Don't Dream It's Over // Glenn Rhee

Prologue

October 31, 2011...5AM

The TV echoed through the apartment. The smell of the coffee machine brewing fills the air, pulling me awake. I push the covers off of my body, leaning over the bed and mentally preparing myself for the day. Another day, another dollar, right? Being a police officer, anything can happen. 

I step out of the bedroom in full gear. My badge and belt equipped with everything I need sat on the counter. I grab a cup, pour the steaming hot coffee and mix it in with cream and sugar. I glance over at the TV, seeing some news about a virus outbreak that started off in France was growing worse and worse. It was about a week ago did we start seeing things on the news about people getting sick, dying and coming back to life as literal zombies. Everyone seems to be calling it a hoax, the government trying to spread some fear in everyone. 

I remember a few weeks back, down in King County, an officer was shot during a police chase. There was another suspect in the vehicle that nobody was aware of and he was shot. He's now in a coma. As part of a police department, we all had signed our names on a card that Chief wanted to send to the fallen deputy and his family. All are praying he pulls through and makes it out alive.

I finally wake up Jack, my sixteen year old brother and have him get ready for school. I am the youngest one on the police force. Living with my sixteen year old brother. We had moved away from our parents who could even give two shits about us. It was the best decision either of us had ever made.

12PM

My partner and I, Kevin, stood around the streets, patrolling downtown Atlanta to make sure nothing was going out of hand, solving some issues, etc. The city is decorated with Halloween decorations. Everyone's preparing for the best night of the year. Kids dressing up for Halloween, knocking door to door for some candy, showing off their costumes. Everyone is excited. Even myself. Halloween was always and always will be my favorite holiday.

3PM

Tires screeched across the pavement. Screams filled the city. Endless spots of blood covered the streets. Body parts scattered about. Dead people attacking the living, chewing on their bodies and eating them alive. News broadcasts are quickly spreading the word, urging everyone to remain in their homes, remain quiet, keep the lights out and wait for further instructions on rescue teams. It wasn't long til the entire communication system had gone out and we were all left in the dark.

9PM

Being a police officer, it was frowned upon to even allow people to loot businesses for survival. But everyone knew this wasn't some state of emergency. This was all over-global. Nobody knew what to do, where to go. All we knew was gather as much as supplies as we could and get the hell out of the city. 

Jack and I held tight of our belongings are we ran through the streets, avoiding anything and everything as much as we could to get further away from the city. I knew getting out on foot would be tricky. Taking someone's car was going to be our best shot. 

"Here. Here." I point to the nearest car. I quickly have Jack toss everything in the car as I rush over to the drivers side, pulling down the plastic piece and cutting the wires to hotwire them again and hopes of getting the engine started for us.

"Kira! Kira! Get off me! Get off! Kira!" I shot up from under the dashboard and see two men holding tight of Jack, pulling him towards a van pulled up beside us. Without thinking, I quickly bring my gun up, aiming at the two men and threatening them to release Jack or else. Instead of doing what I wanted, they continued to haul him into the van. I quickly fired a shot at one of the men and he drops down to the ground. The tires screech and they begin taking off. I quickly get back to the car and finally get the engine started. I put the car in gear and immediately follow after them. 

The chase led me out of the city. While I was thankful to get out of the city, I wasn't happy with the how we ended up getting out of the city. But I knew the only way to get Jack out of this situation was to ram my car into the van and make them come to a stop. Three times did it take for me to ram the van, and while it worked for the most part, it seemed to backfire on me. The front of the car hooks onto the back of the van, causing me to spin out and flip my car. Once everything stops spinning and flipping, I open my eyes and see the van speeding off. I feel myself begin to grow too weak and I can no longer keep my eyes open. I knew if I stayed here, I'd be in worse trouble, maybe even dead and I won't be able to help Jack. 

With no luck of getting the strength, everything soon goes dark and I pass out. 

Now

Birds chirping filled my ears. The cool breeze from the autumn weather causes the trees to sway back and forth. I remained lying on my back, thinking back to everything that lead me to this very moment. From waking up for work as I would any other day. To hearing the screams of straight panic from everyone around me. Seeing the puddles of blood. Limbs torn off from bodies. Firing a gunshot at a man who took my brother. Crashing my car and passing out. I couldn't remember much from that point on. I don't even know how long I was out for. All I know is it's bright outside. Everything's quiet. There's no screams. No gunshots ringing out. No tires screeching to get away as fast as they could. I don't know how long I was out for. But I know it must've been over night as I last remember it was 9PM when I last checked my watch. For all I know, time doesn't exist anymore and life as we know it was forever done for.