Chapter three

May 29th, 2007

Today we broadcast from our main offices in LA. Sources say that we must avoid all largely-populated areas, including cities and airports. It seems that the evacuations have caused a mass panic. The airports have fallen victim to the contagion and the vaccination stations that were opened to the public have become a dangerous, infectious area, now being shut off from the public. Several multi-lane highways are now heavily congested, and the people trapped in those places have abandoned their vehicles, now causing vehicle entry into LA seemingly impossible. We have a news correspondent in the area to keep us informed. Bill:

"Thanks Rick… you need… I'm here on the scene… and what… coming… people are panic… and…"

Just a second, we've lost the feed temporarily. Our stations satellite generator isn't running at full capacity, and our backup generator is thirty stories down, in the basement floor. We do not have access to it at this time, due to infection. We'll see—Wait just a second…

"The U.S. … we need hel… ACK—"

Someone get him out of there! Sorry, I can't do this anymore. I've got to get out of here!

Steve awoke to the morning sun beating intense rays of UV on his face. His head was throbbing and he felt a warm liquid run down the back of his scalp.

"What the… "

He stood up in a dazed fashion, rubbing his head and trying to remember what had happened.

Okay, you got up for school this morning. Got in the truck. Came to school and—can't remember.

Steve looked around the parking lot, recognizing the eerie silence that surrounded him like a thick blanket. Everything seemed too quiet for a normal, end-of-the-year school day. His truck's driver side door stood wide open, and his books were strewn all across the parking lot. A small pool of blood rested in the space his head was laying in. Indeed there were several vehicles parked all around him, but missing its occupants. Steve craned his neck to the side, trying to get rid of the stiff feeling creeping up on him, when he saw his friend Dave not but fifty yards away, on the other side of the parking lot.

"Oh thank god! DAVE!" yelled Steve, relief flooding into his emotions.

Dave turned his head quickly towards Steve, his pale features lifeless in the early morning sun. Ivory hues narrowed into a grimace, and Dave began to approach.

Wait... what's going on…

He looked closer at Dave, trying to process what he was seeing. His best friend was robbed of his lower jaw, and his tongue was hanging down the front of his throat, which was drenched in blood, turning his white shirt into a crimson mess. By then, Dave had taken on a full sprint, intent on running into Steve.

"Dave! What the hell happened! Dude are you—"

Boom! Dave crashed on top of Steve with a powerful slam, causing both of them to fall on the ground.

"Dave, man, get offa me!"

Steve wrestled with him for several seconds; Dave's larger from beginning to overpower him. That's when he saw the dull, humanless pallor staring at him with white, ghost-like eyes. Steve knew then that something wasn't right. The riots. The people. The 'zombie-like' behavior.

"Oh my god…"

Steve struggled with the dead man for a few more seconds before slamming his head into the side panel of the truck, but to no avail. Blood from Dave's missing lower jaw trickled onto his throat and shirt. Then all of a sudden, Dave was lying on top of Steve, motionless.

Steve looked up, beyond the corpse, to see the figure of a woman, blood-stained rock in hand. Quickly pushing off his former friend, Steve stood up, smearing the blood on his neck and shirt in an attempt to make himself more presentable. The young girl, roughly around his age--though maybe a grade below—dropped the rock with a growing look of disgust spreading across her features.

"Th-thanks." Steve shuddered a bit, not quite ready for this to happen; but nevertheless, he needed to keep a cool, collected demeanor to lead them out of this situation. "What in the hell is going on?"

"Quickly," the girl spoke, running around the side of the truck. "We have to get out of here. They're everywhere! Even inside the school!"

Steve hesitated, not wanting his questions to go unanswered but regardless, he stepped into the driver's seat of the silver Ford and shut the door.

"Aya, right? I've seen you around before."

"Yeah, that's me. And I know who you are."

They sat there for a second looking at each other. At least he wasn't stuck with an unattractive woman. But given the circumstances, looks had nothing to do with their survival.

"I came to school this morning," continued Aya. "And Mrs. Green tried to bite my arm when I was trying to help her! That's when I took off running for the parking lot, looking for anyone who might be alive… Luckily I found you… "

Steve began to thank her, but just as he opened his mouth a large hand swatted at his window. They both jumped as a result, startled but not surprised. A smudgy, blood-stained smear spread across the window, fallowed by the gaping stare of a student who was intent on eating their very existence. He reached for the keys and started the truck and jammed it into reverse. Pressing down on the gas, they began to go backwards.

The rear bumper smashed into the bodies of approaching zombies, toppling over them in a mushy screech that halted their process only slightly. After this, Steve had put the truck into drive and screeched away, leaving the pursuing victims in their dust.

"Okay, so anyway, my cell phone barely works." Aya went on. "Looks like some idiot rammed their vehicle into the cell tower. Besides that, we've got to get to my place. I have to check on my mom."

"I don't know how we're going to get there." Stated the driver, Steve.

As if to explain what he said, they approached the suburban exit which was cluttered by a mass of abandoned vehicles. Several of the undead walked aimlessly about the variety of cars and trucks, seemingly searching the vehicles for any sign of life.

"Unless you want to walk."

Steve felt the life almost drain out of the girl, her face filling with sad emotion.

"Look, my dad works for the army. He told me if anything happens to come to his base, which is on the other side of the city."

He tried to console her, but she straightened up a bit. Obviously Aya would undoubtedly hold her own in a similar situation, not to be taken lightly. He felt the strong vibes emanate from her, sensing that she would be a strong companion on their newly prescribed journey. Steve pressed down on the gas a bit more, urging the vehicle forward. They passed the suburban exit and continued down a long, narrow country road. In the distance, they could see the towering buildings of LA pressed against the grey sky.

Steve fidgeted with the radio dial, desperately searching the radio waves for an explanation to their problems. He found one with a male voice broadcasting from somewhere inside the city.

…I don't think Dan made it. I can here them knocking on my door now, trying to lure me out into their world. We have accomplished so much, yet a single virus seems to be destroying our very existence. I've gotten reports that China is experiencing mass levels of infection, as is Canada and Mexico. There hasn't been any confirmation that it is an airborne virus, but I KNOW that it spreads through contact. Rick, that bastard. He was our station supervisor, and he took off in the chopper. I don't blame him. His dead wife was chasing him through the halls of the 50th floor.

Most of our communications have been disabled, with the exception of the radio. The towers still somewhat intact, but jerry committed suicide by jumping off of it this morning. He was infected, and he knew it. If anyone is listening, anyone at all, avoid the city AT ALL COST. They roam the streets in huge numbers. The military blockade a few blocks away exploded not too long ago and I watched helplessly as the soldiers died one after another. I do, however, see one of them. He's stuck on a 2nd floor balcony. Poor guy. I don't think he's aware of the creatures inside of the Oneoke building.

There are more of those nightmares out there. Just to warn whoever is listening… unimaginable creatures that shouldn't even be in the darkest dreams of sickest person. I won't be alive for much longer. The knocking on the door has turned into banging, and it won't hold much longer. There are at least 10 of them out there, in the hallway. Listen, whoever's out there. Don't make the same mistake I did! The only way to stop them, you must--BAM! -- No, stay away from me! GET AWAY—

Steve shut the radio off. The demoralizing tone that the man on the radio had only made their spirits sink further. Steve continued driving, and Aya kept messing with her phone.

"What is that?" Steve asked, slowing the truck down a bit.

50 yards away a large diesel truck sat parked to the side of the road. On the trailer a giant umbrella insignia decorated the side. Several humvee's accompanied the truck, followed by the unmistakable military issued sand bags that flanked the front of the vehicles. Bodies were strewn across the road, and Steve recognized it almost instantly.

"Vaccination station…" he said quietly to himself.

Aya looked at him and blinked, before the words registered.

"Ohh, those are for the infected people, right? I heard about those on the news."

"Looks like there were too many infected people… Now they're all dead."

As if on cue, a body began to move on the ground, pushing itself up from the hard concrete; a soldier dressed in a soldier's uniform. The man stood up in a drunken fashion and let his arms dangle to his side. Steve hit the gas, jolting them both forward, through the blockade with a crash and slammed into the body of the dead man.

"Hold on!"

He pressed down on the gas even more; building up speed as he rumbled through the vaccination station, passed the Umbrella truck and assortment of Hummer's. He averted his eyes away from the road momentarily to take a look through his rear view mirror. Several of the bodies that littered the street were now standing up, rotted arms pushing free from the ground. Once part of the LA community, the dead patrons reached their arms out after the truck, trying to embrace the metallic shell of the speeding vehicle.

They increased the distance between them and the roadside station, thundering past the empty fields and mountainous terrain that sat on either side of them.

"Okay, we've got to get through the city to get where were going. Are you with me on this one?"

Aya nodded, a look of determination in her eyes that became contagious. Steve felt a rush of excitement as he went over the plans in his head. In the approaching distance, the city of LA presented itself in an inauspicious way; no signs of power within any of the buildings and giant clouds of black smoke rose up from unknown locations throughout the city.