Prologue:

A country song was softly playing in the background, filling the car with sound. My fingers tapped on the steering wheel to the beat of the song. My red 1994 Ford F150 was rumbling down the highway.

I had a while left to drive until I would be home for summer vacation. I was a high school history teacher in Atlanta. I was the youngest in the school, being only thirty one but they respected me.

I sang along to She's Country by Jason Aldean, smiling as I took an exit. The song was cut short for a breaking news story.

"Another case of the virus has broken out in Atlanta. It's been the hundredth case since it started just a few weeks ago. No one knows what it is. The CDC is working on finding out what it is and creating a cure for it.

"A high school student was walking home today after school, heading home for summer vacation when he was attacked by a homeless man. The man grabbed ahold of the boys arm before going for his neck and taking a bite out of it. The man continued to,what witnesses say, feast on the boy until a few of them subdued the man. A few of them getting bit by the man also. By the time the police were called to the scene the boy was dead. The homeless man was taken into custody, also trying to bite the police officers. The men who tried to help the boy were taken to the local hospital for treatment.

"There have been cases like this all over the states, even some popping up in Europe and other places around the globe. The CDC in Atlanta and the CDC in France are both working day and night to find a cure to stop this now global epidemic–" I switched the radio station. It was the same for every case. The first case ever was a few years back. The man who attacked a runner was shot and killed. He was a homeless man also. They ruled it as him being on synthetic pot and Bath Salts. That's what was most likely happening now.

People just wanting to try it to see what would happen. It was always the same though. I don't know why they continued to smoke the stuff.

I sighed. They're need to try the drugs resulted in a young boy to get killed. They didn't say the boys name but I wondered if he was in my class, if I knew him.

All the radio stations had the same broadcast on so I switched the radio off. I was almost home anyways. I pulled on to my street. I looked to see my neighbors, the Hardings, putting suitcases into the trunk of their car. I pulled into my driveway and got out. I called a greeting to Mr. Harding before grabbing my black blazer from the back of my seat and closing the door.

"Talia, did you hear the broadcast?" I looked to Mr. Harding who had came over to me. His black hair had grayed near his temple. His brown eyes were wide and full of fear. I nodded my head. "You should pack a bag and get out of here. We're close to Atlanta. It isn't safe,"

"Tom, it's just a few people doing the things they shouldn't. It'll blow over soon. You shouldn't be worrying about this." I said. The wind picked up making my hair blow in my face. I grabbed my hair tie around my wrist before tying my long brown hair up in a ponytail. Tom shook his head.

"Me and Debbie are heading to Colorado to be with our son. It isn't safe here. It'll be coming out of the city soon. Isn't that the way most viruses work? I don't want to take the chance. You shouldn't either Talia. Get out while you can. Go to your parents, be with your family." The Hardings were always a little to cautious. They always thought the worse of things and over exaggerated what wasn't there. When the H1N1 flu came through they did the same thing. That blew over in a few weeks. I was sure this one would too. I reassured Tom that it was okay, that I wasn't going anywhere. He was going to say more, maybe try to convince me to go with them, but Debbie came out of the house. She yelled for him to get in the car. She was worse then Tom so it wasn't surprising she didn't notice me. She was determined to get out of here. Tom shook his head at me before Turing and going to his car. He stopped, sending me a sad look.

"Be careful, Talia, okay?" I nodded at him waving him off. He got into the car, staring it and they were off. I locked my car before going into my house, locking the front door behind me. I spent the next few hours doing what I always did. I made dinner, cleaner up and took a shower. After I went into my living room, turning on the television. I flipped through the channels, most of them all had the same thing on. There was an emergency broadcast on about the virus. I rolled my eyes before moving on to the next channel.

The only thing not airing the news was Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. I turned off the tv before making sure my front and back door was locked. I checked all the windows too. It wasn't because of the virus but because it was habit. I didn't want to take the chance of getting robbed. I headed to my bedroom closing the door behind me before heading to bed.

I didn't know how long I was asleep for until my cell phone that was next to my bed woke me up. The shrill ringing woke me up quickly, scaring me out of my slumber. I looked at the screen, the name Andy was flashing across the screen. I let out an 'ugh' before answering it.

"What, Andy?" I snapped. My cousin only called me to have him bail him out of jail. He was twenty seven and hung out with the wrong crowd. He was often looking for a new job because he would come to work drunk, hungover, high and as a result he would get into an argument with someone, getting himself fired. He'd then go to the bar and drink until he couldn't anymore and then would get into another fight, landing him in jail. I'm surprised he hasn't been forced to live in a prison yet.

"Tal? Tal, are you okay? You need to get away from Atlanta!" I rubbed my eyes, moving to a sitting up position on my bed.

"Why? Don't tell me you, of all people are blowing the whole thing going on our of proportion,"

"I'm not playin', Talia! Get your shit together and get out of there. It's gotten worse! The guys who that homeless man bit when they was helping the boy, they attacked people in the hospital. They died, Tal! Then they came back alive and started to eat people! This ain't a joke anymore! Come to Sedalia, it's safer,"

"And–"

"No, Talia. Please, just–please just get here." I sighed. Everyone was getting excited for no reason. It was going to blow over soon.

"I'll leave in the morning. Goodnight, Andy." I said.

"No! Tal–" I hung up on him.I put my phone on silent before putting it back on the end table near my bed before lying back down and going back to sleep.

This time, instead of waking up to my phone I woke up to screaming. I jumped out of my bed, going to the window. I pulled the curtain back before freezing. My eyes got wide and my jaw slackened. People were running around the neighborhood. People were leaving their house, trying to get to their car before they were pulled down by someone. That someone would then take a bite out of them. My one level house only made it possible for me to just see glimpses of what was going on. I watched as someone ran by the window before slowing down and running back. They stood in front of the window, looking up. It was a one level house but the foundation raised it just high enough where it would be a struggle for someone to climb through a window. I stared back at the man, not moving. Around his mouth was blood and it was dripping down his chin to his chest. His eyes has a whitish film over them. He stared for a while before lifting his head up like he was sniffing the air. I backed up slightly hoping to not let the man notice. He did. His head snapped back to me before he let out a growl and reached up trying to get me. His hands were stopped by the window but it didn't stop me from letting out a squeal before moving back completely, letting the curtain fall.

The man continued to bang on the window while I grabbed a duffle bag out of my closet. I stuffed clothing in there before running to the bathroom and getting a few things like a tooth brush and tooth paste. I ran to the kitchen, grabbing the box of unopened granola bars, a couple canned foods and then I grabbed some water bottles before stuffing them all into the duffle bag. How it all fit was unbelievable but I was thankful.

I heard the shrill ringing of my cell phone. I swore before running back to my room where I left it. The man was still banging on the window, trying to get in but to no avail. I answered the phone without looking at the name. I didn't get to say anything before Andy's voice was coming through it.

"Please tell me you left a'ready! Tal, please tell me you're almost here!" I ran out of my room and back to the kitchen. I grabbed the duffle bag, swinging it over my shoulder before grabbing my eyes and heading to the front door.

"I'm leaving now," I said. I looked through the peephole seeing no one around. The guy at my bedroom window scared me and I didn't want to come face to face with him or anyone else, this time without anything separating us. I didn't have any sort of weapon in my house. I didn't believe in violence. I took self defense classes in college but that was a few years ago and it didn't look like it would phase the guy anyhow.

"You shoulda left last night! Jesse said it got bad since last night! Just get out now!" I unlocked the front door after taking a deep breath.

"I'm leaving my house now, Andy. I'll be there soon," I went to hang up but he called my name in a panic. "What?"

"Stay on the phone with me until you get to the car, please." I mumbled a quick 'okay' before opening the door. The screaming got a lot louder once the door was open. Inside the house it was muffled, so how the screaming woke me up in the first place was weird. I heard Andy talking to someone, saying he could hear screams before I shut my door, not bothering to lock it. I sprinted towards my truck. The bed of it was open and I chucked the bag in the back before shoving the key in the hole to unlock it. I heard a growl behind me. I turned to see the man from the window coming towards me. I quickly opened the door before getting in and shutting the door.

The man ran straight into the car before pounding on the window. I screamed while I struggled to put the key into the ignition.

"Talia! Talia, what happened?! Are you a'right?!" Finally the truck started. I put it in reverse before hitting the gas and pulling out of my driveway. The man followed me and the pounding was getting louder. "Is someone trying to get you?! Are they at the window of the truck?! Talia!" I put the truck into drive before hitting the gas again, this time I jerked forward, speeding down the street before loosing the man.

"I'm fine! I'm fine! He scared me, is all. I'm fine!" I told him.

"Get to Sedalia now! Take the back roads, the highway will be too packed," I nodded before realizing he couldn't see me. I muttered an 'okay' before doing as he said. "Stay on the line with me, 'Kay Tal?"

"What's going on Andy? This–what the hell is this?!" As I drove through the streets it was like the same as mine. It was more gory though. I almost got into a few accidents on the way to the less traveled roads due to people running into the street because they were being chased by someone.

"I don't know...I don't know," was all he said. It made me frustrated. I didn't say anything for a while, neither did Andy. Once I was almost to Sedalia, Andy spoke up. "They think its zombies," I didn't know what to say. It was stupid.

"Zombies?" I asked. Andy could hear my disbelief over the phone.

"I know, it doesn't make any sense but its the only thing anyone can come up with!"

"Who are you with?" I asked. Andy hesitated. "Andy," he sighed.

"Jess, Merle and Daryl." My eyes widened.

"Dixon?" I asked.

"Are there any others?" I closed my eyes for a second before opening them. I was driving down the endless, curving road. After taking one curve I let out a scream, slamming on the brakes.

There was a small group of people, maybe five or six, huddled in the ground, in the middle of the road. I exited the truck, my phone pressed to my ear. I walked a little closer before shouting out a 'hey'. They all had their backs to me before I shouted to them. They turned their heads, making my eyes go wide and me freezing.

"Talia, get back in the truck!" I dropped my hand from my face that was holding the phone. I slowly backed up from the group as they all stood up and turned to me. Their hands were bloodied and their mouths had pieces of what looked like flesh, coming out of them. I looked to the ground to see a half eaten man laying there. My eyes widened before I turned and ran to the truck. I screamed as they too ran toward me because the door wasn't opening. I pulled on the handle a few times, it not budging. I was ready to give up and just run away until it opened. I jumped in, slamming the door closed. They all surrounded the car, banging on the hood and the passenger and drivers side window. I went to bring my hand up to tell Andy what was going on but the phone wasn't in my hand. I dropped it.

I started to cry. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't go forward because they were blocking the way and if I went back, I'd be going back towards the city. If I didn't drop my phone, Andy would be telling me what to do. I decided to do the only thing I could. I put the truck into reverse, going a few feet away from the group before turning the truck around and going back to the city.

This is my new story I'm working on. I have a few chapters already written out but I won't be updating for a while, most likely after G&G is finished. I wanted to post this to get some feedback, to see if anyone likes the idea. A few friends have given me good reviews of the prologue so far but they're friends so their opinion is biased. So please, read, review, PM me your opinions, thoughts, questions about the new story. :)