The Outbreak of RDS37

Introduction To The Past

I was a normal person before the chaos ensued throughout the world. The day that changed everything for this small agricultural town, that once was a population of 7,000 people. Normal every day, living and breathing, people. Not the soulless malingering bodies full of darkness and hatred, trying to devour every oz of living flesh. No one knows how many residents are still alive now. Countless people, mothers, daughters, sons, and fathers have lost their lives to this newly found insanity. When "it" all started on Earth everyone panicked. On October 6th, 2231 when a sudden EMP blast surrounded over half the world and started to spread a never-before-seen disease known as Rotten Depression Syndrome, but to us it was called RDS for short. It causes a syndrome takes away your emotions. All of your love and compassion are stripped away and this disease replaces it with hunger, sadness, and despair, "Philly!! Get up! Wake up!"

"What do you want!" I groan back. A peach skinned, tall, slim brunette, stubborn as all hell. She is also known as my older sister, came walking up the stairs. She bursts into my room out of breath, sweat coming down her forehead. She is thinks she's all that because her boyfriend is in charge of the settlement. Our settlement wasn't much, it once belonged to a wealthy family and was their estate. A beautiful rounded stone castle with nothing but the waving hilltops to rival its height which used to shine with pride.

"I want you to get your daily chores done." She said, tapping her foot against the hardwood floor getting impatient.

"I did them yesterday though, go away Amber." I said groggily. Turning over on my side, taking my quilt and covering my body while I face the wall.

"Ok, that's it." Amber mumbles, she stomps on  over to my side of the room and pulls the sheets. Even though they are just a couple of blankets sewn together, I instantly felt the fall chill when they come off from my bed.

"I give up, okay? I'm getting up." As I get my raggedy, torn, and ripped up cloths on and start to head downstairs. That was when the sent it hit me, the smell of freshly cook breakfast especially the bacon, it made my mouth start to water. I love the smell of freshly cooked food now even more than I use to, before the outbreak.

"What's cooking good-lookin? ha ha get it food pun, .... Nothing?" I said trying to lighten up the mood.

"When will you grow up Philly? What will it take?" My sister said with a smirk, and twirling her hair probably thinking, like she doesn't actually care. I have a hot date tonight so as long as she can keep me out of her hair, life would be easier for her. You can tell when she is thinking highly of herself, she has that look, a glow, of unexpected flattery. But anyways, I am so excited because today is my first supply run! Since I became a "Runner." Which is a great honor for me, because I admire all runners. Always for their contributions to the compound. Now I'm one of them, I thought. I am also getting caught up in appearances. Now I am a runner, a scout, for the compound. I consider myself an explorer, looking for things lost from the old world. Checking for survivors of the aftermath, documenting every exploration along the way. I chose to become a runner because I lost my parents to this disease that so suddenly shaped my life. I refuse to allow anyone else I love or care about to needlessly get hurt. So I risk my life instead of theirs, because I don't know what I would do without the home my sister is building and struggling to keep together. I would do anything to defend it, even at the cost of my life.
"Philllllyyyyyyyy"
"Comingggggg" I yelled back, as I slap my face with both my hands to slap my way back into reality, focus you got this. Your first day begins now!