Outbreak - Book One

Chapter Five - Drop Dead

WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS HEAVY THEMES OF VIOLENCE, GORE, SUICIDE, DRUG USE, AND DEATH

"I would like to welcome our new arrivals!" Jerry exclaimed to the people of the bus station. Everyone greeted the group nicely. "What's y'all's names?" A guy asked, stepping forward from the crowd of twenty people. "I'm Nelson." Nelson introduced himself. "Okay... So do the rest of y'all not have any names?" The guy said in a joking tone. The group stood in silence because they felt slightly uncomfortable. "This is my wife Li-" Nelson started, but the man interrupted him rudely. "Nah nah nah nah. Can't you scary looking people speak for yourselves?" He asked in a dick headed manner. "Davis, quit being an ass." Jerry told him. Davis walked past Nelson and planted himself inches away from Jerry, making sure they were staring each other face to face. "Who said you were the leader? Loser ass bitch." Davis asked insultingly. "My job is to bring new people to this camp so we have a chance at maintaining humanity while it's still here. Your job is to shut up and watch from the sidelines." Jerry clapped back immediately. Davis didn't like that so he shoved Jerry backwards. Nelson got between them as Jerry was rushing back at Davis to throw a hit. "Can someone tell me where the leader of this place is?" Nelson asked with his arms extended to both their chests keeping them away. Jerry and Davis eventually let up and stopped going at each other. "They're out on a supply mission. The third one this week." Davis explained. Jerry didn't keep his eyes off at Davis. "When can we meet them?" Nelson questioned. "Hell I don't know, whenever they decide to come back." Said Davis. Nelson didn't give an answer, so Davis walked off back to his sleeping quarters. "Let's get you all started." Jerry said.

Jerry handed everyone a blanket, two empty bottles, some food, and some toilet paper. There was an open but empty section of the bus station. He brought the group there so they could set up their sleeping and personal arrangements. Jerry told them that once everyone figured out where they wanted to be sleeping, he'd put up curtains to separate for privacy. "Oh, and I'd like to mention. Davis isn't always like that. I'm sorry you guys had to witness him like that." Jerry apologized to Connor and Nelson as everyone got their stuff set up in the background. "What does he take meds or something?" Connor wondered. "Yeah, but we haven't been able to find any since last week, and we've been trying to find some cause he's a dick when he's off his meds. It's high on our shopping list every time our group goes on supply runs." Explained Jerry. "Ah. I see." Connor responded.

Elias sat alone on his blanket looking up at the night sky and the stars. There was the odd banging or growling from outside the fences by walkers. It was kinda calming to Elias though. Hearing them walk around outside while knowing there was no way one could get in the camp. Not having walls or fences was definitely a design flaw of their first camp Elias thought. The peace was ruined as Elias could feel an urgent pain serge through his stomach and upper chest. He tried not to groan in pain since he knew Jerry or someone else would hear him and find out. Once Jerry was done tending to everyone and back in his office, Elias pulled up his shirt. A big bite mark the size of his palm revealed itself on his stomach. "Fuck." Elias complained in a whispering tone from the pain. He didn't know how much time he had left, but he did know he wanted to live out however long that time was. So he let his shirt drop down again, covering the wound.

Nelson, Lisa, and Caleb all were sitting at their spot in the corner of the bus station. "I wonder why there's no buses here." Nelson said. "Wait, why'd you say busses like that?" Lisa asked confused. "Like what? I said buses." Nelson told her. "It's 'busses' not 'bewses', you're saying it weirdly." Lisa told him. "It's bewses?" Nelson asked. "No, it's busses." Lisa corrected him. "It's busses?" Nelson wondered. "It's busses." Lisa confirmed. "It's busses." Nelson said. Just then Jerry appeared. "Oh, hey." Nelson greeted him. "Would you guys like some food?" He asked. "Sure." Lisa told him. "Okay, I'll go get you guys some." Jerry said nicely as he walked to go get them some food. Nelson reached into his pocket and pulled out the badge from the store and looked at it momentarily. "Ooh, I didn't know you kept your badge." Said Lisa. "It's not mine." Nelson told her "Connor and I were out behind the store tryna find who robbed us, and he found this badge under a leaf." Nelson described to her. "What's so special about it then? Why'd you keep it?" Asked Lisa. Nelson flipped it around and showed her the writing on the badge. "That's the same city I worked in. The question should be why is it here?" Nelson told her. That's right when Jerry returned with three MRE's. "Hehe, we have an endless supply of these things." Jerry chuckled as he handed Lisa, Nelson, and Caleb all an MRE pack each. As Nelson was placing the badge back in his pocket, Jerry noticed him. "Wait, lemme see that." He told Nelson. "This?" Nelson asked, holding out the badge. "Yes." Jerry confirmed as Nelson gave it to him. Jerry looked at it for a second like he recognized it. "Where did you find this?" Jerry questioned Nelson, sounding somewhat concerned. "When we got robbed it was outside the store." Nelson told him. Jerry seemed very shocked. "I'm taking this back to the office." Jerry told him. "Why? That's mine." Nelson told him. "I have to take this back, I'm sorry." Jerry said as he started to walk off. "What the hell man!" Nelson exclaimed in frustration.