Sorry for those who have been waiting for their characters, I'm getting there, I promise. Just so you know, I usually manipulate the character submissions you've sent me to better fit the story.

We walked along the outer wall of what used to be known as Zone 5. The walls were crumbled, a faint stench coming from within.

I climb up a shallow portion of the wall to see if it's worth entering. I was about fifteen feet in the air when I was able to see over the edge. Buildings were burnt down, nearly disintegrated from the explosion. It looked as if no one had survived. I wonder briefly if that's what Zone 7 looks like now. Zone 5 was old enough that they had built all their houses above ground. So it would make sense that their were no survivors, they weren't expecting anything.

I watched something move down on the ground a ways away. It walked slowly and with a limp. As two others appeared behind it, I recognized them as zombies.

I scale back down the wall and meet up with Italy and Darla, who were waiting patiently for my return.

"It looks like there could be something inside, or there could not be. It's a risk either way." I say with an exhausted sigh. Just then something... beeped?

I grab my backpack which seems to be the source of the sound. Inside my phone lit up with the message icon. I blink at it confused for a moment, wondering why it was working. I look up to see a tower still standing in the center of Zone 5, that each zone had within their walls. It was a communication tower. I look from it back to my phone, which had dozens of messages to be read. I immediately called Kleff. Praying that he'd answer.

Ring... ring... ring...

Nothing.

I leave him a voice mail and put the phone back into the bag. I turn to Italy and Darla, an idea suddenly popping into my head.

"This zone still has a functioning communication tower. It's older technology, so I don't know how operable it is. But if we can make it to the inner tower then we can send a signal out to all the other zones within Canada, and probably the allying countries. I don't know how many people know about the zombie problem, if anyone. But it's an infection and it's spreading."

Both Italy and Darla stare at me with blank expressions. They just nod and Italy climbs onto my back as Darla and I start to climb back up the wall. When we reach the top, I hop down to the closest roof, and hold out my arms for Darla. She hesitantly crawled down the side of the wall, and let go for me to catch her. We continue this way until we reach the ground again.

The city is so quiet that it is hard to believe the dead are even walking. The tower is visibly but further away than I expected. A red light at the top blinked, signifying it did indeed work after all this time.

An ominous moaning rose from behind us, as I turned to see a single zombie making his way toward us. Where there was one zombie, was a whole hoard waiting close by. Darla readies her shotgun as I ready my own little gun. But as Darla is about to shoot, I realize something.

Bang!

The shot rings out through the whole city. The deafening sound of a shotgun in such a quiet city would surely notify an entire crowd of zombies.

"Darla." I say shakily as the zombie falls dead to the ground, dark, thick blood oozing from its head. "Run."

We turn and head for the tower, only to be met with several other zombies. With our path blocked, we turn into an alley way, and climb up a ladder on the side of a short building. We skip past building after building as the hoard follows not far below. Their eyes falling out of place, slack jawed and drooling. Bloody hands desperately reaching towards us as we spring past them. They tripped over each other, stumbling like the brainless idiots they are.

I grab a homemade molotov out of my backpack as we run. Light it and throw it down, watching as the flaming bodies slow down, and crumble to the ground. The smell of death stinging my nose as my lungs beg for air.

We slow down as we run out of houses, climbing down from the last one, and running. The fire wasn't enough to kill all of them, there still plenty chasing us.

"Throw me one of them molotovs!" Darla yells over the various noises coming from the zombies. I nod and pull out another, tossing it to her. She lit it and sent it flying behind us, as we ran away from the burst of flames.

We are close enough to see the doors of the tower, and the zombies are running out. Our chances of making it to the tower without any problems are pretty good right now. But I don't have enough time to make a reliable analysis at the moment.

We enter the doors of the tower pulling the doors with all our strength behind us. Locking them, and watching as the bodies slam up against the plexiglass, smearing blood and dirt. We take the elevator to the top floor, the control room. I type out a quick message to surrounding zones, we unanimously agree to wait in the tower overnight for a response.

The walls are all made of the same plexiglass as the door downstairs. We should be safe for now.

I look out and watch the sunset, Italy and Darla munching on protein bars. I start to think about what we're going to do. Even if we contact someone, are we moving forward? And if so, what are moving towards? The whole world is in utter chaos, is there even a safe place to go?

And for the first time in my entire life, I think about our situation, how doomed we all are. They say your life is in your own hands, that you can do whatever you want with it. But the truth is, it's in everyone's hands but your own. Sure you can persuade and influence your life, but no matter what you're dependent on others. I didn't choose for Russia to send the bombs, I didn't choose to have zombies chasing after me almost every second of my life. I didn't ask for my mom to die, or my dad to leave. I didn't start world war three. We can only do so little with our own decisions, that it really doesn't matter one way or the other.

Or maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm the only one who sees it that way.

I start to wonder what it would be like if I had been someone else. But it was pointless, because I could never be someone else. I would never understand what it would be like to be born on the enemies side, or in a neutral country. Or what it would have been like if I chose to stay in zone 7. Or if I had been born deaf like Italy. Because I am the way I am now.

I don't realize I'm slipping into sleep until I collapse against the window, the weight being lifted with all my burdens.

I woke up to a loud, and I mean LOUD ringing from one of the monitors. I stand up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and go to the computer, the "incoming message" sign flashing across the screen. My heart speeds up and I press the button.

"Hello?" I ask into the microphone.

"Zone 5, zone 5, come in, zone 5." The voice says in the other end like a cheesy war movie.

"This is zone 5, who am I speaking with?"

"This is General Akerman of zone 8. What is your situation?"

I hesitate on telling the truth or not. If I say I'm an outside, they might just leave us stranded here. If I tell them I'm from zone 7, I could get in serious trouble for leaving. If I tell them I'm from zone 5, they probably won't believe me since zone 5 was bombed years ago.

I decide to risk it. "We're from Zone 7, we came to this tower in hopes of contacting outside forces, but have been trapped inside the tower after entering. We are surrounded."

"Are you aware that leaving the walls of your zone without military or state recognition is strictly prohibited? " The general asks. I get an uneasy feeling in my stomach.

"Yes, sir." I say hesitantly.

"I see..."

Before he can say anything more, I speak up, "Sir, are you aware of the situation outside of zone 8?"

"It depends..." The voice is different now, more relaxed.

"There are humans infected with a type of mad cow disease in radiation areas where bombs have been dropped." I explain, not sure how else to put it.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, I'm no general, my name is Leo Akerman and we're in zone 8 looking for outsiders, those who have survived. We are sending reinforcements immediately, should be there in approximately six hours. There should be a helicopter landing pad on top of the building if I'm correct..." I look above to see a hatch on the ceiling with the circled h symbol on it.

"Yup." I nod nonchalantly.

"See you soon." Is all Leo Ackerman says before the call is suddenly dropped. I look over to my right to see a hand on the control panel. I follow the arm up to the face to meet with abnormal eyes. They were look down to the screen and then back at me before saying, "Damn that guy can talk forever."