Free Omega Virus (Book 1): Beta Hour by Jake A. Strife Page A

him.
    “You
know how to drive?” I asked.
    Tiffany
nodded as she turned the key, and the SUV roared to life. “Just got my permit
last week on my birthday.”
    Kessa
took one of my hands and wrapped bandages around my wound.
    “You’re
birthday was last week?” I asked.
    Tiffany
shrugged as we pulled out of the lot. “We played a game of D&D; the Gamer’s
Guild that is. It sucked. I had to DM. I always have to DM.”
    I
chuckled. I’d never played a tabletop RPG, only the video games.
    “What
day exactly?”
    “December
11th.”
    “Belated
happy bir—,” I said, but she slammed on the gas, and we shot over a bump,
causing my head to hit the roof. Between the pain in my hands, and Tiffany’s
driving, Bleeding out didn't seem like such a bad idea. Kessa held my hand
steady and kept wrapping. I glanced in the mirror and saw Tiffany’s eyes. They
were red and puffy. As tough as the girl tried to act, deep down she had a
sensitive side, although she’d never admit to it.
    The
rain came down harder as we sped through town.
    “Whoa!”
Wesley grabbed the roof. “Careful!”
    Tiffany
ignored him.
    “There’s
no way you’d ever pass a driving exam!” I complained.
    Tiffany
ignored that too.
    More
than once Merlda cried out and each time I wondered if she could be dying?
Bleeding internally from that bastard, Pa, hurting her? I didn’t want to care
because she’d nearly killed me. But cruelty didn’t run in my veins.
    Out
of nowhere Tiffany slammed the breaks. We all lurched, saved only by our
seatbelts. There were hundreds, maybe even a thousand Corpses swarming outside
of Epic Impossibilities Games.
    Wesley
leaned forward putting his nose against the windshield. “This is effing
amazing. Imagine the score I’ll get if I kill them all.”
    “Idiot!”
Tiffany grabbed him by the collar and smacked him hard across the face.
    His
head snapped to the side, and he stayed that way, cursing under his breath. The
back end of the Corpse horde noticed us.
    Tiffany
released Wesley. “We need a way inside! Is there a back entrance?”
    He
laughed. “It’s built like a fortress, remember? We were ready for the Zombie
Apocalypse!”
    Tiffany
put the SUV in reverse. “Now would be the time to tell us.”
    “Tell
you what?”
    “The
back entrance!” She jerked the wheel.
    The
SUV slammed into a flipped school bus. She tried to drive forward we were stuck
on something. The tires squealed as she slammed the gas, which only drew the
attention of every last Corpse in the horde.
    Tiffany
kept maneuvering the wheel, but we weren’t going anywhere. The undead reached
the sides of the SUV blocking off our escape. Panic filled the vehicle, save
Wesley. He looked calm.
    I
pointed up. “The sunroof!”
    Kessa
stood and pushed against the glass, but it didn’t slide.
    “Is
there a button?” she asked.
    Tiffany
growled as the Corpses pounded on the driver’s side window, sending a crack
snaking up the glass. Wesley began to chuckle.
    “This
isn’t funny jackass! Help us!” I snapped.
    Wesley
sighed. “Tiff, baby, roll down the window would ya?”
    “Are
you bat-crap crazy?” she cried.
    “No.
Just get ready to run as if we all are.”
    She
shook her head. Finally, Wesley reached across and rolled the window down just
a hand’s breadth.
    “What
are you doing?” I gasped.
    Wesley
held a grenade, tab pulled. He reached out and tossed it just a few feet. One
Corpse ended up catching it as in mid-grasp. It pulled the object in close and
chomped.
    The
explosion went off, and the SUV rocked with force as dozens of Corpses
exploded, clearing a wide path, but also shattering the SUVs windows. My ears
rang as we quickly shoved out the doors.
    Tiffany
whipped a dagger out as the rest of the Corpses shambled forward.
    Wesley
held his hand out. “The hat.”
    Tiffany
glared, reached back in the car. Wesley put the hat back on his head. “This
way!”
    Grinning
like a schoolboy, he ran across the street and into an alley. We