Cosmos II The Walking Dead

𝙸. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝙱𝚎 // 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Earth

The Wildfire virus becomes a global pandemic, and the entirety of the human race is infected. Recently-deceased people who do not die from extreme head trauma begin to reanimate and devour the living.

Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Los Angeles, California
7:26 a.m.

The World Health Organization publishes an "International Disaster Emergency Response" memorandum, instructing public health officials on how to dispose of the remains of infected individuals. Advice includes the disregard of DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) patients and the removal of patients to a morgue if efforts to restore life are unsuccessful within 60 seconds. If signs of life resume thereafter, the remains are to be regarded as a biological hazard.

_______________

Mary's hands trembled slightly as she carried one of the bags to the car, her arms straining under the weight.

She had to stop, dropping the bag to the ground in annoyance before trying to catch her breath. She looked up at the sky, closing her eyes and basking in the sun, enjoying the summer breeze as it was the only thing keeping her from complaining every five seconds about the heat.

She sighed, lifting the heavy duffel bag once more. Her shoulder ached in protest against the strain being placed upon it.

Mary shot her older brother, Anthony a tired look as he walked over to help her, his amusement already obvious before he was even in reach of the bag.

"C'mon Mary let me help you before you throw your back out." He laughed loudly wearing a stupid smirk proud of his teasing.

Equally annoyed and grateful for his help as her shoulder was beginning to bug her after loading up the car for the last half hour, she sent him a quick smile.

Helen had a sister that lived up in Atlanta, the place where she was born and raised. She had talked about it so much throughout the years and decided it was finally time to make a road trip home.

The furthest they had been from Los Angeles was San Francisco, where the older siblings attended college. Mary was supposed to join them; it had been the plan for years. However, after the incident, Mary stayed local.

She left her parents and officially moved in with Helen and Richard right after her high school graduation. She applied to LATTC and got her degree in professional baking two years later. Of course this was heavily questioned by her siblings, they thought it would be better for her to get a degree in something else.

They didn't have high standards, as long as Mary was happy and she would have a secure future. That's what mattered to them the most, which is why Sylvia was an ER nurse now, and Anthony had been a history teacher for years now and recently landed an assistant professor job at a nearby college he was excited for.

Mary argued that this was exactly what she wanted, and they left it at that. She continued to study botany on her own time, her abuela leaving behind a mark on Mary and her love for plants.

Mary became more confident and grateful in her choice after Richard got sick. Helen delt with the business side of Angels Bakery unable to bake to save her life.

Richard wrote down every recipe he knew, his secret tips and family recipes that he always swore he would pass on to his children. He gifted Mary the recipe book at her college graduation, it was something she cherished dearly.