Don't Open the Door

Wakey, wakey! Congratulations! You're alive! That's more than most people can say right now.

That's the good news.

Here's the bad news: pulling through them injuries was the easy part. If you're reading this, it prolly means something's happened to me, and I can't take care of you or the other survivors no more.

Included in this packet are instructions that will (hopefully) help your odds at survivin' a bit longer than most. Nothin's a guarantee, though. Might be one of them exercises in futility, if you catch my drift.

RULE #1: DON'T OPEN THE DOOR

Not unless you wanna die. I cannot stress this enough. I know you must be curious as to what's going on out there. Trust me, man. You don't wanna know.

At night you'll hear knocking at the doors and a tap, tap, tapping on the blacked out windows. You might even hear 'em cryin' and beggin' out there, but remember: much as they might look and sound like people, they ain't. They're somethin' else. You let them in, there'll be hell to pay.

If you have to go out (which you eventually will, more on that later), absolutely positutely DO NOT go out at night. I figure that's when they hunt. Which leads me to my next rule.

RULE #2: STAY IN THE SUNLIGHT

Look, I understand. There ain't much food and water left in here. You'll have to go lookin' for more eventually. That's what I do for a couple hours a day right around noon. That's the only time it's safe outside ("safe" bein' a very relative term, here).

I guess I should tell you where you are, huh? This is my house. I live across the street from the urgent care. That's where I found you. I brought as many survivors from there as I could before that first really bad night. Everyone here who wasn't bit, I mean.

Some of them who get bit turn into them. If someone's bit, don't risk helpin' them. I know it's awful, but the bit ones are beyond our help. You just stay away from them, understand?

RULE #3: DON'T GET BIT

You'll be wonderin' why I brought y'all to my house, and it's a fair question. It's hard to explain, but there's somethin' about ownin' a place that makes it so they can't go inside. They turned the landlords first, see? I put two and two together after I saw that places where people was renting were broken into, and places that people owned outright wasn't. I don't know how it works, but this place is mine, so they can't come in unless you let them.

That said, I hope you don't mind me reiteratin' Rule #1: DON'T OPEN THE DOOR.

They can't go places they don't own. And they can't go places uninvited.

Now, as far as goin' outside. I've left a map of town here for you. I have my own copy, too. I update the both copies after each of my little scavenging hunts. You'll see which properties and stores I've searched myself and the dates of when I did. If I don't come back, you'll be able to see where I was headed next. I don't come back, steer clear of wherever I was headed next as it's prolly where they got me. Make sense?

I've had a couple close calls already. Only thing that's saved my bacon was that I always plan the fastest route to direct sunlight. You should do the same anytime you go somewhere. First sign of trouble, make a beeline for direct sunlight.

Be wary, even in shaded areas. Can't be too careful. They'll getcha first chance they get.

RULE #4: LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER

I got more bad news. If they've caught me, and bit me, and I turn into one of them? Well, let's just say that first rule won't help you very much no more. If I die and come back with an appetite like them others, well... I own that house you're in right now. Take the other survivors and find another place to stay.

I apologize for waxin' political or philosophical or what-have-you, but... well, we're all we got. We need to stick together. The only way forward is as a group. Find more survivors. Rebuild. Build a place yourselves. Together. That way, it'll belong to all of you, I reckon. Strength in numbers. That's the only hope for a future.

This last thing is less of a rule and more of something to keep at the forefront of your mind at all times.

RULE #5: YOU AIN'T SAFE

No now. Not ever. Good luck.