Rotters: 40 years later

Chapter 1. (Hollowed grounds)

I looked down at the gravel road I was walking on, thinking about what life was like before these monsters we called "rotters". It's hard to imagine, all I've ever known was a world full of the dead walking with no motive other than to eat the flesh off of their victims. My father was born into this too, he told me the stories that his dad passed onto him about the times when rotters didn't exist.  He talked about weird things like people selling things like "ice cream" which was supposed to be a fluffy cold delicacy and things like "weddings" which was basically having a "government" get involved with your romantic relationship. It all sounds weird to me, the hell is a government? It all sounded like everyone lived a nice and quiet life, it almost sounded boring. You mean to tell me that if I wanted food made for me then all I had to do was grab this weird ass green paper called "money" and walk to a building and pay them? You mean I didn't have to beg or kill someone for food? Hell he even mentioned gas was purchasable for actual working cars. Hell it's hard to find a working car let alone the gas for it.

I suddenly snapped out of thought when a man and woman caught my eye. A smirk came onto my face as I started to walk towards them. I approached them slowly to see if they were going to attack, which I doubted since they didn't seem like a threat. "C-Can I help you, sir?" The man said to me weakly, it was obvious they just survived a big attack. "Oh boy, it seems like I should be the one offering you help." I said, arrogantly "Right well, unless you're going to help us, leave us alone." The woman said, her arm was on her partner due to what seemed to be a stab wound in her leg and hip. "Why do you have to be anti-social?" I asked sarcastically. I then looked to the man's backpack which looked nice and full. "If you give me that backpack, along with everything in it then I'll let you go on your way." I demanded. The man looked at me with disgust, he acted like he's never been robbed before! "Look, man, we don't want any tr-" "then give me the bag." I interrupted the man. I then pulled out my pistol to show that I was starting to get impatient. "No.." He replied. "You dare refuse to give me your backpack? I have a gun, you idiot." My frustration was starting to get to me. "Please, man, we just w-" He was interrupted due to me shooting the woman in the chest.

He looked at her, shocked at what had just happened. "Y-You just.." "Shot her? Yeah." I replied to finish his sentence "I shot her because you refused to give me your supplies, her blood is on YOUR hands, YOU'RE the reason she died. It all could've been avoided if you obeyed my orders." He looked at me with pure anger. He then reached for his holster but couldn't get his gun in time due to me shooting his kneecap. I walked over, chuckling at his screaming like a sadist. I looked down at him "How does it feel to hopelessly watch the one you love be taken from you when you know you could've stopped it?" I chuckled. "Now not only did I take your supplies but I also took your girlfriend's lif-" I was interrupted with a sharp pain in my leg. I fell to the ground and looked at my leg. Did this bastard actually stab me?! The man then crawled onto me and starting to punch my jaw. I was obviously at a disadvantage since I was 5'9 and the man seemed to be at least 6'. I fought back, trying to push the man off of me, but it was no use. This wrestling match was just a series of punches and elbows. I realized it was no use, if this kept up then the man was going to win. I punched his gut, making him lose his breath, which gave me time to push him off. I crawled away from him and looked up to see that there rotters heading to our direction due to the gunshot being loud. I looked around and saw that my pistol was just a few feet away from me. I crawled towards the pistol but was stopped when the man grabbed my foot. I looked at him, his eyes stared at me with a mixture of anger and determination. I then stomped on his face with my good foot, but it was no use. "Are you stupid?! There's rotters coming for us, you're gonna get us both killed!" I yelled "As long as you die then I'm content with dying too." He replied. "Let me go, you motherf-" I was interrupted by him screaming. The girl I had just killed had turned and was biting into his neck and ripping into his back. His grip had let go and I crawled to the gun. I grabbed the pistol and got up "You know.. I was gonna shoot you but this is much better. It saves me a bullet too." I said as the man cried in agony as he was being ripped apart by the corpse of his lover. I limped off as rotters starting to surround the poor suffering fool. I looked behind myself as I limped off and watched the man's blood spill all over the place.

I looked away and limped along the gravel road for a good hour, trying to go back to my previous thoughts before the couple interrupted me. I then looked into the woods and started to walk into them. I had set up a small yet durable tent once I was content with the spot I had found. "Dear God.. I really botched that one" I said as I kicked off my boots and lied down. I looked at my pistol, the words 'Lance Hollow' engraved on the handle. "I didn't even take the damn backpack.. I could've had good supplies." I sighed. "I guess the only damn good thing I'm good at is losing things that are valuable to me..". I then placed my pistol under my pillow, resting my head on the pillow right after. "Maybe I'll be lucky and have a better day tomorrow.." I said as I rested my eyes, ending the day.