How to survive a Zombie Apocalypse ©

«⟨𝟬𝟯⟩»

The central city is saturated with walkers, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to devour any living being that crosses their path. In the distance, a vibrant red all-terrain vehicle stands out, surrounded by barbed wire and reinforced with metal signs.

At first glance, being inside that vehicle might seem exciting for those who ever dreamed of a zombie apocalypse while enjoying video games. Imagining themselves in that situation might make them feel prepared, with clever plans to face such a scenario. However, the reality that Jade experiences is far from that fantasy.

Being seated in that vehicle is a nightmare for her. She fervently wishes to go back to the days when she enjoyed time with her friends during recess, played video games, or simply rested in peace. Her deepest longing would be to share one more night with her family.

Eight years have passed since the beginning of the apocalypse, and so far, Jade hasn't encountered any other survivors. She remains alone in a world populated by walkers, those beings that were once human and now pose a constant threat.

"Greetings from Goyang. It seems I am in the epicenter of what could be the beginning of a zombie outbreak, and I fear being patient zero."

These are the words that echoed over and over through Jade's vehicle radio. For six long years, she persisted in hearing that message over and over, clinging to the hope of finding the person behind those words.

"Hello, my name is Eun-yeong, and I am a student at the Korean Academy of Sciences. As you would agree, Korea has political shortcomings, acknowledged by the majority of residents from both the North and the South.

Throughout our lives, we have witnessed that viruses do not recognize borders, and it is crucial for the world to be aware of my situation.

It is frustrating to have to resort solely to radio communication to alert about this. Government censors prevent me from sharing my story through any conventional media. Therefore, I am risking my safety to make the world aware of the reality of what is happening."

Jade sighed deeply as she settled into her seat, taking out a notebook and a pencil carefully stored in her backpack. The need to capture her thoughts and experiences on paper drove her to always be ready to capture every detail in words. The backpack, her faithful companion in this apocalypse, held not only practical supplies but also the tools to document her journey amidst the chaos.

"I speak now from a strange state of clarity, before facing my imminent fate, I wish to share what afflicts me.

The root of my illness did not originate from food or animal products. Here, some peculiar foods are consumed, yes, but only a minimal, infinitesimal percentage of the population ventures to try them. It can be likened to the scarce number of Peruvians who consume cat meat."

"Poor cats," the teenager whispers to herself as she opens a red notebook.

The notebook, newly acquired as part of her possessions, unfolds before her, its pages waiting to be filled with an account of her experiences over these eight years.

Writing and drawing become her way of processing everything she has lived through. The blank pages fill with the details of her struggle to survive, the people she met and lost, and the places she once called home.