N87 Virus | Book 1 | After the Outbreak

by Kadin, Karri

  Allison hadn’t opened her journal in a week as she avoided facing the inevitable. Her time at New Harbor was coming to a close. She knew it was the right thing to do but the idea of leaving her friends just about broke her. She couldn’t fathom being alone again, but she also couldn’t think of any other way to keep the people she cared about safe or to find her redemption.

  One evening Allison curled up on the porch, leaning against the house and watched as dusk settled across the town. She held her knees to her chest and watched as her neighbors returned to their homes. She had tried to trade for gas to fill Old Blue and her reserves three times since arriving in New Harbor. Each time her trade was rejected. Gas was far too hard to come by and no one wanted to part with it without getting something as equally valuable in return. Allison had nothing of real value.

  The last few scavenger trips the town security took they had returned virtually empty-handed. Very little food was found and most of what was had to be given to the Collectors to prevent them from coming into the town and taking it. Tensions were building and more yards were turning into gardens. But freshly planted gardens wouldn’t fill empty bellies now. Over the last week everyone’s rations were cut and the food at town meals was sparse. Allison still had a supply of food hidden in her pack, room, and truck. She could stretch it for her and the twins if needed. They wouldn’t go hungry, but if the town was unable to provide their required donation to the Collectors things would get ugly. All the food in the world wouldn’t save her if the Collectors found her. She needed gas to be able to make an escape. I have to find some, somehow. Allison rested her forehead against her knees and sighed. She looked up in time to see Trevor walking up the sidewalk toward her. She waved at him and he sat down next to her.

  “What are you doing out here?” he asked.

  “Just watching everyone do everything. The sunset is pretty.” Trevor looked at the swirls of orange and pink in the sky. A few days’ worth of stubble graced his chin and Allison found herself wanting to touch it. She craved to hold his face in her hands. She blushed and looked away from him as she pushed the thought from her mind.

  “Yeah, it is.” He stretched his legs out in front of him. “So, I’ve heard you’ve been trying to trade for gas. I didn’t realize you were in such a hurry to leave.” He looked at her and frowned. Allison felt the blush on her cheeks intensify.

  “It’s not that. I just like to be prepared.”

  “Prepared for the town to come crashing down?” She nodded. Trevor wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. Allison’s heart raced in her chest. He had never held her before. She snuggled her head against his neck and breathed him in. The urge to kiss him washed over her. Control yourself.

  She said, “You know as well as I do that something is about to give. I for one am not going to be hanging around if Collectors crash through the gates.” She pulled herself from his embrace and stood up, ignoring the ache in her heart left by the absence of his touch.

  “I wish you’d tell me what you’re running from.”

  “Aren’t we all running from something nowadays?” Allison said. Trevor stood up and grabbed her hand.

  “I guess we all are, in a way.” His eyes probed hers, looking for any clue to what she was hiding. His gaze both excited her and worried her. “Anyway, I came to tell you I can help. I know who has gas.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I don’t have anything to trade for it.”

  “Who said anything about trading for it?” Trevor smirked. People walked by on the sidewalk and waved. He held his finger to his lips, silencing her, before grabbing her hand and leading her away from the house. They walked a block before Allison realized her hand was still in his. She gently pulled away and shoved her hands in her pockets. Keep your distance. Just friends. The last thing Trevor needs is a monster girlfriend. The sky was almost black now, but none of the streetlights came on. Power here mostly came from solar and generators and the town was trying to conserve energy as much as possible now. They were in an area of town Allison didn’t often go. It was public housing for single security guards. Trevor pulled Allison down behind a hedge next to a house with loud music coming from it. All the lights in the house were on. The person inside obviously didn’t care about rationing energy.

  “Your gas is in there.” Trevor pointed to a locked shed behind the house.

  “And how do we get it?”

  “We open the door and take it,” Trevor said.

  “Trevor! No! I’m not going to steal.”

  “Think of it as redistribution of public property. This is Elliot’s house and I know for a fact he has used his position in the security team to hoard supplies, including gas. Based on some trades he’s done and rumors I’ve heard, I think he’s about skip town and take his hoard of goodies with him. Since most of these things should have gone to everyone anyway there is no harm in taking a little something you need.” Allison’s jaw hung open as she stared at him. “What?”

  “I don’t know what you’ve done with my good, law-abiding survival instructor, but I like it!” Allison elbowed him in the ribs and smiled. Trevor laughed. “So what’s the plan, super sleuth?”

  Trevor walked along the hedge and motioned for Allison to follow. The hedge ended right before the shed and now the chain link fence it ran alongside was visible. The glow from the house illuminated the backyard providing just enough light for them to see a few feet in all directions. Trevor climbed over the fence and Allison followed. At the back of the shed Trevor picked up an axe. They moved toward the door of the shed and caught sight of Elliot through the windows of the house. The blinds were wide open giving him a clear view to the shed. He sat at a table, cleaning his gun.

  “Shit. I can’t go hacking on the door with him right there,” Trevor said.

  “I’ll go knock on his door and distract him.” Allison started to stand up but Trevor’s hand wrapped around her wrist.

  “How?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll think of something. You just get the gas.”

  “I need at least ten minutes and I need the music to stay on. I’ll grab what I can carry and we can meet back at your house.”

  “If shit goes bad I’ll screech like an owl,” Allison said. Trevor doubled over in a laugh, holding his stomach with both hands.

  “What’s so funny?” Allison furrowed her brow as she crossed her arms.

  “I’m picturing you on Elliot’s porch, screeching like an owl, and him looking at you like you’re insane.” Allison lightly punched Trevor’s shoulder. Then she climbed back over the fence and made her way to Elliot’s front door.

  It took a few hard knocks before the music inside lowered and the door opened. Elliot stood in the doorway with a look of confusion on his face. Allison smiled sweetly and waved.

  “Hey, Elliot. I heard your music as I was walking by. I really like it.”

  “Uh, thanks. It’s Allison, right?” He took a drink of some light tan liquid from a glass in his hand. Looks like the moonshine one of the security guards tried to trade to me for some jerky.

  “Yeah. This is a really great song.”

  Elliot glared at her. “So did you show up on my doorstep just to tell me you like my music?

  “No. Um, well, it’s kinda embarrassing. But I was hoping you could show me how to use a rifle.” Allison twisted her hair around her finger.

  “In the dark? Isn’t that Trevor asshole teaching you hand to-hand-combat or some shit? Ask him.” He started to shut the door and she shoved her foot in the door jamb.

  “Please, Elliot. Trevor won’t show me. I really want to learn.” She pushed her hand against the door and Elliot let the door open again. His liquored gaze fell to her chest and took its time to find her face again. Pervert.

  “I don’t have time to teach little girls how to use guns. That’s not my job. Find someone else.” He slammed the door. Allison banged her fists against the wood.

  “Come on, Elliot!” she screamed. A lump formed in
her throat. Gas. Get the fucking gas. She swallowed hard but the lump stayed lodged in place. “I’ll do anything! Please open the door!” The door swung open.

  “You could just come inside,” he said with eyes full of lust as he looked Allison up and down. His gaze twisted her stomach into a knot and goosebumps popped up on her arms. You aren’t getting lucky with me tonight, buddy. She smiled and reached for his free hand. She pulled him onto the porch and looked up at him through her eyelashes.

  “But it’s such a nice night out. I don’t want to be cooped up inside.” She pulled him closer to her and he wrapped his arms around her hips, still holding his glass of moonshine in his hand. She ignored it when the back of her tank top moistened as some of his liquor spilled on her, and she pressed herself against his chest.

  “I could make it worth your while,” Elliot said. He released her from his arms and threw back the last bit of his moonshine and set the glass on the porch. Allison sat on his porch swing and patted the seat next to her. Elliot took a seat and wrapped his arm around her like Trevor had done earlier. She forced herself to snuggle into him. His hand hung from her shoulder and rested on her breast. He started to rub it like a schoolboy getting to second base for the first time. She didn’t stop him and his breathing quickened. She could smell the moonshine on his breath.

  “You’re so pretty.” His words slurred a bit. She nuzzled into his neck. A crack of wood splintering rang out. “What was that?” Elliot tensed and looked around. Allison straddled him and pressed her forehead to his. His attention shifted back to her. She felt something against her leg in his pocket and looked down.

  “What’s that?”

  “I think you know what that is.” He grinned.

  “No, not that.” She bit her lip as she smiled at him and reached into his pocket. His hands landed on her ass and he gave it a squeeze.

  “Oh, that’s the remote to the radio,” he said and pulled her closer. She held down the volume button, drowning out another crack of splintering wood.

  “I love this song,” she said. The inaudible screams of the singer against the heavy bass music made Allison want to stab her eardrums with an ice pick.

  Elliot pressed his face against her chest and ran his hands across her body. Trevor better get a ton of fucking gas. As he tried to pull her tank top down to expose her bra, Allison grabbed his hair and yanked his head back. He looked up at her, his eyes glazed over by alcohol. Over Elliot’s shoulder she saw Trevor at the edge of the hedge, two large gas cans in hand. He stumbled as he stared at her in disbelief. Allison locked eyes with Elliot and pressed her lips to his. He tried to push his tongue into her mouth as he grabbed handfuls of her breasts, but she pulled away.

  “I think I will come inside. How about you go in first and get ready for me? I need to freshen up.” Allison slid off his lap and he jumped up.

  “My room is down the hall, last one on the left.” He ran inside, stripping off his shirt as he stumbled through his living room. “Hurry up or this love machine starts without you,” he called out. Once he was down the hall Allison pulled his front door shut and sprinted to Trevor. A third gas can was on the ground hidden by the hedge and she picked it up. Trevor smirked at her.

  “When I said distract him, I didn’t mean that,” he said and they started to walk.

  “Well, I had to go with the flow. It worked, didn’t it?”

  Trevor chuckled. “Yes, it did. If you did that to me, it would probably work too.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Do you think Elliot will come looking for me when he realizes the gas is gone?”

  “And risk the town knowing he had the gas in the first place while also being robbed by a girl? No, his ego won’t allow that. You’re safe.”

  Trevor helped her lock away the cans of gas in the back of Old Blue. They walked away with almost forty gallons and Trevor said Elliot had plenty more. After telling Trevor good night, Allison went in the house and found Morgan and Matt sitting at the kitchen table playing Candy Land.

  “I’ve never seen you smile so big!” Morgan said. “What were you up to?”

  “I was just hanging out with Trevor.” Morgan gave her a knowing smile.

  “Sure, I’d love to just hang out with that piece of eye candy to.”

  “Gross. Can you save the girl talk for when it’s just you girls? Here, Allison, Dr. Dryanski asked me to give you this.” Matt handed her an envelope. Her name was scrawled across it in blue ink.

  “Do you want to play?” Morgan asked.

  “No, I think I’m going to go to bed. It’s been a long night.” She walked down the hall and opened the letter from Dr. Dryanski.

  Notice of Action

  Attention All Medical Practitioners,

  It has come to the attention of Zone 4 that rates Infected and of former Infected have risen. It continues to be against the law to fail to report these individuals to the Zone. This remains a significant public health threat and must be properly managed. All individuals who fail to report will be detained and punished accordingly.

  Please be on the lookout for a former Infected female who goes by the name Allison. She is approximately 5’5” tall, 115lbs, with long brown hair. She may be in a blue truck, make unknown. She was last known to be traveling alone. She is considered dangerous and should not be confronted directly. If found, notify the nearest Collector unit.

  Dr. Nicholas Neff

  Operational Chief Zone Manager

  In the familiar blue ink, at the bottom of the page, in Dr. Dryanski’s handwriting: “I won’t tell. Be careful.”

  The next day, soon after the sun broke the horizon, Allison went to Dr. Dryanski’s house and knocked on the door. She clutched his letter in her fist, terrified of it falling into the wrong hands. When he opened the door, he stood in the dim hall in his green terry cloth robe. He ushered her in and quickly shut the door.

  “I expected I would see you today, just not so early.” He yawned and waved for her to follow him to his kitchen. “Would you like some coffee?” He flipped a switch and turned on his electric kettle. Allison shook her head.

  “What should I do?” Tears streamed down her face.

  “Be careful. I’m the only one in town that got the notice. But it won’t stay that way for long. When he gets no response from the town doctors he will forward it to leadership members in all towns.”

  “How am I supposed to be careful if everyone knows to be on the lookout for me?” Allison said.

  Dr. Dryanski took the kettle and poured it over the grounds in his French press. He pressed down the plunger and then poured the dark liquid into a mug. He sat at his kitchen table and Allison took the seat next to him. He took her hand in his and squeezed.

  “I am sorry, Allison. This isn’t fair or right. I think the safest thing for you to do is leave and go somewhere new. Change your appearance. Go by a different name.” Dr. Dryanski took a sip of his coffee, but never let go of her hand. “The people here are overall good, but people often betray others out of fear. New Harbor is full of fear right now.” Allison nodded.

  “Thank you. I know you’re right. I just don’t like it.” She wiped away her last tears and placed the crumbled paper on the table. “Can you burn this? I don’t want anyone else to see it.” Dr. Dryanski nodded.

  “I will. Don’t give up hope, Allison. I’m confident things will change for the better at some point.” He walked her to the door. “I hope to see you again one day. Good luck.” Allison stepped from the doctor’s doorway determined to make the most of her last day in New Harbor.

  She spent breakfast eating dry fruit under a tree watching the community she had grown to feel comfortable in start to crack. A few houses down from hers the occupants loaded up an old van and had left town by mid-morning. Fewer children seemed to be at school and the community garden had no attendants working it. Everyone was so absorbed in their own doings they barely noticed Allison’s watchful eyes. A father dragged a crying child down the
street.

  “I don’t want to leave, Dad! I have friends!” the child screamed.

  “Shh . . .” the father said as he pulled the child along, never losing speed.

  I need to leave. Allison glanced at her watch. One last training session with Trevor and then I’ll say goodbye. That’s the safest thing for everyone. Her chest tightened at the thought of leaving her friends. She stood up and headed toward the field, making a mental checklist of things she needed to pack.

  “Hey, wait up.” Morgan came rushing up behind Allison as she jogged down the street.

  “Hey. Where are you off to?” Allison half-smiled at her friend. Morgan set her pace to match Allison’s and joined arms with her.

  “Oh, you know, just going to admire the view.” She giggled. Allison laughed as she pulled Morgan in closer, giving her arm a little hug.

  “I hope you aren’t disappointed. I heard Elliot is on guard duty so I doubt he will be there.”

  “I saw him at breakfast. He is in a bad mood today. Someone said the shed behind his house was broken into last night. This town is losing its mind!” Morgan locked arms with Allison. “Besides, he is so last week. Don’t get me wrong, I will drool over him anytime he takes off that shirt of his. But this town has other boys for me to admire. Like your Trevor,” she teased and poked Allison in the side with a grin across spread her face. Allison felt warmth rush to her cheeks, remembering Trevor’s arm around her shoulders and how good he smelled when she nuzzled into him.