PixlBit

As the laughter tapers off the group sets out on the trek ahead. Ellis takes the lead and Nick brings up the rear.

"Hey Nick how is Coach making it without his trusty spatula?"

"I'll show you how I'm doing you smart ass little punk" snarls Coach with a smile. As the group makes its way along the old logging road they come across what appears to be a battlefield. Bodies strewn all about are of both killed survivors as well as zombies. When Rochelle looks closer she realizes that neither side was killed by the others, but a completely different source. Coach enters an old outbuilding and finds what must be one of the last printed newpaper ever. Coaches eyes widen in horror as he reads about what caused the destructionthat laid before them.

Nick looks at Coach alarmed. "Coach, what did you find that has caused you to react like that?"  Unable to speak Coach hands the paper to Nick. Nick reads the article, shakes his head and strongly suggests they depart that area now. Rochelle takes hold of the paper and starts to read. Ellis notices that Rochelle has started to shake and trys to comfort her. Rochelle shakes off Ellis's arm ands steps away.

"Now I know why they were so secretive with what I was supposed to be reporting on." Ellis reaches for the paper which Rochelle tries to keep away from him.

"Damn it Rochelle! I'm a grown man! I can handle it! Now let me see!" a confused and angered Ellis screams as he again reaches for the paper. With some reservation Rochelle slowly hands the paper to Ellis.

Ellis looks at the front page as says "My what pretty fireworks." As he looks at the picture showing a minature mushroom cloud.

Coach takes the picture back from Ellis and says, "Boy try to follow what I am about to tell you" a concerned Coach says to Ellis. "This is not fireworks but a small nuclear explosion" Coach says with tears in his eyes. "The local government must have thought they could control a small blast from a nuclear warhead. Just looking at the mayhem I would say they were dead wrong."

Ellis still in awe says "We need something like that to use against the zombies."

Nick, always the diplomat tells Ellis "Moron, what they have done here has caused complete and total destruction. Nothing nor anyone will ever be able to survive here again." Rochelle looks at her friends and says:

"I hope this isn't the end for us."

"What do you mean Rochelle, here are suits we can wear." Nick states.

"Yeah, like these folks" as she points at a pile of bodies in hazmat suits. We can only hope they did this early on. We can only hope so too. Good luck to our travelers in what comes next.