I remember the time and place like it was yesterday. It was two in the afternoon, western time, it was Friday. I was in band class, the bell about to ring. I remember we had early release that day, me being a senior I really couldn't tell. Our director let us pack up early. I stepped outside and proceeded to call my Father. The phone ringing in my ear I turned the corner and saw something in the corner of my eye. I took a glance and saw a man. He was tall, with fair blond hair. His head was down and he was staggering up the concrete steps up to the main entrance. I squinted. "Was he drunk?" I thought. I remember stepping forward to help, but was suddenly paralyzed with an uneasy feeling. I watched as my principal, Mrs. Wargnet, stepped outside and confronted the man. This as a private high school and nobody was allowed to step into our property. I remember rolling my eyes and walking back into the band hall. Suddenly I heard a panicked 'Hello'.
"Dad?" I asked.
"Son? Oh thank goodness you're alright! Where are you? Are you alright?!"
"What? I'm about to get released, I have early release today. I'm gonna swing by McDonalds for a snack. You want anything?"
"Listen to me David. You might not know yet but there is something catastrophical going on. This could mean the end of this world."
"Dad? What are you saying? What's going on? Are you alri-?"
"David listen! In exactly one year meet me at the resort hotel we stayed at during our vacation to Mexico last year. Be sure to have survivors with you! Keep your cellphone charged at all times, save the battery! If it runs out get a new one from a store"
"Hold on! What's happening? Da-"
"You'll find out soon enough. Ok, get a group of seven. Four girls and three boys. No more than that. I don't care who they are. Just be sure to survive."
I heard a loud crash and a moan, it wasn't an ordinary moan, but a heartless throaty moan, one that struck fear into your heart.
"Dad…tell me….." I whispered.
"You'll find out soon. I need to go. Remember, in one year meet at the resort. You're mother and brother will be there. I love you son stay safe, I'll call you soon. I'll see you later."
"DAD! NO!"
He hung up.
I slowly returned the phone to my pocket. What was going on? What was my Dad worried about? I surveyed the band hall. Everyone was smiling and laughing waiting for their weekend. I greeted a friend that stood by the door. I locked my gaze onto Vanesa Romio. Vanesa had been my crush for a couple of months now. She was very beautiful. She was Hispanic with long black hair that reached down about two and a half inches below the small of her back. Her face was nice, with perfect cheek bones and smile, her teeth shone as she laughed. She was a junior and was a fantastic oboe player. I had talked with her a couple of times and she told me she enjoyed our conversations.
Even though many guys had their eyes on her, I thought I had a good chance. I wasn't bad looking; I was also Hispanic with a perfect tan and gleaning white teeth. I had chocolate brown eyes and jet black hair reaching past my ears and down to middle of my neck. My hair was in a Justin Bieber style, so it covered a bit of my eyes. I had a tiny bit of lazy eye, but I had been told ladies found it attractive. I usually wore a black leather jacket with the sleeves rolled up. Today I was wearing black denim pants and a navy blue shirt. When I look back I think I had actually been asked out that day.
Anyways I wasn't bad looking, and I was funny and decently smart. Many girls had their eyes on me apparently. But I wanted a special girl, and Vanesa was the right one.
I locked eyes with her and maintained eye contact. Then after about five seconds I gave her a grin. She smiled back and gave a flirty wave. I rolled my eyes and started walking away. Perfect, it made me seem laid back, yet caring. I walked into the brass locker room. I talked with some other trombone players [I played trombone] and opened my locker. At this point I had forgotten the phone call with my Dad.
All of a sudden a hand clasped my shoulder, and for some reason I was really scared of it. I wheeled around and slapped the hand away. My Dad had me take a physical defense course starting when I was 8 years old. I had picked up many useful skills, such as learning to fire a gun, unarm enemies, and learn a tiny bit of karate. So I was prepared for basically any attack.
Vanesa gave a little yelp as I slapped her hand.
"Ah! Sorry are you alright?" I asked Vanesa, embarrassed of my action
She giggled, "No problem, Andrew told me you were really paranoid since you had taken some class or something."
"Yeah…..a self-defense class. I kinda learned a bit of karate."
"That's cool. So why were you staring at me earlier? Distracted?"
"I was stalking you, isn't it obvious? I follow you home every day, watch you when you sleep…when you shower…."
She laughed. "Well, good to know."
We stood there in awkward silence, I decided it was now or never.
"Soooo, I was just wondering…maybe….." I muttered. [Smooth]
"Yeah? What's up?" She responded, obviously entertained.
"You're laughing at me." I complained.
"Am not!"
"So I was wondering if you wanted to see a movie sometime?" I asked.
"Hmmm, as in a date? And what if I say no?" She teased.
"Then a puppy dies."
She laughed, and I grinned, back in the game!
"I'd love to. When?" She smiled.
"Cinemark 27, tomorrow. I'll pick you up at six?"
"Sounds like a plan."
I reached over and kissed her on the cheek. About 2 seconds.
"Well aren't you a romantic?" Vanesa said turning away.
As soon as she walked away I celebrate with a little dance. Well it wasn't exactly little, or a dance either. I tripped over myself and fell in a cooler. I stepped outside. I was about to walk over to my car when I saw something unusual. Blood, lots of it. I stood paralyzed.
The corpse was Mrs. Wargnet. I stepped away, slowly walking to my car in such a slow motion I felt like I was in the matrix. It was only five minutes, but it felt like three days. When I finally got to my car I fumbled for my keys. I nearly dropped them into the sewer. I unlocked my car, and was about to step in and get the heck out of there when I noticed the man from before. Was he the murderer? I stepped out of the car when I noticed something. There was blood in his mouth. He let out a long disgusting moan, the same one I had heard earlier. What was wrong with him? Was he hurt as well? Then I noticed the huge chuck of flesh missing from his left side. I gasped; I don't think that's healthy. I shouted out.
"Oh my God! I'm going to call the ambulance! Just…..don't die!" I yelled to him.
"Eeeurghh"
What was wrong with him, there was a chunk of his body missing from his side; I would be screaming like hell. He kept walking towards me, his head still down, blood trickling down his jaw. His side wasn't bleeding too bad, maybe he'd live.
"Did you see what happened to her" I said pointing to Mrs. Wargnet.
"Gruuuehh"
He lifted his head and I gasped. There was a chuck of his jaw missing and his head was also cracked. I thought maybe he was alive from his side wound because it wasn't bleeding badly, but he shouldn't be alive with those wounds. When I looked into his eyes I saw something that confirmed my answer. His eyes were completely white and they had no pupils, they were like a void. He was definitely dead. The question was now why was he moving. There was nothing out of the ordinary with him. He was tall, blond, and had freckles; he was just an ordinary human. Bu he was dead and walking towards me.
Faster…faster…faster…faster…
With one final growl he started advancing towards me, growling inhumanly and opening his mouth like he was HUNGRY, like he needed to feast on flesh. He was now basically running at me, but staggering at the same time. I was paralyzed with fear. "What should I do?" I thought, "What's going on?" He was now only a few feet away. I broke my car window with my fist smashing the glass but also getting myself cut in the process. I grabbed the biggest piece of glass I could find. I whirled around just in time to stab the glass in the man's head. He gasped a throaty moan and coughed blood all over my shirt. I gouged the glass farther into his head, wrangling it and screwing it. Finally with a gasp, I stopped and pushed the man down to the ground. He lay on the ground, motionless. Now he was truly dead. I trembled and shook. The man was….alive…..but dead. I looked at the man's mouth, he had blood all over it, but there was something unusual. There seemed to be a tiny bit of flesh in it. Could it be? I looked over to Mrs. Wargnet. Her wound was on her stomach, but it was like a chunk was missing, just like the man's side wound. It looked like….she had been bitten.
"It can't b-be…o-only the movies….t-this h-h-happens." I stammered.
I stumbled and fished my phone out of my pocket. Dropping it twice I finally managed to dial my Dad's number.
"David…." I heard my Dad say.
"Dad! What's going on!? This lady and the man! I had to…k-kill…" I stammered.
"If you are my son David, then son, by now you must have figured out what's going on. I, your mother, and your brother are certainly still alive. Listen to what I said earlier. Get a group, and get to the mall. Get a sleeping bag for each person of your group and have them fill it with food, water and other necessities. Get guns and other weapons at Dick's sporting goods. Find a good place to survive for a few weeks, and then move on to another. Remember, in one year, meet at the resort.
"It's true" I whispered.
"Yes son, this is real. This is not a joke."
This is the zombie Apocalypse.
