Chapter 2: First Look at the World

My biological clock just went off, It's probably around six in the morning. Looking around, nothing looks familiar. Until my eyes land on the sleeping face of the woman beside me. Like a tidal wave, it all comes rushing back to me.

I'm in 'The Walking Dead'. And now that my head is a little bit clearer before I make any decisions, I need a map and some supplies, or at least a knife to help gather supplies. I slide out the bed and put my clothes on. Before I could reach the door, the little vixen called out.

"Where are you going?" Amy called out.

"On a supply run. Early bird gets the worm you know?"

"Not by yourself. How about you wait for Andrea and the group." Amy suggested.

I could see it, feel it, and hear it. The psychological wounds of the survivors of the apocalypse. To see so much death and carnage in an instant. To have one's mundane world turned upside down and have reality shattered and replaced with something as nightmarish as the walking dead, is bound to leave a mark.

And though we met only hours ago, I could see her fear and anxiety. Losing a sex partner is one thing. But to see another human life fade...

"If you're so worried how about you tag along? It's not good to get too comfortable in the apocalypse"

She just lays there looking at me, contemplating her answer. And all I could is think please say yes. If she comes with me I could save her. I could teach her how to handle herself and maybe we just might find some fucking toilet paper. But...

"Okay, but we have to take Andrea at least," said Amy.

"Get dressed and I'll wake her up," I replied.

I then walked to the RV door and took the map laying on the table along the way. I opened the door and left. I didn't stop for anyone as I walked straight into the woods. No matter what the reason, it was far from time to start making fate-changing decisions.

Deep enough into the woods, I take a short break and begin to plot my route. If I took Andrea, it might change a lot and that means Rick dies in that tank. And Shane keeps Lori. Eehh, no.

Not happening. After a couple of minutes of thinking about what I needed and looking at the places around the camp, my scavenging route seemed to form on its own.

"Okay, first head out to the Police department in zone 1, it's not far. Hopefully there it isn't too bad and I could get some gear to protect us from humans and walkers." I muttered to myself, "For now I can stay with the group and move on when I'm ready."

"From there I head up the US-78 and hit the medical supply. Everything along the way is for the taking. Hopefully, they have bigger vehicles to carry more shit at the police department. I should be back before the afternoon. Maybe even peak in on the show in the city."

"Now that sounds like a hell of a plan." Shane suddenly appeared with his shotgun in hand. Lori was close behind him with an aura of sex still around her.

"I have to admit, you're something special, boy. I actually thought of similar things, but I can't be in two places at once and the group is just lacking skill." He added.

I chuckled, "That's the problem you fucking humans. You know the majority of the world is going to take a decade trying to cling to the notion of modern society. Because of that, the strong will sacrifice in vain and the weak will die anyway. Who the fuck are you to save anyone?"

"It's the right thing to do," Shane replied.

"There it is." I sang, "Human is to Lion as Simba is to Shane. But I'll entertain you. You made yourself known for a reason."

Shane and Lori wore a mask of confusion. They thought of my words and thought hard. But they just couldn't seem to put together my meaning. Finally, Shane moved on.

"I want you to take the group with you. They're already going into the city, you can help each other," said Shane.

I didn't protest. It had to be fate or something. To run into this couple sneaking around must be the world trying to tell me something.

When I returned to camp, I met Andrea and Amy but played it off as if I was stretching my legs and ran into Shane on my way back instead of in the woods. Shane gave me a nod and went on his way as I walked the sister to the nearest vehicle.

I wanted to test the world some and see how ironclad the plot was. I took my time explaining my plan and both of the girls voiced their support for the plan. Then a young man poked his head out of the car.

'The neighborhood errand boy, Glenn Rhee. I always liked the guy, he had charisma.' I thought, but I was more so amazed.

I didn't plan on waiting for Shane to return with a group of runners. In fact, I was going to take the car and see how far I could pull away from the plot. I had to know if meeting Shane in the woods was a fluke.

"What are you doing here Glenn? The run isn't for another couple of hours," said Andrea.

"Well this is my baby, I sleep here" Glenn replied, patting the hood of the worn-down car " The new guy's plan sounds good, I'll go with you but, we bring the original group. Everyone needs something and we're low on gas."

So this is how it is. Let the plot begin. Although I want to do my own thing, I wasn't in any rush.

"Sure. Why not?" I replied.

Some hours later…

"Solomon, my guy. Let me introduce you to the group. Here we have T-dog, Merle, Jacqui, Morales, and you already know Andrea and Amy" Glenn spoke with a lively voice.

"Good, another nigger for badluc…'

Pop! Before Merle's dumbass could finish his sentence, I clocked him dead in the face.

"You should think before you speak. Or you might just end up dead and walker food if you're not careful… Let's get out of here we're burning daylight."

On the road, I took in the city from a perspective never shown on tv. No matter how much money was used to fund the show, it failed to display even one percent of the true magnitude of what an apocalyptic event would be like.

I saw the burning building and smelled death miles outside of the city. The corpses that littered the highway and ever so random gunshot of the strangling survivors looking to find safety in the concrete jungle of death.

It was hell on earth.

Along the way, we didn't encounter much. It was when parked the vehicle and began our travel on foot that we faced challenges. I learned quickly the brain is a hard thing to traumatize. Getting through the skull and striking deep enough to kill a walker was a task.

I learned the strengths and weaknesses of a blunt instrument and a sharp tool. While I was getting accustomed to the world, the group hit small stores in search of things of use. That's when I learned my second lesson, Savanging is hard as hell.

After seeing the failures of the group, I even began to wonder if my targeted locations were worth the venture. After all, Shane and I were of the same mind in terms of their value. It wouldn't be odd to think others coveted and moved to pick the place clean.

I continued to study the walkers, noting different ways to kill them. It was apparent that survival had three different battlefields. One-on-one combat, crowd surfing, and the swarm. One-on-one is self-explanatory. But crowd surfing is when the survivor pushes a line from one target to the next in order to get from point A to B through multiple walkers. In that case, it's all footwork, pinpoint blows and quick analysis.

Finally, the swarm. In that case, run like hell. It is easier to do if you take in your surroundings. See where you're going and know where you've been.

Eventually, our luck began to change. We weren't just slaying walkers, but looting places as well. It wasn't much, but we were lucky to find what we did.

"Wait," I spoke low but firm.

The group stopped and I stood in front of a Hapkido dojo.

"Five minutes," I said.

I clutched my hammer and entered the building. The only light in the place was from outside, so it naturally became darker the further I venture. It was your average training hall, but I wanted to try my luck.

I walked along the walls and found many practice weapons. I found bags left behind by people and blood stains on the mats. Carefully making my way to the back room, I opened with door and cringed at the squeak of the hinges.

At the threshold, I waited. Two, five, ten, twenty-five.

I stepped forth and found nothing. I sighed and looked around the room. I paused at the picture that hung on the wall behind the cherry wood desk. It was the only one in a room of hanging awards and certificates. In the picture, a Korean family stood in front of the Dojo.

I then furrowed my brow and my head snapped left and right, then I saw a shoulder. Moving behind the desk, I found a middle-aged man. He was dead.

'Suicide. Strong man.' I thought, taking in the sight of the man sitting on the floor against the wall with a ring-pommel sword skewering his head from beneath his chin. I clutched the black handle and pulled the sword free. The body slumped over as I picked up its black and gold scabbard. Sheathing the sword, I walked for the door.

It must have been ho the light barely made it into the room, because I saw, the spin of a book.

'basic swordsmanship

I snatched the book from its stand and continued on.

"Man, that was almost ten minutes," said T-dog.

"I was a little nervous." I replied, "It was dark as hell in there."

"Is that what you risked your life for?" Jacqui asked, pointing at the Ring-Pommel sword.

"Mmm," I nodded, "How long will bullets last? It's best to start training the body. The strong I am the more I can endure. Just wait until cold months come."

The thoughts of a bleak future soured the mood. I could see they were all thinking about it. I then urged them on to stop their thoughts.

The group and I traveled another two blocks down and I could start to feel the world around me pushing events. It was like anxiety with no particular cause.

Coming up the street I see an Atlanta Cleaner on the corner with a deal for military customers in the window. I tell the group I'm going to look for some clothes and Amy decided to tag along.

We break off from the group as they head across the way to a department store to gather more supplies.

In the cleaners, I go straight to the bathroom and grab all the toilet paper I could find, and stuff them into Amy's bag. I look at her and shrug my shoulders.

"What toilet paper saves lives," I say, and she giggles slightly before looking for some clothes that could fit her.

It took me a while, but I finally found what I was looking for. A combat uniform… Thankful it was USMC Cammies. And thank the goddess the fucker left his whole duffel. I quickly change out and into the uniform.

I tied my boots up, pulled my belt tight, and pulled the duffel over my long sleeve combat shirt. After I strapped my gloves and put on a tactical face mask that matched my camos.

'I wonder who this guy was.' I thought

Bang! Bang!

The shots continue to pop off, I grab the Ring-Pommel Sword and rush off.

"Amy!" I shout on the move.

She was already at the door and together we ran, not stopping to let her talk, we make our way to the department.

Hitting the next street, we see a fast wobbling cowboy.

"Amy, follow the cowboy!" I barked.

Directly behind them, I pull out my blade and start to cut through them at a fast speed…too fast. It was then that I remember that my basic template was far superior to the humans on the planet. I was born of my own will.

"Go! I'll hold them off "I shouted once I notice the group of three looking on at the battle.

I then proceed to move with the wind as bodies dropped and slashing echoed creating a symphony of death. A warm sensation moved through my body and my mind began to become clear and more attentive to my surroundings.

'I will not die, and I will slay this horde' the thoughts rang throw my mind.

"Solomon!! Come one! We made it!" Glenn called out to me.

I looked over and saw the ladder crowded. I rushed forth and felt something primal telling me to jump, so I did. I sheathed my sword and jump toward the outside of the ladder's protection cage. Holding on, I slide the sheathed sword in between my belt and waist. I Climbed to the first platform and follow the group to the roof. Eventually, making it into the department store.

Just like in the show, Andrea pulls a fucking gun on a confused-looking Rick. And when they finally explain what's going on, he just makes an oh shit expression before apologizing.

Bang! More gunshots.

The scared-shitless, Andrea, leads the group to the roof while I stay on the ground. The confrontation on the roof has nothing to do with me. Plus, Merle makes shit interesting in the long run. Time goes on and Before I know these guys come out covered in walker's guts.

"Hold on! Whatever you guys are doing. I'm coming too" I give my bag to Amy and tell her, "Don't lose my stuff."

She nods firmly and I look at Glenn and Rick with a smirk.

"Camouflage." I said, "I was thinking the same when I noticed the walkers avoiding two things, themselves and corpses. Anything alive is a target. They can't see, I know that much. So smell and sound is the next best thing."

"It's a crazy fucking idea," said Jacqui.

"My kind of crazy." I declare. "The glass won't hold, so I'm going with you."

"I saw you use that thing." Rick motioned to the sword, "We can use something silent and deadly."

"Then let's go."