Geo groaned, "What the hell was that for?"

"That's fer what happened to her." The orange mare answered, pointing at the dead filly.

"Sorry! I was only defending myself!" Geo defended.

The mare scoffed before turning and running down a hall.

Without wasting a spare moment, Geo chased after the orange mare.

"Wait!" He shouted, "What's going on here?!'

"Not now!" The mare answered, "Just follow me!"

The duo took a few turns before Geo noticed sunlight coming from a door at the end of a hall.

"There!" Geo told the Mare, who turned and ran for it.

The mare paused only for a moment as she turned to buck open the doors.

Geo breathed in the fresh air, just now realizing just how putrid the hospital was. But he didn't stop, as the mare continued towards Ponyville.

As they ran, Geo noticed more bodies and blood. Sadly, he didn't recognize any of them as he had only been in Ponyville for the last five months or so, if too much time hadn't passed that is.

The mare began to slow down as they reached the center of town. Geo figured that now would be a better time for answers.

"What is going on here ma'am?" Geo asked, "Why are there bodies lining this place? Why are all these buildings decrepit?"

"All ya need to know is that the dead don't stay dead." The mare answered while scanning the town for something.

"So. . zombies?" Geo clarified.

"Tha's one way ta put it." the mare answered, suddenly bolting towards a mint green mare who was missing an eye. . . and a leg. Swiftly, the orange mare kicked the green one in the head, causing blood to spurt out and cover her orange fur. The mint green mare toppled over and didn't move.

"My name is Geo Phase." Geo told her, grimacing as the orange mares tamped on the green one's head once.

"Applejack." The mare replied, "An we need to get outta town."

"What about supplies?" Geo wondered.

"Mah group already picked Ponyville clean." Applejack explained.

"But you were in the hospital. . " Geo reminded her, only to get Applejack's face in his.

"That trip was personal." She growled.

"Alright, I won't pry." Geo promised, he then looked toward the green mare's corpse. "If it isn't any bother, could I go back to your group with you?"

Applejack stared at Geo for a moment before sighing, "If ah don't, I can think of a few ponies who'd have my flank for turning ya away."

"Great!" Geo exclaimed, "Lead the way!"

Applejack glared at Geo again, "If you try anything, anything, I will personally feed you to the trotters."

"Trotters?" Geo gulped.

Applejack pointed to another pony, this one had a chunk torn out of it's neck.

"G-got it." Geo stammered.

"Alright, now, before we go, Twilight wants her reference guide from her castle." Applejack told Geo.

"Twilight?" Geo wondered, "As in Princess Twilight?"

"The one an only." Applejack replied as she turned towards the crystal castle.

Geo followed her through the ruins of Ponyville. He felt despair grab him as he passed some of his favorite stores. Then he stopped still when he saw it. His lab, now only a pile of wood.

"Cobalt. . ." Geo sighed.

"Who?" Applejack asked.

"An assistant of mine," Geo explained, "I was inside this building before this all happened, and she was my assistant."

"Ah'm sorry fer yer loss, but we have ta get moving." Applejack told Geo before taking off for the castle. After a moment, Geo went after her.

The castle was dark. Geo could feel a slight draft run through the halls, and he could hear a groaning sound nearby.

"They're in here too?" Geo whispered in surprise.

"This here castle was a safe zone fer the first day or two." Applejack explained, "Then a couple of ponies got bit on a run and lied about it."

"And that's why this place is empty now. . " Geo surmised.

"We were in such a rush that a few ponies got separated from us." Applejack continued, opening each door she passed just enough to peek in.

"I see. . . " Geo sighed.

Eventually, Applejack stopped at a larger pair of doors. She peeked inside, then motioned to Geo to follow her in.

"So, which book are we looking for?" Geo asked.

"A reference guide to Equestria's cities and forests." Applejack answered.

Geo nodded and began searching through the shelves. "Sounds like you guys are working on a plan." He commented.

"Yeah, we are. ." Applejack answered.

The two continued to search through the library. Book after book hit the floor. Eventually, there were only two left on the shelves.

"I sure hope one of these are our book." Geo sighed. He turned to look at the mess they made, and he noticed a corpse with a sword's sheath attached to it. Using his magic, he undid the straps and pulled the sheath away.

"Wonder where the sword is. . " Geo muttered to himself.

"Ah, here it is!" Applejack exclaimed, holding up the book.

"Great!" Geo exclaimed, "Now we can get the hell out of here and away from these things!"

"Right." Applejack replied, she paused, "Wait. . . is that?"

"It this what?" Geo asked.

"She's alive?" Applejack whispered.

"Who?" Geo demanded.

"It doesn't matter." Applejack sighed, "Lets get outta here."

The two made their way out of the library, and found a horde approaching.

"The other way, now!" Applejack yelled.

The two turned on their heels and ran back through the library. Applejack turned down a hall and pointed ahead.

"That window! That's our way out!" She told Geo.

Geo simply nodded as they ran full bore at the window. They passed door after door, and right before they reached the window a trotter stepped out in front of them.

Applejack stopped, and bucked it back a few feet. "Go ahead, tell Twilight I'm on my way!" She yelled at Geo.

"Where do I go?" I asked her as I ran past.

"There's an apple orchard to the south. Head for it!" Applejack replied.

Geo turned his head back to the window and jumped.

Next time, on World of the Dead. . .

"My name is Geo, I'm a scientist working to create a pure energy source."

"We have nowhere to go, no plans and no hope."

"We could head to Manehatten."

"What are you doing?! That'll attract them!"

"We now have only one choice, we must face the Everfree."

Author's Note

Chapter one is done. Which means that it'll be Halloween by the time you read this.

And now we have a setting, and a plan will be introduced.

But what exactly happened to cause the group to retreat to the Everfree?

That's for Chapter 2: The Survivors, to decide.