Apocalypse Atlanta by David Rogers Read Free Book Online

know what’s happening.  Our calls to the schools we know are affected are going almost completely unanswered, and only some are busy; a lot of them are just ringing without being picked up.  What can you tell us about what’s happening?”
    “Sabrina, I can only address what’s happening in the DeKalb school system, but I think speak for all the metro area school boards when I say the safety of students is our number one priority.”
    The light turned green, and cars starting moving.  Jessica followed them through the intersection, then put her foot right to the floor and swerved the Accord into the right hand turn lane.  She roared past seven cars before cutting back into the travel lane, pressed back in her seat as the Honda’s engine responded with surprising acceleration.
    “We started getting reports from various schools just before eleven thirty.” the school board spokesman was saying as Jessica flew through the next intersection and went around the normal traffic by using the turn lane again.  This time she cut off a car that was turning out of the cross street, earning her an angry horn honk she completely ignored as she gripped the steering wheel tightly and focused on her driving.
    “What we’re hearing is a number of children are sick.”
    “Sick, in what way, Steve?” the host interjected.
    “The ill children appear to be almost catatonic.” Steve said.  “They’re not talking, they’re almost completely non-responsive.”
    “Children are collapsing?”
    “No, that’s what’s so strange.  They’re still mobile, but they’re not acting normally.  We’re hearing that some of them are being very disruptive.”
    “In what way?”
    “Grabbing fellow students, even teachers.” Steve said.  Jessica used the last bit of turn lane available to her to again pass a block of vehicles that were driving normally.  She was up to seventy miles per hour, and knew the next stretch of 124 was less developed than the commercial section she was in now.  She really hoped she wouldn’t get blocked off by traffic.  She was out of turn lanes.  “Some of these assaults have resulted in injuries.”
    “What kind of injuries?”
    “Well, there’ve been some bites, some scratching.  Some of the assaults have knocked people over and there’ve been bumps and bruises from falls, folks hitting stuff when they fall, that sort of thing.”
    Jessica shook her head as she listened and started weaving between both northbound lanes, threading through the cars ahead of her.  More horns were sounding behind her, which she continued ignore, as she cut several people off by squeezing her Accord through spaces barely large enough for it to fit.
    “And this is happening at all the schools?” Sabrina was asking on the radio.
    “Well, again I can only talk about what’s happening in DeKalb, but yes, all the schools we’ve heard from are basically saying the same things are happening.”
    “So this probably isn’t some sort of environmental issue?”
    “We just don’t know.” Steve said.
    Jessica again reached the front of the latest block of cars, and had nothing but clear road ahead of her.  She accelerated sharply, barely noticing when the dashboard’s engine rpm gauge began threatening its red zone as the speedometer hit triple digits.  She stopped listening to the radio, ignored the scream of the engine, and kept her eyes on the road and her foot on the floor.
    * * * * *
Peter
    “Honey?” Peter called as he opened the door leading in from the garage.  “I’m back.”  Silence greeted him, and he frowned as he glanced behind himself.  Amy’s Accord was right where it’d been when he left earlier.  “Amy?” he called, stepping into the kitchen and set the bag from the grocery store on the counter.
    The house was still quiet, and he moved into the living room, glancing in at the dining room as he passed its doorway.  It was empty, as was the living room.  He hastened through the house,