Dawn

• Connor Wynne, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2013

The sound of moaning behind me was getting closer and closer. I ran towards the old service station which was the survivor’s sanctuary from the onslaught of the un-dead behind me. The land around me which used to be New York is now an arid landscape, the ruins of towers and buildings blocking what little light the moon has to offer. Shots rang out as the guards fended off the horde, which was getting closer to the safe haven, and me. The reinforced mesh doors opened as I ran at full speed towards the refuge. Bob appeared with a revolver in his hands and yelled,
“Get in here, Soul! We need you alive!”
Then, a stray bullet shot past my head and hit the control panel of the doors, destroying the wires inside.

The doors started closing and I knew that I wouldn't make it in time but then Bob placed iron bars horizontally so as the doors would slow down in closing. There was only one problem with this, the bars could get stuck and then the un-dead would be able to get inside! I made a split-decision and turned left, away from the others. I turned back to the zombie horde and shot a few so as to get their attention. Soon I was running again as all of the creatures behind me started to turn towards me and forget about the few people watching me leave, taking their chance of a new life with me.

I ran for what seemed like hours on end before I finally started to hear the sounds of zombies behind me fading away. In front of me was a tower which was barely ruined, and so I sped up towards my new goal. Inside was a long set of stairs which I raced up but about halfway up was a part of the stairs which had collapsed!

A plank of wood lay next to me and so I grabbed it and placed it across the gap and then treaded slowly over the gaping hole below me. Once I was on the other side I pushed the plank into the hole so as the un-dead mightn't be able to get over. As I climbed the steps I noticed something amazing, this was my goal in which I had to place the serum I had! Up these stairs was a machine which would convert the small amount of serum into a gas which would cover the earth, curing everyone from their horrible death. I got to the room, ran over to the machine and place the vial inside. I then pressed the button and watched as a sunroof opened up and a green coloured gas shot towards the clouds. As I ran back to the servo, I saw some of the zombies becoming human again, although slowly. I saw that many of the un-dead were trying to run from it, as if they were in pain. Then I saw why, the flesh on them was decomposed partly and so as they regained their senses, they had felt the infections and wounds all at once.

By the time I had gotten back to the servo, there were people everywhere. I saw Bob and the other survivors walking around helping people and I felt that everything was back to normal. Just as they had finished helping people, Dawn made it's way through the city.