The Lilith Tale
by ~mandapanda17
Prologue
November 7,2075
" Good evening, my fellow Americans. I have called this press conference to discuss a brand new vaccine we will be testing over the next few months and hopefully, will be distributing to the men and women in the armed forces. Zomphin, an enhancement supplement, uses ground-breaking science to alter the human body. The eyes will be sharper, senses will be higher, and you'll have strength like you never dreamed of..."
Chapter 1
February 17, 2076
" Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This meeting was called to order due to the outcome of this... tragedy. As most of you know, our product, Zomphin, has become a dangerous substance. But recent studies have shown that the product causes a rapid and painful death to over half the users. This death is followed by a reanimation of the body, followed by a hunger for human flesh.
It is now the government's responsibility to issue this warning- If you or a loved one has taken the enhancement supplement, Zomphin, please report to an armed forces headquarters in your area or call our hotline at-" The T.V. clicked off abruptly.
" Michaels, what in the world are you doing in the Records Hall? I gave you specific orders to go to the Scavenging Room." General Douglas loomed over Conrad Michaels with a frightening glare.
" Sorry sir. I thought that I might find some useful information in these tapes." Conrad rose to meet the General's stare. He was the head for the Zombie Destroyer Army. He had authority, but not as much as the General. He tried not to let that effect him.
" There is nothing on these decrepit tapes. Just news reports. Nothing for our use."
" Well, I thought I might try... sir."
The year is 2276,and the Lower World is planning an attack on the undead above, and they needed Conrad to figure out how.
" Stop trying, and start doing. Don't we pay you to use that big brain of yours for thinking and acting?"
" Maybe you wouldn't meed my brain if you used yours every now and then," Conrad muttered under his breath. It's a good thing the General's mind was somewhere else, otherwise he might have heard that. General Douglas turned to face the lowly sargent who was completely hidden behind the General's large stature.
" Go with Mr. Michaels to the Scavenging Room. And make sure he stays there till he finds something of use."
Chapter 2
The walk to the Scavenging Room was short and silent. The sargent marched behind Michaels with long strides.
" So, what's your name?" Michaels was desperate for a break in the silence.
" Sir, I'm under strict order not to speak to you."
" Right..." Why are army guys so strict? Before Conrad could answer, they made it to the Scavenging Room. When army personnel do scavenging missions, they usually bring back things from the surface that help the researchers and historians. This is where those things go. Conrad opened the door and flicked the light switch on, while the sargent stood outside the door.
The room was very long and filled with marked boxes. Where do I even begin? Conrad closed the door and grabbed the first three boxes to his right. He sat on the ground and opened one. This is going to take a while.
Chapter 3
Conrad lazily looked at his watch. Three hours had passed, and he couldn't find anything. He's already searched in countless boxes, with countless more to go.
" What does a guy have to do to get a pee break?" Conrad sighed when his question went unanswered and he opened up another box. This one was filled with a bunch of random toys. They bring back a lot of random things. Conrad rummaged through the box and found an old, leather bound book. Once he brushed the dust off it he could read the title, Alexa. As he flipped through the book, he realized that it was a journal. And by the dates, it was close to the beginning of the apocalypse. He went to the First page and started reading.
October 3, 2081
I don't know how to start these things so... Hi, I'm Alexa Lilith. I'm seventeen years old and we're five years into the zombie apocalypse. I'm writing this so people know who I am. Just in case I don't survive.
Like I said, it's five years after the apocalypse, so there are very few humans left above ground. Less than nine thousand I predict. Most of us fled underground, the only safe place left. But there are some people who can't just sit idly by and watch their world be destroyed, people like me. My family was killed by a horde of zombies two days before we were supposed to leave for the Lower World, the city that the government designed to protect humans after the zombie population got out of control. I managed to escape to the sounds of my family being torn apart. I became a nomad at thirteen.
Just in case you didn't know, nomads were the people who decided to stay in the now called, Upper World, and fight against these, creatures. We have our reasons. Some didn't want to go to the Lower World, some think they can make or change or preserve their name, or some just have a deathwish.. I think I'm a little of all of them.
October 15, 2081
I never liked having nothing to do, and I have some time to kill, so I decided to write. I guess I should tell you why I started writing. See, once my family died, I became a shell of the person I used to be. I didn't understand why it was my family. I was all alone, the last Lilith alive. I feel like this way, my name, my family's name, will be preserved.
October 20, 2081
I wonder what life is like in the Lower World. It was supposed to be something temporary, like a fallout shelter for the masses. The government thought that if the zombies didn't have any food, they would die. But I suppose they didn't take into account animals, nomads, or the simple act of cannibalism.
So anyways, the Lower World was supposed to have little apartments, plumbing, and ample space. The only problem was that the zombie population was rising quicker then they were building, so they started evacuating people early. I guess now it looks like a giant gymnasium. Open, ugly, with row after row of cots, and everyone is packed in like sardines. Fun..
I suppose I could report to the Lower World, but why would I do that, when it's so much fun up here.
October 28, 2081
When I was younger, I used to hate killing things. But I wasn't a stereotypical little girl, I wasn't afraid to kill, I just thought it was wrong. I used to catch bugs and took them outside instead of squishing them. I was even borderline vegetarian after I found out what hamburger was. But now, my whole life is about killing. If I don't, then I die. Either of starvation or because I refuse to kill another being, undead or otherwise. And the way you have to kill them is disgusting. I either have to decapitate them, shoot them in the brain, or bash their head in. I know it's graphic, but it's the only way I could explain it.
October 31, 2081
Happy Halloween! I wish I was getting ready to go trick or treating with my friends, but instead I'm stuck in a run down farm house waiting till morning. It's 4:35 a.m. right now, so I don't have too much longer. And to be frank, it's not like it matters whether I go out at night or day. I just prefer daylight. Zombies at night just remind me of those stupid video games my little brother used to play...
I still miss them. I sometimes have nightmares about the day it happened. Like I said before, I was thirteen, and my parents and I got into a huge fight. You know, those kind of fights, where later you don't remember what the fight was about but you still regret. I definitely regretted this. I told them I hated them. I ran up to my room and slammed the door. I ended up falling asleep, but a few hours later I woke up to a crash, and screams. I came downstairs and saw the horde of zombies rushing into my house. I saw my mother in the arms of about five of them. Her last words were, " Run Lexi," and they ripped her apart. As I ran upstairs, I heard the blood curdling screams of my dad and brother. I closed the door to my room and raced over to my window. I heard my door being broke open when I jumped. I didn't really have time to register what was going on as I ran as fast as I could.
By the time I got to the city limits, I couldn't run anymore. I collapsed and started crying.
I wish I wasn't alone...
November 15, 2081
Sorry I haven't written in a while, but so much has happened. I've been to busy to write. First off, I found a Lower World base. It was kind of by accident. It was pretty much just like I imagined it, cramped and chaotic. But, they had supplies, so I stuck around for a few days. While I was there, I met this other nomad, Gill. We've become fast friends, and we've decided to travel together. He lost his family pretty much the same way I did, only he was out of town when his family was attacked. But it's really nice having someone to talk to. He has these theories on how the zombies are adapting. He says they adapt faster than humans, and because of that, some of the original zombies can track humans by their scent. I really hope I never run into those things. Well, I have to go. I mentioned to Gill how horrible I am at my aiming, and he decided to help me with some target practice.
December 1, 2081
Something horrible has happened. While Gill and I were doing target practice, we saw a horde of zombies running toward us. I guess Gill was right about the started running towards an old building near where we were. Once inside, Gill and I barred the doors shut. I was ready for a fight when Gill screamed for me to run. I told him no but then he said, " I've been alone for so long. I couldn't bear losing another person to these things. Just remember, fight to the end, even when you have nothing left. Now run Lexi." I stared at him for a moment which seemed like an eternity. I then ran over and hugged him one last time. I promised him I would find him again, one way of another. I've been running ever since.
I'm so sick of running and still losing.
December 6, 2081
I've lost all hope. I know Gill is gone. I've been running for days only to find that the same horde has tracked my scent anyway. I can't live in death anymore. This will probably be my last entry. As I write, they're breaking their way into my hiding spot.
I wish something heroic would come to mind, but all I can think of is the inevitable death that is almost here. If anyone finds this, know that I did not die like a coward. Like Gill said, fight till the very end, even when you have noth-
Chapter 4
Conrad closed the journal, wiping his eyes as he did. " This is what we need," he said quietly to himself. He pushed his body off the ground and made his way to the door. Just as he opened it, General Douglas was about to knock.
" Well Michaels, I'm positive you've found something by now." Conrad held the journal lightly in his hands.
" Yes sir. I did."
Epilogue
August 3, 2277
" Good day ladies and gentlemen. Today's ceremony is to mark a great victory. Thanks to our zombie army, formally known as Alexa's Army, we are finally able to travel to the Upper World, and reclaim our land. I stand here today to commemorate the brave men and women in this special force, and to honor the young martyr who helped. So, from this day forth, our capital city shall be named Lilith, so that everyone knows this brave child's name forever."