The Virus by Lee, Damien (summer books txt) 📕

his gaze toward her, but saw that her wide eyes were fixed behind him.

“I think we better run.”

“Why?”

He followed her line of sight to the injured woman on the floor. Her crying had subsided, replaced by a raspy moaning as her body shuddered. He released his grip on the farmer as Louise arched her back, emitting a frantic squeal. He heard most of the group flee down the stairs, crying out for him to follow. He ignored them, keeping his gaze firmly rooted on the shuddering figure. Slowly, Louise started to rise. She got to her hands and knees, her head drooped. Blood dripped from her face.

“Frank! What are you doing?”

He looked back to see Lisa, the only other person on the landing.

“We have to kill her. I’m not going back outside. I’d rather take my chances with one, than hundreds.”

With that, he turned back as the low growl rumbled from Louise’s corpse. Her head appeared oddly shaped with the absence of her nose. The bloody pulp dripped down her face, running into her crooked grin. Frank remained still, watching as she let out a squeal of delight. She lunged forward but was met by Frank’s open hand. He grabbed her neck as her gnashing teeth tried to reach his flesh. Her fingers clawed at his face, raking at his skin as he slammed her into the wall. Her snapping teeth went for his arm, but he kept her at bay.

“Get something!”

Frank’s breath was caught as a flailing leg struck his stomach.

“Like what?”

“Anything,” he wheezed.

He felt Louise’s nails break the skin of his cheek as she clawed at him again. He hissed in pain before slamming the corpse into the ground.

“Ronald, get that shotgun up here, now!”

Lisa looked between the struggling pair and the staircase, waiting for the farmer to appear. Frank did not wait for a weapon. He stamped on Louise’s head. After five strikes, she fell silent. Yet he continued. After a few seconds, a crunching sound split through the hallway as Frank’s foot sank into the caved skull. The corpse juddered and twitched as he removed his foot, wiping blood and brain matter onto its sodden blouse.

“I’m sorry,” Lisa said. “I wanted the gun but—”

She stopped as Frank brushed past her. She followed him as he descended the stairs.

“Ronald?” Frank’s voice was calm as he looked around the empty living room. He listened for a response before heading into the kitchen. There was nobody in sight, but a muffled noise was coming from behind a closed door. He could feel blood trickling down his face. He rubbed it away as he approached the door. The muffled sounds increased before the door flew open.

“Get off me,” Tina growled, forcing her way out of the pantry. She strolled into the kitchen, leaving the rest of the group cowering.

“They dragged me in there. They say you’ve gone mad.”

Frank looked past the teenager and sneered at the cowering trio.

“Where’s your gun, Ronald?”

“Why? So you can kill us all?” The old man wheezed, massaging his neck, which had turned a deep red.

“No, so I can kill myself.”

“What?” Lisa gasped, entering the kitchen behind them.

He turned to face her. “I’ve been injured. And I am not turning into one of them.” He looked back to the pantry as the group emerged, eyeing him cautiously.

“You’ve been bitten?” Simon asked.

“No, but she tore hell out of my face.”

“That doesn’t mean you’ll turn,” Lisa said.

“C’mon. We’ve seen it happen!”

“From a bite. There’s nothing to suggest you’ll turn into one if you get scratched.”

“And I’m not going to risk it,”

“But what about us? What will we do?”

“I don’t give a shit about any of you.” He pushed past Lisa into the living room, looking for the shotgun.

“We need you alive.” Lisa protested. “You’re no good to us dead.”

“I’m no good to you anyway. It won’t be long before I turn into one of those things.”

“Just wait and see.”

“Where’s the fucking gun?” He turned on the farmer who had stepped beside Lisa.

“It’s next to the armchair.”

Frank’s gaze fell on the weapon. He snatched it up and pressed the muzzle beneath his chin. He felt blindly for the trigger until a sharp tug pulled it away from him. He turned to face Lisa, who held the barrel in a vice-like grip.

“What have you got to lose?” She snarled.

He locked stares with her. Her query danced around his mind as he considered a response. After a brief silence, he could find no answer. He growled indignantly and pried the shotgun out of her hands. With a slight nod, he turned back to the group.

“Ronald. I’m not going to hurt you, even though you almost got us killed.”

The farmer looked at the ground as Frank continued.

“I think you know what to do.”

He placed the weapon in the old man’s withered hands. Ronald stared at the gun. With his head down, he quietly left the room, watched by every member of the group until he disappeared.

“Right, you lot, get over here. I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

Frank motioned for the others to follow him into the living room. He slumped into the armchair and watched as the group cautiously entered after him. They remained still, listening to the farmer prying boards from the bedroom door. It dawned on Frank that the woman may escape her confines and kill her husband first. But before he could voice his concern, a loud blast contradicted this thought. Muffled sobs from the farmer reached them. Frank eased back in the chair.

“Should we go to him?” Elaine whispered.

“No. Leave him for a while, he’ll come down when he’s ready.”

They waited several minutes before Frank was contradicted again. This time, by the sound of a