Justin

As I followed the train tracks to Las Pegasus, I bobbed my head up and down to the beat of the song I'd asked the HUD to play, the song in question being Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer". One might think it's both distracting and tactically disadvantageous to be listening to music when things like zombies, monsters, hostile wildlife, and other post-apocalyptic threats could be roaming around. However, my hearing wasn't being sacrificed for the sake of listening to music. The HUD's music player was unique in that I could hear the music as if I were listening to it through high quality headphones, yet it didn't cancel out any other noises. I could still hear the ambient noises of the night around me perfectly fine, so I was able to remain aware of any possible danger.

The sun had gone down completely by this point, the moon having taken its place. Luckily, I wasn't left in total darkness thanks in part to the moon itself, as well as the numerous stars, serving as a light source. The sounds of owls hooting and crickets chirping echoed through the night in tandem with my music. After crossing the bridge, the trees I'd been surrounded by before became more sparse, but they hadn't disappeared entirely. Still, the more open terrain made it easier to keep an eye out for potential threats. I wouldn't have needed to keep an eye out for threats in the first place if the four gods hadn't sent their soldiers to kidnap me from the train, but hey, what can ya do.

"Hey HUD, any idea how long it'll take me to reach Las Pegasus?"

"If User: Justin continues at this pace, then User: Justin will most likely reach Las Pegasus by tomorrow morning at the earliest."

"Great…" I groaned. I was gonna have a long walk ahead of me.

"Warning: The area outside of Havens can be more dangerous at night. Recommendation: User: Justin should find shelter to rest until tomorrow before continuing on."

I wasn't feeling tired enough for sleep, thanks to the fact that I'd just woken up less than an hour ago after being knocked unconscious. Still, I thought it might be a good idea to heed the HUD's advice if it meant avoiding unnecessary danger. "If you say so, but I can't say I'm a fan of camping out, especially in the middle of nowhere."

"Negative. User: Justin should avoid camping in the wilderness. Not only does User: Justin lack the necessary supplies, but the risk of potential threats attacking the User while sleeping is too high. User: Justin should find somewhere secure to stay."

"Alright then, any recommendations? As far as I can tell, there isn't anything near-"

"Scans indicate that there is an abandoned logging camp not far from here. It should suffice as a secure place to rest."

"Wait, really?" I opened up my map to check, but I didn't see anything like that. "Are you sure? There's nothing on here."

"Reminder: the map that User: Justin was given is unfortunately outdated."

"Ah, right. Another example of Discord not properly preparing me for this."

"To be fair, Subject: Discord has been trapped in stone for over 200 years. His knowledge of the world's current state is limited, so preparing a more recent map would be difficult."

"…Yeah, I guess that's true. Anyway, where's this logging camp at?" I asked. In response, an objective marker appeared for me to follow, pointing Southwest from where I was. It would be a bit of a detour and take me away from the train tracks, but it wouldn't cause me to stray too far off course. Besides, it wasn't like I needed to follow the tracks. I still had a map I could use, even if it was outdated. "Alrighty then, to the logging camp we go. Hopefully I'll find somewhere comfortable enough to sleep there..." I altered my course and started walking in the direction of the objective marker, unaware of what I might find at the logging camp.

It didn't take too long to reach the logging camp, where I found the entire perimeter was surrounded by a tall chain link fence. What stood out to me was that, for some odd reason, the fence was reinforced with rusted sheet metal, and barbed wire was lined across the top. The sheet metal made it impossible to peek through the fence and get a glimpse at the camp, and there was no chance in hell I was climbing over with the barbed wire on the top, even if I was agile enough to climb it in the first place.

A large wide-open gate served as the only entrance, an empty security booth sitting right next to it. Not far away was an old train stop, much smaller than the station I'd fought at earlier. According to the HUD, had I kept following the train tracks, I would've found a railroad switch that led to this stop. Breaking away from the tracks and heading straight for the logging camp was the faster route, though. I imagine before this place was abandoned, the train would make a stop here for the people that worked at the logging camp, whether they were coming or going.

I started to approach the entrance gate, only to stop when I saw a humanoid creature shamble through, heading in my direction. Rotting flesh, pale eyes, sluggish movements, and growling; all the telltale signs of a zombie. Judging by the pony ears on its head and lack of anything else, I'd say it used to be an earth pony. I brought out the Walther P22 from my inventory in a flash, already aimed at the zombie. It took notice of me and started shuffling its legs to try and reach me. It was still several feet away and moving very slowly, so I didn't need to worry about it getting too close as I took aim and fired. The first shot hit it in the head, and I was surprised to see that was all it took as the zombie collapsed to the ground, unmoving. For a second, I wondered if it was just playing dead, as I'd seen that happen numerous times in zombie games before. However, the worries were quickly washed away as an XP notification confirmed the kill.

+2 XP

"That's...not a whole lot of XP, is it?" I commented.

"Basic infected are extremely easy to defeat by themselves, so they do not yield much XP."

"'Basic' infected? Are there other kinds?" In response, the HUD brought up an 'Encyclopedia', similar to when I asked her about the Tartarus Guardians.

"Encyclopedia: Basic Infected"

"Basic infected, or 'Shamblers' as most people call them, are the simplest form of those infected with the Expiron Virus. They are slow, unintelligent, and can be defeated with minimal effort. However, basic infected make up for their shortcomings by often traveling in large groups to overwhelm their prey. While a single basic infected can be taken care of with ease, the same can't be said for an entire horde."

'Expiron Virus', huh? Guess that's the name for Equestria's zombie virus. Also, 'Shambler' sounds like a much better name than 'basic infected', so I'll just call them shamblers from now on.

After hearing the encyclopedia on shamblers, a concerning question dawned on me. "Hey HUD? What would happen if I were to get bit by an infected? Would I turn into one?"

"If User: Justin is bitten by an infected, he will be infected with the Expiron Virus. However, User: Justin will not turn into an infected himself."

"Wait, what? So... you're saying I'd be infected and... not infected at the same time?"

"When someone is infected with the Expiron virus, they do not turn immediately or within a set time limit. Those infected with the Expiron Virus will only turn into an infected themselves after they have perished."

"So even if I do get infected, I won't become a zombie unless I die... and since death isn't permanent for me... I basically don't have anything to worry about."

"Affirmative."

"Alright, well that's a relief!" I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. For a second, I was worried fighting zombies would be extremely risky if all it took to kill me was a single bite. This makes things way easier! With this in mind, I reloaded my handgun and looted the shambler's body.

[Walther P22 (Handgun)]
10 +1 / 19

• $100

Once that was done, I nonchalantly strolled through the gate and entered the logging camp. The first thing I saw was a few rows of small, single-room log cabins that the workers must have stayed in. Beyond the rows of cabins, I could see countless stacks of cut logs standing at more than twice my height. Finally, way in the back, I could see a large, wooden, two-story building painted red. I didn't see any equipment for cutting up the logs sitting around, so if I had to guess, it was all being kept in that building.

Before I could even think about where to go next, the gate suddenly shut behind me, locking in place.

What the-!?

The entire fence lit up, sparks of electricity violently flickering from it. I didn't need to be a genius to know that touching it would fry me to a crisp. A screeching noise coming from one of the cabins near me stole my attention away from the fence, and I saw six more zombies exiting some of the cabins, charging straight at me. Right off the bat, I could tell there was something different about these zombies compared to the shambler I'd just killed. First off, their eyes were pure red, unlike the pale grey I saw in the shambler's eyes earlier. Secondly, they were able to move faster than the shambler, capable of running at me but not quite a full-on sprint. Finally, three of the six zombies were armed with weapons; A claw hammer, a fire axe, and a shovel.

Not good, NOT GOOD!

I raised my gun at them to attack, but I didn't expect them to respond to it. To my surprise, they actually did react to it as they slowed their approach, choosing to stalk towards me and try to circle around me. They already had me cornered, so surrounding me wasn't exactly difficult for them. They started grunting and growling at each other, one would growl to another and it would growl back in response. If I didn't know any better, it kind of looked like they were communicating. I lined up the sight with one of the zombie's heads, but the split second before I pulled the trigger, it ducked down and avoided my shot, causing me to miss. I aimed at another zombie, this time without pulling the trigger, and it made similar movements, ducking down and taking a step to the left.

Are-... are they trying to throw my aim off?

That was another difference between these zombies and the shambler at the gate: These zombies had intelligence. They weren't just mindlessly coming towards me, they were strategizing. For some odd reason, seeing this behavior actually gave me a feeling of deja vu, like I'd seen it before. Unfortunately, I was too panicked at the moment to think about where I'd seen it.

I opened fire again, two shots going into the chest of one of the approaching zombies. It was enough to make the zombie flinch, but it didn't stop it in its tracks. I kept firing, but it was fruitless as one of the bare-handed zombies got close enough to grab me. He wrapped his hands around my throat and started squeezing, and I struggled in his grip. Thinking fast, I pulled out my makeshift knife and stabbed it in the zombie's throat, causing it to loosen its grip before I kicked it away from me. After having freed myself, I turned to my left just a second too late as the zombie holding the claw hammer swung his weapon at my head, smacking me in the left temple.

-11 HP

Overall HP: 99/110

Head: 91%

I was dazed from the hit and had to shake the dizziness away. As soon as I did, I saw the zombie with the fire axe swing his weapon down into my right shoulder.

-24 HP

Overall HP: 75/110

Right Arm: 87%

"AAGH!!!" I cried out as the axe sank into my flesh. I fell to my knees as the zombie ripped the axe out of the fresh gash. I looked up again just in time to see the zombie swing the axe down into my skull, hitting my brain and killing me instantly. After the zombie ripped the axe out again, my body slumped to the ground as blood poured from the gaping wound in my head.

GAME OVER

Load Checkpoint?

Yes >No

I woke up with a gasp before frantically looking around, trying to get my bearings. The first thing I noticed was that I was standing inside the logging camp already, the electrified fence having just been activated. My attention was drawn to the sound of screeching as I saw the six zombies that just killed me exiting the cabins and running straight towards me.

"User: Justin is currently outnumbered and in a disadvantageous position. Recommendation: Fall back and retreat."

Considering what just happened when I tried staying and fighting, The HUD didn't have to tell me twice. Going back the way I came was out of the question thanks to the electrified gate, so I decided to make a break for one of the cabins. I fired a round at one of the zombies, hitting it square in the face and stunning it, while also creating an opening for me to run between the zombies. I dashed through, ducking as the zombie with the hammer swung at me, narrowly missing my head. Luckily, despite them being faster than the first zombie, they weren't as fast as me at a full adrenaline-fueled sprint, so I easily outran them. I burst into the closest cabin and slammed the door behind me. Frantically looking around, I spotted a dresser and quickly pushed it in front of the door to barricade it. Once finished, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"The logging camp does not appear to be a secure place for User: Justin to stay. It would seem I have made a miscalculation."

"Gee, no shit!" I said out of frustration, panting to catch my breath. I took a quick look around the cabin I found myself in. It was pretty barren, the only inclusions to the interior being the dresser I just pushed and a bed in the far corner. The cabin had two windows, one on the left wall and one on the right. "HUD, what the fuck were those things!? Those weren't normal zombies!" I exclaimed. A second later, another Encyclopedia appeared before me.

"Encyclopedia: Advanced Infected"

"Advanced infected, or 'Prowlers' as most people call them, are tougher and more intelligent than basic infected. They are capable of strategizing, using weapons, and laying traps. Studies have shown that they are somehow capable of communicating with each other, but no one has been able to decipher their seemingly unintelligible growls, grunts, and screeches. While they aren't as numerous as basic infected, there are still plenty of advanced infected roaming around Equus. They can be extremely dangerous and overwhelming in numbers, so caution is advised."

Why the hell does this feel familiar? I swear I've seen zombies act like this somewhere before, but where have I-?

...And that's when it hit me:

Ganados.

For those that haven't played Resident Evil 4 and don't know what 'Ganados' are... well, first of all you should play Resident Evil 4, because it's one of the best games ever made. Secondly, Ganados, which is Spanish for Cattle or Livestock, are what the enemies are called in that game. Unlike the zombies seen in the series prior to Resident Evil 4, the Ganados were unique in that they weren't just mindless zombies. They would communicate with each other in Spanish, use a variety of weapons to attack the player, set traps like dynamite tripwires or bear traps, and try to throw off the player's aim by either raising their arms and shielding their face to make headshots difficult, or ducking and sidestepping to try and dodge the player's bullets.

The zombies, or 'Prowlers' as the HUD said, that just ambushed me earlier showed a lot of the same traits, making me wonder if they were exactly like the Ganados. If they were, then I wouldn't be completely clueless on how to deal with them, having fought off hordes of Ganados in RE4. Granted, that was a video game and this was real life, but it was something. At the same time, it also made me fully aware of how much of a threat these prowlers are, and how much danger I was currently in, as if them successfully killing me wasn't enough of a warning. I needed to find a way out of this place, and fast. "HUD, do you know if there are any other entrances or exits besides the one we just came through?"

"Negative. That gate is the only way in and out of the logging camp. User: Justin will need to find a way to shut off the electricity and open the gate in order to escape."

The HUD then gave me a new notification.

[Side Quest]: Logging Camp Ambush

Objective 1: Find a way to shut off the electric fence.

My attention was pulled away from the objective when I heard the sound of... an engine running?

What's making that noise?

It sounded like it was coming from outside on the cabin's left side, so I peeked through the left window to see what was going on. My eyes went wide when I saw what the source of the noise was. The 'engine' noise I heard? It was coming from a big rig making its way over from where the log stacks were, and sitting in the driver's seat was one of the prowlers. I'm guessing the truck was used to transport logs or other large cargo back in the day, but right now, the infected were using it for another purpose. Once the rig was facing the cabin I was in, the prowler hit the gas, and the big rig started speeding towards it.

They were gonna ram the building, with me inside it.

OH SHIT!!!

Thinking quickly, I did a 180 and went for the window on the opposite wall. I opened it and climbed through, tumbling to the ground before booking it as fast as I could away from the cabin. I looked back to see the truck hit the cabin with full force, causing the small building to collapse. The truck appeared to be trapped under the debris, so I hopefully wouldn't need to worry about it anymore.

Jesus Christ, that was close!

The sound of screeching came from far behind me, and I looked to see more prowlers running towards me. A few of them were unarmed, but most of them were wielding all kinds of tools that could easily be used as lethal weapons.

Shit, time to go!

I started running in the opposite direction, unsure of where my goal was. For now, all I was worried about was getting away and living.

I eventually managed to lose the group of prowlers that was chasing me and hid in another cabin, which had the same layout as the cabin I was in earlier. I peeked through the windows to make sure I hadn't been followed, and once I was certain I was safe, I let myself relax. I bent over with my hands on my knees, panting heavily as sweat dripped from my forehead.

Good lord, those guys can put up a chase...

Once I'd managed to catch my breath, I stood up straight and gave the room a once over, looking for any supplies that might help me. There wasn't anything but old worn-out work clothes in the dresser, so nothing of value there. However, I did manage to find a small chest tucked underneath the bed and pulled it out. Inside, I found a piece of cloth, a bottle of alcohol, some extra bits, and some more handgun ammo.

• 1 Cloth
  
• 1 Alcohol
  
• $100
  
• x8 Handgun Ammo

I immediately used the supplies to craft a molotov and, remembering I'd used up a bullet earlier, reloaded my gun.

• 1 Cloth
  
• 1 Alcohol
  
• 1 Molotov Cocktail

[Walther P22 (Handgun)]
10 +1 / 26

Good to have more ammo, but I doubt it's nearly enough to deal with all those things.

Now that I had time for a quick breather, I started brainstorming how I was going to get out of this place. Obviously, the electric fence was being powered by something, and I just needed to turn it off. Maybe they're using a generator? If so, where would it be? Maybe that large red building I saw towards the back of the camp? It's as good a place as any to start searching. The problem was, that building wasn't exactly close, and this place was crawling with infected. Who knows what kinds of traps or ambushes they might have set up?

No sense dwelling on it. If I don't do something, I'll be stuck here.

"Looks like you're in a bit of a pickle, hmm?" I turned around when I heard the familiar sound of Dissaria's voice. She stood in her doorway, thankfully wearing pants for once.

"That's putting it lightly." I chuckled as I approached her. "Any chance I can take a look at what you're selling? I get the feeling I'm gonna need to gear up."

"Be my guest." She obliged, and the shop menu showed up next to her.

DISARRIA'S SHOP
[BUY]
[UPGRADE]
[CRAFT/REPAIR]
[SELL]

I was about to tap on the 'buy' option, but a glance at the 'sell' option changed my mind. I recalled that my inventory was starting to feel a bit cluttered, and I wanted to see if there was anything I didn't need that I could exchange for more cash.

[SELL]

• Walther P22 (Handgun) [$2,000]
  
• Makeshift Knife [Can't Sell]
  
• Rusted Metal Pipe (80%) [$400]
  
• Full Health Stims (1) [$10,000 per stim]
  
• Handgun Ammo (26) [$25 per bullet]
  
• Assault Rifle Ammo (15) [$30 per bullet]
  
• Molotov Cocktails (6) [$1,000 per cocktail]

I remembered that the price to buy handgun ammo from Disarria was $50 per bullet, so it seemed that just like in video games, selling items to a shop always earns less money than what it cost to buy it. Also, holy shit, the Full Health Stim is worth a lot of money.

Hmm...I think I can keep everything here except for the assault rifle ammo. I don't have a rifle, and I doubt I'll find one in this place.

• x15 Assault Rifle Ammo
  
• $450

Once that was done, I swapped over to the 'Buy' screen.

[BUY]

Weapons:
- Luger P08 (Handgun) [$8,000]

Health:
- Health Stim (Small) [$2,500]

Ammo:
- Handgun Ammo [$50 per bullet]

Crafting Recipes:
- Small Health Stim Recipe [$5,000]
- Handgun Ammo Recipe [$10,000]

Doesn't seem like there's anything new available, and they're still just as pricey. I could buy more Health Stims... but I really wanna save up for the Luger. I could use a better handgun than what I have now. At the very least, I can use the money I got from the assault rifle ammo and buy some more handgun ammo.

• $450
  
• x9 Handgun Ammo

As soon as I was done, I turned to Disarria. "Alrighty, I think that'll be all for now."

"If you say so. If you decide you need me again, come looking for me in one of these cabins. Best of luck to you!" Disarria closed her door behind her, and it proceeded to fade away as usual. Once she was gone, I took a peek through one of the cabin's windows and saw the big red building beyond the stacks of logs. It didn't look too far away, but it felt farther due to the fact that there were God knows how many infected wandering around trying to kill me. I didn't have any other options though, so I was just gonna have to bite the bullet.

"Here goes nothing..." I muttered to myself as I exited the cabin.

It took some sneaking on my part to avoid the prowlers roaming about, but I eventually managed to reach the log stacks. Now that I was closer, I could see they were all arranged in a maze-like formation, and there wasn't any way around them. I'm not sure if the prowlers had set the logs up this way on purpose or not, but it didn't matter either way. If I wanted to reach the red building, I was gonna have to wander through the maze until I found the end.

Sitting just outside the entrance of this improvised maze was a rotting corpse, its back laying against the logs. The body belonged to a male earth pony, his stomach having been torn open and his intestines spilled out across the grass, a few flies swarming around the gore. A bullet hole could be seen in his right temple, and an empty snub-nosed revolver lay dormant in his limp right hand. I wasn't a detective, but I was intuitive enough to figure out that he must have been infected and knew he wasn't going to survive that wound, so he did himself in to spare himself from turning.

Jesus...

"It would appear that User: Justin is not the first survivor to come across this logging camp and fall victim to the infected."

"It would appear so..." I agreed with the HUD, grimacing as I approached the body. I could see the corpse was wearing a backpack and, as disrespectful as it may be, I wanted to see if there was any supplies I could use inside of it. I didn't want to loot the poor guy, but it would be better if any supplies he might have didn't go to waste. First, I picked up a nearby stick and poked the revolver to see if it would shock me. Sure enough, a small spark came off of the revolver the second the stick made contact with it, meaning it had a weapon-binding spell applied to it. I wouldn't be getting any use out of it, unfortunately.

After swatting a few of the flies away, I moved on to the backpack next, pulling it off of the corpse. Inside the bag was a few different things, mostly old clothes and spoiled food. The first thing of note that I found was some extra handgun ammo, which I imagine had been for the revolver.

• x6 Handgun Ammo

After digging through some more spoiled food, my eyes widened upon seeing a compound crossbow in the backpack, along with a few arrows right next to it. I quickly grabbed the stick I used earlier and poked the crossbow, praying that I wouldn't get the same result as the revolver. Thankfully, my prayers had been answered, as when the stick touched the crossbow, nothing happened. With some excitement, I pulled the crossbow and arrows out of the bag and inspected the weapon.

[Crossbow]
0 / 4

Crossbow Stats:
Damage: 1.20
Ammo Capacity: 1
Rate of Fire: N/A
Accuracy: 3.50
Bonus: Silenced Weapon

Hell yeah! New weapon!

I grabbed one of the arrows and placed it onto the crossbow's rail before pulling back the bowstring to finish loading it. Unfortunately, it took a decent amount of muscle and effort to do so, and I didn't have the arrow loaded for a good few seconds.

The crossbow does slightly more damage than the Walther P22, but it only fires one arrow at a time, and it takes a while to reload. That'd definitely be a hindrance if I used it in the middle of a fight. It doesn't make any noise when fired though, so it'll definitely come in handy for stealth.

I placed the crossbow in my inventory and turned to look at the corpse. "I'll put it to good use, I promise." I then turn my attention to the maze's entrance, take a deep breath, and step inwards. I moved slowly and cautiously through the maze, peeking around each corner and fearing what might be around them. When I peeked around the third corner I came across, I spotted a prowler holding a hatchet walking up and down the path, patrolling. I pressed my back against the logs and stayed hidden, not daring to step out from around the corner until the prowler had turned his back to me. As I waited, I retrieved the crossbow from my inventory.

Time to give this baby a whirl.

The second the prowler had turned around and started patrolling the other way, I stepped out from my cover and aimed the crossbow at it. I took a deep breath, held it, and pulled the trigger. The arrow cut threw the air, my intended target being the prowler's head.

Instead, the arrow dipped and hit the prowler in the upper back.

SHIT!

I quickly ducked back into cover before the prowler could see me. It looked around angrily in an attempt to find out what had hit it. After about ten seconds, he gave up and resumed his patrol, uncaring about the arrow still plunged in his back. It seemed that while prowlers were smarter than the average zombie, they weren't exactly brainiacs either, which worked in my favor. Speaking of a lack of intelligence...

Goddamnit, I forgot to compensate for the arrow drop. Nice job, idiot.

I loaded another arrow onto the crossbow and took aim again once the prowler's back was turned...again. This time, I aimed the crossbow slightly upwards to compensate for the drop before pulling the trigger.

The arrow whizzed by the prowler's head, missing it by about an inch, before hitting the ground.

GOD FUCKING DAMNIT!!!

I ducked back into cover again, loaded an arrow onto the crossbow again, waited for the prowler to no longer be suspicious again, before I stepped out, aimed, and fired yet again. This time, I finally managed to hit my target as the arrow pierced the prowler's head, its body slumping to the ground.

+10 XP

Darryl Dixon makes this look easier than it actually is. Using the crossbow effectively is gonna take a lot of practice...

I walked over to the prowler's corpse and was just about to loot it when I noticed something; the arrows that were plunged into the prowler were still intact. I glanced over at the arrow in the ground, and it was still perfectly fine as well. It seemed arrows don't break and can be re-used. Definitely handy for conserving ammo. I collected all three and reloaded the crossbow before moving on to the corpse, which didn't have anything I haven't seen before.

• $400
  
• x2 Handgun Ammo

I tried picking up the hatchet the prowler was holding, but as soon as I did, the head of the hatchet fell off and into the dirt, rendering the weapon broken and useless. I shrugged and dropped the handle before continuing on through the maze.

It didn't take me long to arrive at a crossroads, with my options being left or straight. After a few seconds, I decided on turning left, which led me to another turn that led to... a dead end. With a sigh, I turned back around and was about to head back the way I came, only to be cut off by a prowler holding a sledgehammer, who jumped out from around the corner and took a swing at me. I just barely managed to avoid the attack by leaping back away from it, falling onto my back. I scrambled away to put some distance between us before getting back to my feet, bringing out the rusted metal pipe from my inventory. Before the prowler could swing the hammer at me again, I swung the pipe first, hitting it in the face.

[Rusted Metal Pipe (75%)]

The stunned prowler clutched its face in pain as it stumbled, and I took the opportunity to swing at one of its legs, bringing it to its knees. With an overhead swing, I brought the pipe down onto the prowler's head, causing it to fall to the ground completely. When it continued to move, I smashed the pipe over the prowler's head once, twice, and finally a third time before it stopped moving.

[Rusted Metal Pipe (50%)]

+10 XP

Jesus, he nearly gave me a heart attack...

After taking a breath, I looted its body.

• $500
  
• x2 Handgun Ammo

Just as I finished, my gaze whipped from the prowler's body to the path I'd just taken when I heard the screeches of more prowlers. I quickly ran back to the crossroads and looked back the way I came, seeing at least 10 more prowlers running towards me, half of them carrying improvised weapons.

No way am I taking them all on, time to run!

I started running down the straight path I avoided earlier, making a couple more turns before I slipped on a puddle of some sort of liquid and fell face first into the ground. I pushed myself up, spitting out some of the liquid I'd fallen into, only to finally notice what the liquid in question was just as I got to my hands and knees.

Is this... kerosene?

The puddle of kerosene was spread out along the path all the way to the end, where I saw the exit to the maze. When I heard a prowler's growl come from above, I looked up at the top of the log stacks and saw several tipped-over metal barrels sitting on the edge, most likely having been filled with kerosene prior to being dumped into the path. Standing next to the barrels was a prowler holding a lit torch and looking down at me, and it only took me a second to put two and two together.

OH SWEET FUCKIN' CHRIST!!!

I immediately made a beeline for the exit, but that was made difficult due to the kerosene being so slippery, and I could barely keep my balance. Behind me, I could hear the prowlers that were chasing me getting closer and closer. With desperation and panic in my heart, I kept moving forward as the prowler dropped the torch and let it fall down into the path. The puddle lit up and the flames raced after me as I continued to slip and stumble towards the exit. I finally, and just barely, managed to reach it and dived forward, once again landing face first on the ground. I looked back at the flame-filled path and saw a few of the prowlers that were behind me ended up getting caught in the fire, their bodies getting lit up like candles. Unfortunately, since I wasn't the one that set them on fire, I didn't get any XP when their burnt corpses fell to the ground. The prowlers that hadn't gotten caught in the fire watched me from across the path, unable to reach me with the flaming obstacle in front of them.

"HA! You snooze you lose, morons!" I called out to them before getting back to my feet. The front part of me was damp from falling in the kerosene, which sucked ass, but there wasn't much I could do about it. I turned back around and faced my destination: The red building. It looked to be about two stories high, just as I'd already observed from when I first entered the logging camp, and appeared to resemble a barn. The red-painted wood was old and worn, a decent amount of the paint flaking off. I could see a large sliding door on the right side that served as the entrance, and an unpainted wooden platform on the left side of the second floor. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell whether or not there was another entrance on the platform from where I was standing.

About damn time I made it here. This better have been worth the trouble...

With that, I took my first steps towards the red building in hopes of finding a way to turn off the electric fence, whatever dangers might be lurking inside being a complete mystery to me.

Author's Note

General Status
User: Justin Baker
Current Level: 2
Current XP: 172/200
Money: $6,100
Overall HP: 110/110
Head: 100%
Torso: 100%
Left Arm: 100%
Right Arm: 100%
Left Leg: 100%
Right Leg: 100%

Skills
Strength: 10/100
Endurance: 5/100
Reflexes: 14/100
Agility: 3/100
Stealth: 4/100
Guns: 4/100
Explosives: 2/100
Melee: 2/100
Unarmed: 1/100
Medicine: 2/100

Happy early Halloween, everybody! This chapter wasn't originally intended to be a two-parter, but I wanted to give an update on the story as soon as possible since I hate making you guys wait so long for a new chapter. I might have gotten it up a few days earlier if I hadn't been preoccupied with starting, beating, and getting the platinum trophy for Spider-Man 2 on the PS5 these past few days. (The game was awesome btw, this has been a fantastic year for video games.)

This chapter is much less story focused and mostly serves as a proper introduction for the infected. There are several different types of infected, but for now, I've just shown you guys what will be the most commonly seen kinds of infected: shamblers and prowlers. Don't worry though, more will appear in the second part. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are still interested enough to keep reading. Until next time, stay tuned for more!

(P.S. Would you guys mind if I included Justin's current abilities and inventory in the Author's Notes alongside the current stats that are already there? I want to make it easier for everyone reading to keep track of all his stats and equipment, so I felt that logging them in the Author's Notes would be a good way to keep track of it. Please let me know what you think in the comments!)