Survival of the Fittest. Short Story.

[zane]

I recently had to write a story for my English Honors 1 class. So, here it is. Fully edited and written.

[zane]

January 4th, 2013.
2 Weeks after First Infection.

The Mayans were right.

The voice said. It was gruff, but young. It belonged to someone who couldn't have been older then 15. As the statement is said, the view reveals smoke coming from a flaming city. In the sky, a jet soars through the billowing smog. The sonic boom alerts a howl from what sounds like an animal. The view pans down to show people. They're decomposed, and appear animalistic. They are Infected. Cut to black.

The mayans were right.......That's really all I can say.

The view fades into a cave. Fire illuminates the walls. The view enters the cave revealing a group of teenagers, dressed in torn clothing and eating a cooked deer carcass. On the ground near them is a pile of assorted firearms. Fade to black.

Nightfall

One of the boys in the group sits outside the cave, holding a tape recorder. He speaks into it.

Log Entry #73. 2 weeks after 12/21. Our food is scarce, and ammo is low. If we're going to survive at all, we need to get to D.C. Otherwise, we're gonna have to eat each other.

The boy chuckles, then continues.

I will say this. All of those crazy people. Screaming that the end was near and that we needed to repent.

He chuckles again

They didn't know the half of what they were ranting.

He shuts off the recorder, and stares at the sky. The sun begins to rise, causing the stars to slowly disappear. As it happens. He sings a song. A sad, lonely song.

This is the way the world ends, world ends, world ends. This is the way the world ends, with a bite and not a bang.

Fade to black

End of Act 1.

[cradleman]

cool. any more acts coming?

[zane]

Yeah. I just gotta find that paper and I'll be able to put the second act up after I do my homework.

[Bruce Wayne]

Very good! You're a great writer, Id like to hear more ASAP!

[zane]

Act 2.....

Daybreak

As the sun looms overhead, the group begins to stir from their sleep and finally awaken. As they walk into the sunlight, their features are illuminated and shown. The first to exit the cave is the boy from the prior night. He was adorned in a black jacket with a red shirt underneath it and dark jeans along with a headband on his forehead, all covered in blood. The next to exit was a girl with dark brown hair that seemed to be cut hastily. She wore torn jeans and a red jacket which covered the shirt she was wearing; again all were covered in blood. The next one to leave was a strong boy, with a short cut hairstyle and dressed in sweats. Finally, a very young boy, around the age of 10, left the cave. He had short black hair and wore a blue shirt with jeans. The boy in the headband spoke.

Let’s go. We’re wasting light by sitting out here.

Cool your jets. I’ll go when I’m ready!

At that moment, the wind seemed to pick up. It blew past them into the forest, carrying their scent.

Oh no.

A moan came from the forest. It was a horrible scream that was stuck between human and animal. Immediately afterward, a large group of Infected emerged from the forest. The teenagers grabbed their weapons and prepared for a fight.

Late Afternoon, Washington D.C

The teens stood atop a nearby clifftop. As they began climbing down, their goal was in sight; the capitol city. With no weapons and no ammunition, they were defenseless to another attack. As they climbed down the girl tripped over what seemed to be a rock. The boy in the headband caught her before she fell. As they looked back they saw it was not a rock, but a decomposing hand. They continued to walk away, slightly disturbed.

Inside the city, the teens were greeted with silence and Infected. They snuck into a grocery store and barricaded the front door, before trying to figure out a plan of action. They had decided to try to sneak around the hordes of Infected to reach the safe zone on the other side of the city. Knowing the risks, they grabbed whatever blunt, sharp, or thick objects they could find and began to set out. However, in their attempts of subtlety, they had not barricaded the back door; a lone Infected had wandered inside, and let out a moan. The teens ran as fast as they could. But it was too late. They were greeted by a large horde of Infected. As they attempted to fight their way out, more and more Infected came. Thankfully, they had managed to fight them off long enough to reach the fence of the safe-zone. Only then, they stopped and tried to bang on the fence to get the attention of the Military guards. As they were hitting the fence, the young boy began to cough. He coughed no ordinary cough; it was rough, and sickening. When he had finished, he looked at his hands and saw blood had come from his mouth. He looked at his arm, and saw a bite wound. At that moment, his eyes became pale white, as did his skin. His teeth became sharp, and vicious. He had been bitten, and now he had turned. He attacked his former comrades, who could not fight back. Only the boy with the headband escaped. He ran, and ran. He ran until he finally came across a hotel and took the elevator to the roof. After about an hour waiting, a chopper landed on the roof and took him up. Finally safe, he relaxed inside the helicopter. Then he remembered his friends.

Did you….Did you guys rescue my friends too?

Friends? What’s he talking about?

The soldier turned to look at the boy.

We were watching you since you came into the city. You were alone this whole time.

The realization shocked the boy. His friends, the people he had traveled with for weeks, had not existed. Everything that happened to them had really happened to him. He ran his hands through his medium-length hair, and found it had been cut just as hastily as the girls; as if to escape the grasp of something. He looked at his arm and found that it too was muscular like his comrade’s. Then, he realized the grimmest thing of all. He looked at his other arm, and saw a bite wound. At that moment, his eyes became pale white, as did his skin. His teeth became sharp, and vicious. He had been bitten, and now he had turned.


Thank you for reading.

[Bruce Wayne]

No offense, again No offense, but that story had ALOT of potential. Although it did leave you thinking, I think the last post coulda been better. NO OFFENSE, I think it was good! Good luck with Future writings.

[zane]

I wanted it to end more mysteriously. What's wrong with it? I'm always up for criticism.

[Bruce Wayne]

Well like you descirbed the characters, but then knocked them off. And when you described the struggle (( i.e. the groccery & hotel)) you flew by with them. No deatils. For example maybe: "Bodies and blood filled the long hallway as the boy ran down with his breath struggling" just needed more details. And the plot coulda gone so much LONGER! It ended in 3 acts? I was expecting at least 20 or so. And I understand with them mystery but It wouldnt be a mytery. The guy bites 1 soldier and the rest flyh off... I dont.

[zane]

I'll go in order for effect.

1.) I knocked off the characters by intention.
2.) The assignment was about visualization. I had to leave a lot of it for the reader.
3.) It had to be under 2 pages. I barely fit it in.
4.) The end is ambiguous. You fill in the rest.

[spideyfan914]

I disagree with Bruce, actually. I thought it was short, but to-the-point. The lack of detail made it more mysterious, kind of like an urban myth. Besides, it's scarier to not know the specifics.

[Bruce Wayne]

I guess I just like a different thing. And for my short story it was like... oh 21 pages but if thats what you were going for, Great Job

[spideyfan914]

21 pages = a LONG short story. Most are about 4-6 pages, though I've seen short stories of all sorts of lengths.... I'll typically anything 30+ a novella.

[cradleman]

I really liked it. it could be a bit better with more length, but still really liked it. and yeah, the ending was awesome.

[spideyfan914]

I think, if anything, you could've ended it with seeing the bite. That speaks for itself....

[Bruce Wayne]

I thought maybe a dream ending. Like: after the bite. The boy wakes up to a cold sweat. "Just a dream" then a zombie is infront of him... mysterious enough 4 u?