N87 Virus | Prequel |Outbreak Kadin, Karri (best english novels for beginners txt) 📖

“Fuck!” she said.

She made it to the edge of the bank. Thankfully, this section was absent of alligators. The shiny metal of a helicopter tail stuck up from the water. The hub of the helicopter had broken from the tail and was precariously perched atop some trees across the marsh. A body hung out the open door, still tangled up in a seat belt. Another body floated in the water. Dark smoke swirled from both the tail and the hub of the helicopter. Veronica sunk to the ground. She pulled out her phone and called Marc. It went straight to voicemail.

“What are we going to do Timber?” Tears ran down Veronica’s cheeks.

Timber rubbed up against her. Veronica rested her hand on his back and watched a suitcase float by across the dark water. She was truly on her own. No one was coming to her rescue. She had to take care of herself now.

The hair on Timber’s spine shot up, and his teeth clenched in a growl. A chill ran down her spine. Veronica slipped her hand to the gun in her waistband and held it tight as she spun around to face what was lurking in the shrubbery.

A man with black veins across his face and eyes full of hate crouched in a brush. His eyes locked on her. His three-piece suit had seen better days. It was covered in dark stains with rips throughout, exposing his pasty skin marred with countless black lines. He took a few steps forward, keeping his eyes on her. Timber leaped in front of her and let out a bark. The man seemed a bit startled. But not deterred.

Veronica pulled her gun from her waistband and aimed it at the man.

“Don't make me do this,” she said.

The man shook his head and slammed his fists on his temples. He looked at her again. His eyes, slightly softer than before, then looked back the way he had come.

“Please go,” she said. Timber’s body vibrated as he growled and kept himself firmly planted between her and the sick man.

The man took a step back. He shook his head again, like he was trying to chase away a thought. He let out a sound, unlike any she had heard from the other creatures. It was almost like he was trying to speak to her. He turned on his heels and ran back into the forest. Veronica patted Timber on the back to get his attention off the tree line and on to her.

“Come on, boy, we got to go.” Timber followed her as she hurried back to her car.

Once safely locked inside, she pulled out her phone and dialed her brother again. This time she didn’t even get the voicemail, just a simple recording stating “We cannot complete this call.” Her phone had almost no battery power left.

She pressed the start button. And the car hummed at a different frequency than before. The battery was almost dead. There was no telling how much further she could get, but definitely not back home, or to the compound in New Mexico. She pulled out the map and looked for somewhere she thought might be safe. Not that anywhere was truly safe anymore. Hundreds of acres of protected marshland surrounded her, a few small communities, and plenty of farmland. Being here was safer than the cities.

Veronica pulled out an antibiotic and swallowed it dry. Tears lined her eyes, but she kept the sobs at bay. She didn’t have time to lose her shit. She hit the gas pedal and opened the center console and dug through, looking for anything of use. When her hand grabbed the cool metal of a charging pad. She smiled and pulled it out. She plugged it into the car, hesitating briefly, knowing this would drain the car battery that much faster. But her phone was almost dead, and she was going to be without a car, no matter what. At least if she had her phone, Marc could still try to reach her. If he was even still alive. She set her phone on the charging pad.

The car bumped along the gravel road. Timber stared out the window, watching the trees and water go by. They exited the protected marshland and entered farming country. Still in the middle of nowhere, but with slightly fewer alligators.

They came to a fork in the road and Veronica just went with her gut and turned left. About ten miles later, the car puttered to a stop. She looked around and made sure the area was clear before searching the entire car for anything useful. She found a small luxury suitcase in the trunk full of women's clothes, none of which were appropriate for an apocalypse. But she took a few pairs of clean underwear and some socks. Of course, someone with a designer suitcase would rent a car named Barbie. Veronica wondered what happened to the girl, but pushed the thought away when the knot of discomfort formed in her stomach. She had more life-threatening things to worry about right now. She didn't need to worry about someone she didn't even know.

She gathered her things and started off down the gravel road. The sun beaming down through the trees warmed her skin. But this was Georgia in the fall. And it could get sweltering by noon. She wouldn't be able to stay out in that kind of weather. She needed to find some place to stay, regroup, and figure out what she needed to do. Timber trotted by her side, happily wagging his tail, occasionally bumping her hand with his head, needing a scratch behind his ears.

This area seemed pretty much empty. It would be a good place to stay if she could find shelter. An hour into the walk and Veronica's shirt was stained with sweat. The sky above had become cloudy, and a welcome cool breeze caressed her skin.

The landscape had