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Authors: R. L. Blalock
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low and quiet to avoid attracting their attention.
Liv pulled the flashlight from the diaper bag and scanned the street one last time for any more of the infected. In the hush that had fallen, her footsteps sounded like firecrackers as she hurried across the street. Any minute now, the infected would hear her. Their terrible scream would break the night’s silence and then they would run right for her.
She stopped on the porch in front of the open door. Nervously, she looked around for the attack. To her surprise, the infected still stood where she had last seen them. Not one had moved a muscle. Liv exhaled a sigh of relief and turned back to the house.
The front of the house was gorgeous. The two-story brick façade was pristine. Windows dotted the front, including two large bay windows. The residents had been in the process of ripping out the honeysuckle vines that crept up the porch front and had started to invade the roof. A good portion of the plant still clung to the railing, but piles of dead vines sat piled on the ground. Two small trees guarded either corner of the porch.
The home was large. Liv was sure in another circumstance she would have been envious. Right now, though, she wanted nothing more than to be in her own modest home, in her own bed, secluded from the world.
Darkness seeped out of the open front door as though it were reaching for Liv. She didn’t want to go inside, but more than anything she didn’t want to stay out here. Not with the infected lurching about in the shadows. Liv didn’t know how to pick a lock, and breaking a window would leave an open entryway for any of them to crawl through. Something had happened at this home, but it was Liv’s best option for a silent entry. The halogen glow cast by the flashlight shone brightly in the living room as she gently nudged open the door.
Liv’s eyes quickly darted to the darkened corners of the room as she entered, trying to spot any danger before it spotted her. The living room was like any other: sofas and chairs arranged so that the center was open, all facing a television on the opposite side.
For a moment, Liv debated whether to close the door behind her. If there were any of them in the house, the closed door would pose an obstacle to her escape, but closing the door would mean the infected outside couldn’t follow her into the house. One last look at the outside world settled the question. She wanted as much between her and the outside world as possible.
Movement reverberated through the ceiling from upstairs. Liv swept the flashlight over the open floor plan, which allowed her to see the living room, kitchen, and dining room. Empty. The footsteps moved quickly across the floor until they reached the top of the stairs. Her stomach churned as she clutched the wrench to her chest, her fingers nearly turning white from the tightness of her grip. She braced herself, taking a few steps back to give herself space.
Instead of one of them, though, a mass of gold, curly fur careened down the stairs. For a moment, Liv was unsure how to handle the dog. Perhaps whatever was infecting humans could infect animals as well. As he approached her, though, his tail wagged lazily from side to side and his fur was unmarred by any wounds he would have received if he had been attacked by the infected.
The golden retriever ran up and sniffed around her legs and feet, his tail in perpetual motion. “Hi there, pretty boy.” She held out her hand for him to sniff before rubbing his head. He seemed friendly and his presence in the house was a relief. Since he was running around the house, whatever had been in the house was probably gone.
The first floor, which held the living room, master bedroom, kitchen, and an extra bathroom, was empty. As Liv headed for the stairs to investigate the upstairs, she paused. There was a door in the living room she had dismissed as a coat closet. Just above the knob, a red smear stood out against the white frame.
Liv’s
Liv pulled the flashlight from the diaper bag and scanned the street one last time for any more of the infected. In the hush that had fallen, her footsteps sounded like firecrackers as she hurried across the street. Any minute now, the infected would hear her. Their terrible scream would break the night’s silence and then they would run right for her.
She stopped on the porch in front of the open door. Nervously, she looked around for the attack. To her surprise, the infected still stood where she had last seen them. Not one had moved a muscle. Liv exhaled a sigh of relief and turned back to the house.
The front of the house was gorgeous. The two-story brick façade was pristine. Windows dotted the front, including two large bay windows. The residents had been in the process of ripping out the honeysuckle vines that crept up the porch front and had started to invade the roof. A good portion of the plant still clung to the railing, but piles of dead vines sat piled on the ground. Two small trees guarded either corner of the porch.
The home was large. Liv was sure in another circumstance she would have been envious. Right now, though, she wanted nothing more than to be in her own modest home, in her own bed, secluded from the world.
Darkness seeped out of the open front door as though it were reaching for Liv. She didn’t want to go inside, but more than anything she didn’t want to stay out here. Not with the infected lurching about in the shadows. Liv didn’t know how to pick a lock, and breaking a window would leave an open entryway for any of them to crawl through. Something had happened at this home, but it was Liv’s best option for a silent entry. The halogen glow cast by the flashlight shone brightly in the living room as she gently nudged open the door.
Liv’s eyes quickly darted to the darkened corners of the room as she entered, trying to spot any danger before it spotted her. The living room was like any other: sofas and chairs arranged so that the center was open, all facing a television on the opposite side.
For a moment, Liv debated whether to close the door behind her. If there were any of them in the house, the closed door would pose an obstacle to her escape, but closing the door would mean the infected outside couldn’t follow her into the house. One last look at the outside world settled the question. She wanted as much between her and the outside world as possible.
Movement reverberated through the ceiling from upstairs. Liv swept the flashlight over the open floor plan, which allowed her to see the living room, kitchen, and dining room. Empty. The footsteps moved quickly across the floor until they reached the top of the stairs. Her stomach churned as she clutched the wrench to her chest, her fingers nearly turning white from the tightness of her grip. She braced herself, taking a few steps back to give herself space.
Instead of one of them, though, a mass of gold, curly fur careened down the stairs. For a moment, Liv was unsure how to handle the dog. Perhaps whatever was infecting humans could infect animals as well. As he approached her, though, his tail wagged lazily from side to side and his fur was unmarred by any wounds he would have received if he had been attacked by the infected.
The golden retriever ran up and sniffed around her legs and feet, his tail in perpetual motion. “Hi there, pretty boy.” She held out her hand for him to sniff before rubbing his head. He seemed friendly and his presence in the house was a relief. Since he was running around the house, whatever had been in the house was probably gone.
The first floor, which held the living room, master bedroom, kitchen, and an extra bathroom, was empty. As Liv headed for the stairs to investigate the upstairs, she paused. There was a door in the living room she had dismissed as a coat closet. Just above the knob, a red smear stood out against the white frame.
Liv’s
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