In a city on the North-East coast of Australia, on a hot summer's day in January 2020, the Carlson family’s quiet, mundane life suddenly turned into a living nightmare. They saw with shock that the city had become home to the walking dead. Charlie Carlson’s first and only thought was how to protect her three children, Mike, Noah and Summer and her four-year-old grandson. Deciding on the Army Barracks as a haven and knowing that the kids were safe with her husband Sam; She faced the nightmare on the streets to save her parents, seeing first-hand the devastation the zombies had wreaked on her city and how life as they knew it had irrevocably changed. Once reunited, they joined forces with their family and some friends. They then decided that the Army base would be their safest destination, but on arrival, they were stunned to find most of the soldiers had turned into zombies and were roaming the streets. Holed up in a huge shed on the barracks, Charlie, with some help, went looking for weapons. They found more than they bargained for, two soldiers back from leave. They told her of the vaccination they missed and how all the soldiers that received the jab had turned into zombies after receiving it. Unfortunate or lucky, one had been bitten and hadn’t turned at that stage, so it turned into a 24-hour waiting game. They found their first immune. After being almost over-run by hundreds of the undead, they left the barracks behind and in convoy; they travelled through bushland to find Hidden Valley Cabins, a place Charlie remembered she had ‘had a brief break’ at from her stressful job to revive her inner flame. It was a family run B&B up in Paluma Hills; it would be ideal. Mason, Charlie’s older brother and Sam’s best friend, was encountering the same horror show in the small town out west where he worked as a heavy machinery operator. Along with a friends three orphaned children, he was trying desperately to join forces with Charlie and Sam. Meanwhile, his nephew, Noah, took an expedition back to gather more supplies and look for survivors. His mission was successful because he rescued about forty people, mostly children. But almost to his own cost, after being attacked and bitten by a zombie. That’s when the family learned, after this traumatic experience, that he was immune to the zombie bite and survived the ordeal. Once reunited with Charlie’s brother Mason, they set off, heading to the hills, troubles throughout their travels, most exhausted and broken, they forged on, finally arriving at Hidden Valley. The place had everything they needed and much more. But even this secluded outstation was not the sanctuary they desperately hoped for.
I felt a sharp pain in my right hand, the warmth of my blood was fast trickling through my fingers. With my left hand, I scrabbled around for something to defend myself with. Suddenly I felt something hard at the tips of my fingers, scratching at the ground, trying to get closer to it until I found it was a rock. Sharp pain radiated from my wrist and also in my upper shoulder. As he got closer to my face, my blood dribbling from his lips, I pushed through the pain as my fingers clawed more urgently, trying to get a hold of the rock. As my fingers clasped the rock, pain, then a wet warmth spread across my neck, I slammed the rock down on the creature's head, again, and again and again and again. With glazed eyes, I looked up into John’s as he halted my arm from coming down again. Concern and anger were etched there plainly. He dragged the two zombies off of me as my left hand reached for my neck. Blood leaked heavily through my fingers. “MUUUUM.” Mike was on his knees beside me, his shirt was in his hands as he shoved it hard against my neck. “Mum, it’s okay, it’s going to be alright,” he sobbed. I felt like I was floating. My body ached all over, and blood dribbled from my wounds as tears ran down my face. I would never see my babies again!!!
Comments