Hellwave: An American's Journey

A original fiction by Jeremy Mountbatten

Disclaimer: This is a work of original fiction. Any resemblance to actual locations, characters, events and incidents are purely coincidental.

Prologue

Near Military Checkpoint, Cumberland Head, New York, USA, 8 March 2020, 2000 hrs

During the early days of the global public health emergency…

The car comes to a halt as Mrs Zander sees several cars queuing up in front of her. “Oh no, they are queueing up to get to the military checkpoint.” Mrs Zander says as she unbuckles her seatbelt. “Alright, Kodey. Wake your sister up. We need to alight from our car and walk down to the military checkpoint in order to enter the safe zone.” .

“Yes mom but what about our father?” Kodey asks.

“Your father Daniel is currently on a special mission assisting the US CDC in searching for a cure. He directs us to come here since there’s a safe zone located down here,” Mrs Zander says as she takes up a G-17 pistol from the glove compartment. “When we alight from the car, I want you and Erika to stay close to me. Avoid contact with others.” Mrs Zander instructs Kodey while she cocks the gun to ensure there is a 9mm round chambered. “Grab your bags, we are about to leave now.” .

As they grab the bags and exit from their vehicle, they see other civilians walking towards the military checkpoint. “Stay close to me and follow me, you two.” Mrs Zander tells them to stay close to her as they follow the crowd of civilians.

Soon, they reached the gates of the military checkpoint to get screened by the US military before entering the safe zone. “Mom, will we be safe?” Erika asks in a worried tone as she sees several US military soldiers guiding the civilians where to queue up.

“We will be fine, sweetie. Once we cross this checkpoint, we will arrive at a safe zone across the river.” Mrs Zander tries to calm Erika. “Miss, queue here with your family members as well,” the US military soldier guides the Zander family to the queue. Unknown to them, a civilian in the queue is behaving strangely, which alerts a US military soldier. “Sir, are you alright?” The soldier approaches him. Before he could reply, the civilian turned into a zombie and jumped on the US military soldier before biting him.

“AHHHH!” The US military soldier screams as he tries to push away the zombie biting him. “Shit!” A US military soldier nearby takes aim at the zombie. However, another zombie lunged at him and pinned him to the ground before he could open fire. Soon, some civilians turned into zombies and attacked both civilians and US military soldiers alike. This would lead to chaos as civilians run everywhere in panic while the remaining US military soldiers open fire on the civilians to maintain control.

During the chaos, Mrs Zander takes both Kodey and Erika as the trio runs towards Cumberland Bay hoping to reach the Grand Isle Safe Zone by swimming across Lake Champlain. “Keep running and don’t look back!” Mrs Zander tells them not to look back while they run. While running, Mrs Zander spotted several zombies chasing after them, so she took out her G-17 pistol before shooting at the zombies. They reached the edge of Cumberland Bay and before they could start swimming, they spotted a US military riverboat patrolling nearby.

Both Kodey and Erika shout and wave their hands at the boat while their mother stands guard in shooting the zombies. Luckily, the boat catches their attention and turns on its flashlight while heading towards their location. “Mom, the boat is coming to rescue us. We’re saved!” Erika says in excitement. “Good. I want you to board the ship the moment it arrives. I will join you as well, so don’t worry.” Mrs Zander instructs them.

The boat arrives beside them and one of the US military soldiers aboard the ship calls out to them — “Are any of you infected or bitten?” the soldier asks them.

“No, we are neither infected nor bitten by the zombies. Please rescue us.” Erika pleads with the soldier to rescue them.

“Alright, come towards our boat. We will pick you up. Don’t worry about the zombies, we will take care of you, so move quickly.” The US military soldier orders them to board the ship immediately. With little time to spare, the Zander family heads into the lake to board the military riverboat waiting for them.

Once Mrs Zander helps both Erika and Kodey climb aboard the boat, it’s her turn to climb aboard as well. Before she could fully climb aboard, something pierced through Mrs Zander’s chest. “Mom, no!!” Both Erika and Kodey shout in horror to see their mother getting pierced by something unknown.

“I’m sorry, you two. It’s all over for me. Please look after each other and stay safe. I love you.” Mrs Zander tearfully bid them goodbye before it dragged her back to the shore and eaten alive by the zombies surrounding her. This shocked everyone on the boat as they witnessed Mrs Zander screaming while the zombies were tearing her apart. “Shit, there’s a newly mutated zombie, open fire!” A young 2nd-Lieutenant Eleanora Freida orders other soldiers on the boat to shoot at the mutated zombie.

“Don’t shoot at my mom!” Erika protests.

“I’m sorry, miss. Your mom is gone. There’s no way she can survive from being torn apart by several zombies.” Eleanora tries to reason with her. “The only thing you can do is to come with us to the safe zone. I will take care of you and your brother.” .

“But she is out there. My mother needs our help!” Erika disagrees. However, her brother stopped her before she could speak to Lieutenant Freida. “Erika, there is no way to save our mother. Too many zombies are eating her and she’s infected by now. The only way to survive is to follow these group soldiers to the safe zone.” .

Hearing that there is no way to save her mother, Erika breaks down in tears uncontrollably. Feeling sorry for her sister, Kodey hugs Erika tightly and comforts her.

As the soldiers continue to fire on the mutated zombie, it lets out a loud, piercing scream. Soon, a muscular hulk-like zombie comes into view and starts throwing some debris towards the boat. “We have to leave now! Get the boat running and head back now!” Eleanora orders the boat to return to the safe zone immediately.

Hearing the order, the soldier helming the boat, turns on its engine and leaves the area safely. As Kodey looks at the night sky, he wonders what will happen to him and his sister since their mother is gone. He hopes to reunite with his father again in the safe zone when he returns from his special mission.

In the alternate universe of Jan 2020, an unknown virus surfaces and starts infecting people alike in India. At first, the virus only makes the infected having flu-like symptoms. However, by mid-Feb 2020. The virus mutates into a deadly variant and transforms the infected into ravenous zombies. This variant will become known as the Hellwave virus.

Not only does it turn humans into zombies, even infected animals will turn through blood-borne infection. Despite early attempts to quarantine India by WHO, Hellwave virus spreads to other countries. Hence, this led to both the UN and WHO declaring a global public health emergency on March 2020. Also, they would publish advisory guidelines for member states on how to deal with the global zombie crisis.

At first, they thought these ravenous zombies were killable with a single headshot, just like how zombies should die in movies and video games. However, they discover they needed several headshots to put down a zombie in order to destroy its brain. Hence, explosive bullets became the ideal ammunition to deal against zombified humans and animals, since this type of bullets can take out them more easily.

Despite using explosive bullets to counter these zombies, it was too late to save much of Earth, as the zombies had overrun many countries and safe zones. This would lead to the collapse of the major economies within days. By July 2020, every country across the major continents of Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa overrun with zombies, leaving island nations free from the zombie infection. Only countries that aren’t part of the major continents escape from infection since the zombies don’t cross the rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. Hence, several countries in the Oceania region become safe zones as they are free of zombies thanks to strict quarantine measures.

By October 2020, surviving nations and confirmed surviving settlements built high walls in their safe zones to protect themselves from the zombified humans and animals. Soon, these nations and confirmed surviving settlements help to reform the UN (Backed by LifeCure Global Pharmaceuticals) and set up an international military coalition called the IJC (International Joint Coalition) to end the zombie apocalypse. With these safe zones protected by the high walls, they began a campaign to reclaim lands from the zombies.

While eradicating zombies, there are reports of IJC military soldiers encountering teenagers in templar clothing (with a mask covering most of their face), equipped with modern equipment, guns and melee weapons during land reclaiming missions. They would become known as Young Templars since they appeared as young adults with a youthful look at the estimated age of 18-20. They can take down IJC military soldiers with ease since Young Templars are skilled enough in modern combat.

Later, these Young Templars use zombified humans and animals to attack safe zones and human settlements at night by sending hordes of zombies. During these attacks, they kill adults but spare anyone who is not above the age of 16. They said those who got taken by them disappear forever. As a result, the IJC teamed up with LifeCure Global Pharmaceuticals to research the Young Templars more and look for ways to defeat them. Hence, the remnants of humanity will wage war against the zombies and the Young Templars.

To be continued...

End of Prologue

Note: All the characters, places and storylines of the Hellwave story are owned by Jeremy Mountbatten. All rights reserved by the author. Feel free to give some feedback and don't forget to like and subscribe. If you want to support me, you can tip me on Ko-Fi (link provided below).

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