Dead Alive Trilogy (Book 2)- Cursed Resurrection

Before Dawn

"Wake up..."

"Hey, Ryan. Wake up..."

"Wake up!"

Ryan blinked his eyes open. He was in a bed. That was weird. Where was he? He sat up quickly and almost bumped heads with John, who was leaning over him waking him up. Ryan looked around for a weapon. But he was still in the shelter. The Bunker was still here. John and Tiny were still here. Ryan was still here. He was still safe.

"Come on, get dressed," John told Ryan, "We got to be ready before sunrise."

Ryan was about to say that he didn't have any extra clothes but he saw a neat pile of fresh, or fresher, clothes. He took off his smelly garbage and put on the new clothes. Perfect.

"What happens at sunrise," Ryan asked.

"Hell," answered Tiny.

Tiny left the dorm. John and Ryan followed. Ryan thought that they were leading him back to Jordan's office but they passed that and went straight to the front shelter. The stairs leading into it went much farther down than any of the others. Darkness filled the room, until Tiny switched on the light. Boxes and crates were piled everywhere, as far as Ryan could see. He wondered how big the room was. It must have been at least as long and wide as the Bunker its self. It had staircases along the wall throughout the whole room.

Tiny said, "Welcome to the the Storage Container, or SC for short. This place runs under every bit of the Bunker. It's where we put our stuff when we don't need it, and where we o in case of emergency. You can get here from any other room, but please use the main entrance if you can. This is where we supply the new guys."

Ryan sighed at being the new guy. He hated being the new guy. It reminded him of high school. He pulled himself back from entering the past and blocked those memories from entering his head. High school wasn't that long ago. He could still remember every bit of it if he wanted to, but he didn't want to. Thinking about things you've lost and can never get again distracted you from doing what you needed to do.

Ryan was pushed out of his pensiveness by a hard, long piece of metal covered with thick, stiff leather and a grip covered by athletic tape hitting his chest. It fell to the ground. Ryan picked up the machete that just hit him.

"There's your machete,"Tiny told, "Standard issue. Keep it close, it's not a great weapon, it's a terrific tool. It can be used for many things. Don't forget that. I'm not saying it may save your life, I guarantee you. It will save your life."

Ryan clipped it to his belt. The added weight wasn't much of a factor. He unsheathed it. The metal was worn but still strong. It had a sharp smooth blade on the front edge, but on the back edge it was serrated into a saw blade. Ryan could have been set to go with just the machete but Tiny , who had disappeared behind some crates had something else for him.

Tiny emerged with the most beautiful gun Ryan had ever seen. (Of course, the only guns that had ever seen were .22's) Remington model 798. He handed it to Ryan who aimed into the room it was a great gun.

"Some poor guy on the team before us joined the buffet and left this behind for us. I guess if he had this, he had to have been a hunter. And if you really have been out there on your own for a year, you are too."

"Thanks, man. You talk about him so casually. Wasn't he a part of your team?"

"I never really liked him, " Tiny answered.

"But still..."

"Look kid. When you're a soldier, you learn how to accept casualties on both sides. That's the way it works. And sorry, son. You've been drafted into a world war against the dead. I chose this type of life. I chose to be a soldier. I know, but the same life has been thrust upon you, and you need to take it, and take lives if you're going to survive, " Tiny puased, "But you shouldn't be killing anything that's important, just zulus."

"I disagree, " Ryan resolved, "Every life is sacred and important. Even if it's not a life at all."

"You need to forget that type of thought and throw away those God damned Wallets that you keep. These things are nothing more than a walking plague!"

"I can't afford to think like that."

"You can't afford not to," Tiny pressured.

"Do you know why I collect those wallets," Ryan asked, "Because I have to care. If I allow myself to not care for even one second, my worst fear is realized."

Tiny asked, "What's your worst fear?"

"What's yours?"

Tiny conceaded.

A small metallic object caught Ryan's eye. It was a new crowbar, one that hadn't undergone vigorous usage. He didn't need anything else. He had a gun, a blade and his crowbar at the dorm. He didn't need anything else. But it was shiny. He wanted this new crowbar. So he took it.

"Hey, Tiny," Ryan asked, "Would anyone ,mind if if I took this crowbar?"

"Whatever," was the reply.

Tiny, John, and Ryan all had everything they needed. John and Tiny took Ryan to Jordan's office, where she waited with two other girls. The first one was tall, taller than Ryan, and lean, with her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. The second girl was dark skinned and dark haired. She was normal height but was very built. Shredded to the core. Ryan saw no use for these women other to make him feel inadequate in that the ladies were more masculine than him.

"Who are these people, " he asked.

Jordan answered, " This is my half of the team. Remember, you can't travel alone. Three in a group is best. When we divided into the groups we had three girls, and at the time three guys. It worked out best that way. Now we are gonna start you off easy and just do a basic reconn. Tiny's groups is heading north, we're heading south. Get your two-ways now."

Tiny and Jordan stepped behind her desk and pulled out some two-way radios.(walkie-talkies) They handed one to everybody.

"Remember people, keep them low. We don't want a horde to chase us back to the Bunker because they heard one of us talking."

Jordan stepped out of her office, closely followed by the manly girls. Tiny lead John and Ryan out after. "Welcome to the worst day of your life," he said.