As the blinding lights faded I saw the opening police chase. The gunfight hearing Rick telling Shane to Never tell Lori then going down hard. Another flash and I hear the steady Beep….Beep….Beep of the heart monitor. Shane's time-delayed wishful hopes the flower vase then darkness as a line of text appears.
Your new life begins now and remember we will be watching
Philip blinked his vision coming into focus looking around he sees the hospital room sooo cool it's just like the show he thinks. Then the pain hits him it's not severe more like a kick in the stomach. Rolling over to sit Philip starts unhooking the IVs. The thirst he felt was almost overwhelming as Philip gets up to stumble to the… Philip collapses to the floor… Fuck Rick did this too I've got to remember more of the show. Painfully picking himself up he is able to stumble to the bathroom to drink just as Rick did.
Looking around the empty hospital room seeing no real reason to stick around I open the door. Fuuuuccccckkk that's one thing the show doesn't tell you the smell of hundreds of decomposing corpses in the Georgia heat shaking his head Philip covers his nose with the edge of the hospital gown. As he leans against the door frame pushing the empty bed out of the way remembering Shane put it there. Looking around I shamble down to the nurse's station looking for the matches after a minute I find them.
Looking around I ignore the door with the half-eaten nurse and the iconic DON'T OPEN DEAD INSIDE doors heading for the emergency stairs. Lighting the entire box of matches on fire I quickly stumble down the flight of stairs dropping the burning box over the side down to the ground floor. As I reach the door I close my eyes to shield them from the sunlight before pushing the door open.
The sunlight pierces my closed eyelids and the sounds of buzzing flies and maybe cicadas. Slowly opening them I see the parking lot of wrapped bodies. Stumbling past the rows and trucks filled with even more bodies I walk through the ambulance entrance past another body on the grass. Heading up the hill I stumble again but continue on to the top.
Looking at the ransacked military camp my eyes settle on a beautiful eight-wheeled Stryker APC on the far side knowing a vehicle is faster than getting the bicycle further down the road I head in that direction. Stumbling I knock over a crate and digital grey and green camouflage uniforms spill out. Looking at my open gown and at the clean uniforms I get dressed. Standing there only missing shoes I feel better almost more protected fully clothed looking in other boxes along the way I find a couple of bulletproof vest with empty magazine pouches slipping one on I start looking for a weapon and ammo.
So.
Many.
Crates.
I look under a large tent next to about a dozen Humvees to see the pale green cases used for storing and shipping rifles. Opening one it's empty so is the next one and the next three. But the last one in that stack was full with six M16s. Grabbing one I head over to the next tent stacked high… a grin splits my face as I look at hundreds of GI ammo bins same as before most are empty but I find five cases filled with preloaded magazines six of which goes right into my vest pockets and a seventh into my rifle.
Before I load up the Stryker to find out it doesn't run and have to cross load to a working Humvee I give it a try opening the hatch I look in confusion at the mass of switches and dials what the hell is all this…here and I thought damn it. Going to the closest Humvee I look inside and see a more familiar set up ignition petals and steering wheel sighing in relief, I turn the key and the engine comes to life with a satisfying growl.
Loading the Humvee with the two full cases of rifles and seven cases of preloaded magazines and an extra five vests. Looking at the empty gun mount on top I frown there is no way in hell I could lift a .50 up there… going back to the tent I look harder. Moving a dozen cases I find the larger box I was looking for. Inside was a single M240 SAW. Slinging my rifle I heft the SAW it was heavy but I carry it back and set it on the mount. Now for ammo, he thought to himself going back to the other tent again. The ammo was buried under a camo net only finding a dozen hard aluminum magazine drums loading them into the Humvee I get ready to go home I need shoes not a single pair of boots or shoes that fit.
Driving around since I don't know Rick's address time seems to stop and a map appears with text underneath
1632 Milwaukee Dr. Your welcome.
Huh, guess they are watching me "Thanks."
As I pull up to Ricks house I look around seeing a zombie man in a suit shambling toward me I attach the bayonet to the end of my rifle and stab it through the eye however I'm still weak and the falling zombie pulls my rifle from my grip planting my foot on its chest I pull the blade free. As the pain in my side causes me to almost fall to my knees I hear a scuffle behind me whirling with my finger on the trigger I see a black face peeking around the corner.
It's Duane holding his shovel. Lowering the rifle I hear a voice behind me
"Who are you mister?"
Turning I see his father Morgan standing on the sidewalk with a revolver in his hand.
"I'm Rick Grimes sheriff deputy, who are you?"
I watch as he looks me up and down and looks at my Humvee and I can see the doubt in his eyes.
"My name is Morgan and that is my son Duane…" he is about to ask or say more when more of the Dead comes into view. "we need to get inside and out of sight before more arrive."
Nodding the pain in my stomach severe it's about time to change the bandage again. He heads to the house next to Ricks. As soon as we are safe inside I pull out the small first aid kit from my thigh pocket. Removing my vest camouflage shirt their eyes wide and add the bandage spotted with blood I hear Morgan's revolver cock.
"What's that? What's your wound?"
I turn not quite surprised to see his gun almost pointed at me. As I bandage myself I tell him what had happened over the next few hours as daylight fades to darkness we tell each other our stories. The rest of the night pretty much goes as I remember it from the show. The car alarm. The small group of walkers with his wife. "best get some sleep it's too crowded here now will be leaving in the morning." Nodding I agree it's best to stay on the move at least for now.
The next morning Morgan and I come out of the house to find a walker leaning against the fence upon hearing us it stands and shambles towards us only to die at the end of my bayonet. I decide to follow the show. Going to my house. Pointing out the missing pictures Duane mentioned Atlanta the CDC refugee camps I go to the key rack grabbing the one for the station. Following the order as I remember it from the show the station's armory, showers, and gearing up Morgan's jeep.
As we leave the station I remind them "conserve ammo it goes faster than you think especially with target practice." Giving him the walkie-talkie from one of the squad cars "let's open up the others for the other walkies batteries I'll turn mine on at dawn every day when you get up there that's how we find each other." Morgan laughs as he starts to reply we both turn at a clanging against the fence
Walker Leon something was against the fence
"You know they will hear the shot" Morgan mentioned
"Yep, that's why I'm not shooting," I say as I walk towards the fence. Looking at what had once been a police officer "poor bastard" I pull my K-Bar knife and stab him in the forehead "rest in peace kid" jogging around the fence I remove his empty pistol belt handing the extra walkie still on the belt to Morgan who was holding another three radios.
We head off in different directions giving each other a quick honk knowing what's going to happen I start driving up and down the main street honking my horn after about thirty minutes I have a small horde of over a hundred behind me. Stopping about a hundred feet in front of the shambling mass of former humanity I brace my M16 on the hood flipping the selector to single and begin to fire
BAM….BAM….BAM the shots echoing off the surrounding buildings after firing ten times missing twice I drive forward keeping the distance don't want to get overwhelmed this early that would suck. As I continue this the horde is growing as the shots draw more in emptying my fourth magazine there are now over three hundred following the Humvee. That should be enough as I stop again instead of getting out I move to the turret pulling the charging lever.
Looking out at the horde Philip/Rick smiles just like I thought it would be as he pulls the trigger. BAMAMAM BABABABABAAM BABABABABABAMMMM sweeping the horde like a scythe. Aiming high to ensure as many headshots as possible. The horde falls upon itself with each swipe of the chattering barrel. The next five minutes the steady five to ten round bursts are nonstop until the box is empty looking over the carpet of destroyed walkers he spots a late arrival that looks familiar the nightgown and unruly shoulder-length hair it's Morgan's wife. Pulling my rifle I blow her head off with a single shot. Hopefully culling over four hundred walkers and his wife will keep Duane alive when Morgan can't find her once he starts shooting.
As I reload the spent round from my magazine and load a new box into the 240 before sliding into the driver seat again. There is one last stop to make before leaving the city. Heading back to them and its military camp you never know when you'll find ammo or fuel. Pulling into the camp a few military walkers had shown up from somewhere. Getting out I un-holstered the heavy Python counting eight walkers in camouflage.
They still had their helmets on so headshots were out remembering the prison riot gear walkers I walk up and grabbed the closest walkers combat harness I put the barrel under its chin and pulled the trigger. The walker goes down hard its helmet still intact. Doing the same thing to the next group of four for the final three I use the knife doing the same thing. With no more walkers, I start looking for more ammo, weapons, and gas.
Over the next three hours, I completely finish looking through the weapons and ammo tents finding two more cases of rifles another M240, and four cases of ammo two for the rifles one for the 240, and a case of loose shotgun shells I fill up the Humvee and five gas cans from a forty-five-gallon drum. As I look in the Humvee it's now cramped as hell with four cases of rifles another with an extra SAW, a dozen cases of preloaded magazine's five gas cans, and the police armory bag even though I gave Morgan the scoped rifle a pair of shotguns and three pistols along with plenty of ammo for all of them. Not to mention a pair ready to use and loaded vest to finish off a case of M16 magazines.
Looting done it's time to go. Driving out I start talking into the police radio I had duct-taped on top of the military one
"Broadcasting on an emergency channel will be entering Atlanta on highway 85 anyone copies my transmission…. Hello hello…" letting off the button waiting for a reply I say again "does anyone copy?" but just like in the show no one replies. With a tank full of gas and extra I don't even bother stopping at the farmhouse with a horse I just continue on into the city not seeing a single car or person I do run over a couple of walkers.
As I enter the city I am surprised that how large it is when I was just Phillip Collins I was in a small town of fewer than thirty thousand people. To see a city this massive was amazing in person. As I slow down the drive through the streets I'm amazed that there's not a single Corpse walking or dead. Creeping down the road I noticed a burned-out city bus and a military checkpoint heading in that direction I noticed a couple of walkers coming out of the bus recognizing the area I realize I'm getting ready to come up on the horde I back the Humvee up to the tank that was at the center of the checkpoint grabbing extra .50 ammo from the sandbag position including an extra can that was on the ground I lower the commanders hatch so I can turn the gun facing completely backward-looking over the back of the tank.
Breathing deeply I pull the heavy charging lever and the belt chambers the first round. Pulling my pistol I fire once into the air immediately I hear the horde perk up at the sound and hundreds of shuffling feet. Readying the butterfly triggers.
I didn't have to wait long as they stormed around the corner dozens then hundreds. Grinning I lean down looking down the V sight settling on shoulder height I open up in medium burst sweeping across the horde like a scythe
BAABAABAAM BABABABABABABABAAAAM BAAAAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA
The heavy rounds were going three or four deep slicing through the horde cutting them down like a hot knife through butter. During the first belt of a hundred and fifty rounds, the trusty gun only jammed three times. Witch thanks to my old life's uncle who was in the Army had taken me out on the range with him plenty of times. I knew how to clear pulling the charging lever back hard to clear the jam.
With a quick look around as I load a new belt, I take quick aim with the python and shoot the four that were coming up behind me before returning my focus forward to get the gun is back in the fight. The hoard is now less than ten feet away and shambling closer aiming at the closest walkers I unload into the mass of decaying corpses clearing another jam they cross the five-foot mark.
Better safe than sorry I think as I jump off the front of the tank using the main gun as a handhold to steady my quick descent. Firing the last round from the python at a walker blocking my way to the door of my Humvee I holster swinging into the seat hearing the heavy transmission shift into drive I drive quickly thirty feet before shifting to park.
With the interior filled there was no way into the gunner hatch I climbed up the hood to the roof rotating the 240 pulling the lever I repeat the process sweeping the street the lighter 5.56 rounds don't do as much devastation but the horde falls just the same. As they close within fifteen feet I jump down pulling another thirty feet before stopping again.
It took six stops and seven preloaded cans of three hundred rounds to nearly wipe out the massive horde looking over the walker carpet that had once been a long two-way Street was now impassable to vehicles the few walkers where struggling to pick their way over the bodies of their brethren. It was then the radio on his belt came to life
"Hey, crazy gun fucker can you hear me now? Are you alive?"
Glynn Phil… Rick smiled
"Yes I'm alive and can hear you, it good to hear a person's voice, Over"
Rick heard laughter over the air "it's good to hear someone dude you just saved our asses that horde came down on us while we were scavenging we would have been trapped if not for you."
Smirking rick replied "Us? There are more of you? That's great news I haven't seen a soul in hours from that horde I wasn't sure there was anyone left in the city where are you? ill come meet up with you all"
A relieved sigh as Glynn replied, "Bradbury's clothing store come around back to the loading dock ill meet you there."
As Phil drove past the street the horde had been on and turned on the ally after it he saw another smaller herd about a mile further down the road creeping his way. Pulling up to the marked loading zone for the clothing store Phil sees Glynn running down the stairs talking into his own walkie-talkie. Getting out we both look over at the sound of a door opening to see two guys in baseball catcher gear with bats come running out bashing the skulls in as we walk in they gawking at the Humvee and at me follow.
Inside the loaded storage bay, I'm greeted by two women as the two guys follow us in and start stripping off their catcher's vest and face guards a blond woman nearly tackles me in a hug "thank you thank you for coming when you did" looking over her head as the other woman spoke as well "yes thank you we were screwed until you got here." A man spoke up "Come on Andrea back up give him some room to breathe." As the blond…Andrea backs up I catch my breath the chick had slammed into me I lost my breath for a moment I look around and introduce myself "I'm Rick by the way who are you guys?"