September 19 - 11:27 AM
Nothing was stranger than that day.
A helicopter flies to an open town area. A photojournalist kneels near the back door of the helicopter and takes pictures, a briefcase next to him. He looks like a blue hedgehog.
Pilot : Say, buddy... You mentioned something about research for a story.
Hedgehog : That's right. I got a tip that something big is happening.
Pilot : In a nowhere little town like that? They sure didn't mention anything about it on TV...
The photojournalist walks over to the pilot.
Hedgehog : Yeah, well I'm freelance, pal. I don't make my living waiting for the TV to tell me what to cover.
He pats the pilot on the arm.
Pilot : Hahaha! Say, your friend was pretty generous to you, letting you a helicopter and a pilot.
Hedgehog : He's not always like that. But when I said then that something could be even interesting to him and G.U.N. , he sighted and said somewhat like "Well, check that thing out with professionalism, OK?" and gave me a choice for the vehicule if I wanted so. I couldn't get there by myself like that. Of course, I have a plane but, like on foot, I would get too much attention over me and I don't want that.
Pilot : You know your work well, buddy.
Few minutes later, they see something on their horizon.
Pilot : Here "she" is. Hahaha! Willamette, Colorado. Population: 53,594. Distinguishing characteristics: jack sh*t! Hahahahahaha! About the only thing to do in this town is kill time at the shopping mall.
The hedgehog holds up his camera and zooms in on some military personnel in front of a barricade sealing off a bridge to Willamette.
Pilot : What was that? The G.U.N.?
Hedgehog : Looks like taking a helicopter was the best way to go. I bet they've got all the roads blocked off by now. (But why would they do that? Blocking us, even if I did get a permission to get there? I would be in so much trouble if they see I have crossed their perimeter)
The hedgehog walks over to the pilot.
Hedgehog : Alright, listen... I want to get shots of the whole town before they finish roping it off. Take me over the main street.
The helicopter flies over a person that is fighting off "zombies" from the top of a car
Pilot : Woah! What is that... Some kind of riot?
The "zombies" drag the person off the car and start to attack him.
Pilot : Is this what you came to take pictures of?
Hedgehog : Yes. But not exactly like that...
The helicopter flies by a group of "zombies" surrounding a bus.
Pilot : No way! Check that out... Look at all those people. What the hell's happening here?
Hedgehog : I have no idea... But one thing's for sure. Whatever's going on down there... It's not business as usual in this town.
As the helicopter passes by a gas station, that last one blows up.
*BOOM*
The helicopter shakes for a few seconds.
Pilot : Ughhhh! Holy sh*t! You've seen that! ?
Hedgehog : ...Yeah.
Pilot : I'm gonna take it up for a sec-
Hedgehog : Take us down! We have to check out that building.
Pilot : Huh... Where? Which one?
Hedgehog : This one, right below us.
The helicopter flies down next to a building where a woman is cornered on a rooftop by several zombies. She fires at the zombies until she runs out of bullets then she throws the gun at one of them. A zombie eventually runs toward her and they both fall to the concrete below with a blood-splattering landing.
Pilot : Oh.
Hedgehog : ...I want to see the center of the town. Take me there.
Pilot : Roger.
Few moments later...
The blue hedgehog kneels in the helicopter and takes pictures of a mall below. He looks toward the rooftop and notices a heliport.
Hedgehog : Hey! Can you get me on the rooftop of that mall?
Pilot : You gotta be kidding me? Awww... Man. You are nuts.
Hedgehog: Alright, listen... Don't forget to come back for me!
Pilot : As long as you're not dead, sonny.
Sonic : It's Sonic... Sonic the Hedgehog. Remember that name 'cause the whole world's gonna know the best or worst thing in three days when I will get the scoop.
G.U.N. helicopters surround their helicopter
Pilot : Huh? Woah! Sh*t!
Sonic tries to grab his briefcase as it slides out the helicopter door but it falls to the ground below as the helicopter shakes back and forth.
Sonic : Get us back down to that rooftop!
Pilot : I know I'm gonna get my butt chewed out for this one. We're going down!
The helicopter descends toward the rooftop and Sonic jumps from the helicopter door.
Sonic : Woooo-hooooo!
But he hits the ground on his knees and rolls
Sonic : Ughhhh! Ouch.
He stands up and see that his helicopter is getting away from the G.U.N.'s ones.
Sonic : *sigh*
As he turns, however, someone walks up to Sonic. A very weird man. He looks like a bird.
Stranger : Hello there! You're a reporter, aren't you?
Sonic : Yeah... Uh...
Stranger : You came... Alone?
Sonic : Yeah! I'm freelance. You know... Go into the battlefield alone... No crew. So, uh... What's going on around here anyway?
Stranger : You came by helicopter, didn't you? What did you see from the sky?
Sonic : Well... If it were just a riot... I doubt the G.U.N. would quarantine the entire area. The "moratorium" on information getting out is a little... Extreme... In my opinion. There's uh... Something else I can't put my finger on. Doesn't sound like civil disobedience... It's too quiet.
Stranger : Hmm, heh, heh, heh. Almost as if... Everyone's already dead.
Sonic : Yeah... Almost... So, why don't you just tell me already? What's going on?
Stranger : I think you'd better see for yourself. This, my friend... is hell!
And the weird man walks away, getting out of Sonic's sight.
Sonic : He... Hell?