Undead Insidious

Chapter 1

Johnny Marco stood in the middle of the caged arena. The crowd chanted and cheered in the name of bloodshed. All they wanted was death, it didn't matter who had met their end, so long as someone did. A wicked smile gleamed across his face; annihilation was the only thing that ran through his mind. He was a killer of men, and a slayer of the undead.

This was the life he lived every single day; ever since he could remember. He was thirty years old, but the end of the world had been going on for twenty of those years. Johnny had been captured years prior by these people, enslaved to be some sort of gladiator and put on a show. This was really the only source of entertainment for this underground city below the ruins of Manhattan. He had been the longest survivor to ever step foot into the cage, the others never lasted.

Outside the cage, three monsters growled and screeched. They shook the cage, craving Johnny's flesh. These were 'Runners,' a more evolved form of the original monsters which were known to most as 'Drifters.' The Runners had gotten their name from their incredible lightning fast speed, and their ability to jump great lengths.

"C'mon, is that all you got?" Johnny called out. "Let's get this over with," his lip started to twitch. The other side of the cage slid open and the Runners charged through, no thoughts in their minds, or fear in their hearts.

Grabbing the first one that approached, Johnny growled viciously, and twisted it's head around so that it had faced the entrance it had come through, then kicked it to the ground. It laid there, shaking violently and moaned with hunger, struggling to get back to it's feet.

Johnny grabbed a knife from his boot and stabbed the second Runner in the head, letting it fall with the knife still attached. The third and last Runner leapt onto him, slamming him to the ground. The crowd screamed louder than ever as Johnny came closer and closer to death. Still, he managed to punch the creature in the face, smashing its teeth into its skull. He threw the Runner off, quickly climbing to his feet, and finally, stomped on its head.

Successful, Johnny lifted his arms in victory and screamed. He felt unstoppable every time; a rush like no other. However, this time would be different. He stared at the tiny bite on his hand. One of the Runners had gotten him without him realizing. In this world, a small wound like that is all it took to seal your fate. His eyes drifted away from the bite as the cage opened to let him free. As he stepped out, a young boy, no older than fifteen ran up to him

"Johnny!" the boy exclaimed. "Can I have your autograph?"

"Sure, kid," Johnny replied as he grabbed the picture.

"Do not talk to this man!" a woman screamed in the distance. She rushed over to them. "He's a monster."

"Who isn't, lady?" Johnny asked, rhetorically.

"Just stay away from my kid," she continued, and grabbed the boy by the hand, pulling him along.

"Mom..."

"You brought him here," Johnny said to himself, and ripped the picture, letting it fall to the ground. As he started to walk back home, people would crowd him, touch him, and ask for autographs. He hated it. But if he declined there would be hell to pay from his boss. Finally, he made it home. It was a small enclave on the side of what used to be a subway track. He made his way into the small tented area, and stopped in front of a mirror, staring blankly with his weary eyes. Years of fighting, years of putting his body on the line four nights a week, and this is how it would end. The great conclusion to Johnny Marco's story. He looked at his hand. "All those years, for what?"

If he told anyone he was infected then he would be killed. Or better yet, they would put him in a final fight to the death. One last hurrah before he bit the dust. He couldn't go out like that, he didn't accomplish what he wanted to do here. He was supposed to avenge his brother and girlfriend. It was the only promise he had ever made. He couldn't break it.

The leader of this heinous underground city was a man known by the name of Kurtis Blackwell. He had both of his loved ones killed, leaving Johnny alive only for the potential he had seen in him. By now, Johnny had gained Kurtis' trust. He seemed to think the loss had just been forgotten, and forgiven. However, that wasn't the truth at all. Now that he had become infected, maybe it was time to use his strength for good, and take his final chance at redemption.

"Great fight out there," came a voice from the entrance. Johnny looked over, forcing a smile at the man who stood there. George was Johnny's long-time friend, an old man who shared the tent with him. But George was far from a fighter; he was just a simple servant to some people of the city.

"You were able to watch it?" Johnny asked.

"Aye, I snuck out of some of my servant duties early to make sure you didn't die."

"Yeah, but a poor excuse for a fight. I mean, three Runners? Numbers must be dwindling up there." Johnny looked down at the bite on his hand. "Hey, man, I gotta tell you something, but you gotta promise not to freak out."

George cocks his head. "Should I be nervous?"

"Probably," Johnny told him.

"What is it?"

Johnny sighed. "I'm infected,"

George's eyes widened. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

Johnny puts up a hand to quiet him down. "Keep it down, man!"

"I'm sorry," George replied in a hushed tone. "What happened?"

Johnny held up his hand to reveal the small bite mark. "I don't know exactly when it happened. Maybe when I punched that Runner's teeth it. God dammit, I'm usually much more careful than this."

"Christ, Johnny..."

"I know."

"What the hell are we gonna do?"

"I don't know. I'm a goner, no doubt about that. But I don't know how much time I have left. I mean, it's not that big. I don't want to die in this shithole," Johnny pauses for a few moments. "And you know what else I have to do."

"You really think you can get to Kurtis?"

"I made a promise that one day he would die by my hands, and I aim to keep it."

"And then what? Just leave this place? Go out into the world until you die, or turn? The entrance is heavily guarded. They aren't going to let anyone out without the proper clearance."

"And that's where you come in."

"Didn't I tell you years ago to leave me out of your shit?"

"C'mon," Johnny started. "You ain't got many years left, either. Live a little," he grinned.

"Oh, fuck you," George laughed, then let out a heavy sigh. "What's the plan?"

"You have more clearance than most around here. I need you to get a pass."

"Right, so you want me to get myself killed?" George told him.

"Just go about your business! It's just another day of you cleaning and serving the higher ups. Just when you are in your zone, you grab a pass. I mean, you serve the second in command, right? There is another fight tomorrow and everyone will be there. I will show up to Kurtis' office ten minutes prior."

"And you're just not going to show up to the fight? Even with a pass, people are going to recognize you."

Johnny puts his arm around George. "And that's why I'm gonna play dress up! I'll take a guard's outfit, or find one, and I'll meet you at the exit."

"I'll do it, I guess."

Johnny smiles. "That's my boy!"

"If it weren't for you, I'd probably be worse off anyway. Let's just hope you don't turn by then."