Chapter 2: Baby Steps

Jazmine's POV

 

I took everything I could from the kitchen, anything I could use. Some knives left just in case, matches, a lighter, some snacks (I ate some while looking around.), and finding nothing else, I went back to my room for clothes. However, as I entered my room, I finally remembered something really important. 

 

Going straight for my phone, I opened it and immediately went to check for mom's message. 

 

[Jazmine! Please be okay! Your sisters, Jane and I were able to get into the military camp on the outskirts of the city in the west, in camp trinity! If you're still in school, stay there okay! The military's planning to send someone to check for survivors there tomorrow! If not please hide somewhere safe and wait for the military!] After reading the message, which was sent three days ago, I was both relieved and despaired. If the message was three days ago and the military did come to check, they most likely checked and saved whoever was still alive and failed to find me. Though, thinking about it now, they might have killed me if they noticed the bite on my neck. 

 

"Well, this is pretty fucked up." I cursed to myself, knowing that my previous plans were now a bust and now there was a feeling of unease since mom probably thought I was dead. However, I re-read the message, "Camp Trinity.... It's far, especially when walking...but I can reach it..." I told myself this, hoping to hype myself up. In truth, I was unsure if I even had a chance, not when zombies filled the streets and said zombies can run. But I had no choice, really. It's to either stay here and starve to death, or die trying with a chance of salvation. 

 

With renewed vigor, I took some clothes, all of it, either to wear or for other things like for fire, and everything else that I had use for. A flashlight, notebook, pens, and some batteries came from my drawers. In the shared bathroom I took some feminine necessities and some band aid. Too bad we didn't have any bandages, but my clothes should be a good replacement. 

 

With everything I needed all crammed into my dorm-mate's hiking backpack, I then began to make a plan. Although I didn't go out much, I still knew enough about the city I moved to 7 months prior for college and mom's remarriage. There were 3 ways to the camp. The first was through the main roads, which, obviously, is not something I'll be taking. The second was through the alleyways and through the park, which would definitely make it longer for me to reach camp. I don't know what the military's planning, but it's best to assume that they'll plan to leave at some point, so taking the long way would surely be bad. 

 

The third option was...through the buildings. One would definitely think that it was a stupid idea, but most of the buildings leading to the camp was all at the same height and same build due to something the mayor of the city made, I don't really know, but running through the rooftops were much easier than having to deal with zombies left and right! Not only that, I'm safer on the rooftops, both from zombies and any humans with ill intentions. The reason why I'm also quite confident about this is because I used to run on too of buildings in the past since parkour was a hobby of mine! Of course, the bag would hinder me a bit, but I'll be able to make do! 

 

Setting up my path, I looked outside and noticed the sun setting. This, was a problem. Night has its advantages, like less visibility, but that also applies to me. At day, though, I also risk being seen by zombies. Sitting on my bed, I continued to think. 

 

After some rough experimentation on our part, we were able to know that zombies won't initially react to sound, smell, and touch, initially. When idle, it's like the zombies' senses, save for sight, get cut off. If they don't see a living being, they're basically a doll! They don't care if you touch them, shout at them, or if you're bleed right next to them! Only when do they see a living being do they "wake up". 

 

With this information, wouldn't going out at night be better? I'm inclined to think so. So, resolving myself, I prepared myself for nightfall. 

 

---

 

After taking a bath, changing into more flexible and "defensive" clothing, and an unfulfilling "meal", I was now ready. Knife in hand, I exited my dorm, and I had to keep my "meal" from forcing itself out of my throat at the sight of the gruesome corpse in front of my dorm room. It was...horrifying. Red decorated both the floor and wall, and in the middle of it all was a decimated body, stomach and chest cavity teared and open, with the entrails shredded and eaten. 

 

Knowing I'd lose the fight if I continued to look at it, I moved my head away, only to be met with a similar sight multiple times. My "dinner" promptly left my stomach, painting the floor with a disgusting sight, but it held no candle to the cause of it in the first place. 

 

This was not something a person should ever see, but in the world we are now in, it might become a common sight. Through the despair, through the fear, I slapped myself, hard. "Fucking get yo-yourself together, Jaz."

 

The smell was repulsive, the sight sickening, I almost wanted to climb down from the second floor to the ground floor using the windows and pipes, but I pushed through. I don't believe I'll ever get used to it, but it's best that I gain some kind of desensitization, lest I want to vomit at the sight of a bloody corpse every damn time. 

 

Eventually, I made my way out of the dormitory and was met with the silence of the night. No cars honking, no people chattering, it...gave off a macabre feeling. Despite the electricity still working, with the street lights illuminating the road. Sadly, the light would be far too disadvantageous for me. If we had more time to perform some experiments, like seeing how acting like a zombie would go, I'd have a better chance. However, with my limited knowledge, I shouldn't be taking too many chances. 

 

Fortunately, my eyes had accustomed themselves to the dark now, so I gained some advantage over the zombies. Hopefully they didn't have some kind of night-vision, or else I'm fucked at that point. As silently as I can, I did my best to meld into the dark with my black outfit and clunky bag. 

 

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Nearly half an hour later, I reached my destination. There were a lot of close calls, but I was able to escape the zombies' sight nonetheless. Entering the building, a library, I immediately made sure no zombie would see me. Unfortunately, these zombies made no groaning sound, so the library was as silent as it was meant to be, so I had to rely on my eyes and reflexes. 

 

As quiet as a mouse, I slowly weaved through the shelves and strewn out books for the stairs going to the second floor. Fortunately, there were no corpses, nor were there any zombies, so far. As I continued to search for the stairs, I eventually did find it, the darkness of the library having made it so hard to see from far away. Honestly, why did they have to make a library so large! Especially in this day and age. Anyway, the next step was to find a way to the roof. Honestly, I could have tried my luck at climbing up the pipes and anything I could use, but I didn't want to tire myself out. 

 

Fortunately, unlike the stairs, I found the ladders to the rooftop easily. Opening the trapdoor, I tried to haul myself out, nearly falling down because of my bag's size. Seeing that I can't get through with my bag, I took it off and pushed it out first and followed right afterwards. 

 

Closing the trapdoor, I sighed and said, "I'm gonna need to travel lighter next time." And that's when I noticed my blunder. I was foolish to think that I would be the only one to believe the roofs to be safe, nor did I take into account that someone could have turned into a zombie there. A few meters away from me was a figure, tall and unmoving, hands limp against its sides and hair flowing slightly with the wind. I nearly screamed from the surprise and fear, but held it in. 

 

Though a bit shaken, I still unsheathed my knife (a crude one made out of styrofoam and tape), and prepared myself. The zombie was faced away from me, which was good, and knowing what I know, unless it turns around, it would remain that way. Leaving my bag, I slowly made my way towards it, heart beating so fast it could rupture my ribs. 

 

I could hear it, my heart beat, and it was deafening. Slowly, silently, I was now behind it. Arms shaking, I raised my knife. Mind racing, I took a deep breath. Heart ready, I swung with all I could muster. 

 

"Guh." A soft groan escaped the zombie, and without a moments notice, it fell limply to the ground, and I did the same. 

 

A bloody knife, a corpse, and an oozing goo. It was...unbelievable. If I had any doubts about the world in the past, now I had none. I had just killed a zombie, someone who was once a man. Belatedly, I noticed wetness on my cheeks. With shaky hands once more, I touched my face, confirming that I had cried. Without any prompting, I broke down. 

 

---

 

With my first "proper" encounter and first kill, I spent a good amount of time trying to compose myself. I apologized, I prayed, I cried, but I did not blame myself, and most of all, I moved on. A shuddering breath left me as I stood up, the corpse which I had been staring at for so long was now burning. The first time I saw the goo begin to consume, I immediately burnt it. It was nauseating, the smell of burning flesh, but my mind was far too emotionally tired to make me cry once more, and I had nothing else to vomit but bile and water. 

 

Speaking of my stomach, with the burning corpse illuminating the roof, I was able to see that he had set up camp here, as evidenced by the shelter made out of curtain and books. Honestly, it looked like something a kid would make, but my mind had seen and done so much gruesome acts that I couldn't even chuckle at it. Inside it were some food, some of which I began to eat. Searching some more, I found more matches, but sadly, nothing else. 

 

With my exhaustion catching up, I inadvertently find myself falling asleep. 

 

---

 

As sunlight poked at my eyes, I cringed in discomfort. I would continued to sleep, like I would usually do, but the memories of last night popped up, causing me to tense and proceed to wake up. 

 

"I really need some food." I tell myself, feeling my stomach churn, asking for sustenance.  Shaking my head, I went out the tent, knife in hand. Seeing no zombies, I went towards the ledge. However, as soon as I saw the road, I laid prone on the floor and slowly made my way to take stock of the current situation. Unlike yesterday, where I had a hard time seeing, I now saw clearly just how much better my decision to move through buildings were. 

 

Felenin City was a large city, overpopulated, a tourist destination, and was about to have a festival. Imagine all those people, probably numbering around a million and a half, now turned into zombies. It was like something out of a World War Z game! It was depressing sight, as if it was sucking the life out of my soul. Truly, I'm probably the luckiest woman on earth with how barren the library was, especially since I should have had more trouble with zombies yesterday! 

 

Wrenching my eyes away from the depressing, soul-rendering sight, this just proved how much "safer" this decision was. Although there were likely more zombies inside buildings than anticipated, it was still safer moving through buildings since it's not an open space where zombies can come at me from every direction. Of course it has its downsides, but let's focus on the positives! 

 

After a long day of vomiting, disgusting sights and a life-changing experience, I do believe I earned myself a more fulfilling breakfast, no? 

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