Disclaimer: All Total Drama characters belong to Fresh Tv. I'm only writing this for a project and no copyright violation is intended. Rated T for now, but might get gory and full of coarse language as it goes on.

~A/N~ After having this chapter done for a week or two, I was considering putting this story on hold until my competition story was completed, but oh well. Updates will be slow, so don't expect weekly chapters like with my other story. Reviews are highly appreciated.


Life Goes On: Chapter 3- Revelation


POV: Shawn


(Day 11)


It's been over a week since Jasmine and I had our argument. Or, at least I think it's been a week. She calls it a talk, but I know it as a fight. I'm only trying to keep us safe and opening the bunker to the lurkers would only serve to complicate things. I'm not sure what she doesn't get. Does she think I'm lying about the zombies? If so, she's in for a shock when we see the surface. Well, if we see the surface, that is. I'm not convinced that it's a good idea in the slightest.

She thinks I actually listened to her and took her ideas into account, but she's as gullible as she was on the show. It's kind of her weakness. That, and tight spaces. She ain't perfect, but I wouldn't take it any other way.

For the past few days, life has gone on just the same. I adapted to bunker life pretty quick, but Jasmine still has a long way to go until she's ready to live here. Each day is basically the same. We wake up, wash off, eat breakfast, train with weapons, eat dinner, and sleep. It's not a rigorous schedule, but for Jasmine it's the worst thing ever. She loves fresh air and the outdoors, so I can understand where she's coming from. Do I think of it as my top priority? Not at all.

But what is my top priority? Other than survival, I have to fix up the old radio I found in one of the old boxes in the storage room. Once I get it back on line, I can prove to Jasmine that zombies exist and find out where potential safe zones are in the case that we're forced to bug out. But I don't want to bug out unless the bunker is breached. In all honesty, I don't even have a bug out bag ready to go for either of us.

After I eat breakfast, I mark out the twelfth day on our calendar, a Wednesday. I'm not sure what day it is, but whenever I wake up is the start of a new day for me.

"So," Jasmine says. "How's the old radio comin' along?"

"Not much better than yesterday," I explain. "The wires are still messed up and the power cord needs some repairs, but it's comin' along, I guess."

"Well maybe I could help," she says to me with a grin.

I have to tell her no. This radio is my only hope and I can't have her ruining it by accident."Sorry, Jazz, but I don't think you're too good with technology. Don't take it the wrong way, but I think I'd be better off alone."

"Oh, o-of course," she mutters. "My big hands probably aren't the best, huh?"

I have to keep her spirits high. "No, but they are good for weapons training. Why don't ya' go try out that samurai sword I brought. You said you liked using it, plus it fits you pretty well. What do you think?"

She sighs in apparent disappointment. "Oh, alright."

Once Jasmine walks off into the armory, I rush into the bedroom and take a seat at my desk where the radio is sitting. I look over the diagrams I've drawn over the past couple days and get to work.

As I tinker with the disconnected wires inside the radio, I can hear Jasmine striking the crash test dummy in the armory. I'm glad that she's getting used to life in the bunker, but I can't help but think she's planning something. She's been growing closer to me every day. So close in fact that it almost feels like she's sucking up to me. I love her company, but it doesn't feel all too sincere.

I connect another snapped wire and pull up my magnifying glass. Looking at all of the broken wires reminds me of the world right now. Everything is in shambles and incredibly difficult to put back in place. I know we can't fix it. It's not happening. Most of my research concluded that if the government doesn't resolve the zombie situation in two weeks or less, it's all over for the human race unless it finds a way to cope with the new world. I've already prepared for this day, but Jasmine never expected it. I almost feel sorry for her.

The whacking stops in the armory. She must've gotten tired. I connect another pair of wires and wipe the sweat from my brow. I'm almost done, it seems. But like the apocalypse, things can always take a turn for the worse.

That night, I roll over, toss, and turn in my cot. I can't sleep, and for a good reason. I have to work on the radio. It's the only thing that keeps me busy and focused. But Jasmine doesn't like being woken up at night, or whenever it is right now. I look at the radio on the table to try to close my eyes. It doesn't work.

I bite my lip and look at Jasmine as she sleeps. If she wakes up, she won't be happy and I'll never hear the end of it. I have to do something, or I'll stay an insomniac forever.

I decide to put on my shirt and slowly move out of bed. The cot squeaks, but Jasmine remains snoring. So far so good.

Being as quiet as possible, I sneak out of the room with the radio in hand and lock myself inside the supply room. This is it. Only a few hours to go until I can get in touch with the outside world.


(Day 14)


I wake up with my face covered in wet, sloppy drool.

"How long was I awake last night?" I ask myself.

The radio is still sitting on the table in front of me and the door is still locked. I look at the radio to see that it's close to being finished, or so I believe. I've never worked with technology much before, but I've done it enough to know how to hot wire a car, so a radio can't be much different.

I hear a knock at the door. "Shawn? You in there?"

I hurry over to the door and let Jasmine inside. She has bags under her eyes and looks drained.

"Couldn't sleep?" I ask her.

"No. You?"

"No," I tell her. "I want to get this radio working, and I'm almost done. Only another three wires left, and I can show you how awful the world is."

"Whateva' you say. I'm gonna go back to bed." She leaves the room and closes the door before I can say anything. I'm glad too. If she wasn't tired, she'd be pushing me to open the hatch.

My attention is turned back to the radio. As I fiddle with the wires yet again, my mind drifts to the news alert that started this. All I remember is that a load of people got sick at a hospital in northern Ontario and that the patients were attacking the staff. That was enough for me to know when to retreat underground. Jasmine just doesn't understand, does she? She's just going along with this out of her fear of the unknown. If it was just her alone, she would be be dead by now. A walking corpse in a field of thousands. But thanks to me, she's safe. For now at least.

I put the last wire in place and hope for the best. A faint crackle squeaks through the speaker. I instantly turn up the volume and listen closer. There's a voice.

"Zo... secure... seventy thr... A is... thirty percent... danger... fourth qua..."

It stops and I open the door to find Jasmine. She's in the bedroom trying to sleep, so waking her up would be a bad idea. But it's worth it.

I grab her shoulder. "Jasmine, quick! It works!"

"What?" she asks. "It's working. The radio?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just come on!" I grab her arm and pull her through the doorway and into the supply room where the radio is still crackling.

We listen close.

"Virus... read... five kilo... no one... street... houses... find... rabid..."

"Dear God," Jasmine gasps. "That isn't..."

"I think it is," I say. "I was right. The virus was a zombie virus, and I was right."

Jasmine stares at the radio as it spouts out more fuzzy messages. I see a tear drip down her face and she starts hyperventilating.

"Jasmine, calm down," I say as calmly as I can. "Its alright."

"No, no it's not!" she panics. "Are you even hearing this? It's an apocalypse and we're trapped underground in a tight bunker."

I'm hurting inside. I knew this was happening and had my mind prepared for it. But Jasmine, she didn't have a clue. This is so sudden for her, and I can't understand her feelings. I try to calm her down again with my soothing voice.

"Look," I tell her. I grab onto the tuner on the radio. "Let's see what else is-"

The door slams and I hear her footsteps retreating down the hallway.

Shit. This can't be good.

I open the door and run down the corridor as fast as I can. I notice the lights are flickering, as if somethings wrong with the solar power. When I reach the bedroom door, I reach for the doorknob and shake it around trying to get it to open up.

"Jasmine!" I hear myself shout. "Open up!"

"No," she says from inside. "I can't come out."

And I thought I was a little paranoid. Jasmine's going over the cliff of sanity and now she's isolated herself. She should know that solitude and zombies don't go together. Not that she ever cared about my lectures though.

"Please," I beg. "Hiding won't do you any good."

Silence. The lights flicker again as I listen close.

"Jasmine?" I ask as my hands begin to shake.

More silence. Something's wrong with her. I know she's strong-willed, but I didn't know how she'd react to the revelation. I regret ever showing her the broadcast. And now I'm actually regretting coming down here and taking her down with me. For the first time in my life, I loathe my intelligence, and it's scary. I'm just... confused. I hate it. I hate myself. I hate life.

Then without the slightest bit of warning, the lights blackout and the bunker is submerged in darkness. Like I said, I hate life.


~A/N~ Honestly, I'm not really feeling this story, if you catch my drift. This is really just an attempt at something new and it's a bit rushed, so my attention is set on bigger fish that need frying, literally ;)

Review if you like it or have any advice on how to fix the problems that I know are there. I'm not afraid of criticism, I love it, but flaming is highly unnecessary and won't help me improve this story.