Free The Plague (Book 0): Day Zero by Ryan Cecere

Chapter 1
     
    “Decker Collins”
     
    Monday, October 13, 2014
    Five Islands Park, New Rochelle, NY
    6:00 p.m.
     
    “Well everything seems to be working fine,” Decker Collins said to himself with excitement, referring to his brand new HD video camera that had arrived in the mail earlier that day. As a film student, Decker recently decided on recording everything that went on in his life. Hey, maybe one day it would turn into a documentary. “Better be fucking working,” he continued, “I didn’t pay seven-hundred and fifty dollars for nothing.”
    Decker had been hanging out at the park for the majority of the afternoon with his best-friends, Mike and John, who sat at the bench with him. “Damn, dude, I can’t believe you brought that thing, Decker,” Mike said.
    “Yeah, well, why not record everything around me? I mean, I can probably film some pretty cool shit.”
    “Yeah, but dude, don’t break that shit.”
    John just laughed. “He’s probably going to drop it. You know how he is when he gets drunk.”
    “Nah, man. Trust me, there is no way in hell that I will pay over seven-hundred for another one of these.”
    “Alright, whatever you say,” Mike replied, shrugging his shoulders. Mike wasn’t much for talking about technology and filming. He enjoyed talking more along the lines of video games, drugs and girls. Same with them all.
    A smile crossed John’s face. “Shit, dude, what do you wanna do?”
    Decker pulled out a small plastic bag. “You already know, bro.”
    “Give me my Loko, mother-fucker,” Mike reached a hand out to obtain the alcoholic beverage that John held.
    Decker laughed, “Alright, dude, calm down you alcoholic.”
    Decker placed the camera on the bench. All three grabbed their tall cans of alcohol and cracked them open. “I’m going to turn the camera off for now. The battery is dying. ” John and Mike both replied with an “alright”.
    Decker and the guys talked about the latest video games that were coming out—and were currently out—no matter the console. While they got deep into their conversation, they smoked weed and drank all their beer, crumbling the cans up and missing the garbage can. This was the best time to be at the park to do their activities, since families had already left and police didn’t patrol the area as much. The park was mainly patrolled during the night when teenagers and college students would sneak in to have sex, drink and get high. Some even had the idea to go skinny-dipping in the filthy water, ignoring the NO SWIMMING sign.
    The three crossed the bridge onto the second island—a smaller island that contained two benches, a fishing spot and a tall oak tree. Under the oak tree, Decker noticed that the boulder that once blocked the way of an iron door that looked like it lead to a secret chamber (or a place homeless people took shelter) had been destroyed. Smaller fragments of rocks were spread out on the ground, and some tumbled down onto the path.
    Curiosity filled their bodies, yet none were adventurous enough at the moment to dare the other to check inside—noticing the latch had been broken off. They were too fucked up. Another day, another adventure.
    Decker and his friends were unaware that a man in a black suit watched them from the dock on the third island.
     
    By nightfall, the three headed out of Five Islands Park. Decker turned back on his camera, holding onto it with his life, gripped firmly—just in time to witness Mike leaning over the guard rail, coughing.
    “You alright, man?” John asked.
    Decker mocked him, “He’s gonna puke, bro. I know this fool had too much to drink.”
    They arrived at Mike’s building fifteen minutes later—normally the walk is only ten minutes to get there, but most of their time walking involved them stumbling and laughing, slurring their words, and more vomiting. After the three parted ways for the night, Decker began his long walk home on the other side of town.
    “God, I’m so