Outbreak | Teen Ink

Outbreak

May 24, 2011
By Jake Webb BRONZE, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Jake Webb BRONZE, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

It all began in days.

The outbreak itself was relatively fast; no one was prepared and only the lucky got out alive. The first infected corpse reanimated into what popular media would call a zombie. After 'Subject Zero', as he'd been dubbed, escaped the hospital morgue, the disease spread like wildfire. Three weeks later, the disease was nation-wide, and the USA's fate was just about sealed.

Not for everyone, however.

You walk slowly down the road, looking left and right. You reach down to the messenger bag hanging around your waist and remove a shotgun shell. Examining the small scarlet cylinder for a moment, you load it into your shotgun, racking the pump as you do.

Shaun looks over his shoulder to you from his position up front beside Grayson. He puts his fingers to his lips, indicating silence.

Nodding solemnly, you grasp your shotgun tightly and look around the rest of your group.

Kato, the Asian college student behind you, is carrying his hunting rifle and has a handgun strapped to his thigh. His gray t-shirt, emblazoned with the city's college logo, is stained with blood. He smiles nervously to you before continuing to scan the buildings.

Next to you stands Paul. His short-barrelled revolver is slowly trained in a 180-degree motion around him, watching everywhere. His baseball cap is covering what hair he has and his black vest is all he wears above his white undershirt.

In front of you two is Grayson. His Uzi sub-machine gun is cradled in both hands as he hurry to catch up to Shaun. His hair is tousled from being on watch last night and his sweat shirt is covered in gore and sweat.

Just past him is Shaun, the leader. He pulled his brother Grayson out of their small town and went on the road towards this city in hopes of evacuation. Along the way he picked up you and Paul at a bar and Kato was found a few days back. Since then, you've been working your way towards the center of town where the evac helicopters are rumored to be. Shaun's AK-47 automatic rifle is gleaming in the moonlight as he slowly marches down the street, past broken cars.

The five of you have had to travel by day; the creepers (as the infected have been dubbed) come out of their hiding spots when it's darker. That's not to say a few aren't out and about prior to sundown, but the numbers are much less and you really don't want to have a midnight encounter with them.

Nervously, you look up to see that the sun has just about set. "Uh, Shaun?" You call out.

He turns around angrily. "What?!" He hisses. Creepers are attracted to noise, and they can hear you any time of day.

You point upwards and Shaun notices the setting sun in horror. Everyone halts and Paul's eyes widen. "Oh s-"

A roar interrupts you from down the street, followed by many others. A swarm of human figures charge you from behind. Panicking, Grayson begins to spray his firearm into the crowd of creepers, mowing down quite a few.

"Come on!" Shaun yells, and the group takes off at a sprint for the nearby evacuation building. The double doors are shut, and Paul pulls them open to let you in after unloading his revolver into the horde. Before he can enter, he is pulled backwards into the crowd, disappearing with a scream.

Grayson and Kato force the doors shut, barring them with a nearby chair. After the crisis is temporarily avoided, you look around the empty lobby.

"Did you see that?" Kato mutters. "They just...tore him to bits."

"Yeah, and if we don't hurry we're next." Shaun says, and you nod with conviction. "Let's see if that elevator is running."

The remaining four approach the elevator on the far end of the room. Grayson depresses the button, and the light blinks to show the elevator is on it's way down.

The cracking of glass causes your companions and you to turn around. The creepers, unsated with their meal, decide to attack the windows and glass doors in an attempt to break in. All of your weapons are levelled at the door, and the elevator slowly dings as it hits another floor, that much closer to you.

The windows shatter and the undead army marches in, charging at you.

Kato fires a rifle shot into a creeper's skull as you blow another one backwards with a shotgun blast. Grayson fires his Uzi at the crowd until his clip is out. Before he can retrieve one from his ammo bag, a sickly arm grasps him and begins to tear him limb from limb.

As Shaun cries out for his brother, the elevator opens. You toss your leader into it and Kato hits the button for the top floor.

Shaun lays on the ground for a moment, numb-struck. You shake him and he stands. Kato holds out his automatic, and he takes it. The group's youngest member speaks as he realizes Shaun is unable to. "Alright, we've lost some people already. If we're not careful, we might follow them. I say we check the roof for any form of communication with any survivors. Okay?"

You nod encouragingly and Kato grins as the door opens up and you exit onto the roof.

The rooftop is completely barren, save a table on the far edge. Several buckets full of ammunition sit atop it, as well as a radio.

Kato rushes towards the CB, grabbing it. "Hello? Anyone out there?" He says frantically.

A moment of silence passes before a feminine voice comes over. "Roger that, survivors, we've gotcha loud and clear. How's the view of the city?"

You look over the skyscrapers; each is burning and smoke wisps up into the black sky.

"Not great," Kato says. "Listen, we could use a ride. Very soon."

"We can do that," The pilot replies. "Just hang on. We'll be there in...five minutes?"

"Got it." As Kato finishes the sentence, the stairway doors burst open and creepers swarm across the roof towards you. "Hurry!"

Kato turns around and whacks a creeper in the head with the butt of his rifle. You unload several shotgun blasts into the crowd. Shaun's AK-47 chatters as he fires without abandon into the horde, killing several. His white collared shirt is stained with blood, making it almost red.

He holds down the trigger until he hears a click. Closing his eyes, the man charges forward into the waiting horde, allowing himself to be devoured.

Kato shouts out, drawing his pistol and firing a few shots before you stop him. The two of you charge back up to the helipad and see an approaching spotlight.

You're saved.


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This article has 2 comments.


Beth S said...
on Jun. 9 2011 at 7:21 am
great writing style.....very impressive!

kabwebb said...
on Jun. 9 2011 at 6:15 am
A fantastic article.  Very detailed.  This kid has talent!