THE MEDUSA VIRUS: Book one of the Beta Viruses

Chapter 3- Jolene Woods*

My nerves are shot, my hands are shaking, and I can't breath. The memories are pushing at the back of my brain but I won't let them come. I refuse to think of those days. It hurts to much, but that's beside the point. Kit had no right to do that. These memories may have him in them but it still doesn't change anything.

The water that I splash on my face is refreshing and it helps me get pulled back into reality. My hands hit the sink with a thud and then all the nerves are good. I stare at my reflection for a moment: I look tired, and the acne that covers my entire forehead is showing. This is the point where I realize that I need to put some makeup; it may be the end of the world, but it's no reason for me to look bad. I retreat to my temporary room to get my small and largest suitcase, and then make haste back to the woman's restroom.

I pull my makeup out of my bag and quickly apply it; making my face look perfect. I fix my hair, braiding it into dutch pigtails before I tie a red ribbon around my head; using it as a headband. I stare at my self for a few more moments: I look better but something is missing. I have no clue what but I'm sure it will hit me in a moment.

I slip on a black button up with blue jean shorts. I jump until the pants slip over my hips and then I button them quickly. I slip on the same shoes I wore yesterday before I shove my dirty clothes into my dirty clothes section of my large suitcase and head out of the woman's bathroom.

When I exit I smell something weird. It's a foreign smell that I've never smelt in my entire life, well in this combination anyways. My curious mind leaves me wondering off in the direction that it's coming from. Then I find the source; which I am in no way happy about. I let out a petrified scream as I back away from the source, leaving my suitcases by the entrance to the restroom. 

It's a bleeding dog. With stones creeping around its neck, and it's holding what I think is a dead rabbit. The dog looks at me and its eyes go from hatred to love. It comes over to me and sets the rabbit at my feet before it sits. It's tail wags crazily and it's tongue hangs at an odd angle, making it look almost like woofles. I slowly bend down and reach my hand out. "Are you lost..?" I whisper. The dog begins to come closer, and it's nose reaches out towards my hand. It takes two sniffs and then begins to growl. I slowly pull my hand back to me as the dogs love goes back to hatred. It's lips pull back revealing blood stained teeth, ready for its next victim.

Fear shoots through me making me back up away from the dog, standing as I do. I take one step away from the dog and it follows me, growls growing deeper with every passing second. Just as the dog is about to snap at me Kit and Jason both yell, making the dog turn it's attention towards them instead of me. At that sign I take off running away from the dog. A bad choice on my part, because the attention of the dog snaps back at me and it comes running straight after me. I've never ran so hard in my life, I'm just lucky that I'm fit from being a batter on our softball team.

My shoes hit the grounds with thuds as I make my way up the steps. Behind me I hear both the dog and the boys chasing after me. I glance back only to see that the dog is right on my heels and the boys are catching their breath. "Typical." I hiss quietly as I take a hard turn down the escalator straight into the biggest store in the mall; Lady Nichole's clothing store. I head towards the back and jump up onto one of the shelves before I turn and look back. The dog is right at the bottom of the shelve barking and growling up a storm.

White foam slowly comes out of the corner of its mouth making me want to unleash chunks all over it. I close my eyes and lean my head against the wall behind me: This situation could have gotten a lot worse. Im lucky that all those years of conditioning were at my back.

My eyes open revealing both Kit and Jason with guns. Kit is the first to fire, leaving the dog with no ability to walk. Jason is second, his bullets spray up on the wall beside me making me yelp. Despite all of those bullets he managed to miss the once aggressive animal. Before another bullet is fired I have a wave of heroics wash over me. I land next to the dog, putting myself in between the boys and its shivering figure. "It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you." I whisper reaching out to the animal. It collapses on the ground, his tongue flapping with each pant. "You can rest, no more suffering." I sit beside the dog and pet its side gently. I make sure that in its last moments, all it feels is the unconditional love of an animal lover.