The Fogmeadow Apocalypse

It's a regular day in the sleepy town of Fogmeadow. Or it was until the townsfolk experience strange transformations. Hope you enjoy the story.

Calvin Cooper works at his comic book store as usual. It's a regular Saturday evening. Cooper’s Comics is the most successful comic book store in the quiet little town of Fogmeadow. Well, it's the only comic book store in town. Growing up in the sixties Calvin had always been a big fan of comics. In 1980 Calvin's father retired leaving Calvin in charge of his fifties-style candy store. Calvin decided to try something different. In the past three years, the store had earned itself a reputation among the townsfolk.

It's an old, bright shop no larger than a convenience store. Big glass windows flank either side of the glass door that has a bell and open sign on it. Low white bookcases stocked with various comic books line the aisles on the black and white tiles. Behind the green counter is a back office. Calvin sits on the stool behind the register reading a magazine. A few kids hang around the store browsing through the selection.

A bell rings as the front door opens. Calvin looks up from his comic. “Dr. Jennings your monthly subscription came in a couple of days ago.” He pulls a comic from behind the counter. “You know you can have these delivered to your home, right?”

“I know but then I wouldn’t get to see you.” She smiles taking her comic from the clerk. “And you don’t have to be so formal Calvin, we went to school together.” Not that there was much choice; the town has only one set of institutions from elementary to high school.

“Well, we have come a long way from our high school days Jane.” Calvin points out.

“Perhaps we can catch up over dinner tomorrow?” Jane offers. “You know where my office is.” She puts her comic in her bag and walks out of the store pleased. Calvin stands there in bewilderment for a while.

Suddenly Ryan Rogers, owner of the video game arcade down the street, bursts in out of breath and flustered. “Goodness Ryan. Is everything okay?” Calvin asks concerned. Ryan shakes his head as he catches his breath. Calvin comes out from behind the counter. “Well, what is it? Don’t keep me in suspense…”

“Well, you know how I always said we had to be prepared for the day the zombie apocalypse started?” Ryan asks seriously. Calvin nods. “Well, today’s the day.” Calvin stares at him in disbelief. Ryan has played pranks on him before and this can very well be one of those. “If you don’t believe me check the news.”

Calvin switches on his radio and immediately asks the kids to leave as he plans to close up early. In five minutes the lights were off and the store closed. Calvin locks up and he and Ryan rush down the street to the arcade.

When they get there the last customers are escorted out by Ryan’s assistant Timmy. Ryan gives him some cash and tells him he should go home immediately. Ryan ushers Calvin inside and locks the door. The lights are off and the windows tinted so it's pretty dark inside the arcade. Calvin makes out the silhouettes of the various arcade games lined up in four rows in the middle of the room. He knows the store well enough to remember there's the counter to the left of the door with the cash register on it and various prizes in the glass case behind it.

Ryan finishes doing his administrative tasks behind the counter and tells Calvin to follow him to his office at the back of the arcade. It's even darker in Ryan’s office as the windows all have blinds over them. The arcade owner knelt behind his desk and opens a trapdoor under the rug. He hurries down the ladder into the basement followed by a nervous Calvin.

Ryan switches on the light bulbs. Calvin blinks adjusting to the sudden brightness. The room is a complete survival shelter with shelves stashed with various items from food and drinks to clothes to weapons. There's even an adjoined bathroom.

“We’ll be safe here,” Ryan announces. “We got supplies, weapons, sleeping bags, a radio, the whole lot.” He shuts the trap door. Ryan has always been a paranoid survivalist even back in high school, but this is ridiculous. At this point, Calvin askes Ryan to explain himself.

“Well, I built this bunker before I opened the store,” Ryan explains. “It was just for this occasion. Well for any apocalypse really.” He sat down and opened a beer offering it to Calvin who politely declines. “We won’t be able to stay here forever but we should get by here for a month at least.” He takes a sip from his beer can. “I know I never told you about this place despite you being my best friend, but I couldn’t attract any attention to this place.” Calvin asks what happened that freaked Ryan out so much.

“Well I was returning some books at the library and on my way out I saw Scott taking his high school soccer team going to the diner to celebrate a win. This disfigured old man leaning on a lamppost ahead of them jumped out at them. He bit one of the boys on the arm and that’s when I saw he wasn’t an old man but a freaking zombie!” Ryan jumps dropping some beer on the concrete floor. “Scott subdued him while the rest of the boys ran. I ran too. Came back here to tell Timmy to close up then came to get you.”

Calvin's mouth drops open in shock. “Well, we can’t just sit here and do nothing.” He stands up. “I won’t stand by and let the town I love, and grew up in, get overrun by zombies. And I refuse to let Scott’s sacrifice be in vain. We grew up together you know. I know you didn’t grow up here like me so if you don’t wanna help it’s fine.”

Ryan agrees to help. He gives Calvin two pistols, holsters, a bag of ammo and other supplies then picks up a bag for himself and a shotgun. They climb back up the ladder and go to the front of the store. Ryan unlocks the door and pokes his head outside. He nods and opens the door leading the way out.

The streets are empty. All the stores are shut. The town looks abandoned. The setting sun turns the sky orange. The duo head to the library to see if the zombie is still around. They crouch behind a dumpster in the alley opposite the library. The coast is clear. There isn’t a soul in sight. It's a little too quiet.

That’s when the two men hear a cry for help. It sounds like a woman, a classic damsel in distress. Ryan warns Calvin it's dangerous to go in blind. Calvin ignores him rushing round to the side of the library where the screams originate. It's Jane Jennings, she wrestles with a hideous zombie in a soccer coaches’ uniform.

“Scott?” Calvin says shocked. He lowers his pistols. The zombie turns his attention to Calvin and approaches him. Calvin raises his pistols. “Scott, I don’t want to shoot you.” Calvin takes a step back. “I know you’re still in there, we can help you if you stop fighting us.” The zombie jumps on Calvin knocking him off his feet and pinning him down on the floor. His pistols fall out of his hands.

Scott's about to bite Calvin’s right arm when a shotgun fires. The zombie’s head explodes. Brain, flesh and blood splatters everywhere. Calvin shoves the lifeless body off of him and sits up. Ryan comes around from behind Calvin, his shotgun resting on his shoulder. “You’re welcome.” He offers Calvin a hand.

“Dude you just killed Scott!” Calvin exclaims standing up. “He was our friend from high school.”

“Hey, I just saved your life. Plus, I’d just warned you.” He looks at Scott’s headless body. “This is the apocalypse we have to do stuff we don’t like.”

“Fine.” Calvin picks up his pistols sadly. “But what’s gonna happen to his wife Amanda and dad Stanley?”

“Ryan, Calvin, thank goodness you showed up when you did. I owe you both my life.” Jane rushes over to the pair arguing. She's shaken up, her coat had blood splatters on it and her hair's messed up. “I have a hunch about why this is happening.” Her expression turns serious. “There’s this government lab in the woods just outside of town. They were testing experimental vaccines which might be turning people into zombies.”

Calvin and Ryan look at her shocked. “How do you know this?” They ask.

“Well they had me working for them secretly for a brief time, but they let me go a few months ago saying they were shutting everything down.” She gazes at the headless zombie at their feet. “I believe they might have a cure, or I might be able to help them make one.” She adds.

“Then we better get there and find out what the heck they did to our town,” Calvin announces. Ryan smiles cocking his shotgun. Calvin hands Jane a pistol. The trio set off through the empty streets of Fogmeadow prepared for the threats they might face.