Dear mom,

It’s day 89 of the apocalypse. I think i’m going insane. I haven’t talked to another human in about 3 days. I’ve been hiding at night, and at this point I have a routine to sleep through the night. I met a friend last week called Sandy. She’s about 9, I think. We met in the burnt down Fair Oaks Mall. She was trying to find a vending machine to break into to get water or food, but people beat us to it. We walked around the mall together until dark. I fell asleep under a broken table in JCPenny’s. Remember when we used to go shopping there? I bought you those ruby earrings two summers ago before we left for Paris? Anyways, we became really good friends, but when the sun came up the next morning she was done. I think she’s alive. I’ve been looking for her ever since.

It’s been days since I’ve seen anyone because the zombies are getting worse at night in Fairfax. I think more humans are dying off each night, and I’m terrified that I’m next.

Mom, do you miss me? How is heaven? I hope it’s everything we dreamed it would be. I hope you’re dancing to Elvis with grandpa and grandma, and I hope you are in peace. Most importantly, if you’re looking down on me right now, I want you to know how much I miss you. Sometimes I think it would be easier if I died and came up to be with you and grandpa and grandma.

I haven’t seen dad. The last time I saw him it was night and we had to escape an attack. I know he’s alive and he’s okay, but it’s clear he hasn’t been looking for me so I have given up looking for him. I still have the old pocket knife he gave me. I carry it everywhere. Every week I go back to the house and see if people are hiding there. It’s burnt down and still empty.

I wish I was in heaven with you, and I wish things would get better and the sun would ever set.

Yours truly,

Elaina.