Chapter 1: the beginning
My name is Ash Orion I lived alone in a two story home on the outskirts of Richmond VA. This is how I prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse. It all begin for me on Feb. 4th when I saw a news report of a Class 1 outbreak. Before I continue let me explain what I mean by a Class 1 outbreak (note this comes from a book called THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE. it's not a true story more of a guide book).
Class 1 outbreak: Number of zombies 1-50. Will be in a 10 mile radius usually defined by natural boundaries. Armed response will be armed civilians with a few local law enforcement mixed in. Will be called homicides, "accidents", cases of "violent insanity", self-defense, or missing persons in media reports if the media is present.
Class 2 outbreak: Number of zombies 50-400. Range depends on area, 100 mile radius for sparely populated rural areas, several blocks in urban areas. Armed response will be local, state, and federal law enforcement with a chance of low-level military response with the National Guard forces. Media will be present so they will be called cult killings, homicides, riots or other civil disturbances, disease-based deaths with suspicious explanations that don't sound right, or media coverage being forbidden.
Class 3 outbreak: Number of zombies a few hundred to a few thousand. Full armed military response, more than likely an all out battle encompassing a few hundred miles. States of emergency declared for infested zone and neighboring areas. Martial law, restricted travel, rationed supplies, federalized services, and strictly monitored communication will be implemented. Initial phase will be riots, looting and widespread panic before they are implemented.
Class 4 outbreak: Worldwide.
I didn't know at the time when I saw it but later when I was reading THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE I thought back to the part of the news report when the hunter who said the insane person (the zombie) tried to bite him but failed before he killed him. The person was also missing for 3 years within the time frame. It got me worried when I went on the Web and found 7 more Class 1 outbreaks in the US and 17 worldwide during the 3 year time span and 2 before then. I decided to prepare for the eventual Class 4 outbreak. I started by going shopping and getting 3 weeks of canned food and water along with a medium size flashlight, 2 packs of batteries, a solar powered radio, a portable electric stove, 20 tools, a yellow book and different colored markers to mark places that I/we (in the event others join me) had gone thou and to indicate if we cleaned it out or we haven't, some reinforcement materials (lumber, bricks and/or mortar I choose lumber and bricks. 50 lumber 40 bricks), a table saw to use before the power is cut, and battery powered lamp. I also got several packs of seeds of different plants, gardening supplies, and 2 books on gardening to grow some of my own food. I planned to buy a week's worth of food and water each time I went shopping for food and every other time I went shopping to buy a pack of batteries, 2 rolls of paper towels, 3 tools, 5 chemical light sticks, some more canning supplies (cause I will be canning some of the extra food I cooked if there is some), and a few reinforcement materials (15 lumber and 10 bricks).
I started looking at the weapon laws to see what I can and can't get with or without permits depending on the weapon I'm looking at. After looking at the laws I went and got 4 7-in knives, a military machete and a military backpack from an army surplus store. I started to watch the news more closely and checking the Web every 3 days to keep an eye out for anymore outbreaks. It was a good thing I did that for I found 6 more Class 1 outbreaks during the next 8 months in different parts of the US and 13 worldwide with slightly increasing numbers of zombies 2 of them nearing Class 2. Meaning the numbers of the living dead is slowly increasing and nothing is being done about it or they can't tell that the zombies are zombies.
After the 6th US outbreak I got myself a .45 gun, a crossbow with 2 quivers of bolts, another military machete, a katana, a latter, and a trench spike. I bought a 50 gallon water container and made a rain catcher to get more water when it rains after the water supply is cut off. I begin canning the food I grown while keeping some to eat for now. I went practicing shooting the gun at a firing range and the crossbow at an archery range. I looked up the nearest military base which was Fort Kent near the town of Kent. I plan to go there a 8 months after things calm down(unless something happens to force be to stay or leave early) when an outbreak happens here.
I kept an eye the news as another 7 months passed learning of 9 Class 1 outbreaks in the US and 20 worldwide but the last one I learned of was a Class 2. During the 7 months I kept to my plan of buying things and also got 2 .45 guns and a M1 carbine rifle after getting the permits along with 2 military machetes, a crossbow, 2 tomahawks, another 50 gallon container, and ammo for the guns(300 .45 rounds and 200 .30 rounds). When I learned of the Class 2 on the news I knew that soon things will become bad fairly quick. From my shopping and canning of food I have 2 years of food and water. I decided that the amount of food and water I have was the amount I needed but I will can some of the extra food i made and grew now and then.
This is done in a manner of on a journal. The rest of it will be in 1st person.
update 11/22/16 Thank you for the review Slytherson and no worry on having rants or getting carried away on the review as long as i can understand it.