Survival of the Fittest

Joshua arose from the bathtub, his head pounding from an unknown cause.

"The party." Joshua said as he rose from the tub, his right hand holding his forehead.

Joshua knew that he had went to a party, but he also knew that he did not drink. So why was his head pounding like it was.

After a few moments of using the bathroom and getting dressed into fresh clothes, Joshua left the seemingly empty house. As he exited the house Joshua was met by a variety of different things. He was met by the smell of rotten eggs and gas, and the sight of an oddly empty street. With the exception of one blank faced man.

"Excuse me sir has anything happened?" Joshua yelled to the not so distant man.

The man began to walk forward, both his hands outstretched.

"A-are you ok sir?" Joshua asked.

The man did not give Joshua an answer, but instead lunged at him, sending them both struggling to the paved ground. The man kept trying to bite Joshua, but luckily he was strong enough to keep the man at bay even if for a little while.

"H-help." Joshua screamed out, hopping that just one person would here him and come to help before his arms gave out.

Bam bam the seemingly alive man fell over dead. Joshua pushed the man off his body, giving sight to the person who had helped him.

"Are you ok son?" a middle aged man dressed in a blue cops uniform asked.

"Yeah im fine, but I don't understand why that man attacked me." Joshua said as he stood to his feet.

"Things like this have been happening all morning, in fact I have no idea what's going on either." The police officer said confusingly

"Well sir if you don't mind may I tag along with you?" Joshua asked

"Sure son, the names Robert Redgaurd, but you may call me Officer Redgaurd." Officer redgaurd more announced then said.

"My name's Joshua Rose." Joshua then said

"Well Mr. Rose we are heading to the police barracks first. Were likely to find more info there then anywhere else."

Joshua and his new found friend began to walk slowly. Officer Redgaurd up front and Joshua following closely behind. As the two walked on Joshua glanced around at his surroundings, he saw many new things that were not there the day before, dead bodies, crashed cards, and the overwhelming smell of decay.

"What happened." Joshua said with astounded awe, not expecting an answer.

"I know, I was also astounded by this when I first saw it." Officer Redgaurd began to say "Then I decided to gear up and see what I could do, and then I found you boy."

"Really, is all the city like this?" Joshua asked unknowingly stepping over a dead body.

"As far as I can tell yes, but there are other survivors out there of whatever attacked us." Officer Redgaurd answered.

"Are you sure?" Joshua then asked

"No, but I can hope can't I." Officer Redgaurd retorted.

Minutes passed and the two had only made it too the main city entrance. At first glance the city seemed fine, but if one were to look even closer they would see many odd occurrences, even if they noticed the small ones and not the so large ones. One such occurrence was the slight red tint too many of the buildings windows, which would shed light to an even smaller one of dismembered limbs hanging barley noticed from windows or just from them.

Joshua glared at the now familiar sight of wreckage, and bodies. Each glance giving Joshua a disgusted feeling to his stomach. Why couldn't he have died along with these people, at least then he wouldn't have to endure this unfamiliar pain.

"Just a few more blocks and we'll be there." Officer Redgaurd said, disturbing the silence.

"So, what if the guys at the station aren't there or aren't alive?" Joshua dared to ask

Officer Redgaurd stopped in his tracks, it was now apparent that he had not thought of that. What if they are dead, what if they aren't there? He thought to himself before starting to walk again. This thought and many other important ones began to flow through his mind. Ones of fammily and friends, and ones of comrades.

"Wait." Redgaurd ordered, stopping in front of a general store "Well, we don't know what lyes ahead so I guess we should find you some sort of weapon."

With those words said Joshua and Redgaurd entered the general store. Joshua not alert and Redgaurd's weapon still holstered.

"Im gonna go look inn the isle over there." Joshua said pointing to an isle with tools and house work items in it.

"Ok, but be careful." Redgaurd again ordered.

Joshua wandered over too the isle, searching for something that would suit him as a weapon. He saw a red handled hammer, a few screw drivers, even a machete, but what caught his eye the most was a standard sized black crowbar. Aha Joshua mentally said to himself before returning to the front of the store were the officer was located.

"Will this do?" Joshua asked, showing Officer Redgaurd the crowbar.

"For the time being it'll do." Redgaurd answered

Thunk thunk thunk three loud noises sounded off from the floor above them. Joshua immediately clutched a hold of the crowbar, while Officer Redgaurd readied his gun. Instinctively Redgaurd began to wander to the stair door. Redgaurd placed his hand on the door knob and carefully opened it up to be attacked by nothing. Once that way was secure he then opened up the top door, and with a sudden movement a person tumbled out and down the stairs.

"Watch out Joshua, it could attack you." Officer Redgaurd hollered.

Joshua took head to his words and raised his crowbar, readying to strike the figure if need be.

"Please don't hurt me." A sweet girls voice asked

"Its ok she's not hostile." Joshua said was a sigh of relief.

Joshua extended a hand down to the blonde long haired girl, whom instantly excepted the hand and instantly he helped her up. At first glance Joshua could tell that she was a good looking girl, or at least he thought so. With her beautiful long blonde hair and alluring blue eyes.

"H-hi my names Cecilia." The girl revealed shyly.

"Hi im Joshua, and that guy up there is Officer Redgaurd." Joshua responded to the girl whom had not asked a question.

"Yes, yes, hello." Officer Redgaurd began to say impatiently "So girl do you have any idea what's going on out there?"

"W-well I don't know much but what I do know is that all of a sudden a group of people began to attack and eat people, so when all this happened my father locked me up in the room so I wouldn't get hurt." Cecilia answered again shyly

"Well it may have been just a little but you have shed light on some stuff." Officer Redgaurd said in response to the girls short story. "Well since you are alone I guess you can come with us until we find your father or fammily."

"T-thank you." Cecilia said.

The three spent a few more moments within the general store gathering up non perishable food just in case they would need it, and flashlights for when night should arrive. Joshua was given a small sack of the food to carry and Cecilia was given the water to carry.

"All right, we move out too the police barracks." Officer redgaurd said a little impatiently. He knew that his comrades could have perished, but he hopped that they had not and that they were still alive fending off the hostile's.

Joshua took up the rear again, the realization of the whole ordeal finally striking him in a confused manor. I wonder what my parents and siblings are doing? Are they ok, or god forbade dead? These few questions began to eat at him.

"Were almost there." Officer Redgaurd said quickly, almost startling Cecilia. "We just have too pass Cyprus road and we will be there."

As the three finally entered Cyprus road, their surroundings were oddly silent, a silence that even though they didn't speak it scarred the shit put pf them all.

"I-I don't like this silence." Cecilia boldly spoke. She spoke the words that all of them were thinking.

Joshua glanced once again at his surroundings, this time he was able to see the differences of the new and gory city. Joshua couldn't help but feel like something was about to happen, something big.

"S-sir." Officer Redgaurd yelled out suddenly. He began to run torwards a somewhat swaggering man. "Sir are you ok?"

The man simply continued to swagger, this time with an odd excitement. The man quickly reached Redgaurd, at first all was well but then the man lunged at him, taking both of them to the ground.

"Just like before." Joshua said bravely before running off to help is new found friend.

Joshua swung the crowbar down at the man, but only managed to tear a whole in his already tore shirt.

"That's not gonna work." Redgaurd barely managed to say as he weakly kept the struggling man from attacking him.

Understanding what to do Joshua again swung the crowbar, this time aiming for the mans head, he success fully knocked the man somewhat off of Officer Redgaurd. Redgaurd quickly stood to his feet and without even thinking withdrew his service pistol Bamm bamm bamm he released three shoots into the mans chest.

"Wow that was exciting." the old officer said with a youthful tone of excitement. He was not aware that the man he had shot was slowly rising to his feet.

"S-sir." Cecilia said pointing torwards the man.

Redgaurd slowly glanced around, not sure of what she could be pointing too. But when he did see the man Officer Redgaurd quickly withdrew another ten rounds into the mans chest. Yet even that did not stop him.

"Try his head." Joshua screamed not knowing that what he said would be the one truth that would same them endless amounts of times.

Officer Redgaurd took his young companions advice and with the pull of a trigger released a bullet into the mans skull. The man instantly fell to the ground and seemed that he would not again rise.

For a few moments the three remained stationary, none wanting to speak or move, for the fear of being attacked by that man or from another hostile person. It was the young girl whom had just joined them who spoke first.

"I-I guess we should continue on." She said with an urging voice.

The guys didn't need to be asked twice, they picked up any dropped belongings and continued their journey to the police station.

Two uneventful hours later the three finally arrived at the police station, both tired and somewhat confused.

"Well were here." Officer Redgaurd stated a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face."Lets hope for the best."

"Well, should we go in?" Joshua asked already halfway up on the ramp.

The three slowly entered into the station, upon entering they were not met with the now Familiar smell of rotted flesh and the iron smelling blood. They encountered the smell of roses and sunflowers. They didn't see people or even the few guard dogs that the station had, had.

"This is awkward." Joshua stated. "Not even one of those hostile people is hear."

"True, but the other officers could have boarded themselves up in the upper floors." Redgaurd stated knowingly.

"So what should we do then?" Joshua asked, slightly more confused.

"Well I guess we should search the place." Redgaurd began to say in a slightly disappointed voice " Joshua take the floor above, Cecilia Search this floor, and I will search the basement."

"Wait, Cecilia is helpless she cant search this floor herself." Joshua said concerned.

Redgaurd dug into his pocket and tossed Cecilia a small handgun "Now she isn't helpless."

Reluctantly Joshua separated from the other two heading torwards the stairwell not wanting too take the elevator in fear of dying even quicker. While Cecilia holding a Pistol with trembling hands walked into a nearby hallway, and Officer Redgaurd heading to another flight of stairs doubts running throughout his mind.

Cecilia

Cecilia entered the long and eerie hallway trying her best to hold onto the gun and stop shaking. Sure, she had been raised around guns her whole life but her father had forbidden her from even trying to use them. She reached the end of the hallway and glanced around the corner seeing nothing in return. Cecilia instantly went the safer route, or so she thought. Bump bump bump she froze, not knowing what she had heard or even if she heard anything.

"I-I must be losing my mind." She said still shyly, continuing her walk.

Bump bump she froze again, this time Cecilia glanced around. The only place that the noise could have come from was a room right next to her. Being brave, and not wanting to get scolded for not doing anything, Cecilia slowly opened the door.

"A-anyone in here?" She asked again shyly.

A hand instantly came from inside the door and grabbed her, pulling Cecilia into the room.

"Are you one of the hostile or one of the normies?" An older mans voice asked holding a pistol to her head.

"I-im n-not a hostile." She barely said, the gun trembling even more then before.

The older man instantly pulled Cecilia into the room shutting and locking the door while doing so. At first glance the man looked middle aged but upon closer inspection one could tell that he was old. With faint appearances of white within his short black hair and beard.

"Sorry girl, ever since the breakout happened can't be to cautious." The man started to say too the startled Cecilia "By the way the name's James."

"I-im Cecilia." She said to the stranger James.

"Well Cecilia are you the only one here?" James asked sounding more seriously.

"Yes, a police officer and a boy the same age off me are here, we were searching for clues to what may have happened and other survivors." Cecilia said truthfully.

"You don't know a thing do you?" James asked

"No." Cecilia answered

"Fine girl ill tell you what I know." James started to say without being asked " It was 9a.m. and I was in my office doing paperwork, when a stream of calls came over the intercom reporting cannibalistic acts. Instantly we sent out troops but they did not return or even call back. A few hours passed until something happened, a flood of those hostile humans began to attack humans, each bite or scratch turning the non hostels into hostiles. Me and a few others that were left hid in the station listening to the screams of the other people."

Cecilia just stared at the man in astonishment, finally getting some info on the situation at hand.

"So what should we do?" She asked timidly

"We go and find your traveling mates." James answered

The two slowly walked out into the still vacant hallway, heading for the top floor.

Redgaurd

Redgaurd wandered down the stairs, slowly heading for the basement that he had hardly ever been in. The basement was oddly a place that only a few people were allowed in, sure Redgaurd had tried to go down there before but had always been rejected or caught.

Finally I get to go to the place I had always wanted to go too. He thought to himself, a smirk briefly appearing on his face. Redgaurd entered the underground parking lot, a place that he was entirely keen on going through, yet he knew that it was a must.

Bam he quickly turned around to locate the source of the loud metal clang and its cause.

"Is anyone there?" He asked out loud, expecting to not here a reply.

Indeed he was correct, the only thing that greeted him was the outline of a figure. Once the fuigure had revealed its self, redgaurd knew instantly from the mans outstretched arms that he was one of the hostels.

Bam bam bam Redgaurd instantly released three rounds from his gun into the mans head, killing him instantly. This is like land of the dead. He thought with a slight smirk, but also realizing that this could very well be the truth. He slowly turned around and was met by another figure this time a women, but still with her hands outstretched. Bam bam, he released two more shots one hitting her stomach and the other hitting her head. Redgaurd slowly started to pant, but his rest was disturbed by the coming of more figures.

He quickly pulled the magazine to see how many rounds he had left. "3." He exclaimed as he released three shots two going into a persons stomach and the other hitting a near by wall.

"Shit." He said as he placed the gun back in it holster. Redgaurd instantly began to run, jumping over a few boxes and left over suit cases.

His eyes shifted from the left then too the right, all he saw was walls, cars, and a large mass of people starting to follow him. Redgaurd bolted quickly to the left, his sight now focused on the small security building that was in front of him.

Splash he jumped straight through the plate glass, the glass splashing on the floor. Redgaurd had no time to stop for his injuries, he forcefully picked up a large table, the contents spilling on the floor and placed it against the broken window firmly.

"Whoa." He expressed, locking the door just in case.

Redgaurd glanced around the room, the pain from his arms and legs steadily going through him. This, however did not stop him from glancing around the room to search for anything that could be of use. Aha, he thought as he glanced torwards a small leather bound book. HE slowly picked the book up, being careful not to hurt himself more then he already was.

He then slowly opened the book and read out loud the first passage, hoping what he was about read wasn't a diary of some school girl.

Friday, February 19, 2006

I've been hearing weird sounds coming from the basement lately,

I went to my boss to ask what they were, but all he said was for me to mind my own business

and go back to work. I wonder what the noises are?

Tuesday, February 23, 2006

The sounds have been increasing, along with my

curiosity. Despite knowing that I shouldn't, I began to search the basement of the parking garage,

to my astoundment, I found a large laboratory with an increasing amount

of scientific things.

"There's no name." Redgaurd said questionly, placing the book down.

He glanced around the room once again saw nothing else of use except for a small card, which he knew instantly was a keycard. A keycard that was for one of the only places that had captured his curiosity, however there was the problem of going out into the room with a bunch of zombie like people with no ammo.

With a puzzled glance on his face, Redgaurd glanced around the room, from floor to sealing.

"Aha." He stated, staring at a medium sized sealing vent.

Joshua

Joshua wandered up the abandoned stair well, his mind and body on the alert for even the slightest thing that would be out of place. He wasn't sure what he could expect, but never the less he was still on the guard. Joshua slowly approached the second floors door, and just as slowly opened it.

"Hello." He screamed out daringly. "Is anyone there."

As expected, no one answered. Joshua just kept moving forward. His eyes shifting to the various doors on each side of the hallway. He was deciding which door would be best to go in.

Aha. He thought to himself glancing at a door.

Dispatch

Joshua slowly opened the dispatch door, expecting it to be locked, but instantly surprised when it was not. The room was not like the rest of the building, it was not covered with the foul smell of rotted flesh, or the irony smell of blood.

Joshua glanced around the room, occasionally shifting some desk papers to see if he could find anything of use, even if it was something of the smallest caliber.

"Spencer Estate." Joshua read out loud.

He held in his hands a small vanilla folder that had quite a peculiar odd importance to it, Joshua just didn't know why, at least not yet he didn't. Joshua searched the room for a few more minutes, finding little of interest with the exception of a small tote bag, a lighter with have its fluid, and a standard issue pistol with a small umbrella etched into its handle. He stuck the lighter and vanilla folder into the bag, and the gun into his leather belt.

With a quick search around the room once again, Joshua grabbed the tote bag and began to head out, and hopefully back downstairs to meet his companions.

Bamm the sealing above shook violently. The shock caused Joshua to slightly stumble.

What was that? He thought to himself not knowing if he should continue on or try to investigate what the sound had been. Against his better judgement Joshua turned from where he was standing and continued to the other side heading for a different flight of stairs that would lead him to the source of the loud noise.

Joshua soon entered the hallway, but it was different, it was eerie. "What's going on?" he asked out loud.

Drip drip drip small drips of droll began to fall onto Joshua's shoulder. At first he had no idea of the occurrence that was befalling his shoulder, but almost instantly he glanced over at his shoulder and the slow dripping. He then tilted his head up, to only see the frightening sight of a creature whom seemed to be skinless and posses a long tongue. Instantly he bolted forward, heading closer and closer to the top of the stairs and the door to his hopeful salvation.

Bang. The creature crashed in front of Joshua, causing him to topple over and slide down a few of the stairs. The creature jumped forward, landing on Joshua, its feet and hands holding his feet and hands.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrr." The creature growled out loud, its slobber spilling out onto Joshua.

Joshua struggled for his new found gun, trying to get a way to kill the creature or to at least get away, but he could not and failed to get anything.

"Please don't kill me." Joshua tried in vain, but he somehow knew that his pleas would go unanswered. Joshua struggled for a few more moments, hopping desperately to free himself.

Bam bamm the upper floor again shook, thankfully making the creature look away and giving Joshua enough time to quickly shove the creature off of himself.

The creature glanced at the sealing for only a few more select minutes before returning its attention to Joshua, the creatures tongue slowly slithered out, its droll disgusting him.

"Eat lead." He said quickly fumbling around the floor until finally finding his gun, he quickly pointed it out at the creature and pulled the trigger. Bamm bam two shots rang out, one flying into the creatures chest and the other into the nearby wall. Unlike the other hostile people the creature did not go down or even show any hint of going down. Bamm bam bam he let loose another three shots. Two hitting the creature once again in the chest and the last in the middle of its forehead. It seemed as if the creature was still standing and ready to lunge, but after a few seconds the creatures eyes went into its sockets and then it fell to the ground.

Joshua stood motionless, he was not sure what had just happened and what he had just encountered. At first he was unsure whether he should continue on or turn back, even knowing that it was almost time to meet back up with the rest of the group. Against his better judgement Joshua continue on.