Read Online August Burning (Book 1): Outbreak by Tyler Lahey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tyler Lahey
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understand me son?”
“I do. I will. My friends are all here
with me. Bennett, Liam, Troy, and Elvis. All of them.”
The voice on the other end sighed
deeply. “They are. That makes me happy. Protect each other.”
Jaxton paused, deep in swirling
thought. “Mom. Listen. If the cell service ever stops, meet me at home.”
“In Cold Spring?”
“Meet me at home. I can get there with
the others.”
“How are you ever going to get back to
Pennsylvania?”
“I’ll find a way,” Jaxton said,
suddenly much more sure of himself. His voice had steadied.
“Can I talk to Danny? Mom?”
The call had dropped. Jaxton twisted
his fist against the brick wall, feeling the grains cutting into his flesh. He
fought a rising knot in his stomach, and breathed deeply, counting the seconds
of each inhale and exhale.
As Jaxton returned he heard Bennett
speaking quickly, “My parents were able to turn around. They went back to Cold
Spring to wait this out.” He set his jaw and looked off into space dully.
“They’ll wait in Pennsylvania till this blows over. I don’t think they think
anything is really wrong.” He looked off into space.
Troy didn’t seem to notice. “Air
service to all the big eastern cities is totally frozen. Nothing in or out. My
dad thinks its some kind of military lockdown. My buddy’s heading back home to
Maryland. Taking no chances. I’m guna see what the Army needs. Elvis where are
your parents?”
Elvis shook his head. “We’re taking
the car back home tomorrow morning at 6. I’m staying with you guys tonight. I
told them that.”
“So everyone is stuck here for tonight,
and their parents have either returned home or are waiting somewhere on the
road south.”
The group murmured assent, suddenly
taking comfort for the company they shared. No one was alone in their private
trepidation. Sirens sounded in the distance. Shouting families and students
moved briskly past them, as they stood unmoving in a tight knit circle.
Jaxton lead them back to the apartment
he shared with Liam on the 9 th floor of a massive brick apartment
building. He had suggested they all try to get away from the panic sweeping the
streets. Their harried faces were stricken with exhaustion as they started
numbly at the television screen. His friends barely spoke. One by one the
graduates drifted into a restless sleep in some corner of the tiny apartment,
until the voices on the TV only spoke to Adira, who regarded it with a sinister
fixation. She chewed unconsciously on her beautifully painted nails, and stared
with red eyes.
“My mom hasn’t even called me. They’re
not even trying to get me,” she whispered, tugging at her jet-black hair.
Bennett half-opened his eyes, sensing
her emotion. “They had no chance, Adira. There was nothing they could even do.”
He spoke the words, but knew in his own mind he would be cursing them too. They
were cowards for not even attempting to make the trip. He looked at the girl
seated next to him. Her previously intoxicating confidence has crumbled, and
there were now only broken nerves. He sighed, putting his arm around her. She
immediately responded to his touch, and began crying softly, as the others
slept all around them.
Chapter Seven
8 hours after Outbreak. Washington, D.C
Liam awoke first, never having really
slept at all. He was sprawled out on his own bed, and fought against delirium
to open his eyes as faint light sifted through the blinds. Harley was lying on
the bed opposite, with Elvis snoring next to her. She had his arm wrapped
around her, but her eyes were red and wide open, looking straight at Liam. He
tried to smile faintly at her, wondering if the girl had slept at all. She
hardly looked comfortable. Suddenly, she rose breathlessly, extricating herself
from Elvis’s clutches without waking him. Her face contorted in exhaustion and
fear before she launched herself, wrapping Liam in a bear-hug and shuddering
audibly as she did so. Liam jerked back at
“I do. I will. My friends are all here
with me. Bennett, Liam, Troy, and Elvis. All of them.”
The voice on the other end sighed
deeply. “They are. That makes me happy. Protect each other.”
Jaxton paused, deep in swirling
thought. “Mom. Listen. If the cell service ever stops, meet me at home.”
“In Cold Spring?”
“Meet me at home. I can get there with
the others.”
“How are you ever going to get back to
Pennsylvania?”
“I’ll find a way,” Jaxton said,
suddenly much more sure of himself. His voice had steadied.
“Can I talk to Danny? Mom?”
The call had dropped. Jaxton twisted
his fist against the brick wall, feeling the grains cutting into his flesh. He
fought a rising knot in his stomach, and breathed deeply, counting the seconds
of each inhale and exhale.
As Jaxton returned he heard Bennett
speaking quickly, “My parents were able to turn around. They went back to Cold
Spring to wait this out.” He set his jaw and looked off into space dully.
“They’ll wait in Pennsylvania till this blows over. I don’t think they think
anything is really wrong.” He looked off into space.
Troy didn’t seem to notice. “Air
service to all the big eastern cities is totally frozen. Nothing in or out. My
dad thinks its some kind of military lockdown. My buddy’s heading back home to
Maryland. Taking no chances. I’m guna see what the Army needs. Elvis where are
your parents?”
Elvis shook his head. “We’re taking
the car back home tomorrow morning at 6. I’m staying with you guys tonight. I
told them that.”
“So everyone is stuck here for tonight,
and their parents have either returned home or are waiting somewhere on the
road south.”
The group murmured assent, suddenly
taking comfort for the company they shared. No one was alone in their private
trepidation. Sirens sounded in the distance. Shouting families and students
moved briskly past them, as they stood unmoving in a tight knit circle.
Jaxton lead them back to the apartment
he shared with Liam on the 9 th floor of a massive brick apartment
building. He had suggested they all try to get away from the panic sweeping the
streets. Their harried faces were stricken with exhaustion as they started
numbly at the television screen. His friends barely spoke. One by one the
graduates drifted into a restless sleep in some corner of the tiny apartment,
until the voices on the TV only spoke to Adira, who regarded it with a sinister
fixation. She chewed unconsciously on her beautifully painted nails, and stared
with red eyes.
“My mom hasn’t even called me. They’re
not even trying to get me,” she whispered, tugging at her jet-black hair.
Bennett half-opened his eyes, sensing
her emotion. “They had no chance, Adira. There was nothing they could even do.”
He spoke the words, but knew in his own mind he would be cursing them too. They
were cowards for not even attempting to make the trip. He looked at the girl
seated next to him. Her previously intoxicating confidence has crumbled, and
there were now only broken nerves. He sighed, putting his arm around her. She
immediately responded to his touch, and began crying softly, as the others
slept all around them.
Chapter Seven
8 hours after Outbreak. Washington, D.C
Liam awoke first, never having really
slept at all. He was sprawled out on his own bed, and fought against delirium
to open his eyes as faint light sifted through the blinds. Harley was lying on
the bed opposite, with Elvis snoring next to her. She had his arm wrapped
around her, but her eyes were red and wide open, looking straight at Liam. He
tried to smile faintly at her, wondering if the girl had slept at all. She
hardly looked comfortable. Suddenly, she rose breathlessly, extricating herself
from Elvis’s clutches without waking him. Her face contorted in exhaustion and
fear before she launched herself, wrapping Liam in a bear-hug and shuddering
audibly as she did so. Liam jerked back at
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