Infected - An Apocalypse Story

Prologue

Just a short prologue that introduces the characters. No zombies yet!

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He was surrounded. Everybody else – his friends – didn't make it. He lined up the shot. All he had to do was pull the trigger, and that'd be one down for the count.

"Say your prayers, you undead son of a bitch," he uttered under his breath. Earning a strangled groan as his only response, he took the shot... only to be shoved onto his side but an unknown force, the wind knocked out of him.

He missed. The last thing he saw before blacking out was jaws nearing closer and closer.

'You are dead' filled the screen as he turned, fury in his eyes, to his younger sister. "What the hell, Nora?!" he yelled. "You just got me killed!"

"Boo-fucking-hoo," the teenager drawled, rolling her eyes. Hands placed on her hips, tie loose and short, Nora Reynolds was the embodiment of puberty. She wasn't the most popular girl at school, but she knew how to make a name for herself. "Mum wants you for a sec."

Jake groaned, much like a zombie that tore out his character's throat, and rose to his feet. "Well, I have nothing to do now because of you." Nora returned her brother's glare with a grin.

"You're welcome," she said gleefully as she watched the older boy stomp down the stairs before trotting off to her own bedroom.

When he reached the bottom, the first thing that Jake noticed was Jeremy Kyle yelling at yet another person in serious need of a dentist on the television. He honestly found this show hilarious – how hard is it to keep your legs shut? Then he heard his mother calling from the kitchen.

"Hey, Mum," Jake greeted as he entered the kitchen. "What you need?" The woman turned on her heel from the stove. Annalise was an excellent cook, possibly the best in the city. Well, according to Jake, anyway. He'd always loved his mother's cooking, and nothing would ever change that. To him, there's nothing like a mother's home-cooked meal.

Annalise smiled sweetly at her son. "I need you to pick Nora up after school tomorrow, and then visit your father," she told him, turning back to stir the pot.

"What?" Jake asked, dumbfounded. "Why us? Why tomorrow?"

"Because I've been called in at work, and I won't be able to be here."

"But tomorrow's supposed to be your day off." Jake sounded crushed. Annalise couldn't bring it in herself to turn and look at him. "We were supposed to spend the day together, as a family."

"I know, sweetie," Annalise whispered. "You know we're struggling – I need to go into work."

Jake exploded. "No you don't! You just don't wanna see Dad!"

Simon and Annalise had been divorced for two years now. It was hardest on their kids, having caught up in the middle of everything. Jake almost failed his GCSEs due to it, but he managed to pull through and get the grades he needed to enrol in college. Thankfully, they came to an agreement – the children lived with each parent every fortnight. That was until Simon fell critically ill and landed himself a hospital bed.

Cancer's a bitch.

"Jacob Anthony Reynolds, don't say that!" Annalise returned her son's glare. "You know that isn't true."

"Don't bullshit me, Mum." Jake folded his arms across his chest, his narrowed eyes never leaving the woman's. "You haven't visited him in months."

"I've had other things to do!" Annalise countered, stepping closer to her son.

Jake scoffed. "You mean like Neil?"

"You leave him out of this." Annalise clenched her jaw and pointed an accusing finger in Jake's face; the taller boy didn't flinch.

"Guys?" The bickering pair snapped their heads towards the timid voice, coming face-to-face with Nora in the doorway, tears threatening to spill. Before either one of them had a chance to explain themselves, Nora bolted right back up the steps to her bedroom.

"Now see what you've done?" Jake growled, following his sister's footsteps, not once looking back.

Knocking lightly on the door, Jake heard muffled crying on the other side - he hated seeing her like this. "Nora?" he called softly, knocking a little louder. The crying ceased and when he heard the small 'come in', he opened the door and poked his head in. "You okay?"

"Do I look fucking okay?" Nora grumbled, violently wiping away her tears and sitting up on her bed. Noting her strained voice, Jake sprang from the doorframe and sat beside her, arm immediately draping over his sister's shoulder. Nora didn't hesitate to lean into him. "Why do you gotta argue all the time?"

"I'm sorry," was all Jake managed to say, pulling the young girl in closer to the embrace. "I really am, and I promise I won't do it again." He'd say this every time, he knows it, but Nora wasn't going to say anything about it – she just wanted the fighting to stop. Instead, she didn't say anything at all; just stayed in her brother's arms. "How about we watch a movie?" Jake offered.

Nora lifted her head, red, puffy eyes gazing up at him. "Don't you have to get back to your game?"

Jake gave his sister a warm, reassuring smile. "I can kill zombies some other time." Nora couldn't help but crack a small smile at that – Jake would do almost anything for his sister.

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Welp, there's the prologue! I know it's short, and I apologise for that. But things pick up next time! I think... I haven't written it yet. Here's to chapter 1!

Catcha later and have a great day.

Dilly xx