Z-Day Chronicles: Genesis

Chapter 5

As the remaining group watched the cruise liner sail away on the Atlantic, they overheard the Emergency Broadcasting Station on a nearby radio:

"The following message is from the Norfolk Emergency Services Department. The riots are still ongoing. Chesapeake Bay has just finished evacuations. There are no more planned evacuations at this time. Those that are still in Hampton Roads are advised to get to a safe location until further notice. The following message has been from the Norfolk Emergency Management Services Department."

"Dammit!" Dylan shouted. "I knew we should've stayed on that ship!"

"Keep it together, Dylan!" Jake exclaimed. "What we need to do now is find a place to set up shop for tonight. A good place would be somewhere high enough for us to hold our ground without being seen."

"What about the Cape Henry Lighthouse?" Cassandra suggested. "We're not that far from it, and it's high enough to see how bad the riots are."

"Let's go there, then."

With Jake leading the way, the group made their way to the lighthouse, using the buildings and totaled vehicles as cover. They stayed close to the cove, using the sound of the rippling waves to cover the sound of their footsteps. While running by the beach, one rioter snuck up behind them and started attacking Jake, startling the group. Before he could get scratched, Jake reacted quick, pushing the man back and pulling out his knife. The person made a second attempt at Jake. Jake then deflected the man's swings with his knife, swung him around, then started thrusting his knife in the person's back. The man still continued to attack. Jake then pulled out his knife and repeatedly stabbed him.

'Just fall already!' Jake thought.

Realizing there was no use, Jake tackled the man to the ground, and the group started hurrying away from the man and continued onwards.

The lighthouse was in the group's view, but the humanoid figures bunched around close by. The group started to sneak past them when they heard gunshots and screams coming from the bay. Jake peered over the ocean front to see where the noise was coming from. It was the cruise ship that left them behind, now under attack by rioters.

The group just stared in fear as the ship was being overrun. Julio glanced at the ship and saw Selena at the edge of it. She was covered in blood, and her left arm, as well as chunks of her torso, were gone. Before she could jump overboard, five people grabbed her. She started screaming in torment as they sunk their teeth into her skin.

All Julio could do was watch in shock as his girlfriend was being mutilated right before his eyes. As she was slowly dying, she looked ahead and saw him staring at her. Through the pain she went through, she gave him a deep, sympathetic look; the kind of look she would give when she knew Julio was hurting and wanted so badly to comfort him, but wasn't able to. When the rioters pulled her away from the edge of the boat and away from his view, he lost control of himself.

"NO!!!!" Julio screamed as he fell to his knees. His screaming and wailing caused attention, drawing the others that were near the lighthouse towards the group.

"Move, now!!" Jake yelled as he began shooting.

While Jake gave covering fire, Cassandra and Dylan ran to the lighthouse entrance, with Dylan holding on to a now broken Julio, who was struggling to run while hysterically weeping. When Jake realized that the people he shot at weren't hitting the floor, he followed the group into the lighthouse and locked the door with the deadbolt installed on it. Once inside the building, Julio stopped for a moment and rested up against the wall, still moaning in agony.

"We can't stop, bro," Dylan urged as he grabbed Julio. "We gotta keep going!"

"I can't go on anymore!" Julio replied.