The Virus : Strain Z

chapter 2

Here's chapter 2. Again tell me what you think about it please.

My phone rang startling me. It was Tara's brother Lux. ''I just talked to Tara, are you ok? She said y'all are both under lockdown for now.'' he said hurriedly before I could even greet him.

''Well hi to you to Lux, nice to hear from you'' I replied sarcastically. 'Yes I'm ok, & yes, I'm under lockdown untill mom & dad say it's ok to go outside' I told him. ''We saw on the news what happened in Chicago, I think it was Times Square where these people were being attacked by crazy folks. Where are you at anyways?'' I asked, concerned about the guy that I'd grown up knowing.

''Don't worry, I'm in an apartment with some guys I met. We're nowhere near Chicago. And yes, as precaution the doors & windows are locked closed.'' he said, knowing I'd ask about that as well. ''As much as I love talking to you Salia I need to get off. My phones about to die & I need to charge it. Keep me updated with texts though, ok?'' he made me promise before we disconnected.

Mom walked over & asked how my friends were & I reassured her they were fine. Just then the news had another update. "Just In" flashed across the screen with a very serious faced Rix. ''The government has admitted to there being no cure for this virus. They say it will continue to spread if people don't heed their warnings & avoid everyone possible. If someone approaches you saying they've been bit, stay away! The virus is spread through bites & symptoms can appear in as little as five minutes or as long as a few hours. When infected the person can turn on anyone & everyone. If anyone in your household has been bitten by an infected turn them out or lock them up. The infected are extremely violent, strong, fast, & so far nothing seems to faze them.'' he urged his audience.

My dad looked worriedly at mom. ''I've got some plywood in the garage & shed. We need to put it up over the bottom windows right now & set the door up with a bar across it so it can't be battered down. Come on you two, we need to hurry. Salia let your dog out so he can stretch his legs & use the bathroom out here before we lockup the house. He'll stay inside with us & use the garage to pee & poop afterwards.'' dad said as he pushed away from the table. We hurried to fasten the wood over the windows & even set up an old fashioned type door lock where a plank of wood went into these two notches on either side of the door & held the door from opening.

''Ridgey, hurry & finish boy. You need to come inside'' I called out. He came galloping around the corner of the house & barreled inside as if something was chasing him. I looked up & saw the neighbors dog, the local bully in dog ways. He came charging after Ridgey & I hurriedly slammed the door in his face before he could get inside.

Dad came to check & make sure I locked the door right & I followed him back to the t.v. with my dog glued to my side. I checked my phone & saw I had missed texts from Tara & Lux. Tara wanting to know if Lux & talked to me & Lux checking on me. I answered them both as I went to my room. Tara answered back.

''Hey Lux wants to know if he can have a pic of us. He wants to show the guys he's waiting with what we look like. That ok with you?'' she asked. ''Yeah, I think I have some on my phone that are fairly good. At least to where we aren't acting like dorks haha.'' I said. "I'll send him a couple from my phone & you can do the same & he can choose which he likes & show the guys them.'' I told her.

We each sent him a few pics & as I went to put my phone on it's charger I got another text from Lux. ''Already got one from Tara, can I have one of just you please?'' he asked. I took a quick one & sent it with ''hope it's ok, been busy outside putting wood over the windows so I'm not pretty & clean lol'' I told him. He replied back that it was perfectly fine.

I decided to get a quick shower to get the cobwebs & other nasty stuff outta my hair & off my skin from digging for the nails in the shed. As I stepped out of my bathroom I heard my mom calling me. ''Salia hurry! Come here'' she called me, panic in her voice. I rushed downstairs only to see on the news that the virus had spread to cover all of Chicago & was under government quarantine. No-one in or out for any reason.

I rushed upstairs to grab my phone. Just as I touched it Tara was calling. ''Did you see? What's gonna happen?'' we asked each other worriedly. ''I don't know. My parents are taking me to Gramps vacation house down in Mexico. We can't reach Lux to tell him.'' she said through tears. ''I've got to go, we're leaving right now. I'm writing a note for Lux in case he comes here looking for us. Please try to reach him & tell him Salia. I'll call you as soon as I can'' she cried as she hung-up. I immediately tried calling Lux but no answer, so I sent a text telling him to call me or his family a.s.a.p.

I went back downstairs to see what was happening now but nothing new had happened. They were playing the same bit of news over & over again. I went downstairs into the basement turned gameroom & tried to play some games to distract me. It worked for a short time until the doorbell rang. I tensed & grabbed a nearby bat & snuck upstairs to see who it was. I saw my dad peer through the peephole at the knocker.

''Please, you gotta let me in! My wife just came back from Illinois yesterday & has been acting awfully strange ever since.'' a voice called out hesitantly, full of fear. I recognized the voice as Mr. Tatch a kindly older man who always let anyone use his pool since he & his wife never had kids. He was holding his arm close to his chest with a rag over it. It was stained red with blood.