The Infected [KageHina Zombie AU]

Chapter 1 - Just Me and My Dog

I don't know how to start this. To be honest it's hard to find words to describe whats happening here. I guess I'll start at the beginning. It started two years ago, an "accidental" nuclear outbreak at the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant caused a type of physical and mental mutation that spread across the country within a few months. We called it "the outbreak." It caused mass hysteria and was like something you would have seen out of a zombie movie. They're like, dead...but alive. You know? The entire population of Japan were sittings ducks as all means of transportation in and out of Japan was cut off by other countries to try and contain the spread. But people found their way out, and soon the virus was spreading from country to country like the plague. Time passed and from what I know 88% of the world population are "dead."
Before this all started I was happy, living in the outskirts of Tokyo on a small family farm with my mother, father and new family member, Atlas (a puppy I was gifted for my 13th birthday.) I enjoyed my childhood. My mother and father treated me well but I was homeschooled so I never had many friends. That's why I'm such a loner today.
Then without any warning, it all started. I was awoken but sirens in the early hours of a Monday morning, my belly still full from the Dinner I had the night before (Little did I know that would be my last ever Sunday dinner.) My mother burst into my room, slamming the door so hard that it left a dent in the drywall. She was frantic, barley able to breathe. Her face was damp with tears and I could see her physically shaking.
"Tobio, baby get up. We have to leave. Get as much as you can and let's go!"
"Mom what's happening!" I cried, her panic transferring to me. She never gave me an answer.

Everything happened so quick that it's hard to remember. I grabbed a bag and packed the essentials, socks, underwear and a few changes of clothes. Little did I know that was the bare minimum I would need. My mother had me by my wrist, her painted nails digging into me, drawing blood. My father already talking to the driver of a small white truck that was pulled in across the road from our home. It was far, but I could hear gunshots and screams in the distance. The windows were tinted so dark I couldn't see inside, suddenly another man came from the other side of the van and opened the back doors for us, my mother dragged me inside and I was surprised to see about a dozen other strangers crammed inside with us. We squeezed our way into the far corner and my mother sat me between her legs. My father following not long after. He didn't say much during the entire ordeal. I remember driving for a really long time, my parents still refused to tell me what was happening, and every time I asked I could see everyone's faces scrunch up. I had Atlas on my knees, his whimpering echoing throughout the silent van. I'm pretty sure he had already peed on my a couple times, but I was so cold I couldn't tell. Just as the silence was beginning to feel normal, the truck came to a sharp stop, people fell on top of us from the force and children began crying. There was more silence for a moment, then we heard the drivers in the front.

"Turn! Go back! Fucking go back!"

The truck started reversing rapidly and we must have hit something because the entire vehicle toppled over onto it's right side. The smash of the windscreen has the drivers screaming. Groans and heavy footsteps made me shudder. Sounds I couldn't even begin to possibly describe mixed with pained screams send everyone into panic mode. Many people were crying at this point, I think they all knew something I didn't.  Everyone began kicking the doors, looking for an escape. It took a group of men had to pound it open and everyone ran. Before we left the van my mother grabbed me by my shoulders, came down to my level and looked me in the eyes.
"Tobio, whatever you do. Do not open your eyes." She cried.
"Why Mom? Please tell me what's happening!" I yelled, tears to forming in my eyes.
"Just close them!" She screamed, Atlas barking in my arms. I think the shock of my mother screaming put me into some sort of trance. I closed my eyes and felt my fathers strong arms lifting me. He held me close to his chest. We left the truck, I felt the cold night air hitting off my warm cheeks. I could hear my father's heaving breathing as he ran, I knew this was hard on his chest. I knew we weren't the only ones running as I could hear multiple other footsteps running beside us. People mumbling things. I wanted to open my eyes. I wanted to know what this disgusting smell was. I wanted to know what all of these people were so afraid of. But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

That night we slept in an abandoned barn. It was cold and damp and extremely uncomfortable. The sound of the wind going in and out of the cracks in the wood prevented me from getting any sleep. I tossed and turned on top of the haystack until my body physically gave up being tired. Atlas began barking. He wanted to go to the bathroom maybe? I climbed down the ladder and opened the barn door. Within an instant he bolted out of my sight. I panicked, looking back at my parents asleep not too far from the door.

"I'm sure they won't mind."

I ran out after him, the door swinging behind me. Running in and out of the trees I could see his tiny body scooting through bushes. He was small but fast, it felt like I had ran a marathon by the time I caught up to him. I jumped over a fallen log and grabbed a hold of him. Holding onto him tight to make sure he didn't escape again. After taking a moment to slow my heart rate, I looked around me. The sun was just beginning to rise through the cracks In the trees. I looked around me and looked for any signs of the disaster which was last night. There was nothing. Just the sewing of the trees and the breeze blowing through the leaves. I decided to head back to the barn, knowing that if my parents woke up and found me missing I would be in big trouble. They'd probably take my Nintendo off me or something.

With Atlas in my arms I walked casually back to the barn doors still wide open and I went in, expecting to see my parents awake. I wanted my mother to turn around and grab my, scream at me for running off. I wanted my dad to tell me how irresponsible I was. I wanted them to hate me for what I did. That would have been better than the reality. But what I saw was an image i'll never forget. Two bodies, completely ripped to shreds, blood still leaking, a small stream ran over my bare feet. I couldn't even make out who was who the bodies were that messy.
I dropped to the ground, the shock of what I saw overwhelming me. No tears, no crying. Just shock. Atlas went crazy, his barking shook the barn. I couldn't get him to stop. His roars turned the quiet whimpers and I heard the uneven footsteps of something creeping up behind me. I quickly turn around and see a person. Or that's what I thought it was at first. But this was no human. The skin on it's face was hanging by a thread and it's clothes covered in blood and completely torn. Their skin was faded and their eyes glossed over with white. It had a missing arm and a huge chunk taken from it's neck. It looked dead...but yet alive. It lunged at me, but missed me by a hair toppling over onto the blood soaked hay. I stood up without looking back and ran. I had no destination and no where to go. I just kept running until my wound covered feet couldn't take me any further. Still shock ridden, I screamed into my sleeve. My entire body shook with fear and the realisation set in. I was officially fucked.
I don't know what it was or how it happened but very quickly my survival skills set in. I made a makeshift spear, and ate anything I could. This was going to be my life for the next two years. All I had left Atlas. Just the two of us. Living life without anyone by our sides. Every day was the same. Wake up at dawn, look for food, kill the dead, eat, kill more dead and sleep at dusk wherever looks safe and hope that I'll wake up in the morning. I'm now 18, today is my birthday
I blame myself for the death of my parents. I remind myself every day.

My name is Kageyama Tobio.