The whole incident started while we were out shopping. Smoke filled the air to our east. Just the four of us. My wife, myself and my two sons, age 6 and 4. We heard some mutterings, as screams were heard beyond the buildings. No gunshots were heard. Just faint panic and we were at the edge of it. 

I ushered my family into a square where I saw a symbol for the bus. The panic increased and I looked back to see people running in every direction. I looked to see if there were attackers. There were just too many people running to really discern the crowd from. I saw that the several doors had signs to the bus station that must have been below us. As we hurried out of the shop-let, we got separated, but I got the kids to safety in an elevator to the bus station below. I peeked my head out as I saw people being tackled and bit at. I saw my wife see us on the other side of the crowd, but she kept running signaling for us to head north, I yelled for her to find us off the island. With my kids in hand I feared this was a zombie break out of some sort. I was not ready at all. Vacation in Japan as Americans was not how I thought this sort of break out would occur. The timing was ironic. In all the time I have lived I never once had the opportunity to travel due to poor financial circumstances. The kids were anxious as was I waiting as the elevator lowered.

I grabbed my sons close as the elevators opened. We saw folks moving with a purpose, but not with complete fear. No one was yelling, but people knew something was off. People were looking around. In my poor knowledge of Japanese, I whispered loudly to keep going. The elderly looked at me and at each other they must have been waiting for loved ones. I needed to get us to a bus. There were several buses and the station was full of buses. People waited in the transports and looked out at us. I got the kids in a bus as I kept an eye out for my wife. Over the beams above we started to see people fall from the open platform above us. People shrieked at the sight unknowing of events I had witnessed above. Our bus began to move and on queue, the screaming and panic commenced. Our bus got hit as we entered a metro tunnel. We were wedged which slowed down a few rabid folks preventing them from trapping us in the doors and I rushed to get the kids out knowing the Driver was going to stop to investigate. We jumped off and made our way up the tunnel as the people aboard rushed off and made their way up the stairs back up unknowingly towards the madness. The zombies followed the rest of the survivors as we made our way toward the end of the tunnel. We made it clear from the tunnel as we took a right and followed a grassy hillside away from the road. It curved towards the north as we headed directly north towards the crossing off the small island to the mainland. As we were heading into oncoming traffic, I found that a zombie had spotted us and he was alone. Panic had set in me and I knew the kids would never outrun them if more came towards us. My youngest being autistic, my poor son was so confused by the events and could not quite understand them. I had at least thirty seconds before he caught up to us. I began to get my oldest son’s attention and to not look back. He would have to be in charge of his brother In case I could not go any further. I started to point where mommy’s last known location was in the east in relation to where we were and I told them to keep going straight towards the bridge to the north. That mommy might be making her way that way. 

My oldest was wondering why I was telling him as the zombie got closer. He was crying as was my youngest son. I told him that his brother was slow and that they would catch them. I yelled at him to keep going and sneak away like in hide in seek. Then I told him to try to find mommy and to not scream while I slowed the bad man down. And as the kids kept going the zombie charged right at me and I put all of my strength and prayer into elbowing his face. Luck was with me as I was able to knock it down allowing me to kill it. And I had no hesitations. I was so relieved and went back for the kids to go find my wife. Though they had seen what I did from on top the hill they were relieved I could continue with them. I nearly wept in the small success I had so far. And I dreaded a next encounter and the thought of my wife already being lost to this. My sons did not understand what was going on. They were too young. 

We headed up the hill to stay away from the main road. I knew once the traffic started they would run back up the road to the bridge. And I also knew we would be the first to be caught. I picked up my youngest as we increased our pace. It was here I began to regret all those talks my wife had about getting back in shape. I felt the nausea fill my stomach as my out of shape body was not ready for the amount of running I knew I might have to do. 

The street ahead was empty of people and though that gave me some immediate ease, I braced for more zombies to be far down. Cars were damaged and blood splattered on the cars and street. Below the hill I could hear the crashes of the cars and the screaming. My sons were pale at the noise. I could hear my youngest muttering and repeating for mommy. I began to sing a song quietly to calm him. Though it was more of a hum at that volume. And the first thing that popped in my mind was Nat King Cole’s Nature Boy as my wife would always sing in the shower or in the kitchen. It seemed to calm him a bit as we passed several houses. There was no noise from ahead. Only from our left down the steep hill at the main street. By this point I no longer worried about anything coming up the hill parallel to the main road as it was too steep. Now I worried what crept and hid in the houses or behind broke cars. And I kept looking for potential exits, in case we were spotted or managed to spot them first. Though we passed by a really wealthy looking home we heard screaming inside. We pressed on. Normally I’d live for this sort of thing though retired from military service I was always anxious to be needed. Leaving behind people in our wake was not what I had dreamed, but I knew my kids were going to need every bit of my out of shape strength. I felt so useless with age, but I had no time to dwell on my doubts. I soon saw a pipe at least four feet long and picked it up to arm myself. The hardest part was yet to come. We peeked over some of the houses on the left. Beyond we could see explosions on the bridge we were hoping to cross. The military were in the process of setting up barriers on the bridge. Though we could only see faintly, I remembered the docks on the north east side. Even if by paddle boat, it would be the best chance for the boys.