Forum Thread

The enemy of our enemy is my friend
Short story by Dakar

So you want to hear about how I got here?

The reason all this happened is simple.
I tripped, fell and rolled straight off a cliff.
At least the Rushers can't follow me down that way.
"Ugh...... This is gonna be painful."
I groaned as I shifted my arms and legs.
Yep, a few broken bones, nothing major.
I could already feel the tingling starting to happen.
What tingling?
You don't know, do you?
You've been holed up in here for so long you've completely missed the apocalypse.
Hot damn.
Let me take a trip down memory lane...
A while ago, there was a virus.
Yes, all very cliche. Nobody knew where it came from, nor why it was ever created.
From day 1 of the outbreak, people started dropping left and right.
Hospitals were overflowing with bodies.
Then, the first body moved.
The virus was quickly dubbed the 'Zombie Virus'.
It caused a mass stampede around the world to get to so-called 'safe spots', which usually weren't 'safe' at all.
Meanwhile, a corporation produced a drug to combat the effects of the virus.
Everyone not infected by then received the drug and they thought they were safe.
Then the virus mutated and started infecting them once again.
The corporation churned out drugs by the armful, with at least 15 different kinds just for the main symptoms of the virus.
Unfortunately, the drugs were also very addictive.
It turned the users into drug-crazed maniacs willing to do anything for another syringe.
The corporation workers did not take the drug.
Nobody knows whether they're dead or not, but the corporation still churns out drugs.
Except they rationed it. Very strictly, I might add.
Soon, the drug addicts started attacking each other, then anything remotely humanoid to see if they had any syringes.
Hrm?
Back to the zombies?
Well, they had completely white skin due to their pigments being removed by the virus.
Am I a zombie?
Do you really think so?
...
I am.
You see, the only reason they mistook us for zombies is that some of the first infected weren't fully in control of their body yet and had to shamble along- just like a zombie.
This gave them the idea that we were mindless corpses, when in reality we were just humans. Different humans.
The virus uses enormous amounts of energy in any form it can find to keep the body it resides in in top shape, mending cuts, broken bones and cell death.
Now, back to my story.
The tingling was the viruses getting to work on my broken bones, but I wouldn't be able to run until my leg bones completely healed up.
Problem is, the Rushers were coming after me. I could hear them shrieking for drugs at the top of their lungs as they climbed down the cliff to get at me.
I groaned.
Of all the days to fall off a cliff, it had to be while I was being pursued by Rushers.
I didn't doubt that the cliff was too much of an obstacle for them; they were exceedingly strong, thanks to their drugs.
The drugs themselves contained small doses of steroids just like most other drugs, but with addicts like the Rushers it deformed their bodies, eating away at their brains while enhancing their physical abilities in return.
That's when I saw you guys.
Coming up a few hundred meters from me with all the pre-drug technology, taking potshots at the Rushers.
Boy, am I glad you didn't shoot me then.
I did not, however, like the way you stuffed poor me with my broken bones into a sack and hauled me into a truck, then subjected me to an exceedingly bumpy ride.
But help's help, and I can't ignore the fact that you're the first true humans I've ever met since the virus.
I'm still not sure whether you can be trusted not to hurt us infected just to keep the virus from spreading; but you're the enemy of the Rushers, and that makes you guys my friends.
Now, let me get you introduced with our communities. C'mon, let's go! They'll all love to meet you.

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Rejection
Short story by Dakar

Huh?
Quit looking at me like I'm gonna pickpocket you or something and concentrate on driving.
We're almost there, our settlement should show up sooner or later.
Ohh man. You guys will practically be millionaires with all this tech you have.
Yeah, we don't have much tech. Most of the guys working at all those factories are Rushers now, so we can't make more.
Oh, there it is!
You see that collection of grungy apartments? That's where we live.
We have 5 central districts; District 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105, all named after the numbers of the apartments they live in.
I live in District 103, which is exactly the same as every other District except that there are usually less idiots there.
That should be the welcoming party.
Er, can you tell me whether they're holding sticks or not? Because they don't seem that friendly...
Hold on. I'll go and tell them that you guys are awesome. That you're the real deal.

I got off the truck and walked over to the nearest infected. It was Paul.
Nobody knew his last name because he 'liked to keep it simple'. That was his motto and slogan for his election as mayor of our little town.
"Hey, Paul!"
I said.
"Why are you bringing strangers into our town? We told you we have a strict policy on immigration from other settlements."
That was Paul.
I sometimes wondered whether his father was a rulebook, but that aside, I had to explain this to him without him thinking I was a liar.
"They're not immigrating, Paul! They're the biggest find we've ever had. They're actual humans, Paul. Actual. Humans>"
"You're lying. We all know all the humans on this dinky little chunk of rock are either like us whiteskins or one of those junkies."
"No I'm not. Just look at their skin! If that's white, I'll eat my own foot."
"Why don't you just do that now? It'll grow back anyways, and it'll do the public a service by shutting you up."
"Hey!"
I protested.
Paul shoved past me towards the truck.

I saw you guys looking out the windows as Paul approached.
I remember he knocked twice on the window, then opened the door.
I also remember his last words.
"Now if you don't get your fake, paint-covered asses out of my town-"
Then he was knocked backwards by a baseball bat.
It was actually kinda cool what you guys did back there; if it hadn't resulted in us getting kicked out of the town.
Ah, well.
I doubt he'd have listened, not with the thought that you guys were imposters firmly stuck in his head.
At least we're in relative comfort. For now, anyway.
Man, it's been a long time since I've seen those guns. How much ammo do you have for them?
Ah, I see, I see. You don't want to share because I'm not trustworthy enough.
That's fine, after how my town treated you that's completely understandable.
We've gotta find another town that will let us in sooner or later; they provide at least marginal defenses from the Rushers.
Not that I doubt your fighting skills or anything, but if something's gonna let me sleep a little bit easier I'll take it.

(Sorry for the short length, it's 2:50 AM over here ^^;)

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