What We Become/Issue 4

'''The next morning, Adam, Kenneth, James, Tyler, Kevin and Mitchell begin to clear out zombies in the parking lot that we're drawn there to the ruckus the other day. After clearing out the zombies, they start a burn pile. Joseph was the only male who refused to help, and it really pissed everyone off that he didn't do anything to help out around the place.'''

'''"So it is safe with this many biters coming around each day?" Adam asks Tyler.'''

"We never get this many, I guess the gunshots drew them here the other day..."

'''"Sorry about that!" Kenneth said from another burn pile being started.'''

"...it's alright Kenneth. Anyways as I was saying, we usually only have 3 to 4 biters each day but two days ago Joseph threw a tantrum because we gave food to Kevin and Carley's daughter Victoria before anyone else and every biter in the area was drawn towards the yelling" Tyler finished, summing up the events of the previous days.

"What is it with that guy anyways?"

"He watched his family get eaten. I guess anyone would flip off the handle after seeing that happened to their loved ones, but Joseph really went over the edge. The thing that confuses me the most is how selfish he can be, he seemed okay when me and my girlfriend Mary met him but now he's a selfish prick. Complains about the kid getting to eat first"

"Yeah that is weird"

'''"Hey guys a little help over here!" Kevin yells from a burn pile.'''

"Right, be right over" Adam says as him and Tyler head over.

Later in the day Adam is helping James stack dog food bags up against the windows of the convenience store to stop biters from approaching them.

'''"So that Lilly girl, she's your girlfriend?" Adam asks with a grin.'''

"Heh, yeah. We've been together since we we're 16, we're 19 now. Three years and counting" James replies grinning himself.

"You guys seem to hit it off well"

"Yeah we do, I know this sounds crazy but sometimes I feel like she's the one"

"Really?"

"Yeah, when this all started she was the first person I went to see instead of my parents. Does that make me a bad person? Not going to check on my parents first?"

"No, not at all. It shows you really care for that girl"

"Yeah, so what about you? You got a girl?"

"I did, we were engaged. But when this all started, she..."

"Oh. Sorry I asked man"

"No worries, it's ok"

Jack came running of the store and up to Adam and James.

'''"Can I help?" the little kid asks eagerly.'''

"Sure squirt" Adam replies.

"Yeah!"

Jack starts helping them stack the dog food.

'''"How come they kept so much of this in a convenience store?" Adam asks.'''

"I really have no idea, I would only eat it if I got desperate"James and Adam both laugh.

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'''Later that night the whole group sits in a circle getting to know each other better while eating dinner, a meal which Adam cooked for everyone. Joseph decides to sit in a corner alone by himself. Adam decides to break the ice.'''

"So I still haven't met most of you guys, what did everyone do before all this went down?"

"Well I was the Produce Manager of a local grocery, it was a decent job. Lived in a townhouse with my wife and daughter" Kevin replied motioning to Carley and Victoria.

"Well Victoria obviously went to Grade School, and I was a stay at home mother while Kevin was the breadwinner" Carley told the group.

'''"Well I was a personal trainer, owned my own local gym..." Tyler said flexing his arms causing everyone to laugh. "It was good money, helped keep me in shape and have a healthy lifestyle and as most of you know, me and Mary have been dating for a few years now"'''

"Well my job is not really interesting at all, worked a decent office job for a management firm, moved in with Tyler a year ago" Mary told the group.

'''"Well I graduated from high school a year ago, I was going to community college on a baseball scholarship. Been playing baseball my entire life, been playing it recreationally and I've been on the school team since the sixth grade, then the apocalypse ruined my dream of going professional..." James sighed. "Anyways, me and Lilly have know each other since we we're kids and ever since we we're 16 we've been dating" Lilly blushed.'''

"Anyways, I was going to medical school to become a doctor. A year in and all this happened" Lilly told the group.

"Well, I'm not going to lie. I've been a geek my entire life and I was going to college to become a biologist. It's been two years and then all this happened" Mitchell told the group.

'''"You think you can find the cause for all this?" Hayley joked.'''

"Probably not, I don't have the proper equipment for that kind of research" Mitchell replied.

'''Tears welled up in Melissa's eyes. "Sorry I don't think I can talk about my life right now...".'''

"It's ok Melissa, you don't have to" Carley comforted her.

'''"What about you guys?" Lilly asks pointing to Adam, Kenneth, Hayley and Jack.'''

"I owned my own book store, always loved books. It was pretty successful, a very lucrative business. My son was in the 2nd grade at school"

"I just graduated from high school, I wanted to get into interior design at the local college but that never happened thanks to everything happening right now" Hayley added in.

"I owned my own restaurant, it was called Lorenzo's. I've been into culinary arts for a long time and went to college for it. A family friend passed down ownership of his restaurant to me and I kept the name because it was a well known neighbourhood restaurant, plus I also grew up in the area with the restaurant as a favourite hotspot for friends and family. I worked for him for 5 years until he retired and gave it to me" Adam told the group.

'''"No kidding, this meal is really good. You're a good cook dude" James told Adam. Everyone nodded in agreement.'''

"Thanks, I appreciate that" Adam replied.

'''Joseph had heard enough. He was getting annoyed. "Will you people stop acting like the dead aren't walking around outside! This shit is serious people, get fucking serious! Nothing's good or nice anymore and we're all going to die!"'''

Everyone was shaken by Joseph's sudden ourburst.

'''"Will you chill out man, we've got kids here!" Adam yelled at him.'''

'''"Fuck you!" Joseph yelled back.'''

'''At that moment, several zombies walked up to the doors and started banging on them. Moans could be heard outside indicating the presence of the several zombies.'''

Credits

 * Adam Greene
 * Kenneth Marsh
 * Jack Marsh
 * Hayley Marsh
 * James
 * Lilly
 * Tyler
 * Mary
 * Joseph
 * Mitchell
 * Kevin
 * Carley
 * Victoria
 * Melissa