Infected
A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller
Kellee L. Greene
Contents
Books By Kellee L. Greene
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
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Books By Kellee L. Greene
Mailing List
About the Author
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2019 Kellee L. Greene
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission of the author.
First Edition December 2019
Books By Kellee L. Greene
What Remains Series
Sickness - Book 1
Outpost - Book 2
Infected - Book 3
Book 4 Coming Soon!
Red Sky Series
Red Sky - Book 1
Blue Cloud - Book 2
Black Rain - Book 3
White Dust - Book 4
Indigo Ice - Book 5
Yellow Heat - Book 6
Ravaged Land Series (1)
Ravaged Land -Book 1
Finding Home - Book 2
Crashing Down - Book 3
Running Away - Book 4
Escaping Fear - Book 5
Fighting Back - Book 6
Ravaged Land: Divided Series (2)
The Last Disaster - Book 1
The Last Remnants - Book 2
The Last Struggle - Book 3
Ravaged Land: Eventuality Series (3)
The Wall - Book 1
The Outside - Book 2
Falling Darkness Series
Unholy - Book 1
Uprising - Book 2
Hunted - Book 3
The Island Series
The Island - Book 1
The Fight - Book 2
The Escape - Book 3
The Erased - Book 4
From Below Series
Creatures - Book 1
Desolation - Book 2
The Alien Invasion Series
The Landing - Book 1
The Aftermath - Book 2
Destined Realms Series
Destined - Book 1
Chapter One
It was surprising that the number of tears I’d shed over the last twenty-four hours hadn’t flooded the SUV. Losing Dax had left an empty spot inside the car but also a deep hole inside my heart.
The guard that worked for James had shot him without hesitation. It wasn’t because of luck that we’d gotten away. We’d escaped because Dax sacrificed himself.
He shouldn’t have done it. We could have figured out another way. But I guess at the time, he hadn’t seen another way.
Blake was struggling with the loss of his brother but he did the best to hide it from us. He didn’t want anyone to worry about him, at least that was how it seemed.
Whitney didn’t bother to hide her feelings. She wanted everyone to know exactly just how hurt she was over the loss of Dax. She sobbed almost constantly as if she had been the only one to have lost someone.
Maddie was upset but she hadn’t known Dax well enough to be outwardly torn-up about it. She never was much for showing her emotions. It probably had something to do with her upbringing. Sometimes it was better if Freddie didn’t see how things made her feel.
He would resort to mocking. Freddie would try to make anyone who was upset feel small, especially if he thought the sadness was too much.
But of course, Maddie was sad, we all were, but she was more worried about who would be next. And honestly, I couldn’t blame her for feeling that way because I did too.
“How are we for gas?” I asked.
Blake looked at the dash as he drummed his fingertips on the steering wheel. “We’ll be good for a while yet.”
We’d stopped and siphoned what we could but I couldn’t stop worrying about the next time we’d have to get gas. Or use the bathroom. I hated stopping the car because every time we stopped, I feared it would be the last time.
It was just a matter of time before something happened again. Dangers lurked around every corner and there wasn’t anything we could do to ensure our safety. The sick could spread their virus or those who remained that weren’t sick would do whatever they had to as long as they survived.
No one cared about anyone else. Maybe no one ever had. There were no laws to keep people in order. No social rules. Kindness was practically extinct.
The only people I had to worry about were those inside the SUV with me. There wasn’t much I could do to protect them but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t try. Although I had cared a lot about Dax and look where that had gotten him.
I couldn’t believe how much I missed him. We hadn’t known each other long but he was like the sunshine on a rainy day. He could make me smile while the walls crumbled down around me. And now it felt like all I’d been left with was the dark, stormy clouds.
I couldn’t do or say anything because Blake and Whitney had both known Dax for their whole lives. Who was I to be upset that he was gone?
I could keep my pain hidden. I’d done it for years living with Freddie and honestly, it was the best thing to do. It was a skill I possessed… one I never thought would be of much use beyond the four walls of Freddie’s home.
“I need to use the bathroom,” Whitney said.
“You have the smallest bladder in the whole wide world,” Maddie teased.
Whitney bit her lip. “There aren’t that many people left so that’s not hard to accomplish anymore, is it? Not a whole lot of competition.”
“Do I need to find a house or will a shrub do?” Blake asked with nothing but seriousness on his face as he glanced in the rear view mirror at Whitney.
“Shrub,” Whitney said. “Tree, tall plant, out in the open, whatever. Just stop.”
Blake chuckled. He looked out of the windows and checked the mirrors before cautiously pulling over to the side of the road.
“Who’s coming with me?” Whitney asked.
There was a long pause. We all knew there was only one acceptable answer to that question.
I reached out and pulled the handle on the door, popping it open a few inches. I forced myself to swallow down the groan that was rumbling up my throat.
“Let’s go,” I said.
Blake grabbed my hand before I could step out of the SUV. He held out his gun to me. “Here. Take this.”
“She’ll be quick,” I said as I tried to stop the trembling in my fingers. I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to holding a gun.
Blake shook his head as he pressed the gun against my palm. “Good and you’ll have this just in case the
re is a problem.”
“I’ll scream if there is a problem,” Whitney said.
“I have no doubt about that,” Blake said his eyes still on me. “Take it.”
I swallowed hard, unable to shift my eyes away from the gun. “Fine.”
“Come on, Kit,” Whitney said hanging halfway out of the SUV.
I stepped out onto the crunchy gravel at the side of the road. A gentle breeze whispered passed my cheeks and I deeply sucked in the much-needed fresh air.
The air inside the SUV had been stale but it was almost as if my body had become accustomed to it. I shivered at the brisk coolness as the air came in through my nose. It was like I’d stuck my head inside a refrigerator and inhaled. It almost seemed as though I could even smell the rotting leftovers in the back.
I followed Whitney through the overgrown weeds. “How about here?”
“No, they can see me here,” Whitney said.
“They aren’t going to look,” I groaned. “I thought you were willing to go out in the open?”
“I was exaggerating. I don’t think I can go if I think they are watching,” Whitney said. “Shy bladder, I guess.”
“What about me?” I asked biting away my smirk.
Whitney flicked her narrow-eyed glance at me over her shoulder. “What’s wrong with you?”
“It was a joke,” I said. “I don’t want to watch you go to the bathroom either.”
“Super funny,” Whitney said.
I pressed my lips together. “Whatever. Blake’s going to freak out if we go much further.”
“Just over there. Behind that tree,” Whitney said pointing roughly thirty feet away from where we were. “If I don’t piss myself before then that is.”
“Well, you could just go here,” I suggested.
“With nothing to hide behind?” Whitney asked. “What kind of animal are you?”
The ground was squishy and mud was gathering around the edges of my shoes. We were walking through what seemed like a farmer’s abandoned field.
Something squeaked near me and the grasses moved wildly as it scattered away. Whitney must have heard it too because she let out her own little squeak, hopping forward quickly as though there were hot coals under her feet.
“I can’t believe this is my life. What I wouldn’t give to have access to a normal bathroom again,” Whitney said in a razor-sharp tone she tried to half-heartedly disguise with a cough.
She still blamed me for everything. We shouldn’t have been on the road. We should still be sitting comfortably inside Blake’s house.
It was weird that she couldn’t understand. Didn’t Whitney have someone she would do anything for? Wouldn’t she have gone to the ends of the earth for Dax and Blake?
I would do anything for Polly. Besides Maddie, she was all I had left. And even though this was entirely Maddie’s idea, it had been the right thing to do.
Polly was my sister. It wasn’t like I even really had a choice in the matter. I just hadn’t realized it as quickly as Maddie had.
“Okay,” Whitney said holding up her hand. “You stay here. Any closer might causes issues for me.”
“Issues,” I muttered quietly as she walked away from me and carefully positioned herself behind the tree.
I checked the area next to the tree, although I wasn’t sure exactly what I was looking for. The sick? Bad guys? That pesky mouse? I turned my back to the tree. The last thing I wanted to do was cause her any further issues.
I crossed my arms and waited. My nerves were starting to twitch.
“Everything okay?” I called over my shoulder.
“Yes,” Whitney called back. “Did you bring the toilet paper?”
“Are you kidding?” I asked.
“No. Why would I joke about that?”
I sighed loudly. “Why would I have been the one to remember it? Ugh, hold on. I’ll be right back.”
I walked ten feet, sinking down deeper into the mud the quicker I walked. Something caught my eye in the distance.
My eyes shifted to the left at the spot moving on the horizon. It was just a dot but it was coming toward us fast.
I glanced over my shoulder at the tree Whitney was waiting behind. There wasn’t time to get her the toilet paper. I wasn’t even sure there was time for us to get back to the SUV.
“Shit,” I said under my breath.
I turned around, stomping through the mud toward the tree. Something scampered away from me in the weeds but I didn’t let it slow me down.
I drew in a breath. “Whitney! We have to go!”
Chapter Two
Whitney was still squatting there, holding on to the tree as she whipped her head around to look at me. Her eyes were dazed, wide saucers and her mouth was stretched awkwardly with confusion.
“There’s someone coming,” I shouted at her as I waved my hands. “A car!”
She pulled up her pants and started running toward me without hesitation. Sheer terror filled her eyes so much so that she looked similar to one of the sick. Of course, that wasn’t possible. Otherwise, I would have run off without her, leaving her stuck in the mud.
“Hurry!” I said pulling my foot out of the thick, paste-like mud with each step. It felt like I was stuck inside a dream where I couldn’t run.
The distance between the SUV and us felt like it was impossibly far. I could see Blake’s head darting around anxiously. There was no doubt in my mind he’d seen the car coming our way.
“Come on, Whitney,” I said stretching my hand back to her. Our fingertips brushed together for a second but she was out of reach.
I glanced back and she wasn’t behind me. My eyes darted around.
“Whitney?” I called.
“Don’t leave me here,” Whitney begged as she worked to get to her feet. Her hands were coated with mud.
I stepped back and grabbed her arm, helping her to her feet. “I’m not going to leave you.”
Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance, which increased the rate at which the blood pumped through my veins. The SUV was only twenty feet away but the car heading toward us was moving faster than Whitney and I could move through the bumpy field. We had no choice but to move faster if we didn’t want to find out who was inside the car speeding toward us.
“Come on, Whit,” I urged. “We need to go faster.”
“I’m trying,” Whitney said wiping away a tear with her muddy hand.
“Don’t try… just do,” I said grabbing her tighter as I dragged her behind me.
The car speeding toward us couldn’t have been more than two miles from the SUV. Whitney and I were both breathing heavily as we crashed against the side of the car.
Whitney’s muddy fingers fumbled with the door handle. Panic squeaked out from between her lips.
I opened the door for her at the same moment Blake popped open the passenger side door. The sounds from the car zooming towards us mixed with the distant thunder.
“Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Blake hollered.
“We’re going as fast as we can,” I mumbled under my breath as I shoved Whitney into the SUV, not caring that she was only halfway on the seat when I closed the door. I jumped into the passenger seat and Blake stepped on the gas before I slammed my door shut.
“Who is that?” Whitney asked.
“I have no idea,” Blake said glancing in his mirror more than he looked at the road in front of him. “But I have a guess.”
“You do?” I asked.
Blake offered a quick nod, gripping the steering wheel tighter with both hands. “James or his guards. I don’t know who else would be trying to get to us so fast.”
“Maybe it’s those farmers again,” Maddie said. “They tried to get us too.”
“I don’t think the farmers would be out this far,” Blake said. “I suppose it could be anyone. Dammit!”
Whitney hugged herself. Maddie’s arm was stretched out over the back of the seat as she stared out the back window. Our supplies were stacked so
high it didn’t leave a large gap but it was enough to see.
“They’re in camo,” Maddie said. “I think it’s that guard… the one that shot—” Maddie swallowed hard as she turned and met my eyes “—at us.”
“Shit!” Blake said slamming his hands against the wheel. “I’m not stopping. Let them run us off the road.”
“They’re just following,” Maddie reported.
I shifted my eyes to the side mirror. She was right. They weren’t trying to speed up and tap our bumper, nor were they starting to pass so they could drive us into the ditch. They were simply following, albeit much too closely.
“What are we going to do?” I asked.
Blake shook his head. “I don’t know. I can try to lose them but if this turns into a game of who has more gas, I can tell you, they’ll win.”
“There are three of them in there,” Maddie said. “Two in the front, one in the back. How many bullets are in your gun?”
“Maddie!” I said surprise filling my eyes.
“I have enough,” Blake said stiffening his jaw. “Enough.”
I shook my head. “This is what we’re going to become? Murderers?”
“We’re going to be survivors,” Blake said. “We didn’t start anything with them. They’re the ones riding my bumper.” Blake glanced into the mirror. “Maddie, get your head down. You too, Whitney.”
Blake stepped on the gas to test them and as expected, they kept up their pursuit. They weren’t in a hurry, they were most definitely following us.
What Remains Series (Book 3): Infected Page 1
