Omega Virus (Book 2): Revisited Page 5

  “All right, so we have a guard, a want to be cook, and me, a teacher. Oh and we can’t forget Hope who’s still unchosen,” Fanny says sarcastically, “What about you?” Fanny asks the last remaining volunteer. A shy older woman who backs away slightly as Fanny calls her out. “What do you do?”

  “I used to work in the library, Joshua’s personal library. Actually I was on the island before the virus spread. Granted that was back when I was a different person,” She answers.

  “What’s your name?” Sarah asks.

  “It’s Karen.”

  “Well Karen, it’s nice to have you,” Fanny says holding out her hand, “nice to officially meet all of you. It’s funny, I know there aren’t a lot of us on the island and I never would have thought I’d be surrounded by people I never really… SON OF A BITCH!”

  “What?” John asks.

  “Joshua knew that we didn’t have a chance of returning. That’s why he sent us here,” Fanny says before she punches the cabin wall.

  “But how did he know that we would all volunteer?” Karen asks.

  “That I don’t know yet. But soon enough.”

  Hope starts to groan and wriggle around as her eyes slowly flutter awake. “What happened?” her voice is barely audible as she tries to sit up.

  “You got knocked out,” Fanny says kneeling beside her.

  “What happened with the Zombie?”

  “It’s dead,” Fanny brushes her fingers though her hair checking for any additional bumps.

  “Are we going home now?”

  “No. I don’t like it, but we have a job to do,” Fanny says getting back to her feet, “so I need you to wake up, because we move out in ten.”

  “I have such a headache,” Hope complains.

  “I know,” Fanny says almost unsympathetically. “But you chose to come here so I’m going to need you to deal with it.” She walks towards a window and looks out at the night sky, keeping her face hidden from the others as she takes in a hard swallow. “I never wanted to lead,” she thinks to herself, “I never even wanted to come back to this God forsaken land. But now I have to be the one to draw strength and courage. If they are going to look to me then I must do my best for them.”

  “Don’t you think you were kind of hard on her?” Karen says pulling Fanny out of her thoughts.

  “This isn’t the place to take it easy,” Fanny says trying not to look her way. “Now please, make sure we have all our equipment. Once we step off this boat, there is no turning back.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Karen replies before leaving her side.

  Tension builds as the time dwindles down. Each person grabs everything they can before getting ready to leave. Fanny waves to the others to follow her as she reopens the cabin door. The breeze once again cools off their warm faces as they follow Fanny’s footsteps.

  “Close the door to the cabin,” Fanny orders, “Find a way to lock it. I don’t want to find any surprises when we get back.”

  John shuts the door as tight as possible before taking a length of rope off the deck wrapping it around the handle and tying it tightly to the railing.

  “There, now if anything gets through it, we’ll know,” He winks.

  “Good, now everyone keep your lights off and stay quiet, we don’t know how many of those things are out there,” Fanny says leading them off the boat one by one.

  John takes the lead, his gun drawn and ready to fire, Karen close to him, her gun is drawn as well, but her hands are shaking noticeably under the silver glow of the moon. Sarah and Hope each step off watching each other’s backs. Hope has her father’s sword drawn and is ready to attack, while Sarah grips a shotgun tightly in both hands. Fanny is the last to get off the boat. She has no weapon drawn but checks to make sure that the boat is securely fastened to the dock. She turns her head quickly checking her surroundings after thinking she heard a noise.

  “Did anyone else hear that?” She asks.

  “I didn’t hear anything,” John responds.

  “Let’s not take any chances. We move out swiftly, and we stick together,” Fanny says pulling out a machete. “Remember, the best way to stop them is to remove the head.”

  “Then what good are these guns?” Karen asks.

  “They buy us time, especially when we are overpowered. Also they’re good to have when you know there is no escape. That way you don’t have to suffer,” Fanny responds passing by the stunned group.

  Hope rushes to keep up with her disgruntled friend. “Are you ok? I’ve never seen you act like this.”

  “I’m fine,” Fanny lies, “I guess I just forgot what real fear feels like.”

  “I know you came to protect me, but don’t forget that I’m here for you as well,” Hope says grabbing her by the arm and stopping her in her tracks.

  “I appreciate it, I really do,” Fanny starts freeing her arm, “but can we continue this after we find a safe house?”

  “Yeah,” Hope says slightly crushed watching as the others trudge by her leaving her to the end of the pack. “I guess.”

  The night air begins to get crisper. The winds begin to pick up as a fog blows in around them. They pass by several houses, each destroyed either through the mayhem or natural neglect. The moon is almost directly above them when they come across a small brick building. The sign that hangs above the door hangs crookedly the name “Jim’s Convenience” is almost hidden behind the black spray paintings. Words like “Repent”, and “The end has come”, litter the front. The windows look solid with the exception of a few cracks running through the glass. The team circles the building cautiously not finding any impending circumstances. They forcibly enter the small building. John and Karen turn on their flashlights as they search the interior. The store is dark and dusty. The shelves disheveled, items thrown eschewed on the floor. A horrible smell coming from near the back coolers burns their nostrils. Empty to mostly empty bottles line the shelves in the coolers but they are afraid to open the glass doors.

  “John, Karen and I will search the back. Hope and Sarah search for any supplies that we might be able to use,” Fanny orders.

  “Do we really need three people to search such a small building?” John asks.

  “Better safe than sorry,” Fanny says pulling out her gun.

  One by one they slink into the back, guns drawn and ready for anything. Hope and Sarah start to search the remaining items in the store.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Sarah says after the others leave them alone.

  “Sure,” Hope says sorting through a stack of newspapers.

  “You and Fanny are really close aren’t you?”

  “Like sisters.”

  “Do you think she’ll really be able to get us out of here alive?”

  “To be honest I don’t know what’s she’s capable of. Out here it’s almost like she’s an entirely different person.”

  Chapter 5

  “What do you mean?” Sarah asks a slight stammer in her voice.

  “I don’t know. She seems so dark. There used to be a light about her, like even though the world was… was shit, that maybe, just maybe there was a little ray of, of,” her voice trails off as she loses the words.

  “A ray of hope?” Sarah says trying to fill in the blank.

  “Yeah,” Hope says with a quick chuckle. “But here that seems gone.”

  “Maybe there is a reason to that,” Sarah says sifting through a stack of scattered items that lay on the ground.

  “Yeah what reason could there be?” Hope asks getter angrier.

  “The only reason I could even think of is she is doing what she can to keep us alive,” Sarah responds.

  “That might be so,” Hope says with a sigh, “but still I wish she would calm down a little bit.”

  “Maybe I could calm down if you learned how to take this more seriously,” Fanny says standing in the doorway.

  “Hey I take things very serious,” Hope says caught off guard.

  A loud scratching noise from the
glass door stops the fighting. The fear inside the small store intensifies. Fanny pushes her way toward the door, her flashlight out and her gun drawn.

  “You sure that’s wise?” Karen asks.

  “No,” Fanny responds, “but it’s better than just hiding in fear.”

  The scratching sound comes from the window again causing Fanny to jump back slightly. The glass shatters, a half rotted hand reaches inside. Growling and hissing accompany the hand as it reaches wildly for Fanny.

  “How did it know we were here?” John asks huddled in the corner with the others.

  “It must have tracked our scent,” Fanny says backing up slowly, reaching carefully for her machete.

  She slices downward, severing the arm at the elbow. The creature growls louder, almost as if it’s in pain. Fanny stands still, paralyzed with fear as the beast rams its head repeatedly into the glass.

  “What do we do?” Karen asks, her face drenched with tears.

  Fanny doesn’t answer, she just watches as the Zombie manages to smash its head through the glass. Its skin is a pale gray color, its hair almost completely fallen off its head. Scabs hang off around the cheek, shards of glass stand newly erect from the beast’s head.

  “Supper time bitch,” Fanny exclaims before slicing off the head. “See that wasn’t so bad.”

  She turns around and flashes a halfhearted smile, her heart beating a mile a minute inside her chest.

  “Are you alright?” Karen manages to mutter.

  “I’m still alive and that’s all that matters,” she replies, “besides we have a bigger problem.”

  “What could be worse than that?” Hope asks.

  “If one was able to find us then we have to assume there are more on the way. We need to take what we can and keep moving,” Fanny says wiping off her blade.

  “But, where are we going to go?” John asks a hint of fear surfacing in his voice.

  “When I was younger, a few months after the virus spread actually, I spent time in a bunker,” Fanny starts.

  “You mean the one where mom and dad found you?” Hope asks.

  “Yeah. Anyway, when I was there I overheard the others mention that there were several other bunkers all over the country. I think that’s our only chance of survival,” Fanny finishes.

  “But where would we even begin to look?” Hope asks.

  “The bunkers were primarily set up for people of importance. You know like, scientist, politicians, and so on. So I suggest we head toward the biggest city we can find,” Fanny rationalizes. “Who has the map?”

  “Greggory did,” Sarah says.

  “And no one took it off him?” Fanny questions slightly confused.

  The others look back and forth at each other.

  “We didn’t think it was important,” John finally says.

  “Well that makes sense,” Fanny says starting to get mad, “I mean I don’t know my way to Texas from here but obviously you do.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” John sighs, his eyes looking down at his feet.

  “It was an accident,” Hope says stepping in front of him.

  “Its accidents like that, that will get us killed,” Fanny says with a harsh lower tone.

  “Then I guess you should have grabbed the map yourself,” Hope snipes back.

  Fanny walks back, frustrated that the discussion isn’t going anywhere. She throws her bag over her shoulder her eyes filled with fire and intensity as she glares at the rest of her followers. She doesn’t have to say a word, instead they each let out a sigh before they each grab their bags and grudgingly follow her out of the abandoned store.

  “It’s so cold,” Karen whispers to John as the pair bring up the rear, “I’m getting chills down my spine.”

  “That’s not the night air,” John replies, “that’s fear; a sense of impending doom.”

  “Well that’s reassuring,” Karen says with a cringe.

  The wind whistles, rattling the tree branches above them. Hope stays close to Fanny, almost matching her step for step. Sarah is huddled in the middle, her gun gripped in both her hands. Karen is walking beside John, almost right on top of him as she continually scans through the darkness, almost waiting for something to pop out. The small group continues on their trek as the moon slowly starts to descend from the sky and the sun starts to rise.

  The sun has just started to cover most of the terrain, the only darkness around them coming from the shadows of the trees and broken down buildings. They have stopped for a rest outside of an old supermarket. Their feet burning, a raw throbbing feeling on each of their heels.

  “All this walking sucks,” John whines.

  “Yeah well suck it up buttercup,” Fanny says switching out her socks, “we still have a long way to go.”

  “Why are we even risking our lives for people we don’t even know?” Karen asks.

  “Hey!” Fanny says getting to her feet, “you volunteered remember? Besides their lives are just as important as ours.” Karen lowers her head, nothing further to say. “That’s something everyone here should remember. We are here to save lives. Even if we all die, at least we know we died trying.”

  “I don’t want to die,” Hope says with a whisper.

  “None of us want to die,” Fanny says sitting back down, “but eventually it will find us. Maybe not here, but it will.”

  The silence that falls over the group is almost deafening. Karen’s eyes dart from person to person as her hand starts to tremble, her eyes watering as she starts to break down. “I…don’t…want…to…die…” She says huffing and puffing.

  “Don’t worry,” John says patting her hand, “we’ll do the best we can to help each other stay alive.”

  “Yeah the best way to do that is to find shelter first,” Fanny reminds.

  “Then I guess we’d better get moving again,” Hope says getting to her feet, swinging her bag over her shoulder.

  “That’s the smartest thing I’ve heard so far,” Fanny says following her friend. The rest of the group follows closely behind.

  “Are we sure we are going the right way?” Sarah asks, her voice is soft and stuttering almost as if she was afraid to ask.

  Fanny and Hope stop short, the rest of the group bumping into them in an almost comedic fashion.

  “I’m not sure about anything anymore,” Fanny admits.

  “We have to find a place to rest soon, I’m tired,” John whines.

  “Yeah I could use some sleep too,” Karen speaks up.

  Fanny looks around at each of the buildings hoping to find one that might keep them safe for a short duration. She scans the horizon with little luck. Most of the buildings are partially destroyed, walls crumbled around bones of tortured survivors and undead. The buildings that are still standing have an uneasy feel about them. A bloody handprint, drags from the window of an old dry cleaners almost like a sign saying “Stay Away!” Her eyes draw upward, over the buildings and the treetops and off into the distance toward an old chapel.

  “That way,” Fanny points.

  “Why?” Hope asks slightly confused.

  “I can see the point of a chapel off in the distance,” Fanny answers.

  “But how do you know it’s still standing?” Sarah asks.

  “I don’t,” Fanny replies with a smile, her eyes focused on her friend, “but sometimes, even here, you have to have hope.”

  “Wow that was corny,” Hope says with a slight chuckle.

  “Yeah, it’s a gift,” Fanny winks before starting toward the church.

  The walk doesn’t take long with the chapel guiding them. The old brick church stands tall in front of them. They check the outside thoroughly, the solid metal side doors look complete, each one flat with no visible way through them but many derogatory graffiti marks, one even going so far as to have a crude biohazard symbol with the words “The end of mankind”, written above it. The group shares a solemn look before continuing their way around. The stain glass windows look mostly intact with a few ex
ceptions of what looks like small holes where they were penetrated by stones.

  “Looks pretty solid,” Sarah says after they get back to the front steps.

  “Yeah,” Fanny says cocking her gun, “now we check the inside.”

  They inch slowly up the stairs, Fanny once again taking the lead. The double doors stand tall and solid. The outside wood is a corroded red. The paint has started to chip showing the original brown oak underneath. Fanny nods as she turns the handle slowly, John waits beside her his flashlight on and his gun cocked. He gives her a quick nod before she swings open the door and he rushes in. Fanny follows behind him her gun ready as she stands behind John, her eyes scanning the immediate vicinity. The others join them in the hallway, each pointing their flashlights in several directions before Fanny signals that they close the door.

  “John, Karen and Hope, take the right side,” Fanny orders, “Hope you’re with me. Any sign of trouble, shoot first.”

  Hope nods, drawing her sword from its sheath as Fanny flicks on her flashlight. They watch as the trio merge together and slink down the right wall. Fanny and Hope start down the left wall. Hope’s light beam shines down their path while Fanny’s scans back and forth as she checks for any signs of Zombies. Beams of light flash across the church from the trio’s position. They come to the back of the church, just to the left of the Alter where the others have already arrived and begun to search.

  “Hey look,” Hope calls out grabbing Fanny’s attention, “a door.”

  “Probably leads to the office,” Fanny rationalizes, “ready to check it out?”

  “After you,” Hope says.

  Fanny rolls her eyes slightly before cracking the door semi open before kicking it open the rest of the way. Hope shines her light inside as Fanny enters the room with a slight hesitation. Hope follows a few steps behind, her heart beating slowly, her stomach sinking deeper into her body as she crosses the threshold. A foul odor invades her nostrils causing her to drop the flashlight as she starts to dry heave off in the corner.