So yeah. Got another chapter up at 8:51 PM. Exciting. I have a track meet tomorrow. And I'm running the 2 MI. Incredibly exciting.

Characters:

Megan (POV)

The Group

Looking around the living room, everyone was focused on their weapons. Sky was mesmerized by my grandpa's reinactment sword; with a little sharpening, it could be used as a real one. Ant took a liking to a sledge hammer while Ssundee took the rake. Bajan got a bunch of kitchen knives and threw them in a bag. Jerome was petting his axe and Deadlox was leaning on a snow shovel. Seto was shoving some blades from my dad's woodcutting equipment into a leather pouch I got him. Sparklez and TrueMU entered the door, Sparklez carrying my brother's two hunting knives and TrueMU holding an old golf driver.

I went with the old compound bow I got seven years ago on my 13th birthday. I wasn't the best shot with it, but I could get a few shots in with it. There was a reason I had a knife with me, but I was looking forward to use my expandable broadhead arrows. They were pretty dang awesome.

"Guys. I think it might be time to explain," I started.

"Explain what?" Deadlox asked.

I sighed, "Why you guys need these weapons. What these quadrants are. Omega D. All of that. I assume you heard that news cast since you had the bacca with you. My parents. They were in the quadrant Omega D. As the name suggests, there are four more places like it. Were, actually. Omega O was taken down the first, as the virus thrived in the warm water of the nearby ocean. Soon after, Omega F was taken down. It was the least cleanly of the four. Omega D just was brought down, and my... parents were there, in the capital, when it happened. In the past, few have survived the over throwings of the quadrants.

"Omega L is the last one left. It, sadly, is not within walking distance. Not even if you are crazy and can run like 100 miles. I'm afraid we are currently within the limits of Omega D, but since we aren't in a populated area, we could be left alone.

"My parents, though, were basically the people you'd always want to be around. It... hurts me to think about them as being dead, but after living ten years in an apocalyptic world, you get used to it. This world wasn't always like this.

"About eleven years ago, the leading researchers in medical technology were working on ways to cure cancer and tumors. The major thing to do at that time was to try to get rid of brain tumors without having to go through painstaking surgeries. One scientist, not very well renown, figured out that if a tame virus was to be injected into the blood stream, it could get to the brain and break down the tumor. He worked long hours to try and find this cure, barely getting sleep. Just one average day, he was driving to work when an epiphany came to him after seeing a car crashed into a pole.

"The lab was messy with sketches and tests, but he knew this one'd work. A few days in the lab led to what he thought could possibly be the first, non-surgical cure to brain tumors, and maybe even a few other types of tumors.

"Quickly, he tested it out on the first person he could find. After the test subject was injected, he was kept awake and he was hooked up to some equipment. His AV levels stayed constantly good, so he went to go check up on the patient himself. Opening the door, he saw the subject curled up on the bed. He was muttering strange things that couldn't form sentences."

"What happened afterwards?" Sky asked, interrupting me.

"I'm getting there! So, where was I... Oh yeah. The mutterings. The scientist walked closer when the test subject jumped up and attacked the scientist. The man had gone insane, driven there by the virus injected. Quickly, the subject drew blood from the scientist, causing saliva to go into the wound. The virus had spread."

"That's strange. So did the virus, like, take over their brain and all that?" Jerome asked, now hugging the axe.

"Yeah, it did. The virus, soon to be called the Z-Virus at this point, had changed them. This virus takes over the brain and shuts down what isn't needed. The blood in their veins turns into a black, tar-like substance for some reason. They basically look dead, their eyes white orbs. Often times, they have strange injuries covering their bodies. Since they can't feel pain, they don't give up until the body is unable to go any further."

"So they're like zombies?" Ssundee asked, the first time I'd heard him say anything.

"Yes. That's why it was called the Z-Virus. In the early stages, which only last a few minutes, they look like regular humans, but then they go bad. With these zombies though, if you get hit, you're down. Most of the time, they can break the skin easily, and if they do, no more living. Once the virus touches your blood stream, it reproduces rapidly, easily taking over your brain and nervous system almost instantly."

"Sheesh. Sounds like they're a pain to get rid of," someone added.

"Yep. That's where the quadrants come into play. A certain area is under the protection of the quadrant. The area is supplied with various utilities, such as water. Soldiers patrol outside of the fence surrounding us. The fence, it ain't special. Just a little chain link fence, not even as good as your chainmail armor or iron bars. It's just a boundary."

"Anything else?" Sky asked, clearly bored.

"Not with the conversation, but yeah, there's more. We'll have to travel a few miles west and meet a guy I know to get that sword of yours up and running," I told him.

"Can we go now?"

"No, not yet. I need to get you, Ant, TrueMU, Sparklez, Ssundee, and Seto new clothes. You can't go walking around wearing body suits or just suits. And definitely not a space suit," I added.

"So where are we gonna get these clothes?" Ant asked.

I smiled, "My brother's room. I always wanted to raid it."

I led them back up the stairs, but I turned left at the top instead of right. We stepped into a green room filled with posters on the walls and a laptop on a desk. I went over to the closet and slid it open. Grabbing a few shirts I thought would fit them, I went and sat on the bed. The shirts I had grabbed were two older Minecraft shirts, a plain black shirt, a golf shirt, and two performance wear tank tops. I went back and grabbed a few of the jackets, also getting one for Deadlox.

"Here are a few shirts; pick one out while I find you guys some pants," I told them.

I stepped back over to the closet and opened up the drawer that held many pairs of pants. Throwing a black pair of jeans, some grey sweatpants, and two pairs of regular jeans, I decided that we might need a change or two of clothes ready if we had to bail. I grabbed the entire drawer and pulled it out, dumping it on the floor in the process.

"Jerome!" I yelled, "You and the others get up here!"

Thumping sounds rung outside of the room as they made their way up the stairs. My brother had ten other pairs of pants other than the ones I threw over on the bed. Wow. My brother had a lot of pants. I reached up and grabbed a few more shirts and another jacket.

Sky and Ssundee had already chosen, Sky with the black shirt, jeans, and an army green jacket. Ssundee chose a Minecraft shirt, a pair of sweatpants, and a grey sweatshirt. Ant was mulling over a tank top or a Minecraft shirt and Captain chose the golf shirt and black pants. TrueMU took a black shirt with Storm Troopers that I had just pulled out and jeans.

"You guys that have already chosen, go into another room and close the door," Sky ran off into my room and Ssundee into the bathroom. CaptainSparklez and TrueMU went elsewhere.

Ant decided on the tank top and a pair of black sweats and took off.

"So whatcha need us up here for?" Jerome asked, having left the axe behind in the living room.

"Uh, here's a jacket, Deadlox," I handed him a black jacket, "And you guys need to choose another pair of clothes. We might have to leave."

Just then, Seto appeared in the doorway wearing a purple striped golf shirt and jeans, both a little on the big side.

"Uh, you wouldn't happen to have some way to keep my pants up, would you?" He asked.

I tossed him a black belt. Luckily he knew how to put it on. That was one thing I didn't need to explain. Sky walked down the hallway wearing his attire. He looked pretty good in it, too.

Jerome was holding another pair of clothes, "What do we do with these?"

"Wait up here. I'll get a few things," I took off downstairs.

In the basement, I opened up an old box and found a bunch of bags. Some were big, others small. Some had straps, others were purses. I grabbed as many bags as I could that were good and went back upstairs. Setting them on the bed, I went back down and grabbed four more.

"So, guys. Pick out a bag and put your change of clothes in it," I told them.

TrueMU was leaning on a wall, "There weren't enough clothes for a second pair for me and Captain. Have any more?"

"I have my dad's, but those won't fit. My mom might have something, though."

"Uh, I'd rather not wear women's clothing," The space man told me.

"Don't worry. It isn't women's clothing. My mom wore a lot of men's things," I went across the hall into their bedroom.

Opening the sliding doors, I picked out two pairs of sweatpants and a shirt. I hoped they wouldn't ask why it said "Kiss Me I'm a Member".

"Here you are. Nothin' fancy, but we don't need that. You guys get your clothes packed and I'll get mine."

I walked to the other end of the hallway and went straight to my closet. I grabbed two pairs of sweatpants, one grey, one black, and a few t-shirts. The clothes might not fit them well, but they'd work if they had to.

"You guys ready?" I asked, walking into the room they were in.

"Yep!"

"Uh-huh."

"We getting my sword sharpened? If so, yay!"

"Well, then, we'd better go. You guys want to pack up all of your stuff in case we need to make a break for it? Chances are we won't have to, but we don't need to take a chance," I told them.

Jerome jumped off of the bed, "You bet. Food?"

"Packing, yes. Eating, not yet."

We went down the stairs and into the kitchen. I grabbed a bag of granola bars and set them out along with the box of crackers. Sky instantly took the crackers. I reached into the cupboard and grabbed ten water bottles and filled them up slowly. Once I was done with that, I saw everyone else had packed and a few had gotten their weapons. The granola bar bag had a few left, so I grabbed those and a bag of granola.

Heading out to the living room, I grabbed my bow. I called out, "Hey guys! Letsa go!"

The group followed close behind me, weapons in hand and backpacks on backs. I walked over to the family pick-up and got in the driver's seat, putting my stuff at the feet of the passenger. We had an extended cab long bed, so I told four of them to sit in the bed. The other five sat in the cab.

I turned the keys and the engine fired up. Backing out while turning, I got it so I could make it out onto the county road. I pulled out onto it. We were on the road. Hopefully they could let me drive in peace.

So yeah. I'm trying to create an actual cover picture for this, so it might take a while, as it will be traditional. So if you have any ideas on what I should do, tell me. HAVE FUN WITH YOUR LIVES. I tired. Am I ever not tired? I begin to wonder...