Ezron Co.’.” We were all silent for a moment, until I realized they were waiting for me to introduce ourselves. I started, “ My name is Emma.” I bring Jack out from behind me, still keeping him close to my side. “ And this is my brother Jack. I am 16 and he is 9.” I pause knowing what I say next might just get us both killed. Everyone blames our mom for everything that has happened. The pleasure powder dose being too strong causing people to go “Fear-struck” if they don’t get it in constant doses. I take a deep breath, fear creeping in. “We are Astric Ezron’s children.” I quickly shove Jack behind me and bring my gun and swing it back and forth between the 3 of them. Nala- Smiles -started laughing. My gun automatically swings towards her, aiming right at her head, my finger pulls back the hammer. Click.  As I think back on that moment, I don’t think I would have been able to pull the trigger. Even if they were all fear-struck. I’ve never shot anyone before. Sure I’ve shot blood dummies, paper targets, and all that. But it’s not the same as  killing an actual, breathing, person. I pictured it in my head: her body hitting the floor, blood pooling around her body, the others either running away or turning to attck us. But the laughter stopped. She hears the click and stops mid-laugh. She sits up from where she leaned over while laughing, regaining her composure. Her hands slowly go up behind her head, seemingly making sure I knew she wasn’t a threat. She sighs. “You really think……” she pauses. “ That we were going to attack you based on who your parents are?” She asks. I look at my little brother, who’s hands were balled into my shirt, looking up at me with broken eyes. “It’s a common response. Most people would kill us to get at her.” I reply. She scoffs. Well, in case you haven’t noticed… No one gives a f*ck anymore. We’re all just trying to survive.” She looks at the kids behind her. “At least we are.” She turns back towards me and smiles- Damn! No wonder people call her ‘Smiles’. That smile was f*cking perfect.-. “Besides, if you couldn’t tell, we’re not most people.” Leo spoke up. “ We should move, we’ve spent too much time here. They won’t be far behind us.” Smiles look at the kids and back to us. “We’re all trying to survive and escape this f*cked up city, right? Let's band together. We have a bigger chance of survival with more of us.” I was hesitant, but I slowly nodded and finally -lowered my gun. I replied. “Yeah, yeah you’re right.” Smiles turned around and started walking, “Let's move.” She called. I picked up Jack and swung him on my back. His hands clasped around my neck in an iron grip. I ran to catch up with them. We walked a few streets down when we turned the corner and saw them. A group of 7 fear-struck, bending over something. I looked for a moment and realized what they were…. Eating. I  covered my mouth before I could gasp. The others did the same once they came to the same realization that I did. But Jack…. He was still too young, too young to understand what we were trying to do. He gasped. No sooner than they did, all 7 heads snapped up. Their faces. Oh my God their faces. Smeared with blood all around their mouth, pieces of flesh hanging from their teeth. Their irises were completely black because they were so fearful that their pupils expanded to the edge of the iris. This meant they were really blind, making them dependent on hearing to track their prey. And Jack’s gasp gave them exactly what they needed to start the chase. They paused for a moment, and we hesitated. That hesitation was all they needed. They charged.