Afterburn

Chapter one

It's been almost 8 years since the outbreak and I am surprised that I am still alive but, of course I am alone in my journey. Since everyone else in my camp was killed and I was the only survivor in a military training camp of over 2 thousand people but of course I had to live.... just me....my friends...everyone...dead but still roaming. I think the worst part about it all is that they could still be following my sent trail with their red eyes. I am only about two days away from Camp Grayling and there have not been any winds rain or anything to cover my scent. Just my luck. The one that me it's a survival necessity the pounding wind of Michigan does not blow.

At about 3:00 PM I came across a bike shop that had not been looted to badly and found a nice black mountain bike with a water bottle mount that my water canteen fit in along with a helmet and a flashing light that mounted to the bike, which came with a solar charger. This bike light might come in handy because one of the settings is Morris code for S.O.S. Meaning if I got stuck anywhere I could hopefully call for help. I biked for the rest of the day hoping to get as close to Orion's safe house as possible. At about 9 PM I discovered a tree house in someone's backyard and decide to stay there for the night. I climbed up the rope ladder and set up my sleeping bag on the floor. Once I got into the sleeping bag I started to think about how much has happened.

Flash back begins
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It all started with a April fools joke that we thought the news stations were playing on us but it turns out the virus was the one tricking us... not the news stations. Once April 1st passed and the news stations were still reporting the same type of events we all realized it was no joke. Panic spread like wildfire throughout charlevoix and Antrim counties as for the rest of the world I still don't know how they reacted because all communication went dark as everyone ran home to there families.

I was a chemist strait from grad-school when the virus started to spread. Once the virus became a serious situation I was immediately called into Camp Grayling to research new easy to make compounds that the military could use for defenses and weapons in case of a government collapse. At the time I did not know about the zombie virus, just the virus it mutated from. Because of my engineering apprenticeship during college and grad-school I was also able to design the trigger mechanisms and possible uses for my creations. Once I got to the camp I immediately noticed that the personal were putting up chain link fence around a widened perimeter along with wooden supports about every 5 meters. I also noticed guards standing near the people putting up the fence and sentries standing by the gate both the security groups were wielding heavy duel edged axes stained blood red. Once we entered I saw many civilians likely from the immediate area helping set up the camp to last a long time but at the moment it just looks like a cross between military school and summer camp, not so much a military controlled camp that is ready to face the dead walking.

As I walked into the commanding officer's office I noticed a lot of well made paintings that looked like they were one of a kind once he noticed us she looked up at the solder that brought me here and gave him a stink eye" I told you not to disturb me until the chemist arrives and what do you do.... you bring me some tuff guy who probably does not even know the chemical formula for water! Do not come back until you get me Dan O'rielly!" I stared her down with a fury in my eyes while I waited for him to see my name tag that I brought with my name on it"oh! My apologies I did not realize you would be here so quickly... do you have any starting ideas for defenses?"

I lightened my glare after hearing her sad attempt at a excuse "we could use electralisis to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen then mix the two gasses and use it as a explosive and use a spark to trigger the mixture which will recombine the two gasses into water." she nodded "I could also use the same process with salt water and make chlorine which I could then use to make some home made bleach we could use in laundry, I know it's not defensive or offense but it could help keep our clothes and other things much more clean.