Z D diaries

Big change of events… we had to find a new location to hide out.  Things were not looking up.  I’ll have to admit, I don’t know why we didn’t see it before. It was like the calm before the storm.  When we got back from our first exploration into Valletta, we let our guard down completely.  We had lost Amy, and the group morned her.  I think Eric got his fair share, and then some, in being blamed for her death, but in the end we couldn’t hold it against him.  This whole event is not something easy to navigate.  So we all let it go as best as we could.  We started to plan the next trip, but we forgot to check all possible entrances into our camp when we got back.  It is a habit you learn to get into, that we will now never forget.  We were so overwhelmed with what had happened to Amy, and making it back to camp that we didn’t think to go back and check, make sure that none of the zombies saw where we slipped over the wall.  We underestimated them. 

It happened a few days later, during the night.  We had all decided to call it a night and get some sleep.  The fishing had been crap, and I think every one was sick of spaghetti heartburn.  We put out the fire enough for the wood to smolder, and I snuggled up next to D.  Everything was quiet.  All I remember next was waking up to a strange noise.  It was a squeaking rattling sort of noise.  It wasn’t loud at all, and there were long pauses in between each rattle.  I sat up and looked around the camp.  No one was missing.  D woke up and asked me what was going on.  I told him I didn’t know, just that I thought I had heard something.  He pulled me back into his arms to hold me.  He was all cuddly warm.  There it was again, thesqueak, and rattle.  We both paused, and this time I knew he had heard it too.  We sat up, and looked around.  And again, only a little louder.  Mel must have heard it too, because she sat up.  

Just then, I knew where it was coming from.  The noise was coming from the scaffolding.  I pointed to D, who motioned for Mel to start waking everyone up, just in case.  She started to shake Anna and Daniel, and there it was, a thud.  We all turned to look, as the rest of the crew woke from the noise.  A body.  It was a body.   No movement, cloths ripped to shreds, covered in blood and cuts.  Daniel started to move towards it, creeping very carefully.  It moved!  It started to move like reanimation, or something!  We all backed away, and started looking for our weapons.  More squeaksand rattling started up, only louder, and then you hear the odd, off beat footsteps.  We all made a run for it, the only problem was, we had no where to run to.  D yelled for everyone to head into the water.  He said that if these motherfuckers were that slow then we’d all have a better chance swimming to another area of the outer walls.  He said “Everyone, swim to the walls of Sliema!”.  We all took the advice, and dove into the sea, and began swimming through the bay.  I stopped about a 3rd of the way to look back.  Apparently zombies can’t swim.  There was some relief in this night.  I looked around for D.  He was a bit ahead of me, but had stopped to tread water till I caught up.  

We swam up to the side of the wall, which really isn’t a wall, it’s more of an area to dock boats.  Open city, no walls.  We had to be very careful with this, and very quiet.  We all crept out, and huddled together.  The night was not a safe time to be roaming around the city, so we found a boat tied up to the dock.  It was one of those taxi boats, nice and open, so it was clear that no one was on it but us.  We all got on, and stayed low to the ground.  We would be here till sunrise, and then, in the daylight find a new place to hide.  

That night we took turns watching the city, letting those who could sleep, sleep.  I don’t think any of us did.  Most of us watched the old camp catch fire.  The fire spread to the wooden floor panels of the scaffolding, and up into the walls.  We all watched it burn, watched the zombie bodies throwing themselves into the sea, and sinking, watching the scaffolding collapse with apart of that massive wall around Valletta.  For those who can read this, and have never lived in Malta, Valletta and Sliema are very close.  Swimming the bay is easy, and seeing the other side, well, you can see everything.  It was far enough to save us for the night, and close enough to give us hope.  

The morning light broke over the city.  We were all awake.  We decided that the best thing to do, this time, would be to stay to the outer parts of the city.  It was the shopping district of Sliema, so finding some food, and fresh cloths wouldn’t be hard.  We went with the first shop, keeping quiet, and sticking close together.  The city was so still.  No sound, no movement.  It was strange to see Sliema like that. 

We went into the large store building.  It was a Zara.  The doors were wide open, and we knew we had to be careful.  Adrian motioned for us all to keep our eyes open as we searched the place for zombies.  Mel closed the door behind us, so none could get in.  We walked around the bottom floor, checking all the dressing rooms, looking into the stock room, behind the register, and finally up the stares.  Perfect.  No one was in there but us.  We decided this would be a great home base camp.  Up stares was a home decor section with display beds, enough for all of us, and of course displaying last months latest fashions for bedding.  Ok, sorry, bad humor, I know.  But I needed it.

Anyway,We all proceeded to get cleaned up.  We went to the employee restrooms, ladies first, and changed into some mostly clean, dry cloths.  It felt good, after a night of huddling together all sopping wet.  The toilets, and sinks all worked, thank God, and there was some canned, and boxed food in the break room.  We were good for the night.  We decided to go ahead and stay in, making sure we could lock the doors up tight, create our new camp, and start planning the next day.  We would have to plan carefully, taking no chances.  We only had food for the night.

To Be Continued…

So we went back into the city, and holy shit!!!!!!  We were not quite prepared enough for what we found.  It was a mess, I don’t even know how to begin to explain it…  The outsides of the city were unusually quiet.  It was like a ghost town.  We walked into the city from the beginning of Republic Street, over by Fort St Elmo.  There was a horsecarcass lying on the ground, in the middle of the road.  It was pulled apart, and spread all over the concrete.  That should have been our first sign.  We continued on together, walking into Valletta, and up the massive hill that is Republic.  It’s amazing, the beauty of this city.  It’s high, old, decadent buildings blocking out the sun, and creating strong breezes blowing around the streets.  They kept you cool during the mornings and afternoons, but ultimately, nothing could save you from that mediterranean sun at the high noon.  

We were being extremely quiet, I think more because we were all scared out of our minds.  It’s one thing to plan something, and a whole nother to go do it.  I think there has never been a moment where I felt this alert in my life.  We crept up the hill further and further, and the closer to the middle of the street we got the stranger the feeling got.  The original plan was to stay to the outer parts of the city, but of course where are all the stores located?  In the middle and upper parts of the city (which, if you haven’t lived in Valletta, or Malta for that matter, it is a tiny city in comparison to cities in Texas.  It’s like a mini suburb size city.)  Anyway, we made our first turn down Archbishop Street.  I think D and I both felt a bit of remorse passing by The Pub, even though they were never opened.  We kept straight onto Merchant Street where D and I knew there was a small convenient store.  It was there.  The doors were all locked up, but I knew the front window would be open, and if one of us could just crawl threw, then they could pass the food through to us.  Opening the garage like locked door would make too much noise.  The entire front of the store was surrounded by rotted fruit.  It smelled awful!  The cement was a bit slippery with all the nasty spoils.

Now I know what you are thinking right now, ‘if one of us could just craw threw’?!  Have I not learned from previous horror movies not to do stupid things like this?!  Why yes, I know the risk, but when you are actually living through a zombie apocalypse, the rules tend to change just a bit.  

Anyway, Mel pulled down the green mesh blanket covering the window.  Amy was the one who volunteered.  She was like a tiny acrobat!  Girl could jump through anything.  She was up and over so quietly.  

First thing you tend to learn, and enjoy a bit in a zombie apocalypse with concerns toward food.  It is better to eat a high calorie food content than anything else.  For those dieters out there, running from zombies burns lots of calories, and the idea that you must rashin foods helps to keep the meals nice and small, lol.  Inappropriate time for humor, i know, but it can’t help it.

Anyway, Amy went for the pasta and oils.  She handed them out the windows, and next moved onto the canned meats.  No fresh veggies or anything like that, as it had all rotted already.  Instead we stuffed as much canned tomatoes and tomato paste into our bags as we could.  The same with canned veggies, or anything pickled.  

Marc was the look out.  He made a face, and told us to stop and be quiet.  My heart started to race.  D grabbed my hand and gave it a good squeeze.  The we all heard the noise.  It sounded like someone dropping metal, or a metal object hitting a metal object.  We didn’t have as much as we planned, but Marc motioned for Amy to go a head and climb out quietly.  Not worth taking the risk.  This of course pissed off Eric.  He started raising his arms for her to go back in.  Poor Amy, two different signals, and trying to crawl through a window quietly.  The noise got more active, and Amy hopped over, and grabbed a bag to help carry the provisions.  Eric pushed Marc hard enough to make his point.  Eric is full of ego, and sometimes an asshole, which is exactly what he was being right then.  Amy tried to calm him down, and that’s when Eric had to whisper (and his whispers are not quiet at all) “This is not enough, the plan is for more!”  Thank you Eric… The active banging noise stopped cold.  We all froze, even Eric, I think.  We picked up the bags and started to move down Merchant Street heading back home, with a little fire lit under our asses.  We had to find a way to make it back to Republic, as Merchant, and St Paul Street are more complicated to navigate, considering.  The bags were quite heavy, heavier than I expected.  Then, right in front of us was one of them.  Just seemed to pop up out of nowhere!  Down at the end of Merchant Street, blocking us.  His stomach was torn open, and he was inching closer.  This terrible noise came out of his mouth, and it was loud!  He made the noise again, then we started to hear more noises happening around us.  It was like he was alerting others to our presence.  We turned down St Dominic Street, D and I’s old street.  It felt very strange.  We picked up the pace, and then began to jog.  D had a good grip on my hand.  Amy was in front, with Eric, not too far behind her.  Then there was D, me and Mel, and behind us were Anna, Adrian, and Daniel.  The rest of the people were at our camp, waiting.  Just then, Eric tripped and began to fall.  He grabbed onto Amy, and took her down with him.  We tried to stop, but Amy told us too keep running, so we kept moving.  We made it to Republic and stopped to look back.  Eric was running toward us, telling us to run.  Amy was still on the ground.  He had left her there.  He had accidentally pulled her down, and left her there, and she was hurt.  D started to run back for her, and I after D, but it was too late.  There was woman, with her neck gouged out, already on top of Amy.  D stopped and grabbed me.  He turned us around, and pushed me back.  Amy was my friend.  D’s friend too, hell all of our friend.  She was sweet and spunky, and new how to make you smile.  And now she was gone.

I had tears in my eyes as we jogged back to the wall.  I think we all did.  We made it to the wall, and started calling to the group below.  Oskar came up and started to help us move the bags of food.  We had to move fast, the noises from the city were growing louder.  You could hear the strange sound the dead people’s feet were making, echoing down the streets.  It was awful!  D took the rest of the bags and threw them over, and started to push us over the wall onto the scaffolding below.  Adrian protested until he saw why.  Behind us was a hoard of zombies turning the corner.  They hadn’t spotted us yet, and we didn’t want to give away our exit.  We quickly moved down the scaffolding without looking behind us, until we made it to the ground.  We were met by the rest of our group, who helped us carry the bags back to camp.  It was clearly noticed that Amy was not with us.  No question were asked, and I figured Eric had enough coming to him later, so I didn’t mention anything.  I guess the others figured the same, because they all stayed quiet as well.  I rested on the thought that D and I were together and had made it back alive.  I had D, and I was thankful.

We are currently planning our next mission back into the city for more food.  We are trying to work on our plan, to make it better, and avoid loosing anyone else.  Eric will not be with us on this next one.  I hope Claudia is having better luck locating her family.  These are not easy times.

I found another survivor story from Claudia’s family!  Her husband and mother are still alive!!!!  OMG!  I couldn’t even imagine being separated from D.  Here is what I found:

Claudia’s grandma’s point of view—-
 

June 12^th 7 am

My daughter kisses her son goodbye and I see her off, locking the door behind her. I watch her image on the camera screen located in her bedroom, drive away. Then I do what I normally do when I’m caring for my grandson. I changed him from his jammies and put him in a cute little onesie that said on my way to grandmas. I put on a video and we watched TV for a bit, then play with his stuff toy scout, and afterwards I feed him.

8:14 am

he falls asleep in my arms and I decide to put him in my daughter’s bedroom so the dog won’t wake him. I set the baby monitor and as I walk out the notice a man through the camera standing outside the front door. His head is rocking steady, and he just stands there. I’m waiting for the knock but he doesn’t move. I look closer, I can see blood on the top of his head. A part of his brain is exposed!

He moves away from the door then back but this time his head hits the door hard! with thunderous thump it hits the door again and then again! I grab my cell phone and dial for the police but the phone line is busy. The thumping outside continues, I can see him move away and return, again his head meets the door.

8:16

I dial for my daughter, she answers the phone at the second ring. Thank goodness, I tell her what’s going on and she tells me to ignore it. but she doesn’t see what I see! Finally she said she’s coming home. And I’m relief and yet unsure of what good it will do.   

Then the banging stops, I don’t see the man. Perhaps I panic for nothing until I hear glass breaking, the dog barks and I heard her rush into the back room. it’s quiet first until I hear steps, I grab my grandson and drag his swing seat into the closet. He’s still asleep, when I put him in it.

8:20 am

I step into the living room, it’s quiet. around the corner I hear the commotion. I look into the hallway and there’s the man, the same man I saw standing outside through the camera . but he’s not alone, with him are two others, they don’t seem right. They stagger and bump against the walls. They’re missing legs and arms, blood stains their torn and dirty clothes.

Then the man steadies his eyes up at me. something awakes in his eyes and he latches for me. I run, he’s slow, and so are the others, one falls and begins to crawl. I head to the front door. I have to led them away. I have to protect my grandson. but when I open the door a horde rushes the door and I close it in time. I race back to the living room pass them towards the back door. There’s banging at the front door but the door holds. They’re now coming into back bedroom window! I can hear them, then they see me, along with the others already inside they rush towards me. I’m out the back door with a few behind me. Their fast even with some of their oblivious handicaps.

I reach the back fence and knock a few of the loss boards, squeezing through. just in time to avoid their hands! The fence seems to slow them down but it won’t for long. They’re fighting their way through.

I start bang the neighbor’s backdoor, hoping someone can hear me. But no one comes. They’ve gotten through! I run through the wooden gate and lock it behind me. Their at the other end trying to get through. Some how, I have to get back to the house and grab my  grandson. then we can escape in my car!

I still have the phone in my hand and I try calling my daughter hoping she’d hurried. But the phone is dead. I forgot to charge it again!

Some how, I have to get back to the house and get my grandson.

I head towards the front door of the house, the door is slightly open. I don’t move. The entrance is dark and creepy. I start blankly as fingers grip the side of the door. A woman’s face, cover in blood pokes through, she’s on her knees. Her hands extends to me and I move until another face comes out of the darkness. His teeth are visible from where his lips should be. So he appears to be grinning. He grabs the woman pulling her in, sinking his teeth on the side of her neck. Her lips move, but the scream chokes in her throat.  

9:30 am

Sirens fill the morning air. Across the street there’s an ambulance, just beyond it two other people gathered around an injured man.  A police car speeds pass, then stops in the middle of the road as he see me. I rush over and tell him about the people breaking in, about my grandson still at the house. And how we must get there before something horrible happens. But he won’t listen, he tells me to get back into my house and stay put. I ask him what is going on? He won’t say exactly but in insist everything is alright. Again I tell him about my grandson. but he won’t listen. Telling me he’s going to take me home.

As I’m standing there, still auguring with him. I see a man come up from behind him, and bite the side of his neck. I scream and jump into police car’s front seat.

The police officer is on the floor, bleeding to the death. The other man is now looking at me through the car window. There’s blood pouring from his mouth. The police officer is now getting up. Immediately I put the car on drive and speed pass the ambulance, the man on the floor now gets up and grabs one of the people standing nearby. It isn’t long before people are running everywhere. And those things are coming out from behind fences and from within homes.   

10:00 am

I put my foot to the gas petal and take the corner, and slam against the side of a tree. Things are hazy for a minute but I pull myself out of the car and on to the ground. Somehow I have to make it back to the house and save my grandson. I managed to find my way to the street where my daughter’s house is. There I find the door wide open, the window at the front of the house completely gone. I step carefully into the door way. Behind me there are people gathering their belonging into their cars. Others are being chased by those crazy people. There’s people in chaos everywhere, bleeding, fighting and fleeing. I don’t see my daughter’s car in the drive way. I worried something bad has happen to her. But most of all I worried about my grandson.

I make my way inside carefully, the house is in ruins. Glass and foot print tracks liter the floor.

I quietly enter my daughter’s bedroom and head for the closet. it’s quiet, too quiet. And that worries me. I open the door and find it empty, only the swing seat remains. I look throughout the closet but there’s no sign of him. my face falls into my hands  I choke a cry, and nearly panic as I hear steps coming towards the room. I grab the nearest object which at this case it’s one of my daughters shoes.

But its’ my daughter’s husband mike who stands at the bedroom door. He looks like he’s been through hell, in his hand is a crowbar and it’s cover in blood.

Where’s Claudia he asks. I tell I don’t know. He doesn’t see the baby and before he can say anything I begin to cry. I can’t find him. I say I left him here and I don’t know where he is? I’m so sorry! I just wanted to protect him! I say, but mike’s busy looking under the bed. I’m not sure what he’s looking for. He opens the table by the side of the bed and frowns after not finding what he’s looking for.

What happen to the gun? He asks me. but then grabs a set of car keys on the dresser and tells me we have to leave at once. He looks worried, stopping to look around but I tell him I’ve already searched around for  the baby.  I tell him my daughter was on her way.

Maybe Claudia has him. he said, his voice almost sounds hopeful and convincing that I agree with him.  

He opens the door leading into the garage, inside sits mike’s red car, the evo. I’ve often hear my daughter talk about it, this is mike’s sport car.

we get in as mike’s operates the garage door remote, and slowly the door lifts.  Mike readies himself, in front the crowd of lingering victims has doubled to crazies. They turn as the doors open and mike steps on the petal. The car flies out of the garage before the crowd can gather and block us. I close my eyes and pray for the best as we speed down the neighborhood and into the main road.

The past few days have been a cake walk in comparison to living in the city with the epidemic.  Swimming, eating fish, the support of friends, but now we have to gear up and raid a part of the city.  We are thinking this might be a good time to both get some supplies, and see exactly what is going on.  Although we have internet connection from time to time, we have not been able to find any connection to what has been going on in our own city, or the greater part of Malta.  It is a little unnerving.  So, we are preparing…  How exactly do you prepare for invading a city filled with zombies, holy shit, I have no idea.  This is crazy.  We are going as a group, and have our smaller groups just in case we get split up.  Kind of a buddy system rule.  D and I are in the same group, naturally.  God, I couldn’t have made it this far without him.  He really is my rock you know?  I’m all freaking out, and he pulls me back down to earth, then I know I can do it.  

So, we have our guns, and that’s about it.  We have a map, and for the most part we are going to stick to raiding the stores and houses closest to the walls of the city.  That way, if anything happens, we can get out more easily.  One of the hardest things we had to talk about, last night while planning all of this, was about if anyone gets bitten.  The general consensus is that they stay in the city.  It’s so strange.  You see these movies, and you think, oh, well, if this happens then we shoot them, and spare them the pain, or if that happens to me, I want you guys to shoot me.  It’s not that simple.  Well, it is, but the decision is not an easy one.  I was surprised at how much of a problem our group had with this concept.  It was kind of refreshing, and scary at the same time.  We settled on that if some one gets bitten, they will stay in the city.  To me, this is both humane, and problematic.  In truth, as much as we call these things zombies, we really have no idea what we are dealing with.  

Anyway, got to go.  Deep breath, we are about to go into the city…

More!  There are more survivors!!!!  I’m looking for more written by these and others.  I have decided to make it my mission to find more.  D thinks it would be a great idea to catalogue them for the future, if something should happen, then there are stories of what people have gone through in this strange apocalypse.

Here is the survivor Claudia San Luis’s story.  I only hope she was able to find her husband and a safe place for her family.

Claudia San Luis:

June 12^th , 7 am

My mom arrives late again to sit my son, as I’m getting ready for work. The weatherman predicts 20 percent chance of rain in the forecast. And that’s good since Texas is going through a bad drought. Rain in these parts is greatly appreciated and very much needed. The grass in the back yard hasn’t seen rain it seems in ages. In fact its yellow and dead from the lack of moisture. The news anchor goes on to mention Mexico’s continued drug war, and that a top drug lord has been found dismembered before something about China but I turn off the tv annoyed by the bad news.

So I kiss my son, and wave goodbye to my mom, as I head off to work.

 The morning commute to work seems smooth, minus your typical vender bender.  Driving into the garage I notice there’s an accident off the side street.  A man is on the ground, whether he’s alive or dead I can’t tell. But a small crowd of curious spectators had gathered around him.

a police car pulls to the side of the street as I entered the garage ramp. 

8:05 am

I think nothing of it and continued up the garage ramp, wondering whether I’ll hear about it later on the news. After parking I head to the garage elevator and I’m surprised when it comes right up. Normally the elevator is incredibly busy and never as fast. But today it seems quick and empty.

I stepped inside and pushed for floor 3. The doors seems to pause, perhaps I underestimate my good fortunate too soon. I push for the button again, and I noticed a figure of a man coming down the dark garage. Strange that I hadn’t noticed him before. Although he is quite far from where I stand. I can make out the dark suit and red tie he wears, but it’s covered in dark stains I can’t make out.

He looks disoriented stumbling clumsily forward almost blank and soulless. 

And then as if by some strange magic he catches sight of me standing inside the elevator. I pushed for the elevator button again. Perhaps because of the way he looks or appears but something doesn’t seem right with him. My attempts at the elevator button finally succeed.

the elevator doors begin to close, afar I can see the man hurrying forward. And it’s the way he moves that assures me something indeed is wrong with him. One of his feet is obliviously broken. The foot bends at the ankle awkwardly. yet he moves quickly dragging it with him!

I pushed for the button again, cursing the doors to close. When they finally do, I catch a glimpse of the man one last time. but he’s no longer looking in my direction, coming out of  a nearby car, a woman is getting out and making her way to the elevator. I only see her and him briefly as the doors close.

I feel relief then ashamed. But I convinced myself the guard at the reception desk will call someone, in case the man needed help.

But when I get to the desk, it’s empty. I figure the guard’s about doing his runs. I’ll call him once I get to my desk, and take the elevator to the 23^rd floor.

8:16 am

The office seems quite empty but it usually is this early in the morning. I get some coffee and take a seat at my desk, when my cell phone rings. It’s my mother, she sounds shaken. I wonder if there ‘s something wrong with my son? For the pass two months she has taken care of him while I return to work. 

I tried to calm her as she tells me in Spanish, “hay alguien en la puerta.”  Someone is at door she said. I wondered why this is a matter of urgency and why it has her so terrorized.

Since I had often told her that if someone were to knock, that she shouldn’t worried about opening the door or answering it. To just let them knock, so I didn’t understand why this time it required a call and why she sounded so scare. But something in her voice alarms me.

“hay un hombre en la puerta y sigue tocando. no quiere irse.” There’s a man at the door she continues, that won’t stop knocking.

“No abra la puerta. ignorarlo.” Ignore him, but don’t open the door I tell her.

“Claudia, se ve un poco extraño.” My mom said. She tells me the man outside is hitting his head against the door,  then walks up and down the entrance swaying side to side. I tell her to call the police, already nervously picturing the scene in my mind. She tells she has but that no one is picking up the phone. In fact that the phone sounds busy or disconnected. 

immediately I pick up my bag and tell I coming home.

8:20 am

I dialed the police racing into the elevator but all I get is a busy signal. On my way pass the reception desk I noticed it still empty. Only now do I realize how quiet the building seems.

Racing down the walkway with the phone glued to my ear, I dial the police again. It seems all the lines are tied up. I can’t even call my husband! This isn’t a good time for my phone to go dead on me! 

8:27 am

I hurried out of the garage elevator and freeze when I almost stumbled into a pool of blood near the elevator door, drag marks leaded towards the side of a nearby SUV. 

 I hurried passed it and to my car which is a few spaces away,  and i immediately climbed into the driver seat. As I turned on the car, I see a woman crawling from behind the SUV. Her neck is torn open and I can clearing see blood literally pouring from her wound.

At first I don’t move until the face of a man hits the side window of my car and begins pounding his fists against the glass. His mouth is covered in blood and he looks crazed.

I screamed and put the car in reverse and forwarded it, the man loss his balance and falls to the floor. I sped down the garage ramp not daring to look back. And once I come into the street I nearly hit a ambulance rushing pass the exist. I take a moment to calm down, and slowly drove out of the garage, then gasped at what lays in front of me.

People running it seemed from each direction, running from other people. What the hell is happening?

I drive slowly at first until a crazed mob of those people stormed my car and began beating the car windows. I hit the gas and knocked a few to the ground flying past several cars on the side of the street. People from every direction are trying to flee. Police cars and even an army truck passes me by in the opposite direction. Crowds of people are fighting with one another, some tearing others apart! It’s terrifying!

I hurried through the streets carefully avoiding people that come close enough to the car pleading for me to stop. a car speeds pass me and collides with another vehicle going the opposite direction.   I swirled to avoid the explosion!

9:45 am

Throughout the drive home, I can see nothing but the same chaos everywhere. People fleeing other people. I turned on the radio, all I get is static, flipping through the channels I managed to get democracy now radio broadcast.  They’re coming in live! There mention of a chemical leak, or possible terrorist attack. They’re asking people to stay in their homes or find shelter. And for those who can’t make it home, to head to a shelter outside the city already in place. One location is in Galveston. But as to exactly what is happening, no one could say. There’s talks about multiple attacks, riots in some states.  And increasing numbers of murders all across the country.

The news broadcaster also said President Obama, has taken into hiding amongst the chaos, calling on citizens of each state to take care of one another. He plans to address the nation in due time, the broadcaster continues.

I made it to my neighborhood finding the same chaos every part of the way. Neighbors fighting with one another others running for their lives. Houses are on fire. 

Across the street my neighbor is standing outside with a shotgun, guarding his property.  I get to my house, my mom’s car is still in the driveway, i parked and jumped out of the car.  The sounds of shot gun, paralyzed me, and I looked back, a mob of about three of those crazed people have grabbed a hold of my neighbor, and knocked him to the ground. it’s too late to help him. And there’s too many of them.

I dashed to the entrance of my house, and find the door wide open, blood stains the outside door and leads to the inside. I panic, feeling a knot in my throat, and feeling a few tears gathering in my eyes. all I can think of is of my baby and my mom.

I slowly enter with a sense of urgency. I call out, but I’m afraid someone other then my mom will answer. Until that is I hear my baby crying somewhere inside.

I hurried, his cries lead me to the back room where my bedroom is. The cries get louder and I hurried my heart beating in my throat, as I get closer, the sound from outside already blocked and gone from my mind. All I want to do is get to my child!

As I reached the room I hear his cries coming from a back closet. I immediately open the door and find him in his swing seat looking up at me. I nearly break down with relief he is fine. I checked him just to be sure. He’s happy to see me, as I to see him.

I cradled him in my arms realizing there’s no sign of my mom, and we still have to get out of here. I weep for her and hoped that she has escaped.

I grabbed my son’s carrying harness and put him in it, that way I could easily carry him and still have my hands free. Then grabbed my loaded handgun from the drawer near the bed. And also take the shotgun from under the bed just in case.

Arm and ready, I make my way out of the house back towards the living room which leads the way out.

Now I had to find my husband and hoped for the best. My god I prayed that my mother is okay!

I made it to the car, my child beside me. No time for car seats, a group of those crazy people approaches now. texting and driving never combine the two. But in this case it’s necessary. I’m hoping my family is safe.  I’m hoping they answer my posts on facebook. But it seems that the site has not been update or active for hours.  I don’t know what to do. I’m driving but I’m not sure where? The phone continues to fail me. Every line sounds busy! It is now 10:30 am, helicopter flew overhead. It looks military but I’m not sure. I’m going to try to find my husband.

OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!  I received messages from another survivor in Texas!  Someone from my home town!  Malta doesn’t have the only survivors of this epidemic!  His story of what is going on.  Jeff, if you get this, keep writing about it.  Stay where you are, keep quiet.  Zombies go away if they can’t see or hear you.  Omg…  I hope he makes it, and there are more out there…

Jeff Stem: June 8^th

            On my way to the hospital this morning the BBC reported some strange outbreak in China, the Gui Zhou province apparently the poorest in the country.   They didn’t have a lot to go on, details are sketchy, but then again it’s China. If they don’t want it to get out they won’t let it. No one suppresses their media, or people for that matter, better than the Chinese. Anyway probably another H1N1 scare or Avian flu. Oh well “I owe I owe it’s off to work I go”.

June 10^th

Things for the most part have been better.  Strange, but better.  I think apart of the ‘better’ feeling is that D and I are now amongst friends.  I think that would help in any stressful situation.  Once we arrived we were attacked with hugs from non zombies who actually did not smell bad.  The water is not cut off to the outside walls of the city, although everyone here says it wouldn’t matter, as we have the sea to rinse off in.  I’m feeling just a bit hippyish now.  D laughs at me when I say that.  He says as long as I don’t start to dread my hair he will be ok, lol.  It’s good to laugh again.  Don’t get me wrong, things are still a little freaky.  You can hear more from this location.  The zombie guys are not quiet.  We don’t have to be too quiet, but we do have to be careful.  We will eventually have to go back into the city for necessities.  We are holding out until we have to, though.  I’m thinking we will be ok holding out.  So far, we have managed to save almost all of the canned food, as we have fresh fish, and 3 of us are experienced fishers.  I can honestly not complain about the food at this time, lol.  I think the only uncomfortable thing is having to go to the bathroom.  It’s one thing to have to find a place to pee, it’s another to have to poo.  Before we got there they decided, as a way to keep everything sanitary that all the ‘#2s’ would be done in this near by dry well.  It’s an old well in one of the lower blocked off sea entrances into Fort St Elmo.  It was a bit creepy at first, but when you have to go, you have to go.  We are told that the city blocked it off years ago to keep the teenagers and their crazy parties out of the fort.  It seems pretty secure.  I rush the bathroom process just in case.  Other than that we’ve been doing a lot of swimming, lol.  Imagine that.  Well, if these zombies break through, at least we can swim away.  Who knows, maybe we will make it to Comino, and it will be empty…

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get online.  Things have been out of control.  It’s like a bad horror movie outside on the streets!  We’ve changed locations.  We decided our place wasn’t safe enough.  Things got really bad.  After what happened at A’s house, we decided to follow the rules.  It worked for a few days.  Things were quiet after that incident.  We had the same guards, and yes we got some lectures about safety, and the importance of listening.  Then one of the guards started to act strange.  The one that I had thought got bitten, began to look sick.  Runny nose, watery eye sort of thing.  The other guards assured us he was fine, but I had that odd feeling in my stomach that something else was going on.  So that night, D and I are settling in.  We had started to use the generator to watch movie.  We didn’t have Internet due to a riot that knocked out the wiring in our area, so no outside contact.  Talk about cabin fever.  Anyway, watching a movie, right, and we hear this shuffling, and glass breaking.  D and I went up onto our balcony and found the guard smashing on our neighbor’s window.  He couldn’t get inside, as the window was too high, but he swung his arms about, knocking in the glass, like a crazy person.  His arms were covered in blood, from where the window glass was cutting him.  We weren’t sure what to make of all of this at first. then he looked up, straight at us.  There was a strange moment of silence, and boom, like a bat out of hell, he rushed at us.  He couldn’t reach us, we were up on the balcony, but that didn’t make it any less scary.  He tried to reach the balcony, he beat on the door, he broke the glass to the outside of our downstairs window.  It was insane!  The older woman from next door, opened her door to see what was going on. Big mistake!  We yelled for her to close her door and get back in her house, but the zombie guard was too fast.  He jumped on her, and started tearing at her and biting her, omg it was awful.  Poor woman.  D dragged me back into the house, where he calmed me down, and we proceeded to check all of the windows and door reinforcements, and make sure we were still safe.  We were, but not from the noise.  There were screams coming from next door.  They were so loud!  

I think I cried myself to sleep in D’s arms.  I really don’t get what is going on in the world.  You’d think in this day and age we’d have a cure for everything.  Everything but these zombie creatures.  The next morning we were woken up by more noise.  It was the family next door.  The ones that survived the guard were clearly infected.  It was frightening!  There were now 5 of them outside wondering around our street, trying to beet in the houses windows and doors.  We could see our other neighbor on the other side of us.  She and her family were doing the same we were.  Huddling together upstairs biding their time.  There is almost no feeling worse than waiting.  D and I hung around inside for the next few days.  No movies, no noise.  We were trying to be as quiet as we could be, as to get rid of the little zombie infestation on our street.  This was not easy.  Any noise, no matter where it came from, would draw the zombie neighbors back and start them up beating on things trying to get back into someone’s house.  It was terrifying to hear them beating on our door.  We were so lucky.  So far our reinforcements were holding up.  The front door would not budge.  It was on the 5th night that we decided we needed to get out of here, and find a more secure location.  D brought up moving ourselves somewhere close to the sea.  We had been watching horror movies before the zombie neighbor incident, and the movie Planet Terror gave D this idea.  That if we put our backs to the sea, we’d have a better chance of survival.  Next thing we’d need, protection.  We happen to have some guns and amo.  Not suppose to, I know, it being Malta, but come on now, I’m from Texas.  The land of personal guns.  We have a shotgun, and a few Smith & Wesson revolvers in our collection.  They are real beauties.  We loaded them up, and set them aside.  We’d have to have food, water, and other survival needs, packed up and easy to carry.  I would, of course, slip my little laptop into the bag as well.  D agreed with me on that one, and did the same.  We were just putting together ideas, you know.  Then the news came on, like a sign from the TV.  The news reported that the outbreak was viral, and that they were calling off the army.  That the only way to stay safe now was to stay inside, and wait it out.  We were all for that, minus our little neighborhood infestation.  We new were some of our friends were hiding out, and from phone conversations (we still had basic house phone communication, thank God!) we knew that they were in a safe place.  There is a little fishing village right outside of the city walls.  It has abandoned houses that are in relatively good condition.  They had electricity, cooking supplies, fire, and claimed that none of these creatures could get to them, we just needed to find a way to get over there, and we’d be good.  

Our plan?  We were going to wait quietly, and let these zombies wonder off, then slip out.  We did just that.  We climed out the balconie window, as a way to keep quiet.  Those reinforcements on the windows and doors make lots of noise when you take them off.  We opened up one of the higher windows for the cats.  I put out all the food and lots of water for them.  It was heart breaking, but we couldn’t risk taking them.  D climed down first, and I lowered down the bulky backpacks.  I was a nervous reck, but D was my rock.  I climed down next, and we promply took our revolvers out to be ready.  The walk to the walls wasn’t that far, we just had to figure out how to get threw or over the wall.  The solders had locked it up tight at the begining of all this mess.  There was one way, get to the highest main street, and lowere our selves down the walls via the scafolding.

 Thank God nothing ever get’s finished in Malta, lol, because the scaffolding was still lining the outside of the walls!  We were putting our things on the top of the wall, and getting ready to climb up when we saw one… and it saw us.  It started to make noise, and moving in our general direction.  This infection was brutal.  This guy was covered in scratches, and bites.  His skin was grey, and bleeding, and pussing.  It was awful.  

It had to be done.  This zombie guy was going to attract too much attention.  I picked up the gun, aimed, and fired.  Ya, that might have attracted attention too.  Not something I was thinking about as I pulled the trigger.  As a native born Texan, of course, I got him on the first shot.  I got a pleased look, and a ‘That’s my girl’ from D.  I must have been shaking just a little, because D helped me to lower my gun.  We hoped up to the wall, and over onto the scaffolding.  Ya, not so great once you get on it, when you are afraid of heights.  It shook, and wobbled a bit.  I was convinced we were going to die.  We ducked down and held still.  No more noise, no more attention.  We peeked up over the wall to see around 10 more zombies.  Shit, we must have made more noise than I thought.  Better rethink the gun next time.  Luckily they didn’t see us.  They looked like wondering confused zombies.  No general direction, just wondering up and down the street.  We quietly and slowly crept to the stairs of the scaffolding, and tiptoed down.  at every level (there were 11) we’d stop and hold still.  We finally made it to the bottom.  Once at the bottom, outside the walls we had to get across the rock beach, through some water area, and into the little fishing village section.  

As we got closer to the edge of the beach we saw them.  Our friends.  They were fishing in one of the little makeshift boats.  I immediately felt a sense of relief, and from the look on D’s face, so did he.  We got a little lift in the boat to the other side, and into the fishing camp.  There were about 12 other people and kids there.  They and a fire going, and come to find out, they were still receiving an Internet signal from an unobstructed tower!  Can you believe it?!  So here I am, camping on the side of the city, in a little fisherman’s village, with Internet, somehow.  I will report more later, and keep reporting for as long as the Internet holds out.  I don’t know if there is anyone else out there, but we are alive out here.  Who ever thought we’d be trying to survive a zombie outbreak?  

Btw, sorry about the spelling.  D is cooking fresh fish, and I am hungry.  This would be the first fresh, not canned food we’ve had in a month!  So yes, I am in a hurry!

Holy Shit!!!!  You won’t believe what happened last night!  I never thought it would happen, but the world is ending!  I don’t have any other explanation for last night.  Ok, so we sort of started off the night breaking a few of the rules.  We had a mild case of cabin fever.  I mean, we’ve been locked up in the house for the past couple of weeks with the electricity going off and on, news channels giving weird info, and nothing but our imaginations to live off of.  

Our friend gave us a shout from his balcony.  He lives across the street from us.  He was just as board as we were, and he asked us if we wanted to come over.  Just a few people, some wine, cook, and a bit of music.  How could we say no?  So we snuck over.  It wasn’t that difficult, the solders change their posts by leaving, and then about 30 mins to 1 hour later the next one comes.  We were just going to crash at our friends place till the next changing.

 Anyway, so we snuck over.  It was nice.  We didn’t have any electricity, as all the cities have been turning it off to the public to conserve energy (what they tell us on the news, anyway).  So we lit a bunch of candles and began cooking on the gas stove.  It turned into a casserole night, as there is not too much you can cook only using canned foods, lol.  It ended up being really pretty great, at first.  We ate, drank, talked.  The food was enjoyable, the wine was just fine, and we all had a good giggle over everything.  Our friend, A, told us that he really hadn’t seen or heard anything more than us.  He said for a while he was getting juicy bits from his neighbor, but a few days ago she she said something about a headache, not feeling well, and yesterday when he dropped by to say hi, he knocked on the door and got no response.  He said he figured she either didn’t feel like talking, or the docs came by and took her into the hospital.  So, we ate, drank, chatted, and then went decided to go onto the roof of A’s place to enjoy some nighttime scenery.  Big mistake.  

We started to leave his place (which is an indoor apartment on the 4th floor), and we began going up the last flight of stairs to get to the roof, when we heard the noise.  G’s door was wide open, and she was down on the ground floor pacing in front of the exit door.  It was odd pacing too.  She was sort of dragging herself across the wall.  She was dirty looking too, you know, like hadn’t showered in a few days, not feeling well kind of dirty.  We all looked at each other with odd looks, and then back at G.  A called down to her, and she stopped pacing.  The she looked up.  OMG, she was a mess.  Her eyes were all strange and dark, and hollowed out, and the expression she had on her face was weird.  It was vacant, empty, you know?  It was like it wasn’t her.  A asked her if she was ok, and had she called a doctor yet.  She didn’t respond at all, in fact, she started to drool this gross brownish stuff.  I felt sick, like throwing up.  It was the mix of canned casserole bubbling around in my stomach with the sight of brownish drool coming from my friends mouth that brought that on.  Anyway, after the drool, she started to head toward the stairs.  It was weird, her walk was all fumbly and jerky, and her attempt at going up the stairs was even worse.  We all kept our distance.  D said he thought we should call in the guard/solder from outside, to come in with a doctor.  I seconded the idea, A started to head down to help her.  Then G started going crazy.  She started to try to crawl up the stairs making this strange moan, gurgling noise.  A stepped back and agreed with us.  We quickly went into A’s apartment were we called out the window to the solder guy.  Let’s just say he didn’t look to happy about our being over on the opposite side of the street.  He told us to come down and let him in.  Ya, big problem with that idea.  Next idea, blow in the door, ok.  What a moment.  G was already at A’s apartment door.  It was like a scene from Night of the Living Dead.  We saw her on the 4th floor, heading our way, and let me tell you, up close, seeing her face was even more frightening.  We all rushed the door, and closed it, locked it, and out of instinct, i think, started pushing furniture in front of the door.  She had whatever was going around, that was completely clear.  Wow.  It was awful.  Next thing you know we had some of the military solder guys breaking down the door.  They got her.  We didn’t see it happen though.  They carried G off on a gurney, tied down.  Even more freaky, I think one of the solder guys got bit on the arm.  He was clenching and flexing his fist like it hurt him, and his arm was covered in G’s gew.  Poor G.  Who knew what was going to happen to her.  

We were of course scolded by the solders, and sent back to our house to wait for the doctor.  We now had to go through more blood tests to make sure we didn’t get any of the infection.  The incubation period is something like 12 hours, so the doc will be here, in a few to run the tests.  I hate blood tests.  :(  anyway, I will let you know how it goes.  We don’t feel any of the symptoms, nor did we come into contact with G, so I think we are ok.