The Dawn (Edited)

I didn't expect the day to go as it did. I was in the office, and the bell rang. A social worker walked by and told me I was taking the bus today. I nodded and I headed out to the bus. As I made it out the door, I was knocked to the ground by Joel, one of the many, many bullies at my school.

"Ha! Some kid, huh?" Joel said as he rose his foot to curb stomp me.

"Joel! That's enough, man. Come on, show some respect, dude." Another student said.

I didn't bother to listen as I headed into my bus.

We were almost at my house when my phone rang. I pulled it out and saw 'Mom' on the screen.

"Hello?" I said.

"Kyle, baby?" My mom asked.

"Mom, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Something happened. Something bad. The gun is in your room. Get it and arm yourself..." She was cut off by static.

"What was that?" I asked myself.

Then, the radio changed channels.

"This is the Emergency Channel. The Rabies Outbreak in Russia has currently spread to the U.S. Arm yourselves and off ANYONE you think may have been ex- hang on, my boss is saying we need to get off the air." Then, the radio was overrun with gunfire and screams.

"Bus driver, step on it!" I said.

We arrived home to see corpses and a rabid version of my mother.

"Oh my God." I said.

She then charged at me. I was almost bitten, then my bus driver grabbed his crowbar.

The rest was fuzzy. I felt warm blood on my face, a door open, and a muffled voice asking me if I was okay.

I didn't respond as I looked at my mother's corpse...

1 YEAR LATER

"We're out of supplies," Gary stated, "I think we're gonna have to go out soon."

I agreed and turned the radio on, like I did daily, searching for any signs of other survivors.

"Attention all survivors. Those who are still alive, head for the high school. We have claimed it a sanctuary."

"Oh my God." I said, as Gary and I looked at each other.

"Well, let's go!" Gary said.

It took a while, but we arrived. We saw the walls and we ran. Then, a door opened and a loudspeaker squeaked to life.

"Identify yourselves." A voice on the other side of the door said.

"Gary, and this here's Kyle." He said.

The gate in front of the door opened and a figure stepped out.

"I'm guessing you heard the broadcasts." The figure said.

"Yeah. Why?" I asked.

"Well, we can only take one of you." The figure said.

"Wait, I don't understand." I replied.

"We didn't think so many people would hear it so soon. People came rushing in like Black Friday. We just don't have enough room for the both of you." The figure - now shivering in the cold - said.

"Then, take Kyle!" Gary said.

"No, there has be another way." I said.

I was with the guy a while. I wasn't ready to see him leave and disappear.

"It's you or me inside those walls. I say it's you." He said.

"Alright." I said. I could tell he wasn't thinking otherwise.

I grabbed the baseball bat I found, looked and waved at Gary one last time, and walked in the gates.

"I'm sorry..." The figure said, clearly once the principle.

"It's alright. At least he isn't dead... Yet." I said.

Then I was brought to an apartment they claimed and was shown my room.

"5-A. Here are the keys." The principle said.

"Thanks. Miss..."

"Celestia." She said.

Me and Celestia went into the room and knocked. Another resident came out.

"Hey. Who's this?" She asked.

"You two can introduce yourselves in the morning. You have a guest room, right?" Celestia asked.

"Yeah..."

"I'll see you two in the morning."

I was having a nightmare about things before that happened. I was backed in the corner by some students, and one of them threw a punch. I fell and they all started kicking. Their kicks synced up with an alarm in the background, and I was snapped back into reality.

"Good. You're up." My roommate said.

"Well, that was quite the wake-up call." I said.

"Ha, ha. The name's Scootaloo." She said.

"I'm Kyle." I replied.

"Come on, I'll give you the tour." Scootaloo said as she opened the door and walked out.

As we walked around, I noticed the walls and everyone on top.

"Who are those guys?" I asked.

"They're the Watchers. They pretty much guard the place." Scootaloo said.

As the tour went on, I saw the kitchen areas. Yes, there were so many people, the cafeteria wasn't enough.

"I'm surprised they had enough room for you." Scootaloo said.

"So am I. How long were you here?" I asked.

"I was a student here. We just couldn't abandon this place. So much has happened here..." Scootaloo said.

"I can imagine..." I said.

We both were interrupted by Celestia, holding a notebook.

"I suppose you two are getting along nicely?" Celestia asked.

"Well, this is better than most of my first introductions." I said.

"Good to hear. This... seems rushed, but I was hoping you would choose an occupation. We need as many workers as we can get, and if you survived out there for this long..."

"What do you need?" I asked.

"You can choose. Watcher, a guard of the wall. Runner, our local scavengers. Or Educational, our scientists, so to speak."

I took a moment. Watcher seemed interesting-- getting some action, without really getting in the way. I took my choice: Watcher.

"Are you sure?" Celestia said.

"I'm sure." I said.

So my training was short. I was taught how to handle the kick of a rifle better, also I learned a few things on the Infected.

"They're quick, but easy to kill. If you're cornered, an axe to the neck should do it. If you're not, aim for the chest, or head. You got no weapons, go for the knees first, then stomp them. Works like a charm." the weapons instructor said.

Lunch came, the food was surprisingly good for a can of Hash. I was able to catch up on the history of CHS from Scootaloo's "sister", Rainbow Dash in the library.

"Then, we turned into a MASSIVE horse thing and saved everyone." Rainbow finished.

I couldn't believe it at first. But over time... I'd understand. Later, I met up with her and talked for a bit.

"So, I heard you're new here." Rainbow said.

"Yeah." I said.

"I heard about Gary." Rainbow said.

"Well, better than dead. How about you? Did you lose anyone yet?" I asked.

"Yeah... A guy named Flash Sentry." She said.

"I'm sorry... Were you two close?" I said.

"No, but I was friends with his girlfriend."

"Where's she now?" I asked.

"No clue. But... she's out there. If anyone could find a way to survive, it's Twilight." Rainbow said as she walked away

I stood in shock and went to ask more, but she was already gone. Scootaloo was with her friends trying some stunt with her scooter. Little did I know what I would become because of her... Look at me rant on. That night, I fell asleep knowing that I was safe and secure. I felt like nothing could touch us.

Boy, was I wrong...