Day 3
“Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.”
- Aristotle

In the afternoon, my phone rang, surprising the hell out of me. It was my best friend Kevin. Kevin and I had been friends most of our lives, since we were ten. That’s 25 years of friendship and it’s hard to come by. We could have whole conversations without speaking, and other than our wives and kids, there was no one more important to us than each other.

“You okay, dude?” he asked, his voice a welcome feeling of normalness.

“Yeah, we’re good. Holed up at work with some of my employees. You?”

“Home alone. I’m going to get Jill and the kids from her mom’s house. Want me to swing by and get you first?” he asked casually, as if he was proposing a dinner at Hooters.

“Lots of zombies around the building and we’re well supplied here. Sure you don’t want to just join us?” I asked, knowing the answer ahead of time.

“Got to go get my kids first. Who’s with you?” Kevin asked.

“My normal crew, Ericka, Anna, Nick, Adam, the gay kid, and the hot chick,” I answered in terms he’d understand. He had met some of my work friends, but not enough times to know them all by name.

“Be careful. I’ve shot at least 10 of those things, but more keep coming every day. I found one of those fuckers eating my dog,” he warned. “After I get my family, I’m heading up to the cabin I think. Not many people around. Should be quiet for awhile.”

“Any news on the TV?” I asked.

“No, but the internet is still working. There are stories that the President and Congress are in some bomb shelter, and that the military is trying to set up a barrier around Washington. This shit is everywhere. China, Japan, Europe, and Africa all have the plague. For some reason, South America hasn’t had any issues.”

“Fuck. It’s not going to get better is it?”

“I don’t think so. I’m staying out of the city. Too many people to deal with, living or dead. Pal, you take care of yourself. That’s an order,” he said somberly.

“Take care, man,” I said, leaving our goodbye unspoken. I hung up and noticed the battery on my phone was getting low. I wish the store had sold a charger I could use. I desperately wanted to call my wife, but she was in the same situation. When the batteries went dead our phones would be useless.

After I hung up, I reflected on it being Easter Sunday. Jesus rose from the dead, right? Was Jesus a zombie? Shaking the thought from my head, I went to fill everyone in on the little bit of new information I had.