Don Roff - Zombies: A Record of the Year of Infection

A Journal of Transformation

Alice Carr

Mark and I were attacked by a pack of wild dogs when we were walking through the woods after leaving Katies party. They were huge like wolves? There were maybe six of them and they surrounded us. We both got bitten. They knocked us down but I managed to get up and hit one of them hard on the side of the head with a branch. We kept swinging branches and they finally just ran off into the woods, all at once as a group.

It was late but the moon was out, and weve cut through there a million times before. I dont understand where they came from I didnt think there were any wolves around here.

Their eyes were shiny, like camera red-eye, but without the flash.

I dont know if we should be worried about the bites. They didnt seem RABID, but how can you tell? They werent foaming at the mouth and they didnt seem sick at all. And the bites arent very deep theyve already stopped bleeding. WebMD says the first signs of rabies basically show up in a couple months, but then if you have symptoms, you die.

God, my heartbeat is going like crazy. I cant calm down. The party was whatever. My brother is such a social misfit. Hes always acting weird, like you can tell he wants to talk to people, but hes always kind of off. I dont know what to do. I bring him to these things and he doesnt really even try. Sometimes I wonder why I do it at all. Going to take a hot shower and try to settle down, and clean out these bites.

Checked on Mark and hes sound asleep.

I slept for 13 hours last night. Its already 4pm. I remember mom knocking and coming in to check on me a few hours ago. My muscles hurt. I think thats more from fighting the wolves rather than my potential rabies. The bites dont look all that bad actually.

Had a veggie burger and kind of zoned out in front of the TV. Marks up but hes still in his room. Its weird, are we going to talk about the attack last night or not? I have some homework I should be doing for tomorrow but really dont feel like it. Kind of spaced out. Usually when Im spaced out I feel like drawing. I keep thinking about the woods. I grew up around here and the woods never spooked me, but when I mute the TV I can hear sounds wind blowing and things walking around outside

When I got to school I noticed this weird smell in the hallway. It smelled like blood or pennies, metallic and sweet, like I could taste it on my tongue. I couldnt really tell where it was coming from, it was sort of from everywhere. I walked past these sketchy guys I never talk to, like the kind of guys who might as well live the rest of their lame lives out smoking in the parking lot and listening to bad metal. One of them was kind of beat up looking and as I passed by him and his buddies HE SMELLED ME.

He actually sniffed me, and then they laughed and kept walking.

So creepy.

Mark hasnt come home yet. I saw him this morning when I got up. Hes supposed to be looking for a job. Maybe thats why hes been out. Talked to Samantha at lunch and she thinks I should go get tested for rabies. She says if they werent wolves they were dogs, and a pack of dogs is probably feral. I dont know, the bites look better even today.

It was really hard to concentrate at school. Everything seemed sharper? Im in class every day and its the same, you know youre just in class, but today it was hard to ignore that everyones sitting around me, and like someones fidgeting or tapping their pencil or whatever.

Marks finally back. Hi, Mark! Mumble mumble. Where were you? Mumble, Out. Any luck finding a job today? Of course he didnt, right? What kind of job do you look for sulking around wearing a hoodie and never brushing your hair?

I called and made an appointment to see the doctor and they said sure come in right away, but on the way there after school I just DIDNT want to go. DID NOT. Could not. It was this really strong feeling, like something bad would happen to me if I went to the doctor.

Totally irrational and kind of scary.

I kept driving past the clinic and just kept going and like usual when you just go out driving, you end up at the mall. My brother was there standing around with those dirtbags from school.

Just like hanging out. So Mark has friends now, and its these guys?

They all kind of stank, a weird musky smell, like mud or stinkweed. That guy with the bruise looked like it was almost gone. I wondered if he put a pork chop on it, like in a cartoon. Too weird for Mark to be hanging out, it felt like I caught him at something and I felt embarrassed, almost turned around but he called me over.

Hey sis.

Um, hey Bro. Whats up?

Sis? What is this, his new cool talk?

My brother gives introductions. He says theyre going to go camping and do I want to come. Since when does Mark go camping?

Since this weekend when we go. Come on, I promise itll be fun.

Ooookaaaaay. Yeah, fun. There is no way I am going camping with a bunch of creepy dudes.

My brother smiled. It was all teeth.

Checked my bites before going to bed and theyre almost totally healed. I think I might call Samantha a little later. Not sure though. Im tired and just want to go to sleep, but Im totally exhausted but also RESTLESS, kind of amped.

Called Samantha. Shes working on a paper. Shes disappointed I didnt go to the doctor but knows better than to nag me or Ill totally just do the opposite anyway. I told her about the camping invite and laughed and then shes like, youre not going are you?

Woke up in the middle of the night with my heart racing and my whole body tense, wide awake and starving. I went down to the kitchen and opened the fridge and found this tray of raw steaks thawing on the top shelf and