Chapter 1:One Bad Day
Authors Note: Okay, this story has been kicking around my noggin for a long time now and after some writer's block and the hype for the next season of walking dead I finally decided to write this damn story. It will be syoc and I will accept a variety of characters whether they are good, bad or a little bit of both. I will have the sheet at the end of this story. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the walking dead.
(Paul's POV)
I groaned at the loud ring from my phone's alarm and groggily slammed my fingers on the touch screen until it stopped. I slowly climbed out of bed and stretched my tired limbs out, not looking forward to the day ahead of me. I was scheduled to work all day pushing carts at my local grocery store and since it was the middle of the summer on a week day everyone was coming down to shop for camping and vacations and all that other B.S. and since my mom had to work early I had to walk there at seven in the morning.
I was in for a shit day.
After I quickly brushed my teeth and nibbled on some pop-tarts I grabbed my thermos full of coffee and headed out to work. Despite having to walk to work, it could have been worse. I lived in a suburban neighborhood with my mother and paid what I could to keep up afloat. It was a beautiful quiet morning and there was hardly any traffic which made it easy for me to cross the streets, but as I made my way closer to the store I noticed that traffic was starting to pick up near the shopping plaza. The outdoor man store was packed and people were lined up near the gas station filling up not just their cars, but their gas cans too.
"What the hell is going on?" I said to myself. I don't watch the news too much, but I don't think there were any storms inbound. I shook my head thinking that the store was going to be packed as well and I dreaded what I was in store for.
Sure, enough I was right, the second I stepped into the parking lot at eight in the morning and the parking lot was flooded with cars and carts were all over the place and some of them were even turned over. I let out a heavy groan before stomping my ass into the store and it was just as messy.
People were stocking up like fucking crazy.
"What the hell is going on here?" I asked my boss as she was running the first register.
"I don't know they were all lined up and waiting outside." She snapped. "Could you just get those carts please?"
"Yeah, I got it!" I shouted.
I clocked in and started gathering up some carts as quick as I could and after a few hours it started to calm down, but traffic was getting crazy. Stuff like this was to be expected in the summer time, but this was just crazy. I don't know I just wanted to go home, pound beer and call it a day.
It was around one 'o'clock when I went on my lunch break and I was out to go get a burger and fries when I heard the sounds of tires screeching and a loud crash. I looked down towards the parking lot and I spotted a minivan and a pickup truck crushed together. I don't know what the hell happened but everyone started to gather around. I slowly crept towards the wreckage as well and I cringed when I started seeing blood pouring out of the driver side of the minivan.
"Oh fuck!" I snapped before stumbling backwards on my ass. An ambulance soon rolled up and the paramedics ran out and told everyone to back away as a fire truck pulled up. They quickly got to work prying the car door open to let the woman out of the minivan and everyone gasped when she was removed. She was covered in blood and her right arm was broken to the point where you could see the bones sticking out. I almost lost it all over the place when I heard the cracking of bone when her arm moved.
I watched as they went to work on the pickup truck and the paramedics worked on the woman. She was in and out of it for the most part, but she was still alive, so that was good. One of the paramedics started to get her ready to move her when the woman started to come to. I saw her eyes open and to my surprise she was moving around a lot, she even moved her broken arm around a bit and she didn't make any noise, just low grunts and moans.
The paramedic advised her not to moves, but she kept trying to get up.
Then she bit her.
I blinked and a second later her teeth were sunk into the paramedic's face and blood was pouring out all over the place. Everyone started freaking out, including myself. Some people ran away while others tried to pry the two away from each other.
I just ran and I didn't look back.
Not knowing what to do I ran back home and that's when I noticed that everyone was packing up. I passed one house where a family was packing boxes into their cars while another house where a mother was carrying her bleeding son into the son.
"What the fuck!?" I don't know what the fuck to do, but to head home and wait for mom to come home. I forgot I had my phone and I quickly pulled it out to call her and let her know to be careful on the drive home. She wasn't answering and this was making me more nervous. She always has her phone on her, unless she is already home and she could be asleep. I don't know any more I just kept thinking about that woman who was eating that medic's face.
My money is that she was on meth or something I mean that must be why right, she took too much and the crash fucked her up royally. I really need to get home.
I finally made it to my street and ran to my house after nearly getting hit by an oncoming car. I stumbled on my front lawn and I quickly made my way to the front door, before hearing my name being called out.
"Paul!"
I turned around and saw my mother down by the driveway, standing next to the mailbox. She was alive and she was home. I smiled and ran down the driveway to get her in the house, but before I could get there she was struck by an oncoming car. I paused when I saw her go down.
It looked quick, but it was all so slow for me. I couldn't breathe, move or even think. She was dead and the asshole that hit her didn't even stop to get out or look back. They just kept on driving and left me alone with my mother.
I somehow made my way to her and I knelt beside her. It just happened so fast I still can't believe it. She was so still, maybe her neck broke or I don't know. I just stay by her side as tears roll down my face.
I don't know how long I have been kneeling next to her, but after some time she started to twitch. I jumped when she did it and I started to get excited. She was still alive.
"Mom." I choked out through my sobs. I slowly walk around where I could face her and she was letting out some small painful groans that broke my heart. She was in pain and no one was helping her. I grabbed my phone and I went to dial 911, but the damn line was busy.
"Fuck!" I shouted. I threw my phone away and stayed close to mom. "Hey, stay with me, mom."
I saw her staring at me with pale white eyes. What…the…fuck?
Mom started to move towards me and I couldn't help but to jump back. My legs were still shaky from all the trauma and I fell as she started to stand up.
She looked at me like she didn't know me at all and I don't even think she was the woman I knew. What the hell was she?
Her mouth started to foam and her groans turned into growls as she let out a scream and charged after me. I could do nothing but scream.
(Okay, bit of a slow start, but hopefully it will get better. Now, here is the list of requirements for the characters you wish to send and I will allow two characters per person. Also, I don't want people who have stashes of guns and food in bomb shelters, just some regular joes will do and this will take place in Atlanta and beyond. The story will start out on the highway in a traffic jam right before the bombings.)
Name:
Race:
Gender:
Age: 9-60
Gay or Straight
Hair color/style and eye color.
Personality: How they act at the start of the crisis and how they change as time goes on.
Skills.
Vehicle: Not required, but if they have one go ahead.
Preferable Primary Gun: Rifle, Shotgun, Bow and Arrow, ect.
Side arm, preferable: Six gun or pistol.
Melee weapon.
Clothes
Start out gear: Basically, whatever they have around their house hold. Crackers, batteries, junk in the medicine cabinet.
Treasured Item: Examples, Carl's hat, Glenn's watch, Daryl's vest. Not required, but it's there if you want.
Backstory: Basically, whatever they were doing before the crisis and where they were planning to go to ride out the crisis.