Survive (Day 3)
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June cupped her hand to Red’s ear and whispered, “They can’t see us.”
“Where are you?” screamed the axe-wielding infected as he swung helplessly through the air.
“Stay low,” said June, and pulled Red along. They stayed near the wall, and watched as the infected searched through the smoke. Once the flood of invaders ceased, they ran for the entrance. June went first, vanishing within the flame and smoke. Red went next, and the roaring fire singed him as he escaped into the hall. The smoke stung his eyes and burned his lungs, but soon June was holding his hand and pulling him away from the blaze.
They stayed silent as they ran through the hall, both stunned by their escape. Voices carried through the halls as infected screamed out to anyone still hiding, “We’re here to help!”
END OF DAY THREE
Author’s Note
Day Three is over, and our group is in worse shape than ever. Porter’s infected, Red’s dejected, and June’s struggling to keep herself alive. Things aren’t looking good!
To survive a single day through what might be the start of World War 3 is no easy task.
The tough part of this one was of course Porter’s fate. The series starts with him as the protagonist, yet here we see him taken out of the game – sort of. Suddenly the mission might end, and we’re left without the most knowledgeable member of the group. Red and June aren’t equipped for this sort of journey, yet they don’t have any choice but to survive.
When I set out to write this series, I wanted to focus on the aspect of survival in ways that would surprise readers. I didn’t want it to simply be a tale of surviving through an apocalypse, but rather explore the idea of survival in a different way. Day Three is the first part of the series that really delves into the idea of surviving at any cost, and whether or not that’s a good thing. Porter’s infection, and intense desire to survive, makes him unique – at least for now. But the infection’s changing. Suddenly, we’re faced with the possibility that Porter’s not alone, and that there are others who are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the infection spreading, even if that means taking up arms against the military. As of the end of Day Three, it’s clear that things have become dramatically worse.
June and Red ended the day in a precarious spot – stuck in the middle of a ravaged outpost, surrounded by infected with no clear means of escape. Meanwhile, Porter’s trapped – both Porters! Neither one of them have much of a chance without some help, but I wouldn’t count either Porter out if I were you.
Back here in the real world, we just crossed into 2017, leaving 2016 in the dust. Good riddance. Personally, it was a rough year for me. I lost my mother to cancer, a baby to a miscarriage, and nearly lost my drive to write. It was a bear of a year, but 2017’s already looking up. There are some exciting things on the horizon that I’ll be sharing over the next few months on the website and the Facebook Fan Page. Also, for readers who are following along with the Survive story as it progresses, make sure to join us on the Fan Page! There have been a lot of giveaways lately. I’d hate for you to miss out.
Thanks, and I’ll see you in a month when Survive – Day Four comes out!