First to Fight: Marines in the Apocalypse #1

"When we were deployed to protect and defend the hospitals, airports, and other important locations in Southwest Florida, we knew things were already a mess. What our superiors didn't tell us grunts was just how messed up things were. I decided to write down my experience and those of my fellow Marines when we were separated from the rest of our platoon during the Fort Myers Crisis. 

Since I was too busy trying to stay alive at the time, I was unable to keep a day-by-day journal of our struggle. However, when writing this record, I have tried to be as accurate and thorough as possible. I hope that those who read what follows will understand the courage and selflessness of my brothers, both surviving and fallen." 

Semper Fi. 

PFC Douglas Belfountain 
United States Marine Corps

Cordyceps Hominis is a homopathogenic fungus that is also known as the 'zombie fungus'. It operates by infiltrating the human brain and nervous system, altering the behavior of its host. In stage 1, the host experiences an intense craving for human blood, which contains an enzyme that the fungus needs for propagation. In stage 2, the fungus rapidly spreads hyphae (mycelium) throughout the host, following nerve sheaths. The brain is especially targeted, and the host is soon rendered incapable of any thought unrelated to the gathering of food. The fungus requires immense amount of protein to enable its rapid growth and subsequent fruiting. 

When the homopathonogenic fungus known as Cordyceps Hominis spread through the population, transforming humans into brain-damaged zombies, units of the U.S. military were deployed to protect important infrastructure. First to Fight follows the story of PFC Douglas Belfountain and several of his fellow Marines as they try to survive when the population of Fort Myers, Florida succumbs to the fungus.

Dramatis Personae

Cpl. Dennis "Smiley" Clemente: Team Leader. Small guy of Filipino ancestry. Always has a toothy grin pasted on his face.
LCpl. Steven "Cat Chow" Cornwall: SAW Gunner. Tall, lanky black goofball who thinks he's a comedian. I'm his best friend and even I don't think he's funny.
LCpl. Felix "Throb" Hart: Asst. SAW Gunner. Short but built like a frickin' troglodyte. Must be drunk before he'll speak in multiple-word sentences. 
PFC Douglas "Java" Belfountain: Rifleman and all around super-hero. Great looking guy that all the girls love. And I would know, because he's me—and my momma tol' me so. 
Cpl. Edward "Easy" Zimmerman: Another Team Leader. Mid-sized dude with a nose that reminds me of Homer Simpson, for some reason. Plays poker like it's a matter of life and death. 
LCpl. Mansfield: SAW Gunner for Zimmerman's team. Quiet guy who always is reading a paperback book.
LCpl. Sanchez: Latino from San Something-or-other, California.