Free Stage 6 by Dylan James

through the city, when Debbie,” he paused to look angrily in her direction, “Ran in front of me and caused me to flip the truck. We just stood up top for a while, surprisingly easy because these Infected don’t know how to climb. Then you found us, and here we are. We think that Debbie is suffering from shock or something, because she’s been totally out of it.”
    Ian, who had been staring at Debbie for a while now spoke up calmly, “Jack I think you should stop the car.”
    I hesitated, but heard the barely noticeable strain in his voice, and I agreed. I checked to make sure there was no one in sight, and I stopped. I asked, “Why Ian?”
    He just replied, “Everybody please get out of the car for a second, I want to check the wheels, I think we may have blown them back there.”
    I glanced back and saw fear flash in his eyes, and once again I agreed.
    Kevin protested, “What the hell are you doing man? Don’t stop the car for this moron! We could be attacked!”
    I opened my door, got out and threw his door open. “Ian’s not a moron. He’s part of us.”
    Steve came by and pulled Kevin almost bodily from the car as he reached in and grabbed his baby. My mom coerced Debbie to get out of the car and for a minute we all stood outside the car standing there. Kevin was swearing angrily, but Debbie and Sarah just looked confused.
    I walked over to Ian and asked, “Dude what is it?”
    He whispered back, “Debbie has bite marks on her arms, I think she was Infected a good while ago and that’s why she threw herself in front of their truck and is acting so strange now.”
    A moment of terror went through my mind and I fought every urge to turn and stare at her, or run for cover. I replied, “Are you sure!?”
    Ian told me, “Shhh! Yeah, man I’m sure. What are we going to do?”
    I looked back at the group, whose faces were all centered on mine. Debbie started shaking a little bit, and I said, “Alright everybody except Debbie come over here.”
    Her expression didn’t change, so I figured she was already so far gone she couldn’t understand what we were saying.
    Kevin walked over to me and demanded, “Tell me what’s going on!”
    I replied quietly, “Ian saw bite marks on Debbie.”
    He said, “So?”
    Incredulous, I told him, “That’s how the virus is spread. The bites transmit it and it takes effect within eight-twelve hours.”
    He looked as if he was going to yell at me again, but then stopped and glanced at Debbie. My group, which had already known this, was looking over at her with horror.
    Sarah asked confused, “Well what do you mean ‘takes effect” within eight-twelve hours? What happens?”
    Steve replied grimly, “They become Infected. They will no longer know who you are, and will kill you if at all within their power.”
    Lucy looked terrified, and asked, “Well what do we do?”
    My mom spoke up, “Well we don’t actually know for certain she’s Infected do we? How bout we stay here for a few hours and see what happens to make sure-”
    Kevin broke in and yelled, “That’s no good! We can’t stay here a few hours, those things are after us and they run like hell! Besides we don’t even know what else is in store ahead of us! No, we can’t stay here.”
    Kevin backed off and looked at the sky angrily, although I did not know what he was angry at. Steve gave Victoria to Lucy and he, Ian, and I backed into a little circle of our own and started debating what to do. Steve wanted to leave her here, and drive off, and Ian pointed out that she had been in our car for a few minutes. We didn’t know if any small virus particles whether in blood or saliva or what had been dislodged in the car.
    During this Kevin grew increasingly mad, breaking in to say, unhelpfully, “This is all crap! This sucks!”
    I suggested we leave her here, drive off a few minutes and then decontaminate the car, but then Steve pointed out if the Infected behind us get here and she has turned they will