Z Nation

Chapter 3

Nightfall came within minutes, making it hard to see and easier to trip. I lost count of how many times I have fallen already. But it sure ripped my thin, pajama pants up. It was getting cold, very cold. Since I lived in the mountains of Montana it got cold very quick. It also didn't help that the seasons were changing from fall to winter. I guess you could saw I was screwed if I didn't find warmer clothing or shelter within the night.

I continued to walk and walk, seeing nothing but hills in the distance. Not even warehouses on the side or even small farms. I had no idea which way I was heading, I could have been heading into a city for all I knew. If I was lucky, maybe the rail I was on headed into Canada. But then again, all of Europe and America was hit by the virus. No doubt Canada was hit as well. But hey, I gotta keep hope right?

I got tired of staring up at the emptiness ahead of me, so I kept my eyes on the ground. Listening carefully to my surroundings. Not even a cricket chirped tonight, it was kind of off putting.

I had been walking for so long now that I wasn't even there. I was off in my own mind, which wasn't particularly good either. I couldn't stop thinking about the woman, er, rotter I mean. How I had hit her with the bat and she fell, yet got up again only a few minutes later. I flinched at the thought of my bullets going through her, lodging deeply into her rotting brain. My fingers reacted, twitching as the memory of loud gun shots filled my head.

Not once had I killed something before. Not human, not deer. Not even a fly that flew around in my room. Not even when I escaped from my house, where my mother and father had turn, had came at me with blood lusting eyes. It was a horrible experience I never wanted to face again. This whole damn world, now filled with rotters wanting to eat the living. To hunt us down and devourer everyone last one of us until nothing was left.

But what would happen after all humans were eaten or bitten? Would society build up from the ground again? Would the rotters adapt, turning into the newest advance human kind? Or will the world just stop, fading into the abyss of the universe?

My thoughts came to a stop when I noticed foot steps coming towards me. I glance up quickly, my hand already pulling out my hand gun and aiming in front of me. Me eyes focused to the figures that stood in front of me.

There stood a tall girl with long ashy hair, her clothing was a long red dress and high heels. In her hands she held a large shot gun, high power I guesses by the design and number imprinted into the side.

Next to her stood a short boy, shorter than me. His hair was blonde, ruffled with a mix of dry blood and dirt. He had on fancy clothing just like the girl who stood next to him; a black tux with a red tie coming out of the jacket, a nice pair of shoes. Over his shoulder he carried a large duffle bag, but no weapon.

I stood still, my gun aimed at the girl as she had her's aimed at me. I didn't dare to blink, neither did she. Her stance was defensive in front of the boy, protective of him I was guessing.

"Friendly?" She asks. I could tell she was trying to be tough but by the shaking of her voice, she was just as afraid as me.

"Friendly." I nod my head, lowering my gun to my side, as did she. I could feel the tension leaving, a sigh coming from the both of us. The boy came out from behind her and glanced me up and down before whispering something to the girl next to him.

"Where you from?" She asks, also eyeing my clothing carefully.

"10 miles at the most." I jerk a thumb sharply over my shoulder. "You?"

"The city." Her voice shakes even more. My guesses something bad had happened.

"You're dressed offaly nice for a zombie apocalypse." I comment, motioning to her clothing. She narrows her eyes at me and scoffs.

"Like yours are any better." She snaps, offended quickly.

"Hey now," I raise my hands in defense. "I just meant you're clothing is fancy. Thats all."

"Coming from the guy who is wearing pajamas." The boy finally speaks up, catching me off guard from how deep his voice was. It wasn't deep deep, but his height defiantly hid his age.

"Well some of us didn't have time to change when running from rotters." I frown, crossing my arms. "And sides. My Pac Man pajamas are fabulous, thank you very much." They chuckle at my little come back, thinking it was a joke.

"So, the city. What was it like there? Are there survivors?" I ask, excitement filling my voice in hope for a way out. But by the way their faces fell, I could tell hope was once more just a myth.

"Burning down as we speak. Military was over run... The people- all infected. Those who were gunned down were left to either rot or become a meal for the dead." The girl speaks up after moments of silence.

"We were at a party when it all happened." Next spoke the boy. "Everything was fine until the doors were shut tight and one infected turned into twelve, turning into the whole room besides us. Try escaping 32 dead heads on the 20th floor of a high rise."

"What about you? Was your area safe?" The girl asks, her face lifting in hope just as mine had.

"Rotters all over the streets. If there was survivors, I didn't see them. My parents- I woke up and both had turned in the kitchen. As did my girlfriend the night before." I gulp, not giving any more detail, not wanting to have to remember any of that.

We all fell into silence once more, probably wondering what to do now that both directions are completely over run. It was until the sounds of screaming in the distance, followed by the groans of the undead that broke our silence. The girl was the first to speak.

"The world is now filled with the hunters and the hunted. We need to stick together. I don't care where you're heading, I just want to hide somewhere safe." She says, almost in a begging matter.

I nod my head swiftly and with that the three of us were of into the night with the dead trailing far behind us.