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

“How many people do you think are still alive?”

“Who knows? It depends how many have found somewhere to hide.”

“We can’t be the only people with loved ones.”

“No, but we might be the only people brave enough to go looking for them.”

“Brave? Or stupid?”

Amy looked at the houses as they sped past, considering the possibility. Each building could house a range of survivors; people barricaded inside for protection. The option started to appeal to her.

“Do you think we should do the same?”

She looked on as an elderly man stepped out into the road. At least she guessed it was a man. It was hard to tell what gender he used to belong to as the front of his torso was missing, along with most of his face. Only the soiled trousers and short, wispy hair offered an insight.

“Do what?” Ben asked, veering around the decrepit pensioner.

“Barricade ourselves in somewhere.”

“When we’ve found my sister, we can go wherever you want.”

Once again they faced a path of destruction. Amy looked out of the side window, noticing that every storefront had been broken into. Shattered glass littered the pavement. The store’s products lay strewn across the road.

“Jesus.”

“Looters,” Ben muttered.

“You think?”

“Oh yeah, when the world ends there’s always going to be arseholes who go on a looting spree.”

His words played on Amy’s mind as they passed another procession of undead creatures. The end of the world was something she had never even considered. But if the disease spread to neighbouring countries, what hope did they have? A young boy broke her reverie as he sprinted towards the car. He was barely ten years old. Yet, his ferocious eyes and foaming mouth still gave her goosebumps as they sped past.

“So when we find your sister, what then?” she asked, turning to look at Ben.

“We’ll have to find somewhere to lie low.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know. There doesn’t seem to be anywhere that’s safe.”

They turned onto a side street and faced more of the undead.

“Can’t we go another way?” Amy asked, as they drove toward the crowd.

“No,” Ben said as he started to accelerate. “Fran lives at the bottom of this street.”

Amy braced herself as the first body hit the car. The impact sent the corpse hurtling aside before they struck another. Soon, the dull thuds became constant as Ben ploughed through the gathering.

“Hold on!” he yelled over the barrage of bangs and clatters.

Amy gripped the door handle as blood spattered the windshield. The car’s acceleration slowed as the bodies piled up.

“Get us out of here!” Amy cried.

The undead banged on the rear of the car.

“I’m trying.”

The road ahead was almost clear, but the obstructions were becoming too much of a hindrance. Amy watched in horror as the car came to a stop.

“What are you doing?”

The crowd swarmed the car. Everywhere she looked, eager hands pounded the windows. Their bodies blocked out most of the light as the corpses climbed on top of the vehicle. Amy stared at Ben, whose gaze was fixed firmly ahead.

“What are you doing?”

“Waiting.”

Amy followed his line of sight at the zombies in front of them. They too were scaling the bonnet of the car. They initially slid back off, but soon gained their footing on top of the hood. Once the last zombie had climbed aboard, Ben put the car in gear and lurched forward. Those that were atop the vehicle flew back to the ground as they sped forward. With no more obstructions blocking its path, the car could pick up speed. They raced away, leaving the crowd behind.

“Thank god.” Amy sighed as she looked back at the crazed men and women. She glanced back to the front as Ben slowed once more.

“Her car’s not here.”

Amy followed his gaze. The house in question was a small detached building with its own drive. Like her mother’s, the front door was ajar.

“Are you planning on going inside?” Amy was unable to mask the concern in her voice. They had only travelled a few hundred yards from the group of zombies. If they waited too long, they would catch up.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Ben!”

She watched as he jumped out of the car and sprinted into the house. She glanced back, watching the undead shamble closer. None of them seemed capable of running. Some had legs so mangled they could only crawl. Yet, they still shuffled quickly. Amy’s heart hammered as she looked back at the house.

“C’mon,” she whispered.

As the agonising seconds continued to pass, she began to suspect the worst. How long does it take to check a house? She looked back at the horde. Within seconds they would reach the car. She considered getting into the driving seat until the door swung open. Amy gasped in alarm as Ben jumped behind the wheel.

“She’s not there,” he said.

He put the car in gear and drove to the end of the road.

“So where are we going now?”

“I don’t know. There’s one more place we can try, but I’m not sure if it’s wise.”

“Where?”

“The hospital.”

Amy stared at him with raised eyebrows.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah.”

“But we’ve already been to the hospital and she wasn’t there.”

“Yeah, but her car might be. If it’s there, then it’ll give me a better idea of where she could be.”

Amy remained silent, but she sensed Ben’s eyes on her. Pressed for a response, she shrugged her shoulders. “Okay, let’s go.”

They drove in silence the rest of the way. A few athletic creatures pursued them, but they soon gave up as the car sped on. Amy glanced at the buildings as they passed. The vast majority of them had been broken into and destroyed, but there were some that were barricaded. One house had a car backed up against the