Chapter One: Welcome to Deadsville

Author's Note: Hi everyone! Thanks for reading and thanks to Astral Slayer Asuka for writing a review! Please keep reading and reviewing you guys!

Astral Slayer Asuka: Hey, you're story sounds pretty good you should write more! I didn't know you wrote Resident Evil stories too! Well, I hope you like this one as much as you liked my Tekken stories…I'll still write them, I'm going to try to write two stories at once.

This place is deadsville…

Matt Kennedy thought to himself as he walked through the dark streets of Raccoon City.

"I can't believe Leon's gonna work here…nothing happens at all…" Matt murmured to himself.

Although, it was probably for the best…after all, if Leon worked here, for the RPD, and there was virtually no crime…then Matt wouldn't have to worry about his cousin dying on the job.

Matt sighed, and stuffed his hands into his fitted, zipped up, black "track jacket"…it had yellow stripes running up the sleeves, and the logo for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was emblazoned on the back.

It was one of Matt's favorite jackets…a gift from his best friend Gabby back when he had first got his black belt. Underneath the jacket, he wore a red t-shirt with the caption; "I'm big in Japan" emblazoned on it. His long, baggy, black cargo shorts swished as he walked…they were frayed at the ends and reached down past his calves. For shoes, he wore a pair of black, scuffed and scraped Converse hightops.

He had just moved to Raccoon City in May with his family…his father worked for the chemical corporation Umbrella…he mostly dealt with their insurance claims, but the corporation kept him busy…and every four years or so, Matt's family would pack their bags and move.

The last place they lived was Knoxville Tennessee…Matt spent a year of college there, before his parent's guilt tripped him (something they had always been fairly good at) into leaving, and helping them get settled in Raccoon.

He had planned on leaving again in December…mostly because he couldn't stand this town, and also because he could never spend a lot of time with his parents without getting angry and wanting to beat shit up.

When Matt heard that Leon was coming to stay in Raccoon, he had been elated…four five years now, his cousin had been studying at the Police Academy…and seeing as how Matt hadn't seen Leon in over a year…it would be nice to see him again.

Matt hadn't exactly made any friends yet…well, actually, he did make one…a girl who had taken karate classes over the summer. Her name was Rebecca Chambers a pretty girl about Matt's age with short hair and a nice personality.

She was a genius when it came to anything with medicine or science and had been hired with Raccoon City's famous S.T.A.R.S team. She was taking self defense classes under the recommendation of her superiors to help train her for combat…in fact, her boss, one Albert Wesker had paid Matt an exceptional amount of money to teach her one on one rather then have her join up with a regular class. In the two months that they had been working together they had developed a fast friendship…and might have even taken it a step further.

But something had happened…in July the city had been placed under lockdown after several reports of people being eviscerated, mauled…and in some cases…eaten swept through the town. Rebecca and her S.T.A.R.S team went to investigate the Arklay Moutains.

Afterwards, the S.T.A.R.S team began to tell the city about what had happened…about the horrific creatures and bizarre traps they had seen and experienced…and no one believed them.

Matt did…he thought something must have happened up there…why would they lie? And who can make that shit up? The Umbrella Corporation employed half of the town…and a lot of people in the US…and…even the world…so to make allegations like these shouldn't be taken very lightly.

And then suddenly, Chief Irons made a public speech about how the S.T.A.R.S had been removed from the RPD and were leaving town…within hours of the speech, Rebecca visited Matt and she seemed…different somehow…her eyes always used to sparkle, and her personality had always been sunny and cheerful and now…now her eyes seemed dull…and when she spoke she seemed sad somehow…weary.

Matt closed his eyes as he walked and remembered his final meeting with Rebecca. It had been a hot July night, and the sun was just setting…Matt had been teaching a group of white belts their tae kwon do forms…when she walked in.

He had excused himself and walked over to her.

"Hey Rebecca," He said with a grin. "What's up? Gonna take some classes tonight?"

"Hey Matt." She gave him a tired smile. "No…I'm…not going to be…around anymore."

"What? Why? Is it because of what that dick Irons said? Don't listen to him! I believe you!"

"I know…that's why I came here tonight…I'm leaving with some of my other S.T.A.R.S members."

"Rebecca what's going on? Listen, let's go get some coffee or something…tell me what's going on."

Rebecca looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Matt…they're waiting for me…I've gotta leave now…I just wanted to see you again to say goodbye…and to tell you that…something bad is going to happen here…maybe not today or tomorrow but soon."

"What's going to happen? Rebecca?" Matt asked.

"Listen; get out of the city as soon as you can! The shit's going to hit the fan pretty big…and I don't want you around when it does."

"Rebecca…"

She hugged him tightly. "Be safe please…I know you're not going to leave…but just be safe." She kissed him lightly on t he cheek. "You've become a really good friend to me alright? And if I could take you I would…but please…just be safe."

And without looking back, Rebecca climbed into the back of a non descript black truck and left.

Matt hadn't seen her since, but her cryptic comments had still haunted him…for awhile since the incident, Matt had looked for changes but found none. He had tried to explain to his parents but they wouldn't listen.

He sighed as he walked and brushed the bangs out of his eyes. Fishing around in the pocket of his shorts he found a pack of cigarettes, placed one in his mouth and lit it expertly. He had tried to quit lately, everyone advised him to…even Leon…but tonight…tonight felt somewhat different.

Matt could feel tension in the air…normally, on a Friday night like this one, the streets were teeming with life as people spilled out of restaurants and bars like pennies from jars. Raccoon was a college town, so it had plenty of trendy nightclubs and bars.

He was walking through the main road of downtown where all the clubs were but it seemed as if he was the only one out tonight. He would occasionally glance in the darkness of the alleys, and he could hear shuffling feet and maybe…moaning?

Matt wasn't sure, but a lot of people did enjoy quickies back there.

As he walked the darkened streets, light was becoming scarce. The shops and restaurants were all dark and locked tight…and for some reason, the air reeked of garbage.

"Ugh…smells like some people didn't take out the trash…God I hope the Health Inspector notices." He said as he wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Matt's car was currently at his house…he was replacing the transmission, so he had to take the subway from the suburbs to downtown where his Karate School was. The city had been tense lately because, apparently a pack of wild dogs were roaming the area, and people were getting attacked.

And right now, all Matt wanted to do was hop on the train and get back home. He wasn't even sure why he bothered to work tonight…most of his class was out sick…and those that had showed up were listless, and looked deathly pale.

In fact, here lately, Matt wasn't feeling so good himself. It had started as soon as he left the school…his throat was beginning to feel hoarse, and he felt the start of a monster flu coming.

Still…the whole city was so damn silent all of a sudden…he could hear his footsteps echo as he walked…so lost was he in his thoughts that he didn't see the man...until it was too late.

All of a sudden, he had been walking home…and the next thing Matt knew, he had walked right into someone!

Oh shit…way to go Matt…gotta watch where you're fucking going…

"Sir," Matt began. "I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention and-"

Finally, Matt got a good look at him…and what he saw repulsed him. At first, Matt assumed he was homeless, he wore a pair of tattered jeans and a flannel shirt…his hair hung to his shoulders in knotty dreds and partially covered his face.

"Uuunnggghhhh…" The man gurgled.

"Um…excuse me?" Matt asked timidly. "Are you…okay?"

Matt moved to reach out, when the man's hand suddenly grabbed his wrist…and that's when Matt noticed the stench…and got a look at the man's face…or what was left of it…

A thin line of drool hung from a pair of cracked, bluish lips…these lips framed a face the color of gangrene and glazed, ruemy, cataract filled eyes. He twitched spasmodically and wrenched Matt forward…and, to his horror, opened his mouth and lunged for Matt's neck!

"What the-"

Matt didn't finish, he had to react fast…quickly, he spun his hand around, broke the grip, and punched the man directly in the chest…and as he did…Matt felt repulsed by how…loose his skin felt.

The skin felt like a trash bag full of wet leaves and branches. So repulsed was he, that Matt actually muttered an "Oh…" as he did so. The man slumped into the streetlight…but Matt didn't wait around.

Quickly he dashed up the street, buildings and landmarks whizzing by as he did…and everything looked empty…finally, the silence seemed to be broken by loud rock music blaring from a bar.

Matt had heard the tune before…it wasn't his favorite, but he'd take anything to the maddening silence he had heard earlier.

"J's Bar…" Matt muttered the name to himself.

Not a lot of people were there…a bartender, a waitress, and about seven other customers resided within. Matt felt relief flood over him as he opened the door to the bar…he let the music, the atmosphere, and the sound of real, human voices wash over him like warm bathwater.

"Hey," The waitress, an attractive blonde with a million dollar smile began. "Welcome to J's, have a seat and I'll be right with you."

With that said, she walked off to attend to other customers.

Matt took his surroundings in stride. A subway worker sat to his left…he looked like he was hard at work at a crossword puzzle…to his right sat a rather harsh looking woman in a smart business suit typing away at her laptop.

In front of him, seated at the bar, were two rent-a-cops, a member of the RPD, and a rather intimidating looking guy in a plumber's outfit and long hair, and a kind looking man in a suit.

As Matt walked towards a booth, he bumped into a Japanese girl with thick, coke bottle glasses.

"Oh," She began. "I'm so sorry…"

"It's fine…don't worry about it." Matt said off handedly.

He walked towards the booth and flopped in it. Still a bit shaken from his strange encounter…he looked down to notice that his hands were shaking a bit.

Calm the hell down aright? No big deal…you fended off some hobo who smelled like shit…big deal…nice to know that five years of martial arts didn't all go to waste.

Matt turned and looked at the television on the wall…it was the news…something he never actually enjoyed watching…but he longed for any kind of distraction…and in a couple of minutes he began to feel (somewhat) better.

He figured that he'd order a coke or something, then go back out…get home, and hopefully tough out this damn flu he knew he was getting. He had the weekend off, and suddenly, the idea of being holed up in his room watching movies, playing video games, or writing stories on his laptop, while he got better seemed more appealing then anything.

But like most things in life…things are never as simple as they seem, and Matt would…in a matter of ten minutes…begin a journey that would lead him into the very center of hell itself…

Author's Note: Okay, sorry if this is dragging, but it'll pick up pretty quickly…I kinda wanted to set up the mood and stuff before I get to the hardcore action which, if you've ever read my Tekken stories…or my short stories, I'm kinda known for…oh, and if I didn't portray Rebecca exactly right please forgive me…I don't have a Gamecube so I never played RE 0…and I bought a used copy of RE1 but it was too scratched for me to get to the part with Rebecca in it…anyway, thanks for reading and please review to let me know how I'm doing.