Roadblock

Annalise sat still, looking at the stone in her hands. Maid had made her dinner, lamb chops and chipped potatoes, which she hadn't eaten. It sat on the table in front of her.

She looked at the straight black lines that formed the symbol of the thing that had killed her father. She sighed and put it down. 

"Are you feeling well Annalise?" Maid asked, her smile flat lined. 

"No... But," She sighed. "life goes on." 

"Indeed it does, Miss." Maid smiled. "Would you like something else to eat?" 
"No, thank you." 

Maid was basically Annalise's mother and big sister. She'd raised Annalise from when she was 3 weeks old. Even though she was a custom made cyborg, Annalise thought of Maid as her family. 

"Miss, would you like to go to sleep?" Maid asked, unsure of what to make of the emotions Annalise was feeling. 

"No... I need to do, something." Annalise said. 
"Would you like to swim?"

"Hmm... Sure." Annalise said, nothing caught her interest but swimming was a good idea. 

"Come then, I'll get your kit. You go to the pool." 

Annalise stood up and picked up the stone, she hadn't let it leave her sight since she'd first picked it up three days ago. 

Maid would never have admitted it but she was worried about Annalise. The girl was taking her father's death hard. She'd barely eaten and she hadn't slept for three days. Something was terribly wrong with the girl's heart. Something that only time and space would fix. 

Maybe she should get out of the house. Go on a holiday. Maybe Maid should organise something for Annalise. A trip to the seaside, to raise her spirits. 

Yes, Maid would make a trip for Annalise. She would make Annalise smile again. 

Annalise stood by the pool. The artificial lights almost blinded her, but they walmed the water and made it possible to see. 
"Here is your kit Annalise." Maid said, handing Annalise a bikini. Annalise smiled and changed into it. She dived into the warm water. Her hair billowed out behind her and the air escaped her lungs and bubbles formed on her lips. She burst up from the water and a laugh bubbled up out of her. 

"Are you okay Annalise?" Maid asked. 

"Yes Maid, for the first time in days I'm okay." She laughed and rolled over, laying on her back and floating. A gleeful giggle escaped her lips. 

"Annalise." Maid said. "Would you like to go on a holiday?" 
"Holiday?" Annalise said, raising her head to look at Maid. 

"Yes. A holiday." 

"Sure. I could get away." Annalise sighed. 

Maid was glad she's put an emotion booster in the pool. Annalise was happy now. She'd go on holiday with Maid. It was a good thing for Annalise and Maid. 

They were packed and ready to go. Maid smiled as Annalise walked out of the house. The air was thick and had a greenish tinge to it. The smell in the air was rotting corpses, but none of the people knew that. 

Annalise stretched and yawned. She was tired, it had been four days with no sleep now. Maid sighed but still she got in the front of the armoured car and began the engine. Annalise climbed in the back and curled up in the back seat and let the car's motion lull her to sleep. 

Maid smiled as she looked back into the back seat. She was glad that Annalise was finally getting some sleep. Maid looked back onto the road, she hit the breaks. There was another car on the road, battered and rusty. 
"HEY!" Someone called. "What are you doing?" 

"Driving." Maid said calmly. "What are you doing?" 

"I'm waking up." Annalise laughed. She looked out of the window, there was a man outside, young but aged. 
"I'm getting my tribe out of the way." He shouted back. 

"Tribe?" Annalise asked. 

"My tribe, there's over 50 of us. We're called the Zens." 

"...s**t." Annalise gasped. She'd heard of the Zens. They were 50 of the vilest monsters on the road. Her cousin's wedding party had been attacked and robbed by them. She gasped and whispered to Maid.

"Get us out of here." 

"I can't." Maid whispered. "The road's blocked off."