Z Day: Survival of the Fittest

by Newton, Reece

  I didn't sleep that much at the hospital I just kept thinking of the man falling to the ground with a bullet in the back of his head and when I thought back to me running away panicking it was actually quite funny. The next morning a nurse came in with some antibiotics and another pill I don't remember what it was for but it was a big orange one and it tasted like lemons, for some reason the nurse told me to take two antibiotics every day for a week just to make sure I didn't have anything wrong with me. I was quite surprised, I didn't expect the island too have much medication if any and I definitely didn't expect them to be giving it away so generously there was something weird about this island everything was just too perfect, like why were there all these empty houses on the island? They were just ready for anyone who survived the zombie apocalypse. They had food, drink and medicine supplies. I don’t understand why they would just give things to people like it was nothing, surely they knew it would run out sooner or later and most likely sooner than later.

  After the nurse had given me the antibiotics she checked my temperature and asked me a few more questions. She said I could go and handed me my jacket which hung over the chair next to me. She said “you can go now you should be fine just remember to take your antibiotics and you might want to find a new jacket your smells a bit of smoke” I laughed and said “thank you” then walked out by this time I’d forgotten that I even I had a mechanical leg it was crazy it just felt so real. I started to walk home and remembered that it had burnt down, after walking aimlessly for a while I noticed a figure up ahead, it was the man that had saved me. He was wearing cowboy boots and a stetson, he looked really stupid but he didn't care. He ran over to me and asked me if I had a place to stay I said no and he showed me back to his house. When we entered he told me to stay put whilst he ran upstairs, when he came down he had a little black box in his hands. when he opened it up there was a golden revolver and in the other hand he had a bag full of gun shells he told me that it was real gold and that his dad had given it to him for Christmas a few years ago (his family were rich before the apocalypse). It looked amazing, I'm not sure why he was showing me it but it was an amazing gun. He let me hold it, it was so heavy I though I might drop it but I liked it. It felt as though it was meant for me, he asked me to point it at him and started laughing so I did, just as a joke but then I pulled the trigger and shot him in the heart he fell backwards onto the floor and began convulsing, foam came out of his mouth, he was turning into a zombie! Id’ never properly seen it happen, it was quite scary even for me a cold blooded killer who had killed again but this time it was someone I liked. He was a friend although I’d only known him for less than a day he had saved my life and I had ended his. I could have shot him in the head and ended his suffering then but I walked out and left the door wide open.

  I didn't know what to do but I knew he was going to turn. No one on this island was safe now from me, now that I was unable to control my urges, I didn't even know his name!

  I looked back at the door I had just ran out of, the man was there or at least his body was. He was a zombie his eyes were white with a sharp black dot in the middle and he had already lost the colour from his face, it had a slight green tone to it. It was incredible just how fast the transition happened.

  I’d never seen it happen like this before, he ran towards a woman walking along the other side of the street she screamed and tried to run but he (or it) was too fast. He pinned her to the ground and bit the top of her shoulder, she screamed in pain. People were opening their doors to see what was wrong then he jumped up and saw a bloke outside his house he bit his arm and blood sprayed over his face then he looked at me with his piercing eyes.

  I ran towards the helicopters were, the microphones on the street lamps were telling people to stay in their houses and not to panic. When I got to the helicopter pads two of the helicopters had just taken off and there was one left, the propellers had just started to spin someone was in it and it was just about to take off. I pointed the golden revolver at the man in the pilot seat and asked him to get out but he refused. He said, “go ahead shoot me I’d prefer to be shot than turn into one of them”.

  I looked back at the road I had had just came from and it was complete chaos, a house was on fire, there were zombie jumping through windows, people running and screaming and there were a few zombies running towards me.

  I had no choice, I shot the man in the stomach and left him on the helipad then I got in the pilot seat and began to fly it. As the helicopter went up I could hear the man I shot screaming “kill me you son of a bitch, just shoot me!”

  The helicopter was swaying from side to side but I managed to fly back to main land without crashing. When I got back to the beach near the caravan park I landed the helicopter jolting my neck while landing.

  I got out of the helicopter and looked around, it was so quiet, it was kind of peaceful. I slung the revolver on the ground and sat next to it, the only noise I could hear was the calming sound of the waves. I remember watching the sun go down and feeling the cool breeze through my hair. I could see a zombie in the distance, it had dark dried blood around its mouth and it was running thin on hair and had a green hew. I took the revolver from the sand and aimed it at the zombie, I shot it in the head, the noise echoed around. I should have thought about it before but looking back now I'm glad I did. A few seconds after shooting it I heard scratches, I grabbed the gun then I saw twenty or thirty of them charging toward me.

  I ran off the in the other direction I'm not sure if it was because I had been in the fire and my energy was low or that they had gained speed but they were catching up with me. I started to think that it was the end for me, I shot behind me at the zombies until I had run out of bullets then I heard a voice coming from in front of me it said “get down”. I fell to the sand not knowing what he or she was going to do, then I saw three hand grenades go over my head. The zombies were getting closer, there were loud bangs as the grenades went off and zombie guts scattered over the beach leaving me and a few zombies left. The person had a machete and began slashing at them, bits of their heads were strewn across the floor, I started to laugh. I couldn't believe how many times I had nearly died. once all the zombies were dead the person unwrapped the purple scarf from their face.

  It was Gina! She was alive! I couldn't believe it at first, I thought it was a dream but she helped me up and hugged me, she couldn't believe it was me either and that I was still alive. She kissed and said “I can't believe how much you've changed, look at you you have a beard now” then she chuckled. She seemed a lot more confident now than she had been, she took me back to a coffee shop and told me that her step-mom used to own it. It was dark green with a brown sign on it saying tea and coffee.

  We went inside bolted the door and I helped her stack chairs and tables in front of it to stop any zombies getting in. She took me upstairs to her house and then she gave me a bottle of water and a cake, it tasted amazing it was a fruitcake. I didn't like fruit that much especially not in cake but it was a lot tastier than I remembered.

  We sat around a table eating and drinking whilst talking about everything that had happened in our time apart. It was like nothing had ever happened, I asked her how she survived and she told me that she woke up being bitten on the leg by zombies and that after that the zombies didn’t pay her any attention. She could just walk straight past them, I guess she was immune to the zombie virus, I guessed that was why her right eye was white with a dot in the middle, I previously thought it was from an accident or something.

  After talking for a while longer I began to feel dizzy, I then fell from my chair, my head was spinning and my nose started to bleed. Gina carried me over to her bed and put the duvet around me, I felt hot and cold at the same time, I was shaking. It was then that blood started coming from my eyes and ears, I had a pain in my head like a drill was reverberating in it. It hurt like a son of a bitch. I looked at Gina, tears were streaming down her face, she knew what was happening but when I asked her to
tell me she said she wouldn't. I pleaded for her to tell me though part of me wished I hadn’t “you're turning into one of them” she said as I realized my fate. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do, it’s my fault but I had to kiss you, I'm so sorry”. She started sobbing and then said “I'm a carrier aren't I? And when I kissed you I passed the zombie virus on to you I’m sorry, I really am”.

  I realized what she meant and I knew this was it, it was time. I was going to die for real and there was no way of cheating death this time, well apart from turning into a zombie but that’s worse than death.

  I guess I deserved it, after seeing Gina I could die happy at least. Just knowing that she was still alive I closed my eyes then and I was gone but …

  I opened my eyes again, I was at the insane asylum again, my head ached, I was confused, had this whole thing just been a dream? Or, or was I one of them, I didn’t know what do but I was hungry, so hungry ...

  A cure was found by Dexter and the scientist a week after James turned. Dexter and his team came back to a zombie infested island and it is so far unknown if they are alive or not but they have the cure …

  The zombie network

  Tom: This is brilliant I've been preparing for the zombie apocalypse for years it finally happened! I’m what you call a prepper I have stockpiles of food and water and my home is well secured for myself and my family, everyone thought I was crazy but it happened, it finally fucking happened! The world has gone to shit!

  Reg: @Tom It’s not just me then? I live on the outskirts of America and I've been preparing all my life although I've lost a few friends and family along the way I managed to stay alive. I must say it’s not anywhere near as fun as I thought it would be :/

  Kerry: @Tom, Reg how can you be so insensitive? I have lost my entire family thanks to this fucking zombie virus. What the fuck is wrong with you? I am barely surviving myself, has anyone heard anything about a cure yet? I know the government was trying to develop one, any news ????

  Tony: I’ve been locked in my house for so many days I’ve lost count. I'm starving to death here, please someone help me! I'm using the last of the battery on my phone please help 23 Burmany close Clacton!

  Reece: I worked for the government and I’m sorry to say everyone at the government is dead. I only just got away but I’ve just been bitten and I'm going to change any minute now, so just remember if you're alive you can survive.

  Tayler: I’m sorry ;( xxx

  Vera: Has anyone seen my son? I know the chances are a million to one but I’m running out of options. His name is James Treadmoore and his family are worried about him. He was declared insane nine years ago and he was taken to a mental institution in Clacton on sea, please if you've seen him tell him to call me! We’re at the Clacton pier and we’re safe, we tried looking for him but he wasn't at the institution and I have no idea where he’d go. Please, if you're out there James we’re alive xxxxxx

  Dexter’s point of view after leaving James.

  After leaving the island full of survivors and the greatest friend I’d ever met to find a cure I assumed they would be safe I couldn't imagine how wrong I’d be.

  When I left on the chopper to find a cure, I was sat next to two military officers and a few other survivors. We all had guns and a radio to keep in contact but finding a cure wasn't going to be easy. We had a renowned scientist on the other chopper and I knew he could develop a cure. After an hour or so on the chopper the weather started to turn, thunder and rain crashed against the metal casing it fell on the chopper like rocks. The thunder roared, it was deafening, the pilot made a call, we had to land.

  We began to descend before we were struck by lightning, as we swung round in circles I tightened my seat belt and closed my eyes, I thought it was the end.

  We crash landed in the middle of a corn field, I didn’t have a clue where I was. I had a cut on my head from where I bashed it into the door of the helicopter. After crashing I was really dizzy, one of the military guys dragged me out of the helicopter, the pilot was dead. One of the men tipped water over my head. Both the men were dressed in army uniform, one of them was called Chris and the other one was called Bradley. Chris was the muscular type, the typical weight lifter and Bradley was a scrawny 18 year-old kid. Chris gave me my gun, the sun was just coming up but we didn’t have a clue where we were going. We were in the middle of a corn field with no idea where we were or what direction to head in. I loaded my gun and started to walk through the corn field the two men followed me with a worried look on their face, I didn’t blame them, the chances of us surviving now were very slim, to be honest I didn’t even think I’d make it this long in a world full of flesh eating fucks. I wasn’t afraid of death when this apocalyptic shit started, I’m not now and I won’t be until the second that I die.

  After we’d been walking for 20 minutes or so through the corn Bradley one of the military men tapped me on the shoulder and gave me his bottle of water, he said he thought I needed it more. I took it from him and kept walking without saying a word, I’d given up being nice guy, who did I have to impress now? The only thing I had now was myself, I wasn’t about to become friends with the military men because there was no point everyone I had loved or cared for had died, the only person I could rely on was myself only I could ensure my survival.

  I don’t know if it was because I was slightly concussed but I’d even thought about killing and eating the two men if it came to it, though I wanted to die with some of my pride left even if it was just a little bit.

  I continued to walk for another hour or so going from corn field to corn field wondering where the hell I was until I heard voices ahead looked back and told the others to stop, then the voices got closer they had seen the corn moving, they probably thought it was a walker. I just stayed still whoever these people were I wasn’t going to trust them. Just then Chris walked out in front of me to try and get help from the people, I tried grabbing his arm and pulling him back but it was too late they had already seen us. I followed him out thinking of how much I wanted to kill that bastard, Bradley followed behind me and once we’d gotten out from the corn we saw a small farm house and next to it a large barn. Standing in front of the house was a man in an army green vest and jeans with ginger hair and long sideburns, he was holding a double barrelled shotgun next to him was a women with a ripped shirt and jeans on she had blonde hair that was tied back in a bun, she looked like the man’s mother. Both of them were stereotypical hillbillies, the man pointed the gun at us and told us to drop our weapons, we all dropped them because for all we knew there was a whole family of them in the house. The mother shouted to her son to tie us up, she told him “we’ve got meat for dinner tonight Tommy”. He looked at us and gave us a creepy smile he then tied us up and dragged us into the barn.

  Inside was a few barrels of hay, a pile of corn and a pile of bones, and in the centre of the barn was a large gas barbecue. The man slung us on the floor and asked his mum which one of us he could eat first, she switched the barbecue on and said “it’s up to you Tommy but hurry up cause momma’s hungry”. He looked at us all for a few seconds, we lay there not saying a word just praying that he wouldn’t pick us then he grabbed Chris and wacked him over the head with the back of the shot gun knocking him unconscious. He put a long wooden dining table next to the barbecue and put Chris on it with one of his legs on the barbecue, the mother lit the barbecue and to this day I will never forget the look on both of their faces, it was sick what the human race had come to in order to survive it really was.

  They were both smiling like they’d just won the lottery or something, I can’t explain it but it was kind of like the look you imagine a serial killer to have whilst killing his victims. Chris’s leg began to burn and the mum grabbed a knife from the top of one of the barrels of hay and began hacking away at his leg. Blood spattered over both of them as she cut his leg off and turned it around like you would do to a burger on a barbecue.

  Bradley began to cry, Chris was one of his
best friends and he was watching his body being burnt and his limbs cut off whilst he was still alive. After a minute or so she gave the leg to the man she said “eat I can’t be bothered to cook it for longer”. I’ll never forget the look of sheer terror on Chris’ face as he gained consciousness, he screamed. The man put the leg on the table and picked Chris up and put his head over the fire, he was still screaming and crying, the mum then pulled Tommy off Chris and whispered to Tommy, then she ran to the back of the barn and brought back a can of petrol. She poured it over chris’ face and threw him at the barbecue his face went up in flames, Chris was in so much pain he fell to the floor and his face continued burning, a few seconds later he stopped screaming he had finally died. A tear fell down my face, these evil clowns had been sniggering and laughing the entire time. Chris’s body cooked all night long, it wasn't until about 5 hours after Chris’ death that I finally managed to free my hands from the rope, I had one shot or my fate would be the same as Chris’ I ran over to the shotgun and pointed it at the mum then I told her to untie Bradley, she did and he ran over to me. I got her to tie Tommy up then I shot her in the head and walked out of the barn.

  After getting our weapons back Bradley went back to kill Tommy but I wouldn’t let him, dying was too good for him so we said our goodbyes to the remains of Chris then we started to walk again. We were both starving by that time, we finally found a road and Bradley said he needed a piss so I kept walking he said he was going to catch me up, then suddenly I heard a gunshot and when I looked back Bradley was dead on the floor. I wasn’t surprised I just kept walking, I knew Bradley wouldn’t be able to make it without Chris, of course I was a bit sad but I’d only known the two of them for less than a day and even though they were military men that weren’t ready for World War 3 the war against ourselves the biggest war so far and by far the most dangerous it had claimed the lives of thousands more than both world wars.