Apocalypse: An Anthology Part 1

APOCALYPSE.

An Anthology by Authors and Readers.

Edited and Compiled by Cynthia Shepp.

FOREWORD.

This started out as a contest but grew into an idea. This anthology came together due to a contest on my Facebook page. The authors and readers were given the opportunity to write a short story that had to be written using the guidelines provided. I was in shock and awe at the entries I received. I knew that more than the followers on my page needed the chance to read these stories, so I decided to put together an anthology and publish it. These stories come from already published authors as well as readers who aspired to write.

The guidelines used to write these short stories were ones that I thought would appeal to the audience: *I want you to imagine that the world as we know it has ended. Total Apocalypse. You only have yourself and one other person you can rely on (your choice). There is no power, no water, and you are armed with only a backpack of supplies. In your backpack there are matches, four bottles of water, enough food to make it three days, and one weapon (your choice). Spin me a story and tell me what you would do. Spin a web of survival, danger, and conflict. Tell me why the world as you knew it ended, tell me your fears, make up a world in which nothing is the same and survival is hard, and the world is against you. Tell me what you would do, where you would go, how you would get food and water, how you would protect yourself, and how you would make your life over again. You could even throw in some romance and meet some new people to help you on your journey.*

I believe that the authors of these short stories more than met the guidelines; they exceeded even my expectations. I hope that you enjoy reading these as much as I did. Please leave a review when you are finished on Amazon or Goodreads and let us know what you think. Also, please take the opportunity to connect with these amazing authors. Author links are included on the individual t.i.tle pages of the stories.

Enjoy your read!

Cynthia Shepp.

http://cynthiashepp.wordpress.com.

DEDICATION.

This Anthology is Dedicated to:.

My wonderful husband, Scott, for putting up with me when I get so immersed in a project, and my children, Jake, Colee, and Spencer. I love you all very much.

It is also dedicated to the wonderful people that helped me get this anthology out there. All of the fantastic authors that submitted their work, Rene Folsom for her fabulous cover art and for helping me through the process of putting this together, Ca.s.sie Hoffman for helping me keep everything going, Jason Brant for giving me my first break, Jayce for making me laugh and encouraging me to do this, and to all of my amazing Facebook and blog followers: without y'all none of this would be possible.

Cynthia.

FADE TO BLACK.

JASE BRANTSON.

Dedicated to: Tony Nix.

Author Info:.

Jase Brantson fancies himself the survivor of SEVERAL zombie apocalypses and a.s.sured me that it was no trouble at all for him to submit FADE TO BLACK to us from the safety of his underground bunker located at parts unknown....

Fade to Black.

FADE IN:.

"WAIT! Waitaminute! C'mon, man!"

"Give me one good reason not to cave your skull in with this crowbar!"

"Look around, man... You got them all. They attacked me! I'm the good guy... Whaddaya say? Can I get up?... Take all the time you need to decide... Yeah, look at 'em, dude; you saved my life, man... You don't wanna spoil that by caving my head in, do you? Besides, you'd get zombie blood on me-"

"They're not zombies!"

"They are definitely not zombies... Can I get up, man?"

"Get up."

"Whew! Thanks, man. Hey, I'm Rex-sorry. Note to self: no shaky-of-the-hands... Relax, man-"

"Stop calling me man, man!"

"Hey, sarcasm! Sarcasm is good... Better than head-caving-in...ness. Let me try again. Me, Rex...you...? Whoa-whoa-whoa! Sorry, ma-uhh...Mr...a little help?"

"I'm Jack. You talk too much."

"Me? What about you, yammerin' away just now?"

"What's in the pack?"

"Oh, uhh...nothing really; just some supplies-"

"Hand it over."

"Aw, c'mon, m-Jack. It's just my stuff; I'm trying to get to my sister's compound. Okay...okay... Reason vs. Crowbar...Reason's head gets caved in-Take it easy, Jack! That's my food!... Wow...when's the last time you ate, Jack? Uhh...there's only four bottles of water left; go easy, okay? Jeez...well, maybe it'll rain..."

"For the love of G.o.d, shut up! Where did you get this stuff? Where are you from?"

"Jack, you just yelled at me to shut-Where to begin? I was born-"

"We've got to get moving; there's always more of them. C'mon."

"Okaaay... I guess you wanna carry my pack-that's good; that's fine... And where are we going?"

"My hole."

"That doesn't sound too inviting, Jack. I mean, not that I don't appreciate the whole ninja-zombie-killer thing-"

"They're not zombies!"

"Got it. They are not zombies. You don't happen to actually know what they are, do you? And what is this hole? Hey, c'mon, wait up! I was just nearly killed by a pack of zom-zom...zomething of which I don't know what it is... man-Jack! I know that the world has ended, and all, and that we don't have much of a chance for survival, but you have really got to lighten up!"

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:.

"HOW much farther? I think I've got a rock in my shoe... Can I have a drink of water? You know, my water? Jack, if they're not zombies, what are they? How did you find me out here, anyway? Was that just a fluke? Do you have any idea what happened to cause all this? All I know is the Internet crashed and took everything with it, it looks like... Jack? C'mon, Jack! Wait up! (They act like zombies... You don't know everything...)"

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:.

"AW, c'mon, Jack...I don't think I can fit through there..."

"Quit complaining and crawl through. It's getting dark; they'll be out in force."

"Jeez...Okay! I can do it! Don't pus.h.!.+ My s.h.i.+rt is hung-you tore my s.h.i.+rt; thanks a lot, Jack. You know what? Just go ahead and cave my skull in!"

"Is that your favorite s.h.i.+rt, or something?"

"Now he wants to talk. Look, Jack-Wait-Hey! You can't leave me out here alone! Okay, I'm gonna try again! Jack? (Just abandon me, why don't you?) JEEZUS! I hope that's you that grabbed my hand-Waaaaiiitttt-aaauuuggghhhh!"

"This is my hole."

"Jack, that hurt. And you tore my s.h.i.+rt some more... You don't care. Fine. Nice place, Jack-I mean, as best I can tell in the near pitch darkness."

"Funny man. I'll build a fire as soon as I block the entrance."

"There's some natural ventilation, I hope. You're gonna move that rock? Do you need some help-no, I see... So this is a cave? This is where you live?"

"We'll talk after I get the fire lit."

"You're lighting a fire?"

"Yes; what does it look like I'm doing?"

"Uhhh...well, Jack-"

"We'll talk after I get the fire lit!"

"Okay. Sorry. I can wait. (Last thing in the world I'd wanna do is interfere with a man while he's-) Sorry! Sorry. I'll just sit down and wait patiently for the fire. Just anywhere, I suppose? Is this okay? Right here?-Sorry! Not another word, not another word...."

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:.

"ANY progress? Smoke, at least? Sorry, Jack; not another word...."

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:.

"MATCHES? You had matches, and you let me kill myself starting that fire?"

"I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't let me talk!"

"All you do is talk!"

"Have a granola bar, Jack! Right there in that other pocket."

"Don't worry, I will! What else have you got stuffed in this thing?"

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:.

"THAT'S maybe three days' worth of supplies. What were you gonna do then?"

"Maybe find some wild berries-"

"Berries? When's the last time you saw a wild berry?"

"I just took what I could fit in the backpack, okay?"

"Razors...Deodorant?. . . You do realize that you sacrificed room for food and water just to have things that are probably only going to insure that your corpse is nice and neat, right? Though, the toilet tissue will certainly be a luxury...."

"Look, Jack, you could use a shave and some deodorant...and this whole place stinks! Do you use the bathroom in here?"

"When I have to; five gallon bucket with a board for a lid. Just around the bend there. Got to go?"

"Jeez, noooo!"

"I hate to cloud up your sunny day, Pollyanna, but all the niceties of so-called civilized society are dead. Welcome to the literal post-apocalyptic wasteland. Only, unlike in the movies and books about it, those of us who have survived stink! We don't shave, we don't bathe regularly-if at all-our clothes are filthy, our breath is foul, and we c.r.a.p in the dirt! Or maybe a bucket... Have you seen a woman lately?"

"Not a normal one..."

"Probably for the best. The last one I saw I had legs, armpits, and a crotch as hairy as mine. And she smelled like a sewer gone bad."

"Why was she naked?"

"She was being raped by about thirty walkers."