Shit Hits the Fan

Shit Hits the Fan was the first major event on Ashes to Ashes, and took place between January 26th, 2017, and February 4th, 2017.

## Prologue

### January 26th, 2017

Perusing the evening news, you'll notice several outlets carrying a similar story. This story is repeated almost verbatim in online journalism circles. It is as follows:

In New York City, three hospitals -- one in Brooklyn, two in the Bronx -- have admitted patients with peculiar ailments. The symptoms present similar in nature to septicaemia or meningitis, and ultimately result in the expiration of the patient within twenty-four hours. Medical personnel that have treated these men and women seem perplexed, and requests for a comment were not responded to by the date of publication.

The exact number of patients seeking treatment is unknown. The CDC has yet to comment, or perhaps even take note of the situation.

We'll keep you updated as the situation develops.

### January 29th, 2017

It's been three days since the news broke about New Yorkers seeking aid and ultimately dying of unexplained complications.

The situation has only grown worse in New York City, where tabloids and less credible outlets are reporting extremely hostile New Yorkers -- many wearing hospital gowns, some wearing tatters that suggest they may be homeless -- assaulting strangers in the streets, scratching and biting like rabid dogs. It's rumored that the police have detained several of these aggressors, but no word has been handed down to journalists from Police Chief James P. O'Neill or Mayor de Blasio.

Are these attacks connected to the mysterious deaths in Brooklyn and the Bronx? As of now, nobody seems sure.

Meanwhile, similar reports have been filed in two other large metropolitan areas: Miami, Florida, and Los Angeles, California. The overall content of the stories is the same: a mysterious illness reminiscent of fungal meningitis; rabid hospital patients and homeless men and women; no word from local LEO or city officials.

Several videos have made their way to less reputable sites -- LiveLeak, WorldStarHipHop, et al. -- of these sick men and women. They seem disoriented, perhaps dazed, and pursue seemingly innocent people with a single-minded determination, not unlike a predator hunting its quarry. When nearing their target, these men and women flail their arms angrily, gnashing their teeth together, perhaps indicative of some sort of psychosomatic disconnect.

Whatever the cause of it is, these people are *clearly* not well.

The CDC released a brief press statement:

Anne Kennedy, CDC Spokesperson

*The Center for Disease Control is aware of the reports of aggressive men and women on the east and west coasts, and in the south. At this time, the CDC has no reason to believe that this behavior is indicative of anything other than narcotics abuse and mental illness, nor that it is related to the cases of fungal meningitis in those regions.*

The CDC has released a digital press kit regarding fungal meningitis. As the infection is not spread person-to-person, most people have little to fear. We advise caution and the use of appropriate safety gear when working or traveling through areas in which fungal spores might be inhaled, such as areas heavily contaminated with bird or bat droppings; soils rich with decaying organic matter; and dark, damp sections of manmade structures.

Any persons with compromised immune systems or that take medication that may weaken their immune systems are advised to avoid these types of exposure if at all possible. Allowing infants or elderly persons to be exposed to environments in which infection is a possibility is also strongly advised against.

Whether this is a one-off series of incidents or a more concerted, large-scale problem remains to be seen.

### January 31st, 2017

National tensions are on the rise.

Reports over the last week of "dangerous, aggressive" people have skyrocketed, and similar behavior and symptoms have been spotted as far north of Miami as Atlanta; as far east of Los Angeles as Carson City; and throughout the majority of New England—with similar, unconfirmed reports in Quebec and Ottawa.

Many members of the scientific and medical community are now doubting the veracity of the CDC's initial assumption that the disease in question is fungal meningitis. Videos have surfaced across the web of men and women attacking strangers, scratching and biting them—severely wounding and in some cases killing their victims.

The CDC, meanwhile, has doubled down on its stance, and suggested that people in affected regions avoid public spaces and confine their travel to necessary commutes to work and shopping.

FEMA has established "auxiliary aid stations" at dozens of hospitals across the country. In regions afflicted with the disease, hospital admission rates have quadrupled, leaving medical personnel incapable of treating non-terminal patients—and, as before, recipients of bites or scratches from the infected perish within twenty-four hours.

Videos have also surfaced of the post-expiry phase that purport to show men and women who have received bites and/or scratches from the infected reanimating; coming back to life, enraged and berserk.

The federal government has, for the most part, failed to comment on the trouble, with President Donald Trump saying only that he expects his fellow Americans to, "stay strong under [sic] this tremendously [sic] stressable times."

Sean Spicer, White House Press Secretary, has said only that the Trump administration is working closely with FEMA to establish a "game plan" to combat the infection, should it come to it.

The governors of eight states across the nation have declared a state of emergency: Florida, California, New York, Georgia, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. National Guard units in these states have been mobilized to help handle the various crises cropping up in major cities, while smaller communities seem to be mostly free of the infected.

Internationally, three other nations have reported similar outbreaks: France, Germany, and China. Very little news from these countries is reaching the public, but the European Union has assembled a task force in hopes of quashing the problem before it snowballs. The United Nations, too—at the behest of the United States—has formed a council tasked with combatting the issue worldwide, though no news has yet come from these groups.

Are the dead returning to life? The truth is muddled, for now, but people across the world are waiting and watching, anxious and breathless.

### February 2nd, 2017

News outlets around the country are airing breaking news segments:

The situation has devolved immensely. As of February 2nd, more states than not have declared a state of emergency, with evacuations at play in New England, along the eastern coast, and in the south. Of the western coast, only California has issued an evacuation; whatever infectious disease has rocked the nation, it seems to be having difficulty crossing the Sierra Nevada. Further hampering their progress—and spelling disaster for many evacuees—are a series of wildfires raging across the state, unchecked as emergency services grind to a halt.

Most cable and satellite stations have gone dark, with only news outlets left broadcasting—each of them covering the various crises as they unfold.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the president, his cabinet, and his family and friends have been shuttled to the emergency bunkers beneath the Cheyenne mountains. Even shakier reports suggest that the federal government may be considering a "retaliatory" strike on Russia and the People's Republic of China—implying that they may be believed to be responsible for the events taking place now.

Closer to home, Kentucky—like much of the south—has issued a mandatory evacuation order at the behest of Governor Matt Bevin. Issued in the early hours of February 2nd, much of Interstates 65, 64, 71, and 75 are gridlocked with unmoving traffic. Getting into or out of the southern United States has become virtually impossible. Many houses in West Point have been emptied out and boarded up, abandoned by their occupants to flee the state—but at this point their chances of success seem slim.

Every couple of hours helicopters pass overhead, usually large double-rotor Chinooks, presumably military in origin. Where they're going and what their plan is remains unclear, though the National Guard and FEMA are working together to establish "safe zones" for refugees fleeing their homes.

Reports on the internet and in the news suggest that infected persons have been sighted in Louisville, though they are only background noise to the riots and general panic of the city. LEO contend with rampaging civilians who are overturning cars, tossing improvised molotovs at riot police, and looting unoccupied storefronts.

For the time being, we can only tell you goodnight, and wish you good luck.

### February 4th, 2017

In the early hours of February 4th, 2017, cell service in and around West Point, Kentucky—and perhaps across the entirety of the United States—ceased to exist. Texting results in a "*message could not be sent*" blurb; attempted calls never dial; on the status bar of your cell, **NO SERVICE** stares back at you dourly.

Now for the bad news:

At roughly the same time, the internet is no more. Well—maybe the president can still tweet—but you're SOL, because wireless routers and standard modems cease to yield any sort of web access.

The news—now the only people left broadcasting over the television, reporters and anchors looking worn and exhausted (not to mention *replaced*, in many cases, as first-string journalists abandon their careers in hopes of escaping impending doom)—reports on the abrupt disappearance of both the internet and cell service for several hours...

... before they, too, go dark.

Anybody watching the news for roughly one hour following its disappearance is greeted with a repeating Emergency Alert Service broadcast scrolling across the screen, slow enough that you can read it:

> *THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DISSOLVED*
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>
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> *THE INFECTION IS UNCONTAINABLE*
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> *HELP IS NOT COMING*
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>

After one hour, the broadcast ends... and the airwaves go silent.

Later that day, Mayor Robert Carnham—now entering his second term as mayor of West Point—hosted a community meeting at city hall. After a few minor delays, Mayor Carnham delivered a rousing speech to his constituency:

*"I'll start off with the facts, and what's happened—at least to my knowledge—in the last twenty-four hours. Afterwards, I'll open the floor to any questions or concerns that you may have.*

*As you all may know, an infection has spread across the country—and quite possibly the world. While at first it was downplayed as to the seriousness of the infection... it is now clear how dangerous the situation truly is.*

*... and to those of you with weapons in hand, please stow them for now. Tensions are already high here—and while you may have a handle on what you have, others may not be able to handle it as well.*

*[He pauses.]*

*I'll be blunt—because that's what you all deserve, now. My attempts to talk with higher forms of government have failed in the days leading up to today. Talking with officials in nearby towns, I found they were funning into the same problems. With what's happened today..."*

*[He pauses.]*

*"... the message was true. The government, large or small—outside of our borders—is not coming.*

*What's more—I want to address a rumor that has been circulating about the infection. Listen, and please believe me on this: the infection is bringing the dead to life.*

*[The assembled townsfolk murmur in dismay, gasp, and even shout.]*

*Settle down—please.*

*Last night... two infected showed up at Tom's bar. They... they killed a police officer before they could be stopped. I transported the bodies to safekeeping. The ones that attacked had clearly been dead since before the attack occurred. Likewise, during the fight, the officer... emptied his gun into one's chest—this did nothing to stop it.*

*I don't know how it works. I'm no scientist—but I know how a dead body smells. I know what it looks like. Last night, I and the others that were there saw two of them walking and attacking. More have turned up in town since then, and it's likely—that they will keep coming.*

*We need to come together in the face of this, regardless of past tensions of differences. We can't infight anymore—not now, not in the future. If we're to make it, we need to make it through this as a town. As a community.*

*I'm not going to have all the answers. I will make mistakes. Just—please—please look past everything, and be together in this."*

Unfortunately, during the Q&A session hosted shortly thereafter, calamity struck.

Pastor John Paul Cunningham—owner and operator of the 1st Evangelist Church of West Point—appeared abruptly, storming the stage of city hall with a shotgun and declaring:

*"And the Great Dragon! That great devil, the serpent known as Satan himself, who led the whole world astray, was cast down onto the Earth. You all know what this is, no? Do not despair, my children, for the day of Revelation is truly upon us. Surely you all understand. Hark, the day of judgment is upon us at last. Homosexual marriage, abortion, divorce. The Lord is angry. The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, murderers, the sexually immoral, shall all be cast into the great lake of fire with the false prophet! This is the second death. Behold, the ashen horse, and the rider that sits upon him... death! My congregation has already ascended to the White Throne, and sit in the favor of the Lord's Kingdom! Do not despair, for I shall be your shepherd."*

As his proselytizing came to an end, Pastor Cunningham opened fire upon the crowd, instantly killing Mason Alderman and wounding several others. With the last buckshot shell in his shotgun, Pastor Cunningham took his own life.

The danger, however, had not passed: the abundance of shooting lured the many infected wandering the woods nearby—having made their way towards West Point from the highway and interstate—into downtown West Point, where they began to wreak havoc.

By the end of the day, many of West Point's citizens had banded together, forming groups throughout town and seeking the company of friends and family—for nobody could stomach the thought of being alone at a time like this.