Awakened suddenly in a cold sweat. Another nightmare—same as always. Checked my watch. 5 AM. Too damn early, but sleep wasn’t coming back. My body felt heavy, like it hadn’t quite caught up with being awake yet. Then I heard it—faint, distant, but unmistakable. Fighting. Maybe other survivors. Maybe not. Hard to tell in this world. I stayed put, gripping my bat, listening. Whoever they were, they weren’t calling for help. That meant either they were winning… or already dead.
Made the call to hit the auto repair shop not too far from here. If I was lucky, I’d find some tools, maybe a working car. If I wasn’t, well… let’s not go there. Stepped outside and was met with a wall of fog, thick and heavy. It wrapped around everything, swallowing shapes and blurring movement. Perfect for sneaking. Not so great for seeing what might be sneaking up on me.
Ran into a couple of zeds on the way. First one dropped easy, second one took a few more swings. Every hit rattled my arms, reminding me how real this was. Outside the shop, two more shuffled toward me, their guttural moans cutting through the fog. I took them down fast—couldn’t afford to waste time. The front door was open, which was either good luck or bad news. Either way, I wasn’t about to pass up the chance.
Inside, I started looting. Nothing useful yet—just some staplers and index cards. Kept digging, hoping for something worthwhile. Then I heard it. A sharp crack—wood splintering, breaking. My gut dropped. Backdoor was giving in. Then they came. Three zeds, their dead eyes locked onto me. Too tight to fight inside. I run, luring them out. Mistake. More were waiting, hidden in the fog. My heart pounded. Too many to run. No choice but to fight. My bat swung, cracking skulls, arms shaking with every impact. They grabbed at me, teeth snapping inches from my skin. One slip and I was done. Every breath was fire, every second stretched too long. But somehow, I stayed standing. And they didn’t.
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The shop was mine. I fought for it, bled for it, and now it was my sanctuary.
Went back to my trailer to grab my stuff. No way I was sleeping there again. Almost got bit again on the way back—got careless, too caught up in the relief of clearing the shop. That was a wake-up call. One mistake is all it takes.
Loaded up everything I could carry and returned to the shop, my new home. It wasn’t much, but it was mine. Moved tables to block the doors, dragged the corpses and move it far from the outside of my new home—felt like cleaning up after some brutal, messed-up party. Set up my little fridge from the trailer, a sad excuse for a kitchen, but it’d do. The place still smelled like oil and metal, but compared to rotting flesh, it was practically fresh air.
Not the home I ever imagined for myself, but in this world? It’s a fortress.
While moving my stuff, I spotted a zed with a bag. Looked promising—maybe food, meds, or even a weapon inside. But it wasn’t alone. A group of them drifted nearby, slow but steady, like they had nowhere else to be. It was just standing there, like bait, like it was daring me to try. Not worth it. Not yet.
Cleared out some stragglers around the shop, their bodies now just more discarded remains of what used to be people. Then I took a much-needed shower, the water running red at first, then clear. Blood, sweat, dirt—all of it swirling down the drain like I could wash away the past two days. But no matter how long I stood there, scrubbing, the weight of it all still clung to me.
Next to the repair shop, there’s a diner. If luck’s on my side, there might still be food inside. Feels like a long shot, but I can’t afford to pass up the chance. Gonna check it out tomorrow, no matter what.
The sky bleeds into darkness, swallowing the last of the light. The air feels heavier, pressing down like a warning. I lock the doors, grip my bat tighter, and take one last look outside. Whatever's out there can wait. Tonight, I stay inside.
Plans for Tomorrow:
- Hit the diner next door, see if there’s any food left.
- Secure more water—already feeling the thirst creeping in.
- Keep an eye on that zed with the bag—might be worth the risk.
- Reinforce the shop more, just in case.
End of Day 2.