Wasteland

Prologue-Jan 21, 2012
The day everything changed. The day no one could have predicted. The day that the human struggle for existence started.
It was a biblical sight for those who saw it with their last moments alive, 10 miles of fire and brimstone impacting the earth in three different places all at once. The ground exploded transferring the shock of the impact all over the earth, the skies clouded up so that the sun couldn’t shine, and families ran to their basements for safety, which, ironically, would be their tombs. Others stay in their house hoping that the safety it provided would be enough, although it wasn’t. All around the world buildings fell, people died, and life changed for those who survived the impact.
Those that survived celebrated their life; the poor souls actually thought that it was over, that the entire world was just hit by a meteor and that would be that, that the world will rebuild itself. Oh how they were so wrong. The Meteor was the beginning. Two months after the impact the dead started rising as if they were just sleeping. Bodies that were intact enough dug out of the graves of destroyed cemeteries.
No one knew what was happening at first and by the time most of them found out it was too late. The undead feasted on the living and once they were done then wandered aimlessly looking for the next victim. Those humans that were smart armed themselves quickly, that is if they could find weapons. The world was in shambles, and nothing could rebuild it. Those that survive fight to survive everyday as the hoards of undead are most of the population of what used to be earth.
It seemed to be the end of the world.

Chapter 1- Road to Philadelphia
Seven Months Later
“George you can’t be outside too long, it’s a huge risk” said a voice through the buzz of the radio that a seventeen year old boy with torn clothing was wearing on his hip.
“Avery, I told you that I’d be fine, and I know what I’m doing ok?” He said with a confident voice back through. “Besides what kind of life do you get when you don’t take risks?” With that he shut his radio off and checked his watch.
It was an old habit to check his watch, even if it didn’t work. He sighed a bit seeing his green eyes in the glass of it. He shook his head and got back to searching for a running car. He walked to the ruins of a used car dealer building, cars surrounded the front half of the building, most were over turned or trashed by debris but the ones that weren’t looked in running condition, all he needed to do is just find the keys in the collapsed building.
George reached into the pocket of his torn khaki pants and took a semi-automatic pistol out of it. He made sure it was loaded and advanced towards the rubble. When he got to where he suspected the keys would’ve been stored in the building he did a quick look around and started moving the rubble around looking for the keys to the cars that were intact. After about fifteen minutes he found a key.
“Yes!” He smiled at his success in finding the right place and slipped the key in his pocket and resumed his digging for the keys. He found thirteen more pairs before he heard about 15 groans sound around him all in unison. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he shot up and looked around.
Just like the sounds suggested he was surrounded by zombies he pulled up his pistol as the zombies limped in all around him. BANG! First shot fired, the first zombie fell. He fired 14 more consecutive shots hitting the zombies all in the head. His heart beat was rapid as he reloaded his gun with an audible click and went to the nearest in-tact car.
“I hate this world.” He muttered to himself as he tried every key in the ignition. “Nothing.” He growled a bit and went to the next car, only to get the same as the first. “Third time’s the charm.” He said going to a clunker of a van. On the fourteenth key it started, nearly giving him a heart attack. “It started… IT STARTED! WOOOOOOOO!” He threw up him arms in victory. “Alright George” he mumbled to himself “Time for you to learn how to drive awesomely.”
A half an hour later George got the hang of the driving and pulled up in front of a barricaded house and went up to it and knocked. A thirteen year old girl answered “George-kun! You are back!” She hugged him.
“Jeez Avery I was only out for two hours.” George said laughing a bit. “Get ready to pack, we are leaving Illinois and heading towards Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.”
“Yes sir!” She said and ran to the kitchen.
George smiled a bit and thought about what could be waiting for him in Philadelphia. He took a note out of his pocket; it was actually a printed piece of paper, a fax, from Philadelphia that appeared at the copy shop in his town of Decatur when the fax machines were up for a few minutes.
‘George if you are alive and reading this I couldn’t be any happier! Me and Melissa have created a strong hold in my house. Remember the address.
1915 Charleston Street.
I love you ~ Ray’
It was from two months ago and George had been trying to get a car ever since he got it. Finally he could get there. Finally he could meet Rachel in person. It was his beacon of hope in this hellish earth. His hope was that, somehow, she had survived, and was waiting for him in Philadelphia.
George walked to his room and lifted a duffel bag up bringing it down to the living room where all the guns were. He packed all the ammo and the guns and flipped it onto his shoulder.
“Avery do you have the kitchen packed up?” He asked walking in.
“Almost George-kun~” She said a ring to her voice that only a thirteen year old could have.
“I’m going to load up the car with the weapons come out with the food when its packed.”
He kept his gun by his side on the way to the van and put the duffel bag in the back seat. At almost the same moment Avery carried out a box putting it in the very back of the van, then she went back inside. George noted that she only packed canned goods in the first box. He smiled a bit. Smart, he thought and took out a second pistol from the bag.
Just then his radio buzzed and a voice that was broken up came out of it, “Ca-… an-…-one hear me?” George took the radio out and tinkered with the dial until the voice could be heard clearly through the static. “If you can hear this please I need help! Im surrounded by zombies and I can’t get out of this room! My location is the remains of the Eisenhower school building room sixt-….” The static over took the radio.
That voice sounded familiar to George, after thinking about the voice for a minute a memory flashed in his head. A kid his age with glasses and brown, pink hair was what came to mind. “Tod.” George said to himself “He survived?” He ran into the house and went to Avery looking at the boxes she had packed “Pack an extra box we are picking someone up on the way to Bloomington.”
“I thought we were going to Philadelphia George-kun.” She said quizzically.
“We are but there was an army base forty-five miles west of Bloomington, if its still standing partially we can get an armored vehicle and some more guns.”
“What makes you think that there will be guns at an army base?”
“Because it’s an army base, how are they going to train new recruits without guns?” He smiled a bit “Silly girl” he said “Ill be back” he handed her a gun. “Be careful with it and only use it when it is necessary.”
“Where are you going…” he was out the door before she could finish the question.

Chapter 1 Part 2- Road to Philadelphia continued
George decided that he would walk; part of the reason is that the van needed to stay partially full of gas for a quick escape when needed. He needed a game plan though, Tod had said he was in room number sixty before he cut off but George knew that he was going to say another number after that, so in theory he could be in any of the rooms that are in the sixties. None of that was a problem, the problem for George was that the school is entirely messed up; the rooms that started with sixty all were in the bottom part of the school a floor that was half underground and half not. It made it almost impossible for a clean escape.
The school was one of the only 6 buildings in Decatur that survived the shockwaves that destroyed the town. George was almost there, he could see it down the street, but he could also see something he didn’t want too. There was a hoard of zombies in the foyer that he had to go through to get to the staircase.
“Dang” He mumbled then got an idea, all the windows were blown out, so he could climb in another way.
George picked up a nearby two-by-four board to take out a zombie quietly in case he should find one. He avoided the zombies out front and went through what use to be a standing fence, now flattened against the ground with the brown grass, into the football field which was in no better growing state than anything. He closed his eyes remembering how it looked here before, on those days he had PE and had to walk around the track outside.
He shook his head, now wasn’t the time for fond memories, he looked up the hill across the field that was where the cafeteria entrance was, not that it needed an entrance as it was a mostly windowed room when the meteor struck. No zombies in the cafeteria but a classroom was better to go in, less space better defending, that’s how it was for George. He crossed the field and ran to the windows that lined up to the left of the cafeteria.
Doing one final check on his weapons he jumped into the window, easy, there were none of those undead in the room. He closed his eyes again, this was one of his class rooms and memories hit him like a train once again. It made him miss how things were, it made him want to crawl in a corner and die hoping that whatever happened in death would be better than this, but he would press on, he had to be strong for himself and everyone that could be relying on him.
He put back on his strong face, a face he has used his entire life and looked out the door. As he had originally thought, there were zombies out there. They must be looking for Tod just as he was.
He quickly propped a desk by the door and looked for something to defend himself that wouldn’t make to much noise but something he could use quickly incase of him being swarmed. He found just what he was looking for a paddle with an orange ‘C’ on it. He chuckled a bit at the design he knew his teacher was a cubs fan; she had brought this in for show and tell one day.
He pushed the desk away from the door holding the paddle in one hand and his gun in the other. Kicking the door open, he hit the nearest zombies on the head making them crumple to the ground and shot a few that were further away. The rest turned their heads toward him, some of these faces he knew he could even make out some of his friends, but now it didn’t matter. The only friends he had were the ones with a heartbeat.
***
Tod jumped hearing gunshots but got filled with hope at the same time, someone had received his radio call for help! He looked at his companion who was jarred from his sleep ecstatic.
“Noah get up we are saved!” Tod shook the overly-skinny teen wearing glasses, denim jeans and a Yoshi hoodie.
Noah scrambled up “Wha? By who?!”
“I don’t know but they got weapons!”
There was a knock on the door, it was frantic and followed by more gunshots followed by a click. Tod opened the door after pushing the desk away from the door. George jumped in backwards hitting a zombie too close to him on the head and pushing it out of the door before shutting it and propping a desk against it.
Before even looking at them and even before seeing who it was George said in a commanding voice, “Help me move the teacher’s desk against the door, there is too much company out there.”
Noah and Tod didn’t even ask questions as the moved the light weight students desk and pushed the heavy teacher’s desk against the door. George leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. What had happened out there was unexpected, he fired the first few shots then more zombies rushed the halls, he was overwhelmed and fought hard to just survive.
“George?!” Both Tod and Noah exclaimed at the same time.
George opened one eye and got a good look at them, “Noah?” He stood up, he had expected Tod but not Noah “You both are alive? How long have you been here?”
“Two days, give or take.” Tod answered
“Got any food?” Noah asked
“Not on me” George shook his head “We have to get back to my safehouse. Someh-” He stopped and looked at the door. There was a crack through the wood and the zombies were pummeling it like madmen. “We need to get out of here” He took the two pistols out of his pockets and handed Noah one and Tod one “We can catch up later” He said giving them a couple ammo cartridges, keeping one for himself.
George started to climb out the window and saw exactly what he didn’t want to see. There were zombies on the field, at least thirty and they were headed towards the window. George got pale, zombies were breaking down the door, even with the desk there it won’t hold them long and now there were a lot of them outside the window. They were surrounded.

Chapter 1 Part 3- On the Way continued
George was in too much panic to think straight, any attempts to come up with a plan were falling short. Then a he looked at Noah and Tod, remembering how they contacted him. “That’s it!” He yelled out of nowhere causing the already jumpy teens to jump.
“What is it?” Tod asked.
“I need you two the shot the zombies you can through the crack of that door to hold them off as long as you can.” He said taking out his own Radio.
Noah and Tod nodded shooting a few zombies through the door as George tinkered with his radio trying to get back in sync with Avery’s. It didn’t take him long and once he got it he spoke into it.
“Avery? Avery!” He hoped she had her radio with her, if she didn’t he wouldn’t survive and neither would the ones he came here to save.
Much to his joy the buzz of the radio revealed her voice, “George? George! You are ok! You’ve been gone for an hour and a half…”
“No we aren’t ok… We are surrounded; do you have the van packed up?” He was talking hurriedly as another shot sounded in the background.
Avery’s voice sounded a bit scared, “Yes except your dog…”
“Alright, get my dog in the car and get the box I have stashed away under the floor boards and drive the van to the Eisenhower building go through the football field. We will hold off till you get here.” George slipped the radio back in his pocket, now he was calm; all they had to do was hold the undead back for a few minutes.
“Noah, Tod move” He pushed them aside stepping up to the door seeing the hoard of zombies through the cracks. “Alright” He let out a deep breath, taking out his gun and shot the two zombies that were right behind the one closest to the door. The two fell pinning the closest one to the door and blocking the other from getting to it momentarily.
Tod looked out the window, “Well we are safe through the door but what the hell do we do about the ones that are here?!” He shot the ones trying to climb through.
Noah and George rushed to the window. George cursed silently and looked at Noah. “Noah help him keep them as far from the window as possible that’s our escape route!” He went back to the door after saying that.
Noah nodded “Got it!” Within the net few seconds the air was filled with the sounds of more gunfire.
***

After George had contacted her, Avery quickly went upstairs to the room George had kept his dog, Lacy in this entire time. Lacy looked at Avery and barked unutil she had taken out a rawhide bone.
“Want it Bug?” She said waving it around in the air, “Go get it!” She threw it into Lacy’s cage where the dog jumped in after it. Avery quickly closed and locked the cage then lifted it up with Lacy inside.
Once Lacy was safely in the van and happily chewing on the bone Avery rushed back upstairs to George’s room. She moved over a patch of carpet that was cut out of the floor and hefted up a handle. Sitting there was a box made of maple wood. She lifted it out of the hole and ran out to the van, started it, and drove off towards the school.

Chapter 1 Part 4- On the Way continued
The school was less than a ten minute car drive away. Avery knew this; George had shown her around the town after she crashed into his first safe house. That day was when they met, she wouldn’t ever forget it.
She had been driving for twenty-four hours straight and was incredibly tired. She had fallen asleep at the wheel passing through a town just 2 miles south of Decatur. It was by fate that she had crashed into one of the seven standing buildings, totaling the car. It was also, by a very good, coincidence that George, who was living in that building, had quickly found out what happened and nursed her back to health. She wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for him, and now she was going to repay the favor and save his life.
Avery saw the school ahead and turned off the road, she was heading straight through the football field less than a minute later. She saw two people that she didn’t know at the window.
“They must be the reason George left in a hurry, and I can see why.” Avery muttered to herself seeing the hoard of undead limping towards the window.
***
George silently cursed as he ran out of ammo, this entire time he was holding off the zombies that were clambering at the door. He looked over at the window as he heard the clicks of the Noah’s gun, followed shortly by the clicking of Tod’s gun.
“This isn’t good,” he muttered.
“Wait, I see something!” Noah yelled pointing out the window.
“I do too!” Tod exclaimed loudly while looking at the approaching van.
“What is it?” George ran to the window. His heart skipped in joy as he saw the van he had gotten to start at the destroyed car dealership. “Avery, I know you wouldn’t let me down,” He looked to Noah and Tod, “Pick up a blunt object of some sort; we will need to defend ourselves when we climb out.”
Tod armed himself with the leg off a table, while Noah broke a chair on the wall and wielded the largest piece of wood that broke off. George watched as the van came to a stop on the football field.
“Alright,” he said to himself taking a deep breath, “we can do this.” He looked back at the door as he heard another crack. “Noah, Tod, you go out the window first!”
“Now?” They asked simultaneously.
“Yes!” he pushed them to the window as the door busted open.
Tod was the first one out of the window, he acted quickly, and started whacking the zombies nearest him. Noah followed him as George spun around and hit the zombies that were now pouring through the door to get him.
“Come on George!” Tod sounded panicked, or maybe he was pumped full of adrenaline.
George hit a couple more zombies and jumped out the window. “Make a bee-line for the van, move it!” He hit the zombies that were in his way and started running for the van. He was closely followed by the other two boys. “Open the van’s doors Avery!” He yelled loud enough for Avery to hear. She quickly opened the back door and the passenger door. Noah and Tod were the first ones to reach the van; they jumped into the back seat and slammed the back door shut. George looked back at the zombies following him. He made a decision and told Avery to start driving out. He jumped into the van as it started to move. Slamming the door shut, he sighed in relief, luckily, they had made it.
Avery pulled onto the road and started driving. “George-kun, who are these guys?” She asked nicely.
“Noah, Tod, this is Avery. Avery, these guys are Noah and Tod. They were a couple of my friends during my sophomore year, and at the start of my junior year, in high school.” George said “Oh, and fellow survivors of the zombie apocalypse.” He let out a laugh. He also looked past the two boys to see his dog in her cage calmly lying down. She was the only calm one right now.
“Not to mention survivors of a close encounter.” they added.
“Avery stop here” George said “I want to drive.”
She nodded and they switched spots.
“Where are we going George?” Tod asked
“Bloomington will be our first stop, and then we are heading to an army base forty-five miles west of there.” He got the car out on the highway, what’s left of it anyway.
A half-an-hour later, a city came into view, at one time it used to be a great city, but now it was a desolate wasteland of collapsed buildings and dead plants. A half blown over sign welcomed them to this disaster area.
‘Welcome To Bloomington-Normal, The Twin Cities.’

Chapter 2
Nick Andrews was a man who believed in god with all his being, the tragic event in which almost the entire world was wiped out didn't make his faith falter one bit. He was walking in Philadelphia now, it had been a long and difficult trek, and he was tired out. The reason he was going there is that he was passing it to get to the east coast. He thought that maybe overseas there was a survivors colony. That was his main goal.
A kid jumped in front of him when he was near a house that was fully in tact she raised a sledge hammer at him, "Who are you?" She demanded.
Nick took a step back from the roughed-up-looking girl. "Put that sledge hammer down, I'm human." He said to her, she seemed to have a bit of a crazed look in her eyes. He remembered how the last person he saw had the same look, she was someone who was a bit distraught at the thought of something.
"I didn't ask you if you were human, I asked who you are." She looked at him with a stare that could be considered cruel but worrying.
"Nick Andrews. Now lower the sledgehammer, what's left of human kind needs to work together."
"Rachel, he's clean. He doesn't seem to have any weapons on him." Nick heard a voice behind him, another girl.
"Who are you two? Are there any others here?" Nick looked behind him, another girl was standing their. They were related, he could tell. They both had brown hair and looked kind of alike. "And can I come in?"
"There are two others here, one is a little girl and another is a friend of ours." The girl behind nick said. "You can come in but if you try to steal anything... I'm not going to stop Rachel or DJ from bashing your head in."
Nick looked at the girl he assumed was Rachel, "I won't steal anything."
"Then come on, we can't have a stand off here forever." Rachel said walking into the intact house, followed by Nick and the other girl.
A boy with brown hair and blue eyes looked at Nick, "Who's he? And is he going to rob us at gun-point like that last survivor we met up with Mellisa?"
"Of course not," the girl said, who Nick now knew as Mellisa, "I have good judgement on this one."
The boy, who Nick assumed was DJ, looked at him in an untrusting manner. "I'm going to check on Jocelyn." DJ said simply before going into a back room.
"I know you guys won't trust me right away, but I think there is a possibility of a survivors colony across the ocean an-" Nick started but was shushed by Rachel.
"We can't leave yet. I am waiting for someone..." Rachel said looking out the window, as if looking for something.
"She thinks her fax got through to a boy in Illinois, I doubt it did, the chances are one in a million." Mellisa sighed a bit, "You can tell me and DJ about the survivors colony and how you know later."
Nick simply nodded and sat down where DJ was not too long ago. "How old are you guys?"
"We are all eighteen. The exception to that is Jocelyn." Mellisa sat next to Nick, "How bout you?"
"Twenty-five."
"You're old!" She laughed a bit.
Nick laughed a bit and looked at her, "How long have you guys been in a group?"
"We have been since the meteors hit, once we trust you enough, that is if you are staying of course, we will tell you more about that." She got up. "It's almost nightfall, tomorrow I'll tell you what you have to do to stay here. Until then you sleep in the back room." Nick watched her walk into a bedroom.
Sighing a bit, Nick went to the room Mellisa had said he could sleep in. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't good it was reinforced but the furniture in the room was worn and broke, a single mattress lay on the floor with torn blankets covering it. He couldn't complain though, it was better than the holes he has been sleeping in for the past seven months. He laid down in the bed pulling the covers over him, it may not have been comfortable to anyone who slept on good beds but to him, it was like sleeping on a cloud. It didn't take long for him to drift off into a deep sleep.
****