7/7 - Los Angeles, CA - Prepare yourself

So it's finally here. All the movies, tv shows, comics, and books. Even websites and discussion forums dedicated to this. I can't say I'm happy about what's going on, but I can't lie; It's pretty damn exciting. Maybe I'm just twisted that way.

I mean, when shit started to happen in Miami a month ago where a naked guy ATE another guy's face, we all knew. I mean seriously, in this time of instant video footage and media exposure, what are we supposed to think? There are thousands of us who have read the books and seen the movies. People don't randomly eat people. Anyone who's seen Zombieland can figure it out.

Of course, it's not that easy. Even some of my closest friends, who share my interests, wouldn't believe it. I mean, zombies are just part of pop culture right?

Well, I guess I can only hope they were as prepared as I was.

Living in a large city like Los Angeles is probably not the best place to be in such an epidemic. I guess I can consider myself lucky, with the 4th of July being a Wednesday, most of the population here off to celebrate, most likely in the patriotic arms of Las Vegas or Palms Springs.

The first signs we had here was about 3 weeks ago. Violence and cannibalism. People acting like zombies. The media blamed everything on drugs. Bath salts - “These agents cause extremely violent behavior like PCP, they cause vivid hallucinations like LSD, they can cause superhuman strength like PCP and amphetamines, and they can cause an acute psychotic break that may not ever get better,” So a statement conveniently released by the California Poison Control Center put all of us at ease.

Well, over the past 3 weeks, the number of violent incidents attributed to "bath salts" grew exponentially. Then it all hit the fan. A complete 3 pronged breakout. The first to hit the news was Los Angeles High School. Kids biting kids. Teachers biting kids. Kids biting teachers. I even saw a school bus full of kids. Feeding on each other. It was very disturbing, but I couldn't stop watching.

Then the outbreak at the Good Samaritan Hospital. Bitten people that turned. Then the classic epidemic at the Hollywood Cemetery.

The news came so fast, people couldn't tell if these were related incidents or separate stories.

Within a day the buildings were quarantined. Within 3 days, the Police, military, and National Guard had THIS area on lockdown. Within a week, everything was dead. Dead but walking.

The panic across the city was incredible. Those who stayed in the city through the holiday weekend were busy gathering supplies and fleeing. Highways were overrun, supermarkets, gunshops, even sporting good stores, looted. Rioting was spectacular; The scum of the city taking this opportunity to get a nice pair of shoes.

I wasn't any better, but I was smarter. I avoided the highway. I didn't participate in the stampeding of the supermarkets.

I went to PetCo. There I loaded my car with a few bags of dogfood, as well as chains and antibiotics. The food was organic certified and the drugs were the same as the ones doctors prescribed humans.

It wouldn't be tasty or pretty, but I don't think I'll be picky when it hits.

Since then, it's been 3 days. My car is in the driveway, unlocked, gassed up, and loaded with survival gear. I'm on the roof of my house. I have a sleeping bag, the jeans, tennis shoes, and hoodie sweatshirt I have on now, and a backpack full of my basic supplies: swiss army knife, a small first aid kit, matches, raincoat, and a gallon ziploc bag of trailmix. I'm ready to go soon as things settle down a bit.

The only problem is, my house has turned into a reststop for those things. Last check I counted 5 in the house, and a few more close enough to be a threat.

I'll have to leave in the next day or two; I can see fires being set only a few blocks away. Houses, cars, everything is being broken into and used for survival.

At this point, I'm not sure which is more dangerous - those who failed to survived, or those who are trying to.