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You awaken to a stream of sunlight, rousing you from a restful night of sleep. You feel physically refreshed, even though your alarm system went off several times last night, waking you up and forcing you to check the house for intruders. Today will be critical—either the governments of the world have figured out a way to deal with the infection, or the zombie plague has won. No other options exist.

You rise from bed. Today will present a whole host of challenges, but you feel ready to face them. Surviving will take courage and resilience, and you'll muster up enough of both of them to deal with anything this new world throws your way.

Your stomach growls like a pissed-off zombie. You overlooked eating yesterday, and now your limbs feel sluggish, your stomach twists in knots, and a dull, constant throbbing crowns your head. You fill your flask with a few shots of alcohol and take a long drink. You have enough food to last a few days, but if martial law persists, you won't be allowed to leave your home to restock. How long could you be forced to stay inside? Is it even safe to leave? The infection spreads at an incredible rate, and zombies roam unchecked through the countryside. If you leave the safety of your home, what will civilization resemble on day two of the apocalypse?

Weeks ago, you watched a documentary on Hurricane Katrina, one of the most powerful natural disasters in US history. In the aftermath of the destruction, the affected areas fell into chaos: infrastructure failed, people looted stores and residences for essential items, and violence increased among the survivors. After the outbreak, can you expect the same impact on all of civilization?

You step to the window and peer outside. The area is empty of people. An overturned car sits on the road, and further down, an empty military jeep is blocking your neighbor's driveway. From a distance comes the chug and roar of a truck. The wind whistles and blows hard against the side of the house, and the snow has melted away. It's as if the whole world has gone on vacation and left you on standby.

And then, as if answering the call, you spot a figure staggering along your property line in the tell-tale manner of a zombie. He stops and looks up, his mouth opens, and he screams, mocking you, telling you that zombies roam the earth, and it's their world now. He might be right.

Peering through the window, your mind wanders about the day ahead. Your highest priority is to…