While I was running I saw a kid getting attack by someone. I ran to him and push the crazy guy off of him. Damn, he took a chunk right out of the boy's face. I pick him and ran away from the site. I didn't stop running until I was clear of the smoke and could clearly see the ruins of fire raging from a safe distance. 'Damn it" I thought to myself "what the hell is going on," I said aloud. I stop and thought about everything that has happened the past few days. "Miss cop lady," said the boy. "Why did he bite my face?" he asks me. "I don't know the kid but I won't let anything happen to you, it's my job to help those who need me," I told him. He whipped away his tears and gear my hand ready to move forward. 'This kid got guts' i thought to myself. Taking a breath I started to walk further away from the building to get someplace safer and to regroup with whoever survived. We walk about twenty minutes until I saw a police cruiser. No one was there but it had a radio and someplace where I can keep this kid safe. But before we made our move to the car another explosion rocked a building nearby. "What the fuck," I said in anger.

I pick the kid up and ran away from the smoke that was coming. I ran into an alleyway and find a door and kick it. I close it behind us and pick the kid down. Then my radio came to life. "This is captain Kinser if anyone survives to meet up at the police headquarters for more instructions," she said. 'Finally' i thought to myself. Then I can take this kid there to get help for the bite wound on his face. But before I could do anything my radio went off again and I'm hearing something else. Someone else's voice. But then the ground shook and I hear more of the second building come down. "Fucking hell" I yell. "Hello this is office Haley Santiago is anyone there!?" she question. "Hello I'm here but I don't think I can help you," I said into the mic. "Who are you and why is that?" she questions. "Well for one I am in new york city and I know exactly what's happening to you," I told her. "Whoa, I thought the city was lost to some sickness," she said. "Well that's a load of shit, on January 10th there was an explosion here in the city and soon after that the dead started working and anyone was bitten or in your case in range of the bomb is already dead and gone. We don't call them zombies that just cliche, so we started calling them growlers, tickers, and freaks," I told her. She then told me about the first three bombs and then this. From her story, it sounded like it happens all within 72 hours from each other. I listen to her, this Jackie person and to be honest she sounds batshit crazy.

"Whatever you say but this is something different, none of that happens over here," I said. And just as she was about to respond to me my radio cut off. Damn, I wanted to hear more of her story but at the same time, it was a load of shit. Zombies aren't real that's just fiction. It was getting late out and I didn't want to risk traveling on foot at night. My city that I have sworn to protect just got the shit bomb out of it and I didn't want to find myself or put this kid in any mess I couldn't get us out of. "Hey we are going to stay the night here and then when the sun comes up we are going to head to the workplace and keep you safe," I told him. "Alright, police lady," he said. "By the way my name is Haley". "My name is Brady". And with that, our day was ending.

It was soon getting dark and from the small window on the wall, I saw the flames. I saw the flames blazing as the sun went down. Soon that was going to be a day we were going to forget. I didn't want to rest because I didn't know what was going to happen next but I also needed to rest. Then I heard coughing. "What's the matter kid," I said to him. "Nothing I just feel tired," he said. Then I felt him up and notice that he was a bit warm and looking a bit pale. I didn't think anything of it. He was getting sick because of the smoke and ashes that was all around. But in the back of my mind, I hear Jackie's voice telling me that this was the first signs of turning to a 'growler'. I didn't want to think about it because that was just plain crazy and Jackie could be just crazy. I didn't have anything to give to the kid to help make him feel better so I just took off my shirt and wrap it around him to keep in warm to sweat out his fever.

It was getting darker now and I could see the flames burn night in the fading light. It's been a few hours since the kid and I stopped moving and he still wasn't feeling better. I gave him most of the water and some of the food I can find to him. But nothing seems to work or keep him strong. As the night grew darker and darker the kid Brady was getting weaker and weaker. I couldn't help but think of what the crazy chick Jackie said to me hours ago. I didn't want to believe it was true because it wasn't it was just some crazy girl talk. but what if she was right? What if this kid is suffering because of some crazy virus? No. That can't be true and I won't believe it! Nothing in this world can make zombies unless it's a fungus that takes over the host body after death but that's only in ants right? No, no I can't start to think like a mad person, I need to stay calm and watch over Brady then take him someplace with a doctor that can help him. So I sat down with my back against the wall watching Brady settle down to go to sleep. His breathing was shallow and he looks pale in the darkness.

I didn't get much sleep during the night. Brady coughing woke me up from time to time until he started coughing up blood. After that, I didn't go back to sleep. I didn't know if he would make it but soon it was going to be morning and I could get him the help he so desperately needs. I wasn't going to let this kid died on me. An hour later the morning sun started to shine through the small dirty window. " Hey kid it's time to get up," I said and gently shook him. He moaned in his sleep and some blood hexameter out of his mouth. But it didn't look like blood. It looked blackish and it was too thick to be coughed up.

Brady started to moan again but then his moans started to get scratchy until he was growling. His eyes started to leak the same blackish blood and his ears as well. "Brady," I said his name louder and shook him a bit harder. But I did not get a response. He started to growl then all of a sudden he tried to take a bite out of me. "Brady what is your duel little dude calm down," I said in a slightly loud tone. He started to get up but then fell off the table I put him to sleep on. He landed on his arm and broke it. "Brady, are you okay?" I ask him. But he did not respond to me and got up like nothing happen. He was moving towards me trying to bite me. Then Jackie's words came rushing forward from the back of my mind. " Once someone is bitten or dead they turn into growlers. The dead ones pop right back up while the ones who were bitten take time and show flu-like symptoms". I could believe this! Some crazy chick was right. I didn't know how to kill it now but I didn't want to because it was a kid. Buy it isn't a kid anymore because he was dead now. I took out my M9 and aim at his head. If he was truly a zombie then a shot or any other kind of blow to the head would end it. I didn't want to look but at the same time, I couldn't look away. I pull the trigger and Brady fell back. There was a bullet hole in his head and that blackish blood was pouring out of it.

I couldn't be that crazy girl Jackie was right and I just killed a kid. Maybe if I was faster he would've been bitten maybe right now he could be alive and breathing. But how would living in fear be better? So many people died during those explosions and who knows how many people were bitten and are those things. Damn it! Why was this happening? And if what Jackie said is true then this is the second place to have been hit because New York City was the first. All I know is that the whole city itself was walled off but what will happen to Los Angeles. How many people were sent to hospitals outside the city and who was bitten and made it out? Will my home be walled off or the whole state? But I couldn't think of that right now. I needed to get to the captain and tell her what I know. But before I do anything I took my police uniform shirt and place it over Brady's body. I am not much of a religious person but now he won't have to face this and live in fear. I just ask that he was good and happy wherever he may be.