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A Single Bite

Chapter 1: Where It All Began

December 31st, 2014, Present Day...

Blood was pouring down my arm in steady streams. It dripped off my middle knuckles in steady
drops. As it hit the tiled floor of my bathroom, it conjoined and made puddles. I took a towel from the
towel rack and started to wipe my arm of the blood. It was useless to even try to clean the wound, or
even clean myself for that matter. I was going to die anyway. Fifteen hours is all it took. Fifteen
hours...and I was dead.

I tied the towel around the bite wound. Seeing the hole in the flesh made it all the more reality that I
was going to die. You wouldn't expect this for a person in my position. A leader, experienced leader at
that. Anyone who is under my command listens to me, does as I say without question. I would rather
they ask a question or two, but they do get the job done. Now that I'm going to die...who will lead my
people?

I suppose Gary will. My best friend and second in command. He is a good leader. I don't like to boost,
but I won't lie, he was never a better leader than me. I'm sure people will follow him as they do me.

I took a couple pain killers to drown out the pain in my arm. I didn't need them, I've had worse pain,
but it did help me think as I sat slumped up against the side of the tub. The blood that wasn't soaked
up by the towel was running down my arm still. I looked over at the body of the one who bit me. I
saw the missing eye, the rotten teeth, the lose of flesh and the putrid smell of decay. There was a
small fly buzzing around the dead zombies head. Blood was puddling around the zombies head, the
spot I had hit with the end of the crowbar that now lay by my feet.

Why did I make a stupid mistake like this? How could I? I'm the one who bitches my people out for
doing that type of stupidity! Oh well, I suppose it all had to end some day. I think this is the way I
want to go. I knew I didn't want to die old, but not die in a heroic way either. Just, an incident. One
like this. Even if it was an idiotic way to die. That way people know I wasn't the perfect leader.

I sat and thought some more. Now was the part where your life flashes before your eyes. Where did
this all begin? Where......................................

5 years ago on August 21st, 2008 8:05 a.m.

My birthday was today. The only people who have told me happy birthday where my parents and my
sister. I knew my sister could care less, but I could say the same about her telling me happy birthday.
My family is one thing, but I kinda wanna see if my friends remember. It means more, to me anyway.

I sat there in P.E. class, the class with all my friends. I saw Katie, Greg, Simon, Baldric, Caleb, and
Tiffany all huddled under a basketball hoop. Today was Basketball. I took a ball from the rack, walked
over to the half-court line, chucked the ball at the hoop, and it ricocheted off, hitting Caleb in the
head. I started to laugh under my breath. The rest off the group laughed as well and I walked over to
them innocently.

" What happened Caleb?" , I asked him when I got there.

" Some dick wad hit me in the head with a basket ball. Did you see who?" , he asked me, looking
around. Baldric was holding onto Tiffany while laughing. He laughed at about anything really.

" Nope, not a soul." , I told him, almost cracking up.


" So, are we going to play?" , Greg asked. He had on his York Sity jacket, a black t-shirt, and blue
jeans. He had Blonde hair and Blue eyes. Funny thing was, was that none of us were dressed for P.E.,
so we were probably going to get sent to the office again.

" Of course, but I would like to say, happy birthday Ash!" , Katie said, giving me a hug. She had on a
long sleeved tight shirt, blue jeans, and her hair ran down to her shoulder blades in curly brown that
matched her eyes.

" Well, at least someone remembered." , I said, with a small smile.

" We all knew." , Caleb said, slapping me on the back. Caleb was a big guy with brown hair, blue eyes,
and rectangular glasses. He was wearing his Blue Jeans with the wallet chain and his Pink Floyd shirt.
He always wore steel toed boots.

" I'm sure you did." , I said sarcastically.

" That's what we were talkin' bout ova here." , Simon said. He was a really skinny kid. He had blonde
hair, blue eyes, and a long neck. He had on a Fisher Men Have Long Rods shirt, Tan shorts and tennis
shoes. He had a funny urban accent that didn't fit his figure.

" Then how old am I?" , I asked them.

" Fifteen smart ass." ,Tiffany said," Sorry we didn't get you anything Ash." ,she had short black hair
with a couple red streaked bangs that went down to the edge of her neck. Her eyes were a dark blue
that looked purple in the sunlight. She had on a goth purple halter top with white cartoon-like skulls
decorating it. She also had on a pink and black plaid skirt, with chains running around it. She also had
on high top boots with fishnet running up her legs.

" It's okay Tiff. Ready to get sent to the office?" , I asked them.

" We didn't even get to play a basket ball game before we get to either." , Baldric said in his German
accent. He had on a grey sweatshirt and dark blue jeans with black leather shoes. He had a spiky, red
haired flat top and dark green eyes.

" Nope." , I said, then turned to the teacher as he walked in. He saw us and then made a frown. He
motioned in the direction of the office with his thumb.

" That's our cue. Come on." , Greg said, shuffling to the door, all of us following him.

School Office, August 21st, 2008 8:13 a.m.

" Why can't you guys just wear the P.E. uniform? Is it that big of a deal?" , Mr. Dickins, our principle,
asked us as we sat in front of his desk.

" Last year we could just wear P.E. clothes from home. I'm not spending twenty bucks on a P.E.
uniform when I got a perfectly good outfit at home." , I told him. I was slouching in the chair with my
arms crossed. The Mr. Dickins didn't like to be talked to like that and frankly I didn't care.

" Listen you little punk. Running a school is tough, especially with kids like you in it. Now your going to
buy that..." , he started, his face red, but was interrupted by his walkie talkie on the desk.

" Sir..." , said a voice. Mr. Dickins snatched up the talkie.

" What!?!" , he yelled, obviously angry.


" There is a strange man at the entrance and he looks unhealthy. I keep telling him to go away, but
he just stares at me and bangs on the glass door. Should I call police?" , I heard the voice explain.

" No...I'm coming down there myself." , Mr. Dickins said and slammed the talkie on the desk. It made
Katie jump.

" Don't you seven move or your suspended for a week." , he said through clenched teeth. Then he
walked out of his small office within the main office. When the door closed we all looked at each other
in surprise.

" Wow, he must really getting sick of us. I've never seen him so mad." , Greg said looking down at his
shoes.

" You may be right. He is pretty pissed." , I said, not taking my eyes from the walkie talkie as if it may
sprout wings and fly away.

" What do you think that was about at the entrance?" , Tiffany asked as if we actually knew.

" Probably some loon." , Simon said.

" I agree with Simon, just some guy who isn't all there." , Caleb said, tapping his own head when he
said it.

We all laughed a little and then quieted. It was so boring in that little office. I stared at the clock,
pretending to hear the ticking, even though there was none. I twirled my fingers to try and pass time,
but it was useless. I'm just to bored.

I then heard a small shout from outside that got my attention. I stood and looked out the small
fireproof window.

" What are you doing Ash?" , Baldric asked.

" I heard something." , I told him as I stared out the window.

I couldn't see anything put the front desk at the angle I was in. I squinted and saw the secretary run
around the desk and out the door as quickly as possible. She was in a big hurry to get somewhere. I
opened the door slightly and peeked out. The main office was completely empty now that the
secretary was gone.

" Ash get back in here. I don't feel like getting suspended." , Greg said, looking at me with curiosity at
the same time.

" I'll be right back, I just wanna see why the secretary left in such a hurry." , I told everyone, walking
out of the room quickly. I trekked over to the door and looked out its fireproof window. The entrance
way was deserted except for some spots and a long streak by the door. I didn't know what the spots
were, but I'm sure that the Janitor would get them. I walked back to where my friends were. They
were still sitting looking bored, plus a little worried since I had walked out.

" It's like a frickin ghost town out there." , I said.

" Get lonely?" , Baldric asked in a joking accented voice.

" You bet." , I said, not really in the mood for jokes.
I just sat back down and watched the clock again. I leaned back and listened to my friends talk about
nonsense and crap like that.

School Office, August 21st, 2008 10:17 a.m.

Two hours, two frickin hours since Mr. Dickins was in here. What the hell takes two damn hours?
Everybody was playing little stupid games, while I was the only one that sat and did nothing. I
yawned and watched Caleb and Simon play Rock, Paper, Scissors. I couldn't really hear what Katie
and Tiffany were talking about, but I could care less really. Greg and Baldric were telling there favorite
jokes in there seats.

" Okay, screw this!" , I practically yelled. I stood up and stretched, both my arms, knees, and back
popped.

" What are you going to do?" , Baldric asked.

" I'm going to go find Mr. Dickins. He has been gone for two god damn hours." , I said moving to the
door.

" Your right. You should go see what is taking him." , Katie said, standing up.

" Taking him? I'm going to go bitch at him." , I said, walking out.

" Wait! Ash I'm gonna come too." , I heard Simon say. I stopped and watched him come out of the
office.

" We'll wait here!" , Tiffany called from inside.

" Okay." , I called back.

Simon and I walked out of main office and looked down both hallways. Simon came out right behind
me, soon walking up to my right side, yawning as he stood there. I rolled my eyes, knowing the only
reason he came along was because he was bored as hell. I guess I shouldn't blame him. Who wouldn't
be bored as hell?

" So where are we gonna to look first?" , Simon asked stupidly.

" Where do you think smart one. Where he was called to come." , I told him motioning to the
entrance.

He looked down at his shoes and snickered. He looked sort of embarrassed. I looked back at the
entrance about ten meters front of me. The spots and streaks were still there. Strange, the janitor
should have got them by now. I started towards the glass doors. Simon right beside me all the way.
The doors we passed on the left were both bathrooms. When we reached the entrance doors I noticed
the dots and streaks were blood. That sent shivers up my spine as I went into a cold sweat.

" What the hell is this?" , Simon asked me in a confused voice.

" I think it's blood." , I said, walking up to the glass of the door and studying the blood.

" What happ..." , but Simon was cut off when something slammed into the glass of the door right in
front of me. I fell backwards on my butt and quickly jumped to my feet.
There was a man on the door who was moaning and snapping at the glass. His eyes were red and
bleeding and his teeth looked rotted. His t-shirt was ripped and stained and his blue jeans were
matching. He wore no shoes and his feet had glass and other things sticking out of them. There was a
stench in the air that I never noticed till now. It smelt like rotting meat.

" What the hell is wrong with that guy?" , Simon yelled, as if I actually knew.

" I don't know, but I think we should head back to the office." , I told him. Just when I finished a
woman with red stained blonde hair that was tangled and messy, came to the other door and pounded
on it. She wasn't moaning, but was still trying to get in. She had on a ripped blood stained sun dress.

" Holy hell, it's like frickin day of the dead!" , I yelled mostly to myself, but Simon agreed with me
anyway. Simon and I both spun around and sprinted to the office, but when we reached three
quarters of the way, a man stumbled out in front of us. I heard a booming sound from somewhere
outside that sounded like a car crashing into another car. The man stood up saw us, shrieked, and
kept on running down the hallway. I noticed his grey jumpsuit and knew it was our janitor.

" What the f**k! Why'd he run?", Simon asked me, sounding panicked.

" He probably thought we were like those people outside." , I told him, not really knowing myself. The
fear in my chest was growing as I heard another crash outside. I heard the crackle of gunfire from
outside as well. Both Simon and I looked back at the door. There were four people there now. Two
more men had joined the ones in front of them.

" Why the hell are there zombies here!" , Simon screamed at the door.

" Don't say zombies! We don't know if that is what they are!" , I said, noting that zombies did not
exist.

" Well..." , he started, but was cut off again when he collapsed to the floor, someone on top of him. I
jumped back from surprise, looking around, but seeing no one but the people at the entrance. I looked
back down at the person on top of Simon and noticed it was one of the people like from outside. The
man shot his head down and bit into Simon. Simon screamed in pain and tried to knock the man off. I
ran and kicked the man in the head, sending him rolling off Simon. The man started to get up slowly,
as if he was drunk. I helped Simon up and we stumbled to the main office door. I opened it and we
ran to the Mr. Dickins office and stumbled in that too. We stood there, at the door, breathing and
gasping for air. Our friends just stared at us in surprise.

" Oh my god! Are you okay Simon?" , Katie gasped. She saw that the shoulder of his shirt was soaked
red with blood.

" A f**kin zombie bit me!" , he yelled, putting his hand on the wound and sitting in the principles
chair.

" Zombie?" , Greg said, confused.

" We don't know if there zombies." , I said to him, but I was starting to have doubts that they weren't.

" What aren't or are? You guys are making no sense!" , Tiffany yelled, looking a little annoyed and
scared at the same time.

" There are people outside that look like zombies. One of them bit Simon on the shoulder. I think
they're just loons, but I could be wrong." , I explained to them, put one hand on my hip, and putting
the other on my sweating forehead.
" So your saying there are zombies outside that are biting people?" , Caleb asked, confused.

" I don't know if they're frickin zombies! I only saw Simon get bit, but there's a chance that Mr.
Dickins and his secretary were scared off by these things." , I said.

" I hope they ain't zombies, otherwise I'm a deadman." , Simon said, staring at the ceiling, the blood
crusting on his wound and hand.

We were all quiet for a minute as I sat down. Then it was an hour. Then two hours. It was probably
better that we waited here.

School Office, August 21st, 2008 1:34 p.m.

I watched as the small spider crawled across the ceiling. We could hear nothing through the many
walls and sound proof doors of the two offices. I remember the two crashes from earlier and bet that
those people were wreaking havoc. Simon had gotten two bloody noses and was paler than wax at the
moment. He didn't look good at all.

" So what's the plan?" , Baldric asked, he was hunched over and staring at the floor.

" Hell I don't know, anyone got any idea's?" , Greg asked , swinging his legs while sitting on the desk.

" I got one." , I said, standing up and walking to the wall, leaning against it. I had been thinking up
this plan since we got back in the office.

" What is it?" , Tiffany asked, looking at me.

" It's risky, but it's better than staying in here where we are sitting ducks." , I said, letting them know
I wasn't joking.

" Tell us, then we'll see if we should do it or not." , Simon said, his voice a little softer than usual.

" Alright. Caleb, you still got your car keys?" , I asked him. He nodded.

" Then we'll make a run for the parking lot." , I said, everyone looking at me strangely.

" That's it?" , Greg asked me.

" Yes." , I answered.

" What about weapons? What about protection?" , Katie asked.

" The Tech Ed room isn't far from here. We'll just get them there." , I said.

" What would we use?" , Baldric asked.

" Hammers, drills, and things like that." , I answered once again.

" It seems pretty risky." , Tiffany said.

" I said that it would be, but it's better than waiting in here." , I told them.

" He has a point." , Greg said. Everyone seemed to think about it for a moment.
" Okay. Say we do get out of this school and to the car. Where will we go from there?" , Tiffany asked.

" The police station. Then from there to our families." , I told them. They thought some more.

" Alright, let's do it." , Caleb said, taking out his keys.

" Yeah, I don't like the feeling of being trapped." , Baldric said.

" Okay then, lets go." , I said. We all stood up and walked into the main office. I looked out the
window and saw that paths were clear. We had to go down the right hallway to get to Caleb's car.

I nodded to my friends and they nodded back. Simon was looking dizzy, but still able to run. I then
opened the door and we all took off down the hallway. It was completely clear. I broke out into a dead
run and heard everyone else follow at the same speed.

" Simon!" , I heard Greg shout. I spun around and saw Simon collapsed and trying to get back on his
feet. He wasn't able to.

" I'll get him, you guys get to the car!" , I yelled to everyone. I then ran back to Simon who was
gasping and trying to get back up. Everyone ran passed me as I ran to Simon. He was clutching his
chest and sweating pretty badly.

I reached him and grasped under his arms. He wanted to say something, but was breathing to hard. I
put him on my shoulders and started running to the doors at the end of the hallway ahead. I saw
everyone get out the doors. I ran as fast as I could towards the doors. Simon wasn't all that heavy,
but he still slowed me down quite a bit.

As I passed the first hall intersection, three of the crazy people came from the side. Making me trip
from surprise. I tumbled to the right and hit the wall, hearing glass breaking. My breath was knocked
out of me, so I let go of Simon so I could help myself breath again. One of the crazies fell on top of
me. I shove the side of my arm into his neck to keep him from biting me. I pushed up and shoved him
off me, making him hit one of the other crazies, knocking them both to the ground. I rolled away from
the other one as it tried to fall onto me. I got to my feet, finally breathing more normal. I saw what
had broke and noticed the fire extinguisher lying next to the crazy who had just tried to get me. I put
the heel of my shoe on the back of the crazy's neck to keep him down and then picked up the
extinguisher. I held the silver handle in one hand and held the side with the other. I brought the
bottom of it down on the back of the crazy's head and heard the crack of the skull. I felt wet blood
spatter my pants as I brought the extinguisher up.

I spun around just as the next crazy stepped towards me. I shoved the bottom of the extinguisher into
the crazy's face, spun holding the handle, and smashed the side of it into his jaw, throwing him across
the hall. The other one came at me as soon as I was finished with the last one. This time I pulled the
pin on the extinguisher, aimed the hose at the crazy, and sprayed the white extinguish at him. He fell
to the floor and I swung the extinguisher down onto his head by the hose. I threw the extinguisher to
the side and went to Simon.

He stared at me with blank eyes. I bent down and saw the back of his head was bleeding and noticed
glass shards in is head. I felt for a pulse on his neck and wrist as the CPR trainer taught us, but I felt
nothing. I knew he was dead and yet I felt I had to take him with me. Common sense took control of
me though. If I took his dead carcass with me, then that would be dead weight and only slow me and
my friends down. I knew I couldn't bring him along, no matter how sad, guilty, or angry I was.

" I'm sorry Simon. I'm so sorry..." , I trailed off. Tears welled up in my eyes and I started crying. I
stood up and took off towards the exit once again. Only this time I could move faster without having
to haul Simon around.
The tears splashed the floor behind me as I ran through the hall. When I reached the doors, I turned
to see a group of crazies surrounding Simon's lifeless body. I heard the wet sound of flesh being torn,
the crunch of bone, and the slurp of blood. I cursed myself. It was my fault he was dead. He would
still be alive if those crazies hadn't made me trip. Now he was being eaten, but at least he's dead this
time.

" I'm sorry Simon, but it's survival now." , I told myself more than him. I was angry at myself for
leaving him there, but I had too.

I swung the doors open and ran outside into the parking lot, hearing an explosion nearby. I saw
Caleb's car and saw Katie waving through the window. I sprinted to the car, saw room in the
backseat, and jumped in. I shut the door and noticed how squished everything was. Six people in a
five passenger car didn't leave much room for breathing. I was sitting next to Katie as Caleb brought
the 1992 Cadillac to life.

" Lets go!" , I yelled, no longer crying, but my voice still shaky.

" Where is Simon?" , Caleb asked.

" Dead." , I said strait forward. No use lying or trying to hide it.

" What!?! How?" , Tiffany asked from the front passengers seat.

" Crazies got him! We don't have time to argue about this! Let's go!" , I yelled, using the anger from
before.

They all looked at me in surprise, but understood now wasn't the best time. When Caleb pulled out of
his parking place, was when I saw the carnage around us. The parking lot was full of abandoned cars,
some with shattered windows, a couple with blood on them, one even had a crazy banging on the
window of the drivers seat, trying to get out. When we drove off the curb and onto the street, we had
to do a U-turn since there was a Big-Rig blocking the road ahead of us. When we turned around, Caleb
did his best to maneuver around abandoned cars on the road. Two of them belonged to a couple kids I
knew from school and the third was a Police Cruiser. The hood of the Police Cruiser was on fire. About
three blocks ahead on the same road, I saw an orange and yellow explosion. I heard Caleb curse and
then turn left on the intersection ahead of us. Three crazies stepped out in front of the car as we went
along the new road. Caleb swerved to the right to try and miss them, but he clipped one and I saw her
spin into the air and land on the back windshield of an abandoned car. We continued on the road when
Caleb noticed a blockade two blocks down. He hit the breaks and swerved to the side, making us
come to a stop horizontally on the road. He then drove straight forward and into an alley.

" What are you doing!?!" , Greg yelled, seating right next to Caleb and next to Tiffany.

" I'm taking the alley since there are less blockades!" , Caleb yelled back in answer.

His logic was correct. We just went two blocks at 55 miles per hour and haven't seen a single car yet.
We saw another car fly past us along the road as we drove towards another alley. I saw it smash into
another car and ignite into a fireball. I heard the explosion as we entered the next alley. It shook the
windows. Then I looked behind us and saw another car following us at the same speed. Why was it
doing that?

When we came out of the alley I looked out Baldric's window, he was on the other side of Katie. There
was a Ford Mustang coming straight at us! Luckily we got into the next alley before it hit us, but I still
heard the smash and crunch of plastic and metal. I looked out the back window and saw that it had hit
the car behind us. Both of them blocked the way of the alley. That was when Caleb hit the breaks. I
flew forward a bit and hit my forehead on his seat. I then looked out the windshield and saw a Big-Rig
coming straight at us. I felt that tingling feeling you get when you think your in big trouble. Caleb
started to back up, but I stopped him.

" It's blocked!" , I yelled at him.

" Then we need to get out!" , Caleb yelled, and we all popped the doors open. I saw an open door to
an apartment building a couple of yards behind us.

" This way!" , I told everyone pointing to the door.

I ran to it, quickly looked inside and saw only a staircase leading downwards into a basement. I pulled
the door all the way open and held it while everyone ran into it. I gave little push o each one of them
that ran through the door. I yelled, " Go, go, go, go!", as I did so. When the last person was through,
I started to close the door, but saw Caleb lying on the ground with his foot inside the car still. He must
have been stuck.

" Caleb!" , I yelled, pointing to the Big-Rig.

It was to late. He looked back at me with wide eyes, eyes that knew he was going to die. He reached
out to me before his body disappeared in a major jerk from the ramming of the Big-Rig. I was pulled
by my arm and fell downwards into the basement of the building. I heard the crunching, scratching,
and slamming of metal and then I heard nothing. I saw a bright yellow, orange, and black fireball
coming down the stairs and then it disappeared as soon as it had come.

Finhale Apartment Complex Basement, August 21st, 2008, 2:36 p.m.

Caleb was dead. Simon was dead. What the hell is going on? I lost two best friends over nothing! God
dammit! I sat there on a box with my hand on my face. I was crying. I had been crying for thirty
minutes. So was everyone else. We had been in shock, disbelief, and now grieving.

Greg and I were the first ones to quit crying and start searching the basement. We had walked over to
the storage unit and found nothing of use. We then walked over to the bathroom and I found a small
Pen Knife. I put it in my pocket and both Greg and I walked back to the group, passing the boiler.
When we returned, only Katie was crying, both Tiffany and Baldric were comforting her. Katie and
Caleb had been very close. It wasn't unnatural for her to cry like this.

" Find anything?" , Baldric asked, his accent making him sound funny.

" Nothing that will help us much." , Greg said. Then everyone was silent for a couple minutes.

" So, how did Simon die?" , Tiffany asked. Even Katie looked up at me with teary, red eyes to know
the answer.

" Uh...well...I went back, picked him up, then came after you guys. That's when three crazies came
out, made me trip, and when that happened I had hit a fire extinguisher case with his head...which
killed him." , I told them. It hurt to relive it like that.

" That seems a little extreme..." , Tiffany said.

" It's the truth." , I said, looking at her with wonder. Did she not believe me?

" Yeah, it is one thing to have a friend lost, but to have one lie about another's death...that's low Ash."
, Katie said through sobs and sniffles.
" I'm not lying! That is what happened!" , I said defensively.

" Guys! Now is not the time for this shit!" , Greg yelled.

That surprised us all, making me jump since I was standing right by him. We all looked at each other.
He was right of course. Tiffany and Baldric helped Katie up and we moved to the ladder near the
bottom of the staircase. I let everyone climb before me. First Greg, then Katie, then Baldric, than
Tiffany who gave me a dirty look. I put my hand on the first bar, but then heard a screeching noise
like a boiling teapot. I spun around and saw steam spewing from the boiler. I ran to it and saw the
gauge. It was in the warning! I cursed under my breath and ran back to the ladder, taking two bars at
a time. I reached the top and noticed we were in a large Janitor's closet.

" Guys! We need to get the hell out of here! The boiler is gonna blow!" , I yelled.

" What?" , Katie asked in confusion, but I didn't answer her, I just took off to the door of the Janitors
office. It was locked so I started ramming myself against it. It started to budge, but it still wouldn't
open.

I heard the screeching sound by the boiler again. I knew everyone else heard it this time and they to
ran over to the door. This time I use my foot. It worked a little better and hurt less. I kicked it again
and there was the shatter of wood and splinters. I ran out, saw a door leading to the courtyard in the
middle of the Apartment Complex, and opened the door. Luckily this one was unlocked. We all ran
outside and saw two dead corpses up against a wall on the opposite side of us. I then heard two loud
cracking sounds and then nothing. Soon afterward I found myself flying through the air. I landed hard
on the tall grass of the courtyard, but thankfully it was grass otherwise it would of hurt a lot more.

I pushed myself up to a crouching position. My legs hurt and the back of my neck felt fried. I felt a
warm liquid coming out of my ears and I put my finger to one to touch it. I looked at my hand and
saw blood, which meant my ears were bleeding. I then heard the ringing in my ears and it made my
head hurt. I shakily got up to a stand and caught myself from falling. I looked around and saw half the
wall from the hallway we were in was blown out, which scattered bricks, plaster, and wood planking.
Everyone besides me was laying on the grass. I saw Greg move and push some wood and other debris
off himself. I ran over and help him up, but he pushed me away when I tried.

I saw him moving his mouth, but I couldn't hear him through the ringing in my ears. I asked him what
he said, shouting at the top of my lungs. He yelled and pointed to the rest of everyone. I understood
and ran over to Tiffany who was sprawled out. I then checked her pulse, but then didn't have to cause
she opened her eyes. She looked up at me in confusion and then blinked a couple of times. There was
a small bit of blood coming out her ear. I helped her up, but she was wobbly and lean against me as
she stood there. I held her up and saw Greg helping Baldric. Katie was lying right next to Greg's feet.
I walked over to Katie's body, set Tiffany on the grass, letting her rest there. I still could only hear the
ringing in my ears. I bent down to check her pulse and was thankful I got one. It was nice and steady.
She must of just been knocked unconscious.

I yelled again just so I could hear myself through the ringing, " Greg! Katie's knocked out! We need to
get her somewhere safe so we can make sure she doesn't have a concussion!" , I yelled at Greg.

" Agreed!" , I faintly heard him yell back.

Greg picked her up and carried her like I had carried Simon.

" I'm going to search the bodies over there!" , I yelled, a flaming piece of debris falling from the
building. Greg nodded. I could see that the building was now on fire.
I turned around and walked to the first dead body. He was a business man as I could tell from the suit
jacket, tuxedo pants, and black leather shoes. I put my hand into his jacket and didn't find anything of
use in his jacket pockets. Then I checked his pants pockets and found a small bundle of cash. There
was $163 in the bundle. I didn't know if this would come in handy anymore or not, so I still put it in
my pocket. I then moved on to the next dead body. It was a body of a security guard. I searched his
belt and found two full clips of 9mm ammo. I didn't see his gun in the holster or near him, so then I
checks his pockets. Nothing in his pockets either. I then saw something I his hand and knew what it
was. It was a silver M9 Beretta that is 9mm caliber. What a lucky find!

I let the clip out and saw it was half full. These clips were the new see-through ones so you could
count how many you have left. I stuck the two full clips in my pocket and walked back to the group
with the Beretta in hand. It felt good to know you could defend yourself easier. My friends all turned
to see if I found anything. They all gasped when they saw the Beretta, even Greg.

" Where'd you get that?" , I saw him say. I didn't need to hear him to know what he said.

" I found it on a dead security guard!" , I yelled. My throat was starting to hurt.

" Lucky..." , I saw Baldric mouth, and then he stopped and everyone turned in his direction.

He turned around and looked upwards. I looked up as well, but didn't see anything. What the hell?

Then everyone at once looked behind me. I spun around and saw a group of crazies coming strait for
us. I raised the gun and fired twice into the lead crazy's chest. It made her stumble backward, but
then gained her balance again and came at us behind the rest of the crazy's. I was a pretty good shot
with a gun. Any gun. My dad took a personal seeing to that. That was why it was so surprising to see
the crazy come right back at us. No doubt about it now. They're zombies.

I aimed my sights at the closest one. I trained the foresight on its head and fired. The back of his skull
exploded with red and the zombies behind him were painted with blood and brain matter. I then
quickly trained the sight on the next zombie and fired, hitting him in the shoulder. He stumbled
backwards, turning to the right.

" Get back in the building!" , I yelled to everyone else.

I thought it would be better to take the risk of the burning building rather than a group of flesh hungry
zombies. We ran back into the hallway, the walls were orange and yellow with black smoke
surrounding the white tiles above us. We moved towards the door that had the stairs sign. I saw Greg
carrying Katie on his shoulder. I turned and saw the zombies stumble in through the opening in the
wall. I followed the rest through the door to the staircase. I was right behind them as they climbed to
the second story. I reached the top and looked down both the hallways, half of the carpet in the
hallways were smoldering. I ran down the left of the hallway, running past everyone else. I needed to
make sure it was safe first. Besides the flames and smoke it was clear. I looked for a door that led to
a fire escape, but only found one that led to security station. All the others led to rooms.

" This way!" , I yelled to them, motioning with my hands, coughing a bit.

They all came as fast as possible as I kicked in the door, not wanting to touch the handle from fear of
burning the hell out of my hand. I held the gun up and pointed it down the hall. I saw the door to the
security office with smoke coming from the slot at the bottom, but that wasn't what got my attention.
There was a door at the end that had a blood trail leading into it. I was deciding on wether to go back
and check again, but I knew the zombies were getting to close. Instead, I walked swiftly but steadily
with my gun raised, to the door with the blood trail. I stood with my shoulder against the wall when I
reached the door frame. I looked behind me and saw the rest of the group still there. I then peeked
into the doorway and saw the blood trail go across the small entrance and around the corner into a
larger room, one that held a television and a small table. Great, another room!
I looked behind me again and saw a zombie stumble into the hallway we were in. I panicked and
motioned for the group to get inside the room The zombie started to come my way, noticing me and
dragging a broken leg behind himself. I aimed the gun and fired, hitting him right above his left eye.
He slumped to the floor and I closed the door behind me as I hustled into the room. I saw my group
standing in the bigger part of the room, staring in the direction of the blood path. They looked worried
from where I stood. I walked slowly, gun raised still, around the corner to see what they were staring
at.

There was a man, wearing a security uniform, laying the room's bed with a gaping hole in his leg. It
looked like someone bite him and ripped of his flesh.

" Who are you?" , I saw him mouth. I decided not to try talking to him, seeing how my ears where still
ringing pretty loud.

I walked around the room looking for things before Greg decided he would talk to him. I could barely
hear their voices, but I could still hear them so I knew I wasn't deaf. I searched through a dresser,
pulling out clothing and other valuables that weren't all that valuable for this. I decided to ditch the
dresser, not finding anything useful. Instead I started checking the television stand drawers. I found
nothing there either. I saw a couple suitcases on a small table and I half ran over to them. I opened
every pocket, looking for something, something that would help us fight these damned monsters.
Again, I found nothing of use. I chucked the suitcase across the room in frustration, knocking over a
lamp. All of my group turned to stare at me. I didn't look at them, not wanting to meet their eyes
afraid that might piss me off more. I walked into the bathroom and searched there. I found nothing. I
looked up at the shower curtains. The pole it was hanging on looked powerful enough. I then took it
down and removed the curtains. I walked back out into the room and everyone was crowded around
the old security guard. I looked around the room and saw the window. I walked over to it and looked
out, seeing a platform of a fire escape. I turned my head to the side and threw my elbow int the glass.
I couldn't believe our luck! My anger was melting away now.

The heated glass broke easily. When I got it so a hole appeared I started to clean out the glass. When
I got it as clean as I could I poked my head out it. The way down was clear and the ladder at the
bottom was already down all the way. I pulled my head back in and went over to the group. The
security man on the bed had died and I saw that Tiffany was crying. I put my hand on her shoulder
and she turned to look at me. I pointed to the window and she nodded. Everyone else followed her.

While they were climbing out the window, I handed Greg the shower pole. I then walked up to the
dead security guard and checked his belt. I pulled out his baton and stuck it in my belt. I then checked
for clips when his hand twitched. I looked down at it in confusion. Maybe he wasn't dead...

I looked back at his face and saw his lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling, blood drizzling out his mouth.
I suppose not. I then started checking his pockets. I didn't find anything but a pen. A nice pen. Well,
he wasn't going to need it, so I stuck it in my pocket. Then his hand twitched again. I looked down at
his hand, staring, making sure I had seen what I seen. His fingers curled.

I shot backwards in surprised, pulling the gun back out and aiming at him. His eyes were still lifeless,
but were now moving in all directions as if searching for something. Then he started to get up on the
bed, now in a sitting position. He then looked straight at me and opened his mouth, leaping off the
bed. Running straight at me! Running! I fired and hit him in the right eye socket, gore flying out the
back of his head. I spun around and ran, diving through the window. Greg looked at me in surprise.

" Let's go!" , I yelled, hearing myself a little better than before, pushing myself to my feet.

" Right-o." , Greg said cheesily.

We all started moving down the metal stairs, Greg carrying Katie once more. I reached the bottom
platform first. I looked below and only spotted two zombies, but I also saw a charred and burning Big-
Rig and Caleb's car several meters farther in front of it. I saw a burning corpse near the wall. Even
through it's blackness of being charred, I knew it was Caleb, just by his figure.

I forced myself to look away and climbed down the ladder, falling into the alley below. I aimed the
pistol at the closest of the two zombies and fired, hitting him in the neck, hearing his spinal cord snap.
He collapsed to the ground while his jaws still snapped. I walked up and fired one right into his
forehead. That's when the chamber of the gun flew back and stuck there when the bullet ejected. At
first I was confused, but realized that it was because the clip was out of rounds. I quickly ejected the
clip and inserted another one. I pushed a lever sending the chamber forward and inserting a new
bullet into it.

I was then grabbed from behind and instinctively threw my elbow backwards. I hit something hard
and I charged forward to avoid it grabbing me again. After several steps I spun around and raised the
gun to aim at the other zombie that had been down in the ally as well. I aimed at his eye an noticed
that it was hanging out of it's socket. I could feel my stomach turn for the first time as I blew his
brains out the back of his head.

I turned to the right and let my bowls empty themself. The acid fluid left my mouth in great bursts. I
could see the rest of the group climbing down while I vomited. When I knew it was over, I wiped my
mouth and nose. I hate vomiting!

" Ash...are you okay?" , Tiffany asked, coming up behind me and raising her voice so I could hear.

" No Tiff...I'm not okay...and I doubt you are too." , I said, wiping some vomit from my cheek.

She nodded to that, agreeing.

" You're right. No one is okay at a time like this." , she half-yelled.

" Let's get going!" , Greg yelled to us.

Greg's House Front Lawn, August 21st, 2008, 5:16 p.m.

I stared at the front of the house that Greg lived in. It was a single story with basement. The front had
a picture window, with steps leading onto a cement patio that held a railing. It was a peeling blue
painted house, now having red, blood spots on some of the wood paneling. The picture window was
now broken to shards on the patio. I had the gun in my hand and ready if anything tried to take a
chunk out of us.

I moved slowly towards the steps. What was left of my friends, behind me. I could tell Greg was
anxious. He was shaking and was breathing fast, just staring at the house was about to kill him. I bet
he would be less worried if his mother's car wasn't in the driveway (his dad left them when he was
four). Everyone, including me, was exhausted. When I reached the first step I heard a rustling sound
inside. I then saw the blood spatter on the wall inside the house through the broken picture window.
My muscles tightened.

" There's blood." , I said simply, warning the others.

" No!" , Greg yelled and flew past me, crashing into his house.

" Greg you idiot!" , I yelled as I ran after him.

" No! You bastard!" , I heard him yell after he entered the kitchen.
I slowed as I looked around the living room I was in. There were signs of struggle everywhere. The
television was lying on its side shattered and the couch was lying against the wall, as if something
threw it there. I quickly went into the kitchen where Greg had gone to get him out of there. As soon
as I reached the doorway a blur flew pass me. I heard it slam into the wall and I peeked around the
corner to see Greg slumped over. What the hell?

I looked over in the opposite direction to see a huge zombie, about twice the size of a man, his or her
skin green in color, and as much muscle as the world's strongest man. His or her eyes were
completely blood red. I felt the twinge of fear and backed away quickly. Unlucky for me it saw me and
I heard it roar. Roar! I spun around to face my frightened friends.

" Run! Get the f..." , I didn't finish my sentence as something hit me in the side and threw me into the
wall where the television use to be.

My head went blank for a couple seconds as a sat there slumped against the wall. I then opened my
eyes again to see my hand lying out in front of me by the pistol. I started to lift my head and the
room went spinning. I set my head back down on the floor and groaned from the sudden throbbing in
it. I tried to concentrate on standing up, but it hurt to much. Plus, I wasn't breathing right yet after
having the breath knocked out of me.

Then I heard the scream. It sounded like Tiffany's scream. That gave me new strength for me to be
able to get up with. I used my bruised elbow to prop myself up and I grabbed the gun with my other
hand. I then used my free hand to push myself to my knee and then used the wall to pull myself up. I
stood there leaning against the wall for half a second, trying to make the spinning stop. It took a
couple minutes for the spinning to die down to just being dizzy. I then stumbled towards the door and
about fell over my own feet twice. When I reached the door and looked out, I saw Tiffany holding
Katie in her lap. Katie was still unconscious, but Tiffany was crying. I then looked over to where she
was looking and saw the large green zombie knelt over something. I gained enough strength to raise
the pistol and I aimed towards his head. The gun was moving unsteadily.

" Hey, big boy!" , I yelled, both Tiffany and the large zombie looking at me.

The zombie's mouth was stained red and I figured it must of found some supper. I aimed at his head
and fired, the bullet tearing through his green flesh, right below his collarbone. I arched my back as
the recoil moved my weakened body. I, as quickly as I could, moved my arm back into position just as
the zombie let out a glass shattering roar. While it's mouth was still open, I fired, hitting it right above
it's left eye. It fell collapsed backwards and I knew that no matter the size of the zombie, nor the
abilities, it was always a head shot. I stumbled out of the doorway and over towards Tiffany.

Tiffany was stroking Katie's hair as if she was her little Raggity Ann Doll. I collapsed to my knees by
her and she pulled me into a hug, sobbing into my shoulders.

" Baldric...he's...dead." , she sobbed.

" What?" , I said, taken off-guard for that.

She just raised an arm and pointed to the giant zombie. At first I didn't understand. Then, I saw the
bloodied arm and hand laying out from under the zombie. Baldric's body was under him. The zombie
had been eating him!

" No.", the word, leaving my lips in frustration.

" No!", I screamed in rage and ran over to the zombie, trying my best to move him from off of Baldric.
I don't know where the sudden burst of energy came from, but that wasn't even on my mind. I
actually lifted the green zombie by the arm and dragged him off Baldric's corpse. I looked down at the
gaping hole in his neck, the blood still flowing. My legs went weak and I fell to my knees. I then
started crying, my tears falling down on top of Baldric's face, quickly turning red from all the blood on
his forehead. His eyes were still wide with terror and his mouth was open in a silent scream. I knew
he died while being eaten alive. He knew that his stomach had been ripped open and his intestines
chewed on like sausage. He was alive through it all.

Once again, this got to be to much and while still bawling my eyes tearless, I turned to the right and
vomited. It was mostly just stomach acid now since I hadn't eaten anything. My mouth was on fire
with the acid. I spit and wiped my nose. I realized I wasn't just crying because of Baldric, but because
of Caleb and Simon too. Three of my friends have died in one day. One day!

I stood, wiping the tears from my eyes. I couldn't believe what was happening today. I needed to
sleep...or wake up if this was all a dream. Which it probably was. Nobody loses three friends in a
single day like this.

I walked back over to Tiff and helped her with Katie. Tiff had Katie taken care of and I returned to the
house, the dizziness no longer there. The throbbing in my head hasn't stopped, but it wasn't as bad as
it could of been. I walked to the kitchen and heard sobbing sounds again. I turned to the right when I
entered and saw Greg leaning against the wall, staring at the body of a woman. No doubt it was his
mother.

" Greg.", I said, my voice raspy sounding in my sore throat.

Greg didn't turn or acknowledge me.

" Greg!" , I said a little more forcefully.

Still he did not turn. I walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He still didn't move. I
looked down at the mutilated body of his mother. Her skull was crushed in and everything near her
was drenched red in blood. Most of it was dry.

" She had the day off." , he said, sounding a little out of this world.

" I know man." , I comforted, although I had no idea she did I meant it for comfort.

" She was gonna take me out to eat later. We were gonna spend some time together after school.
Now...she's..." , he didn't have to finish the sentence. He put his head in my shoulder and cried harder
than he was before.

I put my arms around him and rubbed his back, hoping he'd hurry up and let it all out. I really did feel
bad. I felt like crying along with him, but...we needed to find a safe place to stay the night. Right at
that moment Greg seemed to read my mind. He pulled out of the embrace and wiped his eyes.

" Alright, we....we need to go." , he said through sniffs.

" Yeah...we do." , I agreed.

" My mom's keys should be in this cupboard.", Greg said, stumbling towards the cupboard he said
they were in. After about a minute of searching, he produced a ring of keys.

" We'll take my mom's car to a safe looking place." , he said to me.

He started to leave, but overshot the distance and collapsed against the wall.
" I'll drive dude," , I told him, running over and helping him up, " you're in no condition to drive
whatsoever." , I told him and he reluctantly surrendered the keys. I helped him out to his mother's
small 1990's Oldsmobile. Tiffany saw and understood what was going on before I had to explain it to
her.

I helped Greg into the car and let Tiff place Kate in the back. I opened the driver's side door, but then
heard a human like roar. I looked over the top of the car to see Baldric sitting up and trying to get his
legs free from the giant zombie still on them. I saw he kept vomiting up blood and his eyes were
completely lifeless. He had turned.

I sighed, stifling a laugh a the ironic outcome. I couldn't help it. I bet all this was making me insane
anyway. I walked around the car and Tiffany got into the passenger side door, already aware of my
actions for Baldric. I walked right up to him and aimed the gun right between his eyes. He was trying
to grab me and bite me, but he was still stuck under the green zombie. He was snapping and growling
at me.

" Baldric, here is one favor I'll do for you. You were a great friend man, this is the least I can do." , I
told him, and he answered with a screech like roar.

I fired the gun, brain matter and blood spraying out the back of his head with the crack of his skull. I
then turned away and walked back to the car. I got in the drivers seat and ignited the ignition. I
backed out of the drive way and onto the chaotic street. Cars, both wrecked and abandoned, littered
the streets. Many were blood covered from their owner's being attacked...or maybe even changing
into a...uh...Newborn zombie. I suppose Newborn was a good term for it. I've already come up with
the giant zombie's name...Green. Then I could call the regular zombie's Regs. So that so far makes
the Regs, Newborns, and Greens. Hopefully those were the only kinds of zombies.

I started searching for good looking hideouts. I was looking for a two, maybe three, story building that
was small, but big enough to hold my friends and me and the supplies we we're going to have to find.
I turned to Tiffany to ask her to help look, but she was asleep, her head resting against the window. I
then went back to searching and noticed a small music store called Sax's Max Deals. I chuckled a little
hysterical like at the cheesy name. I parked the car behind the building, noticing the not so much
infested area we were in. This either meant that the zombo's were mostly all inside, or that this place
wasn't the heavily infected area. I hoped it wasn't the heavily infected area.

I cut the engine and walked around the other side to wake up Tiff. She reluctantly got out to get Katie
out and carry her. Greg looked a little better and he walked on his own without my help. At this, I
walked over to the metal staircase at the back of the store. I half ran up them and checked my ammo
on the pistol. I had seven shots left, but I had lost all extra ammo I had before. Probably from the
Green at Greg's house. I then walked to the door and made notice to how it was unlocked. That could
mean the owner came in at a hurry to pack and get the hell out of dodge, or that could mean he came
in and some bad things got in too.

I opened the door and stuck the gun in. I saw no messes, the place looked tidy. That might mean that
he left the door unlocked when he left, or he forgot to lock and is still in here, maybe with company in
another room. I was in the living room and everything looked clean and unused. I heard a load
banging sound coming from the right. I aimed the gun in that direction and saw a short hallway with a
door on one wall and one on the neighbor wall. I heard the pound again as if someone was knocking
on the inside of one. I walked slowly towards the one I thought I saw vibrate from an impact.

I raised the pistol up so it would be easy for me to aim quicker. I wrapped my hand around the
doorknob and turned it. I pulled it opened and stepped backwards a few meters, a safe distance I
thought, and raised the gun, aiming at the shadowy figure in the dark room where he stood. There
was a moan and then I saw the figure stagger out towards me. I moved backwards, hesitating a bit,
not knowing for sure if it was a person or a zombie since it was still in the shadows.
That's when the figure stopped. I started to ask if it was okay, since most zombies won't stop. But
before I could ask it interrupted with a gurgling sound. I watched in confusion as it started to shake
and then it threw it's head back and then threw its head back forward. I saw some sort of liquid leave
it's mouth and I stumbled back and fell from the sudden surprise. The liquid landed where I was
standing before and I heard a hissing sound and steam started to rise from where I was standing
before. Was that acid?

I stood and aim back at the figure again. When it came out of the shadows I saw it's lips and cheeks
were gone, looking like they burnt off. It was a zombie alright, but not a Reg. I aimed and fired a shot
into his head, hitting a little higher than I wanted to, but still destroying enough of the brain. He
collapsed and I looked back at the spot where it had spewed. The carpet was completely gone, but the
acid had stopped. I suppose I call these type of zombies...Spewers.

I saw Greg and Tiff come in through the door, both carrying Katie by each arm. I pointed to the couch
that was against the window. They both carried her over there, placing her on the couch. There was
also a television and two Lazy Boy chairs next to the couch. There was a kitchen in the same room,
that looked more like a bar instead. I saw a radio on a medium large dinning table in the corner of the
room. I turned around, stepped over the zombie, and walked into the room he had been in. I had my
gun ready in case of more, but the room was empty except for the furnishings. There was a regular
bed, alarm clock, and a dresser. A suitcase with spilt clothes was sitting on the bed. He must have
been trying to leave when he turned.

I left the dark bedroom and walked to the other door, gun at the ready. I turned the handle and
pushed the door open. It slammed against the wall and the room was pitch dark, making it so I
couldn't see anything inside it. I flipped the switch and the light came on amazingly. It was just a
bathroom...nothing out of the ordinary here. So at that I turned around and walked back to where my
friends were. I knew it was gonna be a hell of a hard journey ahead, but at the moment, I needed to
sleep.

December 31st, 2014, Present Day...

I had stopped the bleeding and was moving to the living room to my gun cabinet. I knew I should end
it now before I became one of them, potentially a dangerous one. Who knows what I'd come back as.
I knew I couldn't even have the possibility of harming my people or my friends. The friends I now
considered family.

When I got to the cabinet, I froze, not wanting to end my life just yet. It was only th first hour. Maybe
I'd sit and think about some things before I did myself in. Yeah, that seemed like a better choice. I
opened the cabinet and got a powerful .357 Caliber Revolver ready incase I felt I was going to change
right away. I walked over to my favorite chair and sat. Ready to think about the life under the
Apocalypse I had survived. Survived up until now. I accepted that I was going to die, and I really
didn't care. I had lived my life good and well and did it better than anyone I knew. I'm one of the
greatest people in the Nation now, maybe even the world. I might even go down in history. I leaned
back, relaxed a bit, and started to try and prove to myself that all that was true.

Author's Note: I highly apologize that this chapter took so long...and that it is also so long. I couldn't
bare to split it up into other chapters and I actually could have made this WAY longer. But I suppose
this will do. I also would like to tell you the song he sings is an actual song. Fall Into
Sleep byMudvayne (one of my favorite bands and songs). Anyway, I am pretty sure you won't be
disappointed in this chapter. It is much better than the first one in my mind, but it's length my bring it
down a little. I even shortened a certain part of it but it turned out okay. Well, ENJOY! PULL THE
TRIGGER AND WATCH THE BRAINS FLY!

A Single Bite
Chapter 2: Surviving The Beginning

December 31st, 2014, 30 minutes after being bitten...

I sat in my favorite chair, thinking about my past. I had already thought about the beginning and
about all the friends I had lost in that first day. Simon, Baldric, and Caleb, all dead. I still felt guilty
about it, how I couldn't save them. Of course, it was just survivor's guilt. There was nothing I really
could have done. With Simon, he was turning into one of them anyway. He was bitten by surprise and
I never saw it coming. With Caleb, he got stuck in the car. If I would have tried to save him, the same
fate would of done me in. With Baldric, I wasn't even by him when the Green attacked him. I do still
think I did him a major favor though, putting him down when he turned into one of those.

Maybe I should think about what a hell it was after the beginning. Instead of getting better, it only got
worse. And...more...monsters. As if things weren't bad enough as they were with just the Greens,
Spewers, Regs, and Newborns. I couldn't believe all the monsters we had to fight. The night zombies
were the worse. They sucked worse than three Greens put together. Of course, we did find a lot of
survivors in the months to come after the first day. So many things had happened in those first
months that even now I couldn't put it all together and connect it.

I lied my head back in the chair, cleared my mind, and thought of what happened right after we
cleared the music store.......

August 22nd, 2008, 11:56 a.m., Sax's Max Deals Music Store...

I opened my eyes to sunlight pouring in from the large windows, slightly blinding me. I sat up and
yawned. I then stood stretched and walked, still half-asleep, to the kitchen in my house.

Thump...

" Ow!" , I yelped.

The sudden pain in my foot after stubbing it woke me up and awake into full alert. That's when I
realized I wasn't in my house. That's when all the recent events thumped into my head and made me
realize where I was. I remembered the highschool, the explosion at the hotel, and the Green throwing
me against the wall. I remembered my three friends who died yesterday because of some...zombies.
It all sounded to fictional to be true, but I knew it was all to real.

I stumbled backwards in realization and sat back in the seat I had been sleeping in. It was a Lazy
Boy chair, nice and comfortable, like the person who owned it had made a good living to furnish the
place with furniture. I studied the room that was flooded with bright sunlight. I saw that Tiffany was
sleeping in the Lazy Boy opposite of mine across the couch that Katie lay on. I noticed that Greg was
also laying on the couch next to Katie, sort of cuddling with her. Katie hadn't woke up since the hotel
explosion and this worried me.

I stood up and walked to the kitchen/bar and looked through the previous owner's stuff. I found food,
drinks, and some other things which...we absolutely didn't need. I threw the unnecessary items away
and went back to the kitchen. I looked in the fridge and was surprised to see the power still on. I
reached in and pulled out orange juice. I needed to get this rotten taste out of my mouth. When I
grabbed the cup and filled it, I saw why I had the taste in my mouth. The Spewer, probably the owner
of this place, was lying where I had shot him. He was rotting right where he lay. I must have gotten
use to the smell already, because I couldn't smell the smell of rotting flesh anymore. I took a sniff of
the orange juice and it smelt so....great! I drank the glass empty in two gulps and the taste wasn't
there anymore. Instead was replaced by that tangy orange taste. But after smelling the orange juice, I
could now smell the rotting flesh of the zombie corpse. I almost vomited the juice back up. I breathed
through my mouth and walked over to the dead Spewer. I opened up the door to outside and went
back to the rotting zombie. I picked him up by his ankles and started dragging him across the floor to
the ledge of the staircase.

Crack...

I staggered backwards and caught myself when my back hit the railing. I looked at my hands and saw
I was holding two shoes...with feet still inside them.

" Argh!" , I cried out, tossing the feet over the railing.

I walked back inside and over to Greg. That was scary and it looks like I'm gonna need some help or
he's coming outside in pieces. I shook Greg. He mumbled something a little vulgar and I shook him
harder. He turned around and looked up at me.

" What?" , he asked.

" I need your help with something." , I told him and walked over to the zombie's corpse.

He stood, looked around as if confused, then nodded his head in realization. He must of thought it was
all a dream too. He walked over to me and looked down at the zombie I had killed.

" Whoa...this guy reeks." , he said, swatting the air in front of his nose.

" And you're surprised why?" , I asked him.

" I'm not. Just thought I'd state the obvious." , he said and threw me a kiddy smile.

" Okay," , I said, chuckling at his answer, " grab under his arms and I'll get his legs."

He walked around an grabbed under the dead...deader...zombie and I picked him up by his legs. We
walked out the door and tossed the zombie over the rail. He hit the ground and I could hear the crack
of his bones when they hit the pavement. I listened to the air around me and heard gunshots, far
explosions, and...moans. I walked back inside and closed the door, the noise drowned by the
soundproof walls and doors.

I walked back over to the bar/kitchen and pulled a bar stool set up there around to the other side of
the counter. I poured myself another glass of orange juice and sat in the stool. I saw Greg spacing
out, still over by the door.

" Hey Greg...you alright man?" , I asked him. He looked at me and smiled.

" No one's okay, but I'm still sane. So, I suppose that'll count as alright." , he said and walked to the
bedroom.

" What are you doing?" , I called after him.

" I'm going to search for anything useful." , he said.

I then looked back at Katie and Tiffany who still slept. I took a swig of orange juice and felt internal
happiness and protection for both those girls. They looked so innocent. Yet, their clothes were ripped,
hair a mess, blood and grim specked their faces, but they were still so beautiful. I must make sure
they survive. Their lives, including Greg's, over mine. Then Tiffany stirred in her sleep and a half a
minute later she opened her eyes, looking right at me. At first she was confused, then he came to the
realization the same as Greg and I had. I could see she was just as disappointed as I was when I
found out this wasn't a nightmare, but a living one.

" Good mourning Tiff." , I said, giving her a smile.

" Mourning Ashton.", she replied.

" Juice?" , I asked her, holding up a clean glass and the carton.

" Yes please. I gotta get this crappy taste out of my mouth." , she said, making a gross face.

" I know right. It's from breathing in the air. It smell like rotting flesh." , I told her, although she
already knew this and only nodded in agreement.

I poured her the glass and pushed it to her as she sat across from me in a separate bar stool. She
immediately started taking sips from it. I took a long one from mine and set it on the counter. I then
motioned with my head towards Katie.

" You think she's okay?" , I asked her.

" I don't know. She could have a pretty good concussion." , she stated.

" I know. Hopefully we can wake her up and get her moving today." , I said, hoping we won't have to
carry her everywhere.

Then Greg came out of the bedroom carrying some things and some of those things, to my surprise,
were weapons. He came and set them on the counter.

" I found this Med-Kit. This Smith & Wesson .357 Revolver and this, " , he held up a long pole with a
the pen knife tapped to it, " I used the pen knife you found, used some electrical tape in one of the
bedroom drawers, and then taped it to the end of the curtain rod. The guy uses a strong metal as a
curtain rod which means we can still use this as a blunt object if something happens with the knife." ,
he explained, giving me a hopeful smile.

" Where was the revolver?" , I asked him, picking it up and examining it.

" In his bedside table. The one the clock was on." , he told me.

" Any ammunition?" , I asked.

" Nope, just the six bullets in the cylinder." , he said, flipping it open for me while it was still in my
hand.

I placed my M9 Beretta on the counter next to the revolver. Six shots left for that gun as well. To bad
they both take different types of ammunition or we could combine the two and use one gun. But life
isn't being that nice at the moment.

It was time to come up with a plan. I sat forward and looked at both of them, telling them with my
eyes what I was thinking. They nodded in agreement, understanding.

" I think we should stick here till help comes." , Tiffany said.
" That would be a good plan if we had the materials and items for staying here in case it took longer
than expected. Plus who knows how much longer the power would stay on." , Greg argued calmly. Tiff
looked down, defeated.

" Well, I think Tiff is right about saying here. Although, I mean this for shelter. We will have to loot
stores and other homes to gather the supplies we need. Plus, if there are any other survivors, we
could bring them back here." , I put out in the open.

" I like that plan, but I want to know if my family made it." , Tiffany said.

" Yes, we'll check our homes first and then loot." , I said, wanting to know if my dad and little brother
made it out too.

" What about Katie...we can't take her along like she is or leave her here by herself." , Greg said. At
this we sat a couple moments in silence.

Finally I sighed and said, " I'll go, by myself."

They both looked at me as if I had just turned into a zombie myself.

" Are you crazy!?!" , Greg half-yelled.

" Listen, someone's gonna end up by themselves anyway. If you come with me Greg, then Tiff is left
here by herself. If you stay here I'm alone. Plus, if anything happened to me, you could still help these
two survive. If we both got into trouble, Katie and Tiff would be alone. Plus, if there are any more
survivors, most likely the guys will, you know..." , I'm sure I didn't need to finish the sentence. They
sat and stared at me for a couple minutes.

" You're right. Someone needs to go alone. Unless Katie gets up and is fine and dandy right now, then
I doubt it would be a good idea for two of the three of us to go." , Tiffany agreed. Greg nodded his
head.

" First, I'm going to see if we have running water. If so, I'm going to take a shower." , I told them and
I stood and walked to the bathroom.

August 22nd, 2008, 12:45 p.m., Outside Sax's Max Deals Music Store...

I walked over to the car and opened the driver's side door. I felt ready, no longer exhausted. I did feel
a little sick from the rotten meat stench in the air, but other than that I felt great. I carried with me
the Beretta, the makeshift spear, and the first aid kit, which I put on the passengers side. I stepped
into the car and turned the ignition key. The car came to life.

I leaned back and sighed. I wasn't expecting to come back alive. I've already made peace with that. I
needed to do my best though. I needed to come back! They're depending on me.

I revved the engine and put it into gear, pulling out from behind the store. The explosions, gunshots,
and moans were still audible through the window of the car. I looked a the carnage ridden street.
More bodies than there were yesterday were lying out in the middle of it. Smashed, totaled, and top-
sided car were littering the streets. I pulled the car into the street and drove forward, moving around
the things that blocked my path.

My first mission was getting to Tiffany's home. I would be going to mine first, but her's is closer. Plus
she was worried sick and who wouldn't be?
I drove pass a couple Regs that reached out and moaned at me. I just shook my head at the pathetic
creatures. They were scary and horrible, but overall pathetic. They were slow, unable to speak, had
considerable strength only in numbers, and were only driven by the need to feed. It was stupid.

I pulled around an abandoned car and onto Tiffany's street, surveying the area. It looked about the
same as the rest of the city. Wrecked and a living hell. Then a large roar cut off my train of thought
and I turned to look out my window to see what it was. It was a Green. Crap!

I swerved to avoid hitting a top-sided truck and stepped on the pedal more to make the car move
faster. I looked in the mirror to see the Green running after me and then suddenly diverting it's
attention to something closer by it. That was a close one.

I let out a relieved sigh. After a couple of minutes of driving I pulled against the sidewalk in front of
Tiffany's home. It was a Duplex and she lived on the right side. I walked up the path towards the front
door. There was a body lying in the grassy lawn, but half its head and body were gone and I prayed it
wasn't one of Tiff's parents. I then studied the house. It looked almost untouched except for the
spider-web cracked window.

When I reached the front door, there was a piece of paper in between the glass door and the wooden
one behind it. I opened the first door and tore of the letter that had been stapled there. It read:

Tiffany, me and your father are heading to the airport where they are evacuating people. Please go
there and we can meet up where they are taking us. We love you and we are sorry for leaving without
you knowing. I hope you'll forgive us.

At read it again and wasn't much surprised at why they abandoned their daughter. Tiff would probably
be devastated by this but I don't blame them. I really don't. At that, I folded the piece of paper and
stuck it in my pocket. I then turned an walked back down the sidewalk to the car. Before I got half
way a scream protruded the semi still air. I spun to my right and saw a girl...about my age...running
down the side walk as if Satan himself were about to get her. I ran straight to the car, threw open the
door, and grabbed my 9mm Beretta from the seat. I turned in her direction again and she was just
starting on the sidewalk of my block. I looked behind her and saw three people in masks running after
her. Two carried metal pipes of some sort and the third a wooden baseball bat with nails.

As the girl ran closer, I could make out certain features. She had short blonde hair that looked
bloodied and dirty. He skirt was torn, showing some of her panties as she ran. Her top was torn off
and her bra looked tight against her teenage breasts. Her face was dirty, but there were streaks from
where she had been crying. All the people with masks looked the same. Their ski masks hiding any
distinct features they might have since they were all wearing black. One of the mask persons threw
their metal bar at the girl, hitting her in the back and knocking her flat on the ground. I could hear her
crying.

" Get her!" , one of the masks persons yelled. This was a man.

" No!" , the girl screamed.

The man pulled her up by the hair and grabbed her left breast roughly. Time to act! These people
were gonna rape her! I raised the gun at the man with the spiked bat that had just caught up and
ripped of the rest of her skirt. He wasn't as close to the girl as the other to were. I shot him right in
the chest, or who I thought was a he. He staggered back, and fell flat on his back.

The sound of the shot got the other two's attention and the one that had grabbed the girl's breast let
go of her and ran straight at me. The metal bar raised over his head, him screaming a war-like cry. I
aimed the gun, panic not even hitting while this man came to kill me. I fired, the blood flying from the
back of his head with a small crack of the skull. The other man had the girl in a hold with a knife to
her neck, evidently smarter than his friends lying on the ground.
" Don't come any closer!" , he screamed at me. Obviously hysteria was making him act like this.

I didn't need to come closer, I was a good shot and I had figured that out by now. At the distance we
were...I could kill him. One bullet, but I was smarter than that. I needed to think quickly about my
situation. I knew I could get a head shot off on him, but his knife could glide right across her neck
when he fell. Plus, he was a little to close to her head which made it a big chance of killing her.
Then...I remembered he couldn't just be fighting humans. He had to also be worried about the undead
too. The idea I came up with had to work...it was the only choice.

I raised my head and yelled, " Look out!" , pointing at the space behind him.

His eyes went wide and his hand dropped down to defend himself by what ever was behind him. I
quickly threw my arm up and aimed, firing and hitting him right above the right eye. The knife cut the
girl's neck only a little on the side as he collapsed to the ground. She dropped to the ground with him,
crying and sobbing. Her hands where on her face, muffling her sounds.

That was scary. I didn't think the idea was such a good one now, but since she's still alive I think it
worked out okay. I walked over to her and knelt by her, placing my hand on her shoulder. She
flinched a little and then pulled her hands from her face. Her tears had wetted the dirk on her face and
it dirtied her face a little more than it was before.

" Please...I can't...take anymore. Don't...hurt me." , she sobbed.

" I'm not here to hurt you." , I told her, which sounded pretty cliche to me, but it was the most
straight forward I could be.

She didn't answer and I could tell she didn't believe me. Her eyes told me that. She had lost all hope.
I took of my t-shirt, surprising her a little.

" Take this and put it on. It will cover some of you up." , I said, giving it to her, but first wiping her
face with it, cleaning it only a little, mostly smearing.

I sighed and handed her the shirt. She put it on just as a moan came from the left. We both turned to
see about twelve Regs moving in on our position.

" Perfect." , I said, helping the girl up.

" Get to that house." , I told her, pointing to Tiffany's house.

The girl stood and sprinted to it as I ran back to the car, grabbing the rest of my gear. I ran back over
to the door, the cool wind hitting my bare chest. The girl was at the door and trying to open it and
couldn't, probably because it was locked.

" Move!" , I yelled at her.

She spun around to face me, seeing that I was picking up speed, and hurried out of the way. I put my
shoulder down like a football player preparing to get hit, picked up my speed to a full sprint, and
rammed the door, knocking it open and hurtling to the floor. The pain felt like electricity going down
my arm after I hit the door and fell. The girl ran in, slammed the door shut, and ran to help me up. At
first I thought I bruised it pretty bad, but when the girl tried helping me up, I yelled out in pain. She
looked worried.

" Fuck! My shoulder is broken!" , I screamed out.


She didn't say anything, but just stared at my arm. I decided worrying about my arm could come
later. Otherwise those zombies would come and eat us. That didn't sound like fun.

I tried my best to put the pain in the back of my head. I was unsuccessful so I just clenched my teeth
together and bared the amount of pain flowing through, not only my shoulder, but everywhere along
my arm. Like little needles pricking me. I moved towards the couch and yelled for the girl to help me
push it in front of the door. She hurried over and used her shoulder to push it while I used my good
arm, the right one. We managed to get the couch in front of the door just as the Regs started banging
on it. Or where they the Regs? Could more have come after hearing the gunshots?

Rooaarrrr!

My eyes went wide at the sound of the Green. Was he really that close when I fired the gun? I ran to
the window and moved the shades down a little bit to see outside. There it was, standing I the middle
of the street with ripped undersized clothes covering him. I swore under my breath, trying to think at
where to hide. I came up blank as the Green started walking towards the house, throwing Regs out of
the way. I went on instinct as I grabbed the girl's hand and my stuff from the floor. The pain invisible
as I picked up my stuff.

I pulled the girl towards the basement door and my mind realized finally what my body was doing. I
was taking the girl into the basement with me and we are going to hide in the closet that is down
there. I couldn't believe I came up with that in a matter of seconds. I opened the door to the
basement and closed it when we entered through it. We flew down the stairs and around the corner
into the main room, which Tiffany's family had made into a recreation room. I moved around the pool
table and opened the door to the closet. I set my stuff against a box of board games and sat my
them. I pulled the girl down next to me and then hurriedly pulled down coats and other clothing from
above us on the hangers and covered us up with it.

We sat under the clothing holding hands just as the door upstairs crashed and the couch slid across
the floor. I frickin hate Greens.

August 22nd, 2008, 2:08 p.m., Tiffany's House...

I pushed the clothes off the top of me with my good hand. My arm was burning with pain and
protesting against further use of it. I pushed myself up with some effort from being stiff. I helped the
girl up and I let her take the first-aid box and spear. I had the Beretta.

" Here's a bowling bag. Should I put the aid kit in here?" , she asked me.

" That's fine, we can use that for other supplies too." , I told her, a warm feeling hitting me in the
chest from the sound of her voice.

It was the first time she spoke since the incident outside, and while the Green and Regs had been
upstairs, we didn't dare speak. It was only after we were sure they left that we now stood here in the
open room of the basement. She looked up at me after putting the first-aid in the bag and putting the
strap around her shoulders. She smiled at me. The same warm feeling, but stronger, hit me in the
chest again. I saved that smile. If it wasn't for me, I would never of seen that beautiful smile.

" Thank-you...for...what you've done for me." , she said, the smile sticking to her lips.

I couldn't even say "your welcome" because I was so overcome with proud emotion. I saved that
smile! I saved it! I couldn't help put feel happy. Maybe I did lose three friends, but that didn't matter
now. If you can save one, it doesn't matter how many others die. As long as one other lives. Just one.
I kept myself from crying and turned away, trying to hide my watery eyes. I have to keep her safe. I
have to keep her alive.
" I know the girl that lives...well...lived here and I think you are both around the same size. I sure we
can find you something to cover up your legs.", I said, still turned away from her.

" Oh, thank-you.", I heard her say behind me, " Is your friend still...alive?"

I could tell she felt she shouldn't of asked it.

" Yes, I hope she still is. After we find some weapons and food we'll go back to where we are hiding.
Let's go, you have to be anxious to put on some pants." , I told her, feeling I probably would feel
anxious.

I walked towards the stairs, Beretta in hand, and pointed it up at the door. I wish I had something
more silent. When I reached the door I opened it with my broken arm. It sent the prickly, electric
feeling through my arm again as I opened it slowly. I looked through the crack in the door and saw no
movement. I opened the door all the way, aiming out with my gun. Nothing, except some wet blood
from one of the zombies that were in here while we were in the basement.

I walked out of the doorway and towards the hall that led to Tiff's room. Still no flesh eating zombies.
I moved slowly, gun raised, girl behind me, and ready for a surprise attack. When I found Tiff's room
the door was wide open. I scanned the inside of it quickly and saw nothing. I told the girl to wait in
the hall while I searched the room. The search still told me nothing was wrong and I let out a relieved
sigh.

" Okay, come on in. It's clear. Her pants are in the third drawer." , I told the girl motioning to the
dresser. I took a quick look in the mirror and saw my reflection staring back. My hair was a slight
mess and a had blood on my cheek. I quickly groomed myself up with my hand and wiped off the
blood. The girl walked over to the dresser and started opening drawers. I felt a chill from still being
shirtless.

" Do you think she would mind if I take more than just pants?" , she asked me.

" Not at all. Want me to leave?" , I asked her.

" No! God no! I do not want to be left alone for even a second." , she said to me, and I fully
understood that.

" I'll tell you when I'm done changing my underwear." , she told me.

That was my cue to turn my head an look away, which I did. I stared at the baseboard of the bed,
waiting. She finally said she was done. I looked back at her and she was wearing black panties and a
black tank-top. She was just pulling on a black and white striped skirt when a crash came from the
living room. I walked quietly over to the bedroom door and closed it without making a sound. I then
walked back over to the girl and stood by her while she hurriedly pulled on a short jacket that ended
above her belly button. It was brown leather with a wooly collar. She then dug through the sock
drawer and pulled on two socks and then two more socks over those, probably because her feet were
so bruise.

I looked at her legs and saw that they were scratched and bruised as well. Her knees were scabbed
and scraped. She looked terrible, but beautiful at the same time.

" What's your name?" , I asked her with a whisper.

" Kathryn, but my friends just call me Kat. Kat with a K." , she whispered back.

" Am I considered your friend?" , I asked, more out of sarcasm.


" Gee, I hope so." , she retorted, smiling her pretty smile. I smiled back.

" How old are you?" , I asked her.

" Seventeen, just turned yesterday. Happy birthday huh?" , she said, losing half her smile.

" Yeah." , I said, not smiling anymore. Seventeen. Wow, I would have guessed fifteen.

" I thought you would of rather put on some pants." , I said, watching the bedroom door again.

" I would, but there are none left." , she said.

" Huh?" , I said, walking over to the drawer and seeing only one skirt and two thigh shorts. That didn't
make any sense.

Bash, Bash...

The bedroom door vibrated from being slammed against. I pointed the gun at the door again while
Kathryn pulled out and put on one of Tiff's black pairs of boots. God, I swear Tiff seems so gothic with
all this black stuff. Even her walls and bed-sheets were black. The monster outside banged on the
door a couple more times.

" Kat, go look out the window and see if we can get out that way. I heard her put on the bag and pick
up the spear before telling me "yes".

" Let's go out that way." , I told her.

She agreed as I turned around. She opened the window and crawled out, picking up the spear after
tossing it out. I climbed out just as the bedroom door gave way. I landed on the grass with my bad
shoulder, and the pain flew through my arm once again with another pop. I stood and after a couple
minutes of running with Kat the pain started subsiding. It must of been dislocated instead of broken.

Kat and I ran through the ally and turned left and I led her towards where my car was parked. I
decided it would be a bad idea for me to go and check up on my friends other families. I thought it
was going to be a little more easy than this, but I can tell that this won't even be the slightest.

When we turned the corner again on the sidewalk next to the car, we saw the Green standing in the
front yard. I raised my gun and aimed. I was a pretty good shot, and now with my arm relocated and
able to help support and steady the gun, I could make the shot. I fired and hit it right above the neck,
still enough to destroy most of the brain. The Green's head snapped forward and it fell into the grass.
It seemed strange that something like that could just be taken out with a single bullet.

I started running again and saw the Regs that had been in the house before, they all were still with a
block and starting to turn around from the sound of the shot. I jumped into the drivers side and Kat
jumped in the passengers. I started the car and it roared to life. I pulled out from my parking spot and
drove down the trashed street. The oncoming Regs were looking even more hungry as their meal flew
towards them. One, stumbling directly at me, reached out its arms as if to grab me. I saw its eyes
grow wide with anticipation just before the grill of the car smashed into his lower torso, causing him to
fall under the car and make the car buck up and down.

I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a circular ball thing go bouncing from the body of the downed
Reg. Was that it's head?

" How's your arm?" , Kat asked me.


" Never better!" , I cried as I hit another Reg on the side, sending him rolling along the car, knocking
off the mirror.

" You never told me your name, what is it?" , she asked me.

" Ashton." , I told her. There was no need for last names anyway.

" Glad we met Ash." , she said as I hit another Reg sending it flying into the windshield of an
abandoned car.

" As are I." , I said to, the sentence sounding wrong coming from my mouth.

I maneuvered around some more crashed and parked cars. I was driving towards an intersection just
as a car swerved around it s corner and drove in the same direction we were going.

" Glad to see there are more people alive in this city than just us." , I said, watching the car drive
ahead of us.

I saw a person climbing out of the back passenger window and wave at us. I rolled down my window
and waved back. I could clearly see him. The man was young, maybe 20's. He had a blood specked
white button up shirt and an unshaven beard. He turned back towards his buddies inside the car and
said something with a smile.

He was just starting to climb back inside the window when we came towards another intersection...

BOOOSH!

The sound of smashing metal and plastic filled the air. A white van had drove, going around a hundred
mile an hour, into the car. Both vehicles skidded down the right street for another twenty feet before
the van and car flew apart from each other and spun into opposite directions. Both smashing into
houses on either side of the street. I sped up again after slowing down to watch the crash.

" Oh my god." , Kat gasped, still looking towards where the two vehicles ended up.

" Christ." , I said, watching the road ahead of me, but still seeing the blur of what just happened.

" Do you think..." , Kat started, but I didn't let her finish, knowing.

" There is no way they could have survived that." , I told her.

I could tell she didn't like it, but there was no changing it. We continued onwards down the street, not
so many abandoned cars suffocating the road. They were more occasional now. We took a left turn
onto a street I knew held a grocery store. A man, standing on the street corner, held a rifle and was
shuffling along the sidewalk as if in shock. Who could blame him?

The man saw our car pass him and, as I looked in the mirror above the dashboard, raised his gun. He
fired and the back windshield smashed out. What the hell? Zombies can't drive you idiot!

I looked over to see if Kat was okay and felt relieved when I saw she was ducking down and just
scared. She looked up at me with fear and I looked back onto the road, pulling over to the right as I
saw the store. I pulled the keys out of ignition just incase some ass tried to take it.

" Okay, we need to get food from the store over there. Sprint incase that guy down there tries to take
a shot at you. Okay?" , I told her.
" Yeah." , she said.

I pushed open my door and heard another gunshot. The window shattered in the door. I swore under
my breath and ran full speed towards the entrance of the store. I had to leap over a couple bodies
lying on the ground. When I got to the entrance doorway, I spun around to see Kat kneeling by the
grill of the car. She was trying to look around the side of the car to see if the man was aiming at her. I
then saw the Beretta lying on the seat inside the car. I forgot it! Great!

Bang!

The headlight that Kat was just looking around exploded into shards of glass and plastic. The bullet
ricocheted into the cement a few feet from her. She held onto the side of her face as yelled for her to
run. She looked towards me with her right eye open and kept her hand against her other eye. She
sprinted towards me just as another shot rand out and a spot of cement below her exploded. I
watched as she leapt over the bodies lying on the ground.

When she reached my position, bag still around her, spear still in hand, I grabbed her around the
waist and swung her inside, slamming the glass store door shut. It wouldn't hold the man out for long
so we had to hurry. I told her to get as many non-perishables in her bag. No use getting stuff that
might spoil on us if the power goes out. I didn't bother taking a look at her eye now, there was no
time and I probably wouldn't be able to do anything. Instead I took a couple plastic sack and started
filling them up with candy bars from the counters next to the register. I heard the glass door swing
open and looked towards it to see the man with the rifle walk in. He turned to me and I saw his eyes.
The eyes of someone who just gave up. The eyes of someone who doesn't give a rats ass who you
are. The eyes that said everyone needed to die, undead or alive. He took that one long look at me and
raised his rifle, his expression not even flickering.

He fired just as I ducked and the counter behind me spat bits of chocolate at me from an exploded
candy bar. I put the plastic bags around my wrist and then stood and took off down the isle I saw Kat
go down. She had heard the shot and went around to see if I was okay when I grabbed her wrist.
Another shot rang out and the butchers glass meat counter that held the various meats you could
purchase, shattered. I dragged her along the isles until I spotted a door just ahead. I pulled her along
as I went faster. When we reached the door I turned around just in time to see the man raise the rifle
again. I pushed KAt and she fell backward while I made myself fall backward too. The bullet fired and
hit the doorknob, putting a hole right where the lock was. That was pure luck.

I looked back at him to see him trying to reload. I quickly helped Kat up, opened the door, and pulled
her in. I shut the door to give us a couple seconds as we ran down stairs. It was almost pitch black in
the basement except from a small curtained window in the corner of the room. It shined blueish light
onto a small table in the same corner. We moved towards the table and I stubbed my toe twice and
ran into a tower of boxes just getting to it. I looked on top of it and saw a Smith & Wesson .32
Revolver. I was a big gun freak, I noticed, after being able to know that from just looking at it. I
picked it up quickly and studied it. It looked as if it had just been repaired. There were three bullets
on the table and I picked them up, seeing they were compatible with the revolver. I placed the bullets
into the chamber seeing it only held four anyway. I cocked back the hammer after closing the
chamber and heard the soft moan of a Reg from by the stairway. Kat and I both ducked and hoped
that they couldn't see in the dark.

Then there was the sound of a door being kicked open from the top of the stairs. I felt around on the
floor for something to hide behind just incase the man had a flashlight. I still had Kat's hand and I
pulled her next to me when I found a safe place behind a stack of boxes.

" Marco?" , I heard the man's small voice saw. I could almost see his smile. It's like he was a serial
killer from a movie!
Then the entire room exploded in light and I had to blink a few times to get use to the sudden
brightness. I realized he had found the light switch. Luckily, Kat and I had found a good stack of boxes
to hide behind, but what I saw made me go into shock. There were tables filled with rifles, shotguns,
machine and sub-machine guns, pistols, revolvers, explosives, and god knows what else. Then the
scream woke me from my sudden daze. I stood to see two zombies on top of the man. His rifle lying a
few feet from him. I walked over since the Regs were still busy with their new meal and shot the man
in the head. His scream cut off into a gargle after the crack of skull from the bullet to his head. Then I
shot the zombies both in the back of the head. All three laid their, on top of one another. I then
walked over to, what I considered, the tables of heaven.

I also noticed the boxes were filled with boxes of ammunition and mags. I looked over the table to see
if I saw anything I wanted. I suppose wanted was the wrong word, since I wanted it all, so I guess use
would be a better word. I stared down at the first table and saw a few rifles I guess I knew and could
use. I saw backpacks, bags, suitcases, and the likes in the corner opposite of the window.

" Kat, get those bags. We just struck gold.", I told her.

August 22nd, 2008, 4:34 p.m., Kerry's Grocery...

I stood, holding at least 100 pounds in each hand and 200 on my back. I set all the bags and
backpacks in the back of a Stationwagon, Kat doing the same with her bags and sacks, mostly filled
with food. The Stationwagon we had found looked untouched, filled with gas, and key in the ignition. I
suppose it must of been one of the Regs in the basement, must have went back down to get
something, got attacked, and then turned. But it could of been anyone's. It was one of the luckiest
finds yet. While in the basement, I had taken a look at Kat's eye. There had been shards of plastic
from the headlight on our last car stuck right by it. She was lucky none got in her eye. I had taken
them out with tweezers from the First-Aid kit and put a small bandage over the cuts.

We sat in the Stationwagon's seat just as two people, one running up on my side and the other
staying behind the man in front of him. The man at my window was yelling.

" Please!" , he yelled, " Help us! They're coming! Please! Please!" , the man had blood on his hands
and left red hand prints on the window.

I wanted to help him, but I wasn't sure I could trust him. He looked unarmed and completely terrified,
but that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous. I saw him look over the top of the car and his eyes went
even wider. I saw three men dressed in completely black with what looked like either AR-15's (civilian
version of the military M4 Carbine) or M4 Carbines. They wore black gas-masks and black tactical
gear, like you would see SWAT wear. They even had helmets. All three of them had a Christian like
gold cross on the front of their chests.

One shot a couple bullets at us, hitting the side of the car. I flinched at the sounds of the gunshots
and yelled for the two men to get in the backseats. Both jumped in the back seats and I peeled out of
the parking space. I started driving in the opposite direction of the soldier like men and saw it was
blocked a horde of Regs and Newborns. I they also saw us and spun the car around. I then started
down the street as the soldiers started shooting at us. Bullets slammed into our windshield.

" Get down!", I yelled, pushing Kat down at the same time. I moved my head down to and prayed I
didn't hit anything.

The car jerked up and down as I slammed into something, but it only slowed us down a little. After the
bullets stopped I looked up and into the mirror, seeing on of the soldiers lying on the ground. Holy
Christ, I hit the bastard! I then looked back at the road ahead and saw people and undead. They
littered the streets and were having a mini-battle. I didn't slow. I drove 70 miles per hour into the
chaos.
A man wearing just his flannel pajama's was firing a double barreled shotgun at both living and dead.
He was thrown into an abandoned car in the street, one I swerved to avoid, by a Green. He was
thrown into it so hard that the car actually went on two wheels and landed back on them. Another
man was walking backwards firing some sort of automatic weapon. He was in our path and there was
no time to avoid him. I hit him, the force throwing him into the windshield of a parked car along side
the curb. I clipped one of the zombies he was firing at, knocking it into the pavement and hit another
one, making it roll across the hood, over the top, and fall of the top from the back. I saw in the mirror
that landed on it's head, probably breaking its neck.

The car's windshield was like a spider-web. I almost couldn't see out of it. I rounded the corner and a
man ran out in front of me with a rifle. I ducked and the windshield shattered in the spot he shot. I
clipped him on the left side and sent him spinning through the air. I saw through the hole in the
window that the street was clear up ahead, except for one or two zombies. Surviving that was luck!

August 22nd, 2008, 6:12 p.m., Sax's Max Deals Music Store...

I pulled up through the driveway and around the back of the store where I had last time. I jumped out
of the car and ran around to the back, Kat following. I pulled out an AR-15 with two more full 30-
round mags. I looked over at the entrance to where my friends were suppose to still be and saw the
metal stairs lying on the ground. The catwalk was still up, but the stairs had fallen. I hope they're
alive in there. I saw that a van was parked right up against the catwalk which could be a way of
getting up there.

" Kat and you two," , I said, talking to Kat and the two men still in the car, " get out here and start
moving these bags up to that catwalk! Hurry!", I yelled, reminding myself that there were Newborns
and Regs on their way.

I hurried to the van, ran up the hood onto the top, and climbed up onto the catwalk. I moved to the
door and pounded on it looking at it to see if there were any signs of forced entry. None that I could
see of, which was a great sign.

" Greg! Tiff! It's Ash! Open the hell up!", I yelled, pounding on the door.

There was some metallic sounds coming from the door and I saw Greg peek out at me. He then
opened it all the way and looked me up and down.

" Ash...man. You're alive!" , he said and I could see he was about to hug me.

" No time! Get Tiff out here and help carry in these bags! I have to hold off the zombies coming here!"
, I said and turned around, jumping from the railing.

I landed on the top of the van and then onto the pavement. I've used an AR-15 before and I was a
pretty good shot, I could hold off the zombies for a little while. As I moved towards the car I saw Kat
and the man who was with the one that had asked for help, moving bags towards the van. I saw the
man who had asked for help still in the car. Why the hell?

I moved to the car and opened the door, grabbing the man by the collar. I pulled on him and saw the
bloody gaping hole in his forehead, his eyes rolled back in his head, and mouth open. I sighed and
pulled him out of the car, throwing him on the pavement. I moved around the corner of the store to
the driveway, seeing a couple Regs shuffling towards the drive way. I went into a kneeling position,
set the two clips next to me and brought the stock of the gun to my shoulder. I aimed and waited for
the Regs to get closer.

After a couple minutes I fired a shot since I thought they were close enough for me to hit. Sure
enough, his head snapped back and he collapsed to the street. I aimed at the other one and shot.
Hitting it in the nose. It staggered back a couple steps and then fell to the ground twitching. I must
have missed the brain with the bullet, but still sent bone fragments into it's brain. I wondered how
long it would stay like that, twitching.

After a couple more minutes of waiting I saw a Newborn round the store's corner and come running
straight for me, snarling. I fired, hit it in the chest, not even making it pause. I fired again and hit it
above the left eye. It collapsed to the ground and rolled a few more feet. It lay still and I knew it was
dead.

Three more Newborns rounded the corner. I cursed under my breath and breathed out, steading my
aim. I fired and hit the closest in the left eye, fired again and hit the second in the jaw, making it
stagger off course. I then fired and hit the third in the forehead, sending it straight to the ground. I
aimed back at the second who had recovered from the shot and was running back at me. I fired and
hit it in the throat, but luckily again, it hit its spinel cord, making its entire body fall like a rag-doll
even though it's jaws still were able to snap. Just as I finished those three there were five more
coming around the corner. I aimed again.

" Son of a...", I said, and got an idea.

I aimed at the first ones knee and fired, shattering it. It fell to the ground. I did the same for the next
two ad then shot the fourth between the eyes, making it run a little farther, slow to a jog, and then
the fifth one knocked it down when it ran past. I fired and hit it in the right cheek, making it's head
snap to the left and then fall over to the ground, twitching. The first one was crawling along the
ground and I easily shot it in the forehead. The other two were still trying to get up, but they kept
collapsing as their knee bent in weird positions. I popped both of them in the head and waited for
some more to round the corner.

Three more came, two Newborns and one with missing cheeks. A Spewer. I popped one of the
Newborns in the knee and then the other right above the right eyebrow. The Spewer flung it's head
back, gargled, and threw it's head forward. Evidently it didn't know what distance was and instead of
getting anywhere near me, its acid went all over the Newborn I had shot in the knee. The acid started
melting through the Newborns skin, then skull, and then it started twitching like a seizure when the
acid reached its brain. I fired and shot the Spewer in the nose, sending it twitching to the ground. Two
more Newborns rounded the corner and three Regs followed those as I shot the Newborns. I ended up
wasting nine bullets on those five because I was starting to panic.

I calmed myself as two more Regs came. I shot both in the forehead and saw the chamber stay open,
which means I was out of ammo. I quickly ejected the mag and replaced it with one of the full ones. I
closed the chamber and was ready to aim again when I heard Greg yell to me from behind.

" Ash! Come on!", he called.

I picked up both the empty and full clip and then ran back up the driveway. As soon as I was past the
corner, someone backed the large van up, blocking off the drive-way to keep most of the zombies
from entering the little parking lot I was standing in. I looked over at the catwalk and saw that a metal
rope ladder was handing from the railing. I ran to it and climbed up.

When I reached the top I ran inside the house and waited for the van driver to come up before closing
the door. Greg had been driving. Once I shut the door I turned back to everyone that was now looking
at me. I saw Katie sitting on the couch and she smiled when I looked at her. I smiled back and then
kept the smile, not able to hide my relief. We were safe!

I looked at the man who had been with the one that was shot in the head and asked, " What's your
name?"

" Andy. Andy Fi..." , he said, but I cut him off from using his last name.
" Last names aren't important. We don't need them anymore.", I said to him, " How old are you?"

" Twenty-two." , he said.

" Cool, what'd you do before all this?" , I asked, hoping he would be useful.

" I was a doctor." , he said.

I looked him up and down. He was wearing a button-up white shirt and underneath a bloodied V-neck
white t-shirt. He had on tan, bloodied, baggy cargo pants. His brown hair was messed up and his face
speckled with blood and grime. His shoes were brown and torn. Didn't look like a doctor.

I looked at each and every one of us in the room. Maybe our luck was running slim, but so far, we're
not doing to shabby.

November 27th, 2008, 8:12 a.m., Sax's Max Deals Music Store...

I sat next to Tiffany on the couch eating through my can of peaches as breakfast. She was holding a
small cup of applesauce for hers. The rest off the survivors we had were still sleeping. Andy, Kathryn,
Greg, and Katie all still asleep. Tiffany and I were listening to the radio.

" The National Guard is still holding onto the power station quite well. They still have plenty of ammo
and know how to handle the zombies in case they ever break down the fence. They've been
sharpshooting the Greens and use bright light to scare away the Knights," the radio said, using the
same terms I use, which was weird.

The Knights were the zombies that roamed around only during the night. There skin was allergic to
certain types of light and sunlight was on of them. If they stepped out into the light their skin would
burn up and they would die. Although that's a major weakness, they are faster than humans, stronger
than Greens, and almost as smart as a living person. Almost, but that is still better than all the other
zombies. I haven't met any yet, but I've seen some through the window and...they're scary.

" More info on safe zones throughout the city,", the radio continued, " St. Peters Catholic Church on
7th Street, Kinder Mall near Grimmstone Bank, and Fort Johnson on the outskirts of the city. The
United States Marines and Navy are currently subdued due to recent attacks on their bases. More
information on the strange Cult that seems to be running around. They all seem to wear black from
head to toe except for the gold crosses on their clothing. They all have gas-masks and tactical outfits
and helmets. We still do not know the origin or who they work for..." , I shut off the radio.

" Absolutely no help.", I said out loud, Tiff silently agreed with me.

" What are we going to do? Should we stay here, or go to the safe zones?" , Tiff asked.

I sighed. I really didn't know. We had plenty of food and weapons to last us at least a half a year. As I
went through the weapons again I had seen I'd thrown in at least five silencers. Three for the assault
rifles I'd gotten and two for the two 9mm P99's I'd taken. It seemed stupid to go outside when we
were doing just fine here. The television, radio, and computer all still worked since power was still on.
We usually spent our time watching the news, watching peoples zombie survival help and home made
movies online, or listening to tips over the radio.

The thought of actually being with more survivors and being able to better defend ourselves sounded
pretty cool too. If they had weapons, surviving this could be easy. But, then I thought, if they didn't or
had no food, I'd be a hell of a lot worse than we are going right now. I was so confused. I want to help
them, but I don't want to risk my group of survivors. Why do I consider them my group? I'm not in
charge or anything...am I?
" Tiffany, why are you asking me what to do? It isn't like I'm head honcho of our group or anything." ,
I told her, picking some of the peach out of the can. Tiffany stared down at her applesauce for a
couple seconds and then looked right at me.

" Listen Ash, it was you who got us out of the school when we were there. It was you who helped us
get out of the burning apartment. It was you who got us here to this place. It was you who brought all
this food and weapons, plus saving two other people. I don't know anybody more qualified than you
for being a leader. You hear me?" , she said.

" Yeah." , I said, " I hear you, but I don't want to be no leader." , I told her, eating another peach.

" I don't think you have much of a choice. We all look up to you. Have you seen the way Kat looks at
you? I'd swear she loves you." , Tiff said.

" Well, I think any girl would like the guy who saves her from being raped." , I said, finishing my
peaches and walking towards the kitchen.

" You may be right, but I think there is more to it than that." , Tiffany said, standing up and following
me.

" I don't think I can be a leader.", I told her, getting off the subject of Kat.

" You've been doing good so far. Just do like you have been." , Tiffany said, setting the plastic cup in
the trash were my can was placed. I sighed and started to think about being a leader. I suppose it
couldn't be much different than what I was doing now. I looked a Tiff and then at the counter.

" Greg and I will recon the safe zones. Then I'll determine what to do after that." , I told her. She
smiled at me.

" Right. Oh, do you know if Greg will agree to go?" , she asked.

" He'll go." , I told her.

November 30th, 2008, 10:02 a.m., Sax's Max Deals Music Store...

After three days of planning the recon for the safe zones we decided to go to Fort Johnson first. Then
the church and then the mall. Greg and I had taken our showers, loaded weapons, and eaten a larger
meal than we would of incase we were out longer than expected.

I was wearing a black shirt, olive drab baggy cargo pants, boots, a ski mask, and a Kevlar vest with
ammunition holders to put over my shirt. I looked like a SWAT member. Greg was dressed the same
only he was wearing tan baggy cargo pants and had a black Kevlar vest instead of a olive drab one
like mine.

I carried a 9mm Glock 18c Pistol in a pouch on my vest along with four clips and the one already
loaded into it. It also held a laser and was a Longslide which meant the barrel was longer than its
normal one. I also carried a shotgun and carbine. The shotgun was a 10 gauge pump-action. It had a
folding stock and pistol grip handle and was equipped with a flashlight on the end of the pump, with a
laser next to that, and a small optic scope right above the chamber. I had at least forty shells in the
Kevlar vest. The carbine was an M4 Carbine, the one with full automatic. I had six clips strapped to
my Kevlar vest and one in the carbine. It was fitted with a silencer and I had put on a laser sight, a
16x scope, a flashlight on the side of the barrel, and a fore grip and extending stock.

Greg's weapons were different from mine. He had a 9mm P99 with an attached silencer and laser
sight. He had it strapped to his thigh. He had five other clips for it including the one inside it. He also
carried a sniper rifle and a sub-machine gun. The sniper rifle was a Dragov SVT that used 10 round
clips and was semi-automatic. It had a 32x scope and bi-pod. Greg had six more clips of them. His
sub-machine gun was an MP-5 H&K. It held 30 round clips and his had a folding stock. It was fitted
with a 4x optic scope, a silence, and a laser sight. Each of our guns, except for the pistols, had straps
so we didn't have to hold both in each hand. I kept my shotgun on my back and he kept the sniper
rifle on his.

" We look like a couple of SWAT men.", Greg said checking himself and me out.

" I was just thinking the same thing." , I told him.

" This crap is frickin heavy. Why do we have to take all these weapons?" Greg asked.

" Well, running out of ammo for one thing and second we don't know what kind of gun we'll need as
we go. Who knows what scenario's we'll encounter.", I said, and I thought that it was lucky I was a
buff guy or I'd be having trouble with this.

" Well...we better be going then. Come on." Greg said.

After saying our good-byes to the rest of our group and somehow getting the van out of its blocking
position, we drove towards Fort Johnson. Greg was the one driving and I could tell all the blockage in
the streets was irritating him. We must of hit at least twelve Regs and Spewers on purpose because of
that.

" How long do you think till we get to Johnson with all this crap in our way?" , he asked.

" About two hours." , I told him, staring out the windshield.

" Oh fun." , he said with a sigh.

After about 30 minutes of driving, I could tell Greg was about to freak out. I thought he might shoot
me if the damn road wouldn't clear. I almost regretted giving him the guns.

" Alright, I'll drive then." , I told him and he stopped the car next to the city's largest library. The
Grimmstone Library.

It was a massive building. It had three floors, one for fiction, another for reference/non-fiction, and
the top for offices and all that jazz. It had over two hundred shelves for the books it held here. I've
actually gotten lost trying to find a book there.

I opened my side of the door as Greg opened his. I moved, around the front of the van passing the M4
from my left to my right hand. Then I heard a moan of a Reg. I spun around and shouldered the M4,
searching the wrecked cars for the source of the sound. Greg took one look at me and did the same.
He must not have heard it.

" Ash, what exactly are we looking for?" , he asked, looking around and aiming his MP-5.

" I heard a Reg.", I told him, not eyeing any movement.

" Christ, I don't see anything. I bet it don't see us neither. Lets just..." , and then he stopped.

We bother heard a faint yelling. It sounded more like a person was trapped than someone being eaten
and crying out for help. Greg looked at me to see if I heard it too. I nodded and motioned with my
hand to move forward towards the yelling. Greg moved forward, moving carefully unless their was one
behind a wreck we couldn't see. As he moved towards and over turned truck, he halted me by
motioning with his hand. I stopped, dropped to a knee, and put the butt of the gun to my shoulder. He
motioned for me to move around the truck from where I was and I nodded. As I stood, still bent low
incase I had to go to my knee quickly, I moved around the truck and saw a red, small, mini-van that
had about five Regs trying to get into it.

I could see a figure of someone inside the van, but couldn't see any features. Might as well save them.
I aimed my carbine at the first Reg, an old man with an arm hanging only by a single piece of flesh.
He had only ripped shorts on too. I fired a shot from my carbine, the bullet hitting the back of his
head. The loudest noise through that was the sound to the skull cracking as the bullet entered. I
aimed for the next one, the Reg not even being disturbed by the fact his brethren was just...pretty
much decapitated. I fired and the young, or was young, Reg flew and slid across the hood of the van.

Greg finally got out and started to aim and fire too. I chose to aim at a woman who was turned and
before I could, a series of what sounded like air bursts ran out and the woman Reg fell backwards. As
she fell, I could see the blood spirts going from her stomach, one between the breasts, another in the
shoulder, another in the neck, and finally one hitting her in the nose. I smacked Greg on the back of
the head, and when he turned to see what it was for, I pulled up my ski mask and mouthed the words
single shot.

He nodded and while he switched his settings, I aimed and fired at the other two Regs. One slamming
against the glass of the van and the other spun in a 360 degree circle to the ground. Greg and I both
jogged over to the van to see if the person was still alive. Meaning if they were bitten or not. I opened
the passengers door and saw a little girl hiding in the back seat of the van. She was staring at us as if
we were going to kill her too.

" Are you alright?" , I asked her.

" Leave me alone!" , she screamed.

" No, no, no, we're here to help you!" , I told her.

" Liar! Everyone is a liar!" , she cried, tears starting to stream down her face.

" Listen, we've come to help you get away from the monsters. Come on, I pinky swear we won't hurt
you." , I told her, motioning with my arms for her to come.

" Mommy and Daddy will be back soon! They will get you!" , she told me.

" Where is your parents?" , I asked her.

She hesitated and then pointed to the building behind her, the Library.

" Will you come with us if I go get them?" , I asked her. The girl nodded her head.

" Okay, I'll be right back then. While I'm gone, Greg," , I pointed to him, " will keep the monster
away, okay?"

She nodded again and I turned to Greg.

" Take care of her, we don't know if her parents are alive. If you hear gunshots inside don't come
looking for me, just get her to the car. Wait for me and if I'm not out in a couple of hours or you start
to get swarmed go. Understand me?" , I whispered in his ear.
" Yeah, I got you. Good luck." , he said and patted my shoulder. I nodded and turned to the library.

I walked around the front of the van and jogged towards the building. If I continued to use my
silenced weapons then I wouldn't attract any more zombies. Hopefully, I won't have to use them
anyway, but if the parents daughter was left out in that van alone, there is a pretty good chance
they're dead, or undead.

I jogged up the steps to the front doors of the library. I put the strap of the M4 around me and tried
opening the door. It wouldn't budge much. Locked...or was it blocked? Either way had to find a new
way in. I continued down the wall, checking all the entrances. None of them were open. I decided to
walk around the side of the building and see if there was a back entrance. I saw one a couple feet
down the wall.

I moved towards it and saw the door hanging on its bottom hinge. This meant forced entry. I
unstrapped my M4 and put the stock to my shoulder, getting ready in case something happens. I
looked inside the library and saw it was to dark to go in. I then flipped on the flashlight and shone it in
there. Red, well most likely blood, was all over the floor and walls of the entrance. It was a long
hallway, probably by the small securities office and front desk. I decided to go ahead and move in.

The smell was terrible, like rotting meat, yet the smell of fresh blood too. I had to swallow down bile
as I kept moving. I followed the hall till I got to the end. At the end there were two doors, one on the
left wall, the other on the right. The one on the right said Security Office, and the left one said Front
Desk. I decided to check the Security Office first.

I opened the door slowly, aiming the gun so I could see what was inside. The little black orbs of
security screens were shining back at me. A black swivel chair hell a body and I almost shot when I
saw that his head was only held on by a piece of flesh and his skull had been crushed by something.
His organs and intestines were spread out in front of the chair and a blood pool was beneath the chair,
some of the blood still wet.

I turned to the side a vomited. I made sure to lift up the mask before I did. My throat and nose
burned as the vomit came up through my nostrils too. After it came out, I tried my best to wipe it off
me with my sleeve. I'd be tasting that for a while now. I put the mask back over my mouth and
started to search the room for anything useful. Nothing but a crowbar and a broom. Although there
were some stairs that led to the second floor, nothing was in here that could be of use. I decided to
check the second floor after I checked the front desk. I could hop the desk and check the first floor
and see if anybody was still alive in here. Though, I highly doubted it.

Moan...

I spun around and aimed the gun at the stairs, where the noise had come from. Standing there was a
Newborn. His eyes had been gouged out, but that was the only thing noticeable. I was about ready to
fire when I heard more moans, but not from the Newborn in front of me. I aimed the gun up slightly
to see if there was anything else on the stairs, and sure enough, there were more. They
were flowing from upstairs! I aimed back at the eyeless Newborn and fired a bullet into his head. He
collapsed, and then I heard the screech like scream from one of the Newborns on the stairs. They saw
me!

I spun around and ran through the door. I turned t go back outside, but froze when I saw a figure
blocking my path. I raised the barrel to see who it was and saw the grey skin. Was this a...Knight?
The yell/scream coming from its mouth answered that as a yes. I spun and sprinted into the door that
lead into the front desk.

I searched the room quickly, looking for an exit. Then I saw what was past the front desk. It was a
sea of the undead. The bookshelves had been blocking the doors before is why I couldn't get in, and
why they couldn't get out. I could also see they were all Newborns. I cursed and saw a small cart that
could carry books. It was like a large basket. I ran over to it, jumped into it, and tipped it over on top
of me. I kept a little space open so I could see out into the room, although it was too dark to see very
well. I turned the flashlight off so the Knight wouldn't see it through the cloth basket.

I heard the heavy breathing of the Knight as it slammed through the door. Breathing? Zombies didn't
breathe. I looked out and saw the feet of the Knight right by the basket. My breath got caught in my
throat. It was right there! I closed my eyes and waited for the breathing to leave. When it didn't, I
opened my eyes again to see an eye staring back. It's pupil dilated and color blood red.

The basket was thrown off of me and the Knight stood over me. I was about ready to raise the gun
and fire when the Knight kicked the M4 away from me. Then, before I could get to the gun, a large
smashing noise that made my ears ring, erupted into the room. Not only was the noise there, so was
light. Light?

I saw the M4 lying against the wall where the basket had been and I ran to pick it up. I spun on my
heel and dropped down into a kneeling position with the stock of the M4 on my shoulder. I aimed
straight at the Knight, but it was gone, it's screeches faint. There was a trail of...steam? Or was it
smoke? I didn't know, but there was a trail of it leading out and into the hallway I had come from. I
stood, gun still pressed into my shoulder. I turned to face pass the front desk and almost dropped the
gun in shock. The entire first floor was like a sea of Newborns. I didn't know wether to risk it with the
Newborns or the Knight. I weighed the pro's and con's and finally decided it was better to go against
the mass of Newborns. That's how bad Knights are...I'm glad they're rare.

I put the M4 strap on my shoulders and adjusted it so it wouldn't fall off when I ran. I pulled out my
Glock from its pouch. I looked at the sea of zombie and suddenly felt terrified. Terrified that they
would get me, that I would be eaten alive. The only reason they haven't come after me was because
of the loud crash. The crash that had come from a blue Big Rig which had smashed through the front
entrance. I didn't know why I suddenly felt this terrified of them, but I was.

Then, off the top of my head I remembered something. I remembered that as a little kid, whenever I
was scared, I'd sing a song I happened to randomly remember to myself. No reason why I shouldn't
give it a shot now.

" Dreams of earthquakes." , I mumbled, walking towards the front desk.

" Dreams of hurricanes." , I mumbled next.

" Dreams of pouring rain." , I stepped up on the font desk.

"Dreams of tidal waves...to wash us all away.", I said, coming out of a mumble. The familiar guitar
coming back into my head. The cymbals playing melodically.

" Dreams of guns blazed." , I said, picking up a crowbar that was on the front desk.

" Dreams of fire rage." , I fired the Glock, a bullet pounding into the skull of the closest Newborn. With
that been heard, the Newborns all turned toward me, their eyes becoming excited.

" Dreams of swollen graves." , I fired at the next one that was close enough, hitting it in the jaw,
knocking it down.

" Dreams of hollow pain. All gone." , I said softly, the music and voices now taking over my mind.
Then everything got slow as I said the next words.

" No more fallen. No more enemy. No more casualty. No mooore dreeeam."


Then my fear disappeared, the slow went back to normal, the adrenaline burned in my veins as I leapt
off the front desk, and down onto the floor. Yelling the words that came next.

" Fall into sleeeep!" , I fired three more bullets, each one finding a mark of a skull.

" Fall into meeeee!" , I slammed the crowbar into the temple of a Newborn that had gotten to close.

" I have a dreeeam!" , I placed the Glock under the chin of another Newborn, blowing his brains out of
the top of his head. They were to close to get at far range now.

" But nobody cares, nobody wants to listen!" , I slammed the hooked end of the crowbar into the ear
of another Newborn. Pulled and brought the zombie straight into the barrel of my Glock, spraying gore
onto the Newborns behind him when I pulled the trigger. I was half-running, half-jogging through the
horde.

" Fall into sleeeeep!" , I held the hooked end of the crowbar and shoved the opposite end into the eye
of another zombie.

" Fall into meeee!" , I swung my arm to the left, throwing the dead zombie into a bunch of other ones
running at me, toppling them like bowling pins.

" Hang onto a dreeeam, that nobody wants, nobody cares anymore." , I screamed and fired three
shots into the skulls of three separate zombies. Each one going limp immediately.

" Dreams of mourning grief!" , I pistol whipped another Newborn and kicked him down.

" Dreams of disbelief!" , I put my head down and charged through the crowd of zombies.

" Dreams of tragedy! Dreams of our disease...to take us all away!" , I screamed into my shoulder, the
music playing in my mind as if I had earphones in. I pushed through the oncoming horde, not even
faltering.

" Dreams of fidelity!" , I swung the crowbar into knee of another, leaping over him as he fell.

" Dreams of inner peace!" , I yelled, sprinting towards the Big Rig.

" Dreams of loyalty!", I rammed into another Newborn with my shoulder, making him fly back almost
all the way to where he was before.

" Dreams of unity!" , I yelled, putting my head into my shoulder again, ramming through the
Newborns.

" All gone." , I whispered to myself, running into the grill of the Big Rig.

" All gone." , I whispered again, holstering my pistol and climbing up onto the hood of the Big Rig. I
un-slung my shotgun and chucked the crowbar at the face of a Newborn that had climbed up after me.

" Fall into sleeeep!" , I screamed, aiming the shotgun down into the crowd of Newborns.

" Fall into meeee!" , I fired and two of the closest zombies dropped to the floor.

" I have a dreeeam!" , I saw one trying to climb up the side and I put the barrel three feet from his
face. I fired and flesh and bone shattered from the front of his face.
" But nobody cares, nobody wants to listen!" , I slammed the stock into the nose of a Newborn that
had climbed up, knocking him over the side again.

" Fall into sleeeeep!" , I pumped the shotgun and fired into the chest of another one that had climbed
up. He flew about seven feet back into the crowd of the Newborns swarming the Big Rig, knock five
down with him.

" Fall into meeeee!" , I pumped the shotgun, fired, pumped, and then fired again into the trying to
climb crowd. I knocked back three of the five and decided it was time to run again.

" Hang onto a dreeeam that nobody wants, nobody cares anymore!" , I screamed, slinging the
shotgun again and spinning around.

" The angels are injured." , I sang, climbing up the windshield, and noticing the now Newborn inside
the cab. I ducked and crawled under the wall that had been smashed through.

" Fall with broken, burning wings." , I stood again and ran to the end of the trailer attached to the Big
Rig.

" Are we dead inside." ,I fell and slid like a baseball player to the edge and grabbed onto the ledge
when my body fell.

" Are we blind." , I climbed down the metal ladder and spun to run towards the van, hoping that Greg
was still there.

" We can't keep moving forward!" , I sang louder. Hopping over two crawling Regs.

" Backwards with closed eyes!" , I slid across the hood of the van we found the little girl in, both Greg
and her gone.

" We're losing sight!" , I yelled, running towards the place where our van was.

" All lost inside!" , I ran around another car, an SUV. I then saw Greg sitting in the drivers seat of the
car and a relieved sensation flowed through me.

" No more fallen." , I whispered to myself running to the van.

" No more...enemy." , I whispered, opening the front passenger door, and seeing the little girl sitting
in the back.

" Christ Ash! You're covered in gore!" , he yelled, and I looked down to see blood and brains stuck all
over my body armor and pants. The bottoms of my jeans were stained dark red from the blood that
had flowed over the floors.

" Drive." , I said to him, realizing how much my ears rang from shooting the firearms. The music died
from my head.

" What?" , Greg asked.

" Drive!" , I yelled at him, and he looked out my window, seeing what I meant.

" Yes sir!" , he yelled back, putting the van into drive and started down the wrecked road. I saw two
Newborns jump and run across a car to reach ours. One met the headlight, throwing him into a spin,
the other hitting and cracking the window behind mine. The Newborn spun on the side and fell down
onto the street. I looked into the rear view mirror to see the rest flowing after us.

" Dammit, there must of been hundreds in there!" , Greg exclaimed, seeing the bloody mass behind us
as well. The little girl was crying and I tried calming her down.

" Don't worry honey. Those monsters can't get us. They're to slow. We'll be long gone before they
could get their hands on us.", I told her.

" I know.", she sniffed through tears.

" Then why are you crying?" , I asked her.

" Because...I saw mommy and daddy." , she wailed, pointing to the horde chasing after us, which
were actually keeping up slightly, but steadily getting farther away.

" Oh." , I said, not able to think of something to say for that.

" I lost my mom too. Don't worry, they might not seem like it, but they're really up in heaven. Those
aren't your parents. Those are just bad monsters made to look like your parents and scare you so you
won't do anything. That way they can eat you. Now tell me your not scared." , Greg said, keeping his
eyes on the congested road.

" I...I'm not...scared." , she sniffed.

" What was that?" , Greg said.

" I'm not scared." the girl said again, no longer crying.

" Louder!" , Greg yelled and the little girl jumped.

" I'm not scared she yelled." , and she yelled.

" I can't hear you." , Greg said like a Sargent in the military.

" I'm not scared!" , she screamed.

" Good! Now you remember that, and you'll be just fine, okay?" , he said.

" Okay!" , she said, now wiping her eyes and putting on a serious face.

I turned away from her and smiled. Greg your one smart bastard I thought. I then started mumbling
the rest of the song.

" What was that?" , Greg asked me.

" Oh nothing, just remembering a good song." , I told him, watching the zombie getting farther and
farther away.

" What song?" , he asked, maneuvering around an overturned National Guard APC.

" Fall Into Sleep by Mudvayne." , I told him.


" Good song." , he told me back.

" No, great song. That song saved my life." , I told him, and he looked at me confused.

He decided not to ask, and we turned onto a road that led towards the bridge that crossed over into
the outskirts of town. I smiled, and silently thank Mudvayne. Thank god for music.

November 30th, 2008, 1:12 p.m., Fort Johnson...

" Listen dammit! We just need for you to take the kid and then we'll be on our way!" , I yelled up at
the guard in a tower by the front gates of the fort.

" We need you to drop your weapons." , the guard told us in a megaphone.

" We'll be exposed though if a bunch of those rotting sons of bitches come around the corner down
there! Just take the girl and we'll be off!" , I called.

" Sir, drop your weapons." , he said back.

" Screw you!" , I called, back, flipping him off. I turned to Greg.

" They don't understand what we're saying. It's like we're speaking Latin." , I told Greg.

" What should we do?" , Greg asked.

" Well, I figure we should head towards our next designation. We can drop the girl off there." , I told
him.

" Why do we even have to get rid of the girl." , he asked me. I sighed and lean towards him.

" Because she's to young. She can't help with anything. She'll just slow us down." , I whispered to
him.

" But I don't trust anyone but the people we got. I think it's better to keep her with us.", he argued.

" Alright...how bout we swing by the other two places, and if you still feel this way, we'll keep her." , I
told him.

" Alright, sounds good." , he said.

We both then got back into the van and started off down the road. I looked into the rear view mirror
and saw the shadows of the guards in the tower. Then saw a flash...

The right back tire exploded and the car swerved. Greg cried out, trying to get a hold of the car. I
slammed my head against the dashboard when the van ran right into another abandoned car. The
crunch of plastic and metal popped my ears. I grabbed my forehead and waited a couple seconds for
the dizziness to subside.

" Greg...?" , I groaned.

" Yeah?" , I heard him.

" Is the girl okay?" , I asked him.


" Yes, she's with me." , he answered and I opened my eyes, blinking to make them focus.

" Crazy mother..." , and the next word was drowned out by another load crack.

The dashboard in front of me exploded and the air-bag popped out, hitting me in the face. I pulled on
the door handle and pushed the air-bag out of my face. I fell out of the van and looked back into it to
see Greg set protectively over the little girl on the floor behind the drivers seat. The little girl just cried
into his jacket.

" Greg, stay here with her. I'm going to go find us another vehicle." , I told him.

" Be careful...they're still shooting at us!" , he told me.

I nodded and spun around, scanning the area. There was a two truck, both on their sides, three cars,
one totaled from when we hit it, another on its top, the last one looked okay except for a smashed
windshield. There was also a Humvee, and that caught my eye most. I ran over to it, pulling my Glock
out. I opened the door to the Humvee...

A corpse fell on top of me. The Glock fell from my hands and it fired on its own once. The bullet hitting
and ricocheting off the Humvee's back doors. I put one hand under the corpses chin and around its
neck and it started to try and bite me. I grabbed his wrist with my other hand as he tried to grip my
mask. I rolled us over to the right so I was on top. I let go of him and dived for the Glock, grabbed it,
rolled back onto my back, and aimed at him. He was already falling back down onto me to try and
take a chunk out of me again. I fired and the bullet hit him in the rib cage. I didn't have any time to
aim.

He threw his head down into my shoulder...

AND BIT ME!

I screamed, putting the glock to his temple and firing. Blood and brain matter flew against the over
turned car next to us, staining it red. I saw that the chamber was back on the Glock, which meant I
was out of ammo.

I pushed myself up and let the clip drop from the Glock. I caught it, pulled another one from my vest,
placed the full clip into the Glock and put the empty one back where the full one had been. I closed
the chamber and walked back up to the Humvee, now more alert. I heard a loud bang and there was a
buzz that went past my head. I forgot about the sniper in the tower. I ducked, jumped into the
Humvee, and shut the door behind me. After another loud bang, the glass cracked on the door
cracked from another shot. I studied the military vehicle and after about two minutes of playing with
it, I got the engine started.

While I was still out of the snipers sights, I took this chance to check the bite. I moved my hand over
it and relief flowed over me. It only bit down as far as the Kevlar strap. There was no way I could be
infected. I poked my head up to see where the van was and used my right hand to push on the gas
while using my left to drive it towards the van. When I felt I was close enough, I hit the breaks and
looked out the window. Greg was carrying the girl in his arms and ran from the van to the Humvee. As
soon as he got in the back, I spun the car around and I sped off towards the mall.

November 30th, 2008, 2:36 p.m.,Kinder Mall...

I parked the Humvee a block from the mall. I could see the outside of it and it didn't look pretty.
There were mounds of bodies stacked up on each other and there was the occasional gunshot coming
from inside it. Literally, blood flowed down the street from all the dead zombies...and regular dead. I
opened my door and got out, motioning for Greg to do the same. Before I shut the door I turned back
to the little girl.

" What's your name hun?" , I asked her.

" Uh....Susie." , She answered.

" Okay Susie. Wait here. Greg and I will be back...alright?" , I told her.

" Okay." , she said, and she lied down on the floor of the Humvee so she wouldn't be seen.

I closed my door and nodded to Greg. He nodded back and I removed my M4 while he took off his MP-
5. We reloaded and checked to make sure we had what we needed.

" Is it strange to you how good we are at this, even though we weren't trained or anything?" , Greg
asked me as we walked to the mall.

" I agree. I guess in times of chaos, we learn things that we can do, we normally wouldn't of known
about." , I told him.

" Yeah, either that, or the video games." , Greg said with a chuckle.

I laughed, " Yeah, or the video games."

November 30th, 2008, 2:57 p.m.,Kinder Mall...

" Move it! Lets go!" , I yelled at the five people we managed to help.

" Ash! They're coming head on too!" , the Asian girl, who I introduced myself to, yelled to me as we
ran.

" Greg, cover our six! I'll take the ones ahead!" , I yelled to him and he yelled an affirmative response.

I brought the M4 to my shoulder and fired off rounds and the small group of approaching Newborns.
Three of them dropped to the ground from head shots. Two others just fell from being hit in the knees
or legs. We continued forward and I disposed of the other Newborns at close quarters.

" The doors are just ahead, sprint!" , I yelled and we all went full speed.

I rammed my shoulder into one and it swung open. I held it open as everybody ran outside into the
parking lot. I turned and a couple Newborns that had been in our pursuit tried coming through the
door as well. I swung the gun up with my one hand, and fired five quick shots, knocking them all
back. I then spun around and ran with the others back to the Humvee. I leapt over a crawling
Newborn, one still going quite fast even without...half its body. As soon as I reached the Humvee I ran
to the back, the slanted trunk.

" What the hell are you doing Ash!" , Greg called from the drivers seat.

" There is no more room, I'll be back here! Go!" , I yelled to him.

I held the trunk door up with my M4, taking the Glock back out. As Newborns chased the Humvee, I
put a few lead holes in their heads. As we drove, I remembered what happened at the mall.
We had just entered when about ten of those F-ing Newborns swarmed us. We took those out no
problem though, like someone from the Special Forces might have. After that we started searching
stores and found one with two people, both Asian girls, in it. Yuri Ai was one of them. She was the girl
who yelled to me on the escape. She was seventeen years old and had short black hair with red
highlights. Her brown eyes were amazingly beautiful.

The other was Nozomi Suki. She was twenty-two years old and had dyed her hair pink. It was
unusually long and her purple like eyes made those seem dyed too. Though she was in her twenties,
she only looked like a teenager.

After we found them, we gave them both a bat and a crowbar which we found inside the store itself.
As we checked the rest of the building, we found two more people. Both were guys.

One was named Chandler Lyson. He had come here with the U.S. Army to try and take back the city
and somehow winded up the only one left in his platoon. Then he had gotten attacked again and fled
here. He had golden short blonde hair that was messy and made him look like he had years of
experience.

The other was Danny Weston. He was just your normal American teenager. He had worked the sports
store in the mall when everything went down. He had brunette hair and deep blue eyes. He was only
sixteen like me.

The fifth person we found was getting swarmed by those things when Greg and I wet there and pulled
him out. He wore a suit and looked like a smart guy. His black hair slicked back, green eyes looking
from under glasses. Though, he turned out to be quite an ass. Always being sarcastic. I should of left
him there. His name was Harrison Onning.

As we drove back towards the music store. Our, small headquarters. I suppose this was suppose to be
a recon mission, but turned out to be a rescue mission instead. I guess tomorrow would have to be
the day we check out the church. Unless...

As I looked out over the bridge we were driving across to get back to the music store, I saw Kyllison
Island standing in it. The two bridges connected to it, now lied in the lake. The large island was like a
small town on it's own. It had a mall, tons of commercial and industrial businesses. Plus some
housing. It had also a city hall and the mayor's mansion. It could come as a great tactical advantage
for us.

Yes...I think that maybe that was a much better idea than going to the church. Tomorrow we will start
planning it's invasion. Most likely it either had hundreds of zombies, or absolutely none. It was a
50/50 chance. One worth taking since our group is growing.

" Yes," , I said to myself, " this could work out for us more in the long run."

As I sat in the trunk and looked out into the lake that surrounded the island on all sides, I saw the fin
of a large fish pop out of the water for only a second. After seeing that, I tried to think if there was a
chance anything that big had been seen in the lake before the dead started returning to life. Then, as
we got off the bridge and returned home, I couldn't help but think about if the virus or whatever,
could affect other species besides Homo sapiens, or humans in short.

" This could get ugly."

December 31st, 2014, 45 minutes after being bitten...

I sighed. Yes, I thought, it was ugly. Now that I think back, I am reminded of the movie Saving
Private Ryan. Not the entire movie, just the beginning, when they hit Omaha Beach. I remember how
the Americans had just been getting shot down before they even got out of their boats. Sure, there
were only five groups of us. My group only being eleven people big. Greg, Kathryn, Fritz (the doctor I
found after Kathryn), Tiffany, Katie, Nozomi, Yuri, Chandler, Harrison, Danny, and me. That wasn't a
whole lot. Luckily we found those other groups, otherwise that would of been the most embarrassing
thing any military commander would of seen.

I felt a sudden pain in my heart. I put my hand over my chest and groaned. The virus was doing its
damn-est. I could feel it in my veins. I shut my eyes and tried to block it out. Remembering the past
was helping with this a lot. I could barely feel the pain when I remembered certain things. I decided to
close my eyes, and remember the Invasion of Kyllison Island. The battle that even got it's name in the
Apocalypse War.

" It was almost as much as a defeat as a victory." , I reminded myself out loud.

Author's Note:  Geez, Peeps that wanted the third Chapter of this story....I'm sorry it took so
long. It was getting to 37 pages before I realized how much I'd typed. When I read back
through it, well, it was so choppy and crappy sounding I decided to shorten it and I did
quite a bit. Again, I'm sorry. This might not be all that great, but I need it to get to the
fourth chapter which will be the most powerful chapter yet. A main character dies! :O! If
you read this it'll tell you. It's gonna be goooood. Love you my reader's! PEACE OUT!

A Single Bite

Chapter 3: Invasion of Kyllison Island

December 31st, 2014, 1 hour and 10 minutes after being bitten...

I paced back and forth in the room, remembering the invasion. All the blood. The gore. All the
survivors that could of kept living, but didn't get to because of that one simple invasion. I don't regret
it. Not one bit. But I wish...we would of been a little more smart about some things...

That we would of thought about what could happen to us besides dying...

That could of helped in the long run...

November 31th, 2008, 12:35 p.m.,Sax's Max Deals...

" What do you mean 'changing the plan'?" , Greg asked me.

" I mean we aren't going to go to the church. I think we should get to Kyllison Island." , I answered
him.

" Kyllison Island? Why?" , Andy Fritz, the Doc, asked.

" Well, think about it. It's out in the middle of the lake. Far enough from the inner city that the
zombies can't get to it. Plus both its bridges were knocked out.", I told them.

" That place is probably crawling with the f**kers." , Harrison said.

" Yeah, true, but we have a way better chance of clearing that out than we do the city.", I told him.
" What do you mean clearing out the city? I'm happy as it is right here." , he told me, taking a seat in
the Lazy Boy chair.

" Listen, if you want to live the rest of your god damn life with shit and blood up to your ankles, then I
suppose being in this group isn't the best thing for you. I don't want to see kids growing up in a world
were they have to look behind their back every time they walk down the street. I don't want an eight
year old carrying a shovel to defend himself because nobody bothered to take them out for him. You
see what I'm saying? Someone has to do it. If we clear out the island, then we can help and get more
people for our group, and do just that!" , I finished, slamming my fist onto the counter. I was standing
behind the bar, everyone else was in the living room.

" I agree with Ashton." , Nozomi said, looking around to see who else agreed.

" As well as me." , Kat said.

" Dude, you can fight. I'm with ya." , Chandler told me.

" You know I'm sticking with you man." , Greg told me.

" Forever.", Tiff said next.

" And ever." , Katie added.

" Yeah, I'll stick with the kid..." , Fritz said with a sigh.

" Me too." , Danny said.

" Oh my god..." , Harrison said, laughing, after a while, he then to agreed to stay.

" It's settled, we're taking back Kyllison Island.", I said, pouring myself a glass of juice.

" If it's not taken back already." , Harrison said.

I wanted to argue, but he was right.

December 3rd, 2008, 12:12 p.m.,Sax's Max Deals...

" Use both hands to hold the gun Tiffany.", I told her.

" But I've seen you using only one." , she argued, placing a hand under the clip.

" Yeah, but I'm an experienced shooter." , I lied. I wasn't experienced, but I could still shoot better
than everyone in the group.

" Like this?" , Tiff asked and fried, the bullet ejecting and hitting me in the eye.

" Yeah, but next time wait till I'm standing behind you." , I chuckled.

" I hit him." , she told me, watching the dead Newborn collapse onto the street.

" That you did." , I told her, " Come, lets go back down."
I walked towards the ladder that led up to the roof from the closet in the bedroom, snow falling softly
into the opening. I climbed down and heard Tiffany following me. I just reached the bedroom door
when Fritz burst through the door.

" Oh...Ash! Come quick!" , he said, and I started to get worried.

Was someone hurt? I hoped not as I followed him into the living room. Everyone was gathered around
the radio. Radio? Nothing ever good was on there, news and music wise.

" Here on Undead News, we have confirmation that there will be an invasion of Kyllison Island
commanded by General Hensen of the British Military on December 10th. Survivors that are out there
General Hensen says he will allow you to help and fight along side him and his men. Any help
available would be appreciated. They will have weapons for those who have none. They will also have
boats for those who are in groups. In other news the, the power station is still being controlled by the
city's National Guard. There is no sign of any...." , Danny turned off the radio.

" Well?" , he asked, looking at me. They all looked at me, wanting to know what I was thinking.

" I guess this means we're changing the invasion date to the 10th huh." , Chandler said, looking at
me.

" You couldn't be more right.", I told him, " Chandler, Greg, get some guns and ammo, we're gonna
train these guys for the next few days. Everyone to the roof!"

December 9th, 2008, 5 :12 p.m.,Sax's Max Deals...

" Ashton! The bus is outside and ready. All the guns and food are inside. We gonna go?" , Greg asked
me as I sat on the bed. Both him and I were dressed like we were the day we went on the recon.

" Yeah. Lets go." , I told him, standing up and following him to the door.

We got outside and the snow was blowing down in a blizzard. It stung the part of my face not covered
my the ski mask. I put my snow goggles down over my eyes to solve that problem. Greg did the
same. Outside, waiting on the catwalk, was Tiffany. I didn't understand why she was outside still.

" Ash, are you sure you want to do this. There could be a lot of trigger happy people there.", she told
me.

" It'll be easier this way.", I replied and she nodded, probably willing to take the risk as well.

Tiff wore snow goggles over here eyes as well. She also had on ear-warmers, a sweater under her
heavy coat, and baggy snow pants. Her boots crunched the snow as we moved towards the ladder to
get off the catwalk. We climbed down and walked to the bus, everyone else was inside also dressed in
winter outfits. We each carried one main gun and a secondary gun. Tiff had her Glock 18c attached to
her thigh by a holster. She also had a six shot .410 shotgun that she carried around her shoulder.
Less kick than a 12 gauge, but still powerful.

Harrison carried a Colt .45 M1911 and an old M1 Garand, a great find, although I wasn't happy about
giving him a weapon at all. I gave Chandler the silenced MP5 and another Glock 18c. Danny can't
shoot worth a shit so we gave him a long baseball bat and the small four round revolver for
emergencies. Kat has the sniper rifle from before, plus a .357 S&W Revolver. She turned out to be
quite the marksman. Nozomi was given a long, strong metal bar. She didn't want a gun. Fritz got an
AK-47 and Desert Eagle. He could take recoil extremely well. Yuri had two Walther P99's attached to
her thighs with a vest full of clips. The only person I know who can duel wield is her. Greg had a 10
gauge shotgun and a M1911. I carried the silenced M4 with me and a .22 Ruger.
" Chandler's driving, right?" , Greg asked.

" Yep. Get in." , I motioned for the other two to go first.

When they climbed in I followed. I nodded to Chandler who sat in the drivers seat. He nodded back
and closed the doors, started the engine, and tarted driving to the beach. The windshield wipers were
going on full blast from the blizzard. I sat in the seat behind Chandler. The bus rocked back and forth
from the wind as we drove on towards the site of the invasion.

December 9th, 2008, 7 :13 p.m., Layveiw Beach...

" Dammit!" , I screamed as the green hand shattered through the safety glass of one of the bus
windows.

" The frickin Green! I can't get a shot off at him!" , Chandler yelled.

" None of us can!" , Yuri yelled back.

" How the f..." , Harrison was interrupted by the Green shaking the bus.

I was thrown into a seat, hitting my head on a window.

" Screw this!" , I shouted.

I stood up and took out the Ruger. They all watched me as I opened the doors and jumped out. I
heard someone in the bus call for me to stop, but I was already outside.

" Come on Green! Lunch is ready! A nice, hot dish of lead!", I yelled, cocking the chamber on the gun.

The shaking of the bus from the Green stopped. I could hear that much. The roars and grunts also did.
I looked in every direction. There was nothing but snow and the bus. I moved away from the bus a
couple more feet and looked towards the bus. I could barely see the yellow through the snow that was
coming down so hard. I looked around, seeing nothing but white.

More white...

And even more white...

And some green...

Wait, Green? WHAP!

I felt myself being thrown through the air and hit something hard behind me, knocking the wind out of
me. The Kevlar making it hard for me to breath. I fell from the place I was thrown against and went to
my knees gasping for air. I heard the roar of the Green and started searching through the snow for
the pistol. How could I have dropped it!?! Idiot!

Then the breath was further knocked out of me as something came down on the middle of my spine. I
gasped and fell flat in the snow, but my hand found something hard and I picked it up. The gun!

I was about to roll over and fire when it picked me up by the back of the neck and slammed me
against the bus. It held me against it and roared. I raised the gun and started firing randomly since I
couldn't see its face. Plus I was panicking. I heard its attention was only slightly distracted from the
bullets hitting it. Shit! It roared again and its hand got tighter around my throat. I couldn't breathe!
Any second that monsters mouth will close around some part of me too! Infecting me!

BANG!

Something splashed against my goggles and I fell to the snow, coughing and gagging and gasping for
air.

" Christ! Didn't think that one through." , I said in a raspy voice, chuckling.

" Come on Ash, get a hold of yourself." , I heard Chandler say, walking over to me and dragging me
along and back into the bus.

" You're a goddamn idiot Ash. You could have been killed!" , Yuri yelled at me from the back of the
bus.

" Better me than all of you don't you think? Those Green assholes are easily distracted. If a cat ran
across its path it would of chased that instead.", I said, still raspy.

" Whatever. Lets just get to the marina. No use arguing about what's done." , Harrison said.

" Harrison, that has to be the smartest thing you've said yet." , I told him.

He flipped me off.

" I would drive us there, but we're already here." , Chandler told us.

We all looked out the window and could barely see the sign for Layveiw Marina. Wow, go figure!

" Alright then. The snow is to much for us to go search for that Brit General. We'll wait until morning.
In the mean time, lets get some shut eye. I got a feeling we'll need it tomorrow." , I stated, and
amazingly, everyone agreed.

December 9th, 2008, 7 :56 p.m., Layveiw Beach...

" Oi! Sir! We got three of 'em over here!" , said a British soldier, calling back to one of the many tents
littering the place.

Greg, Chandler, and I traveled over here to meet with him. It was snowing very lightly, which I was
thankful for. We waited outside a large sandbag wall as a high ranking officer in a Brit uniform walked
out of the tent and towards us. We stood, standing with our guns hanging on our shoulders and in our
holsters. I had to admit, we looked pretty bad ass. Greg and I didn't even look like high schoolers.

" Well, looks like another group. How many? Just you three?" , he asked, his accent distinctive.

" No, we got eight more in a bus." , Chandler spoke. I made sure he looked like the one in charge. He
just put off that aurora.

" O-ight. Any questions? We got a lot of hours to kill before we do this." , he said.

" Sure." , Chandler said.


" O-ight. Oi! Peterson! Get some keys for these yanks! Two! One for a sail ship and one for a
speedster!" , he yelled to one of his soldiers.

" Yes sir!" , the soldier yelled back.

" Okay. So, I'll take your questions now." , the officer said.

" Yeah, first one, why is the British Military here?" , I asked.

" Well, America has gone into the shitter and the rest of the world is trying to clean up certain parts of
it, to get that part of the land. Like New York, bloody hell, I don't think we'll ever get that place
zombie free. If we do though, I'll have to tell you, It'll be run by us British. And Los Angles in
California, Japanese are trying to grab it. Houston in Texas, well, no other than Mexico. Sorry blokes,
but U.S.A. won't be U.S.A. anymore."

" Christ." , Chandler said.

" Alright, makes sense.", I said.

" Second question. How are you planning to attack the island? Any tactics?" , Chandler asked.

" Well for f**k's sake! I'm a British Army Military Officer! Of course there is going to be tactics! Who
do you think I am?" , he asked.

" An asshole." , Greg answered, angry about the U.S. being taken over by the other countries.

" Watch it. I don't have to bring you along." , he said to more him than us.

" So what are you planning to do? Tactic wise I mean. We don't want to be mistaken for Newborns or
anything, so we need to know where you're going and stuff." , Chandler said.

" Right, well, we'll be attacking straight from here. I have split my men into groups. I got one group
going straight through the island. Two going along the right side along the shores. One of those
groups will break off and move to the middle of the island half-way through. The other will meet at the
back of the island still sticking to the shores. Same with the last two groups, only they'll be moving
left along those shores. We should have a good enough sweep that we won't be swarmed at night.
You're free to tag along with whatever group, I could really give a f**k, or you can do your own thing,
just remember that if you hear someone yell 'scream' you yell 'echo'. Also vice versa."

Just then, Peterson came back with our keys, giving them to us.

" Alright, we'll be going then. What time are we invading?" , Chandler said.

" At 0830 hours bright and early.", the officer replied.

" One more thing. When this is all over, we're gonna take back our city. We're gonna get it back from
you stupid Brits.", Greg said.

" I'll be looking forward to that. Maybe I'll get the chance to blow your head off that way." , he replied.

Greg flipped him off as we moved back towards our bus.

" ZOMBIES!" , I heard someone shout.


I searched for the source of the shout, but still couldn't see anything from all the snow. I patted
Chandler o the shoulder and he did the same for Greg. We all ran back to the bus.

December 10th, 2008, 8:30 a.m., Layveiw Beach...

" You ready Ash?" , Greg asked me as I stood outside, a light snow falling. I could see all the way over
to the Brit's makeshift H.Q. and beyond.

Everyone was now getting into the boats that littered the shores of the marina. There were at least
thirty bodies from dead Regs and Newborns. There wasn't many of them last night, but because
visibility sucked last night at least ten of the Brits got it. Luckily the British knew that it was the bites
that infected people.

" I'm ready." , I replied to Greg.

We both walked to the boats. Chandler, Tiffany, Kat, Danny, Yuri, and I were in the speedster.
Everyone else, plus the gear, was in the other boat. A sail boat that also had a motor. Greg was on
the other boat to keep everyone in check. Well, mostly Harrison and to make sure little Susie was fine.
He was so good with her, like an actual parent.

" We'll go and you follow, we'll keep our speed medium for you." , I told Greg and he nodded.

I walked a little ways into the water, Yuri and Kat helping me in. I took out my M4 and nodded to
Chandler, who once again drove. We took off and I looked behind us as Greg's boat followed. I then
looked to our right and left sides. I saw at least ninety boats on either side of us all together. With this
many people, the invasion will be a piece of cake.

" Hey Ash. How many of them do you expect to be on the island?" , Kat asked.

" Hopefully none, but expectant wise...at least three hundred. If we're unlucky it'll be the islands
entire population." , I answered. Everyone but Chandler and Yuri looked worried all of a sudden.

" How many are on the island?" ,Yuri asked.

" I think it was up at 522,000 in the last year." , I told her.

" Oh my god." , she gasped.

" Like I said. That's if we're unlucky. Chances are, when everything went down, that most of the
people fled the island because they felt trapped or were just scared." , I told her.

" And what about the fanatics." , Chandler asked.

" Huh?" , I was confused, what about them?

" What if this island is there Headquarters or something. There might be hundreds of them." , he
explained.

" Holy Christ. You're right. Those guys totally slipped my mind. I haven't seen any of those guys for
months.", I said, shaking my head.

" Should we tell the Brit?" , Danny ask.


" Yeah. Give me the walkie talkie." , I said, Danny handing it over. We got it from the British Officer
this mourning. He said we should keep in contact. Greg also got one.

" Yo, British Commander sir." , I said into the talkie.

After a couple seconds, " Who is this? What group?", it wasn't the Commander.

" It's Ashton from the group of survivors you guys met with last night." , I told him.

" I see, SG 7. What do you need?" , he asked, his voice static like from the distance.

" I need to talk to your commander, I got to warn him about something." , I told the guy.

" O-ight. I'll put him on." , and there was a click.

After a couple minutes, " What is it Ashton?" , it was the Officer this time.

" Well mister, did you ever hear about the fanatics?" , I asked him.

" Yes, but what has that got to do with anything?" , he asked, same as me.

" Well, this could be their island if you know what I mean. They have guns too. Just telling you so you
could advise your men. I don't want this to be a major blood bath if they're there and defending their
beaches. It'll be like Omaha Beach on D-Day." , I told him. He answered again after a couple of
minutes.

" O-ight. Understood. You have a good point, I'll be sure to advise everyone. Thanks for pointing that
out." , he said.

" No problem. Out." , I told him and then put Greg on the radio, telling him the same thing.

When I was done I gave Danny the walkie talkie and sat back down in the seat. Danny was hooking
the walkie talkie up to a small box which got everything that the invasion force was saying over the
radio's and walkie talkies. I set my head back and closed my eyes, letting the fear come so I could get
it out of my system before hand. As I did this I listened to the radio.

" All of my men report." , I heard the British Commander say.

" Group one okay." , said the officer in charge of that group.

" Group two is sound as a pound."

" Group three, still quiet."

" Group four, everything is just fancy...um...wait..." , said the static voice of an officer.

I opened my eyes and looked at the black box.

" Sir. There was something in the water just now. It was big. Really big! I don't know anything about
the U.S. or this city, but I don't think that they have fish the size of whales in this lake.". said the
officer, and he would be absolutely right.
I stood up and walked to the side of the boat, Tiff giving me the binoculars. I listened to the radio
while I searched over the boats that I thought group four was.

" State again Group Four." , the General said.

" Um...well...there was a big...arrgh! Christ!" , the officer yelled.

" Group Four! What is your status!?!" , the General yelled over the radio. I couldn't see anything out
of the ordinary.

" No sir. We're fine it's just...something really smelt terrible. Kinda like rotting fish. Oh god that
stinks." , he said.

" Rotting fish?" , the General said. Rotting...fish. Oh shit. Maybe it wasn't just humans this virus
infected.

" Yes..." , then there was nothing.

I still didn't see anything in the binoculars that looked out of the ordinary...but there was a gigantic
slap and splash behind me. I spun around and water was still coming down from whatever hit the
water. There were no ripples from it, but waves instead. The boat rocked side to side from it.

" Oh my god! Did you see that!" , said a voice over the radio.

" It was a gigantic shark!" , said another.

I picked up the radio, " We don't have sharks in Grimmstone!" , I yelled into it.

" Yeah, plus it didn't have a dorsal fin! You know, the fins you see before sharks attack you! Like in
Jaws!", said another voice, American this time.

" Christ then what was it!?!" , the General yelled over the radio.

" F**k! I don't know sir! It just swallowed our officers ship whole!" , yelled a soldier.

" ..it. Everyone full speed ahead to the island!" , I heard the General yell. He must of been talking
before he got on the radio. I'd be cussing to if ten of my men just got eaten all at once.

" Greg!" , I said getting on the radio, " You there?"

" Yeah. Christ man, you go ahead, we'll be fine. Trust me, I know what I'm doing." , he said.

" Are you sure?" , I asked, using the binoculars to look at him. I say him talking on his own radio.

" Yeah." , he replied and I saw the boat start to speed up and swerve back and forth.

I put the radio down and turned to the others.

" Chandler, speed up a little, but not full. Everyone else start looking for the water monster. Danny,
use the radio to tell the other ships where it last was." , I told everyone.

They nodded and took out their guns, searching for the gigantic fish. I used the binoculars and looked
over towards the place the one boat use to be. Then everything got blurry as the sound of rushing
water ignited in the air. I pulled the binocs from my eyes and saw the monster going straight up into
the air and slamming back down into the water. Getting me a little wet.

I could tell what kind of fish it was too. A Catfish. Hopefully that was the only one affected by the
virus. If not, we just went into the lake of no return. Wow, that sounded cheesy even in my head.

" It's still over there!" , I yelled to Danny. He reported it.

" Go to plan B!" , the General yelled.

" Plan B? What the hell is Plan B!?!" , I yelled.

" I think only his guys know." , Tiff said, pointing to the boats on either side of us.

They started swerving and breaking apart from their original groupings.

" Danny! Ask him what the hell Plan B is!" , I yelled.

As he did that I watched for the water monster again. I saw it swimming, mouth wide open, just
above the surface of the water and swallow another ship whole. Oh my god, why is this happening.

" Jesus Christ! Danny, what the hell is Plan B!?!" , I yelled.

" The Commander says its where we just need to get to the beach, find a group with someone in
charge, and get to the opposite end of the island." , he said.

" That'll be complete chaos!" , I shouted, kicking the side of the boat.

" Ash, we're at least two miles from the island. Do you just wanna gun it?" , Chandler asked.

" No...I don't wa..." , but I stopped in my sentence as a shadow passed over us.

I spun around and saw the gigantic Catfish completely vertical in the air and turn to come down on us
and swallow us whole. Luckily, as if our whole lives were based on luck, it missed, splashing and
picking us up in a wave. The boat must of flipped over a couple times because I found myself under
water and trying to swim back to the surface. My M4 must have been sinking to the bottom right now.
Dammit!

When I broke the surface I took a look around and saw the Speedboat still floating and, you guessed
it, luckily still floating with its bottom in the water so we could still drive it. I saw Kat and Chandler still
inside the boat, Tiff being helped in by Kat. Chandler was helping Danny back in. I tried to swim but I
was sinking again instead. The Kevlar! Damn! I unstrapped it and let it sink to the bottom, my ammo
and pistol still in it. I started swimming again and could actually breath better with it off. I went as
hard as I ever could. That damn fish could be anywhere!

" Ash! Swim! Swim! Hurry!" , I heard Yuri yelling.

She must have been on the boat too. I swam as quick as I could, feeling as if the fish was on my tail.
I heard a splashing sound behind me and I picked my speed up more, knowing if I didn't hurry, I'd
end up like the poor saps from group four. Gahhhh!

Bonk!
I felt my head hit something hard and was soon being pulled up and onto something flat.

" Chandler! He's in! Punch it!" , I heard Danny yell.

" Thank god Susie is on the other boat." , Tiff said and Kat agreed.

I was coughing and gasping, completely worn out, taking my ski mask off. Plus I had a headache from
swimming head on into the boat. I was also feeling depressed for losing my guns...my beautiful guns.
I would of cried if it weren't for the fact that we had plenty more in the other boat.

" Ash! Are you alright?" , Yuri asked me.

" Fine." , I told her, my voice raspy from being sore.

" Good, because that Shark is right behind us!" , she yelled, pointing.

I jumped to my feet and stared into the blackness of a hole with jagged sharp teeth all around the
opening. Oh my god!

" Christ! Have any of the guns made it through the little acrobatic spiel we had!?!" , I yelled.

" Here!" , Yuri gave me one of her pistols and we started firing at where we thought the brain was. We
didn't know much about fish.

" Dammit, we aren't even effecting it!" , I yelled.

I handed Yuri the gun while she reloaded. I couldn't think at where the brain would be at when
suddenly an explosion hit the side of the fish. It drove it off course.

" What the hell?" , I cried out, following the smoke trail to one of the British's boats.

I waved an appreciation and was surprised on the accuracy of the projectile. They must have amazing
soldiers to be able to hit something like that from that distance.

" Chandler, gun it to the beach. I can see about twenty other ships almost there. Plus, I don't want to
have another incident with the Shark." , I told him. I guess the Catfish more over deserved a shark
rating. It did resemble it more than itself.

" Understood. Hopefully, Greg has as much luck as we just did, or more." , Chandler said.

" I can agree to that my friend." , I replied.

We flew along the surface of the water for another ten minutes. The beach wasn't far ahead, so
Chandler decreased the speed. The Shark wouldn't be able to get us in the shallow waters ahead
anyway.

Whistle.....Booooosh!

There was a fountain of water that sprayed straight up. What the hell what that? Was that an
explosion? Then more of those sounds as they started going off everywhere.

" What..." , I was about to ask when Chandler interrupted.


" Mortar fire! We're being shot at!" , he yelled.

He swerved back and forth at the louder whistles. I yelled for him to just get us to the beach when
one of the boats ahead of us exploded in an orange ball of flame. I saw a couple people get thrown
into the water.

" Over there! See if we can help someone from that!" , I yelled to him. I don't know why I wanted to
act heroic. I'd probably end up getting us killed.

Strangely, Chandler didn't argue and we were over there in a flash. We managed to pull two people
aboard, both from the British Military. Another boat went up in flames and we drove over to it. We
only got one guy out of it, another Brit.

" Hurry!" , I yelled to Chandler as another fountain of water from a mortar round blew up near the
boat.

Chandler gunned it and we ended up hitting and actually going onto the beach. When we got there, I
jumped out of the boat and ran to an old beach house that we happen to drive up by. I kicked in the
door and search the one room building in case of any zombies or the guys shooting at us. Neither
were there.

Thankfully, everyone followed me in. Even the Brits. We gathered by the far wall, looking out the
windows and up the hills that went onto the roads around the city. I saw sandbags all beside the
roads. I saw the black hoods of the fanatics.

" Well, this is Fanatic Island." , I said, one of the Brits running to the window, looking out.

" Figures." , Chandler said.

I heard another boat explode outside.

" I can get 'em." , said the Brit at the window. His rifle was semi and full auto. But it looked awkward
because the clip was below the stock instead of in front of the trigger. The small optic scope on top
made it look funny. At any other time, I would have laughed.

The Brit fired after a couple of seconds of looking through the scope.

" Got 'em!" , he said, looking away from the scope.

Whoooosh....CRACK!

The Brits head snapped back and then lulled forward, blood started to run down the side and front of
his face in a river like stream.

" Holy...looks like they got guns too!" , I yelled, stepping farther back from the window as the young
Brit's body slumped onto the wooden floor.

" Christ! We need a radio so we can warn our..." , one of the other Brit's started to say, but reports
and rattling gunfire drowned him out at the last moment. The fanatics must be firing with all their
weapons now!

" Get away from the windows! We need to think this..." , I started, but my breath disappeared.
Before I knew what happened, I was staring at a separate wall, not able to breath. I was lying flat on
my chest and I couldn't hear anything. I saw someone, they were more of an outline, trying to get up
when three blood fountains erupted from his body. He went limp.

The corners of my eyes started to darken. Everything was fading. What...had...happened?

December 11th, 2008, 11:10 a.m., Kyllison Beach South...

I opened my eyes in a panic. Fanatics! I pushed to get myself up, but something was holding me
down. I looked to the side and saw the large cabinet that had leaned against the wall before...well...I
could also see the wall was gone. I started and succeeded in wriggling out of the cabinets weight.
What had happened? It was awfully quite right now. Was I knocked out? That would explain most of
this head ache. The wall was gone and a crater was outside, well, now filled with snow and ice.

Ice? How'd I survive the cold when I was knocked out. I looked around the room and figure it must
have been from all the stuff that covered me up, much like a blanket. The snow was cold, but not
when you're underneath. Like an igloo.

I moved around a bit, thankful nothing was broken. Mostly just bruises. I walked over to one of the
dead Brits. There were two in the beach house. I leaned over and picked up the awkward rifle they
used. I also took a jacket of one of the dead ones, since mine was freezing from the water freezing
into ice in it when I fell in the lake. I checked the gun to make sure it was still working and to see if I
could work it. It was pretty simple, but felt a little different when I aimed. I would of fired a shot, mut
I didn't want to risk it if there were any zombies or fanatics around. I could be the only survivor from
this invasion. I don't know how it turned out.

I stripped all the clothing from the Brits corpse. I felt bad, but he wouldn't need them anymore. I put
them on as layers and even put on the vest to hold more ammo in case the gun worked. It was still
based on luck. This whole world was now based on luck it seemed.

" Damn. I hope everyone is okay.", I said.

I knew that wouldn't be possible once I stepped outside. I saw...literally...hundreds of bodies. I could
tell which ones were the zombies, those must of been half of them, but there were also some fanatics
and a lot of Brits. It must of been Omaha Beach out here. I looked at the water and saw blown up
ships, some parts from both people and ships, and a couple floating zombies that weren't dead yet.
Probably turned Brits.

I was glad in a sense, as I walked along the beach, that I didn't see any people from my group.
Although, Harrison wouldn't be very sorrowful for me, but it would mean Greg's group probably didn't
make it. I carried the gun with it's strap around my shoulder as I walked over the corpses.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I heard the scream that almost blew my eardrums somewhere inside the island's city. It sounded
human, but...it had a strange pitch to it. I decided to give up on searching the corpses. I wanted some
company. It was better to have someone that was able to watch your back. I did hear some rifle
reports after the scream and then nothing. I started to jog towards the direction the scream came
from. Hopefully I wasn't to late.

The streets looked just as bad as the rest of Grimmstone. I saw a couple Regs roaming, which meant
that this was probably where the infection started. I just jogged on, not worrying about the Regs.

RahhhhhhhhhhHHHHhhhhhhhhhHhh!
The ear blowing shriek sounded again. I covered my ears to protect them somewhat. When it was
over I dropped my hands and took the gun off from around my shoulder. I brought the stock into my
shoulder and I held up the gun. I started to go around the corner of the street when someone ran
right in front of me. I aimed at there head just incase it was a Newborn, but it wasn't. It was the
person I least expected to see and wanted to see. Harrison. I didn't aim the gun away. He had blood
all over his face and looked like he was in a panic.

" Harrison, it's me Ash. Where are the rest of our group.", I said, still aiming the gun at him.

" I don't know! We got split up at the beach! I'm getting the hell out of here because there is some
screwed up zombie behind me!" , he yelled.

He didn't even care that the gun was pointed at him, he just pushed past me and sprinted down the
street, making enough noise for the Regs to even notice him. Then some sort of shadow past me and
I saw Harrison stop immediately in his tracks. I saw the grey figure with only ripped pants on,
standing in front of him.

Then, Harrison's head looked like it was splitting in two. Then the top part fell to the ground. Soon
after, his neck did as well, then an arm. Then his whole body slumped to the ground. The grey
skinned figure stood there and then turned so I could see its entire body. Its face was all out of
proportion. It's as if it's jaw had grown so its mouth took half of its head. Its eyes were just two slits
and it didn't seem like it could see. That wasn't the worst part though....its hands were gigantic. They
looked like the thumb and pinky shrunk and the other three turned into fold-able blade-like fingers.

Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech!

I threw my hands over my ears as it opened its huge mouth and screamed. When it finished I took the
gun and fired, hitting it in the temple. Its brains spewed out the side of its head and it collapsed. I
figured it had to be attracted to sound because it looked right at me and did nothing. It was fast to, so
it could have killed me before I did anything.

I walked up to it and studied it. I was hoping this would be the last zombie type during this
apocalypse. There were Regs and Spewers. Both easy to remove and very common. Then there was
the Newborns. They were the most common but wouldn't be for very long, the reason why I only rank
them as a two. Then there were the Greens. They weren't common, but I was surprised at how I had
survived so many encounters with them. Especially the first. Then the Knights, which are the worst,
but I only had fought one. Plus they couldn't go out during the day. I guess that means
these...Screamers...were the worst. They're wicked fast, have expert hearing, and they're hands are
actually more deadly than the Green's. They're also daytime creatures, which makes it just as bad.
Hopefully these are the most rare.

I saw the hungry Regs starting to turn in my direction and start gathering towards me. I pulled back
the chamber of the gun, checking if I had a bullet in it. I let the chamber fly back and I started jogging
down the street. I had no idea how long I'd been out, but I decided to play it safe and move towards
the opposite end of the island.

I knew the way since this wasn't the first time I've been on this island. A couple of Regs were trying to
corner me towards the sidewalk on my right so I shot a couple of rounds into each of their heads.
They collapsed and I jumped over them. I continued down the street stepping on top of dead bodies,
kicking crows and other scavenger birds from my way. I jumped onto the hood of a car to see if my
path was clear ahead and of course it wasn't. There was a Reg stumbling over a dead Green and two
Newborns were picking at one of their victims. I jumped off the car, walked slowly, aiming steadily as
I picked off the two Newborns. I didn't bother with the pathetic Reg. I continued up the street
maneuvering around the wrecked cars and other vehicles. I saw a Newborn punching and hitting his
head against the car window he was in. It was a new car, so the safety glass didn't even crack. I
moved around a bunch of Regs that decided to move away from their evening lunch to come after me.
I saw a Newborn wearing the British Uniform coming down the street after me, I lifted the gun, fired
once, hitting him in the shoulder. It didn't even phase him. I shot again and hit him in the jaw,
making it hang brokenly off. I shot again and hit him on the forehead. His head whipped back and he
fell to the body covered street.

" Damn. This will take longer than I thought." , I told myself.

I then heard gunshots and screeches down the street to my right. Then I heard the sound of a motor.
I stared down the street and saw a Humvee drift around the corner. It swerved and then hit one of the
abandoned cars, flipping it upside down and also threw someone from the machine gun position on
top. I sprinted over to the wreckage. The faint smell of gasoline and oil protruded the air when I got
closer. Dammit!

I ent over to the body I saw thrown from the Humvee. It was one of the Brit soldiers. His head was
soaked in blood and his mouth was opening and closing like he was trying to say something. His eyes
were dead though, so I knew he was a goner. I put a round in him so he wouldn't change and make
their numbers one miserable number more. I ran over to the doors on the Humvee and opened the
front ones. The driver was lying with his neck at a ninety degree angle, he was dead, but the other
was another Brit and he was still moving, trying to undo his seatbelt. I crawled in and took his knife
from his belt.

" Who...are you?" , he said quietly.

" Ashton. Call me Ash. If you stick with me, you'll get through this alive." , I told him. Whether or not
that was true, I didn't care, but it usually gets you some authority when you say that and save
someone at the same time.

" Ash?" , I heard a voice in the back seat say. It was a girl's voice, and very familiar.

" Yeah? Who is it?" , I asked, not able to place the voice, but it was from someone in my group before
the invasion.

" Kathryn." , I heard the voice say, and I gasped.

" Kat! Damn!" , I hurried and helped the one soldier down and then went around the end to help her
out. She had another gash over her eye and was limping when I helped her out. When she was free
from the vehicle, she wrapped her arms around my neck and started crying.

" Ash, I thought you were dead!" , she cried into my shoulder.

" Obviously I'm not." , I chuckled, patting her on the back.

" Well, I hate to break up this reunion, but we were driving away from a swarm of those bloody
Newborns. We need to move now." , the Brit said, taking a small pistol from the holster of the dead
driver. He popped a round into the head of the driver so he wouldn't wake up. We heard the yowls and
cries of the Newborns coming from passed the corner the Humvee came from.

I had the Brit help Kat towards the bared window shop near us. The sign was lying in the street,
covered with bodies, so we didn't know what type of shop it was. The Brit shot the lock and the
ricochet hit a crow picking at a body. It flopped over with a squawk.

" Nice shot." , I said, smiling at the impossibleness of it.

" Thought I'd get us supper while we're at it." , he said, laughing at himself.
He kicked the door in just as the swarm ran around the corner. He charged into the building, holding
his gun up, in case any Newborn or Reg thought about sneaking up on him. I stood in the doorway,
aiming at the swarm of zombies, but the one ahead of the others ran past the shop, not even looking
at me.

" Come on! Do you want to live for ever! Get back at them for taking your wives! Your children! Your
lives! Kill the stencheeeeeeeeeeeeeees!", I heard some drill Sargent like voice say.

I looked over at the opposite end of the street and saw another swarm, but a swarm of people, all
either armed with iron pipes, fire axes, or guns.

" Where'd those people come from?" , I asked out loud.

" Who cares! There bloody idiots!" , the Brit said, pulling me into the shop and slamming the door
behind me. Turns out I should be listening to him and him not me. Kinda ironic.

I sat down, looking out the window. An old man around fifty ran out in front of the rest of his group,
shouting at the top of his lungs. The rest of the human group was in the same war-like cry. The old
man was carrying a pump-action sawed off shotgun and three Newborns came sprinting at him. He
fired simultaneously and two of the three hit the ground. The other just stumbled and kept running.
He kept trying to shoot, but he was out of ammo. His eyes went wide with regret and the Newborn
took a chunk from his throat while tackling him to the ground. The swarms clashed against each
other, and I couldn't see anything in all the chaos.

I sat back, leaning against the counter of the store, which turned out to be a small mart. I looked at
Kat who was sitting across from me, leaning against the wall. She looked terrible. Her hair was a
tangled mess, her eyes looked bruised even though it was just because she was tired, and her cheeks
were spotted with dried blood, fresh blood, and dirt. But, she was still Kat, and that made her
beautiful. She looked up at me with her tired eyes and smiled.

" I'm so happy to see you Ash." , she said to me.

" My thoughts were the same about you.", I replied back to her.

" Second time you've saved my ass." , she said.

" Yeah, and I enjoy it every time." , I said, not meaning to sound sarcastic.

" Yeah, but...when...when you took that mortar round. I...didn't even..." , and she couldn't finish,
tears starting to clear a path through the grime on her cheeks. What the?

I moved closer to her, pulling her head into my shoulder as she cried.

" Listen Kat, you did exactly what I would of had you done." , I told her.

" I don't care. You're the only person I really wanted to survive! And when I saw you lying under the
bookshelf. The blood. I almost gave up, but when I figured I could do you the favor and kill you when
you became them. Some how we all got separated. Those Brits were nice enough to help when those
Newborns came after me. I think the sound of the Hummer attracted more." , she told me, sobbing.

" Listen. I'll get you through this Kat. I promise." , I said to her, hugging her tight.

She looked up at me.


" I know you will." , she said, her eyes sparkling with drying tears.

We sat together, staring at each other. Somehow, our lips kept getting closer and closer, until both
our blistery lips closed over each other. It didn't look anything like a good kiss, but it sure felt like
one. We kissed again, and again, and again. It kinda hurt since out lips were chapped, but we couldn't
seem to stop.

" Ahem." , we heard someone say in front of us. We both stopped and wiped some access saliva from
our lips.

" I think this would be the worst time for something like that." , said the Brit.

" Yeah. We know." , we both said, blushing red.

" Look at those bloody idiots out there." , the Brit said, nodding towards the window.

" I don't need to look. I can hear it." , I told him. And we could. The screams, the shouts, the gunfire.
All of it was completely audible through the shop. They were idiots.

" So what's your name?" , I asked the Brit.

" Private William H. Coastline." , he said.

" Pleasure. What happened at the beach?" , I asked him.

" The fanatics. They were along a ditch above the beach. A mortar round hit near my squads boat and
I was sent swimming to the shore. I had to lose the body armor so it wouldn't take me under and
drown me. After a couple of hours the fanatics retreated and then the bloody zombies swarmed us.
Those screaming ones got most of us. After that I fond one of the groups that had gotten a Humvee
on the beach. We escaped in that, picked Kathryn up along our escape, but the zombies wouldn't
leave us the bloody hell alone, so we kept driving until the crash and now this.", he said.

" In a nutshell right?" , I asked.

" Yeah." , he said back.

William had gotten us all some canned peaches from one of the counters. We gladly took them, eating
them slowly, savoring the tanginess which was going to have to last us a while.

" What's the plan Ash?" , William said.

" Get more survivors, smarter ones that is, and find out where these fanatics stay. Then kill them
all." , I told him.

" Really? Think we can pull that off?" he asked, obviously looking at all the bad things that could
happen.

" Yeah. I'm sure we can." , I told him.

" Well, I got nothing better to do but kill zombies and fanatics. I suppose this isn't such a bad plan if
simple." , he said, nodding his head.
As we listened to the action outside, I couldn't help but think how this all came to be, but I had a
feeling, we'd soon find out.

December 31st, 2014, 2 hours after being bitten...

I sat in my chair. I was getting cold really fast and the blankets didn't help. I knew the virus was
almost done spreading. Soon would come the vomiting. Then the bleeding. Then the Tears of Blood. I
knew I was dying, and yet, I wasn't sad. Was it the fact I was going to meet my first love again in
heaven? No, I didn't believe in heaven. But where ever Kat is now, heaven, purgatory, some other
religious place. I knew I'd be with her again in the end.

I wasn't looking forward to remembering the next chapter of my life in this undead war, but it was
necessary I remember, because it was something that I should never forget. Not even in my last
hours here on earth. As a person...

Author's Note:  For those of you who love Kathryn (Kat) then this chapter might make you a
little sad. I didn't like doing it, but it helps get emotions out of my readers. I hope it get
emotions out of you, otherwise this sucks . Thanks for reading!

A Single Bite

Chapter 4: Kidnaped

December 31st, 2014, 2 hours and 12 minutes after being bitten...

I tried to think back to the day I lost the most important person to me. Sure I didn't like to think
about it, but it was something you shouldn't forget either. No matter how bad you want too. Especially
what happened to her. It's in my nightmares every time I have one.

I heard a knock on the door.

" Come in." , I said, my voice scratchy.

" Hey Ash.", Greg's voice said, the door opening, " The building's secure. Lunch'll be in a couple of
hours." , he said.

" Alright. Thanks." , I said to him.

" You alright there Ash?" , he asked me. I sighed.

" Never better." , I told him.

" Alright man. I'll be back when lunch is ready." , he said, leaving me alone in there.

I heard him leave and I went back into my depressive mood. It was friends like that who've kept me
alive through all the zombies and the depressed days after Kat was killed. Or maybe that was an
understatement.

December 23rd, 2008, 9:14 a.m., Kyllison Island Bank...


" Dammit Greg! Get that bloody RPD out of here! We need head shots not rapid fire!" , the Brit,
William, yelled at him from the second story balcony.

" I'm sure if I keep the gun aimed right I can get a lot more head shots a lot faster.", Greg yelled back
at him. He hates the British now.

" O-ight weapons expert, be my guest! Waste f**kin ammo!" , he yelled at Greg.

William went back to firing his .22 Ruger Carbine out the window. We picked up some weapons after
the swarm on swarm battle 13 days ago. We found Greg in a shed, a Green was trying to pry his way
in there at him.

" They're to many trying to get in from the back!" , Kat yelled, running into the room, holding a Glock
we picked off a dead cop.

" Danny! Follow me and let Vinnie take care of that window!" , I yelled at him.

We found Danny, the same one from our group, trapped in a sewer hole. He'd fallen in a manhole
without looking where he was going. The ladder had been broken and he'd been waiting for someone
to help him get out because he couldn't see. He was lucky no zombies were near him or he would of
had to fight them in the dark. Danny was using a spiked baseball bat he'd made himself. Vinnie was
an old 60 year old Italian guy that we'd found hiding out in his apartment. He'd decided to follow us
on his own. He was using a regular hunting shotgun. 12 gauge. He was running low on shells though.

Danny followed me as the Newborns and Regs crowded around the window. The blizzard outside made
it so we couldn't see how many there actually were. Two other Brits, Sydney and Claud, were trying
their best to keep the zombies at bay though a picture window. Each still had their rifles from the
invasion. The freaky weird ones with the clip in the back.

The door was off its top hinge and zombies were piling up against it. One without legs slipped through
and came crawling towards us. Danny slammed the bat down on its head and then pried it free. He
did this another three times. I aimed the rifle I still had at the door and took shots at their heads till
there were enough dead I could keep the door from crashing down.

" Come on you bloody stenches!" , yelled Sydney, firing out the window.

I kept firing out the window as well, while I reloaded, Danny batted them back. Kat was trying to
reload her clips so I could go back into the lobby area of the bank with everyone else. Her fingers
were cut and a little bloodied from reloading and firing all day. She was still pushing the bullets in
quickly though, the adrenaline keeping her from feeling pain.

I saw the Newborns piling against the door again and I took shots at their heads once again. Danny
was readjusting his gloves to grip the bat better while I fired.

" Hey Ash! They're starting to dissipate near the lobby doors!" , I heard Vinnie yell from the lobby.

" Alright! If you can spare a man then get him here!" , I yelled over the gunshots of the Brits.

I saw Greg run in and set up the bi-pod on top of a desk from his RPD Machine gun he'd found
somewhere. He started firing and the zombies outside the door staggered and drop like they were
dancing to the beat of Greg's gunfire. I saw that William was right. Greg was wasting ammo and not
really getting any head shots. He could be so stubborn when it came to advice from people he didn't
like. No matter how right they were. I'll have to talk to him about that after this. If we live through it
that is.
I re-killed the ones that Greg didn't while he reloaded. I heard him struggle, still not use to the
reloading system. I fired and killed two zombies as they reached through the door's crack. I had to
run up and help Danny as his bat got stuck in a Newborn's face.

" God dammit! I shouldn't of put the nails in!" , Danny yelled to himself as he pried it off. I smacked
the zombies back with the stock of my gun while Greg reloaded.

" Move guys!" , I heard Kat yell and Danny and I back off. She started firing her Glock at the zombies.

I took this as my chance to reload and I looked back at Greg who was tinkering with the RPD. He
wasn't even paying attention to anything but that. I smacked the new clip into the gun and cocked it.
I ran over to Greg and got by his ear, just to make sure he heard me over the gunfire.

" Greg, forget the machine gun! We have a fire ax in the lobby!" , I yelled to him.

" What are you talking about? This thing blows them out like candles!" , he yelled back, playing with
its chamber.

" All it does is make a bigger mess for us to clean up dammit! Now get the melee weapon for now!
We'll find you another gun later!" , I yelled.

" F no! I'll do way better with this man!" , he said, cocking the chamber.

" You'll get more 'kills' with the ax then that!" , I yelled, getting frustrated.

" Just back off Ash!" , he yelled. What the hell happened to him? Why was he being such an idiot? Was
it because we were fighting along side the Brits?

I backed off, for now. I was going to have his ass afterwards though. I pulled Kat back so Greg had a
clear firing range and let the gun rip into the horde. I saw the arms and chests get ripped apart more
than the faces. It was quite aggravating to watch Greg whoop and yell as he tore through the horde.
Crippling but not killing.

" They're starting to dissipate over here to!" , Sydney yelled from the picture window.

I started shooting the ones Greg was missing as he reloaded again. He was using up to much ammo!
Kat stopped me and said that William wanted to talk to me. I reloaded my gun after using the last of
the other clip on the heads of the not so dead Newborns Greg had shot at. I walked into the lobby and
saw Vinnie outside, putting out the zombie stragglers he couldn't get from inside. He was using his .45
8 shot revolver since he was probably out of shells.

" Yeah Will?" , I said, walking up next to him. He was watching Vinnie while he worked.

" I know where the fanatic's base is." , he told me.

" Really? When did you find this out?" , I asked him.

" A couple days ago, but I've been thinking about what to do about it." , he said as Vinnie shot a
single arm and legless Newborn. The gunshots were starting to become less noisy in the back room.

" Well, I think I can scout the place out, see if it's alright to invade." , I told him.

" Scouting the area wouldn't be a bad idea, just to make sure it is their base. Invading it would be a
really stupid idea. They can shoot back and we don't have nearly enough bloody people." , Will said.
" Alright. I get what you mean. Kat and I can scout it out tomorrow morning while it's still dark. As
long as there isn't another swarm coming towards us that is." , I said.

" Actually, I was hoping to take the group to that...what is it called...'Broken Ring Hotel'?" , he said,
wondering if he got it right.

" Ring Hotel? Why?" , I asked him.

" Cause the building is like a 'C'. We can cover all the entrances a lot easier that way. Plus, we can
hold a lot more people there if we come by more survivors." , he said.

" Makes sense." , I agreed.

" I have to make sure that place is their bloody base first though!" , he said, arguing with himself.

" How about this, I take Kat and her and I will scout the place out. When we're finished, we'll make
our way to the hotel, wether you're there on not. Sound good?" , I asked him.

" Yeah if the fanatics didn't shoot back it would be that simple." , he told me, not liking it.

" It won't be easy, but this isn't the first time I have dealt with them. We'll be careful and if the shit
hits the fan we'll hall ass out of there." , I told him. I realized how much more authority he had over
me even though no one ever voted for a leader. We trusted him because he was experienced in
combat and it seemed like a good idea. Greg wasn't to hot about it though when he was told to do
something. William sighed and then looked at me with a small smile.

" You've had good luck so far lad. I suppose asking for a little more wouldn't be a bad idea. Take
Sydney with you too." , he told me and I nodded. The gunshots in the back room were beginning to
space out and become little bursts and short gunfire. I saw Greg walking into the lobby and he was
smiling, his eyes wide with excitement and adrenaline. He set the RPD down and checked his ammo,
cursing because he was almost out. I walked over to him as he took out the ammo and I took the gun
from him.

" Whoa." , he said from surprise.

I started to disassemble the gun and every piece I took apart I threw somewhere in the lobby.

" What the hell are you doing Ash!" , he shouted, trying to make me stop by grabbing for the gun. I
kept the pieces out of his reach.

" This gun won't help us at all! It's an ammo waster!" , I yelled at him. I threw the last piece in the
corner.

" Dude I was cutting them down like paper!" , he said to me.

" You were just leaving a bigger mess for us to clean up!" , I yelled at him, pushing him. He staggered
back in surprise.

" You shot more ammo then I did and got ten times as less kills! You know what, you're going to clean
up out there. Grab that can of gasoline and pile them up. Burn them. The gloves and masks are by the
gas can." , I told him, then I turned to Claud who was coming back from the back room. I didn't hear
any shots anymore.
" Claud, go with Greg and watch his back while he cleans up." , I told him and Claud looked at me first
before looking at William. William nodded and he followed the already pissed off Greg towards the
back room. Kat and Sydney were just coming back.

" Get outta my way stupid Brit." , Greg said through clenched teeth, pushing Sydney to the side.

" Oi! That was real nice you f–kin wanker!" , Sydney said as Greg walked. Greg flipped him off not
even stopping or turning back.

" What's Greg's problem? He seems a little more pissed than usual." , Kat asked me once she was by
me.

" He's pissed cause I'm making him clean u the mess he made." , I told her and she mocked a 'your
terrible' expression to me. I chuckled at it.

" What's the plan for tomorrow?" , she asked.

" Well, tonight me and Will are going to discuss things about the fanatic's base. You, me, and Sydney
are going to scout it out in the morning." , I told her.

" The fanatic's base? Where is it?" , she asked.

" One of the things we're going to talk about tonight." , I told her, letting her know I didn't have much
information at the moment. I walked over and grabbed some gloves and put them on. Kat followed
me.

" Are we going to invade them if we find out that really is their base?" , Kat asked me, pulling on a
pair of gloves herself.

" No. No use risking being shot anymore than we have too. It'll just be nice knowing something about
them." , I told her.

" Yeah." , she said, pulling her scarf over her mouth and nose.

I grabbed a can of gas while she grabbed a pole and we walked out the front doors into the blizzard to
help Vinnie clean up.

December 23rd, 2008, 10:14 p.m., Kyllison Island Bank...

I was walking back from the meeting with William, the plan now set. Kat, Sydney, and I were going to
leave early in the morning to go down the street to an old three story apartment building. Across the
street was an abandoned warehouse that Will had seen fanatics leaving and entering before. I was
hoping it wasn't going to snow to much tomorrow because I would cancel on scouting it out and just
head to the hotel with Will instead.

" Ash." , I heard Kat call and I stopped to turn around. She had her head sticking out of a doorway
and was looking at me.

" Yeah?" , I asked her, wondering what she wanted.

" Can you come in here please?" , she asked, ducking back inside the office she was using as a
bedroom. The second floor was a bunch of offices and each one of us had one for ourselves. I was
outvoted in sharing the offices because I thought if something happened then to one of us, no one
else would know. Everyone would rather have privacy though and I thought that was retarded. I
walked over to Kat's door and opened it She had the lights turned off and I couldn't see anything.

" Kat? Would you mind turning on a light or something?" , I asked her.

" Just walk in a little farther." , she said and I did so, wondering what the hell she was doing. I
stopped when I felt it was far enough and heard the door close. The lights flicked on and I saw her
bed out in front of me, the blankets we looted for lying under two pillows. One of the pillows was from
my room.

" Um...Kat? You feel lonely tonight or something?" , I asked her with a nervous smile.

I turned around to where the light switch was and she was standing right in front of me. She was
staring into my eyes, blushing.

" Very lonely." , she whispered and kissed me, putting her arms around my neck.

It took me a second to figure out what was happening and to move my lips along with hers. After a
couple minutes of kissing she started to take off my hoody. I didn't try to stop her. After the hoody
was off, our kissing became more aggressive. I started unbuttoning her V-neck sweater and she
started undoing my button up shirt. I threw her sweater in the corner of the room and she ripped the
rest of my shirt off, not even bothering to unbutton the rest.

Her hand ran up my abs and to my chest as we started kissing again. I picked her up by the thighs
and she wrapped her legs around me. I stumbled towards the wall and accidently slammed her back
against it. She broke off the kiss with a gasp of surprise and pain, but be fore I could apologize her
lips were on mine again. I pushed her against the wall, kissing her while I undid her belt. I slid the
belt from it's place and threw it somewhere in the room. My mind was buzzing so much from the
hormones and pleasure that I didn't care where any of the clothes went.

I bit down on her bottom lip, pulling it a bit and ran my hands up her torso to her breasts, squeezing
them as gently as I could control and ran my hands to her back as her moan slipped through her
throat. I turned around and fell down on top of the bed she had made, her back laying against the
sheets. We were sweating against each other now.

I moved down to remove the snow pants she had on and I did the same for my jeans. Our boots were
already off. I moved back over to lean over her. My palms were by her head and my knees by her
waist. She held her hands on my shoulders, her face red from blushing and being nervous. I bet mine
was too. She gave me a smile and I returned it, leaning down and kissing her lips gently before
removing our underwear.

December 24th, 2008, 4:47 a.m., Kyllison Island Bank...

I watched Kat as she slept. I couldn't myself because I was worried to much about her. If anything
bad happened to her, how was I to forgive myself? I wouldn't would be the problem. She was mine
and I loved her, I wanted to tell her this but it would make everything harder to do. I think we both
knew it already though.

I watched has her chest rose and fell as she breathed. It was calming me down just to watch her
sleep. She looked so innocent. I wish I wouldn't of asked her to come along. Maybe I could change her
mind? No. She wouldn't agree. She wanted to come. Probably to make sure I made it. I couldn't let
her go though. To much more of a risk. I climbed out of bed and got dressed. She moaned and said
something in her sleep. I walked over to her and kissed her forehead before walking out her door.
I decided to take Greg instead. I loved Greg like a brother, but he was more capable of handling
himself than anyone else in our group besides Will. I walked over to his room and woke him up.

" What is it Ash?" , he asked me, a little grumpy.

" Get your gear. You're coming instead of Kat." , I told him, he moaned in distaste and got out of bed.

" She chicken out?" , he asked, getting his boots on.

" No. I would just rather have you come." , I said. He smiled smugly.

" Because you'd rather I have your back or because you're still mad about yesterday, 'cause I've
learned my lesson." , he said.

" Both." , I told him and he chuckled.

I smiled as well. He started getting on the layers of clothes he had and I stepped out of the room to
go to Sydney's room. I walked in and he was already dressing.

" Time to go eh?" , he asked.

" Yeah. Greg is coming instead though." , I told him. It looked like he said 'shit' in his head as he
looked at the ground.

" What's wrong with the lass?" , he asked.

" I feel better with Greg coming instead." , I told him, and just as I thought he would, he
misunderstood what I meant.

" Well, I don't. He might put a bullet in the back of me." , he said, flinching at the idea.

" I'll make sure he doesn't. Lets move. I don't want to hear another word of bellyaching." , I told him
and he rolled his eyes at having to listen to a kid.

Greg met us downstairs in the lobby and we were getting our gear which was on top of the cashier
table. I grabbed one of the rifles with the clip in the stock and the pistol grip in front of it. I asked,
finally, what the gun was called, talking to Sydney.

" It's called the L85, but yours is the A1 version. Mines an A2. It uses the regular

7.62 NATO rounds. We'll be able to find a lot of those f–king bollocks around here. With all my dead
comrades." , he said and I nodded my head. I didn't feel sorry about him losing his comrades. I felt a
little guilty about that.

" I got the binocs." , Greg said, calling from the doorway. I nodded to him and fit an extra mag into
my pocket. Greg was using Will's .22 Rifle that he must of given him a little bit ago while he was
upstairs.

We all had scarfs or cloth pulled up over our nose and mouth to help with the cold. I was the only one
with the hood. We walked out of the bank without letting William of our departure. He knew what was
going on, it didn't matter if we told we were going. The frosty morning air bit at my cheeks and I was
glad to see only small floating snowflakes fell. Not enough of them were there to obscure our vision. I
looked back at the bank, regretting a kiss from Kat before I left, but that would of meant she knew
what was going on and I didn't want her to find out till we were to far away for her to follow.
The three of us stayed close to the buildings on the left side of the street as we ran towards the
apartments for our spying outpost. It was still almost pitch black and we didn't risk a flashlight so we
kept our hands on each others shoulders and used the outlines of buildings to determine the one we
were looking for. The smell of the precipitation was enveloped in the rotting meat stench more as we
closed in on our destination. I was in the middle of our single file line and I shivered from disgust as
something soft squished under my snow boot. Sydney was leading and he took us to left and past a
doorway.

" We're here." , he whispered.

We took out our flashlights then. And we searched for the stairs. When we found them we climbed
until we got to the top floor and walked into a bedroom facing in the direction of the warehouse. We
sat down and waited for the sun to rise.

" So...what do expect we'll find?" , Greg asked, clearly bored.

" A street full of rotting corpses, building with snipers on the roof, and maybe some guards." , Sydney
answered. I was surprised at his last two answers.

" How do you figure Brit?" , Greg asked, snickering.

" Well, the rotting smell got stronger as we neared here meaning there are corpses outside." , Sydney
said and Greg cut him off.

" No shit sherlock. Such a great detective. I meant the other two, the guards and snipers." , Greg
said.

" I would of told you if you wouldn't of interrupted me my obnoxious, American friend." , I heard the
sarcasm in Sydney's voice and Greg grunted at him.

" The snipers because I saw their outlines against the night sky and the guards because I heard some
whispering and saw cigarette light." , he said.

" You're a very observant person." , I told him, never noticing those two things.

" You learn things when you serve in the military. I fought against some terrorists recently, but
instead of getting a bloody 'welcome home' party when I returned to London, I was shipped over here
in August and now look at me. F–king bollocks think they can take your country as their land, but
they're risking to much. Bloody hell, England might be infected with Newborns running around right
now as we speak. We have no way to keep in touch. I want to say 'I hope my family is okay', but I
haven't even thought about them till now. Kinda glad I didn't get myself a wife and have kids before I
left for here. That would make this all worse. Not that it already isn't worse." , Sydney said and Greg
and I listened.

" I think of myself as your brother whether you like me or not. That's what all of us survivors are now.
Brothers and sisters with the enemies trying to rip our family apart with rotting teeth and a religious
zeal. I've seen many of my brothers and sisters fall, but I believe we can still win this war. It'll be
years before the world is fully cleansed, but we're humans. We're built with instincts to survive and
that's what we do best. Survive. If I die, it'll be with a weapon in hand and as many of the f–king
bastards guts I can spill under my feet." , he said and I felt like there was still hope. The hope I've
had ever since the beginning was starting to brighten like added wood to a small fire.

" Amen brother." , I heard Greg say and we all started chuckling. I could tell Greg's stereotype
towards his British partners a sunken and we both felt a new found respect for Sydney.
" Well...there's daylight." , Sydney mumbled and we noticed the room was brighter.

I saw the horizon lighting up and sending strange colors into the sky. Hazy purple was connected to
the orangish clouds. It was strange seeing even the little bit of snow falling from the clouds while they
looked like that. I took the binoculars and saw the snipers on the rooftop and then guards at the
entrances. Their black tactical suits and the gold crosses on top of them were enough to convince me
they were fanatics.

" Looks like Sydney was right." , I said and handed Greg the binocs.

" Christ. They're armed with H&K's . MP-5 is the model. The snipers have those SVD Dragonov's. Hell.
We should get out of here before it gets to bright. Unless you want to be under a hail of hot lead that
is." , Greg said and Sydney and I quickly agreed.

Greg handed me back the binocs and I took another look out the window with them when we both
heard the motor of a vehicle. I saw a black SUV pull up to the front of the warehouse and two fanatics
got out and went to the back.

" Hold up guys." , I told them, hearing them gathering supplies.

I saw the two guys each take two people from the back. The people's hands and feet were bound with
ducktape. Their eyes were covered with black cloth blindfolds and it took me a second to realize who
one of them were.

" Holy shit! They got Danny!" , I shouted and Greg cried out in surprise.

I tried to figure out who the other person was and when I did my heart sank. I felt complete dread as
I saw one of the fanatics threw KAt over his shoulder and walked into the warehouse.

" Christ. No. No, no, no, no, no, no." , I said, falling back with wide eyes and a hanging jaw.

" What is it?" , Sydney asked, taking the binocs and looking out the window, Greg came up and held
my shoulder. I wanted to cry, but I was in to much shock to.

" They...they...have Kat." , I studdered.

" Shit!" , Greg shouted and I saw Sydney take the binocs from his eyes, mouth open and eyes wide.

" Run. Run!" , Sydney yelled and he grabbed our gear. I was still in shock and Greg dragged me from
the room, carrying both our guns.

He dragged me and before we got around the corner, bright orange flashed through the room we were
just sitting in. I blinked as burning wood and splinters rained and shot towards me. I had enough of a
mind to cover my face when I saw the orange. When we were around the corner Greg smacked me on
the cheek and yelled at me to snap out of it.

" We need to move!" , Sydney yelled and I stood up, trying to clear my head, but all I could see was
her being thrown over his shoulder and taken inside.

I followed them down the stairs as another rocket shook the building, making me stumble and roll
down the remaining stairs. I started crawling towards the next staircase as Greg and Sydney sprinted
towards the back of the apartment on the first floor.
" Guys! Wait!" , I shouted, but another rocket hit when I shouted it, drowning my voice out. I lost my
balance again and fell down the last of the stairs. I landed hard on the floor and I turned my head
towards the direction they were running. I saw the back of one of their coats and then they were
gone.

" Greg." , I mumbled, my head making everything go fuzzy. I smelt the smoke from the rockets and
then heard a crunch to the opposite direction. I turned and saw a blurry black figure and realized that
the click was a gun and that the figure was a fanatic.

Then everything dimmed as I once again was knocked unconscious.

You'd think I'd have permanent damage from the concussions.

December 24th, 2008, 11:23 a.m., Underground Research Facility...

My head pounded with a splitting pain and I dared to open my eyes. I squinted and saw fuzzy white
everywhere. I shut them and then counted to ten in my head, trying to clear my mind. The events
started to pour back in my brain and my eyes shot open. I saw a man in a white coat and glasses with
grey hair writing something down on a clipboard. Behind him was a white curtain running across, what
I assumed was the middle of the small grey brick room. I looked up and saw my wrists were chained
to the ceiling and my feet were dangling in midair. My arm hurt bad from hanging like this.

" What's going on? Where am I? What are you doing?" , I spewed the questions before I could get a
hold on common sense, or any other sense besides panic and pain.

" I'm running an experiment where I'm going to see how you react towards somebody being killed in
front of you. You are completely helpless of course, so it should bring out some nice responses. The
last few have only cried and screamed and I'm hoping you'll be different." , the old man said without
expression in his voice. He kept looking at me and then the clipboard while he spoke.

" Who are you?" , I asked him.

" Philip Hose. I'm a scientist here at this research facility and helped create the viral outbreak for our
cleansing of the planet towards you heretics. You've been eavesdropping on our facility and our God
punishes those who spy to be a sinner. So spy, you're going to be part of the experiments." , he said.

" You...you're the reason for this...virus!" , I yelled at him.

" No, no, no. You misunderstand. We are the reason for the outbreak. The virus was found somewhere
in Brazil. We tinkered with it when we returned here and decided it was God's doing and we were
suppose to bring down his might on the sinners of the world with it." , he explained.

" Obviously you were wrong!" , I screamed at him. He clicked his tongue, shaking his head back and
forth. He grinned.

" This is the attitude that got you into this position young one." , he said.

I growled at him and swung my legs at him. I kicked him in the cheek and his head whipped to the
side, his glasses flying into the wall.

" F–k you!" , I said aggressively.

He grinned and sighed, walking over to his glasses and picking them up. Placing them back on his
nose. He walked over to the curtain and pulled it to the wall. I saw a person lying on a metal table,
their feet and hands strapped to it. I saw that the table was cut in half and two hydraulic like columns
were holding the two parts together and up. Philip started marking things down on his clipboard. I
recognized the person strapped down instantly and my eyes and mouth opened wide with terror.

" Kat?" , I said, and my voice was quiet from fear.

She stirred and then looked towards me, squinting. Her eyes went wide to in realization.

" Ash? Oh Ash! They got you too? No! Oh no!" , she shouted to herself.

" Calm down Kat. Please, we shouldn't panic, that'll make things worse." , I told her.

Philip was looking from me to her with interested eyes.

" You two know each other? Well now, this will be interesting." , he said with an evil smile and I
looked at him.

" Let her go you stupid bastard! Let her go!" , I screamed at him, thrashing and kicking, but I only
swung back and forth violently. He laughed and moved his index finger back and forth as if saying,
'nuh-uh-uhhhh'. His smile pissed me off more as he walked out the white door to the room. There
were four camera's I the room, each in the corners.

" Ash, are you alright?" , Kat asked me, and I turned back to her, all of my pain forgotten except for
the pain of dread and fear. I didn't care about what happened to me, but not her! Not her!

" Everything will be fine." , she told me.

" No Kat, it won't." , I said, tears starting to roll down my cheeks. I couldn't help it now. This will be
the last time I see her alive. I knew it was because the scientist said so and no help will be coming.

" You're right..." , she started to say something else, but the sound of a machine cut her off and I saw
the table pull itself apart a couple inches, stretching her out.

" Nnnghh!" , she cried through clenched teeth, her eyes shutting in pain.

" Kat? Kat!" , I said panicky. This can't be happening!

" Don't watch Ash!" , she cried as the table stopped moving. I couldn't pull my eyes away from her
helpless body being tortured. She only had on a tank top and her panties. It looked pitiful and I felt so
guilty about not being able to do anything. I was so helpless. I hated this feeling. Especially now. Then
the front of the table tipped up and at the same time so did the back. Her stomach was being pushed
upward. The table stopped after a couple centimeters.

" Kat?" , I whimpered.

" A-Ash. I w-wasn't mad about y-you leaving without me. I-I would of d-done the s-same thing in
your p-position." , she said, eyes shut and tears starting to bead up at her eyes.

" Why...Why are you saying this now?" , I asked her. Why would she be talking like this.

" I just wanted..." , and then the machine moved up another couple centimeters and she cried out in
pain.
" Kat!" , I shouted, sobbing, my face warm and wet from tears. She started sobbing as well.

" I j-just wanted f-for y-you to know that, I-I-I'm not dying a-angry a-at you is a-all." , she said. That
was so silly!

" This can't be happening!" , I screamed, thrashing and swinging around again.

The machine moved upwards again and a little red line appeared near her belly button. She screamed,
looked and saw the blood running down her torso from the small cut and she started crying harder.

" Kat! Kat, look at me!" , I yelled at her, and she kept her eyes shut from pain.

" I said look at me!" , I screamed and she did.

" Look into my eyes and don't look anywhere else!" , I shouted and she did.

Her mind started to get lost in my eyes and when the table moved up some more, the cut getting big
enough you could see inside her. If she felt the pain, she didn't show it in her expression, she just
stared into my eyes. Her hair hanging downward, her mouth slightly parted as blood came from its
corners and slid down past her eyes. Her eyes were sparkling from tears and she cried harder after
the table moved.

" Ash." , she said quietly.

" Kat?" , I acknowledged, hoping she wouldn't scream, because if she did I would cry even harder.

" I-I love you." , she whispered. I started sobbing harder now.

" I love you to Kat. So much." , I whimpered, tears dripping off my chin. She gave me a smile and
closed her eyes for the last time. I kept my eyes on her face even when the table jerked once more. I
could hear her spine crack and snap. I didn't look. I heard organs and blood hit the floor with a splat
and I still didn't look. I watched as blood ran down her beautiful face. I wanted to see her sparkling
eyes again, but I knew they would be lifeless now. No sparkle.

" Kat?" , I whimpered, snot dribbling down from my nose with my tears.

" Kat look at me." , I said, knowing she wouldn't. She couldn't anymore. She was gone. Forever. The
only girl I've ever loved was dead. Died in front of my eyes and I couldn't do anything but try to
comfort from a distance.

" Oh Kat." , I sobbed as if she could still hear me. And then the sobs stopped suddenly. All my
emotions, dread, sadness, loss, all replaced themself with rage. I raised my head, tears of anger
rather than grief , poured down my face.

" You...son...of... a...BIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH!" , I screamed, my voice cracking and becoming raspy. I


started yelling and screaming wordlessly. The rage starting to blind me.

I looked up and lifted my feet to the ceiling, pushing with my legs, pulling with my wrists and arms.
The hook up to the ceiling groaned and then snapped. I fell hard on my back, the wind being knocked
out of me. I barely noticed. I felt no pain now. I got up and staggered over to Kat's face, wanting to
caress it. I wiped away blood from her cheeks. I cried out in anger, screaming towards the ceiling. I
leaned down and whimpered again, caressing her cheek. I kissed her still warm lips one last time and
pulled my hand through her hair once more before I pulled myself away from her.
I heard the door open and I swung my head in it's direction. Philip was grinning before he saw that I
was loose. His smile went into surprised astonishment and his eyes wide from fear at my expression. I
probably looked like a picture of a pissed off Satan.

" Um...C-Calm down...we can..." , but my scream drowned out the rest of his sentence.

" Raaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" , I screamed and the last thing I remember, was my hands closing around
his throat.

December 31st, 2014, 2 hours and 30 minutes after being bitten...

I closed my eyes and tried to swallow the lump in my throat. I hated thinking about her like that and I
still couldn't remember anything after I wrapped my hands around that f–king cocksucker's throat. It
was all fuzzy. I knew I'd killed many people from what Danny had told me. When I had woken up from
the blackout, I had been carrying a stockless H&K MP-5 with fore-grip and short barrel in my left
hand. Danny had his arm around my neck and I hand my right arm around his waist, helping him.
He'd been shot and was clutching his wound. I'd been shot three times. Once in the shoulder, twice in
the right leg, but I didn't feel the pain. We'd made it all the way to the Broken Ring Hotel. William,
Greg, Sydney, and Claud were all there and healthy. Will fixed Danny up and he made it. Vinnie had
taken a bullet and died minutes after my arrival. I don't remember feeling any emotion after all that.

I stared at the wall in my room and thought about how things started getting better. Back then I
didn't think of it as getting better, but now that I think about it, things had been. The survivors
started coming, seeing our sheet we draped over the side of the twenty-two story hotel. I remember
that those were the months when my leadership started to surface even more. I felt nothing though.
After losing Kat, I'd lost myself for a little bit. Not much emotion came from me. I realize now how
much I've scared them. I feel guilty about it. So I started to think about it. Like I've been doing.

Author's Note: Hello to the fans of this story and sorry it has been a while. This is the best
story I've written and this is kinda a filler chapter. He hasn't done much so I needed to
waste some of his time. Anyway, thank you for reading. Here is chapter five! P.S. : I've
been puttin a lil more "action" in my stories than I usually do if you catch my drift...

A Single Bite

Chapter 5: Things Look Up

December 31st, 2014, 3 hours after being bitten...

I stood and stumbled towards the bathroom, feeling nauseous. When I saw and smelt the dead Reg
lying there on the floor I couldn't hold it down and I hurried towards the toilet and vomited. When I
finished I leaned against the bathroom wall, flushing and staring at the ceiling. The lump in my throat
started to dissolve and I tried to remember the time after Kat's death. I remembered back to the
clearest part. It was a couple days after he incident.

December 27th, 2008, 9:13 a.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...

I stared out at the city below from the twenty second floor of the hotel. The hotel was practically a
gigantic 'C' and one of the few modern marvels of the city. It was a good tactical point for taking back
the city and I felt no hope about it anyway. I actually didn't care about taking back the city anymore. I
didn't care if I lived or died. I didn't even care about the bullet wounds that sent sharp pains through
my arm and leg. All I cared about was my objective to kill every undead f–ker out there. I didn't care
who does it, I just wanted it to happen. I'm going to lead a survivor army to do just that.
" Ash?" , said someone and I turned my head to see them. It was William.

" Hey Ash. About Kat, I'm sorry I couldn't do anything. They just grabbed them and took them away
in there black SUV before I could do anything. She was a great person and very loyal to you. I think
she even loved you." , William said, obviously uncomfortable and looking like he was ready to defend
himself if I sprung at him from anger. I felt nothing. Was that bad?

" She did love me. I loved her as well. She's dead now though, and there is nothing I can do about
that." , I told him, looking back out the window.

" If you don't mind. May I ask how she died?" , he said, looking defensive once again, but surprised at
my emotionless attitude.

" She was strapped to a table that was cut in half. The table would push upwards and she was ripped
in two." , I told him.

" Bloody hell." , I heard him whisper, disgusted.

" I'm making a new rule." , I told him and he looked at me suddenly curious.

" Any fanatics we find, we put to death. No questions asked. Just like the Soviets did to the SS in
World War Two." , I told him and looked to him.

" What if they surrender?" , he asked me.

" Then they will get a more merciful death, like a death squad or something. I don't care who they
are, what they've done, or what they do. Death for all of them." , I said and walked past him, towards
the stairs and started to climb them back down to the lobby.

William would tell the rest of the guys later. I had an idea for something and I needed some help. The
pain of the bullet wounds was at a low sting. It might of been really painful, but I could barely feel
them. It seemed I didn't feel anything since her death. That would scare me, but of course it didn't. I
stepped into the lobby and I saw Claud, Greg, and Sydney barricading the doors with furniture from
the lobby and dining room. The lobby looked pretty empty with everything up against the picture
window and four glass doors.

They were talking to each other. Sydney was comforting Greg about Kat since they were good friends.
Claud was trying his best to do the same for Greg, but he gave up since he was unsuccessful.

" Hey Ash, you okay?" , Danny called from the front desk, shirt off and clean bandages covering his
torso. The front desk was a good 25 yards from the door so if any zombo's did make it though, they
could take them out at a good distance. There was a door behind Danny and that led to the offices of
the hotel in case they needed to escape.

" Yeah." , I told him. I walked over to him and saw he was sorting through our supplies.

The first seven floors of the hotel were clear. There were twenty rooms on the first floor and then sixty
on each floor above us. The rooms after the seventh floor were probably clear as well, but we're going
to check anyway. The twenty-second floor is the only floor with ten rooms because they're large
suites.

" What's the status?" , I asked Danny, leaning against the desk.
" Well, I'd say we're doing okay. But just okay. We have the two L85 Assault Rifles with five clips each
and a 1,000 round box of ammo we found in an abandoned APC on our way here. We have Vinnie's 12
gauge that holds four shells and one in the chamber. That is all we have for the shotgun though, five
shells already in it. We have the .22 Ruger Carbine with two full clips and four full boxes. The Glock
18c 9mm with two full 17 round clips and half of a 33 round clip full. No extra ammo for it. The .45
revolver but no ammo so it's useless. Then my bat and I took the nails out so it won't get stuck
anymore. The fire ax and two hunting knifes. Then we have your average supplies like toilet paper,
ducktape, and etcetera. Medical supplies are running low because of me and you. Our wounds you
know. And as for food we can last approximately another two weeks. I keep the food on floor two
though, incase the first floor is taken you know?" , Danny explained.

" Good idea and good job. Take one of those hunting knives and start carving these names into the
wall. I want anyone who sees it to remember who has fallen or at least to see who has fallen for our
mission." , I told him, writing onto a piece of toilet paper with the front desks pen. I wrote Kat's name
first and then Vinnie's, Simon's, Caleb's, Baldric's, and then hesitantly Harrison's. He deserved it even
if he was an annoying coward.

" Tell these guy's they can add names to when you're finished." , I told him, handing him the paper.

" Um...Ash. What's our mission?" , he asked.

" To kill every zombie and fanatic on the planet. Starting with this city." , I told him and he nodded. I
grabbed a large roll of ducktape and walked towards the three guys building the barricade.

" Claud, Greg, come here. The barricade is good enough." , I said, walking to them, and it was. No
worries about a sudden break in.

" What do you need Ash?" , Greg asked, walking over to me. His eyes were red and puffy from crying
recently.

" Take this roll of ducktape and tape enough bed sheets together to make a big sign. We're going to
put it on the outside of the building so survivors can see it. Kind of like a flag." , I told them and they
nodded.

" What's going on it?" , Claud asked, taking the tape.

" We'll figure that out when me and Sydney come back with some paint and supplies." , I told him and
Sydney looked at me.

" We're going now?" , he asked.

" Yeah."

" But you've been shot three time Ash! You need to rest." , Sydney argued. I sighed, he was probably
right. I then saw William walk into the lobby.

" Will, go with Sydney and grab some paint at a store or someplace, we're putting a sign outside
that'll let survivor's know this place is safe. Grab food and ammo if you can." , I told him.

" Uh...okay." , he said and looked at me surprised.

" Get ready and move ASAP." , I told him, not wanting to waste time and I saw Claud and Greg head
into the hallway that led to the first floor's rooms. Sydney and Will jogged over to the supplies here
and got ready, dressing up in layers. They grabbed the two L85's and jogged back to the stairs. We
were using a fire escape chain ladder that hung from a third story window and led into the courtyard
of the hotel. Stairs led down from in between the two ends of the 'C', from the courtyard to the street.

I watched them leave from a second story room and Danny staggered up behind me, hurting from the
bullet wound. I turned to him and he smiled and small smile. I returned it, but didn't put much
emotion behind it. Just enough to let him know I was okay. He watched out the window with me and
we hoped we would be see Sydney and Will again. I felt I knew we would, was the people from our
group before, I had no idea.

December 27th, 2008, 5:19 p.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...

" ' Survivors come here. Food, water, and protection. Fighters needed.'. Think anyone'll buy it?" , Greg
asked after reading the sign.

" I don't know, but it's worth a shot. It couldn't hurt." , Danny answered him.

" I'm worried about the people who might try and steal from us." , Sydney said and I knew what he
meant. Kill us, then take our stuff. I knew plenty about people who might try that.

" I've got a plan for when people start to come. A precaution in case they're like that." , I said and
they looked at me.

" You do?" , William looked at me.

" Yes. Since you brought back those two Dragonov's, I'll have both Claud and Sydney act as snipers at
the ends of the ring to flank our visitors. We'll have them drop any weapons and if they try anything
funny, we've got two other people to act as men to cover us. Danny and Will, you'll have the L85's
and if they try anything, blow them to pieces, seeing as how Sydney and Claud can't once they're
inside. I still want you two to be watching out up there though. They could be trying to pull something
and you won't get down here fast enough anyway. We'll use the walkie talkies Sydney found to
communicate with each other. Sound good?" , I said.

" Actually, that is a pretty good plan considering how many people we have." , William said,
impressed.

" Yeah, I mean, we can still hold the element of surprise while they think they do. That's if they're
bad-guys I mean." , Greg said and Claud nodded.

" Claud and I are both good shots so don't worry about a thing. Bloody hell, Claud and I should go
right now and set up our posts while you guys get the sign up." , Sydney told us, tapping Claud on the
shoulder before they both left to go to figure out their posts.

" Alright, lets set this sign up." , Greg said and we all headed towards the stairs.

December 29th, 2008, 8:19 a.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...

" Hey Ash." , Greg said, walking over to me, pulling his scarf back down under his chin. He'd been
helping Claud burn bodies we'd found up on the rest of the floors.

" Hey Greg." , I said, counting through our munitions.

" Where did Sydney and Will go?" , he asked me.


" To check out this warehouse. They said it was filled with boxes the last time they were there, looting
buildings." , I told him, placing the fifth box filled with fifty 9mm bullets.

" Hey, did you know Christmas was four days ago?" , he told me.

" Hadn't noticed. Although that means New Year's is two days from now. Maybe Will, will bring back
some Spirit's." , I told him.

" Yeah." , Greg said, chuckling.

I wrote down how many 9mm boxes we had left (nine) and how many more we could use according to
our weaponry (two).

" What happened to you when we landed Greg?" , I asked him. His face phased over to surprise, then
sadness.

" I don't know. We hit the beach and I blacked out. I woke up later in a shed with a man in Black
holding an RPD. He was speaking Russian or German or something. He wasn't a fanatic. Anyway, I
figured out he wanted me to blow his head off. He'd been bitten. He was turning. I could tell from the
blood pouring in his eyes. I thanked him and killed him. A green found out where I was while I didn't
and then you guys killed it before I could. I was so glad to see you. I was, well, scared shitless." , he
said to me.

" Don't know what happened to anyone?" , I asked him.

" No." , he told me.

" Hope they're okay." , I said.

" Me too."

We stood there in silence a couple minutes when we heard someone shouting outside. Greg and I
walked over to the window and saw Sydney and Will outside holding a large crate. They pointed
towards the garage door that led to a parking garage under the hotel. I jogged out of the room and to
the basement, holding Vinnie's 12 gauge in case there were any stenches and a flashlight to see by.
Greg had followed and I needed his help to lift the garage door. Sydney and Will stumbled in and we
let the door slam down.

" What ya got there?" , Greg asked.

" Fireworks!" , Will exclaimed.

" What? Why'd you grab those?" , Greg asked.

" Haven't you ever seen Day of the Dead?" , Sydney asked.

" Well, yeah, but...would that actually work?" , Greg asked, looking a little skeptical.

" It should. The bloody Greens especially!" , Sydney said.

" They're easily distracted." , Will mentioned.

" Exactly, won't that lure them all here?" , I asked him. Will paused and then sighed.
" F–king ballocks! Didn't think of that." , he admitted.

" Although, I think we can still use them for something." , I told him.

" How?" , Sydney prodded, looking sullen.

" Claud and Greg found a working Humvee down a block to the east. They didn't feel like grabbing it
at the time, but if you guys take it down towards the opposite end of the island, shoot some of those
off till you gather enough attention from the stenches, head back here and our streets near here will
be safer for looting." , I told them.

" I like that!" , Greg exclaimed.

" Aye!" , Will shouted in agreement.

" Nice one mate! Come on Brother, lets go get ready!" , Sydney said to Will.

" I got a feeling this'll be a happy New Year after all." , Greg said, patting me on the back and
following the Brits, holding his own flashlight and leading them since they couldn't see.

I couldn't agree. I had no such feeling.

December 30th, 2008, 11:19 p.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...

" Wow, that was a pretty one." , Greg said, watching the fireworks from the roof with Claud and I. It
was a purple one with white things that buzzed around like bees. We were sitting around a couple of
flashlights.

" Think they can make it back? They been goin' at it for three bloody hours now. There must be a
swarm of those stenches littering the streets by now." , Claud asked.

" They'll be fine." , I assured him.

" Ash. Ever since Kat...um...well...ever since then, you've been very different. I knew since we've lost
three of our friends in the beginning of this, you were different, but I can't find any trace of old Ash in
you now. What's wrong man?" , Greg asked me, looking at me with a worried expression.

" I don't know. Leave it at that." , I told him, and the thing was, I didn't know, though my voice gave
off a sense that I did. He looked at me a minute longer, opened his mouth to argue, and then
stopped, watching the fireworks once more.

" Help us! Hey! Whoever lives here! Help!" , we heard someone scream down in the courtyard.

All three of us walked to the edge and saw four figures in the courtyard below. I ran towards the roof
door and sprinted down the stairs. When I reached the third floor I sprinted towards the door with the
ladder. When I reached it I threw the ladder out and heard a girl cry out in surprise below.

" Climb up the ladder!" , I shouted down.

I saw the ladder moving from people climbing up and I turned to see Claud holding the 12 gauge and
soon after Greg came in holding an L85.

" Oh my god! They're here!" , shouted a man somewhere outside and then I heard gunshots.
" Hurry!" , yelled a woman.

I saw a figure in the window of the window and I helped the person in. None of us had a flashlight and
we couldn't see their faces. Just their outlines. I helped in another person just as there was a scream
from below and I heard a gun go fully automatic. I then helped in another person, I knew this was a
child, before another outline appeared...then disappeared.

" Ahhhh!" , someone yelled and then it cut off in mid scream.

" Fred!" , one of the people yelled, a young woman from the sound of her voice.

" Greg! Get them downstairs! Claud, give me the gun and go with him!" , I yelled at them.

" What are you..." , Claud started but I cut him off.

" GO!" , I shouted.

He handed me the shotgun and I turned towards the window, shouldering the gun. Man it felt good to
hold one like this again. I pointed the barrel outside and waited. There was just plain, eerie silence. I
walked towards the ladder and looked down, my eyes adjusted fully now, and saw a body lying on the
sidewalk, in front of the hotel's entrance. I looked around and didn't see the other body anywhere.

" Shit." , I mumbled, thinking of what these probably are.

I set the gun down and started pulling up the ladder. I smelt a sudden, stronger tinge of something in
the air when the ladder was pulled halfway up and I remembered the smell from the library, the
strange smell of human and death mixed together. There are...

A shadow swung down in front of me and I fell backwards, startled. I saw the arms and head hanging
down upside down from the top of the window. I heard the sound of something wet dripping down and
I knew it was blood. I pulled up the rest of the ladder quickly and picked up the shotgun. I shouldered
the gun and backed up slowly, aiming at the window. I heard a grunt and then I couldn't touch the
ground. The gun fell from my hands and I hit the door with my back, knocking the wind out of me as I
slid to the floor. I saw a large shadow standing where I had and I knew from the stench it was the
Knight.

" HUNNNNGER!" , it roared.

" Tell me about it." , I gasped with loose breath.

I staggered up and I saw it crouch into a spring and I dived to the right as it went crashing through
the door. I crawled over to the shotgun as I heard shouting in the hallway and then some gunfire from
an L85. Greg!

I grabbed the gun, jumped up, and sprinted out the broken down door. I saw the shadow tackle Greg
and I pulled off a shot at the Knight. It roared in pain and turned to me. I fired again, walking towards
the monster as I did. It staggered back and screeched. I fired again and it fell down and started to get
up when I slammed the butt of the gun into the back of it's skull. It lied on the floor and whimpered
and I pumped the shotgun, pulling a new shell into the chamber. I put the barrel to the back of its
head and fired, the sound echoing through the hallway. Brain and blood sprayed everywhere. There
was heavy breathing behind me.

" Ash? Shit dude! Thank you! You saved me man!" , he shouted at me and came up behind me.
I stared down at the once has been head of the Knight and mumbled, " This'll be a hell of a mess to
clean in the morning."

December 31st, 2008, 1:32 p.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...

I walked around, back and forth on the roof, thinking. Tiff and Susie were two of the three people that
made it through the window last night. Tiff had taken Susie when she found her holed up in an old
sports shop. Neither one remembers what happened on the beach or minutes afterwards. Like
someone erased part of our minds. It was so bothersome. The other person was a gothic girl with the
name Ginger. Kinda doesn't fit her profile, but what do I know about profiling? Today, all that matters
is human or zombie.

" Ash?" , I heard Tiffany's voice say behind me.

I turned to see her standing there in an oversized coat that hung down to her knee's. It was snowing
again, but just little flakes. I could see her naked, cold looking legs shivering along with her teeth. Her
hair had been cut this morning, and it hung down to her neck. She had blue bags under her eyes from
not being able to sleep and she had on tennis shoes, but no socks.

" Tiff? Why are you out here? Go back inside where its warm." , I told her, feeling guilty we had no
extra clothes. We'd burnt any that were to bloodied from zombies in case of infection. Her pants were
victims, we had no extra pair for her.

" Um, I just thought you should know. Fritz, the doctor from our group, was one of the guys killed by
that Knight the other day." , she said. So much for everyone being okay.

" Fine. Thank-you for telling me. What about the other?" , I asked.

" Just some Brit soldier." , she said through chattering teeth.

" Know his name?" , I asked.

" Charles." , she told me.

" Alright, come on, let's go back inside." , I put my arm around her and led her to the door.

As we went through the door that led back downstairs she said something.

" Greg...told me about what happened to...Kat. I'm, sorry to hear it. It must of been terrible." , she
said to me and I started walking down the stairs slower, remembering what had happened.

" It was." , I said and we continued at the pace before.

" Do you want to talk about it?" , she said, her teeth chattering.

" What's there to talk about?" , I asked her, getting a little impatient.

" Well, If you tell me or someone what happened, you might feel better." , she told me, looking at me
with sparkling eyes. Her eyes reminded me of Kat's....and that made me even more irritated.

" I've already told Will." , I told her, and she looked like she knew already.

" I...think maybe you should..." , she started and I cut her off.
" What the f–k do you want from me Tiff? You want me to tell you how hard it was to watch her get
ripped into two? You want details?" , I nearly yelled. It was getting annoying, that everyone kept
bringing it up.

" No. No. I was just asking why you don't seem very effected by this. It's like you don't give a shit
anymore. That's what Greg tells me and I see it to, even though I've been here for less than a day.
You have a blank look on your face. It scares me." , she said, watching my face. I grabbed her arm
and she looked at me in surprise.

" Kat is dead. I loved her more than anything and she was killed right in front of me. You think I give
a shit about anything anymore when the one think I was really living for had been taken away from
me? F–k you. I don't give a shit, because giving a shit won't bring her back. Nothing will. Fritz is dead,
well, he ain't commin' back neither. Or will Simon. Or Caleb. Or Baldric. Or any Brit, Mexican,
American, Russian, or whatever, who has turned or died. None are coming back, and I could give a
rats ass anymore about that. If you're alive, then I care, if not, see ya. Now go downstairs and warm
the f–k up your shivering like crazy." , I said, teeth clenched and forcing the words out with anger.
Her eyes started to water and I wanted to smack her and tell her that crying won't help either.
Instead, I let go of her and walked back up to the roof just as I heard her shivering sobs.

God damn it all. People need to realize the more you care about the dead the harder it is to kill them
again. I knew if I saw Kat again, it wouldn't take much to put a barrel to her face and pull the trigger.
Because if I saw her again, it'd be because she wanted to eat me. I wouldn't let that happen. Not even
for her.

January 1st, 2009, 12:00 a.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...

" Happy New Year!" , Danny shouted, opening a bottle of champagne and pouring it into glasses for
everyone. He didn't give any to Susie because she was still to young, and according to the law, so was
he. Who the hell followed the law now anyway?

I drank mine quickly and set the glass down. Everyone was putting on their 'lets make the best of it'
faces and drinking and telling jokes. I myself, knew I had the blank face Tiff mentioned before. The
irritation had disappeared and I felt a little regretful for talking to her that way. I didn't feel guilty
though, I just wish I'd worded it differently. I could see her eyes were still puffy from crying. I didn't
know how long she had been, but it must of been long if they were still so red.

No one looked at me or came to me to talk. They all knew I'd give no effort to the conversation and
that any jokes would probably get no response. Not even a grin. Will and Sydney should be getting
back soon now. They'd join in on the celebration too. I walked over to the counter and checked out
the weapons. I picked up an L85 and cocked it. No bullet of course, was in the chamber. No clip
either. It just felt safer holding a gun. Even one that was unloaded and couldn't kill anyone.

I weighed it in my hands and put it back down. I sat in the chair behind the counter and watch as
everyone drank and acted silly. I could see Susie wanted some of the alcohol, but Danny kept arguing
with her and she gave up and went to pout in a corner. I watched as Ginger, the Goth chick, drank a
few more glasses and began to get tipsy and stupid.

I walked over to Susie and picked her up. Time to go to bed kid-o." , I told her and she looked at me.

" But I'm not sleepy." , she said.

" I know, but this isn't the place for you." , I told her and walked with her on my shoulder to the third
floor. She yawned halfway up and I walked her to the room she shared with Tiff. I placed her on a bed
and started to leave when she stopped me.
" Ash! Don't leave! I don't want to be alone again." , she said.

" Okay." , and I sat on the bed next to her.

" Ash." , she said.

" Yes?" , I asked, actually not minding being up here at all.

" Will all the monsters go away some day?" , she asked. I thought about this.

" Yes." , I told her.

" How do you know?" , she asked me.

" Because, nothing lives forever." , I told her, hoping it didn't get her all worked up and asking
questions about dying.

" Nothing? Not even those things that are already dead?" , she asked me. Good question.

" Not even them. There bodies are becoming weaker as we speak. Someday, they'll just be a pile of
mush." , I told her, and she giggled at the word 'mush'.

" That's good." , she said.

" Yeah. It is." , I agreed.

" Ash...what happened to Kitty?" , she asked and it made me confused.

" Your cat?" , I asked.

" No, the one who always played with me. The one who said she wanted to marry you when this is all
over." , she asked.

" You mean Kat?" , I asked, surprised at what she said.

" Yeah, but I called her Kitty." , she said, and giggled.

" She uh..." , I started and stopped, not knowing how to put it.

" She's with you parents. Watching over you. Helping you get through this as well." , I told her.

" You mean. She became one of them?" , she looked shocked.

" No. She didn't. She went to heaven without her body being used by the monsters." , I told her and
she let out a sigh of relief.

" So we'll meet her again someday?" , she asked, looking less sad.

" We all will." , I told her and smiled at her.

" I'm gonna miss her.", she said and closed her eyes. Something stung mine.
" I-I will too." , I told her, I stood, tucked her in and patted her head. She let out a sad, yet happy
little sigh. Then she started to sleep.

I watched her for a little bit. Then I staggered out of the room and towards my own on the top floor. I
didn't even get to the staircase before I fell down and let the stinging feeling, the pain, take over.
Tears rolled on to the carpet as I sobbed and I heard something come up behind me. I spun and saw
Tiff's blurry figure looking at me.

I wanted to stop, but it was to late and I just sobbed harder at being caught doing what I almost hit
her for doing. Instead of saying something out of revenge or smirk or just walking away in shock, she
helped me up and pulled open a door to a small room. She walked me inside, and we sat on the bed.
She pulled my head down to her breast and I started wetting her shirt with my sobbing and tears.

" Shhh. Shhh. Ash, it's okay." , she said, running her hand through my hair in comfort.

" Did y-you see e-everything?" , I sobbed into her shirt.

" Yes. It's okay. Let it out." , she said.

" I-I loved her. And they m-made me watch her die." , I sobbed again.

" I know. She loved you too." , she said. A few moments later, my sobbing started to ease up.

" Did, she really, say that thing about getting married?" , I asked her.

" Yes. She was always an optimist. She loved you very much and never thought you noticed her that
way." , she said.

" I hadn't until shortly before her death. It sucks. I didn't get much time with her at all." , I said and
sobbed a little harder before easing up again.

" Ash, do you give a shit now?" , she asked, a little humorously to lighten the mood, but meant it as
well.

" Yeah. I guess I do." , I told her, " Sorry about talking to you that way like I did before."

" It's okay. I knew what I was saying was a little touchy. I'm going to miss Kat too." , she said, still
stroking my hair. I lifted my head so I could look into her eyes.

We sat and stared at each other, not really knowing what to do. Did I love her? Was I caught up in the
moment and just think that? Or do I just want to have sex with her now? I was to confused. I might
just be looking for love because I miss Kat and want Tiff to replace her. I couldn't tell, but that
seemed likely. I shouldn't take advantage of her like that. I shouldn't use her.

Before I could apologize for my behavior and leave, she leaned in and placed her lips over mine. It
caught me by surprise. Did she know that I'd only be using her to suppress the pain? I pulled away
gently and she looked at me with her eyes half closed.

" Tiff. This isn't right. I don't think we're in love. I'll just be using you." , I said, looking down.

" Then use me." , she said and lifted my head up by the chin. I must of looked surprised. She smiled.

She put her lips over mine again and I was to shocked for a couple seconds to do much with mine. I
started moving mine with hers before she leaned back and lay on her back on the bed. She put her
freezing hand up my shirt, moving it across my chest as I slipped my tongue in her mouth. She
moved hers on mine and placed my hand on her cold thigh. She was freezing!

" God you're so cold!" , I said, hoping she wouldn't catch a cold from wearing so little.

" I was hoping you'd warm me up." , she said, putting her mouth back on mine again.

I wanted to chuckle, but I forgot what she'd said in a matter of seconds. I moved my hand up and
down along her leg. It must of warmed her up some because she sighed a little. She pushed herself
further up on the bed and I followed, still kissing her as she did. She pulled my shirt off and threw it
somewhere in the room. She placed her hands on my shoulders and pulled me back down to her lips.
I moved my hand up her leg, but didn't stop to go back down again. I kept going, but hesitated when
I was just below her breasts. She pulled away from the kiss and leaned up to my ear.

" You don't have to stop Ash. I'll let you do anything to me." , she whispered.

She took my hand through her shirt and placed it on her soft breast for me. I leaned down and kissed
her again. I might not love her, but I could tell, even if she hasn't said it, that she loved me.

January 1st, 2009, 3:26 a.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...

We were lying in the bed, nude, all warm and tired from what we'd just done. I was...I didn't know
how to put it...in awe? Shock? Happiness? I didn't know. To many emotions and thoughts were going
through my head at once. Tiff had her head on my chest and one hand under my back. Her other was
caressing my arm.

I was moving my fingers in circles on her back my left hand lay on her shoulder. I didn't know what to
do or say now. I sort of wanted to cry again because I'd just done that so close to Kat's death. Did
that mean I'd never loved her? No, it wasn't the hormones that felt for her. I know how I feel for
her...well...felt. But what worried me now was if I was using Tiff to try and replace Kat. I didn't know
if my feeling for Tiff were the same of if I was trying to convince myself it was. Tiff didn't seem to care
either way, which worried me. Was she gonna be hurt if I figured I didn't love her? God, I hate this.

" Ash. You're so warm." , she murmured.

I hugged her and held her against my chest. Maybe I could kid myself for a while. I might be able to
get over Kat. Probably not, but maybe. Tiff sighed comfortably.

" I feel so safe with you." , she whispered.

I still couldn't say anything. What could I say? I don't love you, but I'm going to use you to get rid of
my feelings for Kat. No, I couldn't even think about saying that. I might not even know if I don't love
her. God! Love! What an evil f–king word! It's ruining my soul!

" Ash. Thank-you. For tonight." , she said and I suddenly was jerked out of my sudden inner cursing
to be surprised.

" Uh...what do you mean?" , I asked her.

" I've been so alone and all the men I've survived along here at Kyllison Island thought of me as a
thing to relief themselves other than mastrabation. This of course, was my first time. I'd never let
anyone else do to me what we'd done tonight. Plus, you made the numbing cold go away, which is
another plus." , she giggled, kissing my chest. I couldn't see her in the pitch blackness of the room,
but I knew she was looking up at where she thought my head was.
" I love you Ash. I want us both to survive this. I want us to be together. I know you loved Kat and I
know you haven't gotten over her, but when you do, even if you don't, I'll be here. Plus, I want some
more comfortable, warm nights with you. It's so cold without you." , she said to me.

" I...I...love..." , I started to say, even though it might of been a lie, but she put a hand over my
mouth to stop me, then she thumbed my bottom lip and lied her hand on my chest.

" I don't want you to say it until you know for sure. Until then, just keep me warm at night." , she said
and kissed my chest again.

" Okay." , I said plainly, and she snuggled closer to me.

" I'll get Claud and Greg to get you some clothes." , I told her and she giggled.

" I'd like to leave them off for now." , she said, still giggling.

" No, I meant, when daylight comes, they need the exercise anyway." , I told her.

" I know what you meant I was just joking." , she said, sighing with humor.

" I guess I should tell you. I'm going to try and bury my feeling again." , I told her.

" Why?" , she sounded surprised.

" Because, it helps and makes me a better leader. I've already accepted the fact everyone pretty
much looks at me like that. If I have feelings doing what I do, it'll make things harder for me." , I
explained.

" I see. If that's what you feel, then I suppose you should do so." , she said, wanting to argue, but
didn't. I closed my eyes and sighed.

" I'll let them out to you if it gets to tough, so I can bury them easier again. If that's alright with you I
mean." , I told her. She sighed, but agreed. She didn't like me hiding my emotions. What girl would?
Kat? No. Not even her.

" Just be careful Ash." , she told me. I decided she already knew I would of said it back to her, so I
kept my mouth shut. Things were looking up. Why jinx it.

December 31st, 2014, 3 hours 25 minutes after being bitten...

The next couple of months were emotionless and tiring. People from all over the island came to the
hotel. I was surprised at the number I was leading. I never expected so many to be alive. Most of
them were British soldiers, but everyone there still listened to me. When we got the hotel totally
fortified, I had other things to worry about. Gangs, infection within the hotel, food, and even weapons.
I'd split things up into to groups. Civvies were people we just protected, in other words,
noncombatants. I didn't force anyone to fight unless we need the manpower, which was never.
Fighters were the people who provided the protection and kept the zombies at bay. Looters were the
people who gathered the supplies. Then we had my own group which did everything and everything in
between. I called them my Couriers. They send anything dead back to hell where they belong. Of
course that isn't all they do, but they're the elite force. I used them whenever I needed a hard job
needing done.
As soon as Spring hit, I'd have about seventy-three survivors living under the roof of the hotel. You'd
think with that large number, surviving would be easier. It just ended up giving me more problems I
hadn't had to deal with before.

A Single Bite

Chapter 6: Looting Run

December 31st, 2014, 4 hours after being bitten...

I didn't just stay in Grimmstone. I decided the city was already being taken back. No reason to stay.
We needed supplies and in just the few months I've had the large amount of people to lead, stores
and shops were running finite for us. I needed to see if any other cities were making it. I decided to
take a couple of my Couriers and some of my Fighters and check out Aldenville. The closest town we
had.

It was a small town, but it had the fifth largest mall in America. We needed supplies and that seemed
like the best place to find it. We didn't want to spend to much time in Grimmstone. Even though we'd
killed thousands of the dead, Kyllison is just an Island. Grimmstone's city beyond the island was still
probably crawling with the feasters. We needed to spend little time in what we called, the Hot Zone.

It took a while to get out with all the preparations and constant interruptions, but eventually, we got
out.

April 27th  , 2009, 3:16 p.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...

" Listen Greg. I'm planning on taking a few Couriers and Fighters out of the city to gather some
supplies." , I told him.

" Why not Looters?" , he asked.

" To be frank, they're not the best fighters. They're good at clearing buildings of stuff, but not
infected. That's why I send some fighters with them every time they go out. I'm not worried about
time on this mission. Just getting in, taking as much as we can, and getting out...alive." , I told him.

" Alright, I'm in." , he said.

" Not with us you are." , I corrected him.

" What do you mean? I'm a Courier." , he said.

" Yeah. In fact you're the best and since you've been watching and following what I do all the time,
you'd make a great replacement. I need you to stay here and take charge." , I explained to him.

" No man. We're always rollin' together. Why are you leavin' me here now? I can't make a good
you." , he said.

" I trust you the most to lead these people. They listen to you as well as they do me. You can do it. If
I can, you can." , I told him.

" Alright man." , he said, and then grinned, punching my shoulder.

" I'm not leaving yet though, this trip will take a lot of prep. Get the Fighters and Couriers in here so I
can get my team ready." , I told him.
" Yes, sir." , he said.

I didn't know why some people said that. I'm no General.

I walked around the desk in the suite and started picking my route on the map. Aldenville was twenty-
five miles away. We should be in and out in a day. I decided to scratch that and make it three days
tops. I didn't want to get jumped by Knights. I took a little pin and stuck it in the town on the map. I
took and blue pin and stuck it on Grimmstone on the map. I took a red fine point marker and started
marking paths towards the town. The highway and interstate would be jammed with cars. I didn't
know this for fact, but it was sort of common sense. I decided a country road was the safest route so I
started marking those to. I found one to be the shortest and put an 'X' in the middle of all the roads it
used.

" Ash?" , I heard someone say behind me and I turned around.

Tiff was standing in the doorway wearing a halter top and ruffled skirt. Her hair was long and we
didn't have her cut it because she no longer fought. She was currently a Civvie, because she couldn't
stand the blood anymore. Her eyes no longer held the blue bags and she looked healthier and perkier
than usual. She was very pretty, but I still haven't figured out if I was replacing my loss of Kat with
her or not.

" Tiff, you look well rested once again." , I told her, giving her an emotionless smile and turning back
to the map, writing directions down on paper.

" I feel better than I have been the past couple months." , she said, but there was something in her
voice that told otherwise.

Was it my answer for her on the love thing, or something else? I didn't think it was the love thing.

" Something wrong?" , I asked her. I looked towards her, lying the marker on the map.

" No, no, no. Nothing is wrong. I...I just wanted to see what you were doing." , she said.

" Oh. I haven't told you yet, but I'm preparing a looting run." , I told her.

" Ash, you do that all the time." , she said, smiling at me.

" Not like this. I'm leading it. We're going out of the city." , I told her.

" The city?" , she said, taken aback and surprised.

" Yes, I should of told you last night, but I wasn't sure I was going to go through with it." , I said.

" No. I understand." , she said, looking suddenly unsure. I looked at her a couple more minutes.

" Are you sure everything's okay?" , I asked her.

" Um...well...actually, since you're leaving, I guess I should tell you." , she said, playing with her
hands.

" Shoot." , I said, looking back down at the map.


" I think I'm pregnant." , she said, whispering. I didn't say anything for a couple minutes and then
burst out laughing. She looked at me, unable to know what to think of my reaction.

"A-Ash?" , she studdered sounding worried.

" I'm sorry, but isn't this a little cliché? I've seen about thirty movies and T.V. shows that are like this.
Well, except for the zombie thing. I'm sorry, it just seems our life is suddenly scripted." , I chuckled.

" Well...yeah...it does seem kind of cheesy." , Tiff said, giving a smile. I walked over and gave her a
hug.

" Chances are you aren't." , I said to her.

" I know what I feel Ash..." , she said.

" Alright, alright, have one of the looters go get you some pregnancy tests on the next run. I bet we
even have some here." , I told her, walking back to the map.

" Yeah. I was going to make sure soon. I just don't know what people will think." , she said, looking
suddenly worried.

" Tell Katie. I'm sure she'll help as best she can." , I said, glad that we'd found Katie through all this.
We actually found everyone in our old group. Some were dead...but found nonetheless.

" You're right. She'll understand. I was also hoping to get more of a response out of you Ash." , she
said.

" Well there isn't much I can do until I know if you're pregnant or not. If you are, then I'll help as best
I can. If not, I'll just be more careful in the bedroom." , I told her.

" Careful in the bedroom?" , I herd Greg's voice repeat from the doorway.

" Greg!?!" , Tiff cried out, suddenly scared and surprised.

" Are you saying you guys have been gettin' it on?" , Greg asked, a grin pulling at his lips.

" Um...we...he..." , Tiff was stuttering, her face red from embarrassment.

" Yeah Greg. We've been having sex." , I told him and Tiff looked at me astonished.

" Why'd you say that!" , Tiff yelled at me, so embarrassed her voice got high pitched.

" It's obvious with you looking and talking like that anyway Tiffany." , I said to her, looking back at
Greg. I wasn't feeling anything right now, and I saw Greg was surprised at my blank face.

" Wow." , said a voice from outside and then some shushing sounds.

" Oh my god..." Tiff mumbled, putting her face in her hands.

I just shook my head.

April 28th  , 2009, 11:19 a.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...


I walked across the suite, looking for my Glock 18c. It was my favorite sidearm and I carried it around
with me almost all the time. I've even edged my name into the side with a knife. I found the gun lying
on the table filled with maps and courses of action. I checked its ammo and put it in the holster on my
belt. We were planning on leaving next week, so today I was just gonna do my normal patrol around
the building, letting people come up to me and ask for things like they usually did when there was a
bad character inside. Running this place was a pain in the ass.

Today I had on my black shoes and dark, baggy jeans. I just wore a black shirt and let dog tags I'd
found off a dead Brit fall onto it. I didn't know why I wore the dog tags, but I did anyway. I stepped
out of the room and saw Greg at the end of the hall, chatting with on of the fighters. Greg looked
worried. I walked over to him and the fighter.

" What's going on?" , I asked. The fighter, Henry, looked at me. I placed him in charge of all the
fighters.

" We think a kid is infected..." , Henry said, shifting his AK-47 in his hands.

" How old?" , I asked him.

" Seventeen." , he replied.

" Alright Henry, take us to him." , I said and Greg and I followed as Henry led us downstairs to the
fifth floor and into a hotel room. There were two other Fighters inside. One was keeping a girl from
running towards a teenager that was sitting in a chair behind a desk. The other Fighter had his M16
aimed at the kid. The kid's eyes looked like they were yellowing around the edges and some blood
started down his cheek like a tear. He was pale and looked like at any moment he would vomit. I've
seen this before. No doubt he was infected.

" Greg, Henry, and you other two, go out into the hall." , I told them.

The fighter holding back the girl let go and she rushed to the kid's side. The fighters left and Henry
followed. Greg looked at me.

" You got this man?" , he asked. I nodded and he patted my shoulder, leaving as well, closing the door
behind him.

I stood there in the middle of the room and stared at both the kid and the girl. The girl was at the arm
of the chair the kid was sitting in. She was stroking his hair and mumbling things like, " It's alright."
and "It's gonna be okay honey.". The girl was probably the same age as him so she probably had
something going on with the kid. Great, he has a lover. Gets better and better.

" Are you here to kill me?" , the kid asked, staring at me as another blood tear crawled down his
cheek. The girl then looked at me too, tears crawling down her cheeks. Christ, this seemed very
familiar to what happened to me and Kat.

" What's you name?" , I asked the boy, my voice and face expressionless.

" Jade." , he said, knowing he was going to die soon.

" And yours miss?" , I asked the girl.

" Franny." , she said.

" How long have you two been together?" , I asked them, leaning against the wall now.
" Two years." , Franny told me and the boy nodded.

" Do you love each other?", I asked them.

" Of course." , they said at nearly the same time.

" Then remember the time you guys had together. That's all you'll have left." , I said.

I stepped up to the desk. I pulled out the Glock and made sure a bullet was in the chamber.

" Wait!" , yelled the girl. She jumped up and ran to me, grabbing my arm and holding it down.

" Don't kill him please." , she pleaded. I sighed and thought about getting someone else to do it. It
was hard doing this to someone. I felt so guilty and I absolutely didn't want to do this. But it had to be
done.

" I'm not going to kill him." , I told her and she let go and stepped back in surprise.

" Because he is already dead." , I told her and then aimed the gun at Jade.

I fired and his head whipped back and stayed like that on the chair. Blood was running down the wall
behind the chair. A bullet hole in the middle of it. Franny screamed and started to run over to him but
I grabbed her wrist. I holstered my gun and pulled her into me, covering her eyes and pulling her out
of the room. She fought against me but I got out of the room and closed the door. That's when I let
go.

" You killed him!" , she screamed at me and started hitting me over and over with clenched hands.

" He was already dead Franny. I just put him out so he wouldn't become undead." , I told her as the
two fighters that were inside before pulled her off of me.

" You...killed him." , she sobbed, crying harder than before.

" Henry, take her to an empty room and guard her, I don't want her doing anything stupid like killing
herself or me for that matter." , I told him, knowing she might try to if she's angry enough.

" You asshole!" , she yelled at me and spat in my face. The fighters dragged her away. I sighed and
wiped my face. Greg walked up to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

" You okay man?" , he asked and I looked at the people starting to gather around in curiosity at the
yelling and gunshot.

" I'm fine Greg. Go get some people to clean up the mess in there and explain to people what
happened." , I told him, starting to go downstairs to the lobby.

I walked passed the staring people as I moved towards the staircase. I heard Greg behind me telling
the people and I heard some gasps. I opened the door and jogged down the steps. When I reached
the first floor I walked over to the front desk where Danny was. He was writing stuff down on a
notebook. I looked around and saw Looters and and Fighters walking around and chatting down here.

" Hey Danny. What you writing down?" , I asked him, walking over.

" Oh! Hey Ash. Just seeing how long we can go with our supplies." , he said.
" And?" , I asked, leaning on the desk.

" A couple more weeks at the rate we're going. Maybe longer if we tone it down." , he said.

" I'm going to leave with some of my Couriers to loot a nearby city's mall in a few days. Greg will be in
charge. I want you to post this on the bulletins." , I told him.

" Sure thing boss." , he said and started scrawling what I told him to on a new sheet of paper.

" I'll get this posted when you leave." , he told me.

" Thanks Danny." , I said and walked away to do some patrolling around the building.

May 3rd  , 2009, 2:39 p.m.,Broken Ring Hotel...

" Ash." , Greg said, walking into the suite I was in.

" Yeah Greg?" , I asked him.

" Everyone you wanted are down in the lobby." , he said.

" Thanks. I'm almost finished." , I told him and he nodded, walking out and closing the door behind
him.

I wasn't really doing anything, but standing there, getting my mind ready and prepared for what's to
come. I was leading twelve men out to get supplies and god knows if we'd actually be coming back. It
was worth the risk though. Small town, big mall. Shouldn't be to hard but I know not all of us will
come back. Not to hard but not to easy. Getting out of the city might be the toughest part of the job,
but that's all taken care of as well.

I was dressed in the same clothes as yesterday. If you don't dirty them up, wear them again. I
holstered my pistol and walked off through the door, jogging to and down the stairs to the lobby. All
the people who I thought should listen were in the lobby. I was going to explain what was happening
and why I was leaving.

" You are all here, because I am leaving and I need you all to hear from me personally, that I've put
Greg in charge. I've trusted him most my life and he's become a good leader. I want you to show him
as much respect as you've show me. I'll be gone for at least three day's max. We're looting a mall in a
nearby city. Of course, the only reason isn't just for the supplies, it's also to see how bad the city
beyond this island is, as well as the territory around it. I want to know if things are as bad as they are
here. Thank you all for your cooperation. I'll take questions now." , I told them, a couple Looters and
a Fighter raised their hands. I pointed to the Fighter.

" With Greg be in charge of all combat missions?" , he asked.

" I've talked it over with Greg and I told him that he's not allowed to order any combat or looting
missions unless I've been gone for more than four days.", I answered. I pointed to one of the Looters.

" Just curious, how you guy's getting across the city and bringing the loot here." , he asked.

" I've sent some British engineers that were in the military out to put up a temporary bridge. That's
why most of our Fighters and some civvies, aren't here. I'm surprised no one has asked questions." , I
explained. The other Looter lowered his hand, probably wondering the same question.
" Well, then I'll be off. If I don't come back, I want you all to know, I have been honored to lead you
through this time of crisis, and thanking you for listening to a kid at such a young age. Thank you, and
may you live a long life." , I told them and stepped out the entrance, well, what we called the
entrance. It was near the back of the hotel.

Outside were two Humvee's and two military troop trucks for carrying the food. I walked over to the
second Humvee and got in the back. Ammo was sitting on the seat next to me so we wouldn't run to
low, along with extra clothes and other things we felt we should take.

" Alright Mike," ,I said, speaking to the driver, " get us down to the bridge."

He nodded, honked the vehicles horn, and the front Humvee started off towards the bridge, the two
trucks following. I saw a couple Regs outside along the way, but that was all. The island was, more or
less, safer. From all the looting and defending at the hotel, the streets are clear of threats most days.
The only place the zombies come from is the lake. They don't breathe so they fall into the lake and
just shamble across the bottom till they hit shore. He told Greg that they should get the plywood from
the Lumberyard and build a fence or wall around the island. That'd take a while though. Be a couple
months before we tried something like that.

After around ten minutes of driving, we reached the bridge. There were five Fighters out where the toll
booth was. They guarded the engineers from the island side. There were ten Fighters on the opposite
side making sure no zombies got across from within the city. Our convoy stopped when we reached
the Fighters and I stepped out, walking up to the man I appointed in charge. It was Will.

" Good day Ash. The bridge will hold you as long as you take one vehicle across at a time." , he told
me, looking tired from having to spend the nights out here. I felt a little guilty for doing that.

" Thanks Will. I was planning on doing just that anyway. As soon as we get across, Greg is in charge.
Make sure he does well." , I told him, knowing Will was a great leader. It was surprising he didn't have
as much authority as me.

" Yes Ash. Good luck." , he said to me. I nodded, walking back to the Humvee.

Each vehicle drove across by in turn and strangely, we didn't have to waste a bullet driving through
the city. We didn't have any trouble getting to the country and it was almost nerve-racking. Why was
it so quiet? I contemplated and figured I 'd rather not know.

May 3rd  , 2009, 4:15 p.m., Aldenville...

The mall, from the air, must of looked like a giant plus sign. It was huge. When we'd gotten to the
town, it felt abandoned. I didn't see a single zombie of any type. Of course, there was destruction all
around just like in Grimmstone. None zombified bodies littered the streets along with signs of fighting
like shells, casings, and abandoned guns. I didn't spend much time surveying the area as much as I
did the mall. The mall looked out of place in such a small town.

I could tell it'd been recently used though. Fresh mud was on the outside of the doors. I immediately
took out my Glock. All of the others did the same for their weapons. Jackel, the second-in-command,
came up to me. He wore black clothing and a head band under his flat top. He was part of the
National Guard when this all happened and somehow got to the hotel. He carried an M4A1 Carbine
and clips for it. He was a beast with that gun.

" What is it Ash?" , Jackel asked.

" Not sure. We got fresh mud so that means something could be inside." , I explained to him, studying
the door.
" Orders?" , he asked, studying my face.

" Hold fire. Shoot only if you have to, silenced weapons only." , I told him, taking out a silencer for the
Glock and applying it.

" Understood. You heard him men. Fire when you have to and only if you have a silenced firearm." ,
Jackel repeated and they automatically formed two even lines. It never ceased to amaze me at how I,
a kid, could have this much of an impact on people with military experience when I had none, or
criminals turned straight by the crisis for that matter.

" Alright, I'll get the door and fall in behind you." , I told them and Jackel nodded.

I pulled the door open and they moved forward, guns raised and ready, towards the door. The first
person in the right column went through the opening and went right once inside, sweeping the area.
Then the first person from the left did the same only going left. It went on like this until the last one
was through and I followed, gun ready, but not raised, sweeping the area with my eyes. The hallway
was empty of anything. There was old blood splotches and mud, but that was it.

" Move forward. Carl, Hendrix, stay at the door and cover our six." , I told the two last people from
each side.

Carl was a man who looked like a twig. He wore an average British combat uniform he most likely
looted, and carried a .22 Ruger Carbine with fifteen round clips. Even though he looked as intimidating
as a three year old child, his accuracy with the small arm weapon was almost impossible to believe. I
have yet to see him miss a shot.

Hendrix was an African American. He was named after Jimmy Hendrix, but he had no resemblance to
him. He looked more like Denzel Washington than Jimmy Hendrix. He wore casual clothes except for a
standard issue British Army jacket. He carried a stockless AK-47 and silenced P99 pistol. I recruited
him for my special unit because he was a mean mother when it came to zombies. He kept a cool head
and was an excellent shot.

Both men went to either side of the door and took a knee. They watched over us as we moved
forward. I stayed behind the group, looking into each of the stores. Each one was empty until we
reached the middle and I saw an outfitting store with cans filling it. I stopped everyone and gapped at
how many cans of food there were in the store. I told Friday and Kelly to search the other stores.

Friday was your normal soldier, except he knew how to blow shit up. He wore camo everyday and
today he was in urban camo. He always and only carried his silence compatible M1911. Anything else
he had on him were materials to make explosives. He was calm about pretty much anything.

Kelly looked like a tank. He was one of the most muscular people I've ever seen and his flattop made
him look even badder. He always wore tight shirts to show off his buff. He carried a Desert Eagle, M1
Garand, and a silenced MP-5 Submachine gun. He was lucky he was strong, or he'd be weighing us
down.

When they reported back, they said they found nothing.

" Well Ash, should we loot it?" , Jackel asked me.

" Yeah. I don't know about you but we could use it. Whoever these belong to probably won't need this
much anyway." , I told him and he nodded. I felt a little guilty about stealing from someone else's
food supply, but surviving was surviving and they needed food.
We were about to break in when I heard a loud banging noise echo through the mall. I looked around
and suddenly noticed that there was a wall where the intersection to the rest of the mall should be.

" Thomas, Ghost, on my six. The rest of you cover us." , I said and they did so. The two men followed
me while the other eight spread out in a line an aimed past us.

Thomas was an average looking marine. He was good at what he did and didn't ask questions. He
carried an M16 that had accessories to the max. Silenced, laser sight, 4x scope, fore grip, stock
extension, and clips that were tapped together for quick reloading. He was good with the gun to, so I
had no complaints.

Ghost was actually a sniper. He was kicked from the Army for bad conduct or something but he never
gave me any problems. He looked like a farmer and dressed like a city man. He carried around his .
308 Cal., Bolt-Action Hunting Rifle that had eight round clips. He was a perfect shot and I would like to
see someone out shoot him with long range fighting.

As I approached the recently built wall, I saw it shuddered. The loud bang echoed again and I told
Ghost to hold. He dropped to a knee and waited, like a good sniper does. Thomas and I continued
forward and stopped only when we saw the makeshift door on te wall. We held tight and waited. I
wondered if we should take flight or loot the place. When the wooden door shattered to the ground,
my question was answered. We wouldn't be looting this place anytime soon.

I then froze in place at the sound that came through the dark opening that had once been the door.
The sound was new. It was of no zombie I had ever heard before. My bladder almost failed on me as I
saw the creature. I haven't been this scared since the beginning of the Apocalypse. And with that, I
knew we were in for a whole of a hell lot more than a looting run.

A Single Bite

Chapter 7: Change of Plans ... Major Change

December 31st, 2014, 4 hours 31 minutes after being bitten...

They still haunt my dreams at night. The eyes. They're scattered in the darkness. Crimson red. All
around me. Of course, I won't have to dream anymore. Because I won't let myself become one of
them. I'm bit. I only had ... twelve hours left. I was a little hungry. Since I was just recently bitten, I'd
just look pasty at most. They'd think I was sick. That's all.

I stood up and steadied myself. I put the revolver in a holster on my belt and walked out of the room,
making sure to cover the bite with my hoody's sleeve. I walked down corridor of the hotel. It was so
familiar to him, he turned automatically without thinking much about walking around. I walked to the
stairs and walked down them.

I reached the cafeteria and the veterans under my command were sitting at the tables they usually
sat at while the many new faces sat together keeping to themselves. As soon as I walked in,
everything got quiet. The new faces looked at me and I bowed my head. I didn't want to make eye
contact. I usually don't with the newbie's. I walked towards the head table and saw Simon run over to
me.

" Daddy! Daddy! We're having beans tonight!" , he giggled, and wrapped his arms around my legs. He
was four years old.

" Don't eat to much, I don't want you stinkin' up your room." , I said to him, ruffling up his hair.
" Simon, come back over here, your daddy needs to speak to the people." , Tiffany said, sitting at the
table and little Simon ran over to here, climbing up onto the chair next to her. Simon stood on the
chair so he was even with the table. I walked around the table and patted Simon's shoulder, turning
and then facing the entire cafeteria. Everyone looked at me, but I was use to making speeches, it no
longer bugged me. Our number of combatants must of been up around two-hundred. Good thing this
cafeteria was big enough.

" Fellow survivors. I thank you for serving under my command. For those who've been under my
leadership before, you will know of the things I am speaking about. I know I am young, but I have
proven myself worthy of this authority many times through. If you want to be among this group of
survivors, you're going to have to respect the authority of the people here at this table and people I
have appointed as officers." , I told them, motioning to Tiffany, Greg, Will and some others.

" Even me?" , I heard Simon say. I turned to him with a smile.

" Not yet they will." , I told him. I knew he'd be a good leader when he grows up. I saw Simon leading
around other kids the other day in a zombie outbreak game.

" We have rules here as well." , I continued, turning back to the people and I gave the speech once
more. I'd give it every month. We usually get new combatants every month, so it was necessary. The
veterans just ignored me. I ended the speech saying that Greg would take command if I was to die,
and then Will if Greg died.

Out came the food when I was finished. The cooks passed out dishes with beans mixed with
vegetables we grow on roof top green houses here on the island. I sat and started eating. I was pretty
hungry, but yet, the memories from when I first met the Spider came back to me.

May 3rd , 2009, 4:15 p.m., Aldenville...

" Fall back!" , I shouted and Thomas and I started moving backwards quickly. We had our weapons
raised and aimed at the monster growling at us.

It's head was the size of a normal human's, but it had eyes popping out in random spots on it. It's
teeth were red and sharp. Its nose was disorientated. It had no neck. The head just sat on top its
body. Since everything else on the monster was huge, its head became a hard target. It had the body
of a Green's only thrice as big. And it had two more arms growing out of each side. It had two long
bone like things on its back that looked like they could stab through me at a good range. I couldn't
see it's legs but I was willing to bet they were huge. Which was why it was still on its belly inside this
mall.

The monster roared at us, and one of its fists flew through the wall it was behind, sending large
splinters our way. I covered myself as they hit me.

" FALL BACK! FIRE AT WILL!" , I screamed and we all opened fire. The monster screamed in rage and
a right and left arm covered it's head up. Our bullets couldn't hit its brain when it did this. It was
smart?

" Retreat!" , I yelled and we all spun around and sprinted to the exit. We could hear it smashing
through the place it was holed up in. The two guys I put at the exit had wide-eyes and were
wondering what was going on.

" Some big mother f..." , Ghost yelled and was cut off by a roar behind us.

" Get to the vehicles! We're getting the hell out of here!", I yelled as I ran out the exit. That's when
something caught my eye.
A black van was driving down a road to the opposite end of the mall. They disappeared as soon as I
had noticed them, but it was a strange sight. Instead of thinking about it, I instead ran to a Humvee. I
jumped in the back and climbed up the hole in the top where the machine guns were. I grabbed one
just as everyone got out of the mall and into the vehicles. I didn't see who went into what car, but I
knew who went into mine. Hendix had jumped into the back seat, while Friday took the wheel and
Ghost took passenger's side. I moved the machine gun and aimed towards the mall. I saw Jackel get
out of a truck and yell to me, " Where are we headin' Ash?"

" Anywhere! Just fricken drive damnit!" , I yelled loudly, making sure the other two who were driving
could hear me. Our Humvee took off and the rest followed. Friday slowed the vehicle to let the others
catch up and soon we were flying through the town at sixty miles an hour.

After a minute, I heard a large crashing and turned to look at the mall where the noise came from. I
saw the multi-eyed giant roaring upwards and immediately eye us on the run. I cussed mentally and
swung the large .50 Caliber and started firing. I was surprised at how bad the recoil was because I'd
never shot one. Luckily I got the hang of it fast. I also seemed to of pissed the spider like human giant
off some with the bullets because it let another roar rip. I aimed up for its head and the ... well,
Spider ... used some of it's arms to climb up and over the mall, it's two muscular arms blocking so it's
head couldn't be hit. Holy Christ it was ... smart!?!

I looked around because I knew we weren't gonna be able to kill this thing, let alone out run it. I
looked towards the left and saw a large house in the distance on top of a hill. I ducked back into the
Humvee.

" God dammit, that thing will not be nice and just die ... again. So, instead of risking all my men's
lives, I will only risk ours. Sorry if you dislike my plan, but that's what's going to happen. Ghost, get
you mouth on that radio and tell the other three cars to look for a big building in the distance on a hill.
Tell them to head to it. This Humvee will distract the ... well, I'm calling it a Spider so ... the giant
Spider thing. Hurry, we need to get this plan executed!" , I said to him and Ghost nodded, looking a
little worried after what I told him. I stood back up and got on the machine gun and continued firing at
the Spider. I moved it's arms to see where we were every once in a while and redirected itself towards
us.

I soon saw the other three break off and head along a road in the direction of the house. I gave them
a thumbs up, not knowing if they saw it or not, but feeling better nonetheless. I looked back at the
Spider and ... it followed the others! I ducked back into the Humvee.

" Friday, get this thing turned around and get a hold of that Spider's attention!" , I yelled to him.

Friday looked into the side mirror, cussed, and spun the wheel. I was thrown against Hendrix as the
car spun around ... pretty much on two wheels. Once the car stopped, it wasn't still for long. Instead
we were flying off towards the Spider. I recovered from the one-eighty and went back onto the gun. I
immediately started firing again and the Spider spun around at us. I aimed up, but it covered it's face
with it's arms again. We flew by it's legs, feet from them, along the road we just came from. The
Spider roared at us again and slammed its fists into the pavement. Chunks of cement and street flew
up and I knew that we just had a lucky escape right there.

I maneuvered the machine gun to aim at the Spider again and I saw it chasing us. The plan worked!
Now all we had to do was either lose it or kill it so we could meet up with the rest of the group.
Neither of the options sounded very easy to accomplish. I once again opened fire of the Spider. Small
wounds joined those among the others I put in it before. The Humvee spun around a corner, the
Spider smacking a vehicle near it which soared over us. Yeah, gonna be a lot harder done then said.

I then heard a clank come from the gun and clicking noises when I pulled on the trigger. I looked at it
questioningly and saw a brass, shiny thing sticking out of the chamber. I quickly guessed the gun
jammed. I leaned up and grabbed the handle to cock it and tried pulling. Either I was to weak, or this
thing really jammed badly. All of a sudden I was being pulled on and I slipped back into the Humvee. I
was looking up when it happened and I saw the hole go black and then a bang on the roof followed by
scrapping sounds. The Humvee felt like it was tipping and I was positive the vehicle was on two
wheels. Someone cussed and then everything leveled out again. I felt hands helping me back up and I
was soon sitting in between

" Son-of-a-bitch! That Spider just took out the machine gun up top!" , Hendrix yelled.

" Yeah and almost took us out with it!" , Friday yelled back.

" Christ ... how are we gonna kill this thing?" , I asked, a little shaken I about got crushed.

We sat without speaking for a bit before Ghost said, " Friday, get us on a road that goes straight."

" Huh? That Spider thing will gang distance on us if I do though." , Friday replied.

" That's a risk we should take. Do it, and I'll take the fucker out." , Ghost told him, getting up through
the hole.

The window next to me was shattered out so I just stuck my head out it and saw the Spider bounding
towards us. Friday drove over a curb and onto a street that went straight, just like Ghost had asked.
We straightened out on the road and bounded forward. At least in this town, the streets were mostly
deserted of debris. He only had to swerve a couple of times which pissed Ghost off. The Spider was of
course gaining on us. I knew we were going as fast as Friday would allow the engine to go. The Spider
kept getting closer ... closer ... and I stuck my head back inside. I didn't want to see it kill us.
Then ... BASHHH!

The Humvee just stopped, which threw my face into the seat and made a pain slice into my head. I
slammed back into my seat and then into the seat again when the back of the Humvee lifted off the
ground from the sudden stop. I could feel the blood running down my nose and I soon realized the
Humvee never went back down. After a couple minutes of letting my headache pass and stopping the
bleeding to my nose, I looked over at Hendrix who was groaning and putting his hand to a cut on his
forehead. Then the door opened and sooner then I had expected, I had my Glock out and aiming at
the figure there. I realized it was Ghost. He must of survived the crash somehow. He helped me out
and afterwards, went around to help Hendrix.

I walked to the drivers side to get Friday and saw him staring at me ... with one eye. The other was
hanging out of it's socket and something ... bone looking was through the top of the Humvee, through
his head, and through the bottom of the Humvee. I backed up and saw another of the same thing
through the engine of the car. I traced the long, bone-like things back to the Spider, which was lying
on the street right behind the Humvee, the two bone stingers connected to it's back. Ghost soon came
around the front holding up Hendrix.

" I got it, but I couldn't do anything about Friday." , Ghost told me.

" I know. The giant is dead and only got one of us. I hate to say it, but it turned out good. Come on,
we better get stepping if we plan on getting to the mansion place." , I told him and he nodded.

I walked and led the way towards the direction of the mansion. I was looking around us and
wondering were all the zombies were. Usually, around this time from all the noise, they'd start
swarming us. I wasn't complaining, but it was nerve wracking. Then, I saw the black van again. It was
driving down a road not to far in the distance. I watched as it went around a corner and disappeared.

" I think we may have more fanatics." , I said to Ghost.


" Just what we need." , Hendrix replied, holding his busted head.

I started moving forward again, more cautiously. When would we run into them?

May 3rd , 2009, 6:57 p.m., Aldenville, Country Mansion...

I climbed up a small hill and the building was in sight. Hendrix was now walking fine on his own and
we all carried our weapons at the ready. The other vehicles were there and after walking a few more
yards, I saw Jackel walk out of the large building waving a small greeting. I walked up to him and he
stuck out his hand. I took it and shook it.

" Christ Ash. I didn't think you'd make it out alive. So ... what happened to Friday?" , he asked as we
shook and let our hands fall.

" The Spider stuck him through the head. It's lucky any of us survived at all." , I told him.

" Ah, dammit. Well, I guess ... shit ..." , Jackel said, sighing. He hated losing men as much as I did.

" Yeah ... I know what you mean. Anyway, what's the status?" , I asked him.

" Well, we made our way up here and didn't see anything hostile. No Regs, Newborns, Greens, nothin'.
We got to this mansion and checked out every room ... nothing. Not even a spot of blood. It's eerie,
as if the outbreak didn't effect this place. Although, one thing troubles us. On the third floor, there's a
door at the end of the corridor but we can get it open. We've tried kicking it down or knocking it down,
but it won't budge. We were about ready to try shooting it open, but that's when I spotted you
walking here." , he said to me.

" I got a feeling that door has something to do with the fanatics." , I said, thinking about the black
van.

" Fanatics?" , Jackel exclaimed surprised.

" Yeah. I kept seeing a black van driving around down in the city. It seemed to be watching us ... or
something like that." , I explained to him. Jackel took a minute to think and then nodded as well.

" Okay. That makes sense ... but why?" , Jackel asked and I shrugged.

" They killed someone I really cared about slowly in front of my eyes just to see what my reaction
would be. They're like crazy scientists. They just care about their work and experiments." , I told him.
That was the first time I told someone that wasn't exactly close to me about Kat. I didn't go into
details so I thought it'd be fine.

" Ah. Alright, then. I'll get everyone in the living room of the place so you can give your following
orders and tell them what happened or whatever else you need to do." , Jackel said and jogged back
into the house.

I walked in after him with Ghost and Hendrix following me. I sat in a chair inside the expensive
looking living room of the mansion. Ghost took a seat in another armchair and Hendrix in a couch.
Soon, everyone else filed in the living room. I leaned forward in the chair with my hands clasped.
Once Jackel was in, I began speaking.

" Friday was killed. Spider got him, and I won't go into detail. I knew someone would bite it when that
big Spider came out of there. That was kinda obvious. I hate to say this though, but I'd rather trade
Friday's life in than for all of yours. If it wasn't for him agreeing to the plan, most of you wouldn't be
standing in this room. As for our next move ..." , I started, moving into the mysterious door subject,
but was cut off by Carl.

" Uh, Ash sir. I think we've got company." , he said, pointing out the window he was standing by. I
walked over to look out.

Out about 200 yards, all I could see were Regs. They were shambling towards the mansion as if it
were the only thing around. I was confused. How did we not see them getting here? Something else
was up ... but what could it be?

" Shit. Alright, quickly. Thomas, Kelly, and Rickenson, get out there to that Humvee and grab our
ammo and supplies! Ghost, Carl, get up to the top floor and start picking off anything more
threatening then a Reg or Newborn! Everyone else, start barricading the doors and windows. Leave
this front door open for Rickenson and the others." , I said and they nodded, moving off to do their
jobs.

Rickenson was another strong person in our group. He had buff and could do some good lifting.
Strangely he only carried a Silenced U.S.P. .45 Pistol. He dressed in the British military gear although
he's from here. He did what he was told, no complaints.

When everyone went their separate ways, I followed Ghost and Carl upstairs with binoculars to see if I
could spot anything. Once up the stairs, I seen the door at the end of the hallway. It had no knob so
that either meant it was opened from the other side, or was electronic and slide left and right or up
and down. No matter what it did, it wasn't our problem at the moment.

I entered a large bedroom at joined Carl by one of the windows. I lifted the binocs to my eyes and
scanned the horde coming our way. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary until I saw the black van
again. I lowered the binocs for a second out of surprised and immediatly raised them again. I saw two
men walking around the van dressed in the fanatics black gear and gold crosses. The Regs just
shambled on by them! It seems they've figured something else out.

" We've got fanatics." , I said aloud to Carl and Ghost.

" What?" , Ghost said, clearly not believing it either.

" In the middle of the horde. The Regs aren't even touching them." , I told him and Ghost looked
through his scope and mumbled some curses.

" Carl, get downstairs and tell them. Help them where they need help, we'll monitor from here." , I
told the guy. Carl nodded and took off downstairs.

" What do you think the fanatics are planning?" , Ghost asked me.

" They're probably running an experiment to see how long a group of survivors like us can last." , I
said and opened the window, yelling out to the three guys I sent to get supplies. I told them what was
happening and I saw them pick up the pace.

" Are you sure they aren't just killing us because we've trespassed?" , Ghost asked.

" Well ... to tell you the truth, I got no clue. I don't know all the answers." , I told him.

" Yeah ... sorry. I'm just nervous is all." , Ghost replied, looking at me with a small grin. It takes guts
to admit your afraid or nervous in times like this. I knew Ghost was the best man I had in the group
because he wasn't afraid to admit it.
" Don't think I'm not either. One thing I try ... is to let the fear take over. After a little bit, it either
dies out on it's own, or you're able to cap it and keep your bearings much more straight. Don't ask
how I found this out, I don't remember and it would probably be hard to explain anyway." , I told him
and he nodded. After a second I saw he took my advice. Sweat started to sparkle on his forehead and
his breathing picked up pace. I looked away and through the binocs again.

I then saw something sprinting through the horde. I tried to hold the binocs still but the thing was
moving to fast. I looked back at Ghost, he looked more content and was wiping sweat from his
forehead, his face expressionless.

" Get on your scope, we've got a fast target moving through the ranks. Could be a screamer." , I told
him. It didn't look like that ... it was to short. But that's the only thing I've ever seen to move that fast
without being a Green. Well, even Greens didn't move that fast.

" Uh, sir." , Ghost said and I saw him looking through his scope with his gun aimed out the window.

" Yeah?" , I asked him.

" There's more of them." , he said simply and I looked out te window without the binocs.

What I saw reminded me of people running through tall grass. The Regs were parting like something
was pushing through them without really pushing. I couldn't see what it was that was doing it though.
I stuck my head out the open window.

" Thomas, Rickenson, Kelly! Get inside!" , I yelled to them. They were still getting gear out of the
Humvee. Kelly turned towards me and looked confused.

" We've almost grabbed all the gear sir." , he said back.

" Fuck the gear! Get inside!", I yelled, well, more like screamed.

Kelly didn't say anything, just looked disappointed and jogged to the door. Thomas was right behind
him. Rickenson was grabbing a backpack from the back of the Humvee still, thinking he had enough
time for it. I was about to scream at him, but he had just finished. He started for the mansion but
some stuff fell out of the backpack and fell in the dirt. Rickenson cursed and went to a knee to get the
stuff. I was about to yell again, but saw one of the things get out of the horde and stop, staring at
Rickenson.

" Ghost!" , I yelled.

" I see it!" , he replied.

What we saw was a short, armless zombie standing out in front of the horde. The zombie's arms didn't
look removed or torn off either. It looked like it was just born with none. I raised the binocs to get a
better look and noticed that it's skin was bubbling. Kinda like pizza when you heat it, only they were
spaced out and didn't pop. It was quite sickening.

" Ghost, why is it still standing?" , I said, expecting the zombie's head to have already been blown off.

" My gun's jammed! The bolt is fucking stuck!" , he yelled.

" Dammit!" , I yelled and while Ghost tried un-jamming his rifle, I pulled out my Glock and took aim.
Before I shot though, the zombie's head went back as if it was a Spewer. Instead of acid though, a
reddish rope of some kind shot out and got a hold of Rickenson's arm. I was taken aback so much, I
forgot what I was doing and watched as the zombie reeled him in. Rickenson was strong though, so
after being pulled a couple meters out of shock, he regained his posture and started to try and pry the
rope, which I soon realized was the zombie's tongue, from his arm. The zombie, instead of trying to
pull him, decided to run with it's tongue while it reeled. It looked awkward running with no arms to
help it keep balanced. It never fell, just stumbled a lot. I shook my head to get out of my daze and
aimed the pistol again, but the zombie was to close to Rickenson, I ran the risk of hitting him instead.
I got frustrated and turned to yell at Ghost.

" I got it!" , Ghost yelled before I could say anything. Ghost pulled the bolt back, the bent cartridge
flew out and he slammed the bolt home again, reloading a, hopefully, good bullet in. He aimed out the
window towards the zombie which was right next to Rickenson.

Rickenson was pushing against the zombie's head to keep it from biting him, but the zombie didn't
look like it wanted to bite him. Just get close to him. Then, once Rickenson's hand slipped off the
zombie's head, the armless undead creature placed its entire body against him and ... BOOM!

I covered my face and felt something wet hit it. I then lowered my arms and saw the smokey area
below where Rickenson had been wrestling the armless zombie. The area had blood spattered
everywhere and Rickenson was lying in the dirt. His organs hanging out of his stomach, his neck's
flesh ripped and exposing the inside, and his face missing skin in some places. He was still alive, but
before anything else happened, Ghost fired and Rickenson's skull splattered open into the dirt. Ghost
did the right thing.

I saw more of those armless zombies coming.

" Ghost! Get those before they reach the building!" , I yelled to him and Carl entered the bedroom just
as I said it, taking a knee next to the open window and started firing.

Every time a bullet hit one of the bubbling, armless zombies, they exploded. Like undead bombs. I ran
out of the room and sprinted downstairs. Everyone was on the second story and were throwing
furniture and stuff onto and against the stairs so the zombies couldn't get up.

" They were swarming behind us as well sir! We couldn't barricade downstairs so we moved up
here." , Tiker, a National Guard soldier, said to me, tossing a mattress on top of the mess on the
stairs.

" That's fine! Anyone who's a really good shot, get upstairs and start getting the on coming horde!" , I
yelled and three men fell away.

" Sir!" , I heard Carl yell from behind me and I turned.

" Newborns are coming!" , he said and I swore under my breath.

" Jackel, take command down here! I'm going to head upstairs and help up there!" , I yelled to him
and he nodded. I ran up the stairs to the third floor and started for the bedroom when the door, the
one they couldn't open, moved. I stopped and raised my Glock to it. The door slid open and there
were fanatics looking out it and at me, holding weapons. I didn't hesitate. I fired and the first fanatic's
head whipped back with blood spurting out the back of the fanatic's mask. The second one raised their
weapon and fired. It sounded like air through a pipe rather then a gunshot. I looked down at the sharp
pain in my leg and saw a dart sticking in it. I quickly looked back at them and started firing. The one
who'd shot me chest went up with three puffs of smoke from the fabric, and probably Kevlar, being
shot. Before I could fire again, everything started to melt together and I lost all feeling in my arms
and legs. I felt myself collapse before I could do anything else.
Blurry images of the fanatics swarming out of the door filled my vison and I heard yells, gunshots, and
the fanatic's dart guns firing. Soon, it all just blended together until it was black.

May 3rd , 2009, 8:13 p.m., Aldenville, Underground Facility...

My stomach was churning. I felt myself fade into another blurry world. I was confused. My arms and
legs wouldn't move. I opened my eyes and saw white figures around me. Then I heard sound, but I
couldn't hear everything they were saying. Just bits and pieces.

" Did you inject ... with ... Haste Serum?" , a familiar voice asked someone.

" Yes ..." , I heard the reply.

" Good. How ... the ... Serum?" , asked the voice again.

" Not ..." , and then sounds disappeared.

My vison blended and melted together again and the last thing before the blackness came was the
familiar voice going ... " ... my son."

May 4th , 2009, 12:52 a.m., Aldenville, Underground Facility...

I felt some tapping against my cheek and then a voice speaking to me.

" Hey ..."

The tapping got rougher and the voice more forceful.

" Open your eyes! Wake up!"

I opened my eyes and let my lightheadedness pass. I then looked at the figure who'd been waking
me. It was a masked fanatic. I let out a small angry shout and through my hands up to wrap my
hands around his throat ...

But I couldn't do either. My mouth was gagged with a cloth and my hands were clamped onto the
chair. Even my legs were. So all that happened was me squirming and the fanatic walking back to
were he probably originally stood at. I looked around at the room I was in and it looked like an office.
The carpet was black and there was a nice looking desk placed in front of me. Two fanatics holding
AK-47's were standing on each side of the desk. A big, black, cushioned chair was behind the desk, it's
back to me.

" Well Ash. I must say, I'm very impressed." , said the voice I least expected to hear.

" Mwad?" , I said, my voice muffled from the cloth.

" Don't talk Ash, just listen." , said my father and he spun around in his chair to look at me. He had a
smile and his eyes looked proud behind his glasses. He had on a white lab coat and a scruffy beard
was starting to sprout on his face.

" It's been a while my son. I'm surprised you're even still alive." , he said and I gave him seething
eyes. My father ... was a fanatic! The bastard!
" If you've been wondering what ever happened to your mother, brother, and sister, they're all here.
Of course I'll let you see them later, but right now, I want to explain myself and our organization. We
are God's Revelation Force. A long time ago, a force was created to take care of the undead. The
zombies you see now. The force was known as the DDH, The Devil's Dead Hunters. Quite recently, we
found samples in South America and began studying the virus. Soon we figured, it was God's will, to
try and take care of the evil here. So, we change the name of our organization to GDP, God's Divine
Power, and released the Regs within high populated cities. This may make me seem like the bad guy
Ash, but you must know, any zombie you see, is God punishing them for their sins. Now that you
know my side of the story, I will allow you to speak." , my father spoke, soon motioning towards a
fanatic next to him. The fanatic walked over to me and ripped the cloth from my mouth. I spit some
and gave my dad a glare.

" You ... and your ... organization ... are the reason for this mess?" , I asked, knowing the answer.

" Ash, this world isn't a mess. As soon as we finish with the cleansing, the world will be rebuilt. And
with God's will, we shall become an even better race, better people. The world will be such a great
place to live." , my father said.

" Cleansing? God's will? Dad, you've killed millions of people! Probably billions! All on some hunch that
God wanted you too! My friends have died because of you! A girl I loved more than anything died,
because of you and your scientists! If anything should be cleansed, it's you father, and your followers.
If there is a God, he's about as dead as those walking, rotting corpses!" , I yelled at him. I spit at him
and he stared at me expressionless.

" I am sorry you feel that way Ash. You seem to have the same feelings as your siblings and mother.
To bad the trap didn't work like I'd of hoped it would. So you wouldn't be around to cause me
problems." , he said to me.

" Trap?" , I asked.

" Oh, yes. How do you think the food got there? The large zombie? The exploding ones? It was all
apart of a plan that almost worked. Well, I suppose we can use you for experiments so it wasn't a
total loss." , my father said. He really had no emotion for me.

" Where's mom." , I asked him, and he looked at me with surprise at the sudden change of subject.
He then smiled.

" Help Ash out of his seat and into some cuffs. I'd like to take him on a tour." , my father said.

One of the fanatic bodyguards raised his rifle at me and I knew I wasn't getting out of this one without
a bullet in the brain. I'd have to be patient. The other fanatic unclasped me and pulled me out of the
chair, cuffing my wrists. The fanatic then shoved me and I followed my father out of the office like
room. He led me down a corridor with white block walls, cement floor, and metal ceiling with
florescent lights. I shuffled along after him until we reached the door and walked into an intersection.

" Ash ... I'm sure you have some questions. Might as well ask them, it'll be a long walk." , my father
said. I didn't waste anytime doing so, seeing as how I had plenty.

May 4th , 2009, 12:59 a.m., Aldenville, Underground Facility...

So my father and his men were the reason for all the unexplainable things that have been happening.
The black outs after the invasion. He said it was gas bombs they were trying that caused temporary
memory loss and all your actions were based purely on instinct. My father also told me the reason why
the undead weren't attacking his men. They've made a spray that somehow gives you of as the same
as the undead. Some scent. It works for a matter of hours and when you speak to them, they will
understand an listen, as if you're the master.

At the moment, I was standing in a square room. Black windows in front of me and on my left and
right. The door behind me. My father turned to me.

" Well Ash, here's the rest of your family." , he told me.

" In those rooms?" , I asked him, pointing to the windows.

" Yes. Would you like to see them?" , he asked me.

" Well, shit. What do you think?" , I said in spite. He had no common sense.

My father rolled his eyes and went to and flipped another switch by the door. I turned from him to
look out through the window on my left. The lights inside were red, and I saw a figure huddled in the
corner. I walked up to the window and I heard my father behind me.

" There's your brother." , he said and I looked at my father and then back at my brother.

Something wasn't right. Just as I thought that, I heard a scream from inside and saw my brother
stand and walk to the glass. It wasn't my brother anymore.

The creature inside was wearing a black hoody with a his hood covering its face in shadow. If he had
any resemblance to my brother, I couldn't tell. When he raised his arms katana like blades were
sticking out. When his sleeves slipped down over them, I could see the blades were sewn to his
handless arms. The creature screamed again and I could tell it was a Knight.

" You ... turned ... him ... into ... a ... Knight?" , I asked my father. I was seething with anger.

" Yes ... as well as your mother and sister." , he said as if it were nothing. I immediatly went to the
next window and looked in. Based on the size of this one, I knew it was my sister. The same red
lights, which I'm guessing doesn't bug Knights, was illuminating her containment room. She
approached the window as well, her skin pure white. She had on a black dress and her mouth wasn't
large like the others. If it wasn't for the blood around her lips and her strangely larger eyes, I'd of
thought she looked normal. Then when she screamed, two black things shot out from behind her and I
saw that they were extremely large wings. She start scratching at the window, leaving nail marks
extremely deep. Of course, I knew sh couldn't get through the glass, but this came to show me she
was very dangerous with claws like that.

I sent another seethe filled stare at my father and walked over to the last one, the one that held my
mother. I surprised to see the room was lit normally in her room. She was already standing and
staring through the glass at me. She looked exactly like she did as human except for a few things. Her
mouth was larger, her eyes the red crimson like all the other zombies, and ... her skin was pure black.
Like, as black as ... night. Her clothes were black s well and it took me a few minutes to see she was
wearing the same thing as my sister. They it wasn't very visible in contrast to her skin. I turned to my
father. Despite the rage, I needed answers. I choked back some of the hate.

" How?" , I said. That was all I could say without wanting to cuss and spew.

" Your brother was quite easy to manufacture. We just operated. Your sister however, was quite
difficult. But we mixed specific parts of bat DNA and combined it with the Knight Serum. So far, we've
only been able to create it once. Your mother however, was the hardest. I'll just skip all the
technicalities and tell you that she's a Knight that's able to resist sunlight and light all in itself. She
also has a parallel sense that we think my even be x-ray vision." , my father explained.
" You didn't ... inject me with anything did you?" , I asked him. He then smiled and I went eye-wide,
the anger brewing up to heights close to the Kat incident again.

" I wouldn't worry to much. One is a test serum to try and make your blood immune. We've tested it.
You aren't, but maybe any children you have after this will be. Though, I'm not planning on letting you
go so don't plan on it. Oh, and the other was a serum that's perfected. It was the only sample we had
so consider yourself lucky." , he told me. He said this quickly enough that I was able to calm myself
down.

" What's this perfected serum?" , I asked him.

" The Haste Serum. It should already have taken effect and mutated your DNA.", my father said.

" What does it do." , I said a little aggressively.

" It pumps you large amounts of adrenaline throughout your body. Your brain seems to slow
everything down, but you're actually going quite a bit faster. One of my test subjects actually curved a
bullet by moving his arm so much faster than the rest of his body. Although, he died soon after
because it took quite a bit of energy to do so. Maybe after a couple months with this new ability, you'll
be able to accomplish a feat as well." , he said to me. I was actually curious about that, but I didn't
ask about it. It didn't matter. The world was full of so many impossibilities now, it wasn't all that
surprising. Although, it did sound like something out of the movie Wanted.

" How do I get that adrenaline rush?" , I asked him.

" Just ... focus I suppose. I don't have the serum in my body. So I've never done it. Our data says
you'll find out on your own." , he said.

I looked at my father, then back at my mother, who had her hand pressed against the window and an
evil grin on her face. I looked into my mothers eyes, what was left of them anyway, and she blinked
and nodded as if telling me something. She must also be able to read minds as well, because I was
just thinking that my father was pretty clueless about what he'd just done. He'd just given me the
ability to escape.

I closed my eyes, trying to focus on my heart. It soon began to beat faster. I opened my eyes and
looked at my father, who'd began talking again.

" I'm interested to see what your friends will be like." , my father said and that did it. My face flushed
red. My heart sped up in anger.

I closed my eyes and began breathing stronger and faster. I was ready to black out again and just
before I opened my eyes ... I did.

May 4th , 2009, 2:51 a.m., Outskirts Aldenville...

" Ashton ..." , said a fuzzy voice and I felt some faint tapping on my cheek.

" Stay with me Tiker!" , said a more aggressive voice from farther away. I felt tapping and heard my
name again and opened my eyes.

" Ash! Thank god." , Ghost, the one who was leaning over me and must of been trying to wake me,
shouted as I woke.
" Tiker! Tiker!" , yelled the other voice and I looked over to see Hendrix bent over Tiker, giving him
compressions. Carl was standing next to Hendrix, looking helpless.

" What happened?" , I asked, sitting up, my head making everything go spinning.

" Well, you pretty much saved us from the fanatics. Everything was pretty much a blur for me up until
we got out and then escaped the city. You collapsed a couple hundred yards back. That's when a
sniper got Tike." , Ghost quickly explained.

" Did you get the sniper?" , I asked, looking over at Hendrix, who just sat back and let out a sigh of
frustration. Tiker wasn't moving.

" Yeah ... but that didn't make me feel any better." , Ghost said, staring at Tiker's dead body. There
was a red spot in Tiker's chest. That must of been the shot.

" So the others ..." , I didn't finish. They didn't answer me, letting me know there's no need to say a
thing.

I looked around at where we were, the moonlight bright enough to illuminate the area. I was sitting in
a patch of grass. To my right was a field with large weeds and grasses growing out of it. We were
sitting on the tree line of some woods. So, out of twelve men, it was just the four of us. I'd just lost
eight of my special unit. This had been so much more then a looting run.

" Which way is Grimmstone?" , I asked Ghost. Ghost then looked as Hendrix, who looked at Carl, who
shrugged.

" Well, then what should we do?" , I asked them.

" First we need to find a place to hide. They're after us. They don't want us getting away with our
lives." , Carl said, and Hendrix nodded, closing dead Tike's eyes.

" Good. Carl, take point. Ghost, put a bullet in Tike. Let's move." , I said, going into my emotionless
state so I could lead a bit better. I needed to get these guys back to Grimmstone. Until we figured out
which way that was, I was going to have to keep them alive the best I could.

December 31st, 2014, 5 hours after being bitten...

I stared down at my empty plate. Those memories had helped me out as well as the people I
encountered. They gave us plenty of information on what else we were dealing with and still trying to
eradicate. I wasn't feeling so good all of a sudden so I excused myself from the cafeteria and walked
towards the elevator. I saw Katie come up to me with Kazz in her arms.

" He want's his father." , Katie said with a smile. The baby was only a year old. And since Tiffany had
him, I've wondered if he was going to be immune. Like my father had told me they would. I wouldn't
want to find out.

" I'm sorry Katie. I'm feeling sick tonight. I need to go to my room." , I told her and she nodded, a
small worried expression on her face.

" I'll keep him for tonight then." , she said and I entered the elevator, waving good-bye to her.

When the doors of the elevator closed. I got a sudden pain in my stomach and a couple minutes later
as I rode up, I vomited onto the elevators carpet. Not only was all the food I'd eaten spewed on it, my
blood was mix with it. The virus was doing its damn-ist. When I reached my floor, I left quickly so
noone would suspect me and got into my room. I walked to the bathroom and closed the door and
looked at my reflection in the mirror. I saw how pale I looked. Little beads of sweat were sparkling
across my forehead. Then ... I saw a small bead of blood appear in the corner of my eye. I knew I
didn't have to much longer left. I was getting near halfway.

" Shit." , I said and ran to the toilet, vomiting more food and blood.

Once it stopped for a little bit, I thought back to the memories of when Hendrix, Ghost, Carl, and I all
were traveling on the run from the fanatics and the zombies they sent after us. Including my family ...
or what use to be my family ...

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