We boarded an old train where we had to shovel coal for it to run. The werewolves watched as I started the boiler and tried to restart the engine. The vampires came and helped me. Everyone boarded it once the train was running and we drove off. I sensed the obstacles ahead and they made the turn accordingly. I jumped out and sensed my way around. I found an abandoned estate. There was a deep tunnel that led to caverns which doubles as rooms, mess halls and storage and so on. I closed my eyes and connected with my kind and they came. Soon after humans followed. We let them in and started rebuilding the wall. They built a moat for extra protection. Above the ground was turned into a farm. A small section was turned into a barn. The top deck has a sniper and surveillance. Teenagers operating drones to look for survivors and trying to avoid military convoys. They also control the gate and the moat. The next floor used to repair stuff that the scavengers brought back. The next was the ground floor with the trap door leading to the tunnels and the front door leading to the field. We took a sigh of relief after several Texas style shootouts with our not so friendly neighborhood chompers. We had to clear the place floor by floor and had to make sure it was fit for human and nocturnal condition.
I ventured out to get supplies. I found a nursery. It has seedlings, some sort of lamp, edible mushrooms and some fertilizer. It took me twenty trips back and forth to get everything in. Then the argument started about where these plants will call home. Finally they were situated on the second level. The trap door leads to an open space. There is one open and it is closed with thick steel doors with men and women armed to the teeth on the other side. Then a corridor before it splits into two. One side is the mess hall and then tunnel leading to the kitchen and storage for canned goods and MREs. The other path leads to a hundred yards. Then to a hole in the ground with holes carved here and there to make a crude ladder. This leads to living quarters. On the left are where the humans lived and the right is where the nocturnals lived. In the front was a hole with a fireman's pole that leads to a tunnel we were building in case we needed to escape. It took a while before we had working showers. When it finally worked it felt like we were living like kings. After months of combing around someone found a few solar panels and then a few other items like batteries and so on. The tinkering took months but finally we had light twenty four seven. The batteries were fully charged so we had light even on rainy days.
The humans decided not to make prisons. If anyone was making too much trouble they are either eaten by werewolves or thrown out. The nocturnals forbade me from leaving for errands. Saying it was beneath me. So I would go out because of boredom. I sensed my way around as I went further and further away from safety. I found a military convoy heading west so I followed them. I found myself at a lab where they were doing inhumane experiments. The test subjects were all nocturnals. They were synthesizing a newer version of zombies. They are called Strigoi. They were mute but talked using telepathy. They sensed my presence and warned everyone. I slid past security and found the cages holding the nocturnals. I turned into the beast and cut them loose. We stuck together and snuck out till we reached the front door. Security was with guns. I disabled all of them in one move. I screamed shrill and they all passed out. Then I used their key card and opened the door. The nocturnals ran and I told them to get in the nearest vehicle. We drove till we ran out of gas. Then we trekked on foot. We reached the farm house. I waved as one of our drones whizzed by. We all crossed the moat and the main gate and walked to the barn. Nocturnals warmly greeted their own. I walked past them and slipped down. I reached my room and tried to get some rest. I sucked on a blood bag as I tried to blot out the images permanently carved in my head. The more I tried the harder the image reappeared.
Finally I had enough and stopped at the gym. I poured my frustrations into the punching bag. Then I sat down and wept. A warm arm wrapped around me. I looked up to see a werewolf. He didn't need any sort of explanation. He just held me. The others came too and they stayed still as though taking a moment to honor their fallen brothers and sisters. The humans were curious but they went back to work. I finally had the courage to get up. I did apologize for not coming for them sooner. I didn't know but I did. I am going to find everyone and bring them safe and sound. I told everyone to make room for everyone as I made my way to get the rest. I made myself invisible and walked right in. The Strigoi can sense me but they can't pinpoint where I am. I found them and I apologized for not being able to save them but I had no choice. With a heavy heart I screamed and they all died. Then I zipped past the security and found the one in charge. After I carved his face I ran as fast as possible before the front door was locked. I made it and I licked my claws. I saw the locations where others were locked up for experimentation. I saw the door open and I screamed. Everyone who was in the facility died. Then I ran to free my family. I went full beast mode. I ran as fast as my legs took me. I got to each facility and killed every single one before setting mine free. I showed them where to go and I moved on to the next location till all were free. Then I came home. I was welcomed with open arms. I walked in invisible and it took several days before I was able to take human form again. I blushed red as I hid behind a shelf. One werewolf kindly gave me a coat so I can go change. I happily zipped past everyone and changed my outfit.
As I came out I sensed the ground and the walls were vibrating. This occurs when heavy duty military vehicles are passing by. I am guessing they have found us. They asked for a sanctuary and we said we will let them in under one condition. They better accept the rules of this facility. Someone blurted it out, "We are happily coexisting with vampires and werewolves here. Are you going to disturb the peace." They were speechless. Since they had no weapons and their communications were down they could only observe. They saw the advantages that our coexistence brought. They were surprised by the harmony. One even asked why we weren't ripping each other apart like a bunch of animals. I answered, "Because we were raised to be civilized. We weren't raise to behave like a bunch of rabid dogs." They stared at us and were amazed by the symbiotic relationship. After a day they were sent away. And we went back to our normal life. We took turns on the top deck operating drones or using the surveillance system. I would be sitting on top of the barn completely invisible. The werewolves would come sit with me. I simply tap them on the head so we are temporarily linked. They saw the world from my point of view. My vision extended to a mile with every sound echoing. Echolocation gives me an understanding of the terrain with x-ray vision giving sneak previews so there are no surprises. The sensory overload was too much for them. One asked me how I am able to function. I explained, "This is how I protected my friends from the zombie apocalypse. If I know what I am up against I can come up with a solution" he gently stroked my hair.
A few days later the soldiers came back. This time in plain clothes. I guess they lost their tolerance level for bureaucracy. They joined us along with other humans. The zombies were gathered on the other side of the moat and they looked hungry. This apocalypse is making me say stuff I had never imagined. One werewolf asked nicely, "Like what?" I scrunched my face, "Let's see. At the beginning of the apocalypse. Let's go to prison. Why? It was a stronghold where survivors were congregating. The next was. Have you finished your homework? That was during the divided states of America. I was a simple farmer raising orphans. The next one was rolling my eyes when the kids asked me 'are we there yet?' I slowly became my mom. I did tweak things up a bit when I taught them to wear clothes that require no ironing." The werewolves laughed merrily as I went upstairs to find the tunnel had been excavated to be a hydroponic garden. Mushrooms, fruits and vegetables were grown. We were living by the sea so we used reverse osmosis to convert sea water to drinkable water. The trick was to get the water to our location. I found a pipe that goes through the underground city towards the city. So all we did was find a way to connect the pipe to the tank. I would go once a week to check if the machine was functional. I had to do simple repairs. We upgraded the place to have markets, workshop. Places for worship and playground. The place became less of a hole in the ground and more homey.
Scavengers tried to go out but unfortunately the recent zombie hordes were seriously aggressive ones. I walked out and they would become lethargic. I would go out alone and find workable parts for everyone else to rig or restore. I zipped past places and found an overgrown garden. They were uprooted and flown back. They were added to the hydroponic system and I went out again. I found out there were newer more deadly zombies. They had retained some of their intelligence. This meant they were able to use weapons and vehicles. Even unlock the door if they can recall the password. I made sure to remain invisible till I learned to deflect these. I came back to tell everyone about these things so we first dealt with the aggressive ones. I used a machete and dispatched them instantly. I went looking for parts so we could make new and more deadly drones. One with lasers since flamethrowers will be useful only after their deaths. I had to find an entire toilet paper roll's worth of stuff. The werewolves thought it hilarious that I believe it. No matter. We built four types of drones. First were feelers. They scanned everywhere and relayed the location of smarties. The next one used lasers to slice these people into pieces. The next was fitted to dupe the zombies into thinking that humans were nearby. They would glide in with the hopes of a meal and they would find the place was empty. The third one emitted a signal that convinced these ones to flee. After many months of relentless pursuit we killed all the smarties. The aggressive ones were less in numbers. The regular ones were still more prominent in numbers. As we were riding the world of zombies we were making the underground more liveable. There were parks, gyms and even market places. The radio station opened a month after. Everyone was trained to use at least two firearms and a vehicle. The barn was fitted with a working CB Radio which keeps us updated on the soldiers working for corruption. Occasionally we would hear distress signals we have sent drones to determine if the plea was genuine or not. These people are pretending to ask for help. When the rescuers came and the people who called for would detain them. Their possessions are stolen and the rescuers are fed to zombies.