Free Write

Attention! The following is a message transmitted by the United States Government. The nation is on complete lockdown and all passage in and out of the country is prohibited. The situation has become dire. The dead are rising from their graves, and attacking the living. Attacks have already been reported in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. It is likely that more attacks of this nature will occur. Citizens of the United States are advised to take shelter in a basement or in specific locations around your city. Leaflets will be dropped via aircraft detailing the location of these locations. It is advised that you take plenty of food and water with you to your place of refuge. If you see one of these undead creatures, please report it immediately to authorities in your area. The spreading of this epidemic seems to be through the transfer of fluids. If you, or someone close to you is scratched or bitten by these creatures, it is advised that you separate yourself from from the person afflicted and call local authorities. If you area attacked by one of these creatures, there is a high chance that you will turn into one of these creatures. It is not known how long this situation will last. It could last days, weeks, or even longer. Stay calm, as authorities have been dispatched to deal with these creatures. After an area has been cleared, an all-clear alarm will be sounded. If you are unable to.... a..... and then.... I... The radio began to cut out. My father hit it with his fist. It responded with static. He cursed. This was the only broadcast we'd been able to pick up on for days. When the first attacks were reported, we thought it would pass, life went on normally. I went to school and attended all my classes. It got worse. The epidemic spread all over Texas. They cancelled school. When things got really bad, father wanted to leave. But mother said no, Samantha, my little sister, was too sick. Father said it was a mistake to not leave. Turns out it was the best mistake we ever made. Every other family in Texas piled into their cars and started leaving. I'm sure you can see how Houston highways weren't meant for millions of cars all at once. They were stuck for days. Some people got out and tried to walk. But most stayed, hoping they would start moving at some point. And then the hoard arrived. We turned on the TV (they were still working at that point) and watched footage of the scene taken from a helicopter. Hundreds of thousands of those creatures arrived all at once. You could see them cresting over the hills as they descended upon the highway. They milled around the cars, stopping every so often to smash a window in, or tear of a door. I watched in horror as they began to rip people, struggling, from their seats and devoured them. Four or five would pounce on the person at a time. All that was left was a dismembered body lying on the ground. After a while, the body would rise and begin to shuffle around mindlessly. Several brave souls got out of their cars and make a break for it, or fight the creatures somehow. They didn't last for long. Nobody in the cars did. Nowadays, we don't go outside anymore, but if you're brave enough to glance out a window every once and a while, you can see a pack of them wander over and stumble down the street, searching for a rabbit or stray cat.