Chapter 1 - Settling In

She saw the smoke while she was still a considerable distance from her new home.  The taxi driver wanted to turn around, but she convinced them that she needed to get to the hospital to see if she could help.  This is what she'd trained for, she implored him.

It was some time later that they realized what had happened and would soon after be referred to as "The Super Bowl Blow Out".  During the halftime show, every single toilet in the region was flushed at exactly the same time.  The resulting drop in water pressure caused the nuclear power plant to go critical and melt down, resulting in devastation across the region.

All that was left of Calamity Canyon was a big, dark crater where the septic tank used to be.  The town had quickly set up a military base and soup kitchen, a first aid facility, and brought in some trailers for people to stay.

Zoe headed to the military base first to see what she could do to help.  

Her skills would be wasted in the Neighborhood Watch or the Soup Kitchen. She saw that they seemed in dire need of medical professionals by the almost blank sign up sheet!  She hurried over to see if she could help with the first shift.

***MEANWHILE***

 A Zombie looking remarkably like Andres Legende ambles into the Soup Kitchen.

"Don't worry," Gretchen said hopefully, backing away.  "I think he may remember that we were in love..."

 "ZOMBIE ATTACK!" Camryn flung open the door and yelled.  "HIT THE ALARM!" 

But her warning came too late.  Gretchen was currently in the midst of fighting for her very life, ironically at the hands of the man who loved her the most.

 Do Zombies not recognize their past human lives? Are brains too tasty?  Or perhaps, is this a way to make sure that Gretchen remains with him always?  We may never know...

*** 

Zoe was already at the first aid facility when she heard the alarm blaring from the base.  It was startling, hearing that sharp clanging and shouting.  She glanced over her shoulder nervously, wondering if she was safe here.  

"Don't worry," the lady next to her said.  "Zombies almost never make it inside the first air facility."

Almost comforting.

After heading inside and checking out at the front desk, Zoe was introduced to Mr. Toby Bruenig.

"Oh, thank goodness. You have real medical training!" he said with a heavy sigh. "That will come in handy! How do you feel about overseeing our general practitioner needs?"

Zoe was astounded.  She had expected to be performing internship duties.  "I'm not sure if I'm exactly qualified," she said hesitantly.

Toby patted her shoulder.  "You're better than anything else we have right now."

And that's how Zoe found herself inundated with a clipboard full of cases.  She checked the ultrasound and consulted another doctor.  "I think this man needs to go to surgery right away!" she said, pointing to the rubber ducky obstruction near what she thought was his liver.

"Please cough again," she said lifting the stethoscope up to Mr. Go's chest.  "No, I don't hear your heart beating to the beat of Disco Fever.  You should be fine."

"And how can I help you today?" she asked the nervous young lady that entered the exam room.

Miss Hogan wrung her hands anxiously.  "I think I might be pregnant with a Zombie baby!" she admitted in a rush.

Zoe's eyebrows lifted with surprise.  "Have you had relations with a Zombie?"  Miss Hogan shook her head.  "Then I think we're safe to assume you are not, in fact, pregnant with a Zombie baby.  But, to be sure, why don't I have you head over to Ultrasound."  Zoe made a check on the patients sheet and sent her to the other department.

Zoe was assigned a trailer near Main Street Mobile Homes.  From the outside, it didn't look like much.

 And from inside it was ever worse.  Was every door in here a different color?

 For the first time she graduated, Zoe felt like she might be out of her depth!

On her second shift, Zoe brought home her coworker, Zack.  He was very kind and wanted to make sure she was settling in well.

Since it was beginning to snow heavily, she invited her new friend inside.  Not only was he smart, but he was handsome too!  Zoe felt the stirrings of her first crush.

"Sometimes I worry that I may not be cut out for the medical field, after all," Zoe admitted in a rare show of self-doubt.  "Today, I told a sherpa that insisted on bringing his llama into the waiting room!  I mean, how crazy is that?"

"We see a lot of crazy stuff," Zack assured her.  "Especially with all these Zombies running around.  Until we know more about Zombies, things will continue to be crazy! You just need to trust that you're doing a good job." He paused as he stood up.  "And you are doing a great job!"

"Thanks Zack," she said, impulsively embracing him. 

"Anytime Zoe," he said with a smile.  "I'm going to head home before it gets too dark out.  I'll see you tomorrow."

Zoe nodded.  "Tommorrow!"

Zoe woke up long before her alarm clock went off.  Something Zack had said resonated in her.  Until we know more about the Zombies...

She grabbed a pad of paper and began writing all the information they had compiled on Zombies. 

When her alarm finally went off, she set the notepad down and hurried to get dressed and headed to the first aid facility.

If one more person told her she didn't look old enough to be a doctor, she was going to scream! Zoe thought as she stormed inside.  Walking straight to the bathroom, she put her hands on the edge of the sink, glared at her reflection in the mirror and practiced saying, "I assure you, I am quite capable of treating your injury."

Zoe had asked around at work. Everyone else was taking sponge baths to maintain a modicum of hygiene.  It just seemed so unhygenic!  Sponges harbored germs by the millions!  Instead, she spent over an hour washing her hands.  She'd developed a routine of washing at night before bed.

But, by the end of the day, she didn't smell the freshest.  But, everyone was getting used to smellier friends the longer time wore on.

"Oh my gosh, behind you!" Zoe yelled, surprised she'd been so lost in conversation with Brandon that she hadn't heard it approaching.  The zombie craned it's head and started towards them.

Panicked, Zoe ran inside and slammed the door.  Peering out the window, she saw no sign of Brandon or the Zombie.  Hopefully he ran away, she thought with embarrassment. 

Every encounter she had gave her more and more information about those pesky Zombies.  Maybe she would be able to convince the patrolmen to find her a testing sample, she considered thoughtfully.

Wash. Wash. Wash. Wash. Wash. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.  Zoe's hands were becoming slightly chaffed from all the water and soap.

She was surprised to find Brandon waiting outside her trailer when she got home from work.  "Just thought I would drop by and say hi," he told her affiably. 

"Random, weird question," she announced.  "I need to find someone that might have alot of exposure to Zombies," she told him.

Brandon didn't hesitate.  "That would be Christopher. He heads up the neighborhood water."

"Good evening, Mr.," she paused a moment. "I don't know your last name!" she announced, flustered by her breech of polite protocol.

"Don't worry, just Christopher is fine," he said with a laugh as he shook her hand.

Instantly Zoe relaxed.  "I'm Dr. Sharp," she told him.  "There's something you might be able to help me with."

It was lonely during this time of great struggle.  Zoe was used to being an introvert, so it didn't seem to bother her as much as it did some of her peers.

However, even she had hopes of one day having a family and children.  If only there was a way the hopelessness that surrounded Calamity Canyon could be lifted...

One night, Zoe glanced outside her window and saw an elderly woman, looking quite lost by the mailbox.

"Do you need any help ma'am?" Zoe called from the porch.

The woman looked around.  "I'm not sure where I am," she told her.

Ah ha, mush brain, she diagnosed.  They were seeing more cases of senile elderly patients. 

"Why don't you come in and wait with me a moment," she offered. "It's cold outside."

The old woman looked relieved. "Oh thank you, that would be wonderful!" she accepted graciously.

"Nikki!" an approaching gentlemen called, having spotted his wandering wife.  "I've been looking everywhere for you the last hour!" he said, the relief in his voice clear.  "I thought the Zombies were sure to get you!"

Zoe spent a short time with the elderly couple, checking their reflexes and making sure they would get home safely.  They were such dear, kind-hearted people, she promised herself that she would check on them whenever the chance arose!

The problem with washing her hands as much as she did came in a most unexpected surprise.

The moment Zoe twisted the handle to the off position, it came unscrewed and began spurting water directly in her face!  Squealing, she battled the handle while getting soaked.

Zoe had stayed so busy since coming to town, she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself on her 3-day weekend.  It seemed intermiably long!

So, she began painting her living room.

Worked more on her Zombie research.

Relaxed and drank a cool instameal.

Then flopped on the couch with a sigh.  6 hours down, 30 hours to go, she thought impatiently.

It was so boring in her house, even shy Zoe headed outside to meet her neighbors.

"Run! Zombie approaching!" she interrupted Amin in the middle of his story.

Amin ran for safety and she ran inside and bolted her door.

Later, when the coast was clear, she played in the newly fallen snow.

Snow angel!

"Hello Mr. Snowman.  What seems to be the trouble today?" she asked, pretending the snowman was her patient.  "Oh, you can't smell well? Perhaps it's because you have a carrot in your nose!"  She laughed at her own silly joke, then sighed.

Only 16 more hours to go, she said, mentally counting the time until she could return to work.

Her prayers were answered when she greeted a neighbor from across the street.

He introduced himself as Craig Ray.  He was so handsome!

Immediately, he offered her a discount for anything at the home repair store.  "Oh thank you!" she fawned, so pleased at his kind offer.

"Would you like to come inside for a moment? I can make you some sandwiches. Or some cereal. Whichever you prefer!" she added quickly.  The culinary choices were a far shade from what she used to serve in college.

Craig settled on sandwiches, which the two ate companionably in the livingroom while they got to know each other.  "So you're new to town then?" he asked.

"Oh yes, I grew up in a bigger city then went to university.  I was offered an internship here before.. well... before the Big Super Bowl Blowout!  I'm working at the First Aid Facility. I think I've finally settled in.  You?"

"Wow, I've lived here all my life. I volunteer here and there," he said proudly and self-importantly.

Zoe nodded sagely.  

After dinner, the two played games to pass the time until Craig announced he should head home. 

Impulsively, she gave him a small kiss before he left.  "I had a fun evening.  You saved me from expiring from boredom!" she told him.

He smiled back.  "Anytime I can be of service!" he replied with a silly grin.

We have got to go somewhere warmed, the penguin said to the snowman.