The Somber Ninja Story

I. All At An End

Everyone remembers Z-Day. The virus swept the entire country...no one really knows how it started. All the stories reveal nothing about the outbreak except for how it spread. It’s most likely a secret that died with whoever was responsible. It’s even more likely that that person drew breath once more only to let out a hungry moan.

But this tale is one most unique, this tale is of the exploits of a young man by the name of Benjamin while the virus devastated the city of Grants Pass, Oregon. A young man tormented by his past and driven by a bloodthirst developed by his life-long inner crisis. A young man torn apart, not by the perils of survival in the face of a merciless, rotting, monstrous horde, but by the impossible odds in which he alone must face in order to save those he loves.

This is the Somber Ninja Story.

Part One: All At An End

"Simone..." I droned over the phone to her, “Am I dreaming?"

"No, Benjamin...you are not." She said back to me. "This is actually happening...this is..."

"Then you know what it’s time for us to do. What it’s time for me to do..."

"Yes, I know. But...this way, we'll never be able to do it together."

"Nonsense..."

"No, Benjamin, you fool...” she said sternly yet, calmly, “between us is two-thousand miles of Hell on Earth...that’s TOO much, even for you. You must NOT try to get to me...I can take care of myself and everyone else here. You have to protect those you love there...in Oregon. Dunlap will be fine...well, no it won’t', but it'll take them awhile to get here and by that time, we'll be ready."

"But, I love you..." I said, weakly.

"I love you too, so much...but you can't help me. You can't save me this time..."

I sighed, for this, I knew. I'd figured it out in less than a minute after what the television had revealed to me had registered in my brain...but that wouldn't stop me from trying, goddamn it...but it hurt to hear. Even though she was no longer mine to protect...I still had to get to her. But man...they were actually here, and the idea of peaceful life is now probably nothing more than a quickly fading memory.

Zombies. The walking dead...undead corpses, mutilated in body and mind by a terrible virus that took away everything from them except the need to feed. Fucking zombies...out of all the monsters we'd come up with to entertain ourselves, I always thought zombies would be the most fun to try to survive against. I always knew that if...IF it ever happened, they would turn me into a bloodthirsty monster. Now they were here...now my "legacy" would begin. Ha! What a horribly arrogant thought...

We received a telephone call at home from my grandparents, telling us to look at the news and that something terrible had happened. Fifteen minutes later, we knew that they'd already taken most of the Eastern states, including Chattanooga, Tennessee. They were also migrating very quickly west. Damn, Chattanooga...SO close to Simone...as soon as they make it through the mountains...not to mention the thousands that will end up migrating North from Atlanta. Oh god, Dunlap is finished...

As for Oregon, Portland and Eugene were already lost to the undead. From the South, they had already begun their assault on Medford, so it wouldn't be long before they made it North to Grants Pass. Enough time to ensure my family's safety here at home, for sure...then I can get into town and see what I can do for my friends. Then, I make my way east...

With Greypa's help, we were able to build a small stronghold that would last against a pretty large group. My family never carried many weapons, so we put most of our efforts into our badass walls.