Chapter 1
Sometimes its too hard to think of how down the drain this world is. Government shutdowns, wars, debt, unemployment. Fuck, the dead rising was the least of our problems. I suppose I should tell you about myself. My name is Alex, I'm 23 years old, and a former citizen of the United States. As life would have it, I live in the middle of the state of Georgia. Ground zero for the disease that destroyed our country, maybe even the world. The first recorded case of the "mutant flu", as the reports would dub it, was three weeks ago...
"Now on the news at ten, another virus update. Live on the streets is reporter Nick Schumann." The television switched to a live feed outside the doors of the CDC. A mousy, stout man, standing at only 5'5 began speaking.
"Hello and good evening South Georgia. Tonight we have been given a few minutes to speak to the CDC president Joseph Henley. He will be here answering questions about the quarantined cities, the virus, and what the country is doing to help."
I had just gotten out of the shower and sat down on my couch, preparing for the q & a. I felt my dark brown eyes tearing up. Twenty miles over, in Tanner County, my mother and father were quarantined. Like I said, Ground Zero. In one of our final phone conversations, my father claimed the extent of the virus was being concealed. In addition to the crazy fever and death, the dead were getting back up.
"Dad... are you sure you aren't just freaking out? I mean how can they hide something like that?" My lips had been quivering, hell my whole body was shaking out of fear.
"Alex, hun," my dad spoke softly, "I've seen it. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but these people..." he paused. "They're dead, when they come back, they're soulless. Violent. They took a chunk out of Uncle Billy's hip." I was taken aback, the air catching in my throat.
"Is he okay? Do you need me to come back?" Sarah my fifteen year old sister, had just walked into the room, but by the look on her face, I could tell she had been eavesdropping.
Sarah piped up, "Alex is that dad? Please let me talk to him, please! Is mom there?" I put up my pointer finger, silent permission for her to hold on.
Suddenly my dad spoke with conviction,"He's dead Alex. And then, I had to put him down. That's how I know the virus is being covered up...he almost got your mom, ran up on her like a rabid dog, took all I had to get him off of her." A tear rolled down my cheek, as I tried to remain calm.
"Daddy, what do I do?" Sarah finally had a seat next to me her face blank of expression.
"Do not come here. Me and your mom, we will be fine. Do not stay in the city, it's time to start getting ready. If I survive, we will find you. But for now you need to keep track of Sarah. I'm counting on you."
Suddenly, I was propelled back into the present time, the q & a, the news. Henley was now on stage about to begin taking questions, when he started with a brief introduction. "This virus is nothing more than a new strand of flu. We have several new medications being trialed, and within a week or two we will be mass supplying it to hospitals." Nick raised his brows at the cameras, and raised his hand.
"Sir," he began, "How do you explain the dead rising?" I could tell the man was not prepared for this question. "How is this virus killing us and bringing us back?" After several seconds of silence, the CDC president gave a nod. The camera was then forcibly turned off by several men, with several guns.
I looked to the left of my living room, and just like the night of the final phone call with my father. My sister Sarah had been standing there simply listening. Sarah looked at me with eyes of grief, and tear soaked cheeks. "Alex what do we do?" He blonde hair was sicking to her face, as she sat down beside of me.
"Well hun, I think its time to call the Dixon's just like dad had planned alright?" She took a deep breath in as she asked her next question.
"But Alex, what if they're dead too?"