Chapter 1

Slinking through the street ducking behind cars I try to quietly make my way to the gas station down the road from my apartment. It's been nearly a week since everything went to hell and the power and water is sporadic at best. I've already filled up 10 5 gallon jugs with water for the long haul. My building has been cleared out. It wasnt easy or pleasant. The feeling of blood running down my arms when I smashed the old lady next doors head in with a pipe wrench was awful. I threw up and nearly passed out but I did it. I did it. My name is Carter, this year I will be 20, if I live that long. I move past the abandoned cars strewn across the road keeping an eye out for anything useful. The road is a 2 lane street right down the center of town. It's a smaller town with an bunch of old houses. My apartment is actually just a 7 bedroom house thats been converted for appartmental use. I used to walk this road to get sodas and chocolate, now I'm slinking like a rat to find some food. A big difference from before. I'm no longer enjoying the birds and flowers on my way, instead I'm dreading every step and preparing myself to run as best I can. Making my way further up I see 3 zombies wandering towards me. That's too many for me to handle on my own, so I slide as quietly as I can beneath the nearest car to wait for them to pass. As far as I have noticed they can't see, they do react to sounds though. Thankfully they are rather slow so even in my unfit condition, exercise was never my thing, I can get away if noticed. As I lay here admiring the rust above me I can't help but think about my plan.

Step one food and medicine

Step two better weapon.

Step three generator and fuel.

It's not exactly Einstein's best but its more than enough. Three sets of feet shuffle near me as I begin breathing very slowly.

*shh *shh *shh*shh *shh *shh*shh *shh *shh

And just like that they are on their way. I wait another 10 minutes until I no longer hear or see anything and then I slide out from under the car and resume my trip. The thing I don't think I'll ever get used to is the quiet. No cars. No music. No people. Just eerie quiet. As I approach the gas station I can see the outside is clear. The front glas is shattered and the door is pinned open by a car. The lights are on and no movement inside. I approach slowly and quietly keeping my eye out for anything. As I reach the door I notice theres not a lot left, however, thats just the front, maybe theres some stuff in the back. I unpin the broken door using my pipe wrench to hold the bars together as I begin filling my bag with what I can find in the front. After finishing the front I move towards the office and storage area behind the counter. The door is closed so maybe a good sign? I lightly tap my knuckles on the door a few times and wait. No response. I repeat a bit louder and continue to wait and listen. I hear a light shuffle inside. I check the handle and its unlocked so I slowly crack the door and peer inside. I see nothing. However I'm patient, so I wait, and after a few moments I see a man's body shuffling towards the door. I slowly pull it shut and step back. How the hell am I going to kill it quietly? I begin checking the windows around the store looking outside. I dont see anything so maybe I can do it quick and be safe? I cant go back empty handed after walking all this way. I barely have enough food for 3 more days and behind that door was several cases.... Should I risk it? As I'm pacing I look down and see a womans purse under the counter. I check it because there may be something inside and I find a can of pepper spray, some ibuprofen, and several chap stick containers. Useful for sure. I also found a screwdriver under here. Now. Lets get this guy.

I knock on the door making sure he is on the other side before I push it open very quickly screwdriver clutched in my hand. As it meets resistance I push harder knocking the zombie over as I move around him and begin stabbing him in th eye socket and skull. Blood sprays over me as I keep going until I'm sure its dead. As I look down into the mangled mound of flesh I feel nauseous and throw up. Hopefully this will get easier. I really hope so.