This is a story where friendships are lost; where families are torn apart; and where one kid has the answer to people’s prayers. It is the year 2050. The last group of American people are located on the big island of Hawaii. There are 5,000 people left on the island. A disease has spread throughout the world. The only living civilizations left are pods of people all around the world. Hero, a kid at 17, is thrown into this world, and he might have a “cure” to this predicament. As Hero tell it…..
  Why am I here? The world has collapsed and “normal” civilization has died, along with 9/10 of the world. I currently live on the big island of Hawaii. I’m with my parents and 5,000 other civilian/military personnel. It took months and half of the ammo of the Army to clear the island. Luckily, the zombies can’t swim.
Oh yeah, zombies. Did I forget to mention them? Anyway, 9 months ago a science lab working in Tokyo discovered a gene that tripled the power of the immune system. It looked like cancer was cured! Until they tested it on patients. Within days the serum had made the patients zombies. The lab, unprepared, fell. Thus, releasing the zombies to wreak havoc on Japan.
Oh, but Hero, you said the zombies can’t swim, so how did we not contain it?
Well, I forgot to mention that the Middle East, China, Canada, Brazil, and Egypt all had the same testing. You can imagine what happened next. After major countries fell, surrounding countries didn’t know what hit them. Iceland, Greenland, and other inhabited islands survived the first wave. But without sustainable food from the mainland people starved to death.
About 5 months after the outbreak, people started fighting back. Militaries all around the world were scrambled to fight. What was left of them anyway. All the “high-ups” decided to initiate Operation Redemption. Every single able body to fight was thrown into battle. We lost. We didn't have enough firepower. What's left on this island are people who were not able bodied to fight or, by some miracle, escaped the battlegrounds. Yeah, it's bleak.
“Hero!”
“Yes, mom?”
“Come down for dinner!”
“Coming!”
Shoving my notebook into the dresser I head for dinner. Oh and something about my Mom, she used to be the President's secretary. Now she works as a “stay at home” Mom.
“How’s the diary coming along, honey?”
“Mom, it's not a diary, it's a notebook.”
“I'm justing messing with you.”
Pasta for dinner. My favorite.
“Where’s dad?” I say.
“He got called to the South side of the island.”
“For?”
“He didn’t say.”
One thing you should know about my father, he is a General in the Army, one of the only left. But he's a jerk. Ever since the President died 3 months ago in a surprise attack, he has been taking charge. He was one of the “high-ups” who agreed to Operation Redemption. Yeah, smart.
“Ok, thanks for dinner mom, I'm going for a run.”
“Ok, have fun!”
I put on my sweater and head out. I start my run to the South side of the island.
When I get there I see my Dad talking to a bunch of scientists. There is a big fancy lab they managed to save here. I slow my walk and creep up to overhear their conversation.
“What do you have for me doc?” my Dad says.
“Sir we have made an incredible breakthrough,” says lead scientist, Johnson.
“What is it Johnson?”
“Um.. Sir I think we…”
“You think what?”
“We might have found a molecular structure to build a cure.”
My Dad stares shell-shocked. As am I.
“You’ve d-d-done it?”
“Well sir we still have to develope it and test it, but we might have found the base of creating the cure.”
“Start right away, contact all surviving outposts with science personnel and share your findings. Let’s get this show on the road.”
Wow they've done it. I can’t believe it.
“Uhh sir.”
“Yes Johnson.”
“I would like to share the structure of the cure so you can discuss with the “higher-ups.”
“Go ahead.”
“Well sir, we think they virus has turned off the immune system. Meaning the cure needs to turn it back on.”
“Are you suggesting we can turn the zombies into people again?”
A long pause. Everyone held their breath.
“Yes sir, yes I am.”
“Thank you Johnson, good work.”
My world just got brighter. There may be a cure. I carefully exit and run back to my borrowed house. But halfway there I see a lump of something next the fence. Hold on pause yeah, sorry, forgot to mention that the army put up a 6ft, barbed wire fences around the whole populated part of the island. With guards 24/7. Ok, carry on. I go to investigate. I imagine that the guards went on a smoke break. As I walk up to investigate I see it is a dead zombie. A few wash up from time to time from the mainland. It looks freshly turned. Hmm... I wondered how it died. I get up to leave but I see something out of the corner of my eye. The spore on the zombies back, marking the viruses home base, was gone. I want to look more but the zombie’s eyes open and it stares at me.
“What the…..”
How did it survive that long?
“Guards!!” I scream.
Two fully armed guards come out of the house to my right.
“Whats going on?”
“It's alive!”
They turn their heads and stare at the fence.
“Do something,” I say.
One of the guards hoists his rifle and aims it at the zombie's head. But before he fires I look into the zombie’s eyes. The white, milky-ness of them has disappeared. They find my face and look on in acceptance. They looked human!
“Wait!” I say.
It's too late, the guard fires and the zombie’s (human?) head snappes back. What have I done.
“Thanks for the heads-up, we’ll take it from here.” The guard says.
I get up and head home. I know how to make the cure.
“How Hero?” You may be asking.
Well, every time a zombie was found “alive” on the beach the guards noticed a change in behavior. They stopped growling and looked around before the guards shot them. They followed orders. I think the properties of saltwater reverses the effects. It doesn’t heal them but it clears the virus. Opening up an opportunity to heal the patient. I have to share my hypothesis with my parents over tomorrow's dinner.
One day later.
“Dinner!” my Mom calls.
“K!” I reply.
Heading down to dinner I prepare myself to tell my hypothesis.
Halfway through dinner I make my move.
“Dad, Mom, I would like to tell you something.”
“What is it?” replies my Dad.
Just then the phone rings.
“Hold that thought.”
My Dad answers the phone. Four minutes go by and he sits back down.
“I just heard from the lab. They have all the properties to heal the zombie’s back to a regular person but they can’t get rid of the virus.”
“Dad I know what they need!”
My Dad stares at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“What did you say?”
“I said, I know the property they are missing.”
“I’m sorry son but we have the smartest scientist left working on a cure, you don't know anything.”
“No I’m serious just listen to…..”
“Silence. I don’t want to hear this nonsense again.”
My Dad heads up the stairs. My Mom looks at me with sympathy.
“I’m sure whatever you wanted to say was important.” She said.
Before I can reply she too, heads up the stairs. They are going to regret this.
The next day changes the future forever.
I get up at my regular time and head to work around the town. But around 10:00 AM, a blaring siren sounds on the South side of the island. People start screaming in that direction. I run back to the house to find my Mom trying to persuade my Dad not to go.
“Please don’t.”
“I have to. I’m the last remnants of leadership in this country,” my Dad replies.
My Dad walks out.
“What’s happening?” I ask.
“There are zombies on the island. Your father's rallying the troops,” my Mom replies.
“What? How did they get here? They can't swim.”
“A cargo plane carrying 50 zombies arrived for testing last night. There has been a breach. Before they sounded the sirens, the zombie’s tore through half the lab. Every available troop has been called there.”
“Oh god..” I reply.
Three hours laters, the gunfire stops, but the screams continue.
My father bursts through the door.
“What’s happening?” My Mom asks.
“We’ve lost the South island, were limited on ammo.”
“We have backup right?” I ask.
My Dad looks down.
“We’re going to lose the island. The zombie horde has doubled. There is nothing we can do.”
We stand shocked. Before we can reply there is a banging at the door.
“They made it.” My Dad says.
“Civilians, the Military?” I ask.
“No, the zombies.” My Dad replies.
Right before the zombies break down the door, my Dad looks at me.
“I’m sorry son I should have listened to you. The lab found out that seawater kills the virus.”
“I was trying to tell you that.” I say through tears.
“I should have listened, I’m sorry I never got to be here for you.”
“Me and your father both. We should not have wasted your childhood,” my Mom says.
“It wasn’t a waste. You guys were the best thing I could have wished for.” I say, smiling through tear streaks.
We all hug each other as the zombie horde of 100 now, breaks down the door.

I would like you, the reader, to be filled in on the aftermath events. After Hawaii was lost, other outposts fell as well. All of them were trying to find the secret property, saltwater. The human race lost. I want you to remember to always listen to others. Every voice matters. Throughout my experience in a zombie world, people learned that. I want you to understand and learn that too. This is Hero signing out...