Outbreak The Beginning (The Outbreak Series Book 1)

        Outbreak

       
The

         Beginning

 
By Deausha Kristal

Copyright © 2014 Deausha Kristal

This book is a work of fiction, names characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s

imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, places or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted or stored in a database in any

form, without the prior permission of the publisher.

This book shall not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent.
Published by Deausha Kristal 2014
All rights reserved.

Cover Artist: James Price

Editing and formatting: Simon Okil
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               Dedication

For my mother, without you. My dreams wouldn’t have come true. Thank you for letting me, be me!

And loving me for it anyways!!! I love you……….

Prologue 6 months earlier

Everyone told me I was crazy acting the way I did. I didn’t think so but you never know what could happen, like the end of the world bullshit. So what if I was like a hoarder, when things went on sale I’d pick them up, bottled water, food, canned goods and paper goods. You just never knew when something was going to happen. Looking around my house in the closets, the basement, even the garage, I knew my family will be alright I’ve done all I can. If anything happens I will be ready … I mean look how the world is, the Government sucks and you hear things, stores are closing, no one has the money to spend the National debt is outrageous. I mean damn the President Is an Idiot!!

He wants this one world government. He wants to take us back to when Hitler was a ruler. HELLO! It’s 2016. REALLY!!  Come on people do you really want that? I have guns and he is so not taking that away that’s my GOD given right!! So now he’s made it harder to buy ammo, when I find it I almost go broke to buy what I can. People are really crazy about that shit.

Now on the news they are talking about this strain of the flu. It’s really gotten people sick. It started with a few, now it’s up to the ten thousand mark, man some flu this is and it just keeps getting worse and worse. People, when they go to stores they wear them surgical masks. The cold medicine aisle is almost bare, they can’t keep it stocked!! I’m glad I have a stockpile of this stuff, it would last my family and I mean my whole family two years easy. You can still use that stuff after the expiration date. Whoever came up with that idea anyway?

My mom keeps calling me, wanting to know if I’ve watched the news, she can’t believe what’s going on. She can’t go out and be around people that are sick her immune system is very weak. She’s been going crazy with all this stuff going on. I guess I would too but for now I’m still going out and buying things that my family will need, I just have a feeling something bad, very bad is going to happen and I want to be sure I’ve got my family covered and have what we need for a while ……………..

Chapter 1

Yawning, I roll over, man it can’t be time to get up, it feels like I just went to bed … Liam had to have help with his homework last night and Nate, well he had to have clean clothes, I mean damn it’s not like he didn’t have clean clothes just not what he wanted!! So I stayed up late just to be called the best mom ever.

Open your eyes Egypt, come on you can do it. I keep telling myself that, opening one eye I look at the clock it’s 6:05am, I have a few minutes yet. Looking around the room, I love this room. Over in one corner by my patio door is a little reading nook with an overstuffed purple chair, a nice little table with this really cute funky light. Behind my chair are two book cases that Nate made in his woodshop this year. Opposite there is a full bathroom, all in lime green, to the left of that in between the bathroom and my bedroom door is a walk-in closet. It’s loaded with stuff and last but not least my full size with this comfortable big, thick, purple silky comforter.

Stretching I get out of bed … come on Rufus, come on Baby Herk let’s go outside. Making my way to the patio door the dogs are jumping around. They can’t wait to go outside … opening the door the warm summer breeze comes in man it’s a wonderful morning.  

The dogs bolt out and I go to my favorite seat by my water fountain. Rubbing my eyes looking up at the sky, I think it’s going to be a beautiful day … hey Rufus, stop barking … you’re going to wake the dead. Laughing to myself, I get up. It’s time to wake up the boys. 

I open a bedroom door.  “Hey Liam, time to get up and ready for school.” 

“Ok Mom.”

“Are you sure Liam? I know how you just love to fall back to sleep.”

“MOM I’m UP NOW, go away!!”

“LIAM don’t even go there with me this morning. NOW UP!” I say.

Moving down the hallway, walking through the dining room, passing the living room to my right, I head straight to the kitchen, eye balling the coffee machine … UGH I pass it and open the basement door. I pound on the wall.

“Nate time to get up!” I yell. “Nate you hear me?”

“I’m up Mom, I’ll be up in a few,” he says.

Walking back to the kitchen, I pause at the coffee machine and hit brew. Man I love the smell of coffee first thing in the morning. Opening the refrigerator, I grab the milk and pour it into the coffee, add some sugar and I’m ready to go ….

Once in the living room, I turn on the TV. Let’s see what’s going on. 
It’s never good, It’s always about people getting killed, rape, how the government is trying to do right by the people, yeah ok they are always screwing us over, it’s not for us.
Turning the volume up, I can’t believe what I’m seeing.
Let’s go to what’s happened with this new flu, China is now shut down, no flights in or out. And the Government cannot seem to talk to anyone over there. As of now they think everyone there is sick and there’s no one to talk to. Now here in the United States this strange flu has arrived and it’s hitting everyone.  If you go out, try and stay away from people. Don’t go into crowed places. No contact. Wear a mask ….

“Yeah ok, not the strangest I’ve seen on TV but still.” Liam walks into the room. “Morning Liam.” 

“Hey Mom do we really have to go to school?”

“Yes Liam you do. Why do you even ask that?”

“Because he never wants to go to school,” Nate says, walking into the room.

“Shut up Nate! You’re a prick!!” Liam says.

“BOYS that’s enough!”

“Liam I hear you call your brother names again and you’re grounded … Nate don’t antagonize your brother.”

“Mom do you think it’s really going to get bad?” Nate asks.

“Well ya I do, I think I should go to the stores and pick more stuff up, you never know what will happen and I for one would like to be prepared for anything.”

“Mom really? Don’t you think we have enough stuff to last a lifetime?” Liam says.

“Wouldn’t you want the stuff I get just in case everything shuts down, Liam?”

“Maybe you’re right Mom,” says Liam.

“OK guys lets pray the bus will be coming. Boys come on over and join hands so I can start!!
Lord we come to you in prayer. We ask that you will keep Liam and Nate safe today as they go to school. I plead the blood of Jesus over them Lord. We ask that you take this flu and have it gone Lord, we ask that you heal the sick. In this we pray AMEN.”

“Ok boys, I love you, have a great day at school … do you have your phones?” I look at them. 

“Yes! Mom!” They both say.

“I love you too Mom,” Nate says.

“Oh Liam?”

“Love you to Mom,” a grinning Liam says. 

The bus pulls up and the boys get on. I walk into the house, shaking my head, it’s time to start my day. I look at the TV and wonder what’s going to happen with all this flu stuff. It doesn’t seem right. No one can get a hold of China?? Really?? That can’t be good. Hmm, maybe I should go shower and get ready to go to the store and gas station …

Now in my bedroom, I think I might want to call my mom and ask Hank to go with me. Hank is my stepdad but I love him like a real dad. I mean that’s how he treats me … like a real daughter, always putting himself out for me and the kids. I really don’t think there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for us and for me that’s what a true father does. I mean I could murder someone and he would be the first to bail me out of jail!! I pick up my phone and dial my mom’s number. While it is ringing in my ear I go to one of my dressers and pick out some clothes. Let’s see … skinny jeans and a nice tank top would do. I love the red one with sequins, so I’ll wear that one and just as I bend down to pick my shoes my mom answers.

Hello Egypt, how are you this morning?” My mom asks.

“Hey Mom I’m good. I was wondering if Hank would want to go to a few stores with me this morning.”

“Well you need to ask him, hold on I’ll get him.”

“Hello Egypt, your mom said you wanted me to tag along to Sam’s Club?” Hank asks.

“Hi Hank and yes I would love for you to go to the stores with me … I have a few to go to … Sam’s, Barnes & Noble, the gas station and maybe stop to get a bite to eat,” I say grinning to myself. Like any guy, Hank sure loves to eat, he’s old school. You know, like opening doors for women, paying for the meal. I really could go on and on.

“Yeah ok sure Egypt! What time you planning on going?”

“Well I have to shower and make sure the dogs are ok, hmm how about an hour?” Chuckling to myself I ask, “Do you want me to drive?”

“No, no, I will pick you up,” Hank says.

“Ok I will be ready!”

Hanging up the phone I walk across my bedroom into the bathroom, taking off my pajamas and turning on my radio. YES!!! My favorite song comes on
“Some Nights” by Fun
. Turning on the shower, I smile to myself, this is a start of a good day for me. Getting under the spray of hot steaming water AHHH does this feel amazing. I let the water run down my toned body … thinking to myself, yes I can call my body toned for I work out 5 days a week, almost killing myself at first. Now I don’t have to force myself I just do it … washing my hair and the rest of my body.

I hop out of the shower, grabbing a warm towel off the warming rack. Drying off, I get dressed. Looking into the mirror I think to myself I don’t look bad for forty ha! Brushing my hair, I flip it up into a messy bun. Looking at the clock, I got twenty min’s, what the hell was I doing in the shower? Shaking my head, I exit the bathroom and go to the closet to get a pair of boots. I love these boots, they remind me of combat boots, they are just not as high as combat boots, they go just a bit higher than my ankle. I got them at Dillard’s about six months ago during a sale.

Chapter 2

Turning off the lights, I head down the hallway with the dogs in tow. They are never far from me, silly dogs. Heading into the dining room I walk over to the sliding glass doors, turning to the dogs, come on boys lets go outside before mommy’s gotta go. They run out of the house and down the stairs out onto the grass. Barking! They always do that, geez’s go wake up the dead, boys. Smiling I walk back into the house and go to the kitchen to get the list off the refrigerator. Looking at it, I think, man, Hank is going to strangle me. Well at least he’s with me to get all this stuff. Oh and he has a truck. Shit, five minutes … running to the sliding glass doors I pull them open and yell for the dogs. “COME ON! Rufus baby Herk. Let’s go!!” They come running in and I shut the door and lock it up.

Running to grab my purse I go to the front door, opening it I look back, be good little doggies while I’m gone and out the door I go making sure that it’s locked before walking half way down the driveway. And like always, here comes Hank in is awesome dark gray truck. I always know when he’s coming and going because of them big knobby tires that have a sound all their own. Hank pulls in and stops right where I’m standing.

Hopping in the truck, I put my seat belt on. He’s, how do I want to put it, an aggressive driver.

“Morning Hank, thanks for going with me this morning.”

“Anytime Egypt. Where are we headed first this morning?”

“Well I’d say Sam’s Club, because it’s only 8am and the other stores open at 10 am,” I say.

“Ok I need to get a few things there for myself,” Hanks says.

We pull out of my driveway and turn right. Man that hay needs to be cut, my neighbor always waits till the last minute to do the hay. I really don’t know why most farmers have already cut the first and are waiting for the second to grow. Oh well not my field or my hay. I love this time of year … summer. Everything is growing and so green. Hank says if we don’t get rain soon it will be a very dry summer and I guess he should know. He is a soil scientist after all.

“Hey Hank, did you see the news this morning about not being able to get a hold of China?”

“
Yes I did, I don’t know what’s going on but it can’t be any good that’s for sure. You would think with what our Government has at their disposal they could get a hold of anyone,”
he says.

“Yeah that’s true,” I say.

“And whatever this flu is, it’s not good either. I hate to say this but it might be a good thing that you’re stocking up like you are. Let me ask you something, Egypt?”

“Ok Hank, go for it. I can’t say I will answer it or you will like the answer,” I say laughing.

“
Egypt is that why you wanted to go out this morning to stock up and all that?”

Looking out the window I wonder if I should tell him the truth. As the trees are passing by, I turn from the window and look right at him. “Yes Hank it is. I just have a really bad feeling about all this stuff going on and I feel I just need to keep stocking. I mean something’s not right with China, it doesn’t seem like the flu and now it’s here and they really aren’t talking about it. Something’s going on and the Government isn’t telling us the truth.”

“I think your right, but let’s not tell your mom about this. I think it’s good were going out. Maybe we can find something out,” Hank says.

I sit back and we are quiet for a while. I just watch the scenery go by, we do live in a farm town.

Berlin Center is out in the middle of nowhere. If you want to get to stores you have to go thirty minutes in any direction. Passing houses I notice a lot of them have cars in the driveways. People should be at work or at least heading that way. Looking around I notice there’s hardly any traffic.

“Hey Hank you notice anything funny or maybe just plain old weird?”

He looks around and then says,
“There’s not a lot of traffic for a Monday morning … that’s weird, maybe when we get into Boardman it will pick up.”

“Hmm, maybe we can only hope. You know it wouldn’t be half bad if it was dead at Sam’s. That place is always packed.”

Hank stops at a stoplight and I look out to my left. “Oh shit Hank there’re some guys beating the crap out of that guy over there!! Stop, stop we have to help!!”

Hank looks over to where I’m pointing at. “Egypt I don’t think it’s a good idea, we should….”

I don’t let him finish, I open the door and start to run over to see if I can help. As I’m running I hear Hank yelling at me to stop.

“Egypt stop ... now!!” 

As I get closer I skid to a stop!! SHIT!!

They all turn when they hear me. The poor guy on the ground is whispering for me to help him. I grab behind me at the waist of my pants, damn, nothing’s there, I didn’t bring it.

Hank stops next to me. He looks down at what’s going on, turns to me and says, “Egypt RUN, RUN back to the truck and don’t look back … I will be right behind you … RUN NOW ….”

I look at the guy on the ground to see blood gushing from his mouth. He reaches his hand out to me then I notice. Shit there’s a bite mark on his arm. I look further down and he’s bloody everywhere. Those guys are, shit, they’re eating him. I think they are eating his guts or something. I feel bile rising in my throat.

“EGYPT RUN NOW!!” Hank screams.

And I spin on my heel and run as fast as I can back to the truck. I jump in, slam the door and lock it … what the hell is going on? This is fucking crazy. What I had seen couldn’t be happening. I rub my hands down my face.

POP, POP, POP! I hear a gun going off.  Jumping in my seat, I look around and see Hank shooting the guys that are eating the other guy.

Hank is just about to reach the truck and oh shit one of those guys is chasing him!

Rolling my window down, I yell! “HANK RUN there’s one right behind you.”

He gets to the side of the truck pulls the door open and jumps in and speeds off.

I hear something hit the back of the truck. Looking back I see this bloody face chasing after us.

“Hank what the hell was that? What’s going on?” At this point I’m shaking like a leaf. I mean, it can’t be real what I’d just seen. They were eating him. Shit!!

“Hank, what’s going on,” I ask again.

“Egypt I don’t know, I really don’t but I can tell you it’s not right. This isn’t the flu,” Hank says.

“What do we do? I think we need to get home right now. I have to get my boys. I have to get Tabitha and you need to get back to mom.” I’m freaking out. He stops me with a glance.

“First Egypt, I taught you better than that, what’s wrong with you running up to a bunch of guys like some idiot? You didn’t even have your gun. You need to think level-headed from here on out. In the glove box is my 9mm Glock, keep it with you at all times. You know how to use it. Then you need to call Tabitha and get her to come over to your house. Tell her ….” Hank said.

“I know what to tell her.” I shake my head. “I know what to do.”

I grab my purse, looking for my phone. I dial my daughter’s number. It’s ringing. I can’t believe I let her move out, I mean how was, I really going to stop her, she’s twenty? I can’t keep her home forever.

“Hello mom,” Tabitha says.

“Hey baby, I need you to listen to me.”

“Mom have you seen the news? There’s a bunch of shit going on,” Tabitha says.

“Tabby stop!! Listen to me, I need you to pack up your things clothes, food, water anything you need and get to my house now. Don’t stop anywhere, I mean it. GO get your stuff and come to me.”

“MOM what’s going on?” Tabitha says.

“Tabby PLEASE get to my house, I have to get your brothers. There is some really bad things going on, you just need to get here. I will explain everything when you get there I promise. Don’t stop for anyone!”

“Ok MOM I’ll grab my shit. I’ll head over … give me an hour. Hey MOM?” 

“What baby?”

“I love you, and I’m scared Mom.”

“I know baby, so am I. Just get over to the house, we will be safe.”

Hanging up, I have to wipe my eyes. Tabitha is my baby girl. I know she’s smart but damn if she’s not hot-headed. She lives in Salem, it’s about twenty minutes from us looking at my watch it’s 9:03am. I’ll give her until 10:30 to be there. Looking over at Hank, he’s talking on the phone to my mom. Telling her to make sure all the doors are locked and not to answer the doors or go by the windows. Man the world is going to shit in a handbag.