This is my first time writing anything zombie related, so here's my best shot, I hope you enjoy.
It started off in the middle east, some bioweapon gone wrong, the dead were coming back to life, hungry for flesh. It wasn't scientifically possible and defined all logic that could be held up by anything other than comic books and horror movies, but it was there reality.
They tried to contain it, bombing the countries that had been infected, but between the soldiers and the escapees, the infection had reached the United States, Canada, even Mexico. The world was plunged into panic as the military did their best to protect their people.
Every man for themselves, that was the law of the land as soon as the government crashed. Food was hoarded, water guarded like it was gold and weapons were like currency. Small bands of people, friends and family would travel the country, looking for safe havens, but none could be found.
They were making the trek from Toronto to Belwood in hopes that getting away from the large city would pose less of a threat, between the biters and territorial humans, they needed to be careful. Beth had family near the lake, they owned a farm, it would be easy to barricade themselves and still have food and water.
The group had gotten smaller during their journey. What started out as fourteen, had been reduced to nine, they had lost Jennifer, Paul, Cal, Donnie had all been killed, turned and then exterminated and Helena had disappeared without a trace. They were tired and hungry and emotionally scarred, but they had to keep moving, if not for themselves, for the children.
Kira and Gemma had grown into lovely young women and at the age of twelve could down a biter if needed. Oscar grew faster than the two, sprouting up before out, he was lanky and quick, with sinewy arms, which could carry equipment and weapons all day long.
Though they were all but small adults, they never lost their childhood curiosity or wonder, somehow seeing the world around them as something other than a wasteland. They were the ones that would stop and pick flowers from the side of the highway to add color to their lives, which seemed to only consist of red.
"Kira, it's time for bed." Sarah murmured as she secured their hammocks high above the ground. It was the easiest way to sleep and not worry about being attacked by the flesh eaters.
"Coming." Kira called up before she started to climb. She perched on a branch just below her mother, watching as her and Beth set up their sling.
It was common for them to sleep together, their hammocks close together in the trees. It was more for comfort than anything else. Alison did the same with Oscar and Gemma. Felix bounced between both families and Cosima and Delphine shared theirs.
They had extras, from their fallen comrades, which they used to keep the supplies in at night. Most people didn't look up when they were coming through areas, always forward, ears open, guns ready. They never really had to worry about being looted and from the trees they could spot biters and other people with ease.
Once they were situated, they extinguished their lights, the moon bathing them in pale, bluish light. The skies were brighter since cities had been shut down, no longer polluting the air around them.
They lay there in silence, just watching the sky. It wasn't long before they drifted off into dreamless sleep, one so light they could wake up to the sound of a branch snapping in the woods.
Sarah roused the group at sun up, scouting the area as they broke down camp. She sat in the top of a stunning oak tree, eyes narrowed at the small pack of walkers making their way in the direction they would be headed to. With a soft, practiced whistle, she alerted the others.
With deft fingers, she screwed the silencer onto her rifle, scoped them out and took them down one by one. After shouldering the weapon, she pulled a pocket knife out and made a tick for every corpse she had taken out. With another trained whistle, she headed back toward camp.
"How many this time?" Beth asked as she lowered the supply sling down to her wife.
"Five, nothing major, we should search the bodies though, one was wearin' a pack." She replied as she pulled her own onto her back, leaving her gun across her chest.
"Disgusting." Alison murmured to herself as she helped her children with their bags, before shoulder hers, holding her shotgun in her hands, a handgun on her belt.
Beth had scored them the best of the best, she had been stealing supplies from the police station ever since they got word of the virus from overseas. Once it had reached them, they had an arsenal. Protective vests, utility belts, guns and ammunition, MREs and even some military grade knives.
They scavenged along the way, picking up tarps and tents, sleeping materials, before they found that sleeping in the trees offered more protection and started finding sturdier material to make their hammocks out of, using their sleeping bags for heat instead of a fire, which would just attract attention.
After checking that everyone's canteen was filled, they had eaten something, even just a granola bar and that they hadn't left any traces, they headed out. Sarah lead them, with Beth at the rear, Alison and Felix fanning out a few yards to either side, with Cosima and Delphine on either side of the children.
They moved as one, in complete sync, after many mistakes the first few months, they found it better to move as a pack, rather than a bunch of individuals. They protected their young and watched each other's back and most importantly, they survived.
"Damn, Sar, you really did a number on them." Cosima muttered, examining what remained of the biters' heads.
"They're dead now, aren't they?" She retorted as she knelt down rolling one over so she could remove it's pack.
It was a basic bug out bag, one that would have been handed out by health services, even some businesses. She rummaged through it, finding a knife, a swiss army knife, foldable shovel with a serated edge, a flashlight and some glow sticks, two lighters, a bag of toiletries, a small first aid kit, a full bottle of water and a canteen that looked like it had a filter, some varying bags of trail mix and few packs of batteries.
"We can use all of this." Sarah informed them as she started handing out various items for them all to stow away. She pocketed the knife and then moved to the other bodies.
They were all pretty useless, other than the one with a pack of smokes in his pocket. She took the lighter and tossed the tobacco sticks. "Alright, let's keep moving, we've got a lot of ground to cover today and the highway is coming up, we don't want to be caught at dark."
The group nodded and moved back into position, before heading forward. Forward, never back, there was just death and sadness and utter hopelessness, if they kept moving, if they chose to survive, they would.