Necropolis

10:45 am Dave

Well he couldn't concentrate sure, it was no problem, the door crashed open and in walk-well not walked more liked staggered, the owner came over shaking his head, "No drunks!"

Dave stared ahead curious then swung around, "Look Derrick it's part of your family!"

Keri giggled.

Dave didn't wait for Derrick answer and just began to speak when he heard a scream and swung round. The owner arm was getting ripped off, Derrick looked at him in you-should-have-listened-look.

Dave ignored and pulled out his seat fast, Keri was bent over vomiting, Dave tapped her terrified, "Can you do this later?"

"Yea, maybe." She said letting loose the rest of her stomach contents from inside.

A cry of the owner made Dave turn he sighed, and grabbed Derricks gun, "I'm sorry." Dave fired square in the head the humanoid swung round, but it seemed content by eating the owner.

He gave Derrick the gun, as if it burnt him then led the way out.

Keri followed looking slightly green and Derrick had his gun out pointing at any sound. Dave let loose the question on everyone lips, "Where to now?"

"We can try my apartment, not many can get in there that don't have a code card." Keri suggested, "Other then that i don't know of any other places that would be safe."

Dave shook his head, "We don't want to isolate ourselves. Where a place with plenty of people? ... I've got it The Fray."

Day 1, 7:52 AM
Her t-shirt stuck to her skin, plastered by dried blood from the elimination of her uncle, Ms. Vandervort, and the guy that Ms. Vandervort ate. She had considered cleaning up before, but decided it wasn't necessary. She was a paranoid schizophrenic, not obsessive-compulsive! She was wearing a black t-shirt, so nobody would be able to tell the difference, anyway.

She wondered why she didn't feel guilty at all for what she did. Sure, her uncle was a bastard. Sure, Ms. Vandervort was a zombie, and her victim was probably gonna be one soon, too. Still, they resembled human beings. She should feel like she did something a little bit wrong.

At least she knew she could do this. Survival wouldn't be a problem, she guessed. But she could not stay here. What if the zombies were smart enough to pick up a gun and use it? I mean, Ms. Vandervort didn't seem like she had that capability in the short time Lilliah had seen her in zed form, but that was a small sampling, and intelligence could vary.

She tried to think of a someone she'd know that would have a bomb shelter from the Y2K scare or something. That would be the optimal place to hide until things blew over. But she realized she'd killed the only person she ever really knew, and nope, he didn't have one of those.

She was lucky; she had gotten here before the zombie population had really gone up. None of them seemed to know she was here. There had to be hundreds now, or more! She needed a place to get to. Minimal entrances would be good. And no way was she going to, like, a church or something.

Think. Think. YES! What's the best place to be when there's a zombie swarm involved? she asked herself. I'll tell you. A biker bar. A lesbian biker bar. Who's a total genius? Well, that would be me! Of course, some megabutch making (unfortunately, accurate) assumptions had whispered its location in her years ago. It had become a sort of after school hangout for her. The girls were nice to her. Most treated her like their own kid. She'd never known her mom, so having a bunch, even for just a few hours a day, was nice.

She grabbed a buncha guns and a buncha ammo and used excess fabric on her t-shirt (which was marked XXL, when she really didn't need it to be any more than L) to tie them to her legs and stuff. She didn't look as cool as people in movies that had done that kinda thing. But that wasn't really her goal. She set off for what was to be her safehouse and hoped it wasn't zed-infested.

Keri climbed in the van and sighed, Derrick climbed in the back and Dave slowly climbed in, he looked worried and upset. 'That was the first person he has killed' she thought, he started teh engine. He was lookin down at his hands like he had never seen them before, as if they weren't his.

"We need to get guns." Derrick said bitterly.

"No we need to find somewhere safe." Dave replied sharply.

"We wont be safe with out guns." Derrick retorted. Keri shot him a quick look then turned to Dave,

"It's all gonna work out." She said putting a hand on his shoulder. "Why don't we just drive around a bit." Dave shrugged her shoulder off and pulled away from the cafe. Keri frowned and looked out the front window.

"You shot the owner, so that proves we need guns." Derrik said. Keri glared at him but he wouldn't shut up. "Now we need to get some more guns, and soon." Dave's face grew grave and Keri almost jumped on Derrik, she wanted to pound his face in at the moment but decided not to.

"I was just putting him out of his misory." Dave said a tear running down his face. "I didn't want to kill him."

"Its ok," Keri said softly, shooting Derrik another mean look. "It was the only thing to do"

"We need guns Dave just fucking forget being merciful, you can either or be killed." Derrik hissed,

"Derrik, shut the heck up, have you ever killed anyone before?" Keri demanded, "It isn't easy, ok so SHUT UP!"

"Let's just see if we can find other humens." Dave sighed loudly, ending all conversation.

Abby grunted. "You don't trust me with anything, do you? What do you expect from a homeless person!?" She really didn't care - she was just scared. Her hands were shaking, and she had cried a bit, but was sure to make it look like she had just been really tired. She didn't want anyone thinking she would cry over this...whatever it was, right?

She walked over to the body - it didn't bleed from the bullet hole - she knew something was wrong with it.

Abby shuffled her feet a little, feeling really uncomfortable late at night, with a dead thing and a bunch of people grabbing guns. She would have likes to be on the streets rather than this, this was just too weird.

"Se-seriously...What the hell was that?" Her voice had lost all sarcasm, replaced with a mix of curiosity and horror.

Joanna followed Kevin into his bedroom. It was only when he opened his closet door and bent down to shuffle through his stuff and grab the guns that she noticed his Snoopy boxers. Rolling her eyes, she turned around to examine the rest of his room.

His bed wasn't made, of course, and there were a few articles of clothing hanging around, but other than that Jo was pretty impressed. She had been in a few guys' bedrooms before, and when she was actually paying attention to the state of things, she was generally disgusted.

"Do you really think this is necessary?" she asked, noting silently that he, unlike most guys, had some taste in color coordination. "I mean, yeah, something was wrong with him, but it shouldn't take five guns."

Kevin paused in his rummaging. "He wasn't the first one I've seen, dollface." He sighed and threw a few shirts aside.

Jo took this in slowly. "So, I'm assuming you have a plan, then?"

"Nope," he grunted, holding a rifle out to her behind him, his head still buried in the closet. "Just going off survival instincts."

Jo paused. "You know, you're smarter than I thought." She heard another grunt from the closet. "Not to be insulting or anything. It's just... You've always been such an ass when I've been around. But I'm starting to get the feeling there's more to you than you let on..."

Kevin finally stood up, the rest of his gun collection in his arms. He grinned down at her, a little close for comfort. "Well, we probably have a few hours before the entire town is infected. And this is a bedroom, after all..." He winked at her.

She scowled at him and grabbed another gun out of his hands. "You wish," she called over her shoulder as she walked out of the room.

Mev heaved a suitcase into the back of the Bronco.

"Dude, these weigh a ton. What'd you put in them?"

"Just some supplies." Kevin's answer was vague, which made Mev sure the boxes were full of guns.
Kev helped Adara lift another heavy box into the trunk, and started back towards the apartment. Mev followed, keeping an eye out for movement in the dark. There was nothing, but on the breeze was the same scent of rotting flesh he'd smelled on Kev's roommate, and on the woman at the café, before that.

"What's your plan?"

"We get out of this city as fast as possible."

Mev raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. They reached the door to Kev's apartment. It opened, and Joanna stepped out, with her bag over her shoulder and a gallon jug of water in each hand. "That's it," she said. "Nothing else will fit in your car."

Katalyn

"I think it's about time we left town," Kat decided, removing the hand brake and heading down the road.
"Finally. We have to warn the citizens in the next town," Mike agreed. Louis merely mumbled incoherently as he tried to scratch the wound on his shoulder.
"Leave that alone," Kat scolded. Louis began to mumble again and this time a few choice swear words could be heard.
"I think he's getting worse again," Mike sighed but there was a hidden implication in his voice.
"He's just fine," Katalyn grimaced, refusing to take her eyes from the road as she drove through the deserted streets.

It wasn't long before the trio were approaching the edge of town but what they saw there made Katalyn slam down hard on the breaks. Before them lay what appeared to be a battle ground with bodies strews across the road and surrounding area. There were women, men, children and the odd zombie here and there. Other refugees hovered at a safe distance, staring pleadingly up at the soldiers who wore impassive faces and clutched huge guns.

11:00 am Dave

Dave drove on in silence ignoring Derrick protestation, until the guy stopped and all through the journey silence a few times he caught Keri eyes, she seemed to be deep in thought. What though was beyond him. The streets were empty of traffic so the trip to The Fray was short. He parked outside expecting music to be heard but nothing the door was locked. Dave climbed out and saw on closer examination the door had been locked as if to keep something in instead of people out. Without a doubt the Fray had been closed in a hurry. Dave climbed back in his van, seeing Keri and Derrick confused expression he tried a little light humour, "Well looks like it closed for today, better come back tomorrow."

Keri smiled weakly, "What now Dave?"

Derrick rolled his eyes, "Guns, yep guns sure look to be best for now."

Dave sighed, "Lets just drive around, if gun shops comes in view we'll get some."

Derrick looked like he was about to add something when to Dave bewilderment Keri punch Derrick square on the nose bursting a vessel.

Derrick let out a cry of pain holding his nose he screamed, "My hose, why you 'urt my hose?"

Keri shrugged, "I felt like it."

Dave looked at them both, then a loud rattle came from the lock doors at the Fray, with an unearthly moan. Dave floored the accelerator without warning.

Day 1. 11:05am. Kevin

"Maybe if I wasn't playing Taxi I'd have more room," I told Mev, staring at the three of them.

I looked down at myself and grinned. Amidst the chaos I'd forgotten I was still wearing my Snoopy boxers.

"Look. I'm going to go get dressed. Mev, make sure we have everything. Jo, new kid, Adara...do your make up or something."

I picked up the case that had contained my XD, then headed back toward the apartment. I paused, then turned around.

"Seriously. Keep your eyes out. And Mev--" My buddy looked at me; I could tell he was scared. "--Shoot anything that gets too close."

With that, I closed the door to my apartment, stepped over John's body, and headed into my room. I selected a Disturbed tee (just tight enough to show off my muscle tone), black jeans faded from frequent wear, and my Adidas Sambas. I turned to the case I had tossed onto the bed and opened it up again. Inside lay the pistol, a holster, two magazines and a magazine pouch all attached to a tactical belt.

I slipped the belt on and adjusted the various pouches on it, making sure the holster (as well as the pistol it held) were well within easy reach, and that the magazines could be reached and replaced with ease.

Satisfied, I grabbed a hat from my closet, slipped it onto my head and tilted it just so, then strode back out to the others.

"Ok. Let's bounce."

I rolled my eyes and slammed myself into the back seat. Do makeup___ was he joking? He had to be joking. I looked under my arm seeing that I didn’t even have my purse and let out an exasperated sigh. On top of seeking the “undead” I had to look horrible, and admittedly like I’d been mugged.

I looked back at the house as Kev pulled out and put on loud music I was seconds from complaining about. What had just happened in there was real. Someone had actually died in there. I was afraid for what was to be seen next but tried to keep brave. I couldn’t let people care for me anymore. How would things turn out otherwise? I had to be forced to take care of myself, most likely by lying my way out of things. I’d always been good at that before I came to Ashville.

I wiped at my eyes remembering my life before now and then turned to the window. Kev slammed on his breaks as we came to a red light and my forehead bumped the glass. For a moment I was dizzy but then I could see clearly someone limping in the desert. I pressed the button to lower the window but it just made a low buzzing noise. Damned child locks. Instead I tapped on the nearest person’s shoulder, Abby, as I’d heard about once before “new kid” came into fashion.

She turned around ready to argue but then saw what I’d been looking at. The guy had been far off but now he was closer and visibly traveling our way along with what looked like a woman and a small child. They weren’t normal, I could tell that much.

“We have a problem.” I said as calm as I could. Everyone faced to the right and I rolled my eyes until they saw it was on the left. “Okay, now that we see them, can we get the hell out of___.” The car sped forward before the light switched and I gripped the door hearing sirens go off somewhere behind us. Cop chases…things were starting to feel more and more like home.

Day 1, 11:19am

"Jesus, Kevin, are you trying to get us killed?" Joanna yelled, punching his arm from behind his seat.

"No, but they are--in case you hadn't noticed...zombies."

Joanna sat back and listened to the sirens as they neared. Let him deal
with it, she thought. I'm tired of cleaning up messes.

As they drove, more unusual people appeared. Some were feeding on the flesh of their newest victims; others simply wandered, mindless and ravenous. Jo took deep breaths. This was not the time for her anxiety disorder to kick in. More sirens joined in.

"Kev, I think you'd better --" Jo started.

"Yeah, I know, I know," he snapped. "Calm down--I'm just gonna get some distance between us and those fuckers, then we'll pull over and explain the situation to oinkers back there."

"Don't stop too soon! Turn right, you're running out of road!" Adara yelled.

"I know how to drive, Addy. Christ." He turned the corner, fast enough to make Mev cringe. The sound of screeching tires followed them, and Jo looked back to see two more police cars join the original.

Abby dug her nails into Jo's arm. "Shit, girl, relax," Joanna said, detaching the claws from her flesh. "We'll be okay. I promise. Remember what I told you back at Kev's place?" The girl nodded, and Jo smiled. "Okay. Keep breathing."

Kevin pulled the truck over to the side of the road and stopped. Immediately, the police cars blocked him in, the officers jumping out with their guns drawn.

"Get out of the vehicle and put your hands in the air!" one yelled.

"Oh yeah, your 'oinkers' are gonna love this," Jo muttered, getting out and raising her arms.

"Fucking pigs, man... swear to God. Everyone out, nice and slow. With any luck, they'll just shoot the guy with the gun," Kevin said dryly, glancing at his gun then getting out of the car.

Mev followed, leaving the door slightly open. Just in case the keys were inside.

"You're not supposed stop in a chase. Why did we stop?" Adara said, through gritted teeth.

"You," the cop said, gesturing with his gun at Kevin. "Raise up your shirt by the collar."

"'Scuse me officer, but I'd like a change to present any weapons before you start jumping to conclusions." Mev adjusted his jacket, feeling Abby's gun still tucked in his waistband, pressing against his skin.

"Kevin, you're gonna fucking get yourself shot," Joanna whispered fiercely. "Shut up and do what he says."

"Sir, as you can see, I'm wearing a sidearm--my father is--"

"I don't give a damn who your dad is, kid-- drop the fucking gun!" There was sweat on the cop's face and shirt. Kevin had better obey, Mev thought. He looked ready to pull that trigger. It didn't seem like the cop suspected anyone else might have weapons.

Kevin slowly pulled the gun from the holster, ejected the magazine and poured the bullet out of the chamber. "Look-- I'm putting it on the ground, okay? This thing was a gift, and I don't wanna scuff it."

The officer never took his eyes off of Kev. "One down, and I'm thinking at least two more to go. Gimme the other ones."

"Mev-- do it," Kevin ordered.

Mev looked at him for a split second, horrified, then reached for Abby's gun. He aimed it at the cop, fumbling for the trigger. Abby screamed at the same time as the gun went off, the bullet missing its target. It landed in something else's flesh, but the shape kept moving. The cop screamed and fell backwards, the zombie clawing at his skin.

They advanced from all directions, eyes empty and mouths overflowing with drool. Mev stared at the smoking end of the pistol. Kevin picked up his gun and holster from the ground, as the rest of the officers hurried to help their pinned friend.

"Christ Mev, you act like you've never tried to kill a cop before-- let's get the fuck out of here!"

Day 1. 11:30am. Kevin.

"Shouldn't we--you know help them?" Jo asked me as she clambered into the Bronco.

I caught her eye, and, without missing a beat, said: "Nope."

Before I stepped into the truck I opened the slide on the XD, chambered a round, then slammed the magazine into the butt of the pistol. For a moment I considered moving to help the cops, but I knew better. Fuck that shit.

I climbed into the Bronco and turned the key, gunning the engine once before taking off once more. We made it about five miles or so, close to the edge of the city and the interstate.

"Ok guys, gimme ten minutes and we'll be out of the city, I--"

"Hey... Hey, can we stop here for a sec? Stop, Goddamnit! I gotta do something." I eased the Bronco to a stop at a curb; we were on a residential street that eventually connected back to Main Street and to the interstate.

I threw the Bronco in park, but Joanna was already out of the truck and heading up the driveway.

"Damn it Jo--what the FUCK! ...Women, dude, I swear to God."

"Real nice, Kev. Let's blame ones impulses on the entire gender!" Adara retorted.

"Hey, someone's gotta screw with you guys. You can't screw yourselves now can you."

I jumped out of the truck to the sound of Mev's strained laughter at my half-assed joke and pulled the XD from its holster. I quickly checked the safeties, then rushed up the driveway right as the front door closed behind Jo.

"Zombies, pigs, and crazy bitches. What next, Bride of Frankenstein?" I muttered to myself as I came up to the door and shouldered it open--Or at least, I tried to. She'd dead-bolted the damned thing. For a moment I stood there, dumbfounded, then kicked the door once and stormed back to the truck.

"Back so soon? Not gonna let a little old door stand in your way, are you?" Adara teased.

"Yes. I am. If she's not out here in ten minutes, we are so gone."

"...Mom? Dad?" Jo wished her voice wouldn't shake so much. Even in their small house, it didn't carry far.

She could hear the TV blaring with some infomercial. Following the light cast by it, she found her father in the recliner, eyes half glazed-over, probably due to the empty six-pack container on the ground next to him.

"Dad, what --"

"What're ya doin' here? Thought I kicked ya out," he slurred, barely looking up at her.

Jo swallowed and narrowed her eyebrows. "Dad, you have to listen to me. We need to get you and Mom out. There are zombies --"

"Zombies, ha! Har, you've been watchin' too much fuckin' sci-fi movies. Go to bed, get some sleep. Or go to bed with some boy, make a few bucks. Leave us 'lone, whore."

Jo blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Yer mother's in the bedroom, prob'ly cryin' her eyes out, the bitch," he continued. "Said somethin' 'bout not havin' the life she wanted. Fuckin' slut. Wants too much, like all you sluts."

Jo stared. "Dad, that doesn't matter right now. We need to get you out."

"You fuckin' get out!" he roared, lurching suddenly in his chair. "Yer a no good brat, an' I always wondered why yer mother didn't leave ya in a ditch somewhere. Would've been better fer all of us."

"Quit your yelling, is that Joanna?" a voice called from the bedroom. Jo started toward the voice, but stopped as it continued. "Tell her we don't want her here. She's destroyed this family."

"I love you too, Mom," Jo whispered. She continued down the hallway to her room, glad that the door to her mother's bedroom was closed. She didn't want to have to face that. Not looking at the rest of her room, she went straight to her closet. Quickly, she changed into jeans and slipped on some sneakers -- her mother would kill her for not untying them first -- and grabbed a sweatshirt. Figuring she could buy more clothes elsewhere, she returned to the front room.

As she neared the front door, she turned to her father and took a deep breath. "Dad, I've always loved you despite your faults, but I can't stay and try to save you from yourself. If the zombies don't get you, you'll drink yourself to death, and I just can't care anymore, because it hurts too f-fucking much." Her chin quivered. "I love you, Daddy. I'm sorry."

It took every ounce of strength she had to turn around and walk the rest of the distance to the door without looking back. Her hand fumbled with the deadbolt, even more so because she couldn't be bothered to wipe the tears out of her eyes before they streamed down her face. Finally, she flung the door open and walked out, not even bothering to close it behind her.

Day 1. 11:45am. Kevin.

"Dude it's been ten minutes," Mev muttered.

"Shut up. Five more minutes," I said. I glanced into the side mirror of the Bronco, looking for any more shufflers, but saw none. This area seemed rather untouched, so far.

Then the front door opened. Jo came rushing out, looking only slightly more disheveled than when she had left.

"Too you fucking long enough, Jojobean," I said.

"Just...drive, Kev. Let's get the fuck out of here."

I didn't say anything.

Instead, I threw the Bronco into drive and sped away, heading toward Main Street. I flicked my blinker on to turn and waited for the light.

It turned green, and I pulled into the intersection without a second thought.

The speeding van took us almost head on.