I Thought the Storm Was the Emergency Then We Heard Something Moving Upstairs

A hurricane had just passed through coastal North Carolina when Glen Howell heard heavy footsteps upstairs in a flooded house. The homeowner insisted he'd ridden out the storm alone. Glen, an insurance professional volunteering to inspect damaged homes, expected broken windows, weakened floors, and difficult decisions. Instead, a closed bedroom door leads to a frightening discovery—and emergency radio calls begin describing people who no longer behave normally. As a zombie outbreak spreads through the flood-damaged neighborhoods, Glen has to reach his wife, Nora, before the roads close. But getting home is only the beginning. With limited fuel, strangers needing help, and uncertain information about the water, every choice tests the certainty that has shaped his marriage. A grounded first-person zombie survival story about disaster, trust, and the danger of believing you have all the answers. Fictional story created for entertainment. AI-assisted fiction, human-directed. Timestamps- 00:00 Footsteps After the Hurricane 04:14 When We Chose to Stay 08:28 The Morning After the Storm 16:37 The House on Linden Lane 23:14 Behind the Closed Bedroom Door 31:56 A Decision at Martin's House 45:31 Getting Back to Nora 53:43 Leaving Jessup Street 60:28 The Road North Is Blocked 65:37 Highway 264 and the Checkpoint 71:00 The Floodwater Warning 82:00 Reaching the Fairgrounds