by Jeff Olah
“I guess you’re right, do you think it will be better in the morning?”
“I sure hope so.”
As April slowly made her way up the stairs, Mason sat back in the office chair and flipped on the computer. He searched the internet for any related information that might help them get out of this alive. What little information there was didn’t offer any help. There were tons of videos showing everything from crowds of people running from the hordes to the top ten kill shots, all of which involved some form of decapitation.
Frustrated and ready to give up his search, Mason came upon a website that had only become popular within the last few hours. The site administrator claimed to know the cause of the infection. The site was supposedly run by some sort of ex-military Biochemist. He had documents that dated back five years detailing some sort of experiment a privately funded company was conducting on behalf of the military on soldiers in Colorado.
According to this man, the test subjects had their DNA altered through some form of injection that allowed them to stay highly functional for up to five days without the need for sleep and would improve reaction time in combat situations up to fifty percent among other things.
This Biochemist, Dr. Eugene Lockwood, was sure these experiments were altering the brain functions of the test subjects and he warned management of impending doom. If he was to be believed, this is why he was removed from the project and now in hiding.
The comments on his site ranged from people calling him crazy and saying he was some twelve year old in a basement somewhere, to a small group of individuals that actually believed every word that was written. They had even begun a campaign to bring this person out of hiding. The last update from the so called Dr. Lockwood was at 8:30am this morning. Only two short lines…
It has begun.
Run, Hide or Fight. NO ONE IS SAFE!
Mason had the feeling that he had heard of this Dr. Lockwood somewhere before and just wasn’t sure where. Although he had seen enough tonight, his head was swimming with so many thoughts and he still needed to convince April of the last part of his plan.
As he walked the interior of the house making sure everything was locked down tight including the garage, Mason gathered a few items and put them in a box. The three of them sat in the office with the lights dimmed as Mason discussed what he had planned for that night.
“There are a few things I need to get from my apartment.”
“WHAT…? Mason, you’re not serious. We just got you back here. I am not letting you leave.”
“We are not taking off until dawn and I’ll be damned if I head out into the end of the world in gym shorts and sneakers.”
Justin spoke next “Dad that cannot be your only excuse… right?”
“No. There are other things I need. I have a few guns and they will come in handy.”
“A few guns? I didn’t know you had any more guns. I thought you only had the one you left here with us?”
“April, you’ve seen where I live, it’s almost a given that everyone in my building has at least one.”
“Can’t we go by in the morning on the way?”
Frustrated, Mason hung his head for a moment before speaking.
“There are things I have that we need before we leave in the morning. I am not having you wait in the car for me while I am in the building or trying to follow me through there in the dark. I will be able to make it in and out a lot faster if I am alone. I promise to be safe.”
April shook her head. “Oh well, if you promise to be safe, I guess that’s fine.”
“You’re no good at sarcasm.”
“I wasn’t trying to be.”
Justin sat in the corner laughing at his parents bickering.
April stood up testing her still painful ankle. “Ok, you BETTER get back here soon or we’re coming after you”
“Yes ma’am! I should be back in less than an hour so I’ll shower then.”
“OK, what do you need us to do?”
“Get the two emergency kits and the hand powered flashlights from the garage and put them in the back of the SUV.”
“What else,” Justin said.
“Get all the food that doesn’t need to be cooked or kept cold and put it in plastic bags that are easy to carry. Then just a few changes of clothes that fit in a back pack.”
Mason continued. “April, get the gun and all the ammo and put it in on the floor in front of the passenger seat.”
April sat back down on the couch across from Mason so he could wrap her ankle.
“After you both finish packing stay in the office, dim the lights and get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a very long day.”
April and Justin looked at Mason and in unison said “Get some sleep?”
“Well try… for me.”
Mason told them to keep everything locked and he would give three short knocks on the door when he got back and for them to check before opening it.
Realizing his father needed to get going Justin walked over, grabbed his hand and helped him to his feet. Justin pulled Mason in close and hugged him tight.
“Dad, I love you. Please get back here.”
“You don’t need to worry about me buddy; I’ll be back before you’re done packing,”
April took Mason’s hand as they walked to the door. She looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back and hugged her. She kissed his cheek and told him to be safe.
He leaned over and whispered into her ear, “If, I’m not back by dawn you need to get to William’s house. He’ll be waiting at the corner of Morgan and Stone at six am.”
As he opened the door April pulled back. “We are not leaving you, no matter what. Do what you have to do, just get back here… fast”
Mason returned her kiss on the cheek, grabbed his backpack and headed out into the darkness.
April closed the door behind him and whispered “I love you.”
What’s Next?
Volume 2…
Mason, April and Justin have managed to avoid the Feeders… for now.
While his wife and son pray for his safe return, Mason heads out into the land of the dead to retrieve the supplies needed for their survival.
The broken down, Virus Ridden Feeders are only the beginning of the problems they will face as we head into the fast paced, Volume 2 of The Dead Years.
Also, if you have any questions, comments, or would just like to say hi, please find me at: Facebook.com/JeffOlahBooks.
One Last Thing…
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Table of Contents
Copyright
Author Notes
Dedication
Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
What’s Next?
