Chapter One

The sun was beaming down on me as I jogged down the street. My dad had always stressed to me staying active. Got to make sure you keep your lung capacity up, you never know when you're going to need to run. Before this all happened I used to roll my eyes at him. But, now. Now I'm grateful he stressed this to my sister and I. There has been a great deal of moments that I may not be here to tell you this story if I hadn't heeded his words throughout the years.

I always go running around noon time. Early mornings and late afternoons seem to be the most active. Why that is I couldn't tell you. Also other groups tend to be moving around at those times as well. Not sure why that is either. I keep my distance from both the living and the, well dead I guess. I have absolutely no idea of what to call them. Zombies I guess, but I always thought that was a fictional monster. 

Running always helps clear my head. It was mid July and the sun was definitely making it's presence known. Had to be somewhere in the 90's. The humidity here in Maine is always so fucking heavy. I never where headphones as I run either. I mean, I would love to and I used to before this all went down. But these days it's better to be able to hear what's going on around you. Staying fairly close to where I've holed up and always making sure to say "Hi" to Karen. Her name probably isn't Karen, I just call her that. She's always by this car that is flipped up on it's roof. The seatbelt of the driver side is wrapped around her leg so she doesn't go very far. I smile and wave everyday as I jog by. Though whoever she once was isn't there anymore. It helps me feel like things are normal. Even for a brief second. She always reaches out for me. She's got to be starving, it's been five years of her being stuck there.

Wearing nothing but shorts and running shoes, I jogged by Karen and continued on down the street. The Earth now reclaiming what had always belonged to it. Trees and other vegetation growing out of houses and around cars and other building. Cars were all over the streets. I never ventured to far into town on my runs because I don't carry a weapon. I feel like I should but, where the fuck would I put it? 

I turned down the street back to my place. And then down a little road that looked more like a path now. Crumbled pavement gave way for new life and it was beginning to look more like a trail rather than a two lane road. Give it a few more years and you probably wont be able to tell that this was even a road. I feel like the forest around it helped in reclaiming this street. I'm a bit happy about it anyway, helps hide the hideout. Approaching the chain linked fence that had barbed wire along the top to detour anyone or anything from scaling it to get inside. I pulled out a small key from my pocket as I slowed my pace before running into the gate. Taking a quick look around before inserting the key into the padlock the secured a chain together to keep the gate shut. Quickly opening and then closing once I was inside, I through the chain back around and locked the padlock in place. This time on the inside. As sweat dripped off my body I slowly walked through the garden of veggies. The plants were all getting so big.

I walked through a sea of chickens before reaching a small cement structure with a metal door. The sound of flowing water in the background as I turned the door knob and pulled open the heavy metal door. Walking inside to complete darkness I turned to my right and flipped a switch before the door closed completely. Lights came on and all of my things were revealed. I had shelves of canned food and bottled water. I had a washer and a dryer. A sink in the back corner. Three four wheelers and snowmobile that sat in front of a garage door. This building, if you're wondering is an old dam. Sitting on the Mousam River in Kennebunk, Maine. My dad installed solar panels on the roof early within the first year after the break out happened. So, here we draw power from the water as well as the sun. during the day I don't stay in here for very long because I don't want to use to much power when I don't really need to be. But, for the moment I need to be able to see so I could find my shampoo, soap, and a towel. Although it's the end of the world and I have no women to impress I still like to stay clean. And in order to do that I drop a rope ladder off the side of the dam after closing it up a little bit so I don't get push away down stream while under the water. I use the waterfall like a shower. Pretty neat idea huh?

After I was showered and dressed, I tended to the garden. I removed weed growth and watered them. I also through some scratch out for the chickens before grabbing a fishing pole and casting over the top of the dam. It usually takes about 20 minutes before I get a bite. I usually get a Chain Pickerel. These guys look evil with vibrant green and yellow colors. But, when unhooking them you have to be careful. They do have jagged teeth and they will slice your finger if you don't do it correctly. They are good eating, weighing in at about 4 to 5 pounds as adults. And today I happened to catch one. They're long too, like a mini and I mean mini lake monster. I only say that because of the teeth. This one was fairly big. Probably close to five pounds. After I unhooked it, I started a small fire and the brought the fish down to a table that sat outside that metal door tha led into the bunker I like to call it. The dam if you wan to be technical. There was a cutting board and a couple knives I had out. Cleaned of course, it may be the apocalypse but we don't need to add bacteria to our food.

After the fish was cooked I sat on the side of the top of the dam with my bare feet in the water. A plate sat in my lap with the cooked meat of the fish. I do eat with my hands, that's probably the only uncivilized thing I do these days. I don't need to be worrying about washing silverware all the time. Although I don't think it would take that much time to do so since it's only me. That's what I choose to do, don't judge me. As I ate I noticed one of those things come waltzing out of the woods across the river. It didn't notice me at first. But when it did, it came to the edge of the river and began growling and reaching it's hands out for me. I feel like it knew if it were to fall into the water it was not going to be able to come back up. I really wish I knew what was driving these things. They appear to be dead but have the motivation to find food and their man food source are other humans.

I sat consuming the meat of my catch while this thing continued to growl and bite at the air. Half of it's skin falling off and it's eyes hollowed out with a deep longing. A longing that will never be filled. All it wanted to do was to consume human flesh and that urge will never be fully satisfied. And then. BANG. Gunfire off in the distance. The sound grabbed the things attention and it began walking back into the woods as another shot rang out. Another survivor, maybe soon another Geek. My dad referred to them as Geeks all the time. It was a term used back in the day to describe a carnie that would showcase them doing bizarre and grotesque acts like eating just about anything. But, whoever is firing I just hope they don't stumble upon my hide out. It's a little slice of paradise. Haven't had any trouble here the whole five years. And I definitely don't want it to start now. I'm too comfortable and I don't need another person eating my food or getting in my way.

I stood up once I finished my food and went inside real quick to drop the plate in the sink. I went back out and walked through the garden to a pen on along the fence where there were three goats inside. Two females and one male. I had a fence to keep the separated in the pen. No need for them to multiply until I need them to. I dumped the bucket a bucket of dried weeds into their pen. I watched them for a moment when I saw movement outside of the fence from the corner of my eye. I turned my head to see a dirty man staring back at me. He stood out on the open about ten feet away from the fence. I could tell he wasn't one of those. Although he was dirty and his hair was matted I could tell the difference.

"Go away," I yelled from where I stood. He tilted his head as if he were a dog. I drew my pistol that I had on my hip and took aim. He quickly turned and ran up the path or road if I dare call it that. I ran to the fence and watched him as he disappeared in the distance.

I'm not going to get any sleep tonight. I'm going to be worried about this guy coming back in the middle of the night. Taking my animals, food, and even worse. Killing me. I have to prepare for the worse.