Page 2

I spent a good half hour picking the deer clean for the most part. I then dumped its body in the creek so as not to attract the infected community. I then looked around realizing that I had come from the east. It was probably about 1:30 or so now, so I headed in the opposite direction of the setting sun. I walked back along the path I walked so long ago, the river and creek beds of Nebraska.

Every once in a while I would come across a footprint in the solid dirt. Sadly, I realized they were my own fossilized footprints. It was mind boggling, they were not eroded by the rain and weather. I did not dwell on this because I had a new mission. It was my duty to head back to Philadelphia and see what had become of it over the course of a few years, or to see my parents.

At this point I had almost forgotten what they looked like. Hell, I had not even seen a paved road in more that a year, but knowing the path I had traveled I knew it would not be too much longer before I found one. In transitions I walked for eight days, slowly shaking off my previous paranoias of contaminated water and fish. I took the care to fill my canteen, knowing I was reaching the road again. Finally, on the ninth day I reached a road.

Something about the yellow lines on the road made my heartbeat race. It was strange being on a road again. I continued walking this road for another three days, sleeping in trees wherever possible. After a boring, non-eventful day and a half I reached a road sign. The greenness of it hurt my eyes at first. It said ‘Madison City.’ Just past it, around the bend was this city.

The first structure I came upon was a shopping mall. Seeing it, I squealed with delight and broke down the glass door with my killing stick. I ran to the clothing department and stripped off my uncomfortable clothes. I walked naked for half an hour, trying on clothes. My pants size had become 34" and I needed an XL shirt. My new outfit was similar to the old one, thick gray jeans and a long sleeve black shirt, complete with a fresh pair of boxers, socks, and a black belt, plus a green vest.

I found a mirror and looked at the clothes. I jumped back when I saw my face for the first time in well over a year. My cheeks were no longer slightly thick as they used to be, they were tight and drawn. My eyes had thick black bags and my hair was nearly white-blonde from sun exposure. My teeth were essentially the same; every day I scraped them clean with my fingernails. Brown stubble was randomly placed on my visage.

I backed away and laughed softly, taking my clothes off again to see my figure. I was not the same at all. I used to be trim and have swollen thighs and a large ass. Now I could see all my musculature and my ass was rather tight. I also saw a significant change in my sex organs.

I put my clothes back on and went throughout the mall. It would appear for the most part that it had been looted; the weapon shop was completely cleaned out. I next located a store were metals were finished, one that used to contain swords and armor and shields. It was also cleaned out, but I noticed a small back door. I went to it and finding it locked, I broke it down.

Walking inside I saw my first Zombie in a year. He was facing the wall and rocking back and forth. There was almost nothing left of him but bone, his skin was white and pulled against his skeletal frame, his stomach rotund like an Ethiopian child. As he turned to my his left eye fell out of the socket and his jaw opened, allowing white fluid a pour on the floor. I must have looked pretty tasty.

I raised my stick and dropped it in the center of his head. It crumpled quickly in its weakened condition, dying in seconds. The dull red light of the room made his blood appear black as it seeped out of his skull. I was about to leave, but I saw a silver glint out of the corner of my eye. I looked up and to the left, noticing a Japanese Kitana on the shelf. It had a note on it.

"Dear John, We finished the Kitana just as you asked. The guard has the intricate design set in a titanium sliver alloy. We added the silver dragons on the handle and sheath and bound them in pure cowhide, dyed black. The blade itself is 36 inches of pure titanium, we diamond cut the blade to make it sharp enough to cut through skin like water, and you’ll almost never have to sharpen it. We hope you enjoy owning this as much as we enjoyed making it. ~The Knight’s Arsenal."

[ Continue to page 3 ]