Once on the rooftop, it begins to sink in how bad this thing is when I see smoke rising all across the heart of the city with gunshots ringing out almost constantly on the distance.
Luckily, the campus is about 15 minutes by car from what looks to be the worst of it, so we have a little time to prepare, though I think one of my friends is close to one of the smaller fire hot spots. I hope they're okay and that they got out in time.
As I begin setting up, people start filtering onto the rooftop rec space, and those who can cook begin pitching in to help me prepare a big meal with everything that was brought up. It wasn't consistent, but it'll fill up college students… Though there's a conspicuous lack of instant ramen.
It was a strange but welcome diversion for most of us. And after everyone attempted to eat their fill of the impromptu buffet, I clinked my glass with a fork to get everyone's attention.
"Thank you all for gathering here calmly and quickly despite what's happening outside. Now, I don't know all of you, and you all probably don't know me aside from a semi-familiar face you pass in the halls and on campus. But my name is Silvester Murdoch and I'm a hobbyist doomsday prepper. I didn't prepare for a zombie apocalypse directly, but I made some preparations for similar disasters that could carry over. I know many of you are probably concerned for your families outside this building, so once we've all eaten, you can take as much food as you can carry and leave the building. Whether or not you'll be allowed back in once you've found your families is unknown. So think carefully before leaving." I warn them with a serious look.
After that warning, everyone was silent for a long time before some pompous dude stood up and condescendingly said, "And who made you our leader? Why not one of the RAs or me? My dad's the mayor, so he's bound to send someone for me."
"Fair point, no one made me the leader and I guess I'm not yet until I'm recognized as such. So, what was the first thing you did when the state of emergency was declared?" I ask the pompous prick.
"What?" He replies with a confused look.
"I asked, what did you do when you realized shit just went south?" I repeat in less friendly terms.
"I... Uhhh..." He starts to fumble.
"I see; well, while you were, 'Uhhh-ing,' I was busy stocking water, getting the first floor secure, contacting the other buildings, and taking stock of supplies. Oh, and preparing the food you just so happily ate. So, if you were in charge, what's the first thing you'd do?" I sarcastically ask.
"Well... I'd contact the military!" He confidently replies.
"Okay, with what?" I reply back with a smile, causing him to look at me like I'm an idiot.
"With my phone, obviously?" He says, making me laugh.
"Oh yeah? Let's see you get a message through." I say, wiping tears from my eyes.
This makes him stop before pulling out his phone and realizing that none of his messages were going through before asking, "What's going on?"
"In case you haven't realized, the apocalypse." I say jokingly before returning to serious expression, "And my plan is to take stock of absolutely everything in the building, set up a communication line with the nearby dorm buildings, and then hopefully get some engineering students over to McKinley Hall to raid their engineering department before setting up some solar power and a pump to bring water from the nearby Saint Pauline River."
Which leaves pompous prick speechless as he quietly sits back down, having lost, but I'm not done with him yet.
"All in favor of the Mayor's Son being leader, say Aye..." I say, to which the entire roof is silent.
"And all in favor of Me being our glorious supreme leader?" I say, to which the majority of the roof says, "Aye."
"Glad we could decide that so democratically; it almost makes me feel like a functional government, something none of us have seen in years. Now, those still in favor of leaving, follow me with whatever food you can carry; there are to-go bags near the doorway. I'll be at the second-floor lobby once you've got everything you need." I say, heading to my room to grab an emergency escape rope ladder I had in case of a fire.
After about half an hour, eighteen people met me in the 2nd-floor lobby, among them fifteen guys and three girls, which I led to a small window overlooking the roofed-over 1st-floor entrance doors.
I carefully pry the window out of its frame to allow access to the roofed-over entrance, which takes about 5 minutes. As I bring out the emergency ladder, some of them seem nervous about descending the ten or so feet to the ground but are relieved after the first couple of guys make it down to their cars without issue.
Once they're all gone, I bring up the ladder and spend about ten minutes popping that window back in place. Shockingly enough, Mr. Pompous Prick wasn't with them.
Once back up to the roof the remaining 41 and a half pairs of eyes (One guy was missing an eye, pretty badass) stare at me as if waiting for some kind of sign that they made the right decision...
What the fuck did I just get myself into? Well, you can't solo the apocalypse; you need a group to back you up. I say, reassuring myself.
Well, it's time to get started.