Day 50

I walk alone to a gas station. Lauren had been coughing worse and so I look for something to ease the pain. I throw cough syrups and mild pain killers into a bag. The store has obviously been raided, however, there are still many different medications sitting on the shelves or on the floor. The day is windy and overcast.  I have a feeling it is going to snow. I readjust my M21 as I start to walk out of the store but stop abruptly and look over to my left. Finally, after a moments thought I walk over to the counter, grab another bag and fill it with whatever candy is left in the gas station.

I walk back in silence, my gun slung around my back and machete in hand. There is a strong breeze from the east that rattles the plastic bags in my left hand. My ring finger aches along with my right hand and leg. I have a slight limp to my step but try to ignore it on my short walk.

I near the house and see movement to my left, in the Catholic church. I look towards it but there is nothing there and I continue on.

Suddenly, from behind I am tackled to the ground. I try to roll, or pull the thing off of me but it is strong. I can feel its mouth near by neck and I snap my head back, cracking its forehead. There is a moment where it moves back and I quickly spin around, throwing it off of me. I roll back and get to my feet quickly, holding my machete. It runs quickly towards me and I do not have time to react by the time it has grabbed my arm and sunk it's teeth into it. Before It can rip a piece of my arm off, however I cleave the machete into its skull. Brain and blood come from the wound and I pull out and its body falls limply to the ground.

I see another movement to my left and as I look there are three more zombies running towards me. I stand still and as one nears I swing hard downwards and stick the machete in its skull. I yank it out just in time to stab the seconds eye and kick the thing towards the third. It dodges the body and my blade as it spins around, coming at me now from the right. I hear a scream coming from the house as it actually punches me. I'm not sure if it was intentional, but I stumble backwards, surprised at the blow. I swing my machete up and stick it in its chin. It is not high or deep enough to kill it and it moves forward, my blade still in its jaw. I yank it out and up, going through the throat and head, and pushing hard, force it into the skull, killing the thing. I do not wait and quickly grab the bags with a bloodied hand from the bite, and run towards my house. I throw the blade into the grass as I get to my door, not wanting the blood to spread, and watch as Josh pulls the trigger of his gun, killing Lauren, who has obviously made the change from human to zombie.

Her friends cry out in alarm, but it is too late, and it is the only thing we can do.

I spend the rest of the day cleaning everything in the house. Making sure that the disease that infected her does not spread to anyone else. All those not immune spend the day in the two bedrooms, while Josh and I clean. It is tedious work, but by the time the sun sets we finish. I go outside to see several zombies loitering, (probably from the gun shot). I quickly grab my machete, wipe it off with a rag and leave the rag out side, closing the door softly behind me and collapsing on the couch.