Banshee: Hello everyone! This is for everyone that read 'Dead Zone.' I have decided to make an EXTENDED EDITION! Yay! Just like the title implies, this version of 'Dead Zone' is longer. Some parts of the original are still intact. The first two chapters have more old stuff than new stuff, but there will be more new stuff as it goes on. Everybody got that? Okay good. On with the show!

Disclaimer: I only own my OCs and the plot.

Prologue

They said it could never happen.

They said the dead could never come back to life.

Well they were dead wrong; emphasis on 'dead.' Dead with a capital 'D.' You get the picture.

It came out of nowhere. It was the biggest epidemic in human history. As usual, it started with one, and one was all it took. Soon it overtook the entire world. Seventy percent of the human race was turned into flesh-eating monsters while the other thirty percent either fought, ran, died, or were turned themselves. She hoped her family was part of the thirty percent; the part of the thirty that was infection-free.

…

- A Day Earlier -

…

"Hi Mom." Nikki greeted when her mother opened the door.

"Nikki, honey!" Cathy cooed as she hugged her. "It's so good to see you. Come in, come in."

She escorted her daughter and her strange portal-making pet into the house and into the kitchen, where there was a plate of fresh cookies waiting on the table. The two sat down and had one of their famous five hour long chats. During their chat, Nikki saw that her father wasn't home; which was unusual since he was usually home by now.

"Where's Dad?" Nikki asked suddenly.

"He's working overtime at the station. He's been out on the job since they called him last night. There were a couple murders last night, and they've been working round the clock investigating."

"Murders?" Nikki asked. "Here? That's unusual. Did Dad give you any of the details?"

"You know how your father is, Nikki." Cathy said. "He doesn't bring his work home with him."

"Maybe the news will tell us something." Nikki said.

She turned on the little TV that sat on the counter, tuning it to the news station.

"There are still no leads on last night's mysterious murders. The locations of the victim's bodies are still a mystery, as is the identity of the murderer. The lack of evidence has left the police baffled. Is our quiet island town caught in the grip of a serial killer? The chief of police has prepared a statement for the press."

The video cut to the police chief, who was standing at a podium set up in front of the police station, surrounded by microphones, reporters and camera crews.

"At this time, we still do not have any leads to either of the murders. The murder weapon and the victims' bodies have yet to recovered, and we still do not have a suspect. But rest assured, we have every officer working around the clock to catch the scoundrel responsible. Until then, we advise everyone to stay indoors and keep your doors and windows locked. If you see anything suspicious, notify the proper authorities immediately."

"Well that didn't help." Nikki grumbled, turning the TV off.

Cathy gasped. "A serial killer? Oh my…"

"Don't buy into the media hype, Mom. They're just trying to scare everybody by blowing it out of proportion. Serial killer, my ass."

"Nicole!" Cathy scolded. "You know I don't like it when you talk like that."

Her scolding was interrupted when the phone suddenly rang. Cathy walked over to the phone and picked it up, and said, "Hello?"

[["Catherine?"]] Ray's voice said from the other end. He sounded frantic.

"Oh, Ray!"

[["Are you home?"]] He asked.

"Yes, of course I'm home." Ray sighed in relief; at what, though, she didn't know. "Nikki came by for a visit."

[["Oh really? Tell her I said 'hello.'"]]

Cathy turned to Nikki. "Your Dad says 'hello.'"

"Hi Dad!" Nikki called out.

[["Listen, Catherine. I've been investigating those murders all day, and something's definitely not right. I want you and Nikki to stay in the house, and don't answer the door for anyone, do you understand?"]]

Cathy raised an eyebrow. "Don't leave the house? But I promised the girls I'd go out and play keno with them tonight."

[["No!"]] Ray barked. He immediately composed himself and pleaded, [["Please, Catherine, just trust me and stay in the house. I have a very bad feeling about all of this.."]]

She paused for a few seconds. "… All right. I understand. I'll see you when you get home."

With that, they both hung up.

"What was that all about?" Nikki asked.

"I don't know." Her mother said. "He just kept telling me to stay in the house and not answer the door. He sounded scared… that is so unlike him.. And the worst part is, he didn't explain why.."

"Maybe it's the murders." Nikki reasoned. "The murderer is still on the loose. He's probably just worried about us."

"You're probably right." Cathy agreed. "But still, he said he had a 'very bad feeling' about all of this.. I wonder what it means.."

…

- Present -

…

The very next day, it seemed like all Hell broke loose. People were attacked in their beds while they slept, and the early birds would get swarmed by their former neighbors when they went out in the morning to get the mail. Random attacks had erupted all over the island, and no one, not even the police, knew how to respond. Some people went about their daily lives having no clue what was going on until they had seen it on the TV or heard it on the radio. That was how she found out.

She knew something was wrong when her mother didn't call her like she usually did. When she checked the news to see if the phone lines were cut off, she was met with a very disturbing image, one that left her frozen in shock.

It was like something out of a zombie movie; pure pandemonium in the streets, people running in all directions, panicking and screaming with reanimated corpses following close behind as they ran. Every time she turned the channel, she was afraid she'd see one of her family members being attacked or a friend stumbling through the streets all glassy-eyed and craving flesh. Sometimes the news crew was attacked and overwhelmed by zombies during the live broadcast. Even the police force would get overrun. The good quality microphones they used made it possible to hear every single crunching and chomping noise and every gut-wrenching scream. Some news networks had been disconnected, and some radio stations have gone out too. There wasn't even any cell phone service. How the hell was she supposed to call her family and friends and make sure they were okay?

Her fellow Organization members weren't concerned. Not one bit. No zombie could ever reach the World That Never Was. Even if they did, they would never be able to get into the castle. Why? Because the castle floats above the fucking ground. That's why.

It was killing her. Was she going to sit here, in the safest place in the universe, while her family and friends were running for their lives through some God-forsaken zombie-infested island?

The answer is: Hell. No.

She was going to find them and take them somewhere safe; and kill some zombies while she was at it.

She wrote a message on a sticky note and stuck it to the TV (the one place where she knew everyone could see it). She took her backpack and armed herself with her hidden weapons. Then she called her faithful portal-making pet to her side, and it created a portal. Her resolve hardened, she stepped through the portal, ready to face whatever was on the other side.

…

When Nikki arrived at the island, she didn't expect to see her home town in ruins.

It was like a bomb had been set off. Random fires had broken out all over the island, probably from the combination of gasoline leaking from crashed vehicles and sparks from fallen power lines. Blood was splattered all over the street, cars, and the outsides of houses, and decomposing bodies littered the streets.

"I don't understand.." She thought. "It's only been a day.. How could things have gotten so bad so fast?"

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a hissing noise behind her. Recognizing the noise, she turned around just in time to see one of her former school teachers lunging towards her. It tackled her and knocked her to the ground, landing on top of her. As she struggled beneath the zombie, she used her hands to push its face back and keep it from biting her, being careful to keep her hands away from its mouth. She could see some more zombies in the distance, heading in her direction, having been drawn here by the noise.

The clock was ticking, and if she didn't move fast, she would become a human happy meal. Unable to reach into her backpack, she looked around her to find another weapon nearby. She spotted a steel rod by Momo's feet.

"Momo!" She yelled. "Toss me that rod!"

Momo obeyed, grabbing the rod in his hands, and tossing it to her. It landed close enough for her to reach over and grab it, but this zombie was stronger than she thought and she needed both hands to keep it at bay. With more zombies approaching, there was no time to find another weapon. Unsure of how the virus would affect Momo, she ordered him to hide as she decided to take a shot and reach for the rod. The zombie hissed and groaned, pushing itself forward when Nikki removed one of her hands from its face to reach for the rod. She could feel its hot, rotten breath on her face as it got closer, and suddenly she found herself staring down its throat. Her fingers brushed against the rod, and she frantically moved to grab it as she heard the groans from the other zombies getting closer. After scrambling for a few more seconds, she finally had the rod within her reach.

She grasped the rod in a firm grip and raised it as she used her other hand to push the zombie's head back as far as she could. "GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME!"

She jammed the rod into the side of the zombie's head, splattering its jelly-like blood across the pavement. When its body went limp, she pushed it off of her, quickly getting up on her feet. She rushed at the small group of zombies that were brought there by the sound of her previous struggle, bashing their heads in with the rod. When they went down, she beat their heads in until they were reduced to a bloody pulp. When she was done, she panted heavily.

"I'll never get anywhere if this is all I have.." She said, referring to the rod, as Momo left his hiding place to stand by her side. "Come on, Momo. It's time to go shopping."

…

…