Read Online Omega Days (Book 2): Ship of the Dead by John L. Campbell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: John L. Campbell
Tags: Zombies
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windows.”
Rosa sighed. “Those aren’t the only problems. Food and water are going to be an issue. It didn’t take long to scavenge through this place. We found some soda and bottled water, some bar snacks, but it won’t last long. There are supplies in that armored truck, we saw that, but only if those guys decide to share, and even then it’s going to run out quickly with this many people.”
Xavier nodded. The group now numbered just over fifty.
“People are going to start getting sick,” Rosa continued, and shook her head when the two men looked quickly at her. “Not the virus. But hygiene is a major problem for all of us, and there’s not enough water to drink, much less bathe. Then there’s poor nutrition. Most of us have been living on canned food and crap for over a month. It’s going to start taking its toll.”
The priest knew she was right. Before the outbreak, he had been careful about his diet, exercising regularly and boxing four or five times a week. He had lost weight, noticed the loss of muscle tone and a growing flabbiness. He itched all the time and was developing boils from a lack of adequate washing. The others were experiencing the same.
“Living outdoors all the time,” the medic said, “poor nutrition, poor hygiene . . . even the people who were in good health before this are going to decline, and then there’s that elderly couple from the firehouse. The man has MS and the woman is on oxygen, which will run out soon. Two of Calvin’s kids are diabetic. . . .” Rosa shook her head.
There was the scuff of a boot in the darkness, and they turned to see Carney walking toward them, rifle slung. He rubbed at his unshaven face. “Mind if I join your meeting?”
Xavier nodded. “I think it’s important you be here. I didn’t want to wake you, though.”
“What’s on the agenda?”
“Bad news,” said Evan.
Carney chuckled. “Is there another kind?” He squatted and rested his arms on his knees.
Rosa tipped her head toward the offices. “That man is going to turn. The girl too, probably. We’ll have to handle it fast.”
“And quiet,” said Evan. “Gunfire attracts them.”
Carney nodded. Before he dozed off, he had seen at least a dozen of the walking dead drifting past the hangar on their way to the airfield. None seemed interested in the group’s hiding place, but he knew that was only because they didn’t know there was food inside. “How long does insulin last if it’s not refrigerated?” he asked. “It’s been two hours since I had to shut the Bearcat off, since that cooler shut down. I see that Calvin brought it inside.”
Rosa nodded. “He’s just taking precautions, because he doesn’t know when he’ll ever find more. Insulin can last at room temperature for about a month, and in fact that’s how you want it to be when you inject it. I’ve heard cold insulin hurts like a bastard. If you have an extra supply, though, you should keep it cold.”
Carney chuckled and shook his head. “I was afraid it was like shellfish.” That got a soft laugh from all of them. He looked at Evan. “How did he keep that thing powered before? They couldn’t have just let a car run indefinitely.”
Evan shook his head. “Calvin had a generator in the back of his van. They’d fire it up when they were camping or stopped for the night.” He looked at the others. “They’ve got a lot of gear in that caravan we abandoned in Oakland, stuff we could really use.”
Xavier looked at the inmate. “And you’ve got a lot of gear in your truck. We were just talking about food and water.” The priest let the sentence hang there, and the others watched and waited for a reply.
Carney looked back at them. “It doesn’t seem like there’s a choice. I’m not that big of a prick that I’m going to keep it all for myself, but with this many people it’s not going to last more than a few days. We better have a plan soon.”
Xavier smiled and nodded his
Rosa sighed. “Those aren’t the only problems. Food and water are going to be an issue. It didn’t take long to scavenge through this place. We found some soda and bottled water, some bar snacks, but it won’t last long. There are supplies in that armored truck, we saw that, but only if those guys decide to share, and even then it’s going to run out quickly with this many people.”
Xavier nodded. The group now numbered just over fifty.
“People are going to start getting sick,” Rosa continued, and shook her head when the two men looked quickly at her. “Not the virus. But hygiene is a major problem for all of us, and there’s not enough water to drink, much less bathe. Then there’s poor nutrition. Most of us have been living on canned food and crap for over a month. It’s going to start taking its toll.”
The priest knew she was right. Before the outbreak, he had been careful about his diet, exercising regularly and boxing four or five times a week. He had lost weight, noticed the loss of muscle tone and a growing flabbiness. He itched all the time and was developing boils from a lack of adequate washing. The others were experiencing the same.
“Living outdoors all the time,” the medic said, “poor nutrition, poor hygiene . . . even the people who were in good health before this are going to decline, and then there’s that elderly couple from the firehouse. The man has MS and the woman is on oxygen, which will run out soon. Two of Calvin’s kids are diabetic. . . .” Rosa shook her head.
There was the scuff of a boot in the darkness, and they turned to see Carney walking toward them, rifle slung. He rubbed at his unshaven face. “Mind if I join your meeting?”
Xavier nodded. “I think it’s important you be here. I didn’t want to wake you, though.”
“What’s on the agenda?”
“Bad news,” said Evan.
Carney chuckled. “Is there another kind?” He squatted and rested his arms on his knees.
Rosa tipped her head toward the offices. “That man is going to turn. The girl too, probably. We’ll have to handle it fast.”
“And quiet,” said Evan. “Gunfire attracts them.”
Carney nodded. Before he dozed off, he had seen at least a dozen of the walking dead drifting past the hangar on their way to the airfield. None seemed interested in the group’s hiding place, but he knew that was only because they didn’t know there was food inside. “How long does insulin last if it’s not refrigerated?” he asked. “It’s been two hours since I had to shut the Bearcat off, since that cooler shut down. I see that Calvin brought it inside.”
Rosa nodded. “He’s just taking precautions, because he doesn’t know when he’ll ever find more. Insulin can last at room temperature for about a month, and in fact that’s how you want it to be when you inject it. I’ve heard cold insulin hurts like a bastard. If you have an extra supply, though, you should keep it cold.”
Carney chuckled and shook his head. “I was afraid it was like shellfish.” That got a soft laugh from all of them. He looked at Evan. “How did he keep that thing powered before? They couldn’t have just let a car run indefinitely.”
Evan shook his head. “Calvin had a generator in the back of his van. They’d fire it up when they were camping or stopped for the night.” He looked at the others. “They’ve got a lot of gear in that caravan we abandoned in Oakland, stuff we could really use.”
Xavier looked at the inmate. “And you’ve got a lot of gear in your truck. We were just talking about food and water.” The priest let the sentence hang there, and the others watched and waited for a reply.
Carney looked back at them. “It doesn’t seem like there’s a choice. I’m not that big of a prick that I’m going to keep it all for myself, but with this many people it’s not going to last more than a few days. We better have a plan soon.”
Xavier smiled and nodded his
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