AN: Here we go again. Strangely fast update. Shit just got real. Lemme know what you think afterwards.

My name is Keith Taylor. Three days ago I was your average southern town daredevil. At a time like this, I'm pretty glad I did all of those stunts back home, what with it coming in handy while dealing with a zombie apocalypse.

Zombie apocalypse.

I never would have believed it. In three days what we thought was some kind of rabid flu has turned into a God damned zombie apocalypse. Everyone is either dead or crazy. It's all we can do to stop ourselves from becoming either. I used to not want to kill anybody with the thought that they might still be human somewhere inside, but... You have to force yourself to think that there isn't anyone in there anymore. They ain't human anymore. They're just monsters.

I stand next to Krista as we catch our breath from mowing down the last wave of horde. Looking over at her, I put a hand on her shoulder and give it a gentle squeeze to let her know I'm here for her. She was doing okay until this morning when she found her brother. Only her brother tried to kill her and eat her insides.

Now it was sometime in the afternoon and we took shelter in the supply closet of a motel that was said to be a temporary safe house for survivors. Looks like it was very temporary. Luckily some people left supplies when they moved on, looking out for those who might come after them. At least that's what I'd like to think.

"Keith..." she mutters, staring down at the pistol she picked up a while back. I had to help her figure it out at first. Krista was one of the only people I knew who didn't know how to fire a gun. "They're all dead, Keith... All of them."

"Now don't you go thinkin that, Krista." I told her with a frown. "We don't know what for sure. We've only seen a few that we knew and those guys we met earlier are probably doin just fine. Don't forget we're all a stubborn bunch down here. We don't go down without a fight."

She gave the smallest of smiles, shaking her head. "How is it that you can be so optimistic all the time, boy? Even in all this..."

"Well, I try my best." She gave another smile and looked out through the crack in the door. To tell you the truth, I didn't believe my words half of the time, though I would never admit that to her. Krista was a fragile girl and I needed to look out for her as best as I could. "I'm sure Martin and the others are just fine, too." I just kept telling myself that. That everyone was okay. That Ellis was okay. I couldn't allow myself to think that there was any possibility at all that he might not have made it. No way in hell.

I had met Ellis when I was eight years old and he was seven. We got into a fist fight over something and our friend Dave was the one to break it up. The three of us were best friends ever since. We would do everything together and I cared about him more than anything in the whole wide world. After all, they were the closest thing I had to any sort of family next to my drunk ass father. But Ellis... Ellis was something special. I think I would die inside if I ever lost him.

"C'mon. We should get our asses moving." I picked up my shotgun, reloading it before moving to the door. "All clear?"

"Seems so..." Krista tightened her grip on the pistol she carried and pushed the door open, aiming down the empty hall as I aimed in the opposite direction.

"Alright. This way." I ran down the hall towards the opposite end of where we came in, keeping an eye out. Krista fired her gun at something behind us and I burst through the back exit door into the parking lot beyond. I looked around at any sign that might have been left by other survivors indicating the direction to go. And there is was. Across the way was a scrappy little house spray painted on the wall of an apartment complex, an arrow pointing to the side door. "Come on. Strait ah-" A sharp pain under my left eye caught my attention as a large chunk of cement went flying past my head and I heard Krista shout 'tank'. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward to get moving as I ran backwards, firing rounds into the lumbering mass of mutated flesh and bone. But of course it wouldn't be enough.

So we ran like hell. Across the street seems like a much father distance when you have a zombie horde chasing after you. Add a Tank on top of that and its damn near impossible. But then again, I've been known to do impossible things. I forced a laugh as another slab of cement was thrown are way, casing us to veer to the right. "This Tank sure loves to throw things, doesn't it? Maybe it was a football player." I ducked as a smaller chunk was thrown overhead.

Krista rolled her eyes, frowning. "Don't joke about that."

"Yeah, okay." I smiled, getting to the iron supported door, pulling it open for her and rushing inside as soon as she was. We barricaded the door as fast as we could as the Tank banged on the outer walls. Luckily it gave up after a while and we both sat down with sighs of relief. I checked the side of my cheek to make sure I wasn't bleeding too bad and gave a small smile. Just another scar.

"Wow..." Krista said, looking at the walls. "This one has more writing than the others..." She started reading off the warnings and notes to other survivors. "Hey Keith... You might wanna come read this."

I looked over, stifling a yawn. Three days of no sleep can take its toll on you and I was hoping to get some shut eye, but I got up and walked over to where she was standing. She gave a quiet 'look' and pointed to two separate notes on the wall addressed to the two of us.

Keith

I've got a feelin in my gut that you're

still out there, so I'm gonna let you know

what's goin on. The freakin zombies attacked

while we were on lunch and we didn't have time

to come back. Sorry about that. Now it's just

me, Tim, and Martin, but that might change.

Got word that Ellis is headed to New Orleans

with a few others, so that's where we're goin.

See ya there!

Dave

I nodded, giving a smile and sigh of relief. They were alive. I looked over at the other note and began to read.

Krista

Been traveling with Dave and Tim.

I wish I hadn't had to leave you like that

but they swarmed us so quickly. Unfortunately

I won't be staying with the other two, since I

got word of my mom being okay in Philly.

I won't make you come for me. I just want

you to be safe.

I love you.

Martin

I stared at the message for a moment, then looked over at Krista. "Will you follow him? That's heading towards the main breakout, isn't it?" They say patient zero was somewhere near Philadelphia; that that was where it all began. Why Martin's mother would still be there is a wonder.

"I dunno... I dunno, Keith, but...Martin... I..." She shook her head, sliding down against the wall to rest her head in her knees.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know." I walked back over to the one couch, sitting with a sigh. "Let's...try and get some sleep, okay? I'll keep first watch." Krista gave a slow, distant nod and leaned against the side of the other cough, still sitting on the floor. It was like that for the majority of the night, though she must have fallen asleep eventually because her breathing became heavy and even. I spent hours reading those walls over and over. Reading those words of hope and devastation. Krista woke up some time past midnight and I didn't even notice till she touched my arm and told me I needed to sleep. I was gone as soon as I laid my head down.

"I'm sorry, Keith...but I have to find him... Good luck."

The next thing I knew I was waking up to the smell of burning.