Flesh: Solomon Islands

Island of the Living Dead

The sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. Anna, David, John, Mary, and Peter were sitting on the roof of a building in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. They had been living there for the past six months, ever since the zombie outbreak that had swept across the world. They had managed to survive by scavenging for food and water, barricading themselves in a secure location, and avoiding contact with the undead.

They had seen the news reports before the communication systems went down. The virus that caused the zombie infection had originated in a secret laboratory in China, where it had escaped and infected the nearby population. It had spread quickly through air travel, infecting millions of people in a matter of weeks. The symptoms were fever, headache, nausea, and aggression. The infected would attack and bite anyone they encountered, spreading the virus further. The bitten would die and reanimate as zombies, mindless creatures driven by hunger for human flesh.

The Solomon Islands had been one of the last places to be affected by the outbreak, due to their isolation and low population density. But eventually, the virus had reached their shores, brought by a cargo ship that had docked in Honiara. The crew had been infected and had attacked the port workers, who had then spread the infection to the rest of the city. The government had tried to contain the situation, but it was too late. The city was overrun by zombies, and the survivors had to flee or hide.

Anna, David, John, Mary, and Peter had been friends since childhood. They had grown up together in a small village on the island of Guadalcanal, where they had attended the same school and church. They had moved to Honiara for work and education, but they had always kept in touch. When the outbreak happened, they had found each other and decided to stick together. They had managed to escape the city center and reach the outskirts, where they had found an abandoned building that had a generator, a water tank, and a radio. They had made it their home, hoping that someday they would be rescued.

But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, they had lost hope. They had not heard any sign of life from the radio, except for some static and occasional screams. They had not seen any helicopters or planes in the sky, except for some that had crashed or been shot down. They had not encountered any other survivors, except for some that had turned into zombies or been killed by them. They had realized that they were alone, and that the world had ended.

They had tried to make the best of their situation, but they had grown restless and bored. They had nothing to do, except for reading some old books and magazines, playing some board games and cards, and listening to some music and podcasts. They had nothing to look forward to, except for another day of survival. They had nothing to hope for, except for a miracle.

They had decided to leave Honiara and travel across Guadalcanal, hoping to find a better place to live, or at least some adventure. They had packed their backpacks with some food, water, clothes, and weapons. They had taken a map of the island, a compass, and a flashlight. They had left a note on the door of their building, saying that they had gone to explore the island, and that they would be back soon. They had not expected anyone to read it, but they had felt the need to say goodbye to their home.

They had walked along the road, avoiding the zombies that roamed the streets. They had seen the signs of the apocalypse: burned cars, smashed windows, blood stains, graffiti, and corpses. They had felt a mix of fear, sadness, anger, and curiosity. They had wondered what had happened to the people they had known, and what was happening in the rest of the world.

They had reached the outskirts of the city, where the road turned into a dirt track. They had seen the hills and the forests that surrounded the island. They had smelled the fresh air and the flowers. They had heard the birds and the insects. They had felt a sense of freedom and excitement. They had smiled and laughed, forgetting their troubles for a moment.

They had continued their journey, following the map and the compass. They had planned to visit some places that they had heard of or seen in pictures, such as the Mataniko Falls, the Vilu War Museum, the Bloody Ridge, and the Henderson Field. They had hoped to find some beauty and history in the midst of the chaos and horror. They had also hoped to find some other survivors, or at least some signs of life.

They had not known what awaited them on the island, or if they would ever return to Honiara. They had not known if they would survive or die, or if they would find a new home or a grave. They had not known if they would ever see the end of the zombie outbreak, or if they would ever be rescued. They had not known anything, except that they had each other, and that they had a story to tell.