Feeding Frenzy

Chapter 2

 Evey set an alarm so that she would wake up early. Bailey and Steven were in the kitchen making French toast when she came downstairs. Bailey's tablet was propped up on the kitchen island, and she pointed at the screen.

"You'll be interested in this," she said. "What you saw at the gas station is happening worldwide."

"What are you talking about?" Evey asked.

She sat down on the stool and turned the tablet to face her. A newsreel was playing on the screen. A headline was in bold red lettering and ran along the bottom.

Cannibalistic Virus Showing in Multiple Countries

Security footage and shaky cellphone videos showed scenes similar to what Evey had witnessed at the gas station. People with frothing mouths and blood leaking from their eyes were attacking innocent people on the street. There were interviews with shaken witnesses.

"What do you think it is?" Evey asked.

"Some kind of drug must be going around," Bailey said.

"It seems like more than that. The reporters calling it a virus."

Bailey reached over and turned down the volume on the tablet, but the news was still playing. Lila dragged her feet into the kitchen and dug the heel of her hand into her eye. She was in her pajamas, and her hair was a matted mess.

"Good morning, Kiddo," Evey said.

Lila yawned as she sat down next to Evey. She tried to run her fingers through Lila's knotted hair. Bailey set a plate of French toast in front of Lila, and Evey helped Lila pour the syrup.

The doorbell rang, and they all looked at each other. Evey raised a brow.

"Is Uncle John coming over?" she asked.

"It's early," Bailey said. "We're not expecting anyone."

Someone pounded on the front door. Bailey stepped forward, but Steven placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Let me get it," he said.

The knocking continued as Steven walked toward the door. Evey and Bailey shared a confused look, but Lila was too busy eating to care about who was here this early in the morning.

"How many people are in the house?" a male voice asked.

"Three of us live here," Steven said. "But my stepdaughter is visiting."

Evey's eyes widened, and her heart pounded when she watched two soldiers enter the kitchen. They were in full uniform with radios attached to their chests and had large guns in their hands. Lila stopped eating when she saw them and crawled onto Evey's lap. Evey tightened her arms around her sister.

One soldier, the shorter one, pulled something out of his pocket. Evey craned her neck to see it looked like the glucose meter she used at work, but the only difference was it was larger and made of metal.

"I need a blood sample from each of you," the shorter soldier said.

"Why?" Steven asked.

"We need to test you all."

"For what?"

The taller soldier tightened his grip on the gun in his hands.

"Just do it," he snapped. "Or we'll kill all of you."

"This is Canada. We have rights-" Steven started.

"We're in a state of emergency," he said. "What's it going to be?"