Sam Hackett

Mrs. Belden

5 October 2014

The Outbreak

Its been about 5 years since the first ebola outbreak in the US. It feels like it was just yesterday. The media told us they had it under control, that everyone exposed had been quarantined and everything would be fine. They couldn’t have been more wrong. Nearly the entire US was infected within two years, the entire world within four. The world fell into chaos. Groups of looters and marauders prowled the streets looking for easy targets to rob and kill. Of course there are a few survivors here and there. People like me who have survived only through dumb luck. My best friend George and I have been held up in an abandon high school with two other survivors for a few months. Glenn a short young man with dark hair, and Eric a chubby, balding middle aged man that we had only met two weeks ago. We figured a school would be safe with all of the metal gates, long winding hallways and places to cook and sleep. It was getting late and I was getting hungry I headed over to the lunchroom where Glenn was cooking a pot of rice. I got a bowl and headed to the courtyard where George and Eric were sitting by a fire. It was fall and starting to get cold, but it was still nice to sit by the fire. George was sitting next to Eric. and they were speaking to each other in frantic whispers.

“what’ya talking about?” I asked

“I saw a group of people out by the front gate this morning” said Eric. “I think they were looking for a way in.”

“Its probably just people passing through. Nothing to worry about.” I said casually.

“yeah, but I still think we should have our guard up.” said George

“Yeah whatever” I said

I finished my dinner and went to bed I woke up to George shaking me

"Wake up! Wake up!" He said frantically

"What do you want?" I groggily said, slightly annoyed

"A group of people are here, they are trying to break in" said George

I sprung to my feet

"Where?" I said

"Over by the front gate" said George

We ran over as fast as we could. We stopped at our makeshift armory, which was nothing more than an old walk in refrigerator. Eric and Glenn were already there. George grabbed an old hunting rifle, while I grabbed a small .38 caliber revolver and the 12 gauge shotgun. We started to run over to where we heard the commotion. Suddenly I heard an explosion so loud I thought my ears would bleed. The blast came from just around the corner. I ran over to see what had just happened. When I turned the corner there were about five men standing there, with more flooding in. I ducked behind the wall just as a bullet hit the wall behind me.

"They blew open the gate. There is to many of them" I said to George.

“Eric! Glenn! Fall back to the lunchroom, George and I will head toward the gym”

Eric nodded, and they sprited away.

George and I ran fast as we could. I am much faster than George and ran ahead of him quickly. I stopped and waited for him to catch up. He was already out of breath.

"We can't keep running" panted George

"What else can we do" I said

George took cover behind a  wall.

"This is crazy" I said, also taking cover.

We heard rapid footsteps headed our way. I aimed down the sights of the shotgun and waited.

The second I saw a person turn the corner I squeezed the trigger. *click*

No ammo.

How stupid could I be. In all the commotion I forgot to check if the gun had any bullets in it. I looked at George. He had already emptied his magazine and was beginning to reload. I pulled out my small .38 revolver and fired all six shots. but there were still more people coming, it seemed endless. I had no more ammo in any of my weapons. If I didn’t get out of here soon, there was no chance a would escape with my life. I dropped both the shotgun and the .38 on the ground. George looked up from his rifle

“ W-what are you doing” George said with a shaky voice

“Im sorry” I said.

I turned and ran

“Wait!” I heard George yell from behind me

I didn't look back. I just ran as fast as I could through the hallways. George did his best to keep up but I was to fast for him

“Stop! Wait for me!” I heard again from behind me. His voice sounded farther away, and it echoed through the empty halls. I was running through a long hallway, as I reached the end I stopped and looked back too see George rounding the corner out of breath, still trying his best to keep up. I could see the shadows of the intruders dancing on the walls, growing ever closer. As I turned to run again I heard a loud *thud* I looked back. George had tripped. The intruders were rounding the corner and were on George in an instant. There was nothing I could do now. I ran for my life as I heard my best friend scream in agony as the Marauders tore him limb from limb.