May 3.

All right. This is day 3... of I don't know... the zombie apocalypse? The first day was uneventful. I didn't witness anything. All I had heard was radio and TV broadcasts. No one knew anything at that point. The newscasters told us there was some crazy shit going down in New York City and Boston. But that crazy shit was spreading... and fast. It made me raise my eyebrows because New York isn't too far away from Philly, and I live just thirty minutes from the city.

I immediately made a trip to the supermarket down the street. I was certainly going to heed the advice of the TV and hold up in my apartment until they could tell us what the hell was going on. I didn't have to work for the next three days as it is. I bought a shit ton of bottled water... five cases. Tons of canned food also; Chef Boyardee, veggies, fruit, tuna, just anything I could stomach to eat if this turns bad. I really didn't foresee this shit turning bad though, I was pretty optimistic in our government's ability to control an outbreak of... disease... I guess.

Anyway, so I made my way back to my apartment and made some phone calls. My parents and my brother were first on my list. None of us were scared. I called a few friends and we made plans for a couple beers on Friday. I decided, quite foolishly really, to call an ex, one whom I was still very much in love with. She lives in New York. First she bitched at me for having the nerve to call. Then she changed her tone and confided in me. She'd seen the infected people. A few were stumbling around in the alley behind her building. When they took notice of her, they charged. She didn't know how people, especially those who are supposed to be deadly ill, could move so fast. Their faces were changed. Their skin was a greyish-green color, their eyes a pure milky white. No words, just moans. She was rescued by two police officers that shot them square in the face. This is a real threat, she told me. Don't underestimate these things and don't move unless you have to. She told me to be safe.

I admit it. I had chills up and down my spine when I hung up with her. Maybe this shit was real. Alison wouldn't lie to me, at least not about something like this. I didn't want to be alone. Shit scares me. I admit it! I don't watch horror movies, read Steven King, or play scary video games. Real life outbreaks of mind and body altering diseases are just too much. I paced around for a bit. My parents are in Pittsburgh, my brother even farther, in Chicago. All my friends are with their girls.

I'm alone.

I made dinner and watched the news. It made me almost want to vomit my dinner up. The outbreak was spreading at an alarming rate. Stay in your homes, bar the doors, bar the windows. Don't leave. They showed footage of downtown New York. It looked innocent enough. Just looked like people, drunk in the streets, shambling around. Closer looks though... fucking freaked me out.

As it started to get dark outside, I pushed the dresser from my bedroom out to block the door. I didn't know if it would do any good but it gave me piece of mind.

The second day, I called Alison again. She answered in a whisper. They can hear her, she said. They get alerted so easily through sound. One had gotten in her apartment last night. Her boyfriend punched it straight in the jaw, sent it flying head over feet... He had to repeat it four more times before it stayed down. My heart ached for me to be the one there with her, protecting her. But I was glad she wasn't alone. They were now in her bedroom, all the furniture pushed against the door. It seems they were going to be okay, although her boyfriend had developed an annoying cough. Our conversation was only three minutes long.

I didn't know what to do with myself. My parents were okay; they were taking shelter in the basement. They had plenty of food and water. I hope they hold out, if this disease gets to them. My brother didn't answer his phone all day. The street outside was still busy with people. I wondered if I was taking this thing a bit too seriously. I eventually just went to sleep around 7:00, only to wake up around 2:00 am. My blood almost ran cold as I looked out the window to check on things.

Two cars had crashed into each other right outside my window. A bunch more had been seemingly abandoned, lights on, doors open. The worst sight though, was seeing two figures about a block away. They were moving slowly, tripping and stumbling. I couldn't believe it. I grabbed my cell and dialed Alison. No answer. Fuck. I dialed my buddy Zack. He was panicking. A bunch of the fuckers had gotten in his home, tore apart his girl, and bit him in the arm. He was in a closet, doesn't know why but they left him alone now. He was coughing and carrying on until he eventually just hung up on me. I called him back but he didn't answer. I'll try again soon.

I fought inside with myself. Suck it up, he needs help. But I couldn't bring myself to get in my car and go get him. The two figures I saw earlier were closer now. Almost directly in front of my building. I saw another where they had been, as unsteady on his feet as the other two. Then, I saw an older gentleman walking out of the front door below me. I gasped as the two figures noticed him. They looked shocked at first, then they broke into a full sprint and jumped him before he had a chance to react. All I saw then was his clothes being tattered and blood slowly forming beneath them. The lone figure almost a block away was suddenly there with them, joining in the bloodbath. Fuck, fuck, fuck. This is real. This is bad.

The rest of my day was spent sitting on the couch, watching the news, feeling helpless, and watching the numbers of stumbling idiots outside grow.