A is for Alone

The Beginning of the End

You probably don't remember the outbreaks. You probably don't remember the horror, the quartantines, and the miracle cure of Dr. Morgen Foster. Or the lesser-known escape route of physicist Adam Moorsburg.

Why would you?

These things haven't happened here. At least, not yet.

But they did happen. In a place just like this, except perhaps a bit nicer.

It began in late summer on a Tuesday afternoon. It was one of those perfect days where sun was shining but the air was cool, the fury of Summer's heat had mellowed with age, but not so late as to carry the chill of the coming Fall. A perfect afternoon.

Then, the Eruption. The word Zombie has been bandied about for decades now, and can mean anything from a walking corpse to a poisoned individual to the carrier of an exotic disease. These most certainly fell under the exotic disease category.

Sunbathers turned a sickening shade of green, joggers became shamblers, and those tending their barbeque grills suddenly craved something not on the menu, but rather, what was in their guest's skulls.

The source of the outbreak was never determined. There were many theories. Viral warfare? Random mutation? God's wrath? Those who talked didn't know, and those who knew didn't talk. Regardless of the source, what mattered was that there was a cure.

Perhaps "cure" is too strong a word. "Immunization" is a more accurate description.

Dr. Morgen Foster isolated the chromosomes necessary to resist infection. All it took to defeat the disease was a slight manipulation of the DNA, easily accomplished with a one-time chemical infusion.

A chemical infusion that was only effective before birth.

Yes, all children born post-Eruption were 100% resistant to zombification, but the sad fact was that their parents, teachers, and babysitters were not. There were still outbreaks, but the end was in sight.

To ensure that end would be the next generation becoming adults rather than food, survival training became required coursework in all schools. The kids had to protect themselves when everyone else had become a threat. A shining example of this is the most-read children's book in history. This book.

This book, which I have taken through the escape route.

The escape route is lesser known than the book, of course. Instead of being read by millions, the escape route was only known by two, and used by one. I can't say that I knew much about Dr. Moorsburg's theories about alternate causality universes nor how to travel between them might be possible. What I do know is that the world I came from was a pit of Hell. Ruined. Although the children had some hope, there was nothing for a grown up.

Not like here.

I would hate to see this world ruined. I would hate to see it become the place I left. But just in case, I brought with me the one thing that helped ensure our survival. The book, of course.

It will probably never be used. What are the chances of an Eruption in a place like this?

*cough*