Free Infected by V.A. Brandon Page A

preoccupied about something.
    Patrick fidgeted in the backseat, trying to get comfortable. “Did you see the jerk who hit us?” he asked, looking peeved.
    “You saw him?” Marie was taken aback.
    “Yes, I caught a brief glimpse of his face.”
    Amy was intrigued. “What did he look like?”
    Patrick paused. “I think it was Mr. Kang.” Then later, he added in confusion, “But he was bald.”
    That he would say something so ludicrous, especially at this time, was mind-boggling. Amy gawked at the older man, speechless. Could a person be this insensitive? Had the man no feelings at all?
    Sensing the quiet anger in the car, Patrick grew defensive. “Look, I’m just saying –”
    “You’ve said enough,” Justin cut in, his voice stern. “Even you should realize how insane that sounds. How can a dead man be driving a car?”
    “Maybe the driver was an Asian man, but Patrick thought it was Mr. Kang because he thinks Asians all look the same.” Daniel lifted a questioning brow. “Is that what happened?”
    Uncertainty filled the older man’s eyes as he fumbled for an answer. “I . . . I’m not sure.” His hunched posture indicated his deepening doubt. “And I don’t appreciate your comment, Daniel. I’m not a racist,” he mumbled, mostly to himself.
    Amy settled into her seat, shaking her head. “Let’s go,” she said to Justin. “We’ve wasted enough time as it is.”
    “All right.” Justin gazed at the rest of the group through the rearview mirror. “Everyone, keep your eyes open. If you see anything that even resembles a shack, let me know. We’ll need to find shelter before it gets dark.”
    ***
    By evening, they were still on the bumpy road, flanked by fields and silhouetted trees in the distance. Slouching in her seat, Amy rested her feet on the dashboard and dozed on and off.  The rest of the afternoon had been pretty uneventful, for which she was grateful. She felt the lull of sleep about to overtake her again when the wagon crawled to a stop and Justin leaned forward, staring at a patch of land to his left.
    “Do you guys see that?”
    Amy immediately sat up, peering intently. There was a low, rusty fence around a spacious plot of land. But sitting on top of the hilly horizon was the silhouette of what looked to be a dilapidated mansion.
    “Think we should check it out?” Justin asked.
    “Definitely,” Amy replied, excitement in her voice. “It looks like the perfect spot to stay for the night.”
    “We must be careful. There might be Runners inside,” Daniel cautioned.
    Slowly, Justin drove the station wagon around the fence and went past an old sign that read: GREEN HILL CLINIC . He parked the car beside a broken fountain, gazing up at the mansion with narrowed eyes.
    “This place looks very old,” Marie said, observing the weeds and rambling vines twisting around the pillars and over the walls.
    Nodding, Amy got out of the car. “Looks like it was abandoned years ago. The place is a mess.”
    The rest of the group got out as well. Justin opened the rear door and grabbed his baseball bat and Daniel’s fire poker.
    “Daniel and I are going inside to check out the place. I want the rest of you to stay here and guard the car. Is everyone okay with that?”
    Nods all around. After Justin handed the fire poker to Daniel, the two of them headed toward the entrance and pulled the door. The hinges squeaked loudly as the door swung open.
    “It is very dark,” Daniel muttered, peering inside. “Maybe we should take a few glow sticks –”
    “Wait!” Marie hurried over to the car and rummaged through the boxes with one hand, hugging Walter with the other. She let out a triumphant sound when she found what she was looking for.
    Amy shook her head in wonder. “You always think of everything,” she breathed, staring at the narrow flashlights in Marie’s right hand.
    “Please tell me you got batteries as well,” Patrick said.
    “Of course.” She reached down again and pulled