Difference between revisions of "Journal:Katase Shima"

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Moved a couple blocks to the Shea Arms. The pub is built up enough for some good protection but not enough for me to not get in, so I considered staying there. When I saw a zombie in the nearby park that decided it. I was in. A few other people are here too. Looked around for a bit and found a cell phone. Since I have no police radio, the cell would have to do once we have communications in this city again.
Moved a couple blocks to the Shea Arms. The pub is built up enough for some good protection but not enough for me to not get in, so I considered staying there. When I saw a zombie in the nearby park that decided it. I was in. A few other people are here too. Looked around for a bit and found a cell phone. Since I have no police radio, the cell would have to do once we have communications in this city again.
 
 
Finally settled down in a chair next in the middle of the floor. It�s dark inside due to the barricades but there�s enough light for me to see what�s inside. It�s my first time in a pub. My first day on the job happened to be that armed robbery back on July 1st. I wish my first visit was under different circumstances. I don�t drink, but like I said I�ve never been in a pub before. Don�t know what the atmosphere is like. Picked up the [http://www.bestessays.com/ research paper] I found back at the hospital and started to read it while munching on a bag of pork rinds I found in the kitchen. Ads for the mall. Aw, and the coupons expired already.
Finally settled down in a chair next in the middle of the floor. It�s dark inside due to the barricades but there�s enough light for me to see what�s inside. It�s my first time in a pub. My first day on the job happened to be that armed robbery back on July 1st. I wish my first visit was under different circumstances. I don�t drink, but like I said I�ve never been in a pub before. Don�t know what the atmosphere is like. Picked up the paper I found back at the hospital and started to read it while munching on a bag of pork rinds I found in the kitchen. Ads for the mall. Aw, and the coupons expired already.
 
 
Looked around and saw �War is Peace� sprayed on the wall. Odd as it seems, I�m inclined to agree. It�s now Day 8, and I haven�t shaken myself apart. I guess when your own mortality is always in the balance, things get a lot simpler.
Looked around and saw �War is Peace� sprayed on the wall. Odd as it seems, I�m inclined to agree. It�s now Day 8, and I haven�t shaken myself apart. I guess when your own mortality is always in the balance, things get a lot simpler.

Revision as of 02:00, 19 June 2009

Katase Shima
Starting Occupation: Police
Group Membership: Grenzland
Goals: Get back into the groove of things
Username: megarockman
More details: Urban Dead profile


Disclaimer: Katase Shima is a name I have borrowed from the anime Uchuu no Stellvia and is not mine, so although the character itself is my creation, the name is not (though I probably will borrow ideas from the anime).

Note: Entries may be time-delayed for protection.

Oct 16-22

16th

I don't know what's going on here. The streets are way too quiet for a city this size, and the stench of rotting corpses is overwhelming.

I woke up in a hospital bed last night. Last thing I remember was responding to an attempted robbery at a bank (though I forgot which). I was chasing after a suspect in the neighboring parking lot. He was getting into the car and was trying to start the engine. I crouched behind a green car and aimed to take out the tires, when suddenly I heard a loud gunshot and I fell. That was back on July 1st. Rookie mistake. I didn't have anyone to back me up when I moved into position.

I sat up and felt around my body. There was a bandage on the back of my head. I looked over on the wall, which showed X-rays of a skull and a circle on the edge of it. I looked at it closely. It seems, that day at the bank, I was shot in the head (the bullet likely grazed my skull, which is probably why I'm even awake), probably by an accomplice, and was transported to this hospital. I'm guessing, I'm hoping, that any operation needed was successful, if they left me without a whole lot of fancy-schmancy medical equipment.

Slowly I got up and went to the window. The street was deserted. There was an occasional car, but they all looked like they belonged in a scrapyard. In the street I saw a person lying facedown, with another crouching over it. I was about to shout to them when I looked again. That's when I noticed the blood. On the ground and on the crouching person. His hands looked like it was picking up food and...eating? Is that person eating? The other?! What the hell? The crouching person got up...and I got a good look at him. His face was dripping with blood, yet he seemed...like an animal on the hunt. His skin was too pale. He started lumbering like he was sick. If this was a joke, I wasn't going to take any chances. And I definitely wasn't going to laugh.

I was about to bolt when I heard this faint horror-movie groan coming from the hall. I stopped. This ain't good. I looked around. Lucky for me there were a couple of first-aid kits, small enough for me to carry in that bookbag I found on the other bed. What was strange, though, was what I found under the pillow: a pistol, fully-loaded. OK, so a six-shooter wasn't going to get me much, but it's better than nothing. Stranger still was the flak-jacket hanging on the coat rack next to my bed. With "Shima" printed on it, no less. Eh, I'll have to think about it later. I looked back out the window. There was a police station next door. I saw that same "thing" (I had come to that conclusion by now) attempt to break down the doors, then a hail of gunfire felling it. Great!, I thought, Living people!. Maybe then I can figure out what is going on.

I opened the door to the hallway, only to see something disappear around the corner. I wasn't taking any chances. Not now. As quietly and quickly as I could I slipped downstairs, bolted out the doors (which were jammed open), and ran to the station next door. It was the station at Dorothey Plaza. My own.

I had to stop running when about three or four weapons were pointing at my head two feet away. Crud, I thought. The running probably had them spooked. They must be paranoid with those things running amok. I was about to raise my hands like a perp when a voice inside said, "Easy, guys, she's good." With that the barrels disappeared and a little opening was made for me to go through.

I must not have fully recovered, because soon after I got in I felt real sleepy. I was just able to pocket a flare gun lying around and ask the date when my body basically gave out, and I collapsed onto a chair. The irony, of course, is that it was my own. Only my own chair lets me sleep that soundly...


17th

Spent most of the morning and afternoon asking around, figuring out what exactly is going on. Seems I've landed into a huge, real-life version of Resident Evil (and I get to be Jill Valentine), although the situation's nowhere near as bad as in the game, with living people outnumbering zombies 3:1 or so. Definitely stay away from the center of the city and stick to the outlying suburbs. The military has set up a quarantine of the city, but after 3 months has still yet to move in (What are they waiting for?). Even better, there's a serum available as well to bring people back from the undead. We may yet have hope.

More worrying, though, is what has developed socially since the outbreak on July 3rd (I think). The collapse (and remake, despite communcation problems with cell phones out of order at the moment) of order, the formation of nutcase militias, the massive preying on survivors by unscrupilous living people. Zombie hunters, bounty hunters, Red Cross-esque groups. The majority of groups out there are benevolent, either in hunting down zombies or assisting survivors, though tension remains between different groups. How I hate politics. There was talk of some group called DARIS, I think, who would murder anyone that wasn't part of their clique. So abhorrent, to think they can establish some new world order or something while people are dying out there, trying to get out of this place. I'm almost glad the zombies tore them to shreds.

I can't believe I just wrote that.

There's also rumors of people who have actually given themselves to the zombie masses. Either religious extremists (the Izone or something) or people who seem to work for the zombies by pretending to be human survivors. The fanatics I can really only hope not to run into: there is usually little chance to reason them out of it. The so-called "Renfields" are just as despicable, if not more, than the likes of DARIS. Selling their souls to the armies of Hell.

However, on the other hand, there are those the will hunt down suspected "revived" zombies, out of such a fear of being a zombie spy. It becomes Salem or McCarthy all over again. Except this time, the threat isn't as hyped as it seems to be. What will become of those who were redeemed, only to be sneered and despied upon?

But first things first. I've gotta arm myself. A pistol and a spare clip will only get me so far. Thankfully, I found a city map, so I can at least figure out where things are. Popular consensus is that malls are a good place to scavenge, so I left sometime in the evening towards the southwest. I took what little was left I could find at my station (the useful stuff had long since been scavenged), which amounted to a pen, some scraps of paper, and a couple of pictures from my high school and academy days. (Arisa must be worrying her red hair out by now.) There is another police station about two blocks away, and I still must not have fully recovered, because I was quite tired by the time I got there. Malls and police stations are both surely big zombie targets due to the number of people crammed in there, but at least a PD is easier to defend, so I'll stay there for the night. Later I'll try to sneak into the mall to stock up. And find a clean pair of pants while I'm at it. The ones issued by the force are itchy.

Later

Well THAT was a waste of time. The mall's been locked up so tight I couldn't get inside. Ugh. And these pants are so itchy. The only thing I found at the mall were 20 dead people. Whoever's inside must be one paranoid person. I considered trying to break in, but then decided against it. I guess I wouldn't like it if someone did that to me. Besides, I don't know how to fix it.

With the mall closed, I trapsed around to the west of the PD. Found a hotel, also boarded up so tight I couldn't get in.

I heard a couple of scary groans when I got to the car shop, so I hi-tailed it out of there. I'm not taking on two zombies with a single clip.

St. Benedict's had about a dozen people there, but I needed weapons, not medical attention, so I went back to the PD. I was tired, but I had enough in me to scavenge the lockers. Picked up another spare clip of ammo and a couple of shotgun shells. Ah, yes, shotgun shells. What zombie survival movie would be complete without one? All I need is the shotgun.

And so, Day 2 of this nightmare leaves me here, huddled in the corner office on the top floor of a former police station, with 20 other paranoid and/or disillusioned people, trying to get out of this forsaken place. A little better armed, a little more wise, a little more cynical perhaps.

Word on the street is that the center of the city is one massive orgy of rotting animated flesh. Especially around Shearbank. If it's been so long like that, I don't know why the hell the military simply doesn't spray napalm downtown and just torch the damn place. Oh, wait, then we'd have Dresden, an uncontrolled burning inferno that'd suck everyone into it. It'd certainly get rid of the zombie problem, but then we'd have civilian casualties three times as high. Same thing with VX or sarin I suppose. Heck, I don't even know if zombies breathe. And having a cloud of death wandering through the city swelling the ranks of the undead is probably not productive.

Where's a giant space laser when you need one?

As for me...hmm...I think south might a good idea. There's another mall that way, and from I've gathered there's one area heavily fortified by the locals. Maybe I can get myself some more stuff. And get back home. See if anything's left of it.

A solitary flare lights up the night, maybe a half-mile to the south or so. A call in the dark, three months on.

Later still

Another flare to the southwest, maybe 3/4 of a mile away. Yeah, I'm tired and scared as hell, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the pretty lights, does it?

Even later still

Yet another flare to the southeast. OK, now this is getting annoying.

18th

Before dawn

Someone shook me awake. Some soldier that paradropped and apparently got separated is in need of medical attention. I guess he saw one of the first-aid kits I had with me. I could only spare one (needed to save the other one in case of emergency), but in these times, every little helps, though I kind of wonder why he didn't just go to the hospital right down the street? No matter. I'm no medic or doctor, but I tried my best to bandage whatever wounds I found and could dress. Picked up a candy bar and ate it before snuggling back into my corner.

Early afternoon

Three more flares have flown about since I've risen from my sleep and found some instant hot chocolate for breakfast. It was nice having a chocolate powdered donut instead of a regular one for once.

I looked over the map. I think I can make Darvall Heights easily today. It's just a matter of whether I can find more stuff if I need to. One of the guys asked me why I was heading south. I said simply, "home." He nodded in understanding, then cautioned that there were reports of a zombie horde in that direction. Well, what else am I supposed to do, stay there until it rains fire from the heavens?

Later

Ran by a zombie who apparently was too mesmerized by the flares out in the distance to notice me. Lucky.

Well, it turns out the far corner of the mall I thought was shut up completely was open. Oops. There's a lot of people here. I still want to get home, though, so I searched around for about an hour and a half before heading out. Found a nice watch, another pistol, and a kitchen knife. Sweet, I get to be a Hollywood action heroine. If only this was Hollywood...

3:06 PM

"Wodan is a PK'r!!!" is scrawled on the side of a parking garage. Good to know, if it is true.

6:35 PM

Looked around St. Matthew's for a bit. Cleaned out pretty good.

7:43 PM

"I�! I�! Cthulhu fhtagn!"? What the hell?

8:16 PM

It's gotten late, so I went inside the PD. A lot more people here than at Emerson. All these people must have cleaned out the station pretty good, cause all I found was a flak jacket. I have room in my bookbag for it, though, so in it goes.

I must admit, at least the military's good at keeping us living people living. MRE's are sooo good when all you've had before is vending machine stuff.

About 11:30 or so

Someone said Pooll Crescent was under attack by "zeds" (I'm guessing that means zombies). I'd go except I'm utterly exhausted...though it's nice to know we got a system going...

19th

1:30 in the morning

Woke up to some commotion. It seems someone's giving orders to prep for defense. Eh, I'll be out of here before long. Couldn't get back to sleep, so I wandered around the station for a bit. Found a third pistol and another clip. Hey, I may end up in a situation where my bookbag has to be a decoy.

Not feeling too good. Oh, relax, will ya? I just have a fever and a slight headache. And I wanted to puke a couple times. Ironic if I live through this only to die because of regular germs, wouldn't it?

This does mean a trip to the mall tomorrow is unlikely, given my state.

8:30 or so

Kept on having nightmares of being eaten alive. Unpleasant, as one might imagine. Actually, I feel better now physically. Just a real slight headache. The mall trip's still possible.

Slurping down instant scrambled eggs while some guys here discuss strategy. Do we stay and establish a fortress? Retreat to places unknown? I just want to get home. Even if, as I suspect, it's either burned out, looted, or infested. It's still home.

I wonder if dual flare guns look just as cool as dual Barettas...

2:00

Are zombies getting smarter or something? Someone here just said there's 200 that attacked one of the armories in the city.

Will head out soon. Found another pistol.

4:00

OK, THIS mall is shut up tight. There's no way in. And these pants are still itchy. Maybe I should have stayed longer at that other mall. 7 dead bodies all around, rotting in the sun. At least they ain't 7 moving dead bodies rotting in the sun.

Next door is the Eden Library, with "Church of New Eden" scrawled on it. Haven't I heard of them somewhere?...Oh, crap, that's right. They're some of those religious fanatics I've learned about a couple days ago. So much for not running into them. Better get scarce.

8:30

Got to a hospital, spent a little time searching for stuff. Scrounged up a first-aid kit. Went next door to the fire station, found nothing. Saw two PDs nearby. Tried the far one, locked up tight. Had to go to the closer one. God, I'm exhausted. So much looking and walking. Come to think of it, didn't see a single zombie today. The streets are still far too quiet, though.

Sometimes it's what isn't there that can be more frightening.

This PD also has "I�! I�! Cthulhu fhtagn!" scrawled on it. I'm concerned. Far fewer people manning the fort here. More concerned. It's too quiet here. Worried.

I'm not going to sleep well tonight, am I?

9:00

Didn't think so. Curle Street Station's been sabotaged; the doors are wide open and we got at least zombie lurking around the building. I'd scream, but I don't know whether it'd help at all. I just have to hope he doesn't get me before I can escape...

I thought that Urrrrrrrrrrrgh person was too suspicious...

Ok, ok, deep, quiet breath. Zombie hasn't done anything yet. Problem is neither has anyone else. And me being so exhausted is not conducive to a good plan. What can I do...what should I do...

10:00

I guess "do nothing" was a viable option as well. I caught sight of the zombie wandering outside and heard the door shut. I now suspect it was a scouting party, though I don't know why no horde popped up soon after to have a feast. Still too tired to do anything meaningful.

I'm still not going to sleep well tonight.

20th

1:00 AM

That man Urrrrrrrrrrrgh is still acting suspicious, sitting by the front door. Can't sleep. I decided to shift myself over to the hospital (I remember there being more people). Of course I had to play secret agent to get out without anyone noticing. I got to the second floor, slipped out the window, and carefully (I'm still a bit tired) jumped to the ground. No light except the moon. A blessing and a curse. When I got near the hospital I saw a figure sort of meandering around, so I had to sneak to the emergency room door, and knocked a little tune to let those inside I was human. Greeted with open arms (well, as open as one can in times like these). Told those that were listening (though most were asleep) about what happened at the PD, then had to lie down on the stairs. So tired...now I can relax...a little, at least.

9:00 AM

Vindication? Another one of those at Curle Street (I think his name was Midnight Skye) came and told us Urrrrrrrrrrrgh has officially lost his marbles. "That Urrrrrrrrrrrgh guy, came in to Curle St. PD and started punching people and yelling for us to kill him." If I had the strength I'd go and deal with him myself for being such a jackass. Then again, maybe I wouldn't. I'm pretty sure by this point he's a spy. If he wants to be with his kind so badly, he can do it himself. It's not that hard.

7:00 PM

Left the hospital and headed towards my apartment in Lukinswood. Passed through East Becktown en route. Picked a handwritten flyer for the People's Liberation of East Becktown. They have barricaded the buildings around here pretty good.

So many dead bodies...

Got to Cunningham Towers. Couldn't get in because it's been locked down tight. Exasperation. It's been, what four months? since I've been home, and now I can't even get in. I don't know what do to, though. I mean, for all I know someone could be inside, and probably wouldn't be too happy if someone broke in. Defeated, I returned to the local PD. Of course, I didn't look closely enough and only when I got there did I realize THAT'S been locked down as well. Ugh. Have to go elsewhere.

8:15 PM

Found 7 dead people outside the local library. Saw a zombie in the distance next to the bar, so went around it. Got to the FD without incident, though I saw a couple of figures loitering nearby.

Fewest people I�ve seen since I�ve woken up four or five days ago. Might be because most of the useful things here have been looted. Couldn�t find anything. Ate an MRE I found outside my apartment for dinner. Macaroni and cheese, mmmmmm. I wish the military would actually do something other than stand on the perimeter and watch us all die, but they make good instant meals. Count thy blessings, I suppose.

21st

Be vewy vewy quiet. I�m hunting zombies.

Wanted to do something other than hide from the munchies. So, what does that mean? I went hunting for zombies. I went outside and lo and behold there was exactly one zombie in the parking lot for the George Arms. (Never really quite got why they called bars �Arms�.) I put my training into practice (they say there�s nothing like experience on the job) and started firing away at the zombie, who seems to have acquired a taste for cars. It was standing next to that Rolls-Royce for a long time, and even when I started firing from a secured position, it didn�t notice for a while. Once it did I�d move to a different spot and shot from there. I think I confused it very well.

I shot, um�let�s see�26 rounds at it, and saw eight hits. About 25%. (Zombies are hard to put down.) I still have more, but I think it saw me, so I had to pull back, seeing as how once again I have no back-up. Got back to the station and rested again. Of course, it occurs to me just then that a fire station wouldn�t normally have ammo clips for guns. D�oh.

Oh, hey, here�s a fire axe. It�d be helpful now that I have rather limited ammo.

22nd

Well, you can�t go hunting without ammo. I moved to the PD at the edge of East Becktown and managed to get in. Yeah, that flyer by the PLEB said that the PD was last noted to be in lockdown, but the info, I figured, would be pretty old by now, so I gave it a shot. I was right: the PD wasn�t in lockdown, though everyone there�s nervous because of rumored zombie movement towards the area.

Found another zombie at the George Arms (wasn�t the same one as yesterday, this one had a plaid shirt on). Decided to practice aiming a little and fired off the half-empty gun I had. 4 shots, 2 hits. Hey, 50%. On the job training seems to help. Didn�t stick around because I didn�t know whether Loney Row was open.

Got there at around 3:00, spent the rest of the day looking for stuff. Found a couple more clips of ammo (enough to reload all the pistols I stocked), some more shotgun shells (which are still useless without a shotgun) and another flak jacket. Bag�s getting kind of heavy, but with winter approaching, I could probably use another jacket. Not so sure two would protect me any more than one would, but what the heck.

Running total: 30 shots, 10 hits, 33%

Oct 23-29

23rd

10:00 AM

"Operation Tumbleweed", huh? Not a bad name.

Looks like I can�t stay here for too long. It looks like some big zombie group with a religious streak (I find it hard to believe that zombies are capable of holding as complex a thought as God, but I guess they do) is coming our way from Eastonwood, and heading towards Molebank. As the PD I�m staying at is nearby the projected pilgrimage route, it is highly likely it will fall under attack when the group gets close. It seems to be a few days away, though, so I still have time to look around for stuff before I move out. Lukinswood or Havercroft look like the best places to go for now. We�ll have to see what the grapevine brings when it is time to go.

4:00 PM

Someone needed a med-pack, so I gave him one of mine. There�s a hospital next door, so I headed over there (the zombies aren�t too close) to stock up there first. Quickly slipped past a zombie loitering out in front. Might be a scout for the horde. All I found after about 3 hours was a single first-aid kit and an old newspaper. Went back out and got a little more target practice on that loitering zombie. 1 out of 6. Ugh, I need to work on my aim.

Got back to the PD only to find they have locked it down while I was gone. I had to decide whether to wait outside (and risk getting eaten by that zombie I must have pissed off), knock the barricades down enough to let me in (though that might annoy someone inside), or try somewhere else. I�m kind of tired, but I decided to try to get into the PD at the risk of annoying people inside. Two shots later, nothing doing, so I had to go elsewhere earlier than I planned. If anyone was in the Loney Row PD on October 23rd and is reading this entry, please forgive me. God, I hope I didn�t cause their downfall�

Moved a couple blocks to the Shea Arms. The pub is built up enough for some good protection but not enough for me to not get in, so I considered staying there. When I saw a zombie in the nearby park that decided it. I was in. A few other people are here too. Looked around for a bit and found a cell phone. Since I have no police radio, the cell would have to do once we have communications in this city again.

Finally settled down in a chair next in the middle of the floor. It�s dark inside due to the barricades but there�s enough light for me to see what�s inside. It�s my first time in a pub. My first day on the job happened to be that armed robbery back on July 1st. I wish my first visit was under different circumstances. I don�t drink, but like I said I�ve never been in a pub before. Don�t know what the atmosphere is like. Picked up the paper I found back at the hospital and started to read it while munching on a bag of pork rinds I found in the kitchen. Ads for the mall. Aw, and the coupons expired already.

Looked around and saw �War is Peace� sprayed on the wall. Odd as it seems, I�m inclined to agree. It�s now Day 8, and I haven�t shaken myself apart. I guess when your own mortality is always in the balance, things get a lot simpler.

I should rest now. Well, not until I pick up that shotgun I found in the corner. A use for the shells, finally.

Running stats: 36 shots, 11 hits. *various math work* 30.5%.

24th

Correction: TWO shotguns.

My thought of the day: It�s an eerie peace that passes and settles when the mini-apocalypse is everywhere.

Felt more confident today, so when I went out to the park (Martindale Park - 10/25) and saw a zombie, I tried out the shotguns I found yesterday. First one worked pretty well. The second I think is off-target because it kept drifting up for some reason. I�ll have to fix that later.

Once I emptied the shotguns, I practiced more with the pistols. Not as accurate as I had hoped for, but it got the job done. I �killed� my first zombie today. (Hmm, not sure if �killed� is the correct term to use for zombies. �De-animated�?) Granted, it looked like a weakened target, but I still got my kill. You know, if this was a living suspect, I�d be having a lot more emotions running through, but it�s a zombie. It�s already not among the living.

Tried to get into St. Elizabeth�s next door, but the heavy barricades and the dozen zombies I saw around persuaded me that that wasn�t the best place to be. Actually, that�s probably an understatement. I saw eight zombies loitering at a warehouse next to the hospital. Never seen so many in one place at once. Lucky for me they didn�t see me. Wasn�t sure what they were up to, if indeed they are coordinated enough to do anything. Didn�t stick around to find out.

Returned to the pub to chow on an MRE I snagged in the park with a side of more pub food and rest up. I don�t think it can be healthy, but it�s food. Checked my ammo status. Two more shotgun shells for one shotgun. Pistol situation not good. Down to one clip plus one round in another. I�ll need to wait until I can get to a PD in order to restock. And get a new pair of pants. The ones I have are starting to smell, and I�m not exactly inclined to sit around in equally-dirty panties at the moment with other people present. It�s hard to trust people.

Today:

  • Shotgun: 1-4
  • Pistol: 5-23

Total:

  • Shotgun: 1-4, 25%
  • Pistol: 16-59, 27.1%

25th

Ten days of slipping around zombies has taught me some things about how to avoid being outside for any length of time. It�s good when you want to avoid detection.

Found a bottle of wine in the back pantry. Hmm, probably nice and aged by now. What the heck, I thought, so I took it. Never know when the opportunity for a giant Molotov can come up.

Decided to try for my apartment one more time. I mean, who knows if there�s anything left? Got there around 11:00 or so, and managed to get around the barricades. Hey, I�ve had ten days to study it. I can get around them with enough effort.

Got back to my apartment after telling the two people hiding out there what I was doing. As I suspected, it�s been ransacked. I knew it was coming, so I didn�t bawl or anything, though it saddened me very much to see my place in tatters. Tables and chairs missing, probably used in the barricades. Everything upended. Debris everywhere. I fished around for a bit and found some of my clothes and (thank God) underwear. I may not be able to wash it, but at least it can air out for a while. I decided to change later when I settled in for the night.

I also found a few more pictures of my classmates from the academy. I looked at the old pictures for a while: me and Arisa in our old apartment, Akira and Yayoi dutifully studying, Otoyama�it seems so far away now, like another life. I guess it was another life. A life that ended that day at the parking lot. I haven�t died physically last time I checked, but those days seem so far away�all I�ve seen since is shooting, groaning, fear, paranoia, chaos.

I gathered whatever else I could carry and left. If my calculations are correct, that zombie pilgrimage or whatever will take them right beside my apartment. They�ll be hungry. I couldn�t risk staying. One day�

I left and headed south towards the closest string of police stations I remembered: Farewell Place, then to Judge Road. Had to sneak by some zombies congregating at a church on the way. I got to Judge Road and considered staying there for the night, but the warning on the wall and the fact that I passed by far more zombies than people convinced me to push onwards. I checked the map and headed eastwards to Dear Street, figuring I had traveled south long enough to circle around the core of the zombie horde. Passed through a club where it seems someone named Robyn Zombie has made it his or her (I never saw the person) personal headquarters. Judging from the barricades it seems he or she has done well. I wish Robyn luck.

Got to Dear Street at about 7:30 or 8:00, I forget. Picked up a little ammo before finding a corner upstairs to change into the clothes I found in my apartment. Dark red shirt and blue khaki pants. Still have my flak jacket on. And the two others I have in my quite full book bag. So much walking�will I have to do this for all eternity? When will this end?

26th

Lots of stuff happening to day. Most of it not good. The hospital two blocks down is under assault. A mall some ways away seems to have fallen. A couple guys needed to be healed. Some interesting characters too. �TEAM ZOMBIE HARCORE HOOOOO!!!!� �Sing the dirge for our fallen brothers and sisters...� That�s just�funny, I guess.

Seeing as how the latest zombie reports has them to the north and west, the best idea would be to go south and east, correct? So, that�s what I did, after looking around the station long enough to find some shotgun shells. Passed by Vaughn Cinema, where someone sprayed �Shaun of the Dead� on the �now showing� board. I suppose humor is immortal. Arrived at Eley Way PD without incident. Still quiet around here, though there�s this nagging feeling that says quiet before the storm.

Arrived somewhat earlier than usual in my travels of late, so I spent time looking for stuff. Found a third shotgun. Hmm�I wanted to carry another, but couldn�t figure out how until I thought of a strap to hang it around my shoulder. That would leave room in the bag, wouldn�t it? I would just have to carry it with one shoulder instead of two. (Probably safer that way anyway). Found a little more 9mm ammo, enough so that each pistol I have has at least one round. No spare clips, though.

Today was all talk and no action. I suppose it�s better this way, though.

27th

Hmm, apparently there were a lot of zombies that broke in while I was asleep and romped around. Well, that makes the second time that my safe place was invaded and I lived to write about it.

Spent the morning searching around for supplies, and found a pistol clip. Finally, some spare ammo. Moved out pretty soon after. It doesn�t look too safe here either. Decided to try south, even though talk is that there are more zombies there. I figure if I started early enough, I�ll be able to sneak around them to the other side. Stopped by a hospital and looked around for a bit. Scrounged together a third first-aid kit before moving on.

Got to Blakesley Grove PD around 1:30 or so. Someone sprayed �Warning! Zombies are in Malton!� on the wall. No, really. I hadn�t noticed.

Arrived at Milverton Place PD at around 3:00. No sign of zombies anywhere, though to be honest I hadn�t looked outside since I started building-hopping. I took a peek outside and caught a zombie loitering right outside. It was already weakened, so I figured, what the heck. It saw me and started lumbering towards me. I emptied one clip in one of my 9mm pistols before pulling out my shotguns. I went, bam, bam, drop, bam, bam, drop, bam, before the zombie fell down and �died�. I�ve been picking off weak zombies so far, but that�s OK. It still means fewer zombies roaming the streets, even if its temporary.

I got back inside and notified the inhabitants there�s a dead zombie outside before going on a quick search for supplies (turned up a fourth shotgun) and settling in upstairs. Yeah, it�s been a quiet few days, but I like it that way. Preferable to mass panicking. Now how to carry four shotguns at once�hmm�or I could perhaps swap it for that Benelli lying in the corner. Hmm, M3 Super 90. Older design, but it�ll hold the same number of shells of four of the shotguns I have now. Besides, I think a holdout would do better if the number of shooters increases. Instead of one person aiming at one target at once, now four targets can be gunned down at once. Better for hordes, which I figure PDs would see quite a few of. Don�t put all your eggs in one basket, you know? Me, on the other hand, need space to hold my stuff. As I am only one person, one shotgun will do just fine (especially if it has the same effectiveness as four regular ones).

Today:

  • shotgun: 2-5
  • pistol: 2-6

Total:

  • shotgun: 3-9, 33.3%
  • pistol: 18-65, 27.7%

28th

More activity. Couple of people asking about revives. Will want to keep Neville Building in mind.

Decided this morning to go to West Grayside. Heard through the grapevine that some of my colleagues are holed up there. I didn�t get to know them as well as I wished, but I know them the best out of everyone in this city. May as well head there. Besides, it�s the next suburb over. Not far at all.

Humor anecdote of the day: En route I walked through a park. When I entered, �Did you know 24% of all muggings happen in parks?� greeted me. When I left, �No, I didn�t� was what I saw.

Kept on walking east until I saw a group of 8 zombies hovering outside a building. Didn�t want to disturb them (seeing as how I need ammo), so Dampney Grove PD was out of the question. Decided to head north to Holly Crescent PD. Area was clear of zombies, but the PD has been barricaded too much for me to get in from the street, so I had to backtrack to the Copeland Building and enter the PD from there.

Holly Crescent has a decidedly more military feel to the atmosphere. Half the guys holed up there had military uniforms on, one of whom I recognized. �Yo, Grenzlander!� I shouted to him. His real name�s Jack, but we call him Grenzlander because his parents come from this town in Germany called Grenz. He turned and had an expression on his face that artists would kill to put into a painting. I was probably one of the last people he�d expect to stumble across in this mess. Last I heard from him he was in the Army training. We spent time talking while I went and scavenged for supplies (a shotgun shell and a spare pistol clip). He told me about his trials in boot camp and that one time someone in his platoon held a bazooka the wrong way. I just listened. It was so nice to listen to someone that you know. We eventually moved on to the situation at hand, in which he told me about eight or nine other guys from my precinct are in the area as well, mostly in Club Haidon. It seems that four months of zombies has made the group migrate away from West Boundwood to here, where it seems things have been quiet lately. I�m primarily concerned with getting ammo for my guns to fight off zombies, but I�ll probably head over there tomorrow to see the other guys for the first time in ages. Grenz can�t go because he said he promised to help maintain that PD. At least he�ll be pretty safe in this PD.

29th

OK, maybe not. I woke up to the sounds of something clawing away at the barricades. This ain�t good. I may have to bolt to another PD or the club earlier than I wanted. The barricades looked quite weak at this point, and since I had no idea how to build it up, my only options were to fight or run. I notified Grenz of the situation and he told me to get help. I went outside and saw the zombie beating on the barricades with his arms. I emptied one clip at it outside before making a break for it. (I was still rather tired, so I couldn�t fight for long). Thankfully it didn�t follow.

Shifted south to Dampney Grove PD this morning, where things look a little more secure. Had to get in through the next door fire station via rooftop. Notified the inhabitants before keeling over. It�s been something of a scary day.

Alternating between resting, searching, and that one time I used some first-aid stuff I had to heal someone. Sense of time�s been thrown off. My watch says right now it�s almost 11 PM. You do what you must, I suppose.

I wonder if things are different at night, or if the only thing that�s different is the light.

Found another shotgun. The old kind. Well, it�s a shotgun.

Today:

  • Pistol: 1-6

Total:

  • Shotgun: 3-9, 33.3%
  • Pistol: 19-71, 26.8%

Oct 30-Nov 5

30th

Upon closer inspection, I found that the shotgun I found yesterday was actually another pump-action like the one I traded for a couple days ago. Sweet. Now if I only had ammo to go with it�oh well. I guess I can find more as I go along.

Saw another person from my precinct: Reggie Hammond. He looks well, all things considered.

Mostly spent the morning searching, mainly for shotgun shells. Enough to reload the pump-action. Got a windfall of ammo today.

Around mid-afternoon I went out to Club Haidon to see who�s still alive in this nightmare. It was a big yellow building with gargoyles positioned around it. Interesting d�cor. I then noticed a zombie standing outside, and feeling unusually confident today, skirmished it despite it being late (it is October). I must have been in the zone today: I hit more than half my shots. It was almost dark outside, so I had to slip into the club before I had a chance to notch kill number 3.

When I got inside, I was rather unprepared for who I�d find alive in this hellhole. Jason Townsend and Tito Fulton, both from my precinct, are here. So is Oshay, a firefighter I saw once when he came to our station to discuss an arson case. I also remember Alex and Dixon, two guys from the forensics department, though I forget their last names right now. I met Fenreer as well, a soldier from Grenz�s unit, and Sergeant Kol Griffin. Quite a meeting we have here, though I felt a little weird being the only female in the building. Long story short, we caught up and got to know each other between occasional rustlings from outside the building. I told them about the wounded zombie outside and how I was too tired, so Jason went out and finished it off.

Still a lot of guys missing, though interestingly enough no one knows whether anyone else is alive or dead. Well, with the whole revive serum floating out there, it�s something of a moot point. Sigh.

Today:

  • Shotgun: 0-2
  • Pistol: 7-12

Total:

  • Shotgun: 3-11, 27.3%
  • Pistol: 26-83, 31.3%

31st

Jason came in from outside and said he wounded a zombie but couldn�t finish it off. I went out but couldn�t find any zombies. Someone probably finished it off before I could. Oh well. I was still able to help today: someone known as Tigerpawz was infected by a zombie bite, but I was able to use some first aid stuff I had to cure him.

Went to the nearby Pole Mall today to look for stuff. Passed by a stadium en route. I was kind of busy, so I didn�t stop to look around, but I think I saw a few people throwing a football around. Well, when you got nothing else to do�

Got to the mall, where there was a lot of people standing around. Spent some time searching for stuff, and found two bottles of wine, some pistol clips, a flare gun, and a book.

I�ll probably stay here for the night and resume the search tomorrow. It�s kind of late now.

Oh, and Happy Halloween.

Nov 1st

A bazillion things flying, nothing doing. Reports from all over of an impending zombie attack. Northeast, northwest, southeast, I can�t tell. (At least not southwest. That�s my exit.) Apparently this zombie group�s MO is to attack high profile buildings first like police departments and hospitals before beating down on malls. It also seems that a lot of malls have been overrun. Some guys are calling for people to make a stand, while others laugh them off as being delusional. Personally, I�m not sure what to do. With talk this fervent, I�m pretty sure the guys back at Haidon know something�s going down. Don�t think I�m being a coward for trying to find the exit. I�m just playing it smart. Before the zombies can come in and kill us, they�ll have to break down the barriers first. Since I still haven�t figured out how to construct barriers yet, I�m only useful for attacking and furthermore only if I have ammo. I have some ammo, but not infinite.

Decided to take to sleeping in shifts. A few hours now, a few hours in the daytime, something like that. Also spent a little time searching. You�ll never guess what I found: a Pancor Jackhammer auto shotgun! These things are so rare, I�ll bet people would kill for them. Made sure no one was looking when I slipped it into my bookbag and dumped out the old model shotguns. Fair trade, I think. Also found a GPS unit with batteries and two pairs of wire cutters.

Afterwards settled down in a corner and radioed the guys back at Haidon what�s going on. (Sorry, forgot to mention this. They managed to scrounge some two-way radios and gave one for me to use. I managed to find some batteries in one of the stores to use in case we got separated). They said to check back later for emergency exit routes in case the situation is too dire.

2nd

They seem to come from the east. Crud, that means the PDs in this suburb are gonna be covered. Over the radio, it seems Holly Crescent�s been taken as well, though it remains somewhat light and may be retaken. Bearing westward might be an option if worst comes to worst. Recent reports don�t have any zombies there.

We got some dramatic people come in today: there this guy named Dusty Sanchez that struck a pose and went, �I am the man with no name. Dusty Sanchez.� He then proceeds to double take in dramatic fashion and say, �Holy shit we have nothing to fear with The Black Whirlwind here." Whether or not it�s scripted, it�s frickin� hilarious. A nice retreat from the dreariness and fatalism in the air. (�6 pistols.6 shotguns...all loaded. It's not enough. It's never enough.� Well, thank you for making me feel better.) Many are ready to bolt when the zombies come, despite heeds to hold the line.

Managed to find a first-aid kit before discovering the limits of my backpack. The Jackhammer and Benelli might be a single item, but they�re big single items. Gave away one of the wire cutters and the flak jackets without my name on it (I only need one anyway) and opened one bottle of wine, the one from the pub some days back. Shared it with those around me that wanted a sip (could you imagine a drunk survivor trying to fight off zombies?). Took a small sip for myself, and reinforced the reason why I don�t drink. I still can�t figure out how guys can down a six-pack of beer in one sitting at all, much less try to drive afterwards.

After the backpack purge, gathered a third first-aid kit, another pistol clip, a baseball bat, and a can of blue spray paint. And a bottle of beer. Sigh. Maybe I can trade it with someone for some more useful stuff, like guns.

I like guns, don�t I? Dual Heckler & Koch USP Standards (and 60 rounds), a Pancor Jackhammer (fully loaded), and the Benelli (unfortunately empty right now). Some of the other guys back at Haidon only had a couple of pistols and maybe a spare clip. Or at most a couple of older model shotguns.

Somebody named Herder came up to me and said he liked my journal. It�s something to do when I don�t feel like flipping through that book I found on the Spanish Civil War. I�m not uninterested, just tired and tense.

Decided to walk outside for a bit to see if any zombies were nearby. No sign, though the dark was pretty creepy. Came back in and read for a little bit before falling asleep. Quiet day again.

3rd

No sign of zombies nearby (a guy coming from the west said he last saw one ten blocks away), but no one�s taking chances. He also needed medical attention, so I helped. Managed to trade the beer for a pair of wire cutters, which in turn was traded for a spare shotgun shell. Ah, the joys of barter.

later

Woke up from my afternoon nap to find the whole mall in lockdown. Are the zombies coming? I can�t tell, for it looks like the lockdown is a precaution. Spent some time search, and found a flare gun, another GPS unit, and a pair of kitchen knives (which I ignored. Hey, I'm not Steven Segal). Recent reports places a group of zombies to the northeast or northwest, I don�t remember which.

Slow day once again. If the zombies don�t kill me, the tension will.

4th

Decided to try poking my head outside to see if anyone�s coming. As the entire mall is in lockdown, I had to go out through other means � the FD next door. Got to warehouse where I found a fuel can (hooray for Molotovs!) and gave a bottle of wine in exchange to the guys at the warehouse.

Found my way back to Holly Crescent, where all the barricades were gone. Went outside and found a zombie lurking around. I stopped firing though, when it didn�t attack me back, but made some weird noise. It then motioned in some strange fashion, but I eventually figured it out: it was trying to put its hands in the air, like a surrendering suspect. A thought then dawned on me: maybe this zombie wants to live again. I mean, all it�s doing is going �Mrh?� or something, and specifically it is not trying to rip my innards out. I told him I couldn�t help him (though I don�t know if he can understand that) and had to leave. I guess it�s a kind of awkward, but what else am I supposed to do?

I moved on south to Creedy Way PD, then moved a couple blocks east to an auto repair shop where I saw another zombie. Regardless of whether it wants to live again, I shot at it. Emptied one USP and began firing away with my Jackhammer. I can�t take any chances about my own life. I was running low on time, though, so I had to move back to Creedy Way to R & R (rest and reload). First amount of action since Sunday.

You know, now that I think about it, I could have searched the mall much more efficiently than I had now that I have left it. The layout of stores, you know, �what would I do if I were in charge of the mall?� I think I know now where the gun store was. I�ll have to head back there to find supplies.

Got in touch with the other guys back at Haidon. News from the Club indicates the barricades have been knocked over and some zombies wandered in, though it looks like no casualties. Good thing I wasn�t there. It seems they�re also making our group a bit more formal, with a name: Grenzland. Geez, they still can�t get over Grenz�s hometown, huh? Random chatter over the radio seems to indicate Jason got naming rights. I know for a fact that he derives much pleasure from Grenz. Well, so far I haven�t any objections to it, but I�ll have to see what the guys want to do in terms of living through this nightmare. Don�t want to end up being stuck with a DARIS.

Today:

  • Shotgun: 1-5
  • Pistol: 4-12

Total:

  • Shotgun: 4-16, 25%
  • Pistol: 30-95, 31.6%

5th

Snuck out from Creedy Way PD around 1:30 in the morning and made my way back towards Pole Mall. I was feeling kind of restless, to be honest. And that guy Jedo was acting kind of suspicious. Thankfully Sergeant Griffin was there as well, so I told him before moving out.

Due to it being dark outside I couldn�t move too quickly, so I took my time. Good thing too: there was a zombie outside. I wasn�t in the mood to kill it, so I notified Griffin before I left.

Got to around the stadium when I realized that the mall itself would likely still be in lockdown. Crud. Nearest safe place I knew was Club Haidon, so I went in here to rest up before moving on to the mall. Don�t really want to stay here for two reasons:

1. I�m not going to find much useful stuff in a club. I need ammo above all else. 2. I have this feeling that between the constant strain of staying alive, plus the fact that the only two females in the building is me and that military chick Aislinn over there, means I don�t exactly, uh, feel good about my privacy.

Later

Moved up to Pole Mall. With newfound understanding of the layout of malls, I looked through the gun store for a little bit. Only found some shotgun shells, but the fact that there were bits and pieces (albeit useless) of other firearm-related items (like gun-cleaning kits and spare parts) as well seems to indicate I was right about this.

6th-12th

6th

Didn�t really need the GPS unit (I already have a map, and I love maps), so I traded it with someone for some extra ammo. I�m running out of room in my backpack. Rest of search didn�t yield anything useful.

Another slow day. More time at the gun store hunting for ammo, mainly shotgun shells (I already have 72 pistol rounds).

Some reports have a group of zombies lumbering slowly towards Pole Mall. There are rumors of them coming from the east. We�ll just have to see, I guess. Meanwhile, I plan to keep looking for shotgun shells. They�re so hard to find, and I may as well as long as I�m here.

Heard around 8:30 about a lone zombie about two blocks away at an office building or something. I had little else to do, so I went out to see if I could catch it. Had to take a long about route northwards to Holly Crescent PD, then got outside proper there. No zombie at the Bellamy Building, but found one at the Copeland one block south of Holly Crescent. I started firing away at it with the spare shells in my Benelli and one of my USPs before a man named Mags stopped me. He then proceeded to carefully inject some sort of serum into the zombie, pulling off some impressive evasive maneuvers in the process. The zombie then fell down all of a sudden. I thought for a moment that someone out there found a way to put down zombies permanently, but then Mags proceeded to say �Stand up, Lisa.� It then dawned on me. What I just saw was one of those revivification syringes that I heard about which can bring back the living. I bit my tongue and apologized.

I lurked around a bit and saw two zombies right outside the PD. I went over to attack, but I got sloppy. I managed to get a few shots off before they pounced on me. Managed to get inside. Managed to turn around and see about six more rush up before I jumped in through the window. And here I am, writing while bleeding from my arm- shit, what was that creaking noise? And that growling? Oh, son of a b- *long stray pen mark. Blood splattered on bottom half of page*

Today:

  • Shotgun: 0-2
  • Pistol: 6-18

Total:

  • Shotgun: 4-18, 22.2%
  • Pistol: 36-113, 32.9%

7th

I was dead.

I was an unconscious zombie.

The past day�s been hazy, but I think I got mauled by the zombie horde yesterday. Last thing I remember was the cold nails of some zombie digging into my back before I lost consciousness. The fact that it�s been a day since then, and I was feeling extremely thirsty and tired hinted that I�ve been killed. The note left by a David Lin confirmed it. Goddammit. I have no memory at all of being dead or what the un-life is like. I was only gone for a few hours, it seems. I was slaughtered at around 3:00 yesterday, and David�s note said he found me around dusk. The rest of the time must have been the serum overwhelming the T-cells or whatever, I�m not too clear on the physiology of the undead.

I had died once.

Once I got up, I looked around. Except for the streak of blood streaming from the now-barricaded-way-too-much Holly Crescent PD, it looks the same around here. Well, you know what I mean. I moved south to the Copeland Building, where apparently it used to be a NecroTech building, NecroTech being the corporation that made the serum (and probably the un-plague). I sort of stumbled inside in a daze and sat down. Someone (I wasn�t really paying attention who at that point) bandaged the wound on my back (I used up my last bit of first-aid cleaning off that bite on my arm). I was just trying to get over what just happened.

I was dead.

I was a zombie.

I�m going to head back to Pole Mall now. It�s a big target, to be sure, but I can find the stuff I want there. Plus, it�s a big target. I have a better chance of escape if I need to. More likely, though, I�ll end up dishing payback.

I was dead once. It is good to be back so quickly among the living, but I was once dead.

8th

Now fate�s just taunting me. Spent the day either recuperating or searching the gun store for more shotgun ammo. All I�ve found are pistol clips. DAMMIT, I DON�T NEED PISTOL AMMO! I got about five clips before I found two shotgun shells next to each other. For the record, I now have 84 rounds of pistol ammo and 16 shotgun shells, enough for the Jackhammer and a halfway-loaded Benelli.

In between searches I rested and looked at that book again. Hey, did you know that Republican Spain was really a coalition of a wide range of anti-fascist groups? Democrats, communists, anarchist � they were all in the mix. Interesting.

I'm still getting used to the fact I'm living on borrowed time from now on. Bear with me here.

9th

You know what? At some point, having 96 rounds of pistol ammo and not using it to beat back the zombie horde is kinda wasteful. So I went out of Pole Mall, hopping from building to building until I found a place where I could easily jump back into (train station, I think - 11 Nov), for it is easy to go outside but hard to reenter. Sought out a pair of zombies hanging around an empty lot next to Barnerd Way PD and waited. My previous experience at Holly Crescent taught me to be wary of zombies that appear when they weren�t there before. I did some target practice, and managed to fell one and hurt the other before I had to retreat back to the mall, coming in the way I came out. I made my way back to the mall and reloaded then before finishing that book and throwing it somewhere.

I practiced today mostly with the USPs I have on me (still. Surprised that no one tried to pilfer them from my lifeless body.) True, shotguns do more damage, but pistols are faster to reload and get shots off of. Besides, I seem to be having the most luck looking for pistol ammo, so I may as well utilize it to my advantage.

Today:

  • Shotgun: 1-5
  • Pistol: 8-24

Total:

  • Shotgun: 5-23 - 21.7%
  • Pistol: 44-137 � 32.1%

10th

Spent the day pretty much searching and resting. Lots of guys coming and going, talking about the status of other malls (considering how much stuff one can get in one place, really valuable places) and fighting activity. Someone else talking about how hard it can be to find stuff. Guess I�m just lucky. Third person talked about a couple of murderers on the loose, but didn�t catch the names. In other words, a really quiet day. Just hanging out, trying to relax on my fourth day redeemed.

11th

Found a third USP lying in the store. After some contemplation, I got a good place to put it: on my back. Now I have two pistols on either side of me (think of a stereotypical cowboy with two six-shooters) and a third behind me in case. And lots and lots of ammo. Spent the rest of the night looking for more ammo. Had to get rid of the fuel can because it wasn�t doing me any good at the moment (can�t drink out of it because I think I smell gas in there). Not much else found today. More chatter of zombie movement (not very helpful today) and of �Hey, how ya doing?� It�s about 1:30 now. Once I get some sleep I�ll head out on a another hunt. Zombies are dangerous, but it's nothing like cabin fever.

12th

Hung around a bit longer to try to top off my shotguns (almost did), then moved out once again. I got to the exit point at around 7:30 this morning, where I stopped for an actual breakfast. It�s not that I didn�t anything at all in the past several days, they just don�t really count as meals. I�m always amazed at how it is possible to make instant scrambled eggs.

Lucky for me, there was an unaware zombie right outside when I went out. Yeah, yeah, I had another round of target practice, and did much better that time. I guess my aim is improving. I dispatched the zombie and saw another clearly alive person lurking nearby. I suspect he is one of those zombie spies that have made deals with the devil, for when the zombie died his reaction was one which suggested he wasn�t happy with a dead zombie. That and he looks generally out of place. He had no weapon and was standing outside as if it wasn�t Armageddon. I wandered off though, intending to go back to the entry point and warning those inside.

However, that was not to be. I got to an auto repair shop when an unusually fast zombie pounced on me. Managed to put it down, but it rose back up way faster than I expected and hacked at me again. Managed to get back to the entry point, but didn�t want to expose the corridor, so I quickly glanced at the map and moved east towards an array of hospitals on the eastern side of Kempsterbank. I managed to stumble in when I noticed an unsightly wound on my left arm. Dammit, I�ve been infected by that uber-zombie. And I�m out of first-aid kits. I managed to stumble in and shout �MEDIC!� Thankfully a man calling himself Proteus managed to cure it.

I laid down on the bed for a bit, and tried to rest my eyes, but as I was about to close them, I saw three figures gather in the corner. They were acting strange, like they were plotting. I pretended to go to sleep and realized after a while they were more zombie spies. Don't you accuse me of instigating the Salem Witch Trials or being hysterical. Two of them (they said earlier their names were Late Jim, Bodhi Bloodwave, and Null Anima) don't act like survivors at all. They pretend to be doctors but they don't know what an EKG machine is. The third's case is not so cut-and-dry, but though he claims to be a civilian, he doesn't act like one. I rested for a bit before leaving a huge note (with that can of spray paint) to the others that those three were up to no good before getting out of there. I feared that if I start hollering, they might try to silence me pernamently. I had to bolt in a hurry though with what little energy I had because the damn spray can hissed and I didn't want to attract attention. I got to another hospital nearby and decided to rest there.

I'm beginning to think the mall was a nicer place. At least there were no spies to deal with.

Today:

  • Pistol: 13-25

Total:

  • Shotgun: 5-23, 21.7%
  • Pistol: 57-162, 35.2%

Nov 13th-19th

13th

12:45 AM

Dammit, Late Jim�s here. Is he tracking me? Not taking chances. It seems too dangerous to stay in a hospital, since they are easier for zombies to break into (they are generally barricaded just low enough to allow living people in). I know how to get around obstacles more easily, so any barricade is of little challenge if I get a good starting point (usually another building). I snuck out and traveled a ways before I found a pretty empty but well-defended building to rest up in. Plus, there�s two hospitals nest door, so scrimmaging for first-aid kits (the lack therefore that almost spelled my second doom) will be easier. Well, once I have more energy.

Moved out this evening. Figured with the ammo I have and some luck, I can do another zombie hunt before I have to retreat back to the mall to recuperate. First moved over to St. George�s and spent about an hour or so scrounging together a decent enough first-aid kit. Need the first-aid kit as a safety measure in case I get infected again, and end up in a place where I can�t get help easily. I�ll at least be able to stop the infection, then plan from there.

15th

Sorry. Lost my pen sometime between Sunday and Monday. You didn�t miss much, just me moving back to Pole Mall to restock and reload.

Went outside and did another zombie hunt today. My aim�s pretty rusty, but thankfully the zombie didn�t come close to hitting me. Had to move around a lot though, so I was quite tired by the time I got back here to the mall. Only had enough energy to reload the extra shells I found yesterday and grab a bite to eat before sitting down again. It seems the same, don�t it? Rest, search, rest, go hunt, rest, search, rest. The hunt always seems to make me appreciate it, though. Better than being dead.

Found a new green shirt today, so I threw away my old denim jacket. It was ripped when I got killed the first time and had some blood stains on it. Threw it onto the barricades at the entrance to the mall. I�m sitting down now near it, just looking at how it�s constructed. Knowing how these things stand can be useful if/when I have to barricade buildings outside. Besides, what else am I going to do?

Today:

  • Shotgun: 1-8
  • Pistol: 11-27

Total:

  • Shotgun: 6-31, 19.4%
  • Pistol: 68-189, 36.0%