'And So It Begins'

**'And So It Begins'** is the first episode of *Season 1* of *The Walking Dead by EDStudios.* It is the first episode of the series overall. It is a re-written and expanded version of the Pilot.

## Plot

*Thrust into the zombie apocalypse and trapped in the United States, exchange student Henry Edwards will have to unite his friends to survive the first days of the end of the world.*

## Synopsis

An older-looking man sits in a white rocking chair. His right eye is damaged and he holds a cane adorned with a wolf head in his right hand. He opens his eyes and watches two young children playing nearby. He smiles, closes his eyes, and sighs.

Edwards wakes up from a daydream in the middle of a mathematics class. He is threatened with detention if he does not listen. He quietly curses at the teacher, Mr Dawid.

Edwards eats lunch in the canteen and he is quickly joined by his fellow British students. They discuss their holiday to the US, and how they have been sponsored by their school back in the UK to study in the US.

That night, the 11 of them have a party at their accommodation. Justinas Grant returns to the house, having been training with the army cadets. He reveals he managed to sneak away some vodka and the group drink into the night.

The next day, all of the adult staff are ill with similar symptoms, including coughing up blood, pale skin and nausea. At 9:34 am, the alarm sounds and all the children in the school are called into the corridor; the military is evacuating the city. The group's chaperone forces them into a locked studio to wait for their sponsor, who will handle their evacuation. As they run to the door, they see a teacher grab and bite a student. Nobody comes and the group hear the sounds of gunfire and screaming.

Hours later, the group emerge and spot Mr Dawid nearby; his skin has turned rotten. He attacks Alex, forcing Harry to defend him with a metal pipe. He eventually hits Mr Dawid over the head several times, killing him. Harry believes he has committed murder before Daniel notices hobbling figures in the corridors. The group are attacked by a large cluster as they realize what they are: zombies.

A few hours later, the group deduce that only those over the age of 18 seemed to exhibit symptoms and subsequently reanimate, and notice all those that are not adults have been bitten. Jess complains, asking if they don't call them zombies. They gather rudimentary weapons and head out, clearing zombies as they go. They eventually retrieve a radio, listening to a pre-recorded FRS alarm signal. They decide to clear out the entire school and wait for someone to rescue them.

Two weeks later, the FRS signal is still going and the group have been surviving on canteen food and water. They decide to make the school a long-term solution and make a plan to fortify it. Harry, Justinas and Sarah make a run to the carpentry shed to retrieve wood and building supplies - with Harry retrieving a hatchet in the process - while Aaron, Ashleigh and James clear out the outside area. Suddenly, the radio starts playing a new broadcast and the group gather around. A faint voice of a man named Shane plays, giving several useful tips about how to deal with the dead; he refers to the zombies as "walkers". After a few minutes, the broadcast stops and the FRS signal restarts. From that point, the group decide to call the zombies "walkers".

A week later, the group have fortified the school, securing the fence with wooden panels. Ben has gone out searching for fuel to turn the electricity back on. Harry and Sarah receive a call over a walkie from Ben, who has become trapped by walkers. The two of them head out to save him, finding a locked military truck at a desolate motel. They find a reanimated soldier, leading Harry to shoot it out of respect. They find a stash of guns in the back of the truck and take it back to the school, as well as some fuel siphoned from several vehicles. When they finally return to the school, they find the others effectively dispatching an incoming group of walkers, joining them as they fend off the dead from their new home.

## Credits

### Starring:

* Harry Edwards
* Holly Parker
* James Cottingham
* Sarah Terringham
* Justinas Grant
* Jess Black
* Alex Sutton
* Ben Appleby
* Emma Cottingham
* Daniel Cottingham
* Ashleigh

## Deaths

* Mr Dawid *(zombified)*
* Reanimated Soldier *(zombified)*

## Trivia

* First appearance of Harry Edwards
* First appearance of Holly Parker
* First appearance of James Cottingham
* First appearance of Sarah Terringham
* First appearance of Justinas Grant
* First appearance of Jess Black
* First appearance of Alex Sutton
* First appearance of Ben Appleby
* First appearance of Aaron Ganger
* First appearance of Ashleigh
* First appearance of Daniel Cottingham
* First appearance of Emma Cottingham
* First (and last) appearance of Mr Dawid *(alive and zombified)*

## Trivia

* This was originally going to be the only episode made. Parts were added after the launch of the '*New Age*' Extension.
* This episode was originally titled "Pilot".

 **Season 15: A Last Showdown** | "The Final Stand"