Dead Zone: NYC

Prologue

I arose from my bed to shut my alarm off. It was 6:30 in the morning, in the middle of a record breaking, deathly winter. and I was getting ready for what was to become my last day of school. I am a freshman at my school, that's name can not be mentioned due to confidential reasons, since the plague came.

I'm a, "country boy," according to my family, but I have a personality that goes beyond one category. I'm one of those people who don't have a group; cant be placed stereotypically. Spontaneous, I might add. I may have a friendly disposition, but that was about to change.

"Hey John. Gotta wake up! Your gonna make us miss the bus!" I yelled through the hallway. We live the suburbs of New York, in an average sized home, surprisingly even after mom and dad's divorce. Me, my brother John, and my sister Rachel all live with our mom, but every other week, we stay with our dad every other week. John and I are often thought of as twins, but we aren't. John is 15, I am 14, and Rachel is 9.

John woke up finally, and the race to the bus stop awaited. Sliding on the ice, we began racing around the block, we made it right as the bus neared the stop. We didn't say a word to any of the other kids at the stop. I trembled to my seat as the bus pulled away, number 13. In my seat awaited my best friend Rose.

"I heard something last night that your gonna wanna know Michael!" she exclaimed.

"Hit me with your best shot sis!" I answered.

"Apparently, the zombie apocalypse has began in the Middle East. Reports are coming in of soldiers being attacked by, "savages," that tear their flesh off. And apparently after the attacked soldier died, he viciously, "awoke from death," and attacked another soldier, taking several bullets, until he got shot in the head. Michael, it's coming true!"

"Dang, if I'd had my iPod last night, I could have checked my email, but I left it at Dad's," I said as the bus pulled up to the school. "Come on, we are in the computer lab first period. Maybe I can check my email.

We exited the school bus, as I was rushed inside the school, with no clue as to why. I immediately went for Rose's locker. Just as I arrived, Connor, her, "gangster" boyfriend, happened to meet me there. He was in a gang called the 3rd Street Saints, ad it just so happens that he wasn't to fond of me.

"Rose is downstairs. I got rushed up here by the crowd," I said.

"I know you know I'm not fond of you, but could you do me a huge favor?" he asked.

"Depends. Ask away," I replied, enthusiastically.

"I need you to protect Rose."

"What do you mean?" I asked. Rose emerged from the stair well. Connor pulls me to the side.

"The infection has reach Florida. If it makes it's way here, I wont be seen again. I gotta stay with the gang. You know what I mean. I won't be able to protect her. Just please?"

"You know I would put my life before hers. I got her covered. Come on. Let's go talk to her." As we approach her locker, she closes it.

"You to being friends?" she asked sarcastically. "I gotta get to Algebra. I love you!" she said as she hugged him. As we walked away, I looked back to see Connor wink in our direction. I replied with a thumbs up.

Rose and I approached our first period. Upon placing my hand on the door handle, my name gets called over the intercom.

"Rose. Come with me. Please?" I asked.

"Anything to get me out of Algebra!" she exclaimed as we put our stuff on our desks. "Why would you get called to the office anyway?" she asked.

"I got a pretty good idea."