It was dark when he woke up from his nap. The sun had set and the moon that shone brightly in the sky made beams on the land that bounced back in the sky. When he rose to his feet, his thoughts drifted off to the way his life had been six months ago. Before the killings, before the virus, before everything. The virus had killed the weak and the ones in the grey area - neither strong nor weak - had turned into zombies and there were a lot of them. The strong ones that survived as humans either became Bandits or tried to survive on their own. In the wasteland that was in front of him, few buildings still stood, mostly in ruins, and they had proved as great shelter and cover. The virus had taken countless lives. Earth was now a domain of the strong. He was just one of the few who still lived. A man of no consequence. But he had to survive. He had to live. Why? He himself did not know.
As he recovered from his thoughts, he noticed he was drenched in sweat. Using his hand, he wiped it off his forehead and placed a firm hand on his gun. He had found it on a dead police officer, when he was hiding in a precinct that still stood. He'd stocked up on supplies. That was all he seemed to do these days. Kill, stock up, run, and hide. Planning his strategy to survive was his only pastime except roaming the wasteland.
He had arrived in this shelter a few days ago. Inside he had found a cupboard made of wood and he had broken it down to use the wood and using it, he had built a fire and felt warm for the first time in months. He had lit it last night and so it was still in its spot. He walked near it and using his lighter, set it ablaze. These days, disappointment was the only reaction he had. He had not found anyone like him. He had encountered the Bandits but they were not helpful. They just wanted to rule everything. He wanted to meet a man - or a woman - who was like him, just trying to live and survive. He squatted down on the ground and let the heat move through him. The night was cold and he needed the warmth. The wind blew hard. Then he heard the sound of a brick fall. He reached for his gun in its holster and keeping a cautious eye, moved towards the edge of the walls of the building. He leaned against it and leaning his head out, he made sure that the coast was clear. Then he heard another sound. This time the revving of an engine. Bandits. Shit.
He sprinted to his fire and quickly doused it. He rushed to see where the car was. It was still a bit far. By the time they arrived, he could have been gone but he liked this shelter. He rushed in the building and as he came in, he latched the door. He crept up to the windows. Then he heard footsteps. How the hell did they get here so quickly? He crouched under the window. His spine pressed into the wall. The footsteps stopped. His grip on the gun in his hands tightened. "I thought you said you saw smoke." One of the men said. The other's man's voice was full of anger. "I did." Thank you, inventor of engines, for making them so damn loud. Joe thought.
"The boss is gonna be very angry about this." The first man said. The Bandits were a group of scavengers who stole everything they found. A few weeks ago, Joe had seen a car go in their hideout. It had been stuffed with ammunition and guns. He went there again next day and the car came again but this time only with ammo. He figured a pistol doesn't do well against a mounted machine gun. He had to be inside if he wanted those weapons. He decided to break in at night, when the guards were less since half of them had decided to go home. He killed a guard patrolling the perimeter and using his keys, snuck himself in. He saw a door in front of him that said ammo and guns. He went in and opened the crates from the new shipment. Inside were rifles. He stuffed the ammo, both for the rifle and his pistol, in his pack and slung the rifle on his shoulders. He opened another crate and saw shock batons inside. He picked one up and stuffed it in his pack. Then the door opened. Joe saw space behind the first crate and rushed to hide behind it.
A guard walked in. "Isaac, you in here?" the guard asked. Joe held his breath. "Guess not." The guard said. "Better get a crate to Red." Red was the boss of the Bandits. The guard reached for a crate and it was the one Joe was hiding behind. Joe drew his gun and shot the guard in his legs. The crate fell from his hands and he collapsed to the ground. The guard reached for his shock baton but Joe took it off him and rushed out. The car in which the ammo came was standing outside, with a window open. He rushed in and saw that the keys were in the ignition. The sound of the shot had woken up everyone and soon, the guards were on his tail. He put the car in reverse and broke through the gate. The other guards tried following him but he vanished before they even got in their cars. When Red heard that someone shot one of his guards, he put a price on his head. Ever since then, everyone was hunting him.
He looked up from his window and saw the two Bandits looking towards their car. His eyes wander to the sky. Then moon was setting. The sun was slowly rising over the horizon. "He must be inside. Let's go in." The second Bandit said. Joe ducked back down and fixated his eyes on the door. The two Bandits started walking. He concentrated on the sound of the footsteps. The door handle jiggled. Joe jumped out from the window. He slowly, crouching, moved towards the edge of the wall. He saw the two Bandits standing in front of the door. The first Bandit tried the door knob. Joe quickly searched the surroundings for clues to see if there were more of them. He didn't find any. Relieved that it was only the three of them, Joe took a aim on the first Bandits head and fired a shot. The bullet hit his skull and, piercing it, blew it to pieces. The second Bandit rushed at Joe. Joe stood up and as the Bandit grew closer, Joe extended his arms so that when the Bandit stood in front of him, the end of the barrel would be on the Bandit's head.The Bandit stood in front of him and did the same. "Let's put our guns down and kill each other like civilized people." Joe suggested.
The Bandit considered it for a moment and then said. "Look around you there is no civilization. But sure if you put yours down and I'll put mine." Get ready to die. One. Two. Three.
Joe pretended to bend down and then charged at the Bandit head first. Both of them fell to the ground. The Bandit kicked him in the shin. Joe fell back and then the bandit rose to his feet. He grabbed his gun and then said to Joe. "Say adios, amigo." Joe looked at the Bandit's feet. Adios, amigo. Joe kicked his foot and then the Bandit collapsed to the ground. Grabbing the Bandit's gun, Joe shot him in the head. He sighed. He went in through the broken window, back into the shelter, and grabbed his backpack. Shoving the gun in, through a slightly open chain, he slung it on his back and then walked back out. He dragged the bodies to the fire pit and quickly patted them up and down looking for ammo and non-perishables.
He took whatever they had and then he reminded himself that he would have to leave. Quickly before they came. Dead people attract zombies. He reminded himself. He walked back to the back of the building and saw their car parked behind. He went back into the shelter through the broken window to grab the rest of his stuff. Just as he finished it, he opened the door and suddenly a feeling of sheer terror rushed down his spine.
His chest felt heavy. He stood there for a second, watching the zombie tear the man's flesh with his mouth. The blood flowing down. He saw that clothes, now tattered, still clung to the zombie. It was a ripped blue shirt and a black pant with its right piece missing. Joe looked at the horizon and saw red. Zombies. I've got to get out of here. His hand reached to his gun and then the zombie looked at him with its glassy white eyes, staring into Joe's eyes for a second and then jumping at him. Joe moved left, dodging the attack. Drawing his gun, Joe shot the zombie. The bullet hit the zombie on his mouth. Joe fired another shot and this time it hit the zombie in his eyes. Another shot and the zombie fell dead to the ground. Joe walks towards it cautiously.
Then the zombie suddenly evaporated into thin air. What the hell just happened? He looked at the incoming horde and decided he could think about it later. He rushed to the car and turned around to see where the horde was. It was closing in. He ran faster. By the time the he reached the car and got the door open, the horde had seen him. They charged at him and he got in. He heard jumping zombies on the roof. He put the car in gear, and started to drive at full speed. The zombies rushed behind him. Then he tried to drive faster. Suddenly from his windshield, he saw something. The sky turned green. Suddenly crimson flashed in the sky and then it turned back to blue. He felt as if he knew what it meant. Doomsday was impending.
