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

go before I change my mind.”

He made his way over to the door, closely followed by the rest of the group. Lisa remained behind, approaching the gap in the window once everyone had left.

“How we looking, Lise?” Frank yelled from the door.

“Looks clear to me.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

He removed the bolts and chains and swung the door wide. The sudden burst of sunlight caused him to recoil as he rushed outside. Blinded and disorientated, he listened for any untoward sound. Moments passed, with his eyes quickly adjusting to the natural light. He looked around once the sun no longer burned his retinas, noting a trio of zombies near the barn, but no more in sight.

“Let’s go.”

He led the group over to the prison van, watching the three zombies nearby. They appeared not to notice the procession as they rushed to the vehicle. Their quiet footsteps and bated breath aided their silent escape.

“Oh, fuck me!” Simon gasped.

Frank whirled around. Simon stood beside his wrecked Land Rover, with a hand to his mouth.

“Look at the state of this!” he continued.

“You idiot,” Lisa snapped as the trio of zombies let out a yearning screech.

Frank levelled his shotgun, waiting for them to come into range. “In the van, now!”

The rest of the group made for the vehicle as Lisa stood by his side, aiming the rifle at their targets.

“You any good with that thing?” he asked.

A thunderous clap reduced one of the attacker’s heads to fragments. “Yeah.”

Lisa aimed the weapon again, dropping another zombie in seconds. The final creature was within a few meters of the pair when Frank obliterated his head with the shotgun.

“Two out of three ain’t bad,” he sang as they walked towards the prison van. He pried open the driver’s door and jumped in. The air was warm, with a faint smell of death, no doubt emanating from the fragments of cow stuck in the grill. He looked to the seat beside him, staring at his passenger in wonderment.

“What the hell are you doing?” He asked Glen, who sat rigid in the front seat.

“What?”

“That seat’s reserved, get in the back.”

Lisa opened the door wide. Not waiting for Glen to respond, she grabbed his shirt and dragged him outside.

“Thanks, Perv,” she said, climbing into the passenger seat.

Frank started the van as Glen jumped in the back. After performing a quick U-turn, they were racing down the narrow country lane.

“Which town are you planning on ransacking?” Lisa asked.

Frank shrugged his shoulders, concentrating on the road ahead.

“You do have some idea though, right?”

“Every town nearby will have what we need; a hunting shop, a hardware store, and some kind of grocery store. We’ll visit the closest one and hope for the best.”

“Yeah, but a hunting shop might not be good enough. I mean, they might only have pellet guns and air rifles.”

“If that’s the case, then we can modify them. It’s easily done.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot I’m sat next to a prisoner.”

“Former prisoner.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Don’t worry. Deer hunts are a big thing around here. Most gun shops should stock more than pellet guns.”

“I hope you’re right.”

They both glanced at a sign showing the distance to the nearest town.

“Newchurch or Bealsdon?” Frank wondered aloud.

“Both are six miles away, just go left or right.”

“Fair enough.”

They drove on until the junction loomed ahead. Debating the two routes in his mind, Frank decided on the right turn.

“Bealsdon it is.”

After only five minutes, they were at the edge of the ruined town. Fires raged, alarms blared, and the dead wandered the streets aimlessly.

“Excellent choice,” Lisa said as she thumbed cartridges into the rifle.

“There’s a Transit van over there,” Frank replied, pointing outside. “Shall we let the first group out here?”

“That’ll be me I’m guessing?”

“Only if there are keys in there. If not, we’ll keep looking.”

“Keys?” She scoffed. “Who needs keys?”

Frank watched her disappear outside. He listened as she walked up to the side of the van.

“Okay, we’re here,” she told the group. “Tina and Simon; you’re up.”

She stepped into view, followed by the rest of her team. Frank looked on as she walked around the front of the van up to his window.

“All set?” he asked.

“Yup.”

“You sure you can start that thing?”

“Please. I’ve been wiring cars for years. You’re not the only hardened criminal around here.”

“The murderer and the thief.” He grinned. “Sounds good, huh?”

“Shakespearean, my dear.”

Standing on her tiptoes, she leaned in through the window and kissed Frank lightly on the lips.

“Make sure you come back in one piece,” she said.

“You too. Meet you back here in an hour?”

“Any longer and I’ll come looking for you.”

“You care that much?”

“Hell yeah. Those guns will come in handy. I’m not leaving them just because you’re dead.”

She cast Frank a mischievous grin before turning towards the Transit van.

“Looks like you’re the one who’s throwing it about.”

“Jesus!” Frank exclaimed. He whirled around to see Ben in the passenger seat. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I came to find out where the hell we are.”

“Bealsdon.”

“Huh. That’s where Glen’s from.”

“Great, get him up here and he can tell us where the nearest supermarket is.”

He waited for Ben to leave before looking back at Lisa. The van door stood ajar, with her legs visible over the passenger’s seat. He watched as she worked the cover beneath the ignition whilst Tina and Simon served as look-outs. A few seconds passed before the white van rumbled to life.

“What are we doing here?”

“For fuck’s sake!” Frank gasped. He spun around to see Glen sat beside him. “What are you people? Ninjas?”

“Why are we here?”

“Because it was the closest place. Now, where’s the nearest shop?”

He watched