Mark Tufo: The End Has Come and Gone

Zombie Fallout IV: The End…Has Come and Gone

Mark Tufo

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 Mark Tufo

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Editing by:

Monique Happy

Editorial Services

mohappy@att.net

Cover Art:

Shaed Studios, shaedstudios.com

Dedications:

To my wife; we’ve walked a difficult path these last few months and except for a scratch or two from an errant briar we’ve come out in pretty good shape. I look forward to the trail we’re getting ready to blaze and I love you with all my heart.

To my family both immediate and extended your strength has been a tangible force upon which I have been able to keep myself upright, I love you all.

To Mo Happy, I’ve asked a lot of you at a time in your life when maybe you needed a break, I appreciate your hard work, dedication and friendship. Your skills will get you far.

Always to the men and women of the armed forces, police and fire departments, all of you are the reason why this country is so great. Thank you for all that you do and remember that there are more of us thinking about you than you realize.

To those that signed up for the name contest, I told you guys I’d get you in the book one way or another! So thank you to all those listed below.

Jamie Brown, Nick Orlando, Chuck Craig, Paula Baca, Michael Gunn, Rachael Janda, Ash Careme, Gill Hancock, Mark Brenner Jr, Thayer Janda, Matt Heaps, Landon Vanlandingham, Joe McCormick, Luke Asquith, Andy Angel, Cynthia Ellstrom-Organ, Paul Half-Orc Harpham, Jason Waugaman, Therese Morin, Ashley Morgan-Garcia, Van Loggins, Paul Gosling, Rob Horowitz,

Raiden Morgan-Garcia, Jeremy Holmes, Steve Wright, Jared Dunn, Ruby Rain Morgan Garcia,

Andre Daniel Uckert, Michael Adams James, Shannon Love, Reiko Morgan-Garcia, Bobbie Ayala, Tammy Nguyen, Ryan McNeil, Cindy Martell, Brandon Hartle, Kara Baker, Steven Clutch Totten, Ryan Lynch, Jennifer Locascio, Chris Baines, Brian Wamsley, Ione Bargy, Christy Peery,

Gregory Wendler, Rich Baker, John Harrington, James Agbey, Laura Underwood,

Gibby McGibberson, Ray O’Connor, Felicita Green, Jack O’Donnell, Emelda Rivera, Cami Adair, Jan Wilkins Parchman Grant, Kyle Sell, Steven Parkin, John Rose, Dave Kolan, Andrea Wimmer Piper, Siobhan Hayes, Darren Murphy, Crystal Drumheller, Chris Crinigan Friedly, Paul Green, Jodi Evans, Jeffrey Hoffman, Gabe Harris, Vinny O’beirne, Talea Fields, Evan Roy, Hendrik Lagewaard, Calum Roebuck, Tini Blair, Elina Kelley, Christoffer Piper, Becky Graveling, Stacie Shular, Greg Lose, Chris Walker, Rhiannon Graveling, Robert Burton, Max Ayala, Traci Sellers, Luci Keenagh, Robert Stocker, Jeff King, Lisa A Dellert, Grant Tillie, Roselie Bouyea, Jerome Lim,

Joe Deutschendork (Dutch), Gary Mountjoy, Rob Eichen, Kristie Long, Nate Gipe, Ryan Dobkins, Stuart Woodruff, Tillman Dickson, Sarah Flores, Tanya Murphy, Ryan Sanders, Stephen Deese, Sean Sommers, Jessica Lord, Rich Parenzan, Moo and Bandit, Gina DiPaolo, Brian Kay, Zachary Parenzan, Joel Sheets, Stacy Barbour Stewart, Charles Stultz, Jodi Jackson, Amber Belinski, Aysha Hackert, Meredith Hampton, Rodney Lawrence, Patty Quinn, James Fulton,

Shawnda Picraux, Sean Marsh, Commodore Mann, Jen Haskins, Barbara Jean, Perla Tirado,

Martin Munro, Elizabeth Briscoe, Greg Jean, and Nick Reed!

Preamble

Hi all I just wanted to say thank you for your continued support and your words of encouragement, for always telling your friends and families about these books and for basically just being awesome readers. I have told some of you that this ‘series’ was basically only supposed to be one book and then I quickly realized that Talbot was WAY t o o long winded. That first book became a trilogy almost overnight, I was halfway through the third book when I realized the story just wasn’t and couldn’t be completed in that time frame. So most folks were pretty happy when I said the trilogy was now a four book series, others not so much. I got some hate mail expressing that I was outright deceiving my readers, most of you know that was never the case if you have EVER sent me any type of correspondence you know that I value and appreciate every reader I have. With that being said, as I sit here today (9/29/11) there will be a ZF5 and right now I think that’s it, but I will not guarantee that. So dear reader if you are hoping that this is the conclusion to the Talbot saga , not quite yet, most likely the next installment (or maybe not). Is that vague enough? You guys are the reason I write, keep on reading and I’ll keep on writing, as always I love to hear from you guys!

CHAPTER ONE - Talbot Journal Entry 1

The End…has come and gone. This is the new beginning, the new world order and it sucks. The end for humanity came the moment the U.S. government sent out the infected flu shots. My name is Michael Talbot and this is my journal. I’m writing this because no one’s tomorrow is guaranteed, and I have to leave something behind to those who may follow. Although the chance of humans making a comeback is remote. We have never been this close to the abyss. Oh, who the hell am I kidding, we’ve already fallen over and are clinging desperately to a small outcropping.

I’ve lost damn near everything in an attempt to get back to the East Coast Talbots. I watched as two dear friends departed to their families in the south, to never be heard from again. I watched as my neighbor, a valiant warrior named Jen, was shredded by zombies. My daughter’s fiancé Brendon died in a rescue attempt for me, BT and Jen. And my adopted son Tommy has gone missing. So now I must leave ‘home’ and strike out against a relentless enemy named Eliza, who has placed me on the top of her ‘to kill’ list. The clock is ticking. My son Justin has been infected with a low dose of the zombie virus and for the most part has been able to keep it at bay, although with some notable side effects, one being that Eliza can use him as a spy. While we were recuperating on the banks of Lake Erie in Camp Custer , Doc Baker came up with a serum that Justin has to take daily. It quite literally keeps the Demon out of his head, the problem being is that we only have forty-five or so of these shots left.

So either we find Eliza and deal with her or she’ll find us. Come to think of it, both ways really kind of blow. I’d much rather wait out the end of the world in a nice cozy cabin but now it’s personal. She has dominion over two of my sons, and is directly responsible for the death of my future son-in-law.

Day One – T-Minus four hours before departure – Talbot Journal Entry 2

“Is everything all packed?” Ron asked.

“Hell Ron, I’m a Talbot, everything was packed last night,” I told him.

“One more thing then,” he said. “I need to show you something.”

“I’m not a doctor, I don’t know what boils on your ass mean.”

“It’s too early.”

“I know, it’s just my way of diffusing the stress.”

Ron smiled wanly at me as he led me to the back of his bedroom, more specifically into his master closet.

“Holy crap this closet is huge, you could sleep in here,” I jibed.

“I have,” he responded. When he didn’t elaborate, I figured this to be his ‘doghouse’ so to speak. “I even have cable in here,” he finished proudly.

“Get out?” I questioned him.

He moved a duffle bag aside to show a small 19” flat screen set back against the wall. “Sometimes I start a fight when the Sox are on just so I can get some peace.” I was nodding my head. “Brilliant.” “I thought so,” he said, smiling modestly.