I awoke to the apolocypse

I Awoke to the Apocalypse

It was a scream that had woke me. Or at least I think that's what it was, as it sounded the moment I opened up my eyes. It was a blood curdling sound. A sound that could only be made by someone, who know they were about to take their last breath. I tried to jump up, and run in the direction of the sound. But I found it hard to move at all. After what seemed like hours, but could only have been moments. I managed to set myself up. I looked down, and a silent scream escaped me. My hair, which had been shoulder length, and blond. Had grown down past my bottom, and the hair dye was all out to leave it my natural brown. I looked around, I was alone in what looked like a hospital room. The lights were low and blinking. I looked at my hands, my fingernails had grown fairly long. I noticed an I.V. protruding from my hand. I pulled it out, and tried to stand, but fell to the ground. I was weak, and my hair was actually even longer than I thought, as I had slipped on it.. I sat upon the bed and twirled the long locks, and wrapped them around my neck like a scarf before trying to stand again. The floor was cold beneath my feet. And though the windows in the room I was in where grimy like they hadn't been washed in years. I was able to tell that it was night. I cautiously made my way out into the hospital's hallway, I looked at the wall next to the door and read the plaque aloud. "coma ward." What the hell happened to me. I went down the hall until I came upon what seemed to be a waiting room. That's when I saw it. I wasn't sure what I was seeing at first. All I saw was a lump of a form moving along the ground. But when my eyes adjusted I gasped. It was a man, or some form of one. It was covered in blood, and it's eyes, it's eyes were deadened. That's when I noticed the lump underneath it. It was wearing a blood soaked white nurses uniform. And in the creatures mouth was a lump of flesh, was that a belly button. My stomach rolled. But more than my nausea I was afraid. It looked at me and began to stand. I screamed and started to run. But my body was still too weak for that, and I tripped over my own feet. I curled into a ball, and screamed and cried. That's when it happened. A loud noise, that sounded like a helicopter, shattering glass, and gunshots. Then before I knew it I was being turned over, and forced onto my back. Someone, a man in green looking me in the eyes.

"Are you alright?" He yelled to be heard over the helicopter. I tried to answer but I was frozen with fear.

"Check her." Another yelled and a strange rectangular object started waving over my body, it made strange, almost rhythmic beeping sounds.

"She's clean," the first one said. Then the toll of the events hit me. And I fell into unconsciousness.

...

When I awoke, the first thing I noticed was that the blankets on the bed in which I was lying in. Were of a rough material, but warm. I opened my eyes, to a dim yellow light. I sat up and looked around. I was in a small room, about the size of a prison cell. Suddenly, the door opened, and a blinding bright light was cast into the room. Once the door was closed, and my eyes again adjusted to the light. I saw the face of the man that had looked me in the eyes, the one who had asked me if I was alright.

"How are you this morning?" He asked setting himself in a chair opposite my bed.

"I don't know, I, still feel weak, what happened to me." The man sighed.

"We don't know. As most files were stored on the net. When the web crashed in 2011 we lost all medical records, birth records, death records, everything."

"Whoa, slow down, 2011, last thing I remember was reading a paper about the 2008 election." The man sighed, he seamed to be trying to figure out what to say to me.

"I have no idea how to tell you this, but ten years have passed it's now 2018."

"Wait are you telling me I was in a coma for 10 years."

"it appears so. There's more you should know, I just need you to give me your word you'll take deep breaths and try to remain calm." I nodded, what could he be trying to tell me.

"October twelfth, 2008 American Scientist Gregory Plascan, announced to the world that he had built a machine, that could bring the dead back to life. None believed him at first. But, when you lose someone you love, sometimes you become desperate. And he soon found a family willing to volunteer their daughter's lifeless body for his first test. Crackpot or no, this was still a big event. And media from around the world, where there to watch him bring this girl back to life. She had died of a brain tumor. And one of the first questions Gregory was asked, was, 'if you actually succeed in bringing her back to life, won't the tumor just kill her again.' 'The tumor will be removed before I turn on the machine, the machine emits low levels of a particular type of radiation, as well as slight electrical shock, to stimulate the brain, and heart into beating again.' He had told them. January 7th 2009, he turned on the machine, but something went wrong. We don't know if it was faulty wiring or what but the machine over loaded and sent out a shock wave of both the electrical current and the radiation. The doctor sank to the ground thinking he was ruined, until someone in the crowd cried out. The girl had sat up on the bed she had her eyes open and she was looking around. But her eyes, where deadened. Her parents tried to talk to her, but she only stared, then without warning she leapt off the gurney, and" he sighed. "and she ripped out her father's throat with her teeth. The police neutralized her. But then suddenly, her father sprung up off the ground and attacked one of the police. And began to eat him. They stopped him. Obviously by this point they knew something was wrong. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. The shock wave from the machine's overloading spread into a nearby grave yard. And the dead rose, and began feeding, because they were infected by the radiation, their victims, upon death, rose again. By 2010 we'd nearly lost control, infected reporters returned to their home countries, and the infection spread world wide. We haven't heard anything from any other countries in over five years. Here in America, the uninfected live in small walled communities, and try to live their lives as best as possible. But with guards stationed outside of their apartment buildings, and at every grocery store or mall. It's difficult." The girl sat stunned. Her heart pounded.

"So your telling me that that man last night, who was eating that poor woman, was a zombie?"

"I'm afraid so. As I said we know nothing of your accident, I can't even tell you who you are. But we have a picture of you circulating around the nearest town. If anyone you ever knew is still alive, they will be there."

"Thank you, my name's Emerald by the way. Emerald Standish." He shook her hand,

"I'm John Christof, should anyone come forward, we'll let you know, you can stay here for a few days, get used to walking again, we'll send someone in to give you a haircut if you wish."

"and what if no one comes forward, what then." I asked frightened. MY mother, my father, my brother and his family, my friends, where they all dead, I shivered.

"Then we'll lead you to a vacant apartment. And help you get started with a new life."

...

A new life, I thought to myself, I could be alone in this strange place, where humans live caged off like animals, and flesh eating monsters roam the wilds. I had over heard things in my short time in the facility. Horror stories of zombies, who had somehow made their way into the human communities, it happened occasionally I had learned. I heard stories of innocent children being bitten, and turning into the monstrous creatures themselves, only to be put down like rabid dogs. This new world sickened me. And I longed for simpler times again. Back when the dead, stayed in the ground, and humans roamed free. On my fourth day I received the first happy news I had gotten, though I could not rejoice, for it came with saddened news as well.

"Miranda, thank goodness your alive," I said running up and hugging my childhood friend.

"I can't believe you finally came out of your coma. Come on, we'll go back to my apartment, and I'll explain everything." She said noticing my questioning glance. I simply nodded, I'd been awake four days without knowing how it happened, what was another hour.

...

We rode from the facility to the community in an armored car. It sort of looked like a tank. The windows where covered in bars. I looked out, mostly everything was dead but a few straggling trees. The ride took only about a half an hour. But along the way I spotted a few of the creatures.
"With what few non infected humans their are left around the country, most of them die out of starvation. There's only a few ways to kill them. Blow them to pieces, remove their heads, shoot them in the head, or let them perish of starvation. What few remain live off wildlife, and the few poor soles unlucky enough to be near the edge of town when they sneak in." One of the soldiers driving stated as we continued driving. "we'd go after them you see, but it's difficult to know if you'll be able to take their heads off before they bit or scratched you, and we just don't have that kind of ammo." When we arrived at the apartment building I noticed that their where a few others just like it on the same street. The soldier that transported us escorted us, gun drawn up to my friends apartment. Then he bid us good day. I walked in, it was sparsely furnished. Inside where a few people I didn't know.

"Have a seat Emerald, I'll get you something to drink, then I'll tell you what happened." I did as told taking a seat on a chair up against one wall of the apartment. The people within where regarding me with as much curiosity as I was them. When Miranda returned with a bottle of water she sat down next to the man in the room and sighed. "October 2nd 2008 you where riding with your mom and dad to dinner when an eighteen wheeler smashed into the opposite side of the truck that you where on. Your seat belt somehow came loose and you where thrown head first out the truck window and onto a concrete sidewalk down town. You suffered from some swelling on the brain and it caused you to fall into a coma. Your parents came to visit you one day, before the quarantine began. One of the patients was infected, and when they died, they rose again. Your mom and dad didn't make it out of that hospital." She stated and Emerald began to cry, her parents, had come to visit her and where bitten by those creatures. "A cop, that was in the hospital at the time, shot them in the head, before they could change." Emerald calmed herself as quickly as possible, with so many horrors around her, she tried to harden herself beginning with this tragedy.

"Who's he, where's your husband Creig," She asked and the young girl in the room began to sob. Miranda hugged her and sent her out of the room.

"Seven years ago, he was bitten, he's out there somewhere, or maybe he's dead dead, I don't know. After he died, I met Justin here, and we've been together ever since, I can understand why you don't know who that little girl was, it's been 10 years since you last saw her, but that's my daughter Jessica."

"After 10 years of me being in a coma, why did they never pull the plug?" She asked curiously, normally no one was left in a coma for that long.

"When you first arrived, they did everything they could to save you. You, died once, but they brought you back using the old method. Even though you didn't seem to want to awaken. You seemed to not want to give up living either, so after what happened to your parents they decided to keep you alive. They believed one day, you would awaken.

...

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. I took up a position as a storyteller at the local school. I'd always been good with children, and as a writer I came up with magical tails, without monsters. I told them stories of peoples throughout history, who had overcame adversity threw sheer will to survive. I lived with my friends, I could have my own apartment if I chose, but I couldn't stand the thought of being alone in this world. The U.S. Army soldier John Christof visited me often. I knew his feelings, but I could accept him as nothing but a friend. Though the thought of us together did cross my mind, other thoughts always entered with it. Like what if I where to become pregnant. Could I really bring a child into this world. I knew that people must procreate, in order for the human race to survive. But I found this world hard enough for me to comprehend. Why would I bring a child into it, to be constantly afraid.

365 days had passed since I awoke to this strange world. And John and Miranda figured we should celebrate. We first went to John's apartment, which was much better looking than Miranda's but I figured him being military they got first pick at lodging. He cooked a meal, and informed me that we where going to watch a movie. The theater in town only played old movies, considering with the current state of the world making new ones was impossible. But I didn't mind, it had been a hard week, twice infected had made it into the human compound. Twice innocent lives had been lost. The guard around the perimeters was doubled, and I hoped that would be enough. We made our way to the movie theater which unfortunately was near the outskirts of town. When the theater came in sight, Jessica screamed, and everyone turned in the direction she was pointing. It was a zombie, John drew his gun and readied it. But by then it was too late. The zombie had tackled Justin to the ground, John fired one shot into the back of it's head and it slumped down. Justin rolled it off of him and jumped up, Miranda screamed,
"that's Craig!" she said again, more hushed this time leaning against me for support, clutching her daughter tightly. Then, John walked up to Justin.

"Did it bite or scratch you?" He asked his voice Melancholy, gun, still in hand.

"No, no he didn't." Justin said shook up, checking himself all over, seemingly glad to be unharmed.

"We should probably get home, we've had enough excitement for one night," I said nerves frazzled.

"Your probably right. I'll escort you guys back then I have to go fill out a report." John said keeping his gun out but at his side. They began the trek back to Miranda's apartment.

"When you finish filling out the report, will you come back to the apartment." I asked walking along beside him. He smiled.

"You want me to?" He asked and I too smiled.

"I wouldn't mind the extra company." I said shyly, I did care for him. His had been the first kind face I had seen after awaking into this nightmare.

"Sure," he said and we continued to walk in silence until the apartment came into view. Once we reached the front he turned to one of the officers standing on the outside. "Masterson, escort them inside, we where attacked on the outskirts of town and I have to go fill out the report." He said and the guard nodded, turned, and entered the apartment building. I turned to John and waved before disappearing within behind the soldier. When we got inside the apartment I heard a slight moan and turned around just in time to see Justin. He doubled over and vomited on the rug. Miranda and I exchanged worried glances, but he tried to reassure us, saying his nerves where off because of his near death experience. We believed him, but unfortunately, he was wrong.

...

Miranda took Jessica into her room to try to help her to go to sleep. She was frightened, she'd heard what her mother had said about the zombie, that it was her father. I felt sorry for the poor girl. Justin had went into the bathroom. Occasionally I would hear him retch. I closed my ears off to it, I could understand his fright. I sat down in my favorite chair in the living room. After a while everything went quiet and I began to lightly doze. Then I heard a door open, I ignored it, figuring that Justin felt better and was leaving the bathroom. I don't know what it was that happened next, but suddenly a gnawing feeling came over me, telling me to open my eyes, I listened to it. Justin was standing in the room near the doorway to the living room. His back turned to me, he was just standing there.

"Justin, are you ok." I asked, he continued to stand there, I stood up and walked over to him, grabbing him by the arm, and turning him around to face me. He was pale. Then I looked into his eyes, his dead, eyes. "Justin," I said barely above a whisper, then he grabbed me by the shoulders and leaned in teeth bared to rip me apart. I placed my hands on his shoulders trying to hold him off. He was strong, and he began to push me back, that's when I tripped over the living room rug, and we both fell to the ground, I struggled, but he was so strong, soon I felt his hot breath on my neck as he was snarling. Suddenly there was a loud noise, and it took me a moment to realize he was no longer struggling. When I did I shoved him off me and rolled away standing up and backing up into a corner. At this point Miranda and Jessica came out both screaming. I looked to John and he was looking at me, tears streaming down his face, he closed his eyes a moment and looked down, when he looked up again, his eyes where focused on me, but not my face my shoulder, I looked down and that's when I noticed it, my shirt was ripped, and there where deep gouges in my shoulder.

...

I sank down to the ground and put my head in my hands. My brain, couldn't comprehend this. I, was going to become one of them. Suddenly I heard a clicking sound. I looked up at John, he had his gun pointed right at me.

"please," I said threw my tears, but even I didn't know if I was begging him to shoot me, or not to shoot me. He let out a sob, then he lowered his gun and walked over to me. Wrapping his arms around me and lifting me off the ground. He took me out the door, and down the apartment stairs, then out into the street, and across town. Before I knew it, we where at the edge of town, just a few feet away from a chained and guarded gate. He sank to his knees placing me down beside him.

"If you where any other person, I would have shot you in the head by now." He said threw tears. "It's better for you, but I can't bring myself to do it." At this point I started feeling very nauseous and I couldn't tell if it was because of the radiation, or the fact I knew I wouldn't be human much longer.

"John, what ever happens I." I began to say but then my nausea over whelmed me and I turned and became ill.
"I love you too," he said threw his own tears then he sighed and stood, lifting me off the ground. He walked us over to the gate where the guards stood perplexed. "Open the gate soldiers." He said and they all kept looking at each other. "Did you hear me, I outrank all of you and I'm giving you an order, open the damn gate now."

"But sir, we've been given specific orders to guard this entrance, and not to open it for any reason other than supply trucks or new arrivals." John lifted his gun and placed it in between the man's eyes.

"You all have two choices. Choice number one, you open the gate and allow us to pass. Choice number two, this lady here is infected, if you don't open the gate, I will disarm all of you, shoot you each in both knees and wait for her to change so you can be her first meal, is that understood." He stated and they all looked at each other again once more briefly before scrambling to open the gate. I started to sway again and he lifted me into his arms, a moment later, I lost consciousness.

...

When I awoke, I could no longer see the city, I was out in the middle of no where, standing above me was John, gun raised, looking alert.
"John," I said weakly as another wave of nausea hit me. "it's to late for me, go." He looked down at me and kneeled down putting his gloved hand on my arm.

"I'm sorry I didn't get their sooner." he said and I merely smiled. He reached into his vest and pulled out a gun and laid it in my hand. Then he turned and left. With all my strength I stood, and began walking aimlessly. Many times I thought of using the gun to end my own life. But I couldn't I walked until I cam across an old car. To weak to continue, I opened up the door and slid inside, waiting for my death. Never in my wildest dreams could I have ever thought this would be how I'd go. Thoughts entered my feverish and delirious mind. Strange, scrambled thoughts. What would happen when I died, what would it feel like, would I go to heaven, or will it be just pure nothingness, mixed in with these thoughts where others. Like, I wish I could hold John, if we'd had a kid, what would it have looked like, would I have ever been a good mother. All these thoughts and more entered my mind, but it went completely blank when the creature walked in front of the car. Quickly but quietly I rolled up the window. But suddenly another bout of nausea hit and I prayed to who ever would listen that I could hold it down, but to no avail. As I began to retch it turned it's head in my direction, and started coming toward the car. I lifted up the gun and pointed it at him. But I was so weak and my eyes where having trouble focusing. It jumped up on the hood and reached for me, that's when I noticed that the car I had chosen for my final resting place, was without a windshield. I began firing seemingly aimlessly at the creature. Then, suddenly, I felt a stabbing pain in my chest and my body went limp. The last word to run threw my mind was "Death." But that wasn't the end of me. My eyes again opened to this world. And though I was in a state of panic, I felt better, my nausea completely gone, my body's strength returning. My vision now clear, I aimed the gun at the creatures head and pulled the trigger. But it was no use, I was out of bullets. Frustrated I threw the gun at it and sighed. I could try to run, but no I was tired of that. I looked the creature in the eye, ready to face my death. Then, it stopped, it no longer tried to get at me it just laid on the hood motionless for a moment, before rolling off, and walking away. I shook my head in confusion. Why would it give up such an easy meal. I noticed the rear view mirror in the car, it was grimy, I used my shirt sleeve to clean it off and looked within. I was frozen with fear at what I saw, I wanted to scream, but found it impossible to make a sound, the eyes looking back at me in the mirror, where deadened, just like the creatures that tried to eat me.

The end