I trudged forward. My combat boots sunk into the mud and the reeds and ferns scratched my arms.
I heard the crunching of footsteps.
I stopped and grabbed the M14 off of my back and crouched under the cover of the swamp reeds.
Three of them sprinted forward, their heavy breathing filled the swampland. My jeans squeezed my legs from my crouching, sweat ran down my face, bringing the dirt from my brow into my eyes.
The infected screamed and sprinted erratically.
That was the deal with the sick, they are always moving.
No life equals unlimited stamina apparently.
The front infected was shirtless, and missing his lips and right hand.
The second was female, she was about fifty or sixty when she died.
The last was in full riot gear and had a backpack on.
Ex-Military… he must have some heavy weaponry and supplies on him… I thought.
I turned the safety off the gun and fired a shot at one of the infected.
The first infected’s head gushed blood and brain matter into the swampy water, and his body fell into the mud.
The other two already were rushing me. The one in riot gear was in front, the woman sprinted not far behind.
I aimed at the man’s head.
click.
S***! Gun jam.
The riot gear zombie tackled me and tried to bite my neck through it’s riot helmet. The faceguard kept the face inches from my flesh.
I kicked at it and screamed for help. The infected screamed and yelled, his arms flailed and struck me.
I drew my sidearm and placed the barrel against the infected’s head. I fired two bullets into It’s skull.
The Zombie sprayed blood from the open wound in it’s head and fell off me.
I noticed the intense pain in my arm.
The female infected was on my arm, her teeth sank into my skin.
I screamed and blew the infected person’s brains out and she slumped and died
I stared in horror at my bleeding arm.
Holy S***… I've been bitten.
I put my hand over my mouth and tears streamed down my face.
I’ve been bit.. I’ve been bit…
I hyperventilated.
There were two choices I could make here.
I could turn… or I could take the easy way out…
I ran out of the cure a while ago.
Yes, the cure.
But it only works once, with each bite it can be applied to delay the effects of a bite.
The infected took over the world long before the cure could be deployed. I was lucky enough to get a vial of it. But I had just ran out.
My arm throbbed, the infection was already spreading.


“Hey, Julia!” I yelled down the stairs.
“What?” She responded.
I stepped into the hallway.
“How do I look?” I said as I straightened my necktie, my six hundred dollar suit was a greyish blue, with a black tie.
“You look good, hon,” Julia said as she put her arms onto my shoulders,”Tonight is going to be amazing.”
“Yeah it is, three years already!”
Crying came from the other room.
Julia sighed, “I just got her to go to sleep, she hasn’t been able to sleep for over five minutes, I’m really worried.”
“It will be fine, Julia. Just focus on tonight. I have a special surprise for you.”
I handed her a small black box. Inside it contained a ring.
She began to open it.
“No!” I said as I closed the box, “Tonight. Tonight you can open it.”
“Okay, it isn’t much of a surprise what it is.”
“Yeah, but it will be more special tonight,” I said.
“Oh, hey. I need to get going, the hospital is going to be expecting me soon, I can’t be late,” I said.
I leaned over and kissed her. Her black hair draped over my chest, and her green eyes stared into mine. It would be the last time I would see them.
“I love you,” saidi Julia.
“I love you too,” I said.
I left my family for the last time.


I walked up the hill. Shirtless, for my shirt bound my bite wound.
She never got to open it, I thought.
My vision was darker, I couldn’t see certain colors or shades.
My breathing was faster and more erratic.
There are survivors over this hill, I remember. I passed them yesterday.
I just need to get past the infected.
I got to the top.
My mouth dropped.
Yesterday the city was clear, today the infected swarmed.
I ran down the hill and through the first window.
I looked around my new surroundings. A Hospital.
I crouched and walked through the corridors, encountering a few dormant Zombies, but managing to sneak past them.
The front door was right around the corner. I had made it to the exit. The survivors were near!
I walked outside the door and turned.
What I saw horrified me.
The sign said, “Survivor’s welcome, those who arrive, survive.”
The hospital was the survivor’s hideout…
They, They are all dead…
and so am I…
You should be!
This new voice surprised me. It wasn’t my own. But it was in my head.
You deserve all of this! This is the human race’s extinction just embrace it!
I argued with the voice.
No! I survived this long! I can’t just give up!
You left her to die!
No I didn’t! I had no idea!
You could have protected her and your child!
NO!
I coughed and convulsed.
It’s the infection! I’m hearing the whispers!
Stop resisting….
Pull yourself together. I need to stay focused.
Don’t fight it…
It’s messing with my head! I still have time!
I coughed and vomited, blood came from my mouth and eyes.
I got up and limped forward.
I need to find the survivors, they have the cure they can save me!
No they can’t. The cure doesn't exist anymore. This is humanity’s extinction event! Your Life is OVER!
The whisper was no longer a whisper anymore. It was screaming at me.
YOU KILLED HER! YOU LEFT HER AND YOUR OWN CHILD ALONE TO DIE! DID YOU DO IT ON PURPOSE?
No. No I didn’t I Loved her.
THE B**** DIED AND SO DID YOUR BASTARD CHILD. YOU DIDN’T LOVE THEM ENOUGH TO SAVE THEM!
Shut up!
I fell against the hospital wall and heaved in each precious breath of air into my lungs.
MURDERER!
No.

FORSAKEN!
I didn’t leave them.
LOVELESS!
I did love them.
NO YOU DIDN’T! WHY DID YOU RUN?
I stopped. I saw her. She was standing in front of me. Julia.
“Julia?” I asked.
She remained silent.
“You aren’t real Julia,” I said, “The infection is trying to confuse me!”
She grabbed my hands and looked me in the eyes. Her green eyes stared and her black hair brushed my shoulders again.
She whispered, “Let it take you…”
The shouting in my voice returned.
THIS WAS NEVER ABOUT THE SURVIVORS!
Bullshit! Its the virus trying to lead me away!
IF YOU WANTED TO SURVIVE WHY DID YOU LEAVE THE HOSPITAL??
I grabbed my skull and dug my nails into my forehead.
What did it say?
I slowly lowered my hands.
I wasn’t in the hospital. I was in the middle of a forest. No one was in sight.
Julia walked up to me and kissed me. She had our baby in her arms. She spoke to me.
“Please. Let it take you. We miss you.”
I responded, “I worked so hard to stay alive. I was hoping I could find you.”
She looked into my soul with her unblinking eyes.
“We are dead. You know we are. You knew we were since the beginning. Join us, please…”
I sat against a tree and stared at her and my child.

The dream… The nightmare…. I need to stop them…
But I can’t. No one can.
Life is the torment of all beings and death is our salvation.
The afterlife is where we can finally be free. We are born so that we can die. And when we die we will be happy, we will be reunited with the ones we love.
Eventually the ones that still live will die and be reunited with us.
I will be happy with Julia. My mother. My father. My brother. I will see them again. Everyone.
We continue to fight it. Because it seems so hideous on the outside.
But the infection is beautiful.
Our extinction is finally upon us, and these are end times.
Resisting only brings pain and suffering.
It’s time to let go.
I will be free Julia….
Julia came and sat by me. She leaned on my chest and wrapped her arms around me. We were together again.
It’s time to let go.


I awoke with a start. I was still leaning against the tree.
The second voice in my head returned once more.
You have seen the beauty of what you’re extinction truly is…
now we must share it with others.
The voice was different. It wasn’t as clear and crisp. It was distorted and evil, almost demonic.
Others must know of this… I must spread the infection.
I stood, my senses were enhanced, I could see everything at once, I could hear everything I could smell everything at once.
I sprinted forward with superhuman speed. Five of my kind joined me as we sprinted towards the survivor camp less than two miles away.
I was so close to the survivors, how pitiful.
I sprung from the underbrush and caught one by surprise.
I jumped on him and bite into his neck, the taste of blood filled my mouth, his screaming sounded like a beautiful music.
The others attacked as well. The survivors were torn apart, separated and hunted.
I continued my assault on my own.
His beard and chest was soaked in blood and his rifle was out of reach.
He pushed against me and tried to escape.
No my friend it is okay….
The pain is temporary, this is a beautiful thing, the blood and tearing muscle is beautiful.
He screamed as I opened his stomach and another zombie joined me and we began biting him over and over.
It is beautiful my child…. Let it take you.
It’s time to let go...