Getting Settled

Our hero gets settled into his new life... unlife... undeath... er...

We arrived at the subway tunnel, and found it packed with zombies, chattering amongst themselves.

"What are we doing here?"  I asked doc.

"We have to report what happened.  The rednecks."  he said, "So they can scrape up the corpses and do a roll count.  They'll probably distribute supplies early too, since we'll all be there."

"What kind of supplies?" I asked.

"Food, batteries, a few odds and ends,"  Maria said. "Its not like we can get takeout or go grocery shopping."

"So all these zombies are sane?" I asked, looking around at the chattering mob.  They looked just like normal people... aside from the pale skin, exposed bones, and the odd flesh wound.

"Yeah,"  Doc said, dperessedly. "Two thirds of the city was infected, and the 'survivors'' are barely numerous enough to fill a subway station."

"Cheer up Doc,"  Maria said.  "At least we're not the only ones."

The intercom chimed.  "Please back away from the track.  The Infection Management Company Shuttle will be arriving shortly."  The zombies compressed themselves against each other, making way for the train.  A black and yellow train with a bio-hazard symbol pulled into the station.  Its doors opened, and an official looking man in a long black coat and a bowler hat stepped out onto the platform.  Lifting a megaphone, he addressed the crowd.

"Infected, please calm yourselves,"  said long-coat-man. "The vigilantes who have perpetrated the recent attacks have already been apprehended, and will be facing charges."

A half-hearted cheer rose from the crowd, more an acknowledgement than anything else.  Long-coat-man spoke again.

"As usual, everyone should report to the headcount officials before recieving your supply shipment at the inventory car."

Everyone shifted, mechanically facing the direction they would need to go. I followed Maria and Doc in the line for the first car.  A blonde woman in a long black coat (the uniform, apparantly) listened to our report from Lab 13, making notes on a clipboard.  She said she'd add the coordinates to the cleanup crew's to-do list.  Afterward, we marched forward to the second car, the supply car.  Since I was new, I was handed a dead guy's supply order, which consisted of a 20 pack of AAA batteries, 3 pepperoni pizzas, a pallet of instant ramen cups, 4 liters of cherry cola, a bottle of multivitamins, and a black messenger bag with "LUKE" embroidered on the strap in white block letters.  I hope Luke didn't mind that I had his backpack, whoever he was.  I crammed my supplies into the messenger bag and slung it over my shoulder, while Doc and Maria carried thier supplies out with trash bags that one of the IMC guys was passing out.  Everyone was beginning to file up the stairs when Long-coat-man flicked his megaphone back on.

"Before you all leave," Long-coat-man began again. "At this time the IMC requires a favor from one of you."

A hush fell over the crowd.

"We believe that if the general population learns that you all aren't psychotic, flesh hungry beasts, these attacks will cease.  We would like to ask one of you to come with us back to Greenville to appear on a news broadcast and explain your predicament."

The crowd whispered to each other. Maria whispered in my ear: "Did you hear that David?  Soon we won't have to hide anymore!"

I wasn't so sure, but I didn't have time to think about it before Long-coat-man began to speak again.

"We will not force anyone, but we encourage you to volunteer for the good of the cause.  Any volunteers can see me in-"  He was interrupted when someone stepped forward and siezed his megaphone.  It was Tucker!

"I'll do it." he said into the megaphone.  "I'm sick of these trigger-happy murderers raiding OUR city, and killing OUR people.  Its high time we set the record straight!"

The crowd erupted in cheers as Tucker boarded the train with the IMC.  Even I joined in, caught in the moment.  Everything seemed to be turning for the better.

 

Which, naturally, is when everything went straight to hell.

Author's Note

Did I misspell anything?

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