Chapter 2

Chapter 2
January 1st, 2013

     We spent the rest of the night sleeping. She woke me up and even made me breakfast. It was sausage and eggs, she said it was a apology for sleeping through last night.
      We watched a movie or two. One of them was a old cartoon with a blue alien and a little Hawaiian girl. The second was a old zombie movie. It was about a old house that a small group of people took refuge in. They were there for as long as they could, ultimately being killed off one by one. Tabitha was hiding her face at one point, when this little girl bit the woman.
     I looked at the clock at the end of the second movie and saw it was 1 p.m. I fixed us both a sandwich and she was eating it slowly. I decided that we needed a palate cleanser after that last movie, so I got out a movie I picked up from the movie store I was to return the next day.
     She enjoyed the movie and laughed the whole way through. At the end, she was in a very good mood, so she got on the game system to play this game that her and her best friend, and my ex, Krystal, played.
     Krystal was on, yelling at people to stay in their houses. I grabbed the head set from Tabi.
     "Krystal, what's the matter?" I asked in a stoic voice. "What are you yelling and going on about?"
     "Zacky, listen, I am in the same housing thing as you, but they wont let us on campus." she typed on a key board. "There are no riots, there is a case of rabies or swine flu, or whatever the hell they are calling it." she closed something that sounded like a lap top. "But the dead are coming back......." the connection got cut off.
     The internet and cable was cut off. They left the radio on, and we heard the stories about rabid people. And this new disease that was a mutated form of H1N1. They said that the disease was not air born any more, but was when it was first a problem. They said it was now spread through bites. Tabitha made a comment about the zombie movie and tried to text someone. The towers were shut down, it looked like at least.
     We finally gave up and just slept, it was all we could do.

January 2nd, 2013
8:36 a.m.

     We were awoken by the speakers outside telling us that we were now allowed to go into the campus. So we got around and got outside for the first time in a day or so. The air was thick with the smell of smoke.
     We looked towards the city, but our view was being blocked by a dome. At the top was a giant air filter. As soon as it was turned on it made the air much more breathable.
     Things seemed calmer than the 31st, but were still on nerves end. Tabi ran over to Krystal and tackle hugged her. She even smiled at me, which was a first since we broke up. She absolutely hated me.
     They herded us to a stage that us a display with the numbers 1,238 on it. The person on stage told us that this was the number of people there, all fully health. If anyone gets infected or dies, the number will go down. They even set up a full town using the arena and school building.
     They then let us go around everywhere except for the hospital and front gates. They said the reason for this was that there was a safety concern due to illness.
     I felt a sharp pain in my side and remembered the wreck I was in. I sucked it up as Tabi drags me to what used to be a stadium. But was turned into a market area.
     They had guards everywhere. Each was armed with with a gnarly looking gun that was called a FAMAS. They were at every booth, making the place super safe. I for the first time in two days felt totally safe.
     A pilot ran over to me with a huge smile on his bird like face. "Zack Cent? Is that you?" he said and hugged me, putting strain on my wounds. I yelled a bit in pain and he put me down. "You okay brother?"
     "Yeah, I am Zack Cent." I raised my shirt and showed him the bruises. "And I got into a wreck I guess three days ago."
     He grew a little pale. "Sorry dude, didn't know that you were hurt." he raised his sleeve and showed me a air plane fighter pilot tattoo. "You remember me dude?"
     "Falco?" I said and looked closer. "Is that you? You ain't so small anymore dude."
     "I know." he said and pointed at a small cafe. "Meet me there tomorrow, we need to talk." he said and ran to catch up with the other men in uniform.
     Me and Tabi walked with Krystal to the dorms. She hugged us both and I pulled her to the side. "Hey, Krystal, can you watch Tabi for a bit tomorrow?"
     "Uhm, sure, why?" she said and looked into me in the eyes.
     "I need to talk with Fred, just me and him. I need to get some info from him." I looked at Krystal and her eyes widened a bit.
     "Okay, we can watch a few chick flicks and have some fun." she smiled and walked over to Tabitha. They talked for a few minutes and I heard Tabitha squeal with joy and hug her. I saw by her expression that she was very happy.
     We parted ways and she went to her room. We got into our room and went to sleep.