You Don't Know Me

Blake's Story

It's been years since the apocalypse started.  Years since the dead started to fight back.  I used to keep track of the days as they went by.  But after day 379 I stopped counted.  I only kept track because I thought that one day I'd wake up and things would be just like they used to be.  But I learned that it will never happen.

I still remember when the apocalypse first started.  I remember I didn't go to school that day because I was home sick.  Mom was able to get the day off work so she could stay home and take care of me.  I remember that I took a nap on the couch in the living room and she sat next to me watching the news.  That's when it happened.

She woke me up and told me to get dressed.  I was still half asleep and not really aware about what was going on.  I asked her what was wrong and she told me that we had to leave.  I still remember the panicked expression on her face.  I've never seen her like that.  I got dressed and saw that she had packed a bag with food and a first aid kit.  She told me to get in the car and I did.

When we were in the car she started driving really fast.  I kept asking her what was wrong and she told me.  She told me that the apocalypse has begun.  She told me how the dead aren't staying dead and are eating the living.  She told me that we had to get away.  I remember asking about dad, because he was still at work.  But when she didn't answer and kept looking at the road, I got my answer.

I cried into my hands and she put her hand on my shoulder trying to comfort me as she continued to drive.  I looked up at her and she looked at me and whipped away my tears.  Then she looked into my eyes and told me something that I've never forgotten to this day.  'I don't care what life throws at us.  Whether it's the dead or the living.  But no matter what happens, I will protect you.'

About a month later we found these huge metal walls surrounding a community inside.  Mom got out of the car and told me to wait here.  I did as she told me to and watched as she walked around the wall.  I waited for a few minutes for her to come back, but when she didn't I started to get worried.  I got out of the car and was about to start walking around the wall, until I saw it.

It was a formerly dead corpse.  It slowly started walking towards me.  I wanted to run the other way or call out for help, but I couldn't.  I was frozen with fear.  I didn't know what to do.  It kept getting closer to me and all I did was stand there, watching it get right in front me.

Then it falls to the ground with a hole in its head after I hear a gunshot.  I stand there shaking in fear and turn around to see mom with a gun.  She runs over to me and asks if I'm ok.  I nodded, still not being able to say anything.  She told me to get back in the car and I do.  She gets in as well and starts to drive around the wall until I see these big metal doors.  As we got closer the two metal doors opened and we drove in.

Once we're inside there are all these people and buildings.  Mom looks at me tells me that this can be our new home.  We both get out of the car and we hear a woman scream.  We turn around and see five dead corpses that got in through the walls and one of them was eating the screaming woman.  Mom tells me to stay here and goes over to them.  She shoots three of them in the head with her gun and when she runs out of ammo, she stabs the other two in the head with her knife.  The woman that got bit was screaming and crying, until mom takes the knife and stabs her in the head.

Mom stands up as an old man wearing a suit starts to walk over to her.  His name was Albert and he was the leader.  He tells her that he wants us to stay with them in Limington, which is the name of the community.  He said it was because of how strong she was and how quickly she reacted to the situation and he wants her to teach them.  Mom accepted Albert's offer.

A month after we've arrived in Limington, Albert called mom into his office.  When she went to his office he told her that he wanted her to be the new leader.  He reveled to her that when he was out learning to how to fight, he got bit on his back.  She accepted his offer and he gave her a golden pin with a lion on it.  The pin represents leadership and has been passed down for generations.  Mom asked if he wanted her to put him down, but he told her not to.  Albert wanted to say goodbye to his family first.

That's what happened to me after the apocalypse started.  That's how I've survived this long.  That's how my mother and I made it to Limington.  And that's how my mother became the leader of Limington.  But all that happened a few years ago.  Since then, I've been living in Limington with my mother.  She's been teaching everyone how to fight...except me.  She hasn't even let me go outside the wall since we've came here.  I've begged her to let me go out so I can learn how to fight, but she wont let me.  Sometimes I think of sneaking out on my own and leaving and never coming back.