Village on top of the town.

    I awake later the next day to a sunny and cloudless sky, rather calming.  Not a single moan to be heard, coupled with the voices of living people nearby, made it feel like I had awoken from a nightmare.  The pills, whatever they were, left me feeling hungover.  It was all I could do to sit up without swaying from side to side. To the side of me I see my equipment, along with a note on my bookbag.  "I saw you had gummi worms, I couldn't help myself, Kat."  I read the note and cant help but smile.  "So your name is Kat, huh?  Ill have to remember that."  Rummaging through the bag to find something to snack on, hoping it would kill the hung over feeling.  After finding a bag of candy, I zip the bag back up and begin to eat.  After a while I feel much better and decide to stand up.  Looking around I see how expansive this rooftop village is.  I guess you could call it a town, its main drag is about the extent of the place.  Subdivisions on one end, more of an industrial park to the other side.  The Rockies rising ahead in the distance, my halfway marker. "Ive come so far, why not rest for a while?" I chuckle as I head to the other rooftops, hoping to find Kat and ask her about her story on the outbreak.

      Crossing over the rooftop on a sturdy bridge built from ply board and 2x4's, I cross onto the rooftop where there are other survivors.  They all look in my general direction with a puzzled look.  I look down and I realize I wasn't wearing a shirt.  I look down and see the bandage, along with the bruise that's visible above it.  Being the socially awkward person all I could do was wave and open my mouth.  "Hi everyone.  I think I forgot to put on a shirt."  Looking back up I hear a couple of snickers from the group sitting at the assorted tables scattered across the rooftop.  "Has anyone seen Kat?"  I continue, scratching my head.  "Shes out looking for more supplies, they should be back in an hour or so.  Come on over, have something to eat, you look ragged."  A hand waved me towards a table in the middle of the roof.  the man that waved me down went and got me a bowl of delicious looking soup.  He continues as he gets a chair ready for me.  "You look like you have been traveling for some time, and that means you have a story to tell."  I look at him and reply "You have no clue buddy.  By the way my name is Chris.  Glad to see there are people surviving this mess."  I extend my hand to shake his, but he opts for a hug.  "You have no clue what you coming here means.  We thought we were the only ones left alive.  Oh, manners, My name is Will."  Shocked from getting a hug from a complete stranger, I continue.  "Well, I don't know what today is, but my exodus north began on October 27th, while I was working."  I pause, looking back it felt like it had been years ago since I left on my own, realizing it hadn't even been a month.  "That was the day it hit us in my town, in Tennessee.  After that night I have been sleeping on rooftops, stealing from abandoned stores, and running for my life."  I continue to relive to the captivated crowd about my run with only a metal rod through the streets of Columbia, leaving town only to meet Wallace and Emily.  "The hardest part about leaving town is never knowing if my friends and family were alive.  I found my sister a few days later but..." It hurt to remember, I didn't think there were any tears left.
             Suddenly I find myself unable to continue, tears welling up.  Will gently places his hand on my shoulder.  "There's
      Suddenly conversations broke out all across the rooftop.  I could barely hear Will talking next to me.  "So we have somewhat of a timeline. This is good, we can at least chronicle this should life get back to normal."   I begin to respond, but get cut off by gunfire below.  Running to the lip of the roof, I see Kat and her group running down the street, the undead in slow pursuit.  "Shit!  Kat!  Hurry, get up here!"  Panicking as I try to find something to fire, Will calmly gets up and grabs a bottle with a rag in it.  "Watch and learn newbie.  Fire in the hole!"  He lights the rag and tosses it a few feet ahead of the undead crowd, setting the street on fire.  Blindly they stumble through it, burning as they walked.  Continuing as if nothing had happened, "Ive been meaning to keep a journal of sorts but everyone here had the same experience pretty much.  Your addition would be a greatly welcomed and appreciated."   Looking back over the roof, I see the fire still rolling, and what zombies weren't already on fire were still walking towards the fire. "Sure why not.  Who knows, maybe I should do the same thing, after all its still a long hike to where I'm going.  I could use a few stories to keep me entertained."  I sit back down, hoping that Kat and the others made it back alright.  Nothing I could do to help them right now, all I can do is wait, and hope.