"We need to leave Boston, the city has fallen to the zombies and the military are going to bomb it," Patrick Fils-Aime said urgently. A rather tense silence reigned over the family living room. This wasn't a good sign, Patrick figured. The big and tall young black man looked at his relatives. Uncle Gavin, Aunt Malina and twin cousins Dominic and Valentina didn't seem to have heard what Patrick said. Their eyes were glued to the TV. CW News was going on and on about the Massachusetts National Guard duking it out with the zombies in places like Brockton, Fall River and even distant Plymouth. How could they think this would solve anything?
"You forget yourself, nephew, I do the voice raising around here," Gavin Fils-Aime said sternly. The dark-skinned and silver-haired Haitian patriarch shot Patrick a disapproving look. Patrick had been on the receiving end of that look ever since he came to live with Uncle Gavin after his parents Francisco and Elsa Fils-Aime died in a car accident. Some things never change. Even the damned zombie apocalypse cannot make stubborn old Haitians give up their bad habits. Oh well...
"The Governor of Massachusetts said to shelter in place," Aunt Malina said sternly. Patrick swallowed hard. If Aunt Malina saw things his way, she might have been able to persuade Uncle Gavin and the others. He looked to his cousins Dominic and Valentina. The twins had just completed their first year at UMass-Boston and were home for the summer. Patrick looked to Dominic, the only one under this roof whom he was close to. The tall, bespectacled young Haitian American man met Patrick's gaze and the message silently emanating from him was simple. Shut the fuck up.
"Alright, I tried," Patrick said, shrugging. He went to the basement, and packed up some clothes, canned goods, medicine and water. Seated at a corner of the vast basement, Harriet the dog looked curiously at her master. Patrick smiled and patted the dog's head. He went to his fridge, and took a bunch of dog food. He put it in his backpack. Grabbing Harriet's leash, Patrick fixed it on the dog's collar and then led her out through the basement's backdoor.