Chapter 1
The nukes, the Blasters, and radiation. The Apocalypse had become more crazy in the last week than the four years it had started. "Another day, another sorrow" I say getting out of my bed. The nuclear fallout had spread to where I was, no one who was sane stayed or they died and became a blaster, I was the last person I knew who had survived it. I go to the kitchen and open up a cabinet pulling out a granola bar, and a bottled water. I start to eat walking around the small building I had lived in for the last... forever. Normally I wouldn't go out but the building , but I needed some air, I wasn't running low on rations but might as well get some, it could be a while till I get to go again.
I pick up my bag, duel pistols, and hunting knife. Before exiting the building I look in the mirror, I put my hand to the mirror looking a my black bluish tinted hair, if I found any more blue dye, I was going to use it. I leave the building putting my duel pistols in my holsters, swinging my bag on my back, and my hunting knife in my belts. Putting my bandanna around my nose and mouth I head for the hill east of the building away from building, making way from the road and the last remaining oak tree in the wasteland. Here nothing seem to bother me, not even those mutated zombies were messing with me. It takes me a while to find a road or path with any supplies, which only gave two bullets, a pocket knife, snickers bar, and a thing of real aspirin. "That was all you had to offer, great." I smile, it seems I was going insane.
I was starting to get farther away from home, but I just needed a bit more of time to search. I start to hear rustling and I head for a tall tree and start climbing it till I am out of sight, "Murphy you gotta be kidding me, couldn't you get her something different to wear." The old man says. A blue man responds, "No I am not, I think it's classy." He puts his arm around a girl in a horrible getup. I look around and see 7 walking around and smile, "A group," I whisper, Than I notice something else, attackers, surrounding the area, either they had no idea or they didn't care. I pull out my Hunting knife, if this got ugly, I would need to get out and quick. The attackers surround them maybe eight or nine of them are around. "Drop your weapons and no one gets hurt." One of them say, probably the leader. "We're not going to do that," One of the women say, probably the leader of that group.
I see one of the attackers tighten their arms. "Should I help, wait it out, what if they see me and shoot me down.' I go for the ladder. My mind races as I jump on top of the leader and stab his jugular, and grab his gun and shoot another one in the head. My arm goes and throws my knife at one of them right in the eye. Three down, and they start shooting, "Fall back," one of them says running away and the rest follow suit. "That happened." The old man says looking at me. "Thanks? I guess." I say turning my back, grabbing my knife, and walking off, "Wait kid, you alright?" The old man asks looking at me, "Doc, let's go, he can't be bothered, we have to head out." My ears perk up as Murphy talks. "If you guys are planning on walking through the fall out, not a good idea. Especially at dark." I warn walking off, "Why?" One of them asks me, "I have a house not that far from here just a half a mile west, pretty easy track." I dodged the question the girl asked me and started walking, "You coming." I say looking back.
They start to whisper behind me, "Can we really trust this kid Warren, I mean he could be leading us to a death trap!" A guy wearing goggles, and they just keep egging on saying, if they should shoot me or trust me. "Well if you must know I am not leading you all to your death, if you plan to kill me I will at least take one of you down and please learn to whisper better!" I yell at them passing the oak. "Whoa this one bites." Murphy says walking up the hill. My blood boils as he speaks, "okay were here." I say heading to the door. "Nice place, do you live with anyone else?" The leader asks looking at me with a bit of curiosity. "Yeah been alone for a while," I smile at her, "My name is Ziggs." I say putting out my hand, "Warren." She accepts it, "Why did you say it was dangerous walking through here?" She asks as they go inside, "These zombies killed by a blast were mutated, they are faster and travel in hordes," I say looking at her with concern, "I haven't seen one personally but, the people who come by are hella afraid of them." I say walking inside.
"Food and water is to your right and the living area is the left, in the morning you can stock up on supplies in the morning before you leave." I put my sack on the counter as I pull down my bandanna."So you really do live alone," A girl says looking at me, "Yup, Ziggs and you are?" I ask smiling. "Addy, nice to meet you Ziggs,why did you stay here after the nuke hit?" Addy sits on the counter and for a second my face twists a bit, "I never saw a need." I walk out of the kitchen and into the living area. "So where did you guys come from?" I ask looking at them, they seem to groan at my question. "New York." Doc says heading to the kitchen, "Holy crap, you have this much supply kid." Doc says as he opens the cabinet doors. "Yeah, I do, take some if you'd like." I say running in, "but not too much."
As the night pursued on I learned their names and a bit about them, "I'm heading to the roof see yah in ten." I say climbing the ladder to the roof, over the years of the apocalypse the sky had become the one thing I could love or rely on. I start to hear thuds and as 10K climbs the ladder, "You spend a lot of time up here, don't you." He says looking at me, "As much as I can,I still can't believe how the sky has gotten over these years." I say looking up higher than normal, maybe hiding a bit of my voice in the process. "Why do you smile all the time Ziggs?" He ask looking at the sky now, "Well if you must know, I just feel like if I don't, I won't be me anymore." I say looking him in the eye, for a second I almost slide off, and he grabs me. "Thanks, that would of been bad." I say laughing. He laughs too, "You are something Ziggs," he says pulling me up more. What ever comes over 10K but he kisses me until I pull away, "I'm sorry I.." I interrupt him, "It's fine I just didn't expect it." I say. My eyes shift outside where I heard a big bang of knocks on the door.
I climb down the ladder and look around two of them were asleep, Vasquez and Murphy. "Let me guess, tried to stay watch?" I ask Addy. "Yup, is 10K still up there?" Addy asks me and I nod. I bump into Warren in the hall, "Know who that is?" She asks me and I get a pit in my stomach, "I have an idea, you guys hide somewhere, if they see more than just me they may not be so easy to deal with." I say brushing them all away into the living area and shutting the door behind me, and grab a flask. Opening the door a man and another one walk through here with tattoos on their arms. "Hi,how can I help you?" I sarcastically ask, if they were the people from earlier they are here to kill me and the other's. I start to smile at the fact I was defending people I didn't even know.
"We just want a bit of shelter for the night," He says walking in past me, "and maybe end your life if you don't agree." He says making me quiver, "Well I don't agree with how you're treating me," My arm covers my mouth, 'no time to defy someone with a gun to my head,' I think, "I like you but sadly you killed three of my people, it's only fair if I kill you." He says pointing a gun at me, "I understand, but couldn't we, the three of us have a bit of fun first?" I ask and he smiles, I see the door crack and see 10K and Addy's eyes. The guy with him laughs "What do suppose." he says getting closer, and I pull out pull out a flask. He smiles and takes a sip and passes it to his boss , "Gracias." he says taking a sip.
The other guy starts choking and his boss tries to throw up but starts choking as well. "Sorry but when you threaten my life I end yours." I say walking past them 'And I do feel sorry,' I open the doors. "you guys have to get out of here as soon as there is daylight." I walk to the kitchen and grab all of the supplies I can and head for the the floorboard. I discovered it last year but the floorboard was loose and I found things my family left, my duel pistols and a locket of my mother's. The floorboard also lead below the house, a good escape plan if needed.
I put the board back and wipe my eyes. Warren walks in and looks at me on the floor, "You okay Ziggs?" She asks sitting down next to me. "I'm fine, what's the deal with the Murphy guy and Cassandra, and don't tell me that Vitamin deficiency that Vasquez told me," I say looking at her, "Doesn't seem like you're a threat, I mean you took out five guys to stop us from being killed, but as you've seen not all of us trust you, me, Addy, Doc, and 10K do but the rest don't seem to like you." She says avoiding it. "Doc explained to me you all were going to California, could I go with you?" I ask looking at my neck. "If you're up to it you can come along, we could use another guy for this trip," She says getting up. She puts her hand out to help me up, "You in," I smile and accept, "Let's get some sleep tomorrow is going to be a long day." Warren says heading to the living area
My mind flies with possibilities as the night moves further on. It is daylight by the time I start to feel. "Wait the kid is joining us!" Vasquez yells making me shift a bit, but keeping my eyes closed, "Listen Vasquez, he's not a bad guy, if he was he would've left us out in those woods with those attackers or turned us in and Murphy." Warren says locking eyes with Vasquez, "If he does anything that is questionable, I take him out." He says exiting the room, "He is a ray of sunshine isn't he." I smile at them, I start to grab my weapons and bag. "Ready to go," I say pulling up the bandanna over my nose. The rest follow suit as they I open the door knife in hand. Two Z's come at me, I stab one in the eye and the other in the forehead."That was surprising." I take my knife out and wipe off the blood. 'This was going to be a long trip,' I think to myself. I walk next to Addy and Warren as we move South West.