"I've Got A Name" by Jim Croce
It was like any other Thursday. I was hanging out with my best friend, Jace, who was messing around with my iPod as we drove back from breakfast, on our way to pop into the office where I worked to drop off some paperwork before I forgot.
"Why the hell do you always insist on changing what I'm listening to in my truck?" I asked, giving him a dirty glance then going back to keeping an eye on the road.
"Art, dude, no offense, but not everyone likes My Chemical Romance," he sneered, scrolling through my iPod looking for the next song to play. "Besides, man, this song is fucking awesome."
"It's old." I replied.
"It's on the soundtrack--"
"To one of the best films ever made, I know, I know." I say, finishing his sentence, shaking my head.
"If I recall you liked that movie! You even quote it. Don't you greet your girlfriend by saying 'hey little troublemaker'?" The question sent a chill down my spine. I was trying my best to forget about all that, but in that instant I was brought back to a happier time in my life.
"Ex girlfriend. And I used to. She never liked it though. She thought it was corny." I said, the expression on my face changing, looking ahead at the road, not turning to look at Jace for anything.
Jace's expression changed as well, as if he realized what he had said. He shrugged it off, smiled, and said, "Well it is kind of corny, you little troublemaker." We both glanced at each other, Jace smiling at me, trying to break the awkward tension. "C'mon, man! You gotta be all serious all the damn time?"
I let out a sigh, then smile. I glance over at Jace just to make sure he sees it. "There. Better?"
"Not really, but it's a start." Jace's attention is quickly shifted, looking ahead and saying, "Oh shit..." My heart drops as I realize what Jace was worried about. There she was, my ex, Ashley. She was getting into her car. Unfortunately we worked together, but I guess we dodged a bullet since she was going home.
We tried to get out of the truck as quietly as possible to remain unnoticed, but my damn breaks gave us away. They were always so damn squeaky, and I never did a thing about it.
Ashley glanced up and realized it was us. She put the rest of her stuff in her car then closed her door, turning and walking up to us. "So Jace, you work here now? Or are you just keeping your boyfriend company?" Ashley looks at me and gives me a dirty look.
"He's not my boyfriend." I reply, getting out of my truck, letting the motor and the song run.
"Babe, I got this." Jace says, getting out of the truck, and walking over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I'm just supportive. You wouldn't know anything about that now would you, Ashley?"
"Jace, I swear, if you were any gayer you'd explode into a cloud of glitter and Golden Girls DVDs." Ashley says, as she whips her hair back, smiling an evil smile.
I try not to laugh, a smile forming across my face as I turn away. Jace smiles a condescending smile until he sees me trying not to laugh. His facial expression changes from cocky to irritated. "Really, dude?"
"I'm sorry, man. That was just too good."
"You two have fun. I have stuff to do. Art, you might want to go talk to Omar. Apparently we have today off. The schools sent all the kids home early due to an attack in some school in Orange County." She says, getting into her car and closing the door. I glance at Jace, a worried look forming, confused as anything. Ashley drives by and rolls down her window. "He's gonna tell you guys to go home. I don't know whats going on, but I'd advise you two to stay out of trouble."
"You know what, Ashley, you're such a bitch that...if you were any bitchier you'd--" Jace starts to say as Ashley rolls up her window.
"Better luck next time, idiot. Bye, Art." She says before driving away.
"Bye, little troublemaker." I say, under my breath, hoping that Jace didn't hear it, turning off the engine in my car, killing the noise emitting through my speakers.
"Bye, little troublemaker? And I'm the gay one? Dude, you're such a pussy. When are you gonna tell her how you feel?" Jace says, as he shrugs it off, shaking his head at me.
"Hey, I'm not a pussy. And she already knows. And I don't appreciate you calling her a bitch. It's not cool." I say, grabbing the paperwork and making my way to the office door.
"Whatever. She is one though. She wasn't there for you, man. Why do you still even care?"
"Drop it! I don't want to talk about this right now, besides, she didn't need to be there for me, I needed to be there for myself. I needed to do this alone."
"You weren't alone though, man. I was there, your family was there, your friends were there. She wasn't."
"Just drop it. Please?" I say, walking into the office, noticing my boss, Omar, watching a news clip on his computer screen. "What's going on, sir?"
"Arthur, the kids were sent home. There was an attack in Orange County. I don't know what's going on, but everyone in OC was told to stay indoors. The army is over there now. There are a bunch of different news reports. Apparently this isn't the only place that this has happened. The President is going to do an announcement in a little bit."
I stand there, watching part of the news reports on the computer as Omar turns on the TV and wheels it out to an open space in the office, and begins to change through channels.
"The Beginning/28 Theme (Party Poison's Zombie Apocalypse Remix)" by John Murphy
"It's on every channel. Something is going on, and they aren't saying what it is. The scary part, there were reports that this was going on in London as well." Omar says, looking very pale.
"You don't think--" Jace says.
"Dude, no. Don't even say it." I say, looking at him with an irritated look.
"It could happen, man. It's in religious texts. They've talked about it. Chemical warfare, the wrath of God, it's possible, dude."
"It's not happening. If it did it wouldn't be this calm of an outbreak. It would hit harder than this...right?" I say, trying to convince myself that this isn't real.
"This is real life man." Jace says, smiling.
"Then what is all of this? What's going on?" I say, starting to get worried. I feel a vibration go off in my pocket. I pull my phone out and read a text from my mother that reads:
"Your father and I are stuck at work. They are making everyone stay inside. Lock-downs are now in effect. Please take care of your brothers. I called Glenn. He and Noelle are alright. Please call them if you can. I don't get very good reception in here. Stay safe. I love you."
I show Jace the text, a worried look now takes us both over. "What the fuck is going on?" I ask, my legs starting to shake.
"Dude, don't lose it on me," Jace says, looking more worried than I am.
Omar continues to change the channels until he stands up and yells, "Shh...here it is!" Omar says, turning the volume up on the TV as we listen in to a report from London.
"We're in Notting Hill, a part of London. Who knows if this report will ever be transmitted. Uh, communication is at best limited. The city, it seems is being overrun with man-eating creatures, and--" the reporter is cut off by a woman running away, yelling "They're coming!" At this point the reporter looks worried, looking at the cameraman yelling, "Run!" Then you see it, a swarm of these undead creatures, running after the living.
The feed is cut off, and Omar immediately changes the channel to the middle of another report. It's a doctor saying, "What I'm trying to tell you is, the dead are walking. That's all I can say."
"The dead are walking?!" Jace says. His jaw drops as we stand and watch more of the report.
I begin to text my mother back, asking her if she knows what is going on. My mind starts to race as I watch more of the reports, not blinking, afraid that I might miss something. Jace steps back, away from the TV, his hand over his mouth. He bumps into a container full of walkie talkies. Immediately Jace grabs two walkies and two chargers.
"You two need to go home, now. Go!" Omar says. We rush out of the office, stumbling out hearing sirens around us. We get into the truck and immediately lock the doors. Jace turns on the radio as the broadcasts continue. We begin to drive home, listening quietly as a report is cut off in order to air the White House Press Room Announcement.
I begin to drive off, watching as traffic begins to go crazy. People are running red lights, breaking speed limits. I sit, stunned, as I see a school bus hit a man on a motorcycle, going at least 80 miles per hour, rushing away, swerving into oncoming traffic. Jace and I look at each other, worried looks on both of our faces. "Just take me home, man," he says. "I think I need to be home right now."
Somehow we make it back to his house. Jace hands me a walkie and a charger. "Keep this with you. Charge it as soon as you get home. Turn it on if we lose cellphone signal. Channel 13. I know, corny, but just do it. Let me know what's going on and how you are holding up." Jace rushes into his house and immediately closes the door. I hear a sound I haven't heard from his house in forever, the locking of the door. I begin to drive off, listening to the rest of the news reports.
I continue to drive home, tears rolling down my face as I see people running. I drive by gas stations, all which are being looted. People with shopping carts full of goods, cars on sidewalks, accidents on every block. It starts to hit me, this is real life. This is really happening. I get home and run into the house. I turn on the TV and yell for my brothers. I realize that I'm home alone, and that the two of them have already left for school. I get text messages from the both of them almost simultaneously telling me that they are alright, and that they are on lock-down at school. I turn the volume up and go around the house, making sure that everything is locked. I go into the backyard and let my dog, Zero, inside.
The sound of sirens continues to fill the background, gunshots now start to ring out. I sit and watch more and more reports. I turn the TV off and run upstairs with Zero now on a leash. I turn the TV on upstairs and sit on the couch patiently. Zero, pacing back and forth, panting loudly. I sit and watch, my gaze not breaking away for a second. I sit and watch as the information gets fed to me. My heartbeat gets faster and faster as I get up and look under my bed. I grab the baseball bat that has sat there for years. I grab a roll of athletic tape, saving it for later. I empty out my work backpack and begin to pack things into it.
"We can't stay here." I say to Zero. I begin to grab what I can, packing it away into my backpack. I know exactly what I'm going to do, and where I am going to go. I grab my phone and text my family that I'm alright, but that I'm not staying at home. I tell them where to meet me. I then send another text to Jace, letting him know as well. Then I pause, do a double take, and start to text Ashley.
I pack up what I can into my truck. I come back in and watch the rest of the news report. There are more and more reports that the President will make his announcement. I look out my window and see fighter jets fly by, very closely. I continue to look around the house, gathering anything that could be useful. I rush and pack up more into my truck. I come back in and freeze, as the President begins his announcement.
"My fellow American's, this republic faces a crisis like no other in it's history. While the lights across this great land dim and the darkness of an uncertain future descends, let us not forget the words that led our country through another great challenge, 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself.' We will endure, we will rebuild, we will drive away the night and warm our children in the dawn of a new day.' God bless you all. And God bless the United States Of America."
As the news reporter signs off, and the channel goes to the Emergency Broadcasting System, I leave, TV still on, driving away as fast as I can, Zero in the front seat. I look down at my phone and finish off the text to Ashley:
"Please let me know that you are alright. I'm going to Bass Pro Shop. If you need a ride there let me know or meet me there if you can. Just let me know that you're alright."
Music From This Episode:
"I Got A Name"
Jim Croce
Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
