N87 Virus | Book 1 | After the Outbreak Kadin, Karri (booksvooks TXT) 📖

“I want to learn this.” She pointed around her at all the equipment. “All of it.”

“All of it? That’s a lot of stuff. It would take someone a long time to learn it all. Are you planning on sticking around here for the long haul?” He yanked his arrows from the target one by one, checking each tip for breaks. He bundled all the arrows under his arm and began walking over to a shed on the side of the field. Allison stayed right behind him.

“Okay. Well maybe not all of it because I’m not staying here. But some of it. Enough to, say, defend myself not just from Infected but from people too.” She kept pace with him until he reached the shed and opened it.

“Why would you need to fight Infected or otherwise?” he asked as he hung the bow on the wall of the shed and slipped the arrows into a stand with a variety of others.

“Let’s just say not everyone is as charmed by my personality as you.” Allison smirked. Trevor’s hearty laugh engulfed the air.

“Well, I didn’t think I was charmed just yet. But I could see that being a possibility in the future.” He shut the shed and turned to face a blushing Allison. “I can teach you some things. But I would advise that you just try to avoid conflict altogether. It’s always the best way to stay alive and uninfected.”

“Are you an instructor here? I thought it was that old man I saw yesterday.”

“Oh, Joe? Yeah, he is the official New Harbor instructor. I’m just a Marine, well I guess former Marine, traveling through and figured I’d help out while I was here. I know a little about a lot. Joe knows a lot about a lot.” Trevor trudged toward the edge of the field where he had a camo backpack, this time slowing his pace a bit so Allison could easily keep up. He sat down next to his bag and gestured for Allison to join him. He pulled out a canteen and offered it to her. She declined, and he took a swallow while still digging through his bag. He pulled out a bag of trail mix and tossed it into Allison’s lap and then pulled out one for himself. Allison tore open the bag and munched on the trail mix.

“So will you teach me something? Anything?” she asked with pleading eyes. Trevor nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll teach you some basic self-defense stuff, I guess. But I stand by my original advice. Avoid conflict.” He lifted the bag of trail mix to his lips and poured the last of its contents into his mouth. Dr. Neff’s face flashed across her mind, sending a shudder down her spine.

“I’d love to. Really, I would. But I don’t think that will be possible.” She spoke in a hushed voice.

“Why?” Trevor stared at her with a hint of trail mix dust still on his lips.

“I just need to do this. Shouldn’t everyone be able to defend themselves now?” She caught herself playing with her hair and dropped her hand to her lap. Trevor’s eyebrows raised as he examined her.

“Well, Allison, I’ll need a better reason than that.” He spun around, swung his bag onto his back, and walked toward the archery shed. Allison scrambled to her feet and followed him.

“I need this.” Her voice was firm. She grabbed his shoulder, slowing his stride.

“I only help those who are honest.” His eyes met hers as he turned and faced her. The fire behind his eyes faded when he saw her pleading face. “I could help you if I knew why you need to defend yourself.”

Allison folded her arms across her chest. “I just think it’s a good life skill to have when people are running around eating each other.”

“Come at me. I want to see what your natural fight instinct is.” Trevor beckoned Allison forward. She leaped, swinging her right arm out toward his head. Trevor quickly stepped aside, grabbed Allison’s right wrist with his left hand while slamming his other hand into her upper back and twisting his body to match her movement, sending her propelling hard onto the ground. “Again,” he said.

Allison hoisted herself up from the ground as she wiped the dirt from her face. The familiar burn filled her core, her stomach churned, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. It made Allison uncomfortable, strong, angry. Control it. She pushed the feeling away until the burning within smothered out and she felt like herself again. She charged Trevor again and again, and he easily evaded her, sending her to the ground. She rose, this time not bothering to wipe away the dirt. The burning returned, and vomit filled her throat. She swallowed hard to keep from spewing puke all over herself. She again pushed the burning away. She stopped the spread but couldn’t put out the flame. Anger filled her. She lunged toward Trevor, diving into his waist, football-lineman style. The impact drove Trevor back a few feet before he steadied himself. Allison wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. He wrapped his arms around her neck, tightening his hold with each move she made. Allison struggled to breathe, struggled to see, struggled to think. Eyes, nose, groin, or neck. The burning grew in her chest, cultivating her anger, and a fog drifted over her mind. Get away, hurt him. She released her hold on Trevor’s stomach, balled her fist, and slammed it into his groin.

“Ugh.” Trevor released his arms as he stepped away from Allison. Allison stumbled backward, falling to the ground as she inhaled deeply. Trevor hunched over, clutching his groin, but remained upright. Allison lay strewn across the ground, breathing heavily while the world came back into focus around her. With each breath she took, the fog cleared, anger dispersed, and the burning died. Trevor paced the ground in front of her, his