Dead Island

My name is Xian. My father was a chief inspector for the Hong Kong Police, but he died when I was ten. That’s when I vowed to follow in his footsteps. I graduated at the top of my class; I’m a good cop. Unfortunately, not everyone recognizes my skills. My superiors have relegated me to a desk job on a remote island resort off the coast of Papua New Guinea. I spend my days snooping around Palms Resort and spying on wealthy foreigners. At least, I used to. After the outbreak happened, I’m just trying to survive. This is an account of the first hour of my journey.

4 minutes
This morning, I awake in a daze to screams of “help” echoing through the halls of my hotel. Something terrible happened while I slept. I stumble around my bedroom and fumble with the latch on my door. The lights in the hall flicker in front of me with soft click – luggage litters the floor like beach debris tossed out of the sea by the waves.

Stepping onto the hotel balcony, I emerge into the light of a clear blue morning. Seagulls chirp innocently somewhere off in the distance. That’s when a body tumbles off the floor above me and smashes into the rocks below with a wet thud. That’s when I know that I must be in hell.

13 minutes
I board an elevator to the lobby when a voice comes in over the speakers. An Australian voice tells me that he has hacked into the hotels security mainframe and he wants to help me escape. But there isn’t time for introductions, because a large group of zombies is bearing down on my position. If I hurry, I should be able to make it to the end of the hotel’s corridor where I'll find a stash of supplies.

As I run down the hall, being chased by a group of crazy rotting corpses, I believe I’m going to make it. But just as I’m closing the door, I feel a hand on my shoulder. A pale face groans, and I fall to my knees. Blood stained teeth tear into my flesh as the world around me fades to black. The last thing I remember is a human voice calling out to me as a solitary figure beats the monsters away.

19 minutes
I've re-awoken in a shack on the beach. Somehow I’ve fallen in with a group of survivors. They saved me from the infected. One of the islands head lifeguards, a man named Sinamoi, is leading this ragtag group. He’s surprised that I haven’t turned into one of them – one of the flesh eaters. It seems that I am resistant to whatever demonic plague seems to be affecting everyone else.

Sinamoi confides in me. There is a monsoon coming. We can probably hold up in the main lifeguard station; it is filled with plenty of supplies, and we could call the mainland for help using the station's radio. Unfortunately, we need Sinamoi’s security key, which is up in his bungalow. I grab a nearby oar and set to work. As the only one unaffected by the zombie virus, it seems like I should be the one to go.

36 minutes
I’ve navigated my way up to Sinamoi’s bungalow and retrieved his key card. I had to beat down several zombies along the way. One of them dropped a butcher knife, which has come in handy chopping zombies off at the feet. I’ve also been scavenging supplies – wires, nails, batteries, etc – from the loose luggage scattered around the island. Who knows when any of it might come in handy. 

It seems that I’m getting better with every zombie I kill. I dump some experience into my combat skill tree, which makes me more effective with blades. A few scattered energy drinks also give my health a needed boost. I might just be able to get off this island alive after all.

43 minutes
After delivering the security key to Sinamoi, he asked me to scout ahead for the group. I’m happy to oblige, since everyone else is more vulnerable to the monsters populating the island. However, we’re not the only ones trying to survive. I rescued a man who took refuge inside a truck after he was attacked by a pack of six zombies, and he leads me to a shed filled with supplies. At the bench it seems I can upgrade many of my weapons. I upgrade my throwing knife and take some loose nails and attach them to a bat, making a makeshift mace. Now I’m ready for anything.

52 minutes
On my way up to the lifeguard station, I run into a large group of zombies surrounded by a ten-foot-tall zombie monster. I throw a nearby propane tank into the crowd and use my throwing knife to cause a large explosion. While the remaining zombies are staggering across the ground, I use my mace to clean up. The lifeguard station is secure.

Sinamoi gives me a cleaver as a way of saying thanks. I’m sure it will come in handy, but we still have plenty of work to do. Dominic wants me to go get a signal amplifier for the lifeguard station antennae from the lighthouse. Hank is trying to get one of the trucks running. If I can find a few spare car parts during my travels, he says I can use the car once he gets it fixed. Mike is concerned with all the rotting bodies lying about. If I can get some gas from a nearby service station, he’ll handle the job of burning the bodies.

That’s not all, while I was securing the lifeguard station, I overheard a mayday message coming in through one of the lifeguard station's radio. It seems that an oceanic flight was having engine trouble, and the plane crash landed on this island. I should probably check that out.

This is where the manuscript cuts off.