The Infection

Chapter 12

"Follow me," Ed said. John obediently followed him outside. "You have to learn the basics. Starting a fire is essential. But the smoke will attract the dead. Be sure to find some rocks and build up around the flames to reduce the smoke that's being released. Don't ever build one in the open though because you never know what's out there. Find something to build the fire under if you can. You got all that?"
"I...think so," John replied.
"Good," Ed continued. "Now lets talk about where you can sleep. There is always the possibility you won't be able to find shelter. That's why you need to always carry string and empty cans everywhere you go."
"Why," John asked curiously.
"Because you never know when one of the dead'll sneak up on you during the night. Hang the cans on the string and tie it in a circle to some trees. That way you can sleep in the middle and you'll wake up if anything-dead or living- walk up on you during the night. I'm sure Striker will wake you up if you don't hear it."
"Smart," John said. "How do you know all of this?"
"Everything starting going down about 3 weeks ago. It's taken a while for it to spread to other states. It seems like the country will be quarantined but I have no idea if it'll become worldwide. Last thing I heard on the news before everything went dark was that the CDC has been working desperately on a cure," Ed explained. "I've picked up a few tricks over the course of that time."
"But....how come there was nothing on the news until it reached our area?" John asked.
"They were trying to keep quite about it. They thought they could contain it. Didn't work out so well, so they tried to warn everyone at the last minute about what was going on," Ed replied.
"Well that was stupid of them," John said.
"They didn't want to cause panic. But yeah it was stupid," Ed said. "Okay. You know where to sleep. You know where to start a fire. Lets talk about how to actually start the fire." Ed walked inside and emerged a few moments later with an empty beer bottle. He then threw it at a tree do the bottle smashed into pieces. Walking over, Ed picked up a fragment of the glass. He then walked around the yard, picking up little sticks and tinders and putting them in a pile. "This is the best way to do it if there's still some daylight out. If it's already night, I'll show you a different way in a minute." Ed bent down and angled the piece of glass towards the sun so that the beams reflected off into the pile of sticks and tinders. Soon, a small flame started to form in the pile. Ed quickly blew softly on the flame so it eventually grew into a fire. "Takes a bit of practice, but you'll get the hang of it. If you can get the glass wet it intensifies the beam a bit more." Ed then put out the fire out by kicked dirt on top of the flames. "Go get two sticks," he said to John. Obediently, he walked over to a tree to retrieve two fallen sticks at the roots. John walked back over to Ed and handed him the sticks. Ed then took out a pocket knife, cut the first stick in two, and dug a small hole in the ground with his hands. Ed placed the two halves of the stick in the hole, and grabbing some of the tinders to place on the two sticks, he picked up the other stick, and started rubbing it against the homemade notch. "This'll take a while, but eventually there'll be a spark so the tinders'll catch aflame."
John stood there awkwardly, watching Ed tirelessly rub the stick against the notch.
"Why're you doing this?" John asked.
"Doing what?" Ed replied, still rubbing the stick against the notch.
"Helping me. Why does it matter to you?"
"You have a family to find," Ed replied. "I have a feeling they're alive somewhere out there. I don't have anything left. You need to live on. Find a permanent settlement. A purpose. There're going to be people you meet along the way. Some will be good, others will be bad. But most will be worse. Trust no one."
"How do you know all of this?" John asked. "It's only been a week."
"I predicted this would happen years ago. Fallout. People like me theorized the end. How it would happen, when it would happen, what would happen, and how people will be affected by it. How they will change and adapt. I believe people cannot and will not survive very long without changing who they are. Without doing things. Things like stealing, killing, and even torturing. All to get what they want and need. It's all a theory but the first part has come true so far. I suggest you be cautious. You will not stay a good person for very long. If you do, you'll most likely die unless you have someone else to protect you." John didn't believe any of it. According to Ed he's either change into a completely different person or he'd die. John didn't bring up the topic again. Finally, there was a spark and the tinders caught aflame. "There we go," Ed said. He threw the tinders into the pile of sticks and a fire was formed. Just like before, Ed put the flames out immediately. "Now you know how to start a fire and where to sleep at night. I personally don't know how to hunt. I wish I could teach you, but I can't teach you what I don't know. Hopefully you'll pick up that skill along the way. Let's head back inside and pack up some supplies for when you head out." As Ed headed back inside John asked, "So you really aren't coming?"
"Nope," he replied. John didn't want to be alone. He'd have Striker, but John was still skeptical about his ability to survive. Sure, he learned how to start a fire. But that didn't change much. John followed Ed back inside and walked into the room he had been staying in. Striker jumped off the bed to greet him with a happy yelp. "Hey Striker," John said.
"Dammit!" Ed yelled from the other room. "John! You have to hurry! They're here! I'm getting some supplies together for you!"
"Fuck," John muttered. "Fuck!" He rapidly packed his things in his bag and rushed out into the kitchen, Striker following right behind him. Undead corpses were already at the front, banging on the windows and doors. Ed handed him a bag full of supplies, and John shouldered it. "Here," Ed said, handing John a pistol holster. John quickly put it on. "Don't waste the bullets. You need to save them." Ed was holding out a gun. "This was my father's, and it's been in my family for generations. Take care of it. We've known each other for a very short time, but I want you to have it. I want you to find your family." It was a golden gun. "And these." Ed also handed him a pocket knife and a machete with a case on it.
"I.....thank you," John replied, taking the gun and holstering it, along with pocketing the knife and attaching the machete case to his belt.
"Good luck. I hope you find your family."
"Me too," John said. "Thank you. For everything." Ed nodded in response. He rushed over to the back door and said, "When I open this door, I'll help you kill the dead that are on the other side. Then you run. Take your dog and go far away." John nodded. His heart seemed like it would pound out of his chest. "And remember. If the dead don't get to you, it'll be the living. Be careful. Trust no one." John nodded. "Okay. Three...." The walkers continued to pound at all of the exits.
"Two...." The windows at the front shattered, and the dead started to walk into the house. John took out the machete.
"One!" Ed shouted as he opened the door. There were four walkers on the other side. Ed threw one of them into two others, knocking them down. John sliced the fourth walker's head open with the machete. "Go! Run!" Ed shouted. John sprinted into the woods, past the horde, with Striker right on his heels. A few walkers broke off from the massive horde and started to stagger after John. John briefly turned back to the house and muttered "I'm sorry." Then, he turned around and ran, not looking back until he was out of range of Ed's screams.