General Education
Spring 2015
"The Outbreak"
Safety Bubble Bursts
Necro Event II
Necro Event II
There are many names for the second infection. Some are referring to it as “The Second Coming” in reference to a local religious group’s belief that the dead will rise again when the world comes to an end. I prefer to use the term Necro Event II or NE2 for short. The first Necro Event occurred when the infection first manifested itself over 2 years ago.
No one is exactly sure why the first wave of infection didn’t decimate Utah, but one thing I do know is that things haven’t been the same since. The epidemic with no official name or cause swept across the globe, killing its victims, and then reanimating their corpses. We aren’t really even sure what we should call these insatiable beings. As the population dwindled, the infection seemed to disappear. Those of us who survived rebuilt our society the best that we knew how.
In January, Governor Herbert received a report that there may be a second wave of infected dead heading towards the Utah state lines. He assembled myself and a small group of other experts into a task force in preparation for what might come. We were assigned to research the infection and help the citizens of Salt Lake understand what was happening.
Even though I am a member of the Governor’s Task Force, I also work at Huntsman Cancer Hospital. Working there had changed so much since NE1. Much greater care was being taken to ensure that the immuno-compromised patients weren’t being exposed to possible infection. The administration wasn’t willing to chance being responsible for a second infectious outbreak.
On March 10, I left the hospital in order to attend one of our task force meetings. During this meeting, we were informed that a group of 400,000 Necroids had breached the northern border of Salt Lake and was steadily moving south. Cheyenne and I were horrified by this news. McEdgar was disgusted. Together, we discussed whether or not we would be able to save the citizens of Salt Lake.
No one is exactly sure why the first wave of infection didn’t decimate Utah, but one thing I do know is that things haven’t been the same since. The epidemic with no official name or cause swept across the globe, killing its victims, and then reanimating their corpses. We aren’t really even sure what we should call these insatiable beings. As the population dwindled, the infection seemed to disappear. Those of us who survived rebuilt our society the best that we knew how.
In January, Governor Herbert received a report that there may be a second wave of infected dead heading towards the Utah state lines. He assembled myself and a small group of other experts into a task force in preparation for what might come. We were assigned to research the infection and help the citizens of Salt Lake understand what was happening.
Even though I am a member of the Governor’s Task Force, I also work at Huntsman Cancer Hospital. Working there had changed so much since NE1. Much greater care was being taken to ensure that the immuno-compromised patients weren’t being exposed to possible infection. The administration wasn’t willing to chance being responsible for a second infectious outbreak.
On March 10, I left the hospital in order to attend one of our task force meetings. During this meeting, we were informed that a group of 400,000 Necroids had breached the northern border of Salt Lake and was steadily moving south. Cheyenne and I were horrified by this news. McEdgar was disgusted. Together, we discussed whether or not we would be able to save the citizens of Salt Lake.
As more information was relayed to the task force groups, it revealed that a large fire had swept across downtown. Most of the emergency services were no longer available. The power plants were compromised, and hospitals were overrun by people who had been injured during the chaos. It was reported that an additional 200,000 people were either injured or infected once the mass of Necroids entered the city limits.
2 months have passed, and our task forces are struggling to maintain order. Before the cell towers were lost, we managed to send out messages to the public informing them where they could go to seek shelter and security. Since then we have been vigilant in our efforts to help as many survivors as we possibly can. With each excursion, our task force members return with fewer and fewer people.
McEdgar, Cheyenne, and I decided it would be best if we separated so that each of the three safe houses would have our group’s presence. Since there is no way of communicating with each of these locations, I don’t know if they are still alive. Before we split up, we decided to compile our research into a survival guide so that anyone who may find it can understand what happened. Perhaps those people will know how to stop the spread of this deadly disease.
As I sit here writing this manifesto, I am painfully aware that this may be the last time I ever do so. The basement I have hidden in is cold as the corpses wandering the streets outside. The sharp musty smell of the dark basement fills my nostrils. I am really wishing that there was a way to get the heater working. At least now I’m out of the torrent of rain that showered down on me as I was fleeing from the horde of Necroids. Too bad those corpses aren’t destroyed by water like in the movie Signs. This rain would stop this entire outbreak dead in its tracks.
I think I just heard a noise coming from the main level of the house.
Okay, I am back. I found a large metal pipe that I could use as a weapon if I needed it. I decided to venture upstairs to investigate the sound I heard earlier. I wouldn’t survive much longer if the house wasn’t as abandoned as it appeared when I approached it this afternoon. After giving the entire house a thorough check, I now know that I am alone here. The noise seems to have come from the massive rat feasting on the leftover food in the pantry.
One thing I didn’t consider when I chose to use this house as my hideout is that it has a floor to ceiling window in the living room. While I was checking the house for the source of the sound, another crowd of Necroids was making their way down the empty street. I’m not sure if any of them saw me or noticed movement inside the house. I sincerely hope not. My plan is to stay here for tonight at least. Hopefully the group of Necroids will have moved on from this area. Tomorrow I plan to take stock of what is here and try to figure out a way back to one of the safe-houses.
Castro, McEdgar. "Where Were You?" Personal interview. 9 March 2015.
"Alert 1".
"Alert 9".
2 months have passed, and our task forces are struggling to maintain order. Before the cell towers were lost, we managed to send out messages to the public informing them where they could go to seek shelter and security. Since then we have been vigilant in our efforts to help as many survivors as we possibly can. With each excursion, our task force members return with fewer and fewer people.
McEdgar, Cheyenne, and I decided it would be best if we separated so that each of the three safe houses would have our group’s presence. Since there is no way of communicating with each of these locations, I don’t know if they are still alive. Before we split up, we decided to compile our research into a survival guide so that anyone who may find it can understand what happened. Perhaps those people will know how to stop the spread of this deadly disease.
As I sit here writing this manifesto, I am painfully aware that this may be the last time I ever do so. The basement I have hidden in is cold as the corpses wandering the streets outside. The sharp musty smell of the dark basement fills my nostrils. I am really wishing that there was a way to get the heater working. At least now I’m out of the torrent of rain that showered down on me as I was fleeing from the horde of Necroids. Too bad those corpses aren’t destroyed by water like in the movie Signs. This rain would stop this entire outbreak dead in its tracks.
I think I just heard a noise coming from the main level of the house.
Okay, I am back. I found a large metal pipe that I could use as a weapon if I needed it. I decided to venture upstairs to investigate the sound I heard earlier. I wouldn’t survive much longer if the house wasn’t as abandoned as it appeared when I approached it this afternoon. After giving the entire house a thorough check, I now know that I am alone here. The noise seems to have come from the massive rat feasting on the leftover food in the pantry.
One thing I didn’t consider when I chose to use this house as my hideout is that it has a floor to ceiling window in the living room. While I was checking the house for the source of the sound, another crowd of Necroids was making their way down the empty street. I’m not sure if any of them saw me or noticed movement inside the house. I sincerely hope not. My plan is to stay here for tonight at least. Hopefully the group of Necroids will have moved on from this area. Tomorrow I plan to take stock of what is here and try to figure out a way back to one of the safe-houses.
Castro, McEdgar. "Where Were You?" Personal interview. 9 March 2015.
"Alert 1".
"Alert 9".