Author's Note: I do not own anything of Left 4 Dead, I am just a crazy, obsessed fan-girl (: Rated M for later Chapters.

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ZOEY'S POV:

I knew I wasn't getting anywhere… I was failing all my subjects and, although I tried my best to be polite, none of my professors seemed to like me. I was skipping classes because the pressure was just too much. My parents were a state away, and I'd never get a job if I just dropped out. The only option was to buckle down and get studying!

That idea… didn't turn out as well as I planned. Picking up the Science textbook, I flipped it open to the page we were learning at, and slumped myself down onto the warm arm chair that came free with my room. Being the sloth I was, I didn't really bother to clean up. It was my own space and I could do what I want. Who cared if it was a little messy? Anyway! I hadn't been out my room for about a week. I was on the brink of being kicked out for good, too. But, now that I think about it, maybe there was a reason I didn't go out. I didn't feel scared of the reason. Just felt like it was a bad idea. Like gut instinct. Of course – knowing me – the time I was off, I had the TV on. Mostly watching movies but, what caught my eye one day was something I'd never bothered watching before: the news. A man stood in the studio with the giant screen behind him, reading 'Infection Leaked in parts of America'. I sat myself down in the very seat I was sitting in now – attempting to read the Science textbook – and listened carefully. The man spoke –

"A deadly virus has been leaked throughout America. Government have decided to close off airports and other routes to prevent spread of infection into other states. It is compulsory that you stay in your home; lock your doors and windows, and do not, by any means, come into contact with any infected… including family members. More information on the virus symptoms will be posted on our website,"

This memory jolted me a little, and a sudden shot through the heart and tweak in the brain bounced me up off of the couch. I dropped the Science textbook as I casually walked over to the window of my apartment room. With two shaky hands, I pulled back the drapes of my curtains to let in that natural daylight. My eyes stayed calm as they were pushed apart, and the panic settled in my mind when I saw no infectious people outside (I figured they'd all be dead or coughing on the floor). Instead, the streets and grounds of my college were empty. It was about 6 o' clock at night but, usually there were at least a few kids outside getting up to no good or smoking or whatever. The sky was unnaturally dark… grey and cloudy, and it looked freezing. My hands began to stick to the icy glass – and I was inside! A wave of confusion washed over me, and I started to panic a little again. What was going on? It wasn't time for me to ask rhetorical questions! I had to go and find out what was up. Why was nobody outside tonight? Or was I just exaggerating a non-threatening experience in which maybe tonight, it was just too cold to go outside? Or was everyone doing exactly what the TV had said? Did that weird virus really spread this far in just one week? And everyone was locked up in their dorms, afraid? Doing exactly what I did now? Staring at the discoloured, strange sky while the scary movie marathon was on? I was terribly confused.

In that second, I was startled by a sound. A raindrop had hit the window, but it was harder than just a splat of water. Hail stones, just what I wanted banging against my window in such a stressful time. I ignored them as I strode over to my bed and sat firmly, thinking up something to do. The TV was starting to annoy me, too; the weather must had been taking affect on everything because the channel began to fuzz and blur, until finally, it shot out, dark and blank. No TV, hail storm, barely any food in my fridge; a virus outside. Just perfect… *Sarcasm*

An hour had passed of me just lying on my bed, listening to the hail and rain get heavier, and the thunder start to growl, leaving the white flash of lightning after. Time went by so slowly – or at least it felt like it. I didn't actually have a clock in my room, but I was pretty sure it was around 7 or 8-ish now. I couldn't take it, really. My hand darted for the phone. I'd never been close to my parents but, with this virus around, they could probably be dead or sick… and I was bored out my head, anyway. A chat with them couldn't hurt, either. I dialled in their home number and was surprised to hear nothing come up. I kept trying over and over, re-dialling the number, but it just wasn't connecting. Of course, I had thought. Stupid rain's got the electric out. I couldn't even see if my family were okay; couldn't eat or drink; couldn't watch TV; couldn't go outside… God, what could be worse? And how long was this going to be going on for anyway! The only thing I could do was sleep… at least my dreams would be more interesting. So that's what I decided, then. I lie back again as I was before, and relaxed my body's muscles, breathing deeply and gently listening to the hard rain/hail. The thunder made me jump a few times, but eventually I felt tired. I drifted into a deep sleep.

And that sleep was probably the last relaxed one I'd ever have. My aching eyes flew open with shock and fear as a pounding sound beeped through the building. I sat up, breathing as heavy as my lungs would let me, and listened outside as immense screams of terror began. They hurt my ears, and it all came from outside my window… I got up, ignoring the fire alarm which had woken me up. No one was running from outside in my dorm for some reason. But I stayed focused on what I wanted to see. From earlier, I had left the curtains open; I could see now what those screams were: people running from each other outside, crying for help as they were drowned in red goo – either their own or other people's blood. I couldn't even tell.

My head was asking itself a million questions, and I knew that the sensible thing to do was to also run with them. Even though it meant going down into the death pit, all the men and women I had seen around my college were running away from the building. This meant… I was the one in danger, just by being in here. I gasped and spun around as a slamming at my door began. Something was trying to get in, but it didn't sound human at all… The sound from outside, an immortal cry of half-choking, half-crying, half-squealing, was behind my door, trying to get in. It banged harder and harder until I feared the door would collapse and I would be exposed. Lifting up my window, I hopped out of it; my Chuck Taylor's slipping on the wet rooftop that was below my window. I forgot to shut it behind me, but that didn't matter right now. Home security wasn't a threat to me at the moment. It was these things, these inhuman things that tore the flesh off my fellow classmates with their teeth and claws. Their skin rotting like a corpse's and it was grey, discoloured… just like the sky. I couldn't look at them, and their eyes were an endless, dark abyss into nowhere. It held no soul!

My heart raced, fearing for my life as I skidded off the roof and landed into a crowd of running people. They pushed and pulled me, but I managed to get my balance and ran along with them, dodging the infected. I knew now what this virus did. Zombies… So many years my parents told me that going to college and getting a good job would make my future bright. But since I wasn't good at any of that, I still have the cold, chilling success that I was studying the right things all along: Horror movies. Although, this wasn't a movie or a video game – this was real life. If I died, I wasn't coming back. I had to know if my parents were safe, and what started this infection. I wanted to live! I wanted to be a survivor of the Zombie Apocalypse!

My feet ached as I kept on running with the rest of the crowd. The screams of the infected were still heard from behind us. We were being chased, and probably rounded, for a feast. It made me sick to think about it and I wanted to fall and throw up then. But I knew what I had to do.

My breathing was becoming hazy as the smoky air filled my lungs. I began to fall down, more people behind kicking me and falling over me as they struggled for their life. God, I wanted to live so much… I wanted to see my family, and to have a life. I wanted to carry on watching all these stupid horror movies, not be in one. I knew I was going to die, though. I was too weak to live in this world of destruction. And as I slipped into unconsciousness, I wished, and hoped, and did something I'd never done before… prayed… prayed to God, if there was one, to stop this madness. And please let it all be a bad dream.

LOUIS' POV:

"Stop… Please! Help me, please!"

I begged for my life as people pushed passed me in panic, frightened for their lives just as I was. No one cared about their family anymore – or even their closest friends. This was about survival. Better safe than sorry, I'm guessin' they all thought, just to make them feel a little better inside about what they were doing. Leaving behind the ones that were supposed to mean so much, just so they could survive themselves. Hmph… Better safe than sorry, though, huh?

"Please, you have to help me! My leg's stuck!" I struggled against the office bookshelf that had fallen onto my leg. It hurt like Hell! But of course, no one stopped to help me. I was abandoned in my office, all alone. Outside I could hear the people running away from the infected, and their screams were carried to and fro. I knew this was the end for me. 'Was pretty hard to believe just 10 hours ago I was working in a warm office, my suit nice and neat. Then next thing I know, fire alarm goes off, people screaming and evacuating. I get pushed into a bookshelf and it traps me. Now I'm stuck in the cold, my work clothes messed up, and my life about to end. I was hoping someone would come back for me, but knew that was a lie I was telling myself. I knew that death was gonna come for me any second now – especially when I saw that infected, crouching down in front of the open door, wearing his messed up hooded jumper. Looked like he was ready to pounce on me, and then I'd die then and there, not even knowing if my friends and family were all right. That infected was different to the others, though. His teeth were sharper, and I couldn't see his eyes because of the hood. And then, just as I was about to cry my last breath in this world, it jumped up into the air, smashing the ceiling fan (which didn't work) in the process. I squeezed my eyes, waiting for it to land on me, but instead… I heard a gunshot.

FRANCIS' POV:

Damn. Hard to believe just a few hours ago I was at the bar with the guys, not taking any shit from this infection thing. Now I'm the only one alive, shootin' down zombies and accompanied by an old guy. Never knew that quiet man on the back table had been in the army back when he was my age. I hate war. Except the fighting part.

Once the monsters attacked, first thing I did was grab my gun and start blowing heads off, one by one. Old guy in the back suddenly pulled out a gun of his own and we started working as a team. He said his name was Bill. I told him mine, and we set out to find help some more people and kick those zombie asses. He insulted me a lot, but I got used to it. Dunno if he got used to mine, though, 'cause he'd just follow it by another insult. All in all, he wasn't all that bad. His shooting was awesome for an old guy – guessing that's why he went into the army or something.

My motorbike was out of gas, so we couldn't use that (not that I'd let him on the back of it with me, anyway). The infected weren't just those human-like, monster things, though. Some were really different, and they were a lot stronger. I saw one of them about to pounce on some dude trapped underneath a bookshelf. Bill and I ran over to try and help, but we feared it was too late. Our chances were lucky, and Bill managed to shoot the infected down before it killed the guy. Helping him up, we all exchanged names, making our way out of the building to try and get to an airport or way of transport.

"The name's Bill," Bill told the little guy. He was only a foot shorter but still, I felt like a man next to him.

"And I'm Francis." I also said. He nodded shakily, and then said:

"Nice to meet you, Bill… Francis. Thank you. For saving me, I mean. I'm Louis."

"You used to work back there, Louis?" asked Bill.

"Yeah… I'm guessing I won't be getting paid this month…"

We ran through the streets, mine and Bill's guns nearly out of ammo. Louis stayed close, watching out for what we personally named 'Special Infected'. Our main goal was now to collect anymore non-infected survivors that wouldn't slow us down, and get the Hell out of this town. We got to the University around the corner, and immediately got our guns ready for zombie teens and shit, but all we saw were running, screaming teenagers. They all looked half-sane… One lay on the floor, trampled by the others. And boy, was she stunning! I knew I probably shouldn't have put myself in danger like that, but when a guy sees a hot girl… You know what happens…

"Bill, Louis! That girl," I shouted before mowing down a load of zombies, without letting them reply. They stood stiff, watching me grab the girl on the floor and hoist her up, her arm over my shoulder, and dragged her back over to the guys. Surprisingly they helped me pick her up and take her with us, but Bill looked disapprovingly at me the whole time. I just fought back a grin, thinking about how amazing I was for saving the pretty lady. We didn't even have to carry her that far. A lot of infected were about, but Bill and I managed while Louis took the girl into a block of apartments further down town. It was safe in there with the barred door, and we set the girl down on the table.

BILL'S POV:

Funny enough, I found the War back in '39 a lot harder than this bullshit. All my elderly life I spent alone, I have regretted everything but one: Going to War. A lot oppose against it, but I'm all for it now and then. I never got married and never had kids. I just lived my life with the revulsion of cleaning my guns and not making any friends. Attachment would get you nowhere in life.

Sitting back in the old pub chair (at the back, to avoid any contact) I thought back memories of the War and how it still went on now. 'Course it wasn't the same as my time now. They all had fancy gadgets. I left my beer unattended, when, someone ran into the pub. I thought they might've been a drunk, but they didn't look it. They were male, and completely aggressive. I had to get up and stare with the others when the guy hacked his teeth into the bar tender's neck. Blood squirt all over the people at the counter as they tried to help him; grabbing the guy's arms and legs, he still wouldn't budge. Until the bar tender fell dead to the ground within seconds. Cries of fear were heard inside and out, and I know we all felt confused. The crazy guy that had walked in suddenly darted for me, blood dripping from his mouth and other places. I was shocked but quickly grabbed the handgun from my pocket… I didn't get it out in time, though. The crazy cannibal leapt for me as I was getting my gun out my coat pocket; just in the nick of time, its head was blown to pieces. As the body dropped to the floor in a flop, I saw the guy behind, who had saved me from this freak of nature. I thought to myself… Just great! I've been saved by a Biker Mouse from Mars. Now I probably owe him or something. I pulled out my own gun fully and decided to return that favour immediately, just in case. As another one of those crazy fools ran through the pub door, stepping on the corpses of the now dead drunks, I shot the head off – just as it was about to hit the ugly bastard! – Meaning the biker, of course. Pun intended.

I didn't think it'd work but, we ended up teaming together. Hell, we even rescued a guy and gal from the cannibals outside. And although I still hated his guts… I enjoyed the company kind of. And the insults gave me a chuckle or two. Once we were in the Safe House all together, Francis laid the girl he'd stupidly saved on the table as the rest of us – meaning me and Louis – looked around for guns and ammo and food etc. Fortunately there were a lot of supplies that would come in handy. I made a few backpacks of food and ammo and other necessities for us all, in case we needed to keep moving at any time soon. Francis watched the girl excitedly, hoping she'd wake up soon so he could brag on about how he rescued her. His luck must had been affective 'cause she started to wake up…

HellH