“That’s confusing,” I frowned.
Both Sue and Charlie laughed.
After we had a bit of contemplation and some more beer, Sue asked, “Would you get to live forever you think?”
“Well, that would be awkward, with the shortage of housing in the city already,” I quipped.
Sue and Charlie burst out laughing.
“What?” I asked them. “It’s true, isn’t it? There is a housing shortage.”
“You always look at things from a practical point of view, don’t you?” Charlie said as he stomped me playfully on my arm.
And the conversation drifted to the housing problems our college friends were having in the big cities. That conversation seemed so much more important than blood-sucking people at the time.
Chapter 15
Bullsbrook
Monday, October 11th, 2004
The three of us didn’t watch any more news that weekend as we were all too busy creating teaching plans and strategies for the coming week. When we arrived in the staffroom on Monday morning, there was a buzz with news about vampires, chaos, and death. Mrs. Sloan, the history teacher, was crying and snottering while others tried to calm her down. Apparently, her daughter was lost; she lived in Portland. Other teachers stood in little groups, whispering, as if in a conspiracy about something. Charlie wasn’t there as he always went straight to his classroom in the morning. His excuse was that he needed time to set up equipment for the first lesson, but I knew better.
When Mr. Finkle emerged from his office and entered the staff room, everybody became quiet and looked at him for guidance. He wasn’t a bulky man nor particularly handsome, more of a weasel really, and as such didn’t entice any respect from his looks. However, as he stood there, with his hands on his hips waiting for everybody to be quiet, he knew that we would listen to him. He was after all the Headmaster. It was obvious from the grin on his face that he enjoyed this role. He changed his facial features to a more serious one.
“I know they say there is a grave situation going on. However, I don’t want to give in to mass hysteria. We must think of the children. We mustn’t worry them with grown-up’s problems.” His gaze went around the room again. “Therefore, we’ll continue teaching and not talk about it at all in the school.”
The majority of teachers nodded in agreement and told each other ‘not to worry the children.’ Mrs. Sloan burst out into another crying session, her morbidly obese frame shaking with every sob.
Mr. Finkle’s speech blew my mind.
This is such old-fashioned ostrich policy!
I raised my arm in protest, but Sue grabbed it before my hand went past my head and held it down. I turned to her, frowning.
“It’s of no use.” she whispered. “Nobody will listen.”
I looked around and saw everybody already leaving the staff room as if nothing had happened.
“We’ll talk at lunchtime,” Sue said as she left for her class as well.
Over the next few days, it became clear that this epidemic was actually a pandemic. On TV they showed us reports of attacks coming from all over the world, and they said that the number of victims was rising steeply. I thought this terminology of ‘victims’ was very inappropriate. These infected didn’t seem in the least disabled, physically or mentally.
It appeared that, somehow, the affliction had spread under the radar and had burst out all over the planet. They couldn’t find patient zero. They didn’t know whether it was caused by bacteria or a virus or something new entirely. A bioscientist on TV told the public it was most likely a virus, and that they named the unknown agent the V-virus, the V standing for vampire. The virus didn’t turn people into the living dead but into another, blood-sucking form of humans. Was this disease finally going to be the end of humanity?
When not teaching, we were glued to the TV screen, hungry for more information. Little by little, more information was released.
Next, they told us that the infected had their own form of ‘kryptonite’; it was sunlight. Like ‘real’ vampires, they were extremely photo sensitive. We already knew that they were shunning daylight and only coming out at night, but no one knew why. It appeared that when exposed to sunlight, they would instantly have an epileptic seizure, the full tonic-clonic one. You never saw movies where vampires had epileptic seizures when they were exposed to sunlight. They usually disintegrated into a pile of dust, some faster than others, depending on which movie you were watching and what budget they had been able to acquire. I pointed out they would have to clean up whole bodies now, instead of using a brush and dustpan, which was going to be a lot more costly. Charlie and Sue nearly rolled on the floor laughing. It was a release of tension we all needed badly. It wasn’t so funny when they showed us images on the TV of the infected having epileptic seizures when exposed to the sun. It looked like they were being tortured.
On Thursday it became very close to home for me and so much more real; I couldn’t contact my parents anymore. They didn’t pick up the phone, weren’t online, and they didn’t own any mobile phones. Earlier in the week I had told them to come to my place, but they insisted it was just a fad and that it would soon fly over. I became afraid of their fate. I wanted to jump in my car and drive home. Sue and Charlie fortunately physically stopped me and argued that it would be senseless as the army had closed off the roads into and out of the cities, trying to contain the situation. So, I frantically tried to contact my sisters, to find out if they were okay and if they had heard anything from Mom and Dad. This had no result either. The naval base Maxine was living on was probably in lockdown, and I felt relief in the thought that at least she would be safe. I couldn’t get a hold of Julie, which worried me. Her phone kept going into answering machine mode. As she lived in a country town not far from me, she probably was okay. She probably just forgot to charge her phone.
She is a very self-sufficient girl. I shouldn’t worry about her.
Sue couldn’t get a hold of her family either, and to drive south would be too dangerous. Charlie didn’t have any real family to be worried about. His parents had died years ago in a car accident, and he wasn’t in contact with his aunt, his only living relative. He didn’t even know where she lived.
By Friday all communications stopped. During the week, one TV station after another had ceased to broadcast. Then the radio went silent. The internet still worked, so to speak, but there were no broadcasts, no news flashes. Less and less people tried to contact one another. People giving out locations of safe places ceased to communicate, and we could only speculate that the infected had followed their directions. By this time, Bullsbrook was in total chaos. People were rampaging through town. Some were trying to fortify their houses, some were plundering the supermarkets for food, and others were looting as much as they could. As if a large flat screen TV could save you from the infected.
THE END
Word from the Author
Dear Reader,
I hope you liked the prequel to the V-Virus Infected trilogy. Please let me know your thoughts in a review on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, or any other retailer. It will help others find the book and enjoy it.
Why not continue the story of Kate and her friends as they try to survive the vampire apocalypse? It’s an action-packed thrill ride that is bound to keep you turning the pages!
You can also sign up to my newsletter (via my website) to find out when my next book will be released.
Happy reading,
Jacky D.
jackydahlhaus.com
V-Virus Infected 1
During Black October 2004, a virus turns people into deadly blood suckers. Will Kate become one of them?
Kate had just begun her new job as a high school science teacher and was looking forward to living a suburban dream life. All her hopes and dreams turn into smoke as a virus turns people into some kind of vampire, roaming the world in packs and killing everybody they can get their hands on. Together with her friends, Sue and Charlie, she hides at a camp
ground. They think they are safe there. They are wrong.
As Kate is forced to hide in plain sight among the infected, she wonders if they are the monsters they are portrayed to be on the news. They are stronger, healthier, and, dare she say, more caring? One of the infected attracts Kate’s particular attention, making her question right and wrong. But could she live forever in a world of darkness?
Find out in this action-packed, suspenseful vampire apocalypse thriller.
V-Virus Infected 2
Kate and her little family have led a quiet life since Black October. An unfortunate and violent event sees her accompanying her daughter into prison. Kate discovers there is more going on than just survival here.
One day, Kate makes the mistake of inviting a colleague into her home. He betrays her trust and commits an act of violence. When Kate's comes to the rescue, she exposes herself for what she really is; an infected.
Her daughter is forced to participate in an experiment in an infected facility in exchange for her freedom. The true nature and extent of the experiment only become clear after much heartache.
Will Kate and her family come out unscathed of their predicament? Who can they trust? Will they still be a family?
Find out in this heart-wrenching tale of medical science gone wrong.
V-Virus Infected 3
The past is back to haunt Kate. Will her family survive this evil?
Kate thinks her relationship is on the rocks. She’s wants nothing more than her missing partner back. When the police don’t believe there’s foul play at hand, she’s on her own to find him.
A horrifying parcel arriving on Kate’s doorstep brings the situation to a whole new level. The police are now willing to help but can’t due to lack of evidence.
There is one person able to help Kate, but everybody warns her not to accept his helping hand. Yet, he is the only one with the right connections to get her partner back. How far is Kate willing to go to save him?
This is the third and last instalment in the V-Virus Infected trilogy. Follow the hints and clues as Kate tries to save the one she loves.
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About the Author
Jacky Dahlhaus has worked many jobs and tried many hobbies before she realized writing gave her such pleasure. She loves to write science fiction & fantasy stories while delving into the human psyche with all its faults and mysteries.
When not busy writing (which is rare nowadays), Jacky works on renovating her Scottish Victorian home, watches movies with her family, and tries to stop her two Jack Russells from barking for no good reason.
V-Virus Infected Prequel is the prequel to the V-virus Infected trilogy.
jackydahlhaus.com
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
V-virus Infected Prequel
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Word from the Author
V-Virus Infected 1
V-Virus Infected 2
V-Virus Infected 3
Connect
About the Author
V-Virus Infected Prequel Page 5
