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

he said. “But since we’re helping you tomorrow, I want you to help us.”

“What do you want?”

“One of those guns and some ammo.”

“There’ll be a gun shop in town, Rambo. You can take whatever you want.”

“I meant before we go.”

She saw Frank’s eyes narrow. “Why?” he asked.

“Because if we get attacked, I want more than a few gardening tools to fight them off.”

Frank looked up at Lisa, who leaned against the armchair. “I’ll think about it,” he said after a moment of deliberation. “We’ll discuss it before we leave.”

Ben nodded as he rose to his feet.

“Give her one from me.” Frank winked.

She watched Ben inhale slowly, his fists clenched. He ignored the remark as he walked towards her. Amy led the way up the stairs.

“What?” She heard Frank exclaim. “Someone ought to be having sex tonight.”

24

Frank lurched awake as a shriek filled the farmhouse. He grabbed the shotgun by his side and leapt from the armchair. The room was lighter, with the sun’s glow starting to creep through the boarded windows. He scanned the area, noticing that Lisa was no longer sleeping on the couch. He made for the doorway, tripping over a shadowy bulk on the floor.

“Wassup?” Simon grumbled from his makeshift bed.

“What the fuck are you doing there, shithead?” Frank spat as he stumbled towards the stairs.

A dull thud shook the ceiling as another high-pitched wail sounded, this time from a man. Frank bounded up the stairs and rounded the corner of the landing. As he turned, one of the doors opened. Tina emerged, rubbing her eyes.

“What’s going on?” She yawned.

The answer came as Lisa and Glen came crashing out of the bathroom. Frank looked on as Lisa pinned the whimpering man to the ground. She held his arm tight behind his back, pushing his face into the floor.

“What happened?”

“This little perv was spying on me!” Lisa snapped, kneeing Glen in the lower back.

“I wasn’t, I swear.”

“What happened?” Frank repeated.

“I had to pee. So I went into the bathroom, sat down, and who did I see? Old peeping Tom here ogling me from the bath.”

“It was the only place left to sleep. Ben and Amy wouldn’t let me sleep in there.”

“I wonder why.” Frank snorted. He stepped over Lisa and her captive before rapping on the bedroom door. “C’mon lovers, rise and shine!”

He stepped back as the door swung wide. Ben entered the hallway, closely followed by Amy.

“What’s going on?”

“Lisa found this guy in the bathroom because you two wanted to be alone.”

“Yeah, because we don’t know him. I didn’t want to spend the night watching the door as well as him.”

“Sure,” Frank said.

Lisa dragged Glen to his feet. “Look at me again and I’m taking your balls.”

With that, she shoved the man back into the bathroom.

“C’mon,” Frank ordered. “I want you all down here now. We need to make a plan.” Not waiting for a response, he returned to the living room.

“Nice of you to join us.” He eyed Simon and Elaine as he strode into the living room.

“What happened?”

“Nothing, just sit down and shut up.”

He sat in the single chair, with Lisa perched on the arm, waiting for the rest of the congregation to join them. Once everyone had assembled in the room, Frank relayed his strategy.

“Okay, I’ve been thinking about this all night long, so if anyone disagrees, I’ll shoot you in the face. Understand?”

Some of the group nodded, others stared at him with expressionless masks.

“We’re going to split into three groups.”

“Why three?” Ben asked.

“Did you not hear me say I’d kill you?”

“Yeah, if we disagree, I’m merely asking why.”

Frank eyed him briefly. “Because there are three different things we need: Food, equipment, and weapons.”

“What do you mean by equipment?” Amy asked.

“Things like wood, torches, batteries, nails. Anything that can help secure this place and help us survive.”

“Okay, well how about me and Ben get the weapons, half of you guys get the food, and the other half get the equipment?”

They watched Frank shake his head, scoffing at the prospect. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you? No, I’ve already decided who’s going where. You and G.I. Joe aren’t together. Call it an insurance policy.”

“So where are we going?” Simon asked.

“Don’t get comfortable, Tubs. You and Mrs. Tubs aren’t sticking together either.”

“I’m not leaving my wife!”

“You will, or we’ll take you out there and leave you.”

“So what are the teams?” Tina asked before Simon could protest any further.

“You, Lisa, and Fatty can get equipment.”

“Which one?” Tina asked, eyeing the obese couple with distaste.

“The one who’s supposed to be a man.”

Simon snarled at Frank as he looked around the rest of the room.

“In charge of food will be Amy, Mrs. Tubs, and what’s his face.” He pointed towards Glen, who sat sheepishly in the corner.

“Which leaves me and you?” Ben asked.

“Precisely, Rambo. And if there aren’t any more questions, let’s get moving.”

He made to rise but stopped when Amy spoke.

“But how are we all going to get there?”

“We’re going in the van.”

“The prison van?”

“Yeah.”

“Can we all fit in?”

“There are two seats up front, and five cells in the back. One of you will have to stand.” He looked around at the anxious faces as he got to his feet. “Shall we?”

He passed the rifle to Lisa before loading cartridges into the shotgun.

“I thought we could have a gun?” Ben objected.

“We? There’s no we anymore. I’ve told you the groups.”

“Okay, but we’ll be getting guns at the shop. The others won’t have anything to protect themselves.”

Frank sighed. “Fine. The other group can have this gun when we get there. Now let’s