The Snipers of the Apocalypse

Full Metal Zombie Part 1

Not a word was said about what happened a week ago between 10k and I. At least, not between 10k and I. Doc came up to me a few days later during a pit stop we made for supplies, asking if I was okay and what happened that night. The conversation went something like this;

"Hey kiddo, you alright?"

"Yeah, why? Do I not look okay?"

"You look about as good as I'd expect from anyone these days. But it's not about that, I saw everything the other night. It made me worried; I've never seen you like that before."

"I'm fine. You didn't have to send 10k over either."

"You knew?"

"He told me."

"Well, I figured talking to someone your age would help."

"Yeah, that's the only reason you sent him over."

"Alright, you caught me. I know about your crush and I think-" I cut him off.

"I don't like him like that, Doc."

"Sure, (Y/N)."

The conversation ended there. Doc and Addy are the only two people in this entire apocalypse that know my real name, and I've learned they only use it when I've either really bothered them, knew I was lying about something, or when they're worried about me; and Doc didn't seem worried.

Hearing the way he said my name reminded me of my father, causing a twinge in my heart and my voice to catch in my throat. Nothing else was said on the subject- not then or since.

Moving forward to today, we've made it to Amish Country, Pennsylvania; at least I think that's where we are. We're pulled over on a very desolate road so everybody can take turns using the bathroom in the large field to our right as Mack and Garnett fix up the truck- Warren did a number on it plowing through some Z's a few miles back.

Speaking of Amish zombies, 10k and I were using our slingshots from the bed of the truck to kill a few stragglers in the field opposite of where everyone was peeing. I decided it would be fun to make a game out of it, so every time 10k killed one and mumbled his number to himself, I would try to kill one father away and count down from his number.

Okay, maybe it was more of a game for me than him- but he didn't seem to mind so I kept going. Addy was watching us for a while before she decided to look around.

"Amish zombies? Really? Really." She scoffed as she leaned on the side of the truck next to where Doc was sitting in the bed with 10k and I.

"They tried to quarantine themselves from the rest of society." Garnett informed us, wiping his hands on a rag. "Keep the Z's from spreading the infection."

Mack closed the hood of the truck and wiped his hands on his jeans before joining the rest of us around the back. "That's before we knew we all had it, right? That we're all carrying the virus- no matter who you are or how you died?"

"Night of the Living Dead." Addy muttered, taking in her surroundings. I nodded and spoke, guessing where she was going with this.

"Great movie, sucky reality." I commented, lowering my slingshot upon seeing no zombies in need of mercy. Everybody nodded in agreement to my observation. Addy seemed lost in thought before speaking again.

"You know what I don't get?" She wondered aloud, looking at everyone. "If the Z's didn't give us the virus, how did we all get infected?" I stared at her before looking off into the distance. I'd never thought of that before.

"Best guess I heard?" Garnett spoke, ready to offer his knowledge. "It was spread by birds. Some kind of parasite piggybacked on the Bird Flu- stays dormant till you die." He enlightened us with a matter-of-fact look on his face. I nodded slowly, that's more believable than God attempting to eradicate humanity like some hardcore Christians believed.