N87 Virus | Prequel |Outbreak

by Kadin, Karri

  Another scream, now further away, caught the silhouettes’ attention, and they bolted away from the door. Veronica’s hands shook. She clenched them into fists, trying to force them to steady. It was then that across the store she saw an “Employees Only” sign on a door. Her heart raced as fear gripped her throat. The doors in the back of the store could be unlocked. She jumped up and sprinted across the old laminate tile. Her hand landed on the doorknob just as it turned. She jerked back on it and leaned back, using her body weight to keep the door shut. Timber was by her side, teeth bared and growling.

  “Help me! They’re coming! Open the door!” a woman’s voice screamed.

  Veronica grasped the lock with her fingers and twisted until she felt the click of the locking mechanism sliding into place. There was a bolt at the top of the door, and she threw that into place too. The woman banged on the door.

  “Please! Open the door! I don’t want to die!” More banging.

  Guilt burned in her chest like a wildfire. She grabbed the doorknob and started to unlock it when the woman screamed. Animalistic growls and rapid footsteps reverberated from behind the door. Timber started barking as the door shook as if something heavy had just hit it. The woman’s screams ended abruptly, and the door shook again. Veronica snapped her hands over Timber’s muzzle, cutting off his barks. She held her face in front of his and locked eyes with him.

  “Shh.”

  She looked over her shoulder at the parking lot and saw a group hunched over a body near the Jeep. Sounds on the other side of the “Employees Only” door now reduced to low grunts and wet smacking. The crazed cannibals jumped from the pile of gore at their feet and took off down the road. The screech of tires told Veronica that someone had got away. She locked eyes with Timber.

  “Quiet now. Don’t be a stupid dog.” She slowly released her grip on his jaws. His spotted tongue hung from his mouth as he panted. “Good boy. Now let’s move.”

  She picked up her bag of food and stood at the glass door overlooking the concrete lot. No movement. She reached up and yanked the bell from the door, holding the clapper so it wouldn’t ring. She slipped it into her bag, burying it in her treasure of food. No signs of anyone. She listened, but only silence found her ears. She inhaled deeply and pushed open the door, refusing to look down at the body at the entrance.

  Veronica sprinted to the Jeep, averting her eyes from the fresh flesh that stained the concrete red, and flung open the door. She tossed her bag inside, and once Timber was in, she quietly shut the door. She checked her surroundings while muscle memory helped her get the pump going. Gasoline sloshed into the engine. She kicked herself for not investing in an electric car. The new ones could run for 24 hours of drive time on a single charge. It took an apocalypse to convince her that electric cars had some perks.

  Veronica climbed behind the wheel, locked the doors, and let out a long sigh. It took a few tries, but she buckled her seat belt. Her hands shook, and she held the wheel to steady them. She cranked on the engine and fled the town of Viekerson.

  Vibrant oranges and reds saturated the sky as the sun slipped beneath the horizon. Fields spread out on both sides of her, always at least one of those monsters off in the distance. As dark silhouettes against a gorgeous sunset, they almost appeared charming. Almost.

  Nightfall was quickly overtaking the landscape, but Veronica couldn’t stop. She had lost precious time at the last two towns and if she stopped she would never make it to the pickup site in time. Blood thirsty freaks littered the countryside, and none of the little farmhouses she passed convinced her they could keep her safe from a group of them. She glanced at the time and then pulled out her map. Interstate 35 was a few miles ahead and taking it could shorten her trip by a couple hours. She desperately needed those couple hours. She ran her finger along the worn paper, tracking the interstate to her destination. It didn’t seem to run through any major cities at this point.

  “What do you think, Timber? Should we try?”

  Timber wagged his tail and tried to lick her cheek. She blocked his slobbery kisses with her hand and then patted his head.

  “Interstate it is.”

  Darkness fell, absorbing the silhouettes that had dotted the fields, adding an eeriness to the night. Veronica cracked the driver's side window and a warm breeze flowed into the Jeep. It was deathly silent. No animals, no cars, nothing. Goosebumps ran down her arms. The headlights illuminated a green road sign indicating she was almost to the on ramp for the interstate.

  She barreled onto the ramp and caught herself looking over her shoulder for oncoming traffic. She shook her head and let out a laugh. Traffic was a thing of the past. She pushed the pedal to the floor and watched as her speedometer climbed.

  After a good while of breakneck speeds, she slowed to a turtle’s pace as she navigated through a multi-car pileup that had blocked the road. Veronica dimmed her headlights to the lowest setting and prayed they didn’t attract anyone’s attention. She rolled down the window and listened to the sound of something scraping against metal. The sun had dipped below the horizon and the darkness only added to her uneasiness. Timber sat at attention in the passenger seat, keeping a close eye on each car they passed. Veronica swore she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, but no one ever approached the Jeep. She migrated the vehicle into the grassy median to bypass the wreck. A silver sedan was smashed to bits in the median, right in Veronica’s path. It was pressed up against the guardrail and the space between it and a small truck with its front end smashed was microscopic.

  She slowly eased the Jeep forward, pressing its bumper to the front of the small blue truck, trying to push it back out of her way so the Jeep could pass, but it barely budged. She paused and listened for a moment. Silence. She rubbed Timber’s chest.

  “Stay.” Veronica quietly opened her door and slipped from the Jeep. She hurried to the small truck and looked inside. The driver’s side window was obliterated. She reached inside and tried to put the truck into neutral, but the stick wouldn’t budge. Timber whined from the Jeep. She pulled open the door. The sound of scraping metal filled the air as the door swung open and fell from its hinges. It smashed into the cement like a dinner bell.

  A humanistic screech sounded off in the distance. Veronica hopped into the driver’s seat of the truck and pressed her foot on the clutch while putting all her weight onto the gearshift. Another screech, this time closer. Her muscles trembled, and she struggled to take a full breath as panic surged through her body. The truck popped into neutral. She dashed back into her vehicle, rolled up her window, and locked the door. She hit the gas, and the Jeep lurched forward, pushing the little truck to the side, it wasn’t much. But it had to be enough.

  She kept her foot on the gas, scraping the Jeep against both the truck and silver car as she squeezed between them. The metal against metal was like nails on a chalkboard, and she knew every living thing in a five-mile radius could hear it too. The Jeep made it through and on the other side the road was clear. She floored it and didn’t look back.

  When Veronica’s brain stopped racing long enough to glance at the clock, she was surprised by how much time had passed. The interstate had not been as bad as she expected, minus that one spot. The Jeep had proven to be the perfect vehicle for this trip. She spotted a mile marker, then clicked on the overhead light and inspected the map. She slowed down so she could manage the wheel and the map at the same time.

  “I think we just might make it, Timber.” The dog wagged his tail but remained sprawled out across the passenger seat and center console, trying to sleep.

  A high-pitched scream cut through the night air, sending a chill through her blood. Timber bolted upright, his ears perked up to attention, his eyes scanning the surrounding darkness. Veronica turned off the cabin light and peered into the darkness. A low growl vibrated from Timber’s chest. Veronica slowed to a reasonable speed, worried she may miss something hiding in the cloak of night.

  “It’s okay, boy. It doesn’t sound
too close.”

  A few minutes past with no screams she relaxed. She was nearing a large town where she would need to exit the interstate and get back onto the state highway to continue to her rendezvous spot. Veronica spotted the exit and moved into the correct lane, knocking her map to the floor. She leaned down and grabbed it. When her eyes found the road again, she screamed.

  A woman stood in the roadway covered in blood, frantically waving her arms above her head. She was too close. Veronica hit her brakes and swerved to the right. Time seemed to stand still as the left tires left the ground, and the Jeep flipped over, landing on the roof. It skidded across the road and slammed into a guardrail near the exit ramp. Timber yelped as his body flipped inside the cab.

  Veronica’s heartbeat pounded in her ears and chest felt like a weight was on it. She hung upside down by her seatbelt and stared out the shattered windshield. Her one headlight still shining through the black night. Timber whimpered. Veronica looked over and spotted him trying to stand in the crushed vehicle. He seemed to move normally, but had a bleeding wound on one of his legs. Someone ran up to the wrecked automobile and looked inside. The woman from the road.

  “Are you okay?” she asked. Before Veronica could answer, the unmistakable howl of a former human filled the air. Terror washed over the woman’s face. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I’m so sorry. I have to go.” The woman backed away from the Jeep and ran off into the night.

  “You bitch! You’re just going to leave me here?” Veronica screamed.

  She pressed the clasp on her seat belt, but it wouldn’t open. Another howl pierced the air. She was on display like the prized pig at the barbecue. She killed the engine, and the headlight shut off, leaving them surrounded by darkness. Timber squirmed over to her and nudged her cheek with his cold nose. She felt the blood.

  “Shh.” She placed a hand on his back, hoping it was enough to keep him from darting from the vehicle and attracting unwanted attention.

  The moon unveiled itself from the clouds and kissed the road with a touch of light. Veronica looked around for anyone, human or not, but couldn’t only see a few feet in front of her. She started to lose feeling in her legs and felt pressure on her lungs with each breath she took. She pressed on the clasp again, but it was jammed. A pair of bare feet appeared outside her broken driver-side window. She felt the rumble of a growl vibrating in Timber’s torso and clamped her hands down around his muzzle. Veronica held her breath and kept her eyes locked on the person outside her window. The feet turned in a circle like the owner was surveying the area. The person dropped to a knee and two blood coated hands came into view as they pressed against the road. A scream in the distance sliced through the quiet night and the person jumped to their feet and took off into the darkness.

  “Fuck this.” Veronica released her hold on Timber and felt around on the ground below her head until her hand handed on a large shard of glass. She grasped it in her bandaged hand and sawed at her seatbelt with it. The glass cut into her bandage, then her hand, until blood was dripping from her arm, but she didn’t stop. When she severed the last thread, she fell to the ground and crawled from the Jeep.

  Timber was next to her in an instant. She pulled her backpack, gun, and map from the wreckage and sprinted down the off ramp. She found a little fast-food joint right off the state highway and down the ramp from the interstate. Veronica peered inside but only saw darkness. Blood ran down her arm, leaving a trail everywhere she went. Another scream filled the darkness, human or monster she couldn’t tell, but it sounded close. She held her gun at the ready as she entered the restaurant. The moonlight filtered through the windows, distorting the world into one of shadow. Movement in the kitchen caught her attention. She turned, gun raised to face it as the howl of a former human echoed through the restaurant, sending a chill down her spine. She was so focused on the moving shadow in the kitchen, she almost missed the one to her right. A monster in an orange jumpsuit lunged for her from the darkness, but Timber tackled it.

  Timber let out a yelp as he crashed to the floor. From the kitchen came another, this one in a guard uniform, and headed right for Veronica. She fired, hitting him in the chest twice. Timber had his jaws clenched around the former prisoner’s forearm, but that didn’t stop it from trying to grab Timber with its free hand. Timber shook his head as he kept a death grip on its arm. Its back was to her and all its focus was on Timber. Veronica swiftly cleared the few feet between them and raised her gun, aiming at the back of its head, and fired. Its body fell to the floor.

  Veronica stood in the darkness, huffing, and listened. The hair on Timber’s back was standing upright like the spines of a dragon, teeth bared with a low growl rumbling into the air, he scoured the room. Tears sprang to her eyes, and a cry escaped her lips. When she was sure all she heard was Timber’s fury and her fear, she turned in a circle, surveying her surroundings. They were alone. She fell to her knees, dropping her gun to the floor, and pulled Timber into a hug. Veronica cried into his fur.

  “I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you.” She held his face in her hands and kissed his head repeatedly. She buried her face into his back and he leaned on her, resting his head on her shoulder. They stayed that way for what felt like forever before Veronica finally pulled away.

  “We can’t stay here. If we don’t leave, we will not make it in time for pickup.”

  Veronica found a flashlight on the dead guard’s belt and pulled a first aid kit from her bag. She tried to examine Timber first, but blood from her hand was getting all over his fur. She tore off the blood-soaked bandage and looked at her hand. No black veins. Her bite had been healing nicely, but the glass had sliced right down the middle of it, exposing pink flesh. She pulled what glass she could see from the wound and cleaned it as best she could. She applied pressure with napkins from a table nearby. Once the bleeding stopped, she ripped a strip of fabric from the bottom of her shirt. She was all out of gauze, so she took the biggest band aid she had and slapped it on there, then wrapped the fabric around it, tying it firmly to keep pressure applied. Then she looked over Timber. Thankfully, he didn’t have a scratch on him. No signs of black veins on his belly or bleeding eyes either.

  “Let’s hope dogs are immune Perrito.”

  She checked the guard for keys but found none. He did still have his state issued thermal gun that would only work with his fingerprint but no back up powder and lead handgun Veronica could use. She put the last of the bullets she had in her gun and prayed she wouldn’t need it again. She stood by the door and held the handle with one hand and kept her gun tightly gripped in her other. Her hands shook as she stood and listened. No screaming. Timber whined and wagged his tail.

  “Just because it’s quiet doesn’t mean it’s safe. Stay close, Timber.” She pushed open the door and wandered into the fall night air.

  There were three cars in the parking lot. Two electric, both dead, and one gas powered, which was locked up tight. She hurried through the dark with Timber right by her side. They stayed in the shadows, avoiding streetlamps as the trekked down the old highway. She checked every car she passed, but most were locked and it was far too dangerous to go searching for keys out in the open. She saw a few parking lots set back from the road that were full of vehicles but it would have been easy to be cornered by the monsters or more people with ill intentions so she stayed close to the highway. One time a set of headlights appeared on the road. She slipped into a drainage ditch and held Timber close as it passed. People could no longer be trusted. They were worse than the monsters. The monsters had an excuse; they were sick. Normal people were just assholes. The thought left a burning feeling in her chest.

  Veronica was exhausted, and even Timber seemed to drag his paws as they walked. Veronica knew she needed sleep but was running on pure adrenaline now. She had no idea what time it was, but based on everything that’s happened since she was last able to check the time; she knew she didn’t have time to stop even if she found somewhere safe. A
glint of silver shining in the moonlight caught her eye from the shoulder on the opposite side of the road. A parked car. She moved into the shadows and kept her eye on the car. It appeared abandoned. When she was almost even with it she stopped, crouched down, and listened. Crickets called into the night, but other than that silence. Timber pranced next to her as he too stared at the car.

  “It’s one of those little electric cars. Hope it has power. We’re going to try it.” She patted his head before bolting across the road to the car, Timber right on her heels.

  She prayed as she grabbed the handle and yanked. The door opened and the overhead light clicked on. It had power! She pointed to the passenger seat and Timber squeezed in. Veronica took the driver’s seat and locked the doors. She dropped her bag in the back but kept the gun resting on the center console. She whipped her head around and looked at the surrounding land. Still and silent.

  “Car on.” The voice command felt foreign to her. A little rideshare sticker graced the corner on the driver side window. She had only driven a smart electric car a few times. Alejandro preferred gas and vowed to always have a gas-powered vehicle as long as it was legal. The car didn’t turn on.

  Veronica opened the glove compartment, but the owner’s manual wasn’t there. She sighed and dropped her head to the steering wheel. Tears filled her eyes, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. Timber whined. Veronica leaned back and rested her head on the seat. That’s when she saw it. A note handwritten in pink pen clipped to the visor. ‘My name is Barbie’.

  “Barbie, on.” The car buzzed to life. “Yes!”

  Timber barked and wiggled in his seat, sensing her excitement. Veronica patted his head and looked at the clock. 4:00 a.m. Sunrise was in about 3 hours. She pulled the map out and looked over the route. She would have to break some speed records to get to the meetup site by sunup, but with no traffic she just might.