The Reaper Virus by Nathan Barnes Read Free Book Online

room for an emergency exit. Directly beneath our bedroom
window was a metal stand for the garden hose. It was solidly
mounted in the ground and could make for a good step up/down to the
window. My plan was to put the lower boards on a hinge to make it
so they could swing out. That way we could get out into the
backyard pretty discreetly. I had some old hardware that could be
used as a locking mechanism from the inside. If it worked, it’d be
like a secret door but still strong enough to fortify the window.
After that was sorted, I loaded up the car. The year before, we
bought a little hatchback suitable for a family of four. I packed
as much as possible inside and on the roof rack. If we had to go in
a hurry, I didn’t want to stop to pack the damn car. We were
stocked up enough that loading the car wouldn’t take away from
supplies in the house.
     
    * * *
     
    2140 hours:
     
    Normal Sunday night Fox shows were
interrupted for a breaking news conference from the White House.
Immediately my heart sank. Any breaking news at that time had about
a 99% chance of being bad news.
    The screen went to a shot of the president
standing next to the CDC director at a podium stamped with the
White House seal. It was like watching a horrendous car wreck – I
couldn’t look away. I could almost hear my heart palpitating.
    The president spoke first, briefly. He
introduced Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. He then prefaced that there would be no
questions following the good doctor’s update or any final remarks
made by himself. Silence fell over the crowd of reporters as he
stepped aside and Dr. Frieden took the podium.
    I felt like I was going to vomit… even the
butterflies in my stomach were nauseous.
     
    “ Laboratories around the
globe have made combating the R33PR “Reaper” virus their main
priority. Regrettably, I must announce that little to no progress
has been made in combating the voracious spread of this pandemic.
The purpose of this press conference tonight is to address recent
claims and rumors spreading worldwide. Our understanding of the
virus thus far has been that symptoms increase in severity before
leading to extremely violent behavior in the infected.”
    Sarah was snuggled on my left side,
practically fused to me in her typical sweet cuddly way. The more
the news conference progressed, the less blood circulated in my
hand currently entwined within hers.
    “ We previously believed
that this violent behavior was possibly the result of increased
adrenaline production in afflicted subjects or even purely
coincidental. However, it is now believed that such outbursts are
experienced in all subjects infected with the Reaper strain. Unlike
its predecessor, mortality rate is one-hundred percent for this
mutation. Recent outlandish claims are that the infected subject
succumbs to the virus, and then engages in violent behavior after
death. It must be noted that the only reason this is even being
discussed is because this rumor has been circulated from
independent sources around the world. ALL current medical data
concludes that such a thing is not possible after death. The only
reason it is even being investigated is because of the unusual
nature of this virus.”
     
    Dr. Frieden quietly stepped aside as the
president moved back to the spotlight.
    “ It goes without saying
that we are all affected by this pandemic. I ask all citizens to
remain calm and avoid panic. Federal agencies are working
diligently to support local hospitals and enforce containment. As
difficult as it may be, it is vital that anyone exposed to an
infected subject proceed with caution.”
     
    He talked a little longer but we didn’t
listen. Sarah gripped my hand tighter and looked me in the eyes.
For a second I had to fight a smile – even with such a worrisome
expression on her face, I was struck by her beauty. She told me she
didn’t think I should go to work that night. I told her I had