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

up wood for their fire pit. She opened the garage door and ran until she was right behind the Infected. He was one arm’s length away from having Timber in his grasp. Timber had backed himself up against the fence, cornered by the sick man and his chain-link attachment. Timber continued to growl and snap at the man, refusing to be anyone’s lunch. The blood covered man was so focused on Timber he didn’t even acknowledge her approach. Her heart pulsated in her ears like a war drum, and her lungs were on fire, threatening to burn a hole in her chest. She tightened her grip on the axe.

Veronica raised the axe high and brought it down on the attacker’s head. His skull split, dark blood sprayed from the gash raining on to the ground. He tried to turn around, but was off balance and stunned by the blow. She brought the axe back down on his skull again. Blood splattered across her face and shirt. His body collapsed and chunks of pinkish brain matter protruded between the pieces of broken bone. Veronica pulled the axe from its resting spot. Timber stared at her, hair still on end, but no longer barking. Veronica kneeled and patted her knee.

“Timber, come here. It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” She tried to soften her voice, hoping that would help suffocate the scream that threatened to claw its way out of her. Timber took a cautionary step in her direction and she patted her leg again. “It’s okay. You’re such a brave perrito. A fighter. Come here.” She held her hand out, palm open.

Timber slowly walked over, eyes locked on her face. He nudged her hand with his cold nose, then pushed forward until her hand rested on his large head. She rubbed his head roughly, and he pulled his head away.

“We need to get back inside. There could be more of them nearby.”

She lifted the collar of her shirt and wiped her face on the inside fabric. Blood and brains clung to the axe blade. She wiped it on the grass, cleaning it as best she could.

Veronica made her way to the side yard with Timber right by her side. As she stepped through the downed fencing, her foot caught on something. She had to pull a few times before it came free. An empty dog bowl was stuck on her foot. She popped it off and looked at Timber.

“You probably haven’t eaten in days. Are you hungry?” Timber wagged his tail and whimpered.

Veronica tried the back door of Timber’s former home. Locked. She looked around but didn’t see anywhere someone would put a hide-a-key. She stood in the silence for a few minutes, listening to her surroundings. Once satisfied no one was near, she held the axe like a battering ram and closed her eyes as she slammed it through the windowpane on the door. She stuck her arm through the new opening and unlocked the door.

“We have to be quick.” Timber stayed pressed against her side as they entered the house.

The dog food was easy to find, but she had never seen such a large bag in her life. She had to throw it over her shoulder and balance the axe on top to carry it all. Thankfully, Timber stayed at her side and never got under her feet.

When they were safely inside her home, she set up bowls of food and water for Timber. He wagged his tail as he greedily ate and then lapped up water like he had never had a drink before. Veronica opened a can of peaches for herself and sank down on the floor next to Timber.

A buzz sounded from the tabletop. Then another. Veronica jumped up and grabbed her phone. She was getting a call, an actual call. Unknown number.

“Hello?”

“Veronica, it’s Marc…”

“Marc! I tried to call you! Did you get my message?”

“Yes. I’m sorry about Alejandro, but I need you to focus right now. I have little time. You have to leave. It’s not safe there.”

“I can’t leave! I have nowhere to go and those things are outside!”

“Listen! What’s left of the government is bombing major cities as a last-ditch effort to slow down the virus. They are going to bomb Atlanta. That will send survivors and the sick flooding into your area. It’s about to get a lot worse. I can send a helicopter for you. They will take you to a bunker at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. They have enough supplies there to last years.”

“This can’t be real. I can’t do this. Not without Alejandro. I can’t.”

“Veronica, you can and you will. He would want you to. Leave. I can’t get the helicopter that far east. They refuse to use that much fuel for a nonpaying guest, but I can get it close when they are out picking up customers that purchased space in the bunker. I’ll send you coordinates for the pickup point. They will be there in three days on their next run. They will arrive at dawn. Be there. They won’t wait more than an hour, if that. You need to be there before them.”

“Okay. Okay. I think I can do that. I guess I don’t have a choice.”

“No thinking. Just doing—you’re right, there is no alternative. Now it’s extremely important that you don’t get sick. They won’t let you in if you’re sick. They will put a bullet in your brain before you even get on the helicopter if they think you’re sick. Avoid all bodily fluids from Infected, it spreads in everything. Please, remember…” The line went dead.

“Marc? Marc? Hello?” Her phone dinged in her hand. A text appeared on her screen from Marc. A simple array of numbers with a date and a time. The longitude and latitude for the pickup spot. Veronica dropped the phone to the floor and cried. Timber rested his head on her lap, licking her hand. She softly rubbed his head. Veronica laid across the floor and Timber