Chapter 2: We save a child

4:47PM

"Breaking news. In the city of Jackson, Mississippi, a series of mauling's have been going on. It is believed that the soldiers from Syria are carrying the Syrian plague 'TGP-5' over to the America's.

"There seem to be riots in the city. So far there have been one-hundred and twenty-three casualties. It is advised to keep your doors and windows locked at all time-…" She was cut off by a slam on the door of the station.

"W-what was that?" She asked. She was answered by the slam of many more loud bangs. There was a sick CRACK and BANG as the door flew off the hinges.

"Holy shit!" The cameraman yelled. Then there was a scream as someone-or something- tackled the newswoman. She screamed in agony, though we weren't sure what was happening, because they were behind an oak wood counter. We could only see her feet thrashing from behind the counter. Then blood flowed.

The cameraman said, "Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod." Repeatedly, then screamed as the monster that killed the newswoman stood up. There were many growls and moans as the cameraman got tackled from behind, rotating the camera enough to reveal the door and about thirty-eight people coming through it.

Johnny shut off the 48 inch flat-screen television. "Oh, shit. That's enough of that."

Brian was leaned up against a white wall staring at the TV screen. "This ain't good. If TGP-5 is spreading, it'll get all over the country. There is no way in hell people will have enough ammo and weapons to survive. Unless they're like me."

Noah looked at him nervously. "Like you?"

Brian grinned. So did Johnny and Kate.

"Well," Kate said. "Brian suspected this might happen—."

"Guilty." Brian said.

"—and he mighta' sorta' bought a shit-load 'o guns." Jess finished.

Noah, Isaiah, Zack, and I glanced quickly at each other.

"Like what kinda guns?" Noah asked.

"Oh, you know." Brian said. "Just a few pistols and rifles. Like, two Glock 17s, a Glock 20, three 44. Magnums, a Shotgun, SPAS-12 to be exact, and… uh, I actually forgot the name of the last two rifles. They're Russian, a variable-zoom scope rifle and an ACOG-sight assault rifle."

Everyone stared at Brian. The room itself seemed to be solely focused on Brian. I felt something rub against my feet and nearly jumped out of my skin. I looked down and saw a ginger cat rubbing up on me.

"What?" He said. "They're expensive. Anyway I haven't planned ahead of that."

OK. Wow. I know what you're probably thinking. 'Oh, well this story is gonna end with hugs, kisses, and a magical unicorn running over a pretty rainbow.' Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?

Back to the story.

"Ok. Anyway I don't think sitting in a trailer'd be the best form of defense. But, uh, just a thought… Why not head to, like, the empire state building or something?" Asked Johnny.

"Uh," Zack started. "how 'bout a Dead Rising type thing. Head to a mall, hold up there?"

"How about not?" Brian responded. "A little more tactical, please?"

"How about this?" Noah started. "We get a bus, a robot driver, four bus stops, and defend the bus dash bus stops?"

"A little less Call of Duty please?" I said.

"Ok," Brian said. "We'll get to Camp Shelby."

"Uh, that place is for, like, what, criminals under the age of eight-teen, right?" I asked.

"No," Brian replied. "Well, sort of, actually. Ever since the terrorist attacks, back in '14, all military bases, including Camp Shelby, have been turned into full-fledged war bases. Reinforced titanium gates, shit-load of mounted MGs on all corners, probably an armory. We'll hold out there."

"Yeah, one problem." Zack said. "That's a four hour trip. How will we ge-…"

Zack was cut off by a blood-curdling scream coming from outside.

I peeked out the window. Out in the storm there was a young child running. Behind him a woman was chasing him. There was something wrong with the woman though. Every time her jacket shifted as she ran, large spots of blood became visible.

Oh, SHIT! I thought.

Then the worse thing I've ever seen happened. The boy tripped over something and went sprawling into a ditch.

"OH, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" I yelled. I ran over to the door and picked up an old fashioned Xbox 360 off of the night stand beside the recliner and darted out the door into the storm as others got up and looked out the window I was already almost to the little boy.

I approached the child just as the woman jumped on him. Right before she could so any damage ASIDE from curse the poor boy to twenty years of therapy, I put all my strength into one powerful swing with the Xbox. It met her skull with a sickening crunch.

The boy looked up at me. He couldn't have been more than eight, his curly black hair was streaked with mud from the ditch, and he had tears streaming down his face.

"You ok, buddy?" I asked as Brian, Noah and the others approached.

The boy just kept bawling. He was stuttering something that sounded like, "Mommy! M-Mommy!"

Zack picked the boy up. "Where is your Dad, kiddo?" He asked.

"Damn, Jimmy." Isaiah mumbled into my ear. "I didn't know ya had that in you." I let out a nervous chuckle.

The kid pointed back at the house he came from. About forty yards away, in the doorway of a completely white trailer stood the dark silhouette of a man. Something was wrong with HIM to.

"Kid!" Brian barked. "Was your Dad in the military?"

He sobbed something then nodded.

Son of a BITCH! I thought. I realized the man's problem. Where his left arm should have been, there was nothing but sharp bone and stringy muscle and cartilage. He started approaching. The Xbox in my hand was shattered in half, shards of plastic were visible-AND sharp, there were also pieces of some kind of tech sticking out, making it heavier, and probably harder.

"Jess!" Johnny shouted. "Get inside!"

"Wait, Jess!" I shouted. "Take the kid." Zack handed her the kid as she darted into the trailer.

Just then the man started running, no, more like a half-sprint, half-limp.

Adrenaline rushed through me. My vision turned an angry shade of red. I charged the man head-on, the deadly video game system in my hands, but as I came up to the guy and swung the Xbox, he growled, ducked the swing (or more likely stumbled), and tackled me.

The Xbox slid from my hands as I barely held the guy back.

"Jimmy!" I heard several of my friends yell. The guy was so close I could smell his foul body odor. Or was that his arm?

Just then, his only hand found its way to my neck. My breath seeped out, I couldn't breathe. I started seeing spots. How long was it since my last breath? A minute? TWO? That's it. I was going to die in a dimly lit yard in the pouring rain.

Just as I thought my life was over, I saw a flying Nike running shoe fly through the air and catch the man in the jaw and sent him sprawling away. That had to have broken his neck. Attached to the shoe was Noah.

Noah extended his hand. "You ok?" He asked.

I accepted his hand and got up, rubbing my neck. "Yeah, I guess. Fucker almost had me though."

The others approached. Isaiah and Johnny were wide-eyed and Zack looked grim. Brian had an odd look on his face. Humor, maybe?

"That," Zack commented, "Was a ballsy move, Jimmy. You almost got killed!"

"I had to help that kid!"

"Dude," Brian said. "that was a badass move. The way you used a video game system as a club? Genius." We fist-bumped.

I heard movement behind me. All eyes went to the dead man, who was now shuffling. His neck was bent at an unnatural angle, yet he was stirring.

"Allow me." Brian offered. He walked up to the struggling corpse and raised his foot up. I looked away, but still heard the sickening crunches of boot against skull echoing into the night, almost simultaneously with the thunder.