The Amour series (Book 2): The Ashes of Amour

by Coushatta LaRue

  “They weren’t the Undead and they were not the Husk. These things that had been human hunted us on all four and they had lost all of their hair and skin pigment. There was nothing human left in them.” Kevin choked on his words, “Just nothing but death in those white eyes.”

  Abby felt her body shivering. Her scars were throbbing and stinging with pain. Abby placed a hand over it and gritted her teeth to ignore the pain.

  Infected people in Haven. A lot of them were dead… others turned in the lab. Jerome was at his desk working. He had written all over the tables and beds and anything a pen could mark on. It was all gibberish. He was talking to himself saying he was so close and that he could do it. That he was going to.”

  “He was turning into one of them. Not into one of those monsters, or Undead, but something like the Husk.” Kevin pulled at his shirt, “When he looked at me I knew then… right then when his red milky eyes looked into mine that I was going to have to kill him.”

  Silence and Abby felt more cold than she had before. “I begged with him, pleaded with him, tried to remind him of the day we got married.” Kevin rubbed his wedding ring with

  forgotten all he had been. As if he did not remember who I was. We should’ve known then that the weapon they wanted to make

  Abby looked at Jessie who was now looking at her with sleepy eyes. Abby wondered how long she had been awake. Abby reached over and brushed some of Jessie hair behind a little ear. Jessie smiled.

  what he started. He told me he had infected himself but before he

  laughed sadly, “He was not okay. He wanted Jessie. He wanted to show me how his cure worked. I don’t know what he was going to do. But, he kept laughing and whispering to himself.”

  “As he turned to her I grabbed him and before he could protest I put the pistol under his chin and pulled the trigger.” Kevin sounded so far away, “I killed him.”

  “He just wanted the voices to stop…” Kevin whispered sadly.

  Abby looked at Jessie who stared at her with emptiness in her eyes. Abby felt horrible on the inside and wanted to cry again. She had an urge to hold Evan and cry in his arms. She wanted to feel safe and was trying so hard to help herself yet hope felt so far away.

  “You did what you had to,” Evan told him trying to sound strong.

  Kevin laughed sadly and rubbed his teary eyes.

  “And so did you when you ran.” Kevin replied.

  The two men looked at one another with distant but understanding eyes. After this conversation it was silent in the car for a long time. Abby feared falling asleep because of the nightmares she would have. Jessie moved in her seat and then her hand was on Abby’s. Abby looked down and Jessie opened her hand to show more sleeping pills. Abby looked at Kevin who was sulking in the front seat. Abby smiled sadly at Jessie. Abby took them, grabbed a bottle of water on the

  Jessie nodded as she turned away to cuddle up against the door. Pulling the blanket around herself Abby tried to get comfortable. Pooch laid in her lap sleeping. Abby rubbed Pooch’s fur and after a few short minutes sleep came easily.

  -Chapter eight

  Ava stood in the shadows of the stage as the President of the United States started speaking. She and a few others from the Scarlet mission stood in silence behind the curtains. An audience of news crews and reporters stood in the stands with impatient looks. Some were angry and others looked as if they had seen ghosts. Ava crossed her arms and stared down at her military boots.

  Feeling for her pistol on her side she gripped it then buttoned up her black vest. Her hair fell in front of her square face and she closed her eyes as the crowd outside roared as the President walked onto stage. The others stood in a circle talking then became silent as the President quieted the people. Ava noticed the Prime Minster of China staring at her then he leaned over to whisper something in the ear of the Russian leader.

  There were a handful of other country leaders here. No one knew but them. These were the leaders that had come up with the Scarlet project with the President of the United States. They had spent millions even billions trying to keep it a secret. And just like that their whole world came crumbling down. All because of one person’s mission to try and change the outcome of brought nothing to society.

  It had been working. They had cleared lesser countries of much of their unnecessary population and replaced it with greenhouses and solar power plants. Cleaned them out and replaced with things to save the world. Even China had wanted half of their population gone because of their own sickness. They had started and the plan had been working and China’s air was cleaner. They said in two years the air in China would be hundred percent clean. Then someone let Scarlet out and even though it was not supposed to be deadly somehow it had become active.

  It had mutated. The liquidations had slowed down the sickness in children and they had been able to contain the sick

  the ashes it rose and created something monstrous. It had only been a week since the dead had risen. People were getting a new

  infected people with their poisonous bite. Their saliva infected people’s blood and it choked their hearts and minds until they

  People wanted answers and some were starting to connect the liquidations with this new deadly virus. Even though the White House swore they had no connection gossip was spreading quickly. Ava could see in the crowd the suspicious looks in the reporters’ eyes. Not all of them were sheep. Ava crossed her arms again and leaned against the wall as she thought of her husband and sons.

  She wanted to see them badly.

  Ava opened her eyes slowly and peered at Rodgers. His stubble around his chin was gray and his hair was thinning. His eyes were drained and he looked ill. He was not sick but worried about the same things she was.

  Rodgers nodded. He had children himself but they were much older than hers. Rodgers leaned against the wall and rubbed his face as they looked towards the stage watching the President answer the same questions over and over.

  Ava looked at the crowd at all the hungry faces being fed lies. They were all eating it up. It made Ava’s stomach turn. Ava

  it away.

  his head towards the back of the room at a crowd of people

  see straight through this bullshit.”

  “No there is no connection between the terrorist attacks

  and this new virus. I assure you and promise.” The President

  Ava breathed deeply as people raised their voices to ask if it was again. Questioning every little thing he said.

  Ava felt uncomfortable. She did not need to be here. They had liquidations to monitor. Families to see yet they were stuck here waiting to be debriefed on what to do next. Ava groaned as she turned towards Rodgers.

  been sightings in Canada too.”

  always does.”

  “I guess this is what we get for trying to play God?”

  Rodgers sighed.

  “No. This is what we get for being human Rodgers.”

  Rodgers stared at her with a frown before looking away

  the stage tugging at his suit jacket with a glare that the camera’s wish they could see. The curtains closed behind him as the crowd was ushered out quickly. The President sighed and then laughed as he rubbed his forehead. He had gray curls on his head and uneven stubble on his square chin.

  Everyone came to his attention and followed him and

  with a long maple table. Some people sat while others stood in silence. They were all someone important and someone who had something to do with the hell that was happening around the world. Ava stayed close to the door with Rodgers. Her hand squeezing her phone in her pocket. Thinking about her little boys and wondering what they were doing.

  hard. “We stick to the story. Some virus was found in Africa. It

  will have to stop today.”

  “What?” Ava blurted out as she stepped forward. Everyone turned to her and stared.

  “Your work has been good however it is no longer serving

  a purpose. It is slo
wing down a virus that is not even causing us problems. It is just a waste of resources. This new problem will drown out the terrorist story and people will forget all about

  sure you want to. The liquidations serve no purpose and have not. I am sorry.”

  He stared at her for a beat before looking back at the others. Ava’s heart was pounding in her chest and her mind spun. Ava turned to Rodgers who was staring at her with wide disappointed eyes. Ava wrapped her arms around herself as goosebumps crawled up her skin. She closed her eyes as she drowned out the world around her. They served no purpose? Ava heard screaming and children begging for the pain to stop.

  Ava looked at Rodgers who was staring at her. Tears

  as people argued around them about who would take care of what. Rodgers touched her face softly his rough hands hot on her cheeks. Ava swallowed hard as she tried to compose herself.

  now.”

  it Ava.”

  His graying eyes stared into her light brown ones that were full of tears. He placed both hands over her ears and put some pressure on them then put them down as she nodded.

  Ava nodded as she looked away from him back at the President. How could she not think about all the screaming children? She had burned them for hers. And the virus still fucked everything up. Her heart was aching and her legs felt like water. Ava just wanted to scream. Her phone vibrated in her pocket for the tenth time. It was her husband she knew. He had been calling every day almost every hour to make sure she was okay.

  case we cannot contain this we do have a fall back.”

  Everyone seemed to tense up and grow very silent. Ava stared at the door wanting to run then looked back at the President who was looking at her. He looked away and shrugged his shoulders.

  “We are calling them Havens. We have been secretly building them around the world with the help of Japan. They are fallout shelters in case our plan went astray.”

  His words dripped slowly from his mouth. Raising his

  are making with large walls that can stand up against nukes. Just in case of a larger nuclear bomb they also have underground

  pick of the Haven they want to stay in and of room and board. If

  Everyone stared at him and Ava rubbed her forearm. “Once you get the call do not ignore it. Get to your Haven as fast as you can. You and your families will all have private airplanes in each of your countries. Everyone will pull out of any rescue. We will just start over in a way we do not want to.”

  Everyone stared at him in silence as three people in black suits started to hand out pamphlets. Ava took one and stared at a rough draft of instructions of Haven. She opened it and saw a small picture of a walled in town. Ava looked up at the President

  The President stared at them all then hurried towards a door in the back. The Prime Minister of China followed with a few other world leaders.

  People started to leave in a hurry by the door next to Ava. Ava crumpled the paper in her hand and then put it in her jacket pocket. Pulling out her cell phone she saw that she had two more missed calls. Ava feared what was going on outside that would make him panic this badly. Rodgers pulled her from the room and walked fast with her as others gossiped in the hallway. “Ava you do not have to.”

  snarled.

  Rodgers stared at her and shook his head in disappointment but did not say any more.

  they walked out the back door with the rest. News crews and

  They stopped as they walked onto the sidewalk. Cars were stopped everywhere. People were everywhere. Ava looked at them and their scared faces. A few of them however were staring at her and the others with accusing expressions. There was anger in their eyes and blame. Rodgers looked at them and back at Ava who felt ill.

  have to be careful.”

  Ava stared forward as their car pulled up on the road.

  wolves were watching them and she felt as if at any moment she would be ripped apart for her sins. Ava entered the car with Rodgers and she laughed sadly.

  Ava blinked and pulled out her phone to call her husband. Wondering what she would even say. Her family had no idea what she truly did. They knew she was security for the government but did not know exactly what she did. Ava thought of her sons and their little eyes looking up at her. What if they could see past her lies? Know what she had done?

  -Chapter nine

  The sun was shining down onto Abby’s face as she waited for

  of the road at an abandoned large convenience store. Evan and Kevin had searched the building and it was clean. They wanted to stretch their legs and eat a real meal. Jessie was cooking pancakes from a box and they had powdered eggs and apple juice.

  Evan was drinking some of the apple juice as he and Kevin went over a map. Their eighteen-hour trip was turning into a long

  as Jessie put pancakes and eggs onto a large silver plate. Abby

  It seemed to be getting a little warmer but Kevin said that it would only get colder as they moved North.

  “Okay how many Abby?” Jessie asked

  Jessie did not have her mask on and her little lips curled into a

  up. Jessie put a few of the scrambled eggs onto a paper plate and handed it to Abby. They sat on a table right outside the store. There were a few abandoned cars in the lot. The grass had grown over on the sides of the store and there was a burned down bank Abby picked at the pancakes as Jessie added syrup to them.

  Jessie smiled and made a plate for Evan and Kevin. Abby gave Pooch some of her eggs and pancakes. Drinking some more juice, she started to eat slowly. The eggs did not taste great but they would do. The pancakes were a bit under cooked but they tasted good. Chewing slowly her scars began to ache.

  “Like it?” Jessie asked grinning.

  Abby nodded and smiled.

  They ate in silence as the sun rose. Abby gave the food she did

  not eat to Pooch. The little dog happily ate it. Jessie ate seconds and burped and then looked at Abby shyly.

  ate more. I still get full fast but I eat more.” Jessie told her as she rubbed her mouth, “Though when I eat too much I do throw up.” Jessie made a sour face and shrugged. Abby drank some more juice then looked towards the store’s door and then at the ugly turtle statue outside of it. It seemed to be their logo for everything. Abby peered towards the broken doors and then back at Jessie who was looking that way too.

  “You want to look inside?” She grinned

  “I don’t think your dad will like that,” Abby told her looking at the large building, “Or Evan.”

  “You have a gun and they said it was clear,” Jessie pointed out with a shrug.

  Abby looked at Evan and Kevin who were still discussing something. Abby placed her plate onto the ground and stared

  road and behind that a wooded area. Other than Evan and Kevin’s

  breathing. Abby rubbed her face and felt the gun in her lap. “Well?” Jessie said.

  Abby felt sluggish and tired and her scars were hurting yet she

  was also restless. She kept thinking of the Husk that night and how it screamed. Abby stood up slowly and her vision blurred. Holding her gun in her left hand she put it behind her back under her jacket. Snow was melting on the grassy sides of the parking lot as gray clouds grew in the distance.

  “Okay,” Abby smiled.

  “Daddy!” Jessie raised her voice.

  Evan and Kevin turned to look at them.

  “We are going to shop. Is it okay?” Jessie asked with a sweet

  childish voice.

  Kevin narrowed his eyes at her then looked at the building then at Abby. His lips moved then he sighed heavily.

  Evan frowned in disapproval but he did not say anything. Evan just seemed uncomfortable but he always did. Abby smiled at him and he turned away to look back at the maps on the hood of the car.

  Jessie hopped to Abby and grabbed her hand as she tugged her towards the store’s broken doors. Abby felt tense as they entered the building. It was very bright inside and to her surprise the store had not been as ransac
ked as other places. The grocery area was wiped out and so were the drinks. However, there were a few items on the shelves and the gift area was large and fully stocked.

  Jessie ran towards a section with dog products and Pooch followed wagging her tail. Abby glanced around towards the grocery aisle and stared at items that had been tossed onto the

  stared. It was eerily quiet inside the store and there was a strange scent in the air.

  Hearing laughter Abby turned towards Jessie and walked around a sunglass display. Staring at dog photos and statues and other items in the corner of the store Abby saw Jessie putting a shirt on Pooch. Pooch looked very unhappy about it and Abby laughed. Jessie grabbed a packaged dog treat and ripped it open then gave it to Pooch. Pooch ate it but still glared up at Abby. It was clear she did not want the shirt on. She did not even move.

  “Isn’t she cute?” Jessie smiled.

  “Sure,” Abby laughed, “That death glare is cute too.” They both laughed and Jessie grabbed a toy and tried to get

  Pooch to play with it. Yet Pooch was having none of it. Abby glanced behind her feeling goosebumps grow on her skin. Paranoia was something she had at all times. A new fear was in her now. The Undead was not a problem for her. Yet these things, the Husk, they could see her. Not only that they wanted her blood. The irony was almost too much to handle.

  Abby walked towards some shirts that were pulled from their table and picked one up. It had the store’s logo on it. Jessie walked beside her with a snow globe that had a turtle inside of it. The store was very full of itself. Their turtle logo was on pants, cups, purses, and even pencils. Everything you could think of. Abby laughed quietly and put the shirt back down.

  “What do you think happened to the people that worked here?” Jessie asked shaking the snow globe.

  Abby stared at her and shook her head then said, “I don’t know.”

  “Do you think they died?” Jessie asked with sudden sadness.

  Abby gave her a long forlorn look before looking around the store. Her eyes scanning the store for movement even though she knew nothing was inside. She rubbed her scars and they burned. Swallowing hard she then looked back down at Jessie who was staring at her.